A30608:43
The saints inheritance and the worldlings portion representing the glorious condition of a child…
The saints inheritance and the worldlings portion representing the glorious condition of a child of God and the misery of having ones portion in this world, unfolding the state of true happiness with the marks, means, and members thereof / by Jer. Burroughs.The saints inheritance and the worldlings portion representing the glorious condition of a child of God and the misery of having ones portion in this world, unfolding the state of true happiness with the marks, means, and members thereof / by Ier. Burroughs.
London: printed for Francis Eglesfield, 1657
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Many wicked men, God doth make use of in divers services, and much refreshing and good his Churches shall have from them, the Lord causes the very earth to help the woman, earthly men to be of use to the Church; and God will not be beholding to them for their work; A ⟨p. 21⟩thorn may serve to stop a gap, though it be but a thornbush, and if it serve to stop a gap and be of any use, it hath some benefit by it, all that while it is kept from the fire; whereas were it not of use, it might presently be brought to the fire; An argument by the way for all men to be of as much use to the Church of God, as possibly they can, it may be that is the very thing that keeps them from the fire; thou art a thorn, but God hath use of thee, and therefore brings thee not to the fire, but if thou once comest to be unuseful, the fire is the next thing thou shalt hear off, I remember Austin, 1speaking of the Romans that had such a flourishing condition for a while, gives this for one reason of it, that the Romans had brave spirits, they were men that had excellent moralities, and heroic kind of spirits, they were delivered from that baseness of spirit, that other people had, and therefore God showed some kind of respect to them; many instances might be in this kind.
Many wicked men, God doth make use of in divers services, and much refreshing and good his Churches shall have from them, the Lord causes the very earth to help the woman, earthly men to be of use to the Church; and God will not be beholding to them for their work; A ⟨p. 21⟩thorn may serve to stop a gap, though it be but a thornbush, and if it serve to stop a gap and be of any use, it hath some benefit by it, all that while it is kept from the fire; whereas were it not of use, it might presently be brought to the fire; An argument by the way for all men to be of as much use to the Church of God, as possibly they can, it may be that is the very thing that keeps them from the fire; thou art a thorn, but God hath use of thee, and therefore brings thee not to the fire, but if thou once comest to be unusefull, the fire is the next thing thou shalt hear off, I remember Austin, 1