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'Matth. xix.

out the Truth no Knowledge; without the Life no Living. Keep then in this Way, for it is unalterable; believe in this Truth, for it is infallible; hope for, and afpire to this Life, for it is true, happy, and eternal Life. Continue in my Way, and thou fhalt know the Truth, and the Truth fhall make thee free, that thou may'ft inherit Everlasting Life. If thou wilt enter into Life, keep the Commandments. If thou wilt know the Truth, believe my Words. If thou wilt be perfect, fell that thou haft. If thou wilt fave thy Life hereafter, despise it here. If thou wilt be exalted in Heaven, abase thy self upon Earth. If thou defire to reign with me, take up the Crofs with me. For none but they who imitate my Crofs, are in the right Way to Happiness and true Glory.

Difciple.] This Way, O Lord, is ftrait and rugged, fuch as the World declines, and cannot endure to think of. Therefore I beg, thy Grace would enable me to defpife the World, and diffent from the General Opinion of Men, in compliance with thy Command and Example. For the Servant is not greater than John xv. bis Lord, nor the Difciple above his Mafter. Let thy Servant then be guided in thy Steps, for with thee is Life and true Holinefs. And all I'read or hear from any other Hand, gives me no Refreshment, no true Delight.

John xiii.

Chrift. If thou knoweft these things, my Son, happy art thou, if thou do them. For Practice and not Knowledge, fhall inherit the Bleffing. He that keepeth my Commandments, and doth

Fohn xiv.

them, be it is that loveth me, and I will love him in return, and manifeft my self to him, and fet him upon a Throne with me, in my Father's Kingdom.

Difciple.] Lord, make me a Partaker of this Gracious Promife. The Crofs, which I have received from thy Hand, I will bear with Conftancy even unto Death. The

The Life of a true Chriftian is indeed one continu'd Crofs; but, fince this is the Way that leads to Paradife, it is by no means fit, that I fhould depart from it, or repent of my holy Refolutions, and good Beginnings.

Come then, my Chriftian Brethren, let us advance boldly. Courage, for Chrift is with us; he does not only lead us on, but will enable us to follow him. For his fake we have taken up the Crofs, and for his fake we must perfevere in bearing it. Behold, the King and Captain of our Salvation marches at our head, ready to fight our Battels. Let Us, like gallant Soldiers, follow; let us abandon our Fears, and manfully prepare to die in the Field; and not ftain our Honour, and lofe our Crown, by flinching from that Service, and those Hardships, which he hath made our Duty and our Glory.

СНА Р. LXII.

Against being dejected with Temptations.

Chrift.]

Jud

Udge not, my Son, of thy Favour and Acceptance with God, by fuch falfe Measures, as the Warmth of thy Devotion, and the Delight which refults from the Discharge of thy Duty. For I am better pleafed with Humility and Patience, and deep Contrition of Heart, in a difconfolate and afflicted State; than with an eager Zeal, and the most exalted Acts of an eafy and profperous Piety. And whence is it, doft thou think, that every little Scandal, which detracts from thy Reputation, fo fenfibly affects thee? Were it yet more to thy Difparagement, yet could it not be worth thy Concern. This is not the first Injury of this kind, nor is it like

to be the laft, if thou live longer among Men. And what is now new or ftrange, ought not to furprize thee. I know thy Courage and pretended Bravery, while Danger keeps its diftance. Thou canft difcourfe like a Philofopher and a Christian, and give excellent Advice to thy Friends, when they labour under any Diftrefs: But when their Cafe happens to be thy own, and fome unexpected Calamity comes home to thee; thy Prudence and Refolution forfake thee quite, and thou ftandeft no lefs in need of the Counsel and Support, which thou wert wont fo freely to impart to others heretofore.

Let this Experiment remind thee of thy own Frailty, which, by fuch Inftances, appears not to be Proof against the flightest Misfortunes. For even thefe Inftances are greatly for thy Advantage, and bring thee to a right and perfect Understanding of thy own Condition. Grow wifer at least at thy own Expence ; and as thy calmer Reafon fhews they ought to be, fo let thy Behaviour manifeft, that these tender Refentments of Temporal Evils are banished out of thy Mind. If thou canst not entertain Adverfity with abfolute Indifference, yet let it not drive thee to Defpondency and wicked Diftruft; and, however the firft Onfet may difturb thee, yet rally quickly, and let it not long overpower thee. And tho' perhaps thou art not arrived to that Perfection of counting it all Joy, when Jam. i. thou falleft into divers Temptations; thou canft not be excufed from undergoing them with Meeknefs, and Refignation, and Patience. If thou art not yet got even thus far, but fome indecent Reflections rife up in thy Mind; yet let not this fecret Indignation break out into irreverent Expreffions, but fet a Watch upon thy Tongue, and keep the Door of thyLips. Pfal. cxli. Refolve at leaft, that thy Mouth fhall not of & xxxix. fend; and though thy Heart be hot within thee, yet let not any paffionate Complaints burst

out, which may caft Imputations upon the Honour of God, impeach the Justice and Goodness of Providence, or give Offence to thy weaker Brethren. For, by thus manning and guarding well the Outworks, thy inward Commotions will in time be compofed, thy Sorrow by degrees fhall turn into Joy, and the Favour and Mercy of God be inclined to relieve and comfort thee, in recompence for thy Reverence and Submiffion to his good Pleasure.

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As I live, faith the Lord, I will help thee speedily, and comfort them who earnestly feek me, who put their trust in my Salvation. Call up thy Chriftian Fortitude, and fink not under thy Burthen, but prepare for greaterTrials. If thy former Troubles have overwhelmed thy Spirits, and prevailed over thy Temper and thy Virtue; let not the Remembrance of thy former Trials difcourage thee. The Lord knoweth whereof thou art made, be remembreth that thou art but Duft: Pfal.ciii. A Man, and not God; Flesh, and not Angel, or unbodied Spirit; How canft thou then expect to continue in an undisturb'd State of Goodness? How fhould thy Virtue be above the shocks and shakings of Temptation, when even the Angels kept not their first Eftate, and Man in Paradife fo foon fell from Innocence? I am thy fole Protection, who raise the Souls dejected with Sorrow, preferve those who acknowledge and bewail their own Weakness, and glorify with my felf the humble Chriftians, who are afhamed of their Follies and Mifcarriages.

Difciple.] Bleffed be thy Mercy, for the gracions Words, which drop from thy Mouth, foft as the gentle Dew, and sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb. What would become of me, in the Extremity of my Diftrefs and Anguifh of my Soul, did not thy Promifes and feasonable Instructions refresh and comfort me? But be it as thou wilt; for I cannot think it any great matter, how long or boisterous my Voyage is, fo thou

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at last conduct me fafe to that peaceful Haven, where good Men are at reft. Let my Afflictions be never fo great, fo thou grant a happy Iffue, and turn my Sufferings to good effect. Be my Condition in this Life Adverfe or Profperous, no Profperity will profit, no Adverfity harm me, but in Proportion to the State in which I die. And if I go well out of the World, my Continuance in it cannot be fo troublefome, that I should have caufe to repent or complain. Order my Affairs then as thou pleaseft; but always, O my God, remember me for good. Lead me in the right and ready way to thy Kingdom, difpofe my every Action towards the Attainment of Salvation, and let me fo pass through things Temporal, that I finally lofe not the things Eternal. Amen.

CHA P. LXIII.

Against Prying into Things too high for us, and pretending to Fathom the Depths of God and Providence.

Chrift.]

D

not, my Son, take upon thee to difpute, or determine any thing concerning abftrufe and difficult Points; nor too curiously enquire into thofe myfterious Difpenfations, which God hath purposely concealed from thee. Concern not thy felf about the amazing Diftributions of Grace or Providence; why one Man is forfaken and in Diffavour with God, another fo furprizingly indulged by him; This Perfon exercifed with Afflictions and Sorrows, or That fo gently dealt with, fo unaccountably exalted. These are things out of thy Sphere: And all the Parts and Penetration, the acuteft Wit, and acquired Improvements of Man, are much too

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