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(seq. 16)
15)
will give Grace and Glory & no good Thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly [?]
3 This good is Secured to them that makes Choice of it Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her. tempor :al Riches take to themselves Wings and fly away. Riches are not for ever nor the Crown unto all gener rations; & the pleasures of Sin are but for a Weapon But this good Part consists in durable Riches that are forever more There are various Adversarys to the happiness of Mankind. The grand Adversary the Devil, who as a roaming Lion goeth about Seeking whom he may devour, and he hath many Emis :Sarys who are industrious to (do) all y. they came to frustrate the Grace of God,, and hinder the happiness of Men; but The Lion of the Tribe of Judah hath prevailed, and he is stronger than the Strong Man arm :ed That Men and Devils cannot and God and the redeemer will not take away the good part from those who have made their Choice John 10 27 28 29. My Sheep hear my Voice and I Know them and they follow me. & I give unto them eternal Life and they shall never perish neither Shall any pluck them out of my Hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all; And none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers Hand, Thus when Paul complains and entreats being perplex :ed with the grieving Thorns in the Flesh the Message of Satan to baffle
(seq. 17)
16)
Him the Answer of God Saith unto Him My Grace is Sufficient for thee; for my Strength is made perfect in Weakness For if the Lord be on our Side we need not fear what Man can do unto us. Nay, not all the powers of Earth and Hell shall be able to prevail against Gods Chosen People Thus we have considered Something of the Happiness of those who have chosen the Good part which shall not be taken away from them & So finished what was proposed for the Illustration of the Text and may now proceed to offer Something by Way of improvement.
See from what had been said (1) the unhappy Mistake of Multitudes that trouble themselves about Trifles to the Neglect of the One Thing needful There be many which say who will Shew us any good? Men are generally agreed that Something is needful in order to their CircumStances being easy and their Hap:piness compleat, but then they are very much divided in their No= tions of Happiness, and multitudes are very wide from the Truth. Their notions are vain, empty & Imaginary; they are building Castles in the Air, or valuing them Selves upon Trifles; will beat their brains, and worry their Cas: tles to accomplish Some trifling End or to Shine upon Some Impertinent Occasions, as thotheir everlasting all depended up:on it; and all this to the neglect of what is really of Importance. To the Casting off Fear and re :Straining Prayers before GOD
(seq. 18)
17)
to the Neglect of the great Salvation Look into the busy World and See if this be not the Case. Whe :ther many are not following Things that are vain, and will not pro fit, if not Thing that will be bitterness in the latter End. This is so constantly exemplified that it called for Lamentations rather than Proof. The Practice of Multitudes de :clare it: Who by their unworthy Con :duct proclaim abroad y.r own Shame
2 We may See moreover what a foolish Choice they made and what a restless Life they live, who neglect the one Thing needful. They are commonly troubled about many Things, a variety of Things agreed perplex them. They have a continual Revolution of Care; and of least to that they have no rest for the Sole of their feet have little Quiet and Composure of Mind, and yet the fruit of all this Care con :cern and Fatigue is but Vanity, Vexation and Disappointment; whereas if they made the one thing Needful their principal Con :cern, they would be in the direct way to procure Comfort of Mind here as well as everlasting Happiness hereafter; and they might then with Comfort and Safety trust in the divine Good :ness for all necessary Supplys of outward good. For GOD will withold no Good Thing from them; Nothing that his infinite Wisdom Sees necessary and Convenient for them How long then ye Simple One will ye love simplicity, and Fools hate Knowledge how long will ye weary yourselves
(seq. 19)
18)
for very vanity? Forsake the Foolish and live and go in the Way of Understanding. or you will mourn at the last when your Flesh and your Body are consumed Say :ing, how have we hated In Structions! and our heart des :pised reproof; we have not heartened to the Voice of our Teachers, nor inclined our Ears unto them that have instructed us. Then will they Call but God will not answer. They will be rea :dy to seek Him early and earnest :ly but he will not be found by them. The Foolish will then Say to the Wise, give us your Oil for our Lamps are gone out but they Shall be refused The Door of Mercy being shut they may Cry Lord Lord open to us but he Shall profess un: to them, I never Knew you; de: :part from me, all ye workers of Iniquity For that when I called ye refused; when I Stretched out my hand, ye disregarded; I will also laugh now at your Calami ty I shall yet disregard your most earnest Suits, you must eat of ye fruits of your own Way and be filled with your own Devices. you chose your porti :on in the World and you re :ceived your good Things there and now you must not ex :pect ye Comfort you Slighted but must Shall the Torment you often were warned off
(seq. 20)
19)
But could not be preuaded but flees from O Let the Folly and dangers of Such a Course awaken all Thotless and [?] Sinners to Consider this lest God has them in pieces and there be none to deliver them
3. Let there take them take Comfort from the Doctrine who have chosen the goodness and abide by their Choice Knowing their Reward is great in Heaven you have Chosen that which is well pleasing to God; which he is freely willing to grant , & Secure to You against all the Power and malice of your Spiteful foes; and you need not be anxiously concerned about any thing; for he will withold no good thing from you Trust in the Lord Still & do good Commit your Way unto the Lord Trust all ye in Him, let whatever Clouds a: :rise and he shall bring forth {Righteousness} as the Light and Ye judgement of the Noon Day; your {Righteousness} Shall at last go forth as Brightness; and your Salvation as a Lamp that burneth ~
To Conclude, Let us all be humbled under Consideration of our past Neglect and be ani :mated to a greater Sollicitude about the One Thing Needful