Now upon all these grounds, if you be true, and right Christians, and know (as the Apostles word is) how to put a due estimate upon what is your greatest interest and privilege in this life, (viz. the proof and trial of your Graces, and of this Grace of Patience above all, as the highest perfection of a Christian; yea of Christ himself; and which was the most eminent praise of Prophets and Apostles) if you value your being rendered, most pleasing unto God, then count it all Joy when you thus fall into tentations. For now you have God ⟨p. 28⟩and Christ, the great, the chief Master Orderer and Designer of these conflicts, setting his most gracious eye upon you, pleasing himself to behold how valiantly, wisely, and gallantly, you be have, and acquit your selves: He sits in Heaven, as the great Spectator of these Justs and Tournaments, which are to him as Spectacles which are sports to us: to which the Apostle alludes, 1 Cor 4. 9. For I think that God hath set forth US the Apostles last, […] it were appointed to death, fo• we are made a spectacle unto th• World, and to Angles, and to Men Rejoice therefore as good Soldiers would, to enter into these Lists, in the sight of their Great General, and Emperor, whom they have given themselves up to please. Thus 2 Tim. 2. 4. […] man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of thi• life, that he may [PLEASE ⟨p. 29⟩HIM, who hath chosen him: TO BE A SOLDIER.] Therefore get your hearts free and loose from all those entanglements, that arise from adherency to the things of this world; from inordinate passions •hat cleave unto the things of this •ife, which will hinder and weaken you, as to a patient bearing •he losses and crosses you meet with, in it: Knowing also, that •ou cannot please the Captain of •our salvation, nor approve your •elves, more to him, then by a patient endurance, which is, in •he words afore that passage, in •hat place to Timothy, exhorted •o, v. 3. Therefore endure hardness •s a good Soldier of Christ. And •n its Coherence, this follows, [it •leaseth your General to see it.] And in the 1. of Col. he first, in the General, prays, v. 10. That they might walk worthy of the Lord •nto ALL PLEASING. ⟨p. 30⟩Which Pleasing, as it consisteth in fruit fullness in good Works, or the active life of a Christian, [Being fruitful in every good work] in the same verse:
Now upon all these grounds, if you be true, and right Christians, and know (as the Apostles word is) how to put a due estimate upon what is your greatest interest and priviledg in this life, (viz. the proof and tryal of your Graces, and of this Grace of Patience above all, as the highest perfection of a Christian; yea of Christ himself; and which was the most eminent praise of Prophets and Apostles) if you value your being rendred, most pleasing unto God, then count it all Joy when you thus fall into tentations. For now you have God ⟨p. 28⟩and Christ, the great, the chief Master Orderer and Designer of these consticts, setting his most gracious eye upon you, pleasing himself to behold how valiantly, wisely, and gallantly, you be have, and acquit your selves: He sits in Heaven, as the great Spectator of these Justs and Turnaments, which are to him as Spectacles which are sports to us: to which the Apostle alludes, 1 Cor 4. 9. For I think that God hath set forth ƲS the Apostles last, 〈…〉 it were appointed to death, fo• we are made a spectacle unto th• World, and to Angles, and to Men Rejoyce therefore as good Soldiers would, to enter into these Lists, in the sight of their Grea• General, and Emperour, whom they have given themselves up to please. Thus 2 Tim. 2. 4. 〈…〉 man that warreth entanglet• himself with the affairs of thi• life, that he may [PLEASE ⟨p. 29⟩HIM, who hath chosen him: TO BE A SOLDIER.] Therefore get your hearts free and loose from all those entanglements, that arise from adherency to the things of this world; from inordinate passions •hat cleave unto the things of this •ife, which will hinder and wea•en you, as to a patient bearing •he losses and crosses you meet with, in it: Knowing also, that •ou cannot please the Captain of •our salvation, nor approve your •elves, more to him, then by a •atient endurance, which is, in he words afore that passage, in hat place to Timothy, exhorted o, v. 3. Therefore endure hardness s a good Soldier of Christ. And n its Coherence, this follows, [it leaseth your General to see it.] And in the 1. of Col. he first, in the General, prayes, v. 10. That they might walk worthy of the Lord nto ALL PLEASING.
