the God of love 4 To mention no more itâ— disparages the Christian Religion How would Plato and Pythagor as shame us if they were now living Christ was as a lamb for meekness and doth it become his followers to be like Lyons O keep your hearts or you will at once lose not only your own peace but the câ—edit of religion 4. Mea. Consider how sweet a thing it is to a Christian to conquer his corruâ—tions and carry away the spoils of them He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a City Prov. 16. 32. Is there any content inventing a passion how much more in mortifying it when thou comest in a calm mood or upon a death-bed to review thy life how comfortable then will it be to reflect upon the conquests thou hast got by the fear of God over the evil propensions of thine own heart 't was a memorable saying of Valentinian the Emperour when he came to dye among all my Conquests said he there is but one that now comforts me and being asked what that was he answered I have overcome my worst enemy mine own naughty heart 5. Mea. Shame your selves by setting before you those eminent patterns that have been most excellent for meekness Aboâ—â— all compare your spirits with the spâ—rit of Christ Learn of me saith he for I am meek and lowly Matth. 11. 29. Christ was meek and lowly but I am proud and passionate it was the high commendation of Moses Numb 12. 3. Now the man Moses was meek above all the men of the earth and this was the man that knew God face to face 'T is said of Calvin and Vrsin that they both were of cholerick natures but yet had so learned the meekness of Christ as not to utter one word under the greatest provocation unbeseeming Religion When I read the pretty stories of the very Heathens that never had the advantages we have how the Pythagorians what ever fewds had been among them in the day would hush all by sending to each other this message the Sun is almost set and that of Plato to his Scholar I would beat thee if I were not angry When I read what lenity and tenderness Lycurgus shewed to an insolent fellow that had struck out one of his eyes I am ashamed to see how much Christians are out shot by Heathens who by meer moral arguments and precepts had thus meekned their Spirits and conquered their passions the dim light of nature could teach saneca to say that anger will hurt a man more than the offence for there is a certain bound in the offence but I know not how far mine anger will carry me 'T is a shame that these men who come so far behind us in means and advantages should so far outstrip us in meekness and patience Means 6. Lastly Avoid all irritating occasions He that will not hear the Clapper must not pull the Rope grievous words stir up anger saith Solomon Prov. 15. 1. Do not only pray and resolve against it but get as far as you can out of the way of it 't is true Spiritual Valour to run as fast and as far as we can out of sins way if you can but avoid anger in its first rise there is no great fear of it afterwards for it is noâ— with this sin as it is with other sins other sins grow to their full strength by degrees their first motions are the weakest but this sin is born in its full strength 't is strongest at firâ—t withstand it then and it falls before you Thus learn to keep your hearâ—s when provocations arise Season 9. The ninth Season of exerting our greatest diligence is the Crittical hour of temptation wherein Satan layes close Siege to the Fort-Royal of a Christians heart and often surprizes it for want of watchfulness to keep thy heart now is no less a Mercy than a Duty few Christians are so well skilled in detecting the fallacies and retorting the arguments by which Satan uses to draw them to sin as to come off safe in those encounters Watch and Pray saith our Lord lest ye enter into temptation Mark 14. 38. Even an emineâ—t David and a wise Solomoâ— have smarted for their carelesness at such a time as this The ninth Case therefore shall be this Case 9. How a Christian when strongly sollicited by the Devil to sin may keep his heart from yielding to the temptation Now there are six special Arguments by which Satan subtilly insinuates and winds in the temptation in all which I shall offer thee some help for the keeping of thy heart and the first is this Arg. 1. The first Argument is drawn from the pleasure of sin O saith Satan here is pleasure to be enjoyed the temptation comes with a smiling countenance and charming Voice What art thou so flegmatick and dull a soul as not to feel the powerful charms of pleasure who can with-hold himself from such delights Now thine heart may be kept from the danger of this temptation by retorting this Argument of pleasure upon the Tempter which is done two waies 1. Thou tellest me Satan that sin is pleasant be it so but are the gripes of Conscience and the flames of Hell so too Is it pleasant to feel the wounds and throbs of Conscience if so Why did Peter weep so bitterly Matth. 26. 75. Why did David cry out of broken bones Psal. 51. I hear what thou sayest of the pleasure of sin and I have read what David hath said of the terrible effects of sin in his Psalm to bring to remembrance Psal. 38. verse 2. Thine Arrows stick fast in me and thy Hand presseth me sore ver 3. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin verse 4. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me verse 5. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness verse 6. I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long verse 7. My loyns are filled with a loathsom Disease and there is no soundness in my flesh Verse 8. I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart Here I see the true face of sin if I yield to thy temptation I must either feel these pangs of Conscience or the flames of Hell 2. What talkest thou of the pleasure of sin when by experience I know there is more true pleasure in the mortification than can be in the commission of sin O how sweet is it to please God to obey Conscience to preserve inward Peace to be able to say in this tryal I have discâ—vered the sincerity of my heart now I know I fear the Lord now I see that I truly hate sin Hath â—in any such delight as this this will choak that temptation Arg. 2. The second Argument
thus they shall work for him could you I say but diâ—cern the admirable harmony of divine dispensations their mutual relations 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 chuse 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 sticht 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 fâ—r him Did you but see this I need say no more to support the most dâ—â—â—cted 〈◊〉 8. Help Fâ—rther it would much conduce to the seâ—â—lement of your hearts to consider that by fretting and disconteâ—t you do your selves more injury than all the afflictions you lye under could doe Your own discontent is that which arms your troubles with a sting 't is you that make your burthen heavy by strugling under it could you but lye quâ—et under the hand of God your condition would be much easier and sweeter than it is impatiens aegrotus crudelem facit Medicum This makes God lay on more strokes as a Father will upon a stubborn child that receives not correctioâ— Besides it unfiâ—s the Soul to pray over its troubles or take in the sence of that good which God intends by them â—ffliction is a pill which being wrapt up in patience and quiet submission may be easily 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 alter it he shoots an arrow which sticks in your cloaths and was never intended to hurt but only to fright you from sin and you will thrust it onward â—o the piercing of your very hearts by despondency and discontent 9. Help Lastly it all this will not do but thy heart like Rachel still refuses to be comforted or quieâ—ed then consider one thing mâ—re 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 thy self deservest to be in Othâ—rs are roaring in flames howling under the scourge of vengeance and amongst them I 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 Doctor Tayler gives us of the Duke of Condey I have read saith he that when the Duke of Condey had entred voluntarily into the incâ—mmoditiâ—s of a religious poverty he was one day espied and pityed 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 harbinger he answered the knowledge of my self 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 me thinks it is ever better then I deserve Why doth the living man complain and thus thâ— heart may be kept from desponding or repining under adversity 3. Season The third Season calling for more than ordinary dilligence to keep the heart is the time of Sions trouble when the Church like the ship in which Christ and his disciples were is oppressed and ready to perish in the waves of persecution then good Souls are ready to sink and be shipwrackt too upon the billows of their own fear I confess most men rather need the spur than the reyns in this case and yet some sit down as overweighed with the sence of the Churches troubles the loss of the Ark cost old Eli his liâ—e the sad posture Ierusalem lay in made good Nehemiahs countenance chang in the midst of all the pleasures and accommodations of the Court Neh. 2. 2. ah this goes close to honest hearts But though God allow yea command the most awakened apprehensions of these calamities and in such a day call to mourning weeping and girding with sackloth Isa. 22. 12. and severely threatens the insensible Amos 6. 1. yet it will not please him to see you sit like pensive Elijah under the Juniper trâ—e 1 Kiâ—g 19. 4. Ah Lord God! it is enough take away my life also no mourners in Sion you may and ought to be but self tormentors you must not be complain to God you may but to complain of God though but by an unsuitable carriage and the language of your actions you must not 3. Case The third Case that comes next to be spoken to is this How publick and tender hearts may be relieved and supported when they are even overweighed with the burdensom sence of Sions troubles I grant it is hard for him that preferreth Sion to his chief joy to keep his heart that it sink not below the due sence of its troubles and yet this ought and may be done by the use of such heart establishing directions as these 1. Direct Settle this great truth in your hearts that no trouble befalls Sion but by the permission of Sions God and he permits nothing out of which he will not bring much good at last to his people There is as truly a principle of quietness in the permitting as in the commanding will of God See it in David 2 Sam. 16. 10. let him alone it may be God hath bidden him and in Christ John 19. 11. thou couldst have no power against me except it were given thee from above it should much calm our spirits that it is the will of God to suffer it and had not he suffered it it could never have been as it is This very consideration quieted Iob Eli David Hezekiah that the Lord did it was enough to them and why should it not be so to us if the Lord will have Sion plowed as a field and her goodly stones lye in the dust if it be his pleasure that Antichrist shall rage yet longer and wear out the Saints of the most high if it be his will that a day of trouble and of treading down and of perplexity by the Lord God of hosts shall be upon the valley of vision that the wicked shall devour the man that is more righteous than he what are we that we should contest with God fit it is that we should be resigned up
what Christ and his precious servants of whom the world was not worthy ever had But what say you to pardon of sin interest in Christ the Covenant of Promises and an eternity of happiness in the presence of God after a few dayes are over O that ever a people intitled to sâ—ch mercies as these should droop under any temporal affliction or be so much concerned for the frowns of men and loss of trifles You have not the smiles of great men but you have the favour of the great God You are it may be cast back in your estates but thereby farthered in spirituals You cannot live so bravely plentifully and easily as before but still you may live as holy and heavenly as ever Will you then grieve so much for these circumstantials as to forget your substantials shall light troubles make you forget weighty mercies Remember the Churches true Riches are laid out of the reach of all its enemies they may make you poor but not miserable What though God do not distinguish in his outward Dispensations betwixt his own and others yea what though his Judgments single out the best and spare the worst what though an Abel be killed in love and a Cain survive in hatred a bloody Dioâ—ysius die in his bed and a good Iâ—siah fall in Battel What though the belly of the wicked be filled with hid Treasures and the teeth of the Saints broken with Gravel-stones yet still here is much matter of praise for electing Love hath distinguished though common Providence did not and whilest prosperity and impunity slay the wicked even staying and adversity shall benefit and save the righteous 5. Direct Believe that how low soever the Church be plunged under the waters of adversity it shall assuredly rise again Fear not for as sure as Christ arose the third day notwithstanding the Seal and Watch that was upon him so sure the Church shall arise out of all her troubles and lift up its victorious head above all its enemies there 's no fear of ruining that people that thrive by their losses and multiply by being diminished O be not too quick to bury the Church before she be dead stay till Christ hath tryed his skill before you give it up for lost the Bush may be all in a flame but shall never be consumed and that because of the good will of him that dwelleth in the Bush. 6. Direct Record the famous instances of Gods care and tenderness over his people in former straits Christ hath not suffered it to be devoured yet for above these 1600 years the Christian Church hath lived in affliction and yet it is not consumed many a wave of persecution hath gone over it and yet it is not drowned many designs to ruine it and hitherto none hath prospered this is not the first time that Hamans and Achitophels have plotted its ruine that an Herod hath stretcht out his hand to vex it Still it hath been preserved from supported under or delivered out of all its troubles and is it not as dear to God as ever is not he as able to save it now as formerly though we know not whence deliverance should arise Yet the Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations 2 Pet. 2. 9. 7. Direct If you can fetch no comfort from any of the former arguments then in the last place try whether you cannot draw some comfort out of your very trouble Surely this trouble of yours is a good argument of your integrity union is the ground of sympathy if you had not some rich adventure in that ship you would not tremble as you do when it is in danger besides this frame of spirit may afford you this argument that if you be so sensible of the Churches troubles Jesus Christ is much more sensible of and sollicitous about it than you can be and he will cast an eye of favour upon them that mourn for it Isa. 57. 18. 4. Season The fourth special Season of expressing our utmost diligence in keeping our hearts is the time of danger and publick distraction in such times the best hearts are but too apt to be surprised by slâ—vish fear it is not easy to secure the heart against distraction in times of common destruction if Syria be confederate with Ephraim how do the hearts of the house of David shake even as the trees of the wood which are shaken with the wind Isa. 7. 2. when there are ominous signs in the heavens on the earth distress of Nations with perplexity the Sea and waves roaring then the hearts of men fail for fear and for looking after those things which are comming on the earth Luke 21. 25 26. even a Paul himself may sometimes complain of fightings within when there are fears without 2 Cor. 7. 5. But my Brethren these things ought not to be so Saints should be of a more raised Spirit â—o was David when his heart was kept in a good frame Psal. 27. â— The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my Life of whom shall I be afraid let none but the servants of sin be the slaves of fear let them that have delighted in evil fear evil impius tantum metuit quantum nocuit O let not that which God hath threatned as a Judgment upon the wicked ever seize upon the breasts of the righteous I will send saith God faintness into their hearts in the land of their enemies and the sound of a shaking leaf shall chase them Lev. 26. 36. O what poor spirited men were these to fly at a shaking leaf which makes a pleasant and not a terrible noise and is in it self a kind of natural musick but to a guilty Conscience the whistling leaves are Drums and Trumpets but God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7. A sound mind as it stands there in opposition to the spirit of fear is an unwounded Conscience not infirm'd by guilt and thâ—s should make a man as bold as a Lyon I know it cannot be said of a Saint what God spake of Leviaâ—han that he is made without fear there is a natural fear in every man and it 's as impossible to be wholly put off as the body it self is 't is a perturbaâ—tion of the mind rising from the 〈◊〉 of approaching danger and as 〈…〉 can approach us we shall find some perturbations within us 'T is 〈◊〉 my purpose to commend to you a 〈◊〉 apathy nor yeâ— to take you off frâ—m 〈◊〉 â— degree of cautional prevenâ—veâ—car as may fit you for troubles and be â—erviceable to your souls There is â—â—rovident â—ear that opens our eyes to 〈◊〉 danger and quickens to a prudent and â—â—wful use of means to preveâ—â— it Such was Iacobs fear Gen. 32. 7 9 10 c. but it is the fear of diffidence I perswaâ—e you to keep your hearts from that Tyrannical passion which invades the heart
Christian recover his first love how may the heart be preserved from unseasonable thoughts in duty how may a bosome sin be discovered and mortified c. Would not this have tended more to the credit of religion and comfort of your Souls O t is time to repent and be ashamed of this folly when I read what Suarez a Papist said who wrote many Tomes of disputations that he prised the time he set apart for the searching and examining of his heart in reference to God above all the time that ever he spent in other studies I am ashamed to find the professors of this age yet insensible of their folly shall the Conscience of a Suarez feel a relenting pang for strength and time so ill imployed and shall not yours this is it your Ministers long since warned you of your spiritual nurses were afraid of the rickets when they saw your heads only to grow and your hearts to wither O when will God beat oâ—r swords into plowshares I mean our disputes and contentions into practical godliness 2 Another cause of neglecting our heart hath been earthly incumbrances the heads and hearts of many have been filled with such a crowd and noise of worldly business that they have sadly and sensibly declined and withered in their zeal love and delight in God in their heavenly serious and profiâ—able way of conversing with man O how hath this wilderness intangled us our discourses and conferences nay our very prayers and duties have a tang of it we have had so much work without doors that we have been able to doe but little within It was the sad complaint of an holy one O saith he t is sad to think how many precious opportunities I have lost how many sweet motions and admonitions of the Spirit I have posted over unfruitfully and made the Lord to speak in vain in the secret illapses of his Spirit the Lord hath called upon me but my worldly thoughts did still lodge within me and there was no place in my heart for such calls of God surely there is a way of injoying God even in our worldly imployments Gâ—d would never have put us upon them to our loss Enoch walked with God and begat sons and daughters Gen. 5. 19. He walked with God but did not retire and seperate himself from the things of this life and the Angels that are imployed by Christ in the things of this world for the Spirit of the living creatures is in the wheels they are finite creatures and cannot be in a twoâ—old ubi at one time yet they lose nothing of the beatifical vision all the time of their administration for Matâ—h 18. 10. their Angels even whilest they are imployed for them Behold the face of their father which is in heaven We need not lose our visions by our imployments if the fault were not our own alas that ever Christians who stand at the doore of eternity and have more work upon their hands then this poor moment of interposing time is sufficient for should yet be filling both our heads and hearts with trifles 3. Hence also I infer for the awakening of all that if the keeping of the heart be the great work of a Christian then there are but few real Christians in the world Indeed if every one that hath learned the dialect of Christianity and can talke like a Saint if every one that hath giâ—ts and parts and by the common assisting presence of the Spirit can preach pray or discourse like a Christian in a word if such as associate themselves with the people of God and delight in ordinances might pass for Christians the number then is great But alas to what a small number will they shrink if you judge them by this rule how few are there that make Conscience of keeping their hearts watching their thoughts judging their ends c. O there be but few closet men among professors t is far easier for men to be reconciled to any duties in religion then to these the prophane part of the world will not so much as touch with the outside of religious duties much less to this and for the hypocrit though he be polite and curious about those externals yet you can never perswade him to this inward work this difficult work this work to which there is no inducement by humane applause this work that would quickly discover what the hypocrit cares not to know so that by a general consent this heart work is left to the hands of a few secret ones and I tremble to think in how few hands it is II. Vse for Exhortation IF the keeping of the heart be so important a business if such choice advantages â—ccrew to you thereby if so many dear and precious interests be wrapt up in it then let me call upon the people of God every where to fall close to this work O study your hearts watch your hearts keep your hearts away with fruitless controversies and idle questions away with empty names and vain shews away with unprofitable discourse bold censures of others turn in upon your selves get into your closets and now resolve to dwell there you have been strangers to this work too long you have kept others vineyards too long you have trifled about the borders of religion too long this world hath deteined you from your great work too long will you now resolve to look better to your hearts will you haste and come out of the crowds of business and clamours of the world and retire your selves more then you have done O that this day you would resolve upon it Reader methinks I should prevail with thee all that I beg for is but this that thou wouldst step aside a little oftner to talk with God and thine own heart that thou wouldst not suffer every trifle to divert thee that thou wouldest keep a more true and faithful account of thy thoughts and affections that thou wouldst but seriously demand of thine own heart at least every evening O my heart where hast thou been to day whether hast thou made a rode to day if all that hath been said by way of induccment be not enough I have yet more motives to offer you and the first is this 1. Motive The studying observing and diligent keeping of your own hearts will marvellously help your understanding in the deep mysteries of Religion An honest well experienced heart is a singular help to a weak head such a heart will serve you in stead of a Commentary upon a great part of the Scriptures by this means you shall far better understand the things of God than the learned Rabbies and profound Doctors if graceless and unexperienced ever did you shall not only have a more clear but a more sweet perception and gust of them a man may discourse orthodoxly and profoundly of the nature and effects of faith the troubles and comforts of Conscience the sweetness of Communion with God that never felt the efficacy and sweet
is drawn from the Secresy of sin O saith Satan this sin will never disgrace thee abâ—oad none shall know it This Argument may be retorted and the heart secured thus Thou sayest none shall know it but Satan canst thou find a place void of the Divine Presence for me to sin in Thus Iob secured his heart from this temptation Iob 31. 4. Doth he not see my waies and count all my steps therefore he makes a Covenant with his eyes verse 1. After the same manner Solomon â—eaches us to retort this temptation Prov. 5. 20. 21. And why my Son wilt thou be ravished with a strange Woman and embrace the bosome of a stranger For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings What if I hide it from the eyes oâ— all the world for the present I cannot hide it from God and the time is at hand when all the world shall know it too for the Word assures me Luke 8. 17. That what is done now in secret shall be proclaimed as upon the house top Besides is not my Conscience as a thousand witnesses Do I owe no reverence to my self could tâ—e Heathen man say turpe quid assurus te sine teste time when thou art tempted to commit sin fear thy self without any other witness and shall not I be afraid to sin before mine own Conscience which alwaies hath a reproof in its mouth or a pen in its hand to record my most secret actions Arg. 3. The third Argument by which Satan tempteth to sin is taken from the gain and profit arising out of it Why so nice and scrupulous 't is but stretch Conscience a little and thou maist make thy self Now is thy opportunity The heart may be kept from falling into this dangerous snare by retorting the temptation thus But what profit will it be if a man should gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Mat. 16. 26. O my soul my precious soul shall I hazard thee for all the good that is in this world There is an immortal spirit dwelling in this fleshly Tabernacle of more vâ—lue than all earthly things which must live to all eternity when this world shall lye in white ashes A soul for whiâ—h Jesuâ— Christ shed his precious and invaluable blood I was sent into this world to provide for this soul indeed God hath also committed to me the care of my body but as one happily expresses it with this difference a Master commits two things to a Servant the Child and the Childs cloaths will the Master thank the Servant if he plead I have kept the cloaths but I have neglected the life of the Chilâ— Arg. 4. The fourth Argument is drawn from the smalness of the sin 'T is but a little one a small matter a trifle who would stand upon such niceties This Argument may be retorted three waies 1. But is the Majesty of Heaven a little one too If I commit this sin I must offend and wrong a great God Isa. 40. 15 16 17 22. 2. Is there any little Hell to torment little sinners in Are not the least sinners there filled with the fulness of wrath O there is great wrath treasured up for such as the world counts little sinners 3. The less the sin the less the inducement to commit it What shall I break with God for a trifle destroy my peace wound my Conscience grieve the Spirit and all this for nothing Oh what madness is this Arg. 5. A fifth Argument is drawn from the Grace of God and hopes of pardon Come God will pass by this as an infirmity he will not be extream to mark it But stay my heart 1. Where do I find a promise of mercy to presumptuous sinners indeed for involuntary surprisals unavoidable and lamented infirmities there is a pardon of course but where is the promise to a daring sinner that sins upon a presumption of pardon Pause a while my soul upon that Scripture Numb 15. 27 30. And if a Soul sin through ignorance then he shall bring a She-Goat of the first year for a Sin-offering c. But the Soul that doth ought presumptuously the same reproacheth the Lord and that soul shall be cut off from among his people 2. If God be a God of so much mercy how can I abuse so good a Gâ—d Shall I take so glorious an attribute as the mercy of God is and abuse it unto sin shall I wrong him because he is good or should not rather the goodness of God lead me to repentance Rom. 2. 4. There is mercy with thee that thou maiest be feared Psal. 130. 4. Arg. 6. Lastly Sometimes Satan incourages to sin from the examples of good and holy men thus and thus they have â—â—nned and been restored therefore this may consist with grace and thou be saved nevertheless The danger of this temptation is avoided and the heart secured by retorting the argument these three ways 1. Though good men may commit the same sin materially which I am tempted to yet did ever any good man venture to sin upon such a ground and incouragement as this 2. Did God record these examples for my imiâ—ation or for my warning are they not set up as â—ea marks that I might avoid the rocks upon which they split 1 Cor. 10. 6. now these were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted 3. Am I willing to feel what they felt for sin O I dare not follow them in the ways of sin quia me vestigia terrent Least God plunge me into the deeps of horrour into which he cast them Thus learn to keep your hearts in the hour of temptation to sin 10. Season The tenth special season to keep the heart with all diligence is the time of spiritual darkness and doubting when it is with the Soul as it was with Paul in his dangerous voyage neither sun nor moon nor star appears for many days when by reason of the hidings of Gods face the prevalency of corruption and the inevidence of grace the Soul is even ready to give up all its hopes and comforts for lost to draw sad and desperate conclusions upon it self to call its former comforts vain delusions its grace hypocrisie When the serene and clear Heavens are overcast with dark clouds yea filled with thunders and horrible tempests when the poor pensive Soul sits down and weeps forth this sad lamentation my hope is perished from the Lord now to keep the heart from sinking in such a day as this to enable it to maintain its own sincerity is a matter of great difficulty The tenth Case then will be this Case 10. How the people of God in dark and doubting seasons may keep their hearts from entertaining such sad conclusions about their estates as destroy their peace and unfit them for their Duty There are two general heads to