and Proteftants, than enjoy his former plenty, favours, and pleasures, with his old religion." Nor is it poffible for any now to quit the world, and live a serious, godly life in Chrift, without the like fuffering and perfecution. There are among us alfo fome, who have fuffered the dif pleasure of their most dear and intimate relations and friends; and all thofe troubles, difgraces, and reproaches, which are accustomed to attend fuch as decline the honours, pleafures, ambition, and preferments of the world, and that chufe to live an humble, ferious, and felf-denying life before the Lord: but they are very unequal to the joy and recompence that follow. For though there be no affliction that is not grievous for the present, yet, what fays the man of God? It works a far more exceeding weight of glory in the end. This has been both the faith and experience of those, that in all ages have trufted in God, who have not fainted by the way; but enduring, have obtained an eternal diadem. Wherefore, fince we are compassed about with fo great a cloud of witneffes, let us lay afide every weight and burden, and the fin and vanities that do so easily befet us, and with a conftant holy patience run our race, having our eye fixed upon Jefus, the author and finisher of our faith, not minding what is behind; fo fhall we be delivered from every fnare. No temptations fhall gain us, no frowns fhall fcare us from Chrift's crofs, and our bleffed felfa 2 Tim. iii. 12. 1 Peter iv. I to 5. Heb. xii. 1. Rom. v. I to 4. denial. And honour, glory, immortality, and a crown of eternal life, fhall recompence all our fufferings in the end. O LORD God! thou loveft holiness, and purity is thy delight in the earth; wherefore, I pray thee, make an end of fin, and finifh tranfgreffion, and bring in thy everlasting righteousness to the fouls of men, that thy poor creation may be delivered from the bondage it groans under, and the earth enjoy her fabbath again that thy great name may be lifted up in all nations, and thy falvation renowned to the ends of the world. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever. Amen. Phil. iii. 13. Rom. ii. 7. |