Sixthly,1 a natural conscience may put a man upon the way of self-denial, but such a one accounts the ways of God hard ways, because of the troubles he meets withal in them, he is brought out of love with Gods ways, and he is weary of them, he is even sorry that he came into them, and could be content to with-draw himself from them, if he knew how to do it; but a believer suffering in the ways of God, he still likes well of them, he speaks good of them, his heart cleaves close unto them: Sufferings are esteemed the better, because they are in the ways of God, and the ways of God are not esteemed the worse, because they are in the ways of Suffering, his Suffering confirms him in them; a crucified Christ, and persecuted godliness, are very lovely in his eyes: Cant. 1. 13. A bundle of Myrrh is my beloved unto me, he shall lye all night between my breasts; Myrrh is a bitter thing, although Christ be ⟨p. 244⟩as Myrrh, yet he shall lye between my breasts, next to my heart, as most lovely and delightful to me: where there is true godliness, such a one whatsoever he meets withal in Gods ways, he never opens his mouth again to speak against them, Ezek. 16. 63. and Psal. 44. 17, 18, 19, 20, &c. All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant, our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way, though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death, &c. And Psal. 89. from the 38. verse to the 52. we read of Ethan making a most lamentable complaint for the miseries of the Church, and yet he concludes, Blessed be the Lord for evermore: and this not formally, or slightly, but earnestly with much affection, and therefore he adds Amen, and doubles it, Amen, Amen: as if he should say, let the troubles of the Church be what they will, yet God and his ways shall be for ever blessed, in mine eyes, in my heart.
Sixthly,1 a naturall conscience may put a man upon the way of self-denyall, but such a one accounts the wayes of God hard wayes, because of the troubles he meets withall in them, hee is brought out of love with Gods wayes, and hee is weary of them, he is even sorry that he came into them, and could be content to with-draw himselfe from them, if hee knew how to doe it; but a beleever suffering in the wayes of God, hee still likes well of them, hee speakes good of them, his heart cleaves close unto them: Sufferings are esteemed the better, because they are in the wayes of God, and the wayes of God are not esteemed the worse, because they are in the wayes of Suffering, his Suffering confirmes him in them; a crucified Christ, and persecuted godlinesse, are very lovely in his eyes: Cant. 1. 13. A bundle of Myrrh is my beloved unto me, hee shall lye all night betweene my brests; Myrrh is a bitter thing, although Christ bee ⟨p. 244⟩as Myrrh, yet he shall lye between my brests, next to my heart, as most lovely and delightfull to me: where there is true godlinesse, such a one whatsoever he meets withall in Gods wayes, hee never opens his mouth againe to speake against them, Ezek. 16. 63. and Psal. 44. 17, 18, 19, 20, &c. All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant, our heart is not turned backe, neither have our steps declined from thy way, though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death, &c. And Psal. 89. from the 38. verse to the 52. we read of Ethan making a most lamentable complaint for the miseries of the Church, and yet he concludes, Blessed be the Lord for evermore: and this not formally, or slightly, but earnestly with much affection, and therefore he addes Amen, and doubles it, Amen, Amen: as if he should say, let the troubles of the Church bee what they will, yet God and his wayes shall be for ever blessed, in mine eyes, in my heart.
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