atheistical scoff of Julian, when he took away the christians estates, and told them, it was to make them fitter for the kingdom of heaven.

6 Is thy spirit for all this flatulent and lofty? Then urge upon it the consideration of that awful day of reckoning, wherein according to our receipts of mer cies shall be our accounts for them: and methinks this should awe and humble the vainest heart that ever was in the breast. of a saint. Know for certain, that the Lord records all the mercies that ever he gave thee from the beginning to the end. of thy life, Micah vi. 4. Remember, O my people, from Shittim unto Gilgal, &c. Yea, they are exactly numbered and recorded, in order to an account; and thy account will be suitable, Luke xii. 48. To whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required. You are but stewards, and your Lord will come to take an account of you and, what a great account have you to make, who have much of this world in your hands? What swift witnesses will your mercies be against you, if this be the best fruits of them?

7 It is a very humbling consideration," that the mercies of God should work. otherwise upon my spirits than they use to do upon the spirits of athers, to whom

they come as sanctified mercies from the love of God. Ah Lord! what a sad consideration is this? Enough to lay me in the dust when I consider,

(1) That their mercies have greatly bumbled them; the higher God hath raised them, the lower they have laid themselves before God. Thus did Jacob when God had given him much substance, Gen. xxii. 5, 10. And Jacob said, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and all the truth which thou hast shewed thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now am become two bands. And thus it was with holy David, 2 Sam. vii. 18. when God had confirmed the promise to to build him a house, and not reject him as he did Saul, he goes in before the Lord, and saith, who I? am and what is my Father's house, that thou hast brought me hitherto and so indeed God required, Deut. xxvi. 5. when Israel was to bring to God the first fruits of Canaan. A Syrian ready to perish was my Father, &c. Do others raise God the higher for raising them and the more God raises me, the more shall I abase him and exalt myself? O what a sad thing is this!

(2) Others have freely ascribed the glory of all their enjoyments to God, and magnified not themselves, but him, for

their mercies : so David, 2 Sam. vii. 26. Let thy name be magnified, and the house of thy servant be established. He doth not fly upon the mercy, and suck out the sweetness of it, looking no farther than his own comfort; no, he cares for no mercy except God be magnified in it. So, Psal. xviii. 2. when God had delivered him from all his enemies, the Lord (saith he) is my strength and ny rock, he is become my salvation. They did not put the crown upon their own heads, as I do.

(3) The mercies of God have been melting mercies unto others, melting their souls in love to the God of their mercies. So Hannah, 1 Sam. ii. 1. when she received the mercy of a Son; my soul (said she) rejoiceth in the Lord, not in the mercy, but in the God of the mercy

and so Mary, Luke i. 46. My soul doth magnify, the Lord, my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour; the word signifies to make more room for God: their hearts were not contracted, but the more enlarged to God.

(4) The mercies of God have been mighty restraints to keep others from sin. So Ezra ix. 13. Seeing thou our God hast given us such a deliverance as this, should we again break thy commandments? In

genuous souls have felt the force of the obligations of love and mercy upon them.

(5) To conclude, the mercies of God to others have been as oil to the wheels of their obedience, and made them fitter for service, 2 Chron. xvii. 5. Now, if mercies work contrarily upon my heart, what cause have I to be afraid, that they come not to me in love? I tell you, this is enough to damp the spirit of any saint, to see what sweet effects they have had on others, and what sad effects on him.

2 Season. "The second special season "in the life of a christian, requiring more "than a common diligence to keep his "heart, is, the time of adversity. When 66 providence frowns upon you, and blasts 66 your outward comforts, then look to " your hearts, keep them with all diligence "from repining against God, or fainting "under his hand; for troubles, though "sanctified, are troubles still even sweet "briar, and holy thistle have their prickles. "Jonah was a good man, and yet how "s pettis was his heart under affliction ? 66 Job was the mirror of patience, yet how << was his heart discomposed by trouble? "You will find it is as hard to get a com"posed spirit under great afflictions, as it "is to fix quick silver: oh the hurries "and tumults which they occasion, even

in the best hearts! Well then, the se-"cond case will be this,

2 Case. How a christian under great afflictions may keep his heart from repining or desponding under the hand of God.. Now, there are nine special helps I shall here offer, to keep thy heart in this condition; and the first shall be this, to work upon your hearts this great truth;

I That, by these cross providences, God is faithfully pursuing the great design of electing love, upon the souls of his people; and orders all these afflictions as means sanctified to that end.

Afflictions fall not out by casualty, but by counsel, Job. v. 6. Eph. i. 11. by this counsel of God they are ordained as means of much spiritual good to saints, Isa. xxvii. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, &c. Hebrews xii. 10. But he for our profit, &c. Rom. viii. 38. All things work together for good; they are God's workmen upon our hearts, to pull down the pride and carnal security of them: and, being so, their nature is changed; they are turned into blessings and benefits, Psal. cxix. 71. It is good for me tha: I have been afflicted. And sure then, thou hast no reason to quarrel with, but rather to admire that God should concern him self so much in thy good, to use any means