ture; that he would kill and mortify thy lusts; that thy heart may never find rest in any enjoyment but Christ? Why now, by such humbling and impoverishing strokes, God may be fulfilling thy desire: wouldst thou be kept from sin? Lo, he hath hedged up thy way with thorns: wouldst thou see the creature's vanity? Thy affliction is a fair glass to discover it; for the vanity of the creature is never so effectually and sensibly discovered, as in our own experience of it: wouldst thou have thy corruptions mortified? This is the way; now God takes away the food and fewel that maintained them: for, as prosperity begat and fed them; so adversity, when sanctified, is a means to kill them. Wouldst thou have thy heart rest nowhere but in the bosom of God? What better way canst thou imagine providence should take to accomplish thy desire, than by pulling from under thy head, that soft pillow of creature delights, on which thou restedst before? And yet your fret at this; peevish child, how dost thou exercise thy Father's patience? If he delay to answer thy prayers, thou art ready to say, he regards thee not; if he do that which really answers the scope and main end of them, but not in the way thou expectedst, thou quarrellest with him for that; as it, in

stead of answering, he were crossing all thy hopes and aims is this ingenuous ? is it not enough that God is so gracious to do what thou desirest, but thou must be so impudent to expect he should do it in the way which thou prescribest?

7 Help. Again, it may stay thy heart, if thou consider, that, in these troubles, God is about that work, which, if thou didst see the design of, thy soul would rejoice. We poor creatures are bemisted with much ignorance, and are not able to discern how particular providences work towards God's end; and therefore, like Israel in the wilderness, are often murmuring, because providence leads us about in a howling desert, where we are exposed to straits; though yet, then he led them, and is now leading us, by the right way to a city of habitations. If you could but see how God in his secret counsel hath ex- . actly laid the whole plot and design of thy salvation, even to the smallest means and circumstances; this way, and by these means, such a one shall be saved, and by. no other; such a number of afflictions I appoint for this man, at this time, and in this order; they shall befal him thus, and thus they shall work for him: could you, I say, but discern the admirable harmony of divine dispensations, their mutual rela

tions to each other, together with the general respect and influence they all have into the last end; of all the conditions in the world, you would choose that you are now in, had you liberty to make your own choice. Providence is like a curious piece of arras, made up of a thousand shreds; which, single, we know not what to make of; but, put together and stitched up orderly, they represent a beautiful history to the eye. As God works all things according to the counsel of his own will, so that counsel of God hath ordained this, as the best way to bring about thy salvation such a one hath a proud heart, so many humbling providences I appoint for him; such a one an earthly heart, so many impoverishing providences for him: did you but see this, I need say no more to support the most dejected heart.

8 Help. Farther, it would much conduce to the settlement of your hearts, to consider, that by fretting and discontent, you do yourself more injury than all the afflictions you lie under could do. Your own discontent is that which arms your troubles with a sting; it is you that makes your burden heavy, by strugling under it : could you but lie quiet under the hand of God, your condition would be much easier and sweeter than it is this makes God

lay on more strokes, as a father will upon a stubborn child that receives not correction.

Besides, it unfits the soul to pray over its troubles, or take in the sense of that good which God intends by them: afflic tions is a pill, which, being wrapt up in patience and quiet submission, may be ea sily swallowed; but discontent chews the pill, and so imbitters the soul. God throws away some comfort which he saw would hurt you, and you will throw away your peace after it he shoots an arrow which sticks in your clothes, and was never intended to hurt, but only to fright you from sin; and you will thrust it onward to the piercing of your very hearts, by despondency and discontent.

9 Help. Lastly, if all this will not do, but thy heart (like Rachel) still refuses to be comforted, or quieted, then consider one thing more, which, if seriously pondered, will doubtless do the work; and that is this, compare the condition thou art now in (and art so much dissatisfied with) with that condition others are, and thyself deservest to be in. Others are roaring in flames, howling under the scourge of vengeance; and amongst them 1 deserve to be. O my soul! Is this hell? Is my condition as bad as the damned? O what would thousands now in hell give, to

change conditions with me! It is a famous instance which Dr. Taylor gives us of the duke of Conde; I have read (saith be) that when the duke of Conde had entered voluntarily into the incommodities of à religious poverty, he was one day espied and pitied by a lord of Italy, who, out of tenderness; wished him to be more careful and nutritive of his person the good duke answered, sir, be not troubled, and think not that I am ill provided of conveniences; for I send an harbinger before me, who makes ready my lodgings, and takes care that I be royally entertained. The lord asked him, who was his Harbin ger? He answered, the knowledge of myself, and the consideration of what I deserve for my sins, which is eternal torments; and when with this knowledge I arrive at my lodging, how unprovided soever I find it, methinks it is ever better than I deserve. Why doth the living man complain? And thus the heart may be kept from desponding or repining under adversity.

3 Season. "The third season, calling "for more than ordinary diligence to keep "the heart, is the time of Zion's trouble: "when the church, like the ship in which "Christ and his disciples were, is oppress"ed and ready to perish in the waves of