A35539:202
Gospel-love, heart-purity, and the flourishing of the righteous being the last sermon of the…
Gospel-love, heart-purity, and the flourishing of the righteous being the last sermon of the late reverend Mr. Joseph Caryl.
London : Printed and are to be sold by John Hancock Senior and Junior, 1675
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Thirdly, Seeing it is so, that righteous ones do flourish as the Palm-tree, then when any weights of affliction, ⟨p. 120⟩either personal or public, or persecution, or whatsoever are upon any of us, let us mind the purpose of God towards us. Let us not think that he comes to hurt us, but to make us grow and flourish like a Palm-tree. Let us mind this, and join with God in this Counsel, in laying such things upon his people: Let us join with God, and promote the Counsel of God in our own hearts and lives, and in the hearts and lives of others, that they may be bettered by their sufferings, and be encouraged by their sufferings, to believe more in God, and more for God, than ever they were. God doth not intend us hurt, but good by it; and so we should find it, if we were wise to join with him in his Purposes.
Thirdly, Seeing it is so, that righteous ones do flourish as the Palm-tree, then when any weights of affliction, ⟨p. 120⟩either personal or publick, or persecution, or whatsoever are upon any of us, let us mind the purpose of God towards us. Let us not think that he comes to hurt us, but to make us grow and flourish like a Palm-tree. Let us mind this, and joyn with God in this Counsel, in laying such things upon his people: Let us joyn with God, and promote the Counsel of God in our own hearts and lives, and in the hearts and lives of others, that they may be bettered by their sufferings, and be encouraged by their sufferings, to believe more in God, and more for God, than ever they were. God doth not intend us hurt, but good by it; and so we should find it, if we were wise to joyn with him in his Purposes.
Fourthly, And then I would say yet further, This may be matter of Trial to us. We may take a trial of our selves, both as to ⟨p. 121⟩the state of our persons, and as to the state of our graces.