The excellency of a gracious spirit Delivered in a treatise upon the 14. of…The excellency of a gracious spirit Deliuered in a treatise upon the 14. of…

We read of a notable speech, that Hilarion had when he was to die; Go out, go out my soul, why dost ¹thou fear, why dost thou doubt? almost these seventy years hast thou served Christ, and dost thou now fear death? And if the end of our way at death, hath so much good in it, how much good will there be in the end of our way, that we shall enjoy, when we come to heaven?

Wee reade of a notable speech, that Hilarion had when hee was to die; Goe out, goe out my soule, why dost ¹thou feare, why dost thou doubt? almost these seventy yeares hast thou served Christ, and dost thou now feare death? And if the end of our way at death, hath so much good in it, how much good will there be in the end of our way, that we shall enjoy, when we come to heaven?

1. 1Egredere, quid times? egredere anima mea, quid dubitas? septuagintaprope annis servisti Christo, et mortemtimes? Hicronym, in vit. ejus.

As the consideration of the full reward in heaven, was made use of before, as an encouragement to those who do fully follow the Lord; so now we make use of it, as a strong motive to draw up our hearts to the full following after him. It was S. Pauls motive to the Corinthians, 1 Epistle 15. 58. persuading them to he steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as they knew that their labour was not in vain in the Lord. We do not follow after shadows, and fancies, in following the Lord, but we seek for glory, honour, immortality; ⟨p. 393⟩we follow after an incorruptible crown, a glorious kingdom, an eternal inheritance, the glory of heaven; the treasures of the riches of God himself are set before us, to draw up our hearts fully to him. It was the argument that S. Paul used to work upon his own spirit withal,