engage my self to the use of all possible means of thy appointment to suppress all Motions to Sin to strengthen and renew my Resolutions dayly to establish me against Temptations and carry me on in an assiduous Exercise of Repentance till I have no more Sin to repent of and yet will not account this any Amends for the Wrong I have done thee but in an absolute Renunciation of all that I am can be or do my repenting it self my holy Duties my striving against Sin the World the Devil and my Religious Performances as altogether insufficient and unavailable to give Compensation or secure me from Justice I come despairing of my self and all the stock I can be furnish'd with at home hopeless and helpless by the whole world and in an humble and hearty Prostration of Soul throw down my self at thy feet seeking Relief where alone it is to be found and that is in thy self Oh Lord thy Son and Spirit and therefore with my whole mind will desire delight and strength I freely heartily fully give up my self all my Powers and Possibilities unto thee alone avouching Thee only to be my God and All-sufficient Goodness and Happiness and therefore with a lowly Reverence and Submission I cast my self as thy sworn Vassal at thy gracious Foot-stool in a sincere and absolute Choice and Acceptance of Thee O blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost for my sole Portion and Rest dedicating my self from my very inmost Soul to Thee O Heavenly Father as my Soveraign Creator Owner and Governour to be wholly and unreservedly Thine entirely at thy Disposal from the very bottom of my Heart devoting the Remainder of my Spirits Strength and Life universally to thy Fear Love Honour Worship and Service in the Works of Repentance and Mortification of my Sin watchfulness against and resistance of Temptation and over my Heart and Way and diligence in exercising my self unto Godliness Righteousness and Sobriety And to this purpose as one utterly lost and undone in my self with a renewed humble Veneration I offer up my self wholly to thee O blessed Redeemer of the World the only begotten Son of the Eternal Father and with a bleeding broken Heart that hath no other relief but only in and through thee being in my self a very Hell of Wickedness and Woe condemned by thy Law condemned by mine own Conscience I lift up mine Eyes look unto and long for thee O dear Lord Jesus as my only Saviour Joy and Crown thee I earnestly press after I value above my Life my Hopes my Soul heartily approving of pleasing my self in and closing with that Method of Salvation ordained through thee as the only Mean and Help into the Favour and Love of God Therefore with the All of my Understanding and Will and Might I chuse and embrace and honour and love and delight and rejoyce in and venture my self my hopes my happiness my All upon thee for ever and ever trusting solely to thy Merit and Mediation accepting Thee in all thy Offices and Relations as Prophet Priest King Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification Redemption as my Soveraign Lord and Master the only Espoused Bridegroom of my Soul resolving through thy Grace to betake my self only to Thee to be Thine alone abrenunciating and disclaiming all that stands in competition with Thee and receiving cordially all thy Holy Counsels and Laws as the only Guide and Rule of my Thoughts Affections Words and Actions with a thorow purpose and endeavour to take the highest Care under the Aids of thy Grace both to conform in every thing thereto and boggle at no difficulties dangers or sufferings which I may expect or meet with in these thy ways but persevere therein to the end neither shall any Corruption within or Temptation from without have my heart or liking or allowance so as to withdraw my Soul from these Holy Resolves For which end I cast my self whole and entire upon thy Free Grace and Almighty Power and Holy Spirit to work in me both to will and to do all according to thy good pleasure being firmly engaged to be Thine and to take Thee to be Mine without a Moments farther Procrastination Come Holy Ghost Eternal God and breathe into my Soul infuse thy Gifts and Graces communicating thy Power to a poor impotent succourless Sinner that here lo consecrates himself to Thee and with a self-resigning Spirit resolves to venture all upon thy Conduct and Influence to be at thy Beck and Command in all things not knowing nor being able nor therefore willing to do any thing without thee Inspire my Mind direct my Heart awe my Conscience regulate my Life strengthen and uphold my goings that notwithstanding mine own insufficiency I may by Thee be enlarged in heart to run in the ways of thy Commandments And now Merciful God Father Son and Holy Ghost through that All-sufficient Merit that has procured all Blessings accept of me and own me as none of mine own but thy Portion and Inheritance who have taken Thee to be mine This this O my Soul is the One thing needful to be done in good earnest speedily with an uncontroulable Bent and Steadiness of Will and never to be repented of I am pained in my very Soul for and heartily bewail my Neglects Deferrings and Aversations And here I am blessed Lord setting to my Seal and firmly binding my self in this my Baptismal Covenant with an irreversible purpose to act all the remainder of my Life thro' thy Mercy and Assistance only according to the Tenour of it Be serious then here O my Soul or thou abjurest all solid Consolation Thou canst never enjoy good Hopes without a good Conscience If thou desirest to build high in thy Comforts be sure thou lay a good Foundation If thou never enterest into such Meditations and Resolutions as these bid everlastingly adieu to all true Contentation If thou do not really turn to God thou turnest away thy Peace The Holy Ghost will never be a Comforter where He is not a Converter Except thou be born again of Water and the Spirit thou canst not enter into the Kingdom of God the Kingdom of Peace See to it therefore that thou be raised from thy Death in Trespasses and Sins as ever thou desirest a Resurrection of thy Joys No Purity no Peace 5. Having thus begun go on Make Repentance Mortification Watchfulness Faith Love Resignation to the Will of God thy daily uninterrupted Exercise and endeavour to grow in all and be upright in all else all 's nothing Make Sincerity thy great Aim and Endeavour Hypocrisie is Heritor no where but in the Land of Darkness and dismal Woe Thy Joys will resemble their Parents If they be a Cheat so will they also Be really good and eminently so too Aut Caesar aut nullus Lean Graces do but devour fat Comforts never enjoy them The sweetest promises yield no lasting Refreshment to fickle hearts unestablished with Grace If thy Spiritual Strength be small when thy standing in
than to have thus abused thy Being in precipitating thy self into so formidable an Abyss of woe Wilt thou then Oh my Soul live the life of the Just by Faith that thou mast not always be dying this accursed death of Hypocrites and Unbelievers and be yet more grievously rack'd with dismal expectations of infinitely worse to come Shall invisible and eternal things over-rule thee as having a present sensation or feeling of their reality Canst thou now and then take a turn in the superiour World as one come to Mount Sion and unto the City of the Living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the General Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the Blood of Sprinkling which speaketh better things than that of Abel Heb. 12.22 23 24 What report canst thou give concerning the promised Land of Everlasting Light and Love and Life Hast thou ever been upon the Mount to take a prospect of it What remarkable thing therein has invited thy serious Meditations to take a more strict and narrow view and make it thy perpetual repast and delight Hast thou walked through the breadth and the length thereof in a diligent search and survey to behold the Beauty the Sweetness the Perfection the Glory of the Inhabitants the Employments the Fruits the Enjoyments the Entertainments the Joys and Consolations to be possest there in an unconceivably rich degree of satisfactoriness where there 's an everlasting Spring and an everlasting Harvest of unutterable Pleasure and Contentation Dost thou even now enter upon thy lot and rest there Heb. 4.3 and live upon the riches of that Inheritance making a spiritual livelyhood for thy self out of the abundance and store of Heaven Where are thy Treasures thy Jewels and pleasant things thy most amiable and delectable Companions Seeing him who is invisible Heb. 11.27 Canst thou endure and bear up under the Rage and Violence of a turbulent ill-condition'd World the Reproaches and Scorns of Men the Fury of Devils the Pangs of Affliction and in a calm of sweet composure and rest anchor thy self on the Rock of Ages as thy best security and singular satisfaction Really Faith is all things 't is Wealth in Poverty Health in Sickness a good Report or Name under Defamations Heb. 11.2 Pleasure in Pain Rest in Labour Life in Death a Heaven of Peace and Joy in a Hell of Misery and Torment If thou canst not bless thy self with the solace of a Friend on Earth Faith will acquaint thee with and endear thee to Multitudes in Heaven Although thy Circumstances be as deplorable as thy Redeemers worse than the Birds and Foxes yet thy Faith has for thee a House not made with Hands Eternal Is thy own Country or City too hot for thee this Grace finds for thee a better Country a City that hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God Heb. 11.16 By it commit the keeping of thy Soul in well doing to thy Faithful Creator Espouse the ever blessed Jesus embrace the Precepts kiss the Promises Heb. 11.13 and then all 's thine own from the clod under thy Feet to the height and crown of Heavenly Glory For Faith to be a Menaicant is impossible It has all and abounds and is full if it be a full unfeigned Faith A Believer is never in want if he want not Faith the due degree and measure of Faith And the measure effectual and acceptable is not high 't is the Truth rather than Strength A Grain will remove Mountains Mat. 17.20 Make Trees to grow in the midst of the Sea Luke 17.6 Divide the Waters and convert Seas and Rivers into dry Land Heb. 11.20 and make even a Nebuchadnezzar's Hell-hot Furnace of Fire so forget its Property as not to be able to singe a hair Dan. 3.27 compar'd with Heb. 11.33 34. Every thing must be a Rebel against its own Nature and bow to the Omnipotency of Faith that is to the Almightiness of that infinite Nature which is engag'd to and by Faith Oh then my Soul where is thy Faith What is thy Faith CHAP. V. A Fourth Property of the Subject of Comfort Inoffensive Conscience 4. THis Sacred Writer was one that took singular care not to live under the reproach of his own Conscience That herein did exercise himself always to have a Conscience void of Offence towards God and toward Man Act. 24.16 1. What apprehensions he entertain'd of that which is displeasing to God we may judge 1. By his applications to and pleadings with God for Vengeance upon the workers of Iniquity Ver. 1 2 3 4. 2. By his deep sense of the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God which he vehemently urges as a pressing Argument to restrain and awe Men from Sinning ver 8 9 10 11. 3. By his esteeming it a part of Blessedness to learn Righteousness under Divine Chastisements ver 12. 4. By his enmity against Wicked Men which he was so wise and good as not to direct against their Persons as such but only as infected with odious Crimes ver 16. and the whole current of the Psalm 5. By his accounting and acknowledging it a special Mercy to be upheld by God when ready to slip ver 18. which I unnderstand of sliding into Sin * which is argued and proved c. 11. 6. By his deprecating the fellowship of a Throne of Iniquity with God ver 20. The Question there Shall the Throne c. is to be resolv'd into a Negative Proposition It cannot shall not Why What because a Throne No assuredly 't is then the Iniquity that dethrones and hurles it down from Communion with Heaven into Confusion with Hell And ver 23. exposes to a certain and remediless cutting off and ruin This was the Holy Authors sense of Sin in others and can any Man do thus that makes no conscience of dishonouring God by Omissions or Commissions Would a Man of his Condition Understanding and excellent Qualifications prosecute other Mens Crimes with such a height and heat of Enmity and yet be at peace with and palliate his own Arraign Treason in others and allow it in himself Enhaunce Publick Wickedness and hug Personal The aggravations whereof he was more privy to than of any Man 's beside and knew that the Treacheries of a Friend are worse resented than the Violences of an Enemy 'T is his own reasoning Psalm 55.12 13. Would he not with an implacable Vengeance pursue and exterminate every Sin in himself that his own Soul might not become the Butt and Mark for that all-intelligent Vengeance of Heaven which he truly thought did look with such a formidable aspect upon others And if so he must maintain a perpetual jealousie of and watchfulness over both Heart and Ways and make Repentance a daily business prosecuting his Corruptions to the very Death in
upon their Consciences They have awakening apprehensions of the Holiness and Justice of God the dreadful menaces of the Law the bitter Agonies undergone by the Son of God for the Sin of Man the dismal Horrors and Woes and Cruciations under the Vengeance of Almighty God in Hell which makes every Sin very formidable They are made to understand that although in respect of the matter some Sins are greater others less yet no Sin is absolutely little which is commited against a great God and also that smaller Sins are aggravated relatively to our Faculties that 't is an heinous offence to God to do the least of Evils against the clear Light and Conviction of Conscience or with a full bent of Will and Affection and that a Sin in respect of the matter comparatively and in it self greater yet is not so to me if committed ignorantly unwillingly Under these Considerations their own particular Sins are set in order before their Faces set on upon their awakned Consciences made bitter and grievous and odious that they Day and Night lament over them are afflicted with them in anguish of Soul under them labouring and being heavy laden and able to obtain rest no where till by serions hearty Repentance for and from them with a bitter loathing and implacable malice and hatred against them they be prepar'd for and made willing to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ in his whole mediatory Latitude and intirely devote themselves to him and his Father in the renewal of their Baptismal Covenant which they most solemnly and unfeignedly engage in and universally submit to the Terms of in the Strength and Grace of Christ Upon this Covenanting with God they see and know that to sin against him in any thing wittingly or willingly will in them be yet more exceeding sinful than before and still the more they oblige themselves to God and he engages them to himself and endears himself to them by the communication of Covenant-Mercies the more do they find their Sins to be inhanced in their abominable odiousness to God and the smart and sting they leave in their Consciences is so much the more grievous Oh none knows the dire and dismal things which a wounded Spirit undergoes but those that have felt The Spirit of a Man will sustain his Infirmity but a wounded Spirit who can bear Prov. 18.14 And this too has its degrees of Intolerableness in proportion to Sins and Sence and Temper and Time and Spirit and Improvement Men of strong Parts great Reading comprehensive Intellects large Memories ready and present Minds may sometimes soon and easily weather out the Storm But all Mens intellectuals and advances in Knowledge and Goodness are not of one size What shall poor weak shallow Heads or melancholick Constitutions and therefore strong Imaginations defective treacherous Memories but unruly Consciences do when both Heaven and Hell seem to be set in Battle-array against them Horrid Reflections virulent and violent Temptations strange and terrible Injections and Infusions as drawn Swords gashing and galling and killing the very Heart piercing it through with multitudes of Fears Troubles Torments Sorrows Can a Man that hath felt this Groan'd under been Crush'd and Crucifi'd and Rack'd and Rent in pieces with it and that perhaps many Weeks Months Years together ever make light of the cause of it ever have other than dreadful Apprehensions of it as the burn'd Child Fancy and Reason can never comprehend what Sense and Experience will testifie in these Cases Speculative Men that stand upon their Heads which have little or no Communion with their Hearts who understand every thing better than themselves very seldom feel any of these lamentable Twitches and Agonies till a Sickness a Death-bed set their thoughts upon another Bias which in some obtains in most not at all and then according to the largness of their minds are their Horrors of Conscience and their feeling may teach them fellow-feeling when it is too late but the unconcernedness of their Spirits before conjures down all workings of Commiseration As a Man of an Athletick Constitution in the triumphs of his natural Vigour and Health accounts valetudinary Persons a company of pitiful puling Sneaks always whining over an itching Limb in the Scurvey or a smarting Toe in the Gout or a rumbling Belly in the Chollick or Gripes or an akeing Back in the Stone or a squeazy Stomach or tickling Tooth c. in which they are the Objects of his Ridicule rather than compassionate regard But let his brass Pot receive a sound knock from any of these mauling Distempers or the like and the Complexion of his thoughts immediately change and from the foot he can now Collect the Dimensions of Hercules I doubt not but that as many Holy Souls enjoy some refreshing Antepasts of the future everlasting Feast of all Delights and Joys they shall sit down with Christ at in his Eternal Kingdom So many wicked profligate Wretches meet with dismal and sensible Prelibations of the never ending Woes and Horrors of Hell that knowing by some Internal Sensations what awaits them they may either be awak'd into Repentance or if not rendred more inexcuseable And sometimes God in his Infinite Wisdom so orders that even those who ascend not to any heighth in Debauchery yet are reduc'd to such extreamities of Anguish and Pangs in the New Birth that it comes very little short of those more Dreadful Anticipations in the Reprobate nay sometimes it exceeds in a considerable degree Sin must have its Hell of one kind or other and happy is it for that Man whose Hell in this Life is preventive of not introductive to a future For beside the unspeakable Satisfactions in another World this lays the Foundation of the Richest Sweetest Fullest and most durable Consolations even in this Life according to the common saying God digs deepest where he intends to build highest But on the contrary where be breaks no Earth he intends to sow no Seed Those that he permits to be always whole shall never have because they never need a Physician General Experience tells That the Corruption of carnal Ease and Security is the Generation of a Dissenter Troubles for Sin are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Rudiments of this Embryo It seldom falls out that a Mans or Womans Conscience is thorowly disturb'd and their fallacious Peace and Comfort utterly ruin'd but either the want of a skilful and tender hand to bind up their broken Hearts or some check they meet with in an unseasonable hour from those that should be vers'd in this Art drives them under that great uneasiness of mind to take Sanctuary in the bosom of one or other that with more soft and compassionate Bowels will counsel and encourage them yet not precipitate them into the Pacifick Seas of Consolation but gently and by degrees lead them thither through the Strait of a sound Repentance I know not how it comes to pass God's Dispensations always are Wise Just and
horrible Combustion of Conscience or at the least Inquietude and Uneasiness of Mind any thing but Satisfaction Joy and Rest Of such Men I say as Gen. 49.6 Oh my Soul come not thou into their Secret unto their Assembly mine Honour be not thou united And now Oh my Soul what is thy Trouble and Sorrow and Anxiety of Mind Or what are thy Desires Cares Delight Joy Contrivances Counsels Activity concern'd about Canst thou feed upon thy sweet Morsels alone and glory in the Affluence of Personal or Domestick Blessings while the Gates of Sion mourn Are any in Affliction imprisoned persecuted for Righteousness sake and wiltest not thou bear a part in their Dolours Remembring those in Bonds as bound with them and them which suffer Adversity as being thy self also in the Body Heb. 13.3 Dost thou not partake of that common Spirit of Goodness Compassion Charity which as good Blood diffuses it self and circulates through all the Members of that one Body ingenerating an universal Fellow-feeling and Care of mutual and general Concerns in all and every one that lives by the Life of the Head in Heaven Art thou weak with the Weak and with the Offended dost thou burn 2 Cor. 11.29 Canst thou bear every ones burthen and so fulfill the Law of Christ and restore those overtaken with Infirmities considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Gal. 6.1 2. See the Apostle prosecuting this Argument fully 1 Cor. 12.12 to 27. If thou be acted by the private strait-lac'd selfish Spirit of the generality who can neither give a jot of ease to themselves under their Personal Straits and Sorrows by a serious Reflection on the Welfare of the Church of God nor will in the least imbitter their Joys with any Considerations of the Afflictions of Joseph suspect thy self to be an Alien from the Life and the Catholick Body of Jesus Christ which subsists by a Vital Union with him What now are the Measures by which thou actest in thy Station and with respect to the Members of Christ If thou espouse and tenaciously adhere to only the Sentiments of some Particular Party or Sect farewel all publick Spiritedness Thou professest a Belief of the Communion of Saints as in one Catholick Church which is indeed an Invisible Thing as are all Objects of Faith in its distinction from Sense Does this Faith work by Love Thou ownest also one Universal Body seen in its parts visible in its whole extent throughout the World actually by the Eyes of its Head seen in its Unity at once and potentially by Man Which is not a Chaos of every thing in confusion but an Organical Body that in diversity of useful comely Members Parts Congregations the least of the denomination Countries and Kingdoms makes up a lovely Community Not a Rope of Sand but a Golden Chain where every very Link has its Beauty Preciousness Connexion Suitableness A Garden enclosed where variety of Walks Beds c. constitute a fair delicious Paradise One Spouse of Christ one Body for one Head Does thy Fancy or Partiality here make Restrictions Can'st thou dar'st thou chop and mangle this Body Tear off a Limb of this Spouse Break the golden Chain for one Link And dote upon these without regard to the rest Can thy Love walk no where but in little Severals and petty Enclosures In this sence I cannot disallow that Saying of a Great Person viz. That the Church of Christ is neither Rome nor a Conventicle There may be some Part of it there but confin'd to either it cannot be exclusively to the rest of the World Art thou a Christian Then must Christianity command the freest Motions of thy Affections the Interest of that thou must and shalt respect honour promote and love not as it is pretended or conceitedly monopolized by any distinct Party but as like the Sun it diffuses its efficiency vertue and influence every where and shines with a lovely radiancy and glory in any Man whatsoever Seest thou one that in the judgment of rational Charity makes Religion his principal Business above all labouring that it may have a prevalent Interest in his Heart Cleave to this Man embrace him in thy most near and intimate Affections be he of what Party soever Dost thou find any diligently searching the Word of God to know him in all his Perfections not meerly for Notion sake but that his inward Soul and outward Conversation may be under the Dominion and Command of what he knows A Man that maintains a high and honourable esteem of the ever blessed Redeemer of the World the only begotten Son of God as the alone Saviour of Mankind taking the greatest care to gain a true and full Understanding of his Excellency Undertaking Offices and Benefits that he may entirely devote himself to him A Man that is daily acquainting himself how much it is his Interest to live under the Conduct of the Holy Ghost and therefore studies his inspired Writings to attain right Apprehensions concerning his Nature Gifts Graces Comforts that he may aspire after them inwardly feel them in their power and accordingly engages his Mind Will Affections Conscience executive Power all within and without him in an universal Subjection to this Holy Trinity in Unity and with a reverend Awefulness minggled with Love demeans himself under the Government of that ever Adoreable Majesty as one that hath present powerful Sensations of its immediate Presence Oversight and perfect Cognizance of the most secret recesses of his Soul A man that understanding his relation to God owns Him pants after Him with insatiable Ardour cleaves unto Him with full purpose of heart in a singular Complacency fears praises glorifies trusts chooses embraces acknowledges Him in all His ways as His chief Good and Happiness and would not willingly displease Him for a World And having with a Holy Religious Veneration observ'd approves of is singularly well pleas'd with that Wonder of all Wonders the Grace of Almighty God revealed by the Gospel in giving His Eternal Son to be the Redeemer of Lost Mankind God in our Flesh manifested in the fulness of time to do and suffer whatever Justice required that our Sins might be pardon'd our Persons accepted sanctified and glorified And Looking unto Jesus doth heartily acquiesce in the Method of Salvation ordain'd by God thro' him intirely yields up himself to him to be and do and suffer whatever he pleases sincerely accepts of him as an All-sufficient Saviour submits to his Government in all things never can be satisfied but is in a restless Agony day and night till he gain some good Evidence that Christ is his and he Christ's spontaneously chearfully with a self-denying humble penitent Heart venturing his All upon him for ever in believing in him hoping for his Sake to obtain the Love and Favour of God in Justification Reconciliation and Eternal Blessedness and therefore deliberately freely with all readiness of mind engages himself to Christ by the Renewal of his Baptismal Covenant with
and the Herd and their Soul shall be as a Watered Garden c. Yea there ' t is The Blessings of this Life are then good indeed when the Donation of the Goodness of the Lord Divine Love with them gives them a Relish incomparable Job sometimes consulted his Bed for Comfort Job 7.13 and 't is no little satisfaction to enjoy the quiet Repose of a single Night But what are all the downy Contents of this Nature to the Everlasting Repose and Rest both of Body and Soul in the Love of God who though he be an everliving Activity yet is an ever-loving quiet resting Place for all that having been wearied out with the Sins and Labours and Troubles and Miseries of a Cumbersome World betake themselves to him as their only Contentation Cant. 3. King Solomon as a Type of Christ made Himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Conjugal Bed This the Original Word may seem indeed most properly to signifie from the 7th Verse where the Espousals plainly refer to this that Exhortation being grounded upon this Narration the midst thereof being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strowed with Love for the Daughters of Jerusalem A Bed of Ease indeed The Whole World cannot Afford a Bed as soft as Love as sweet as the refreshing Love of an infinitely Lovely and Loving God I have read of a Man who not content with Epicureism in Retail resolv'd at once to gratifie every Sence with an accumulated Association of all imaginable Sensualities yet all was only the Swinish Pleasure of a Day But there is an Eternity of Delights in the Favour of God first to the Soul but redounding to the Sence also Truly Light is sweet and 't is good for the Eyes to behold the Sun 't is a Periphrasis of Life as the Connexion with the followng Verse demonstrates Eccl. 11.7 8. How delicious is the Flavour and Fragrancy of Odours and the inexplicable Varieties and Ravishments of Sounds c. But are these worthy to be thought of in Comparison of the ever Refreshing Light of God's Countenance the Never-fading Delights of Divine Love and Goodness the Unimitable Splendour of the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 who is the Brightness of his Fathers Glory Heb. 1.2 the savour of Christ's Precious Oyntments Cant. 1.3 The rapturous Melody of the Celestial Quire but above all the every thing Harmonious Beautiful Lovely Glorious in the Divine Nature wherein our very sense shall be in a generous transport with the highest incomparable supersensual everlasting Gratifications much more our Minds For the Goodness of God is every thing pleasing profitable honest in the utmost eminency of Glory There 's no mole in this Beauty no spots in this Sun no Night to this Day but an immense and eternal variety of all delectable Excellencies in an invariable unity of unblemishable Perfection nothing to give a check to the Appetite to interrupt and abate the pleasure of Enjoyment or put a period to the solace accruing from it It singularly pleases a Man to be well thought of and well provided for When Men are low yet if their Reputation run high it bears up their Spirits in the depression of their Estates and as Noble Blood in the Veins is by many accounted an essential Dignity when their Wealth and Substance falls into detriment that their Heart cannot stoop to any servile Offices or Imployments below the Grandeur of its more stately and generous Pulsations their Glory they think shines as the Sun through a Cloud and is like a Cordial Elixir in a fainting fit of Fortune So Credit of both kinds Fame Trust both as it imports the Honour of a fair Reputation and Good Name and as it entitles a Man to a right in the kindness of his Friend and the belief of all Men that every one speaks well of him is ready to do well to him all Honour him all Credit him and freely Concredit their all with him this is valued as much as Money in the Purse The Wisest of Men prefers it as more eligible Prov. 22.1 and affirms that it makes the Bones fat Prov. 15.30 But if the Love of God put a value upon us and worthless that we are we have nothing else to recommend us as the Kings Stamp upon a Brass Farthing if he ennoble us with his Grace Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus that we can derive our Pedegree and Extraction from Heaven through the New Birth this is the truest sweetest noblest Satisfaction We are indeed the basest through Sin of the whole Creation God made us at first through his Image next in honour to the Holy Angels Psal 8.5 We by our Apostacy and Corruption make our selves not a little lower than Devils and in this debasement does Divine Goodness find us but here it does not leave us Love and Love alone exalts us and crowns us with Glory Dignity and Hon ur and how high we are in the account of Love however base in our selves is demonstrated by the price it was willing to pay for our Redemption Nothing rais'd us to this height in the estimate of Love but only Love according to Deut. 7.7 8. The Lord did not set his Love upon you because ye were moe c. But because the Lord loved you c. His Love was its own and only motive and why should it not What can be a more noble Incitement to it than the Glory of its most excellent communicative Nature What mov'd it at first to design an Object to diffuse its benign influences upon What lovely qualities were in a non-entity to draw it out into such admirable Condescentions Let it then go no less than self-sufficient all-sufficient without the subsidiary invitement of all external Objects Divine Goodness neither needs nor desires a Procatarctick cause And this is a Comfort unspeakable Were I to bring my wellcome to Heaven and to be dignified with the honour of so renowned a degree of Perfection as to be able to stand upon my Reputation before God and not beg his good Opinion but merit it the Conscience of my deficiency and demerit would for ever confound me But since Love brings my all with it and its arguments to respect me are derived from its own Bowels and its height is so wonderful that there can be no proportion in the highest created goodness to it so as to deserve it and its depth so unfathomable that the greatest misdeservings cannot put a bar to the liberty of its actings for the relief even of the Chief of Sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 Have I not a World of reason to cast off all melancholy desponding Imaginations and solace my self in this Paradise of everlasting Love and free Grace Oh Joy unspeakable and full of Glory To be well provided for is next The World had rather live by Sight than Faith He 's but ill to live all whose Wealth is in another Man's Pocket and may be puft away with the malevolent Breath of
a third Man A Bird in the hand is best Faith and Hope are beggarly things in the estimate of most Men. A competency of Necessaries in Possession more contents us than a World in Reversion In that modicum we can rejoyce though we do not wallow in those affluent Delights which the sensual Beasts of the Earth batten and rot in A sufficiency of suitable Comforts fills our Appetite Convenience being the essential Property if not Essence of Goodness When every thing hits us lies pat and even and easie upon our Hearts in a pleasing agreeableness we do not envy Crowns and Scepters But if we have all and enough to spare can never see through our Enjoyments be full and abound not only in opinion and with respect to the content of our Minds but in the reality of the thing we then begin to sing a requiem to our Souls and sit down under the shadow of these Gourds with delight And have we not a sufficiency nay a redundancy an infiniteness of all Necessaries and Agreeables in God's Love and Goodness of which Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it entred into the Heart of Man to conceive the fulness the glory the sweetness the amiableness the suitableness the comfortableness Thy Mansion House here is the Bosom of Love replenished with a confluence of all desirable Satisfactions thy Garden the Paradise of God thy Demesne the Celestial Canaan thy Revenues and Incomes the unperishing Treasures of Divine Goodness and Grace and Glory the unsearchable Riches of Christ But be a Man's-Comforts never so sweet if there be an equal mixture of sowre he writes Cabul upon the front of all his Enjoyments And ordinarily a drachm of Gall will spoil an ounce of Honey one Cross embitter a thousand Comforts If now I be secure either that the Evils will be as the morning Cloud and early Dew or that I shall be no loser not be rob'd of the least real satisfaction but gain equivalent if I have a reserve of other better sweeter Joys and Blessings which will countervail my Sufferings or if when the Tempest lies hard upon me I be certain of a safe retiring Place and Refuge where I am out of danger or if I have weathered out the Storm that the worst is past and a prospect is given me of so great an advantage so happy an issue as will compensate the trouble if all along I find by experience that 't is for the best and if I had been to carve for my self and spin the thread of my own Fortune I could not have pitch'd upon any thing so eligible as what is dispens'd to me without my choice by the Wisdom and provident Goodness of Heaven every of these things singly yields me a plentiful harvest of quiet in my Mind and contentedness with my Condition much more joyntly altogether And has not every good Soul the amplest security that it shall be blest with all this and much more in and through the benignity and Love of God Have we not ground to believe that Love will not permit any evil to interrupt our Joys except there be need That Love will cut it short in Righteousness it shall be but for a moment a little moment Love being afflicted in all our Afflictions will not long torment it self What Love promises Power can command In that very small moment of continuance I am secure that Love will not suffer my Miseries and Disquiets to commit a rape upon my best satisfactions in it self and that I shall lose no Metal but only Dross which 't is my happiness to do and even that loss if my gain of Refinement and Purity deserve that Name will be recompenced to the full in those infinitely better things laid up in store for me in the plenitude and all-sufficiency of unboundable Goodness in the Divine Nature and Persons But be the Calamity as great and malignant as is imaginable I have a Rock higher than I where I may be safe above the reach of ruin For having past the pangs of the New Birth the worst is past both in respect of Pain and Danger Sorrow and Fear Though my Vessel the Body may be broken yet shall I certainly land in safety upon the blessed shore of Eternity with all my real Riches and Comforts environing me I am I hope in a sound bottom indeed Christ carries me in his Body his Bowels that 's the Ship wherein I am wafted over the Tempestuous Ocean of Miseries in this World to the fair Havens of everlasting Loves Joys and Rest The foreknowledge whereof together with my present sense of profit in my Soul strength against Sin resolution for God evidence and experience of his Presence Support Influence Grace the affectionate workings of his Heart in Love Care Kindness flowing over all the banks in multitudes of unmerited Blessings in Temporals but especially in Celestials These sweeten all my Sorrows and ease my burthened Spirit that I cannot but acknowledge the Provisions of Infinite Wisdom incomprehensibly more eligible and beneficial than the utmost that could ever enter into my utmost raised Imaginations But if the pinch come yet a little nearer that though accommodated with an affluence of all terrestrial Contentments without yet a dangerous Disease preys upon my Vitals or the Arrows of the Almighty gall wound and smart in my Conscience that I am destitute of the Blessings of a sound Mind in a sound Body the enjoyment whereof would add an Emphasis to all external Comforts a living Lam 3.39 Neh. 2.2 a healthful Man and Mind having no reason to complain and be sad But now Love is Life and Health and all things The breath of thy Nostrils the length of thy Days and Delights but the shortner of thy Pains and Sorrows Dost thou keep thy Tongue from evil Psal 34.12 13 14 15. and thy Lips from speaking guile depart from evil and do good seek Peace and pursue it Then are the Eyes of the Lord upon thee and his Ears open to thy cry thou shalt enjoy desired Life and beloved Days that thou mayst see Good yea the Goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living Psal 118.17 thou shalt not die but live and declare the Works of the Lord. How can that Body or Soul be sick that 's embrac'd in the healing Bosom of the great Physician Forgiveness of Sin is a Medicine for every Malady Isa 32.24 If he whom Christ loves be sick 't is not unto Death but for the Glory of God Joh. 11.3 4. Love will loose the Pains of Death Thou hast loved me from the Pit of Corruption for thou hast cast all my Sins behind thy Back Isa 38.17 God bears not a grudge against those he loves 'T is Loves property to chastize none of its Office to impute guilt and punish but to cover a multitude of Sins 1 Pet. 4.8 An infallible Cure or Remedy for Distempers of Body and Soul supports a sinking Spirit revives a disconsolate Heart
saying be strong and couragious be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria nor for all the Multitude that is with him for there be moe with us than with him With him is an arm of Flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our Battles And the People leaned themselves upon the Words of Hezekiah King of Judah The Comfort of these Words which was a Stay to their disquieted Minds did consist in the Assurance he gave of the Presence of God And what more common in the Scripture than for God himself immediately or mediately by his Prophets or Messengers to encourage his Servants unto or in any difficult hazardous displeasing terrifying troublesome Undertaking by this I am or I will be or God is or shall be with thee But incomparably above all things of this Nature is that most satisfying Ground of everlasting Consolation beyond all Miracles which we have in IMMANUEL That for the Recovery of Lost Mankind the Eternal Son of God should descend from the Heighth of his Sanctuary and Throne in Heaven to become GOD WITH US The Excellency and Beauty of Heaven The Son of Righteousness did Eclipse and shroud his Transcendent Light and Glory in the dark shadow of mortal flesh that in the humility of our Nature he might do and suffer that for us who had debased our selves even unto Hell Isa 57.9 which would be effectually conducible for our Exaltation to the very Akme of Celestial Perfection and Felicity This This is the everlasting Wonder and Astonishment of Men and Angels an Act of Grace and a Means of Peace truly worthy of an infinitely Glorious God! 'T is only in Vertue of this that sinful Man has any gracious Presence of God at all Joh. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If God had not thus Tabernacled in our Flesh dwelt in our Nature we could have had no dwelling in God but as in a Consuming Fire and Everlasting Burnings All the Support we can derive either from God's Essential Presence or Voluntary depends intirely upon the Hypostatical Vnion and Presence of the Only-begotten Dearly-beloved of God to our Nature But dismiss we this to further Consideration in its proper Place 't was necessary to mention it here as the very Basis of all our Comfort in any thing of God Let a Man be Paradis'd in the sweetest refreshing Garden of all Sublunary Delights yet Solitude will be an Embitterment to all his other Joys he that can evermore be alone is either a Devil or a God The Deity pronounc'd that State Bad when Man's State was at the Best 'T is not good for Man to be alone Gen. 2.18 No his own Thoughts would devour him his Troubles crush him down and sink his Spirits into Despondency and Confusion 'T is no little Solace in Misery it self to have a Fellow though it be in Suffering and an Aggravation when our Sorrows are unparallell'd Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by behold and see if there be any Sorrow like unto my Sorrow c. Lam. 1.12 was the Sting of the Church's Misery But There hath no Temptation taken you but such as is common to Man 1 Cor. 10.13 is a singular Comfort under the most grievous Depressions Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris Society is an Alleviation of Calamities our Griefs are not so oppressive if they be in Consort Company begets a Harmony in Sorrows and the Consonancy of their Dolours makes a kind of pleasing Musick in Consent with our own although no other Interest knit them to us than Community of Cares and Troubles But how pleasant is the Society of a Friend to whom we can ease our Hearts in Adversity and who by condoling our Afflictions and bearing our Burthens lightens our Crosses and cheers our fainting Spirits by comfortable Discourses whom also in all our Prosperity we can make Partaker of all our Joys and all in whose Comforts we have a common Interest whose Good we can rejoyce in when we suffer Evil our selves in the noble Sensuality of reciprocating Kindnesses If the accidental Society of any be sweet much more this Elective neither is the Natural and Relative inferiour especially where the Love is not meer Liberty but Necessity What an unspeakable Solace is the tender pretty Babe to the Compassionate Mother With what ravishing Exultations does she entertain it into her Embraces How does her Heart leap for Joy at the very sight of it And her Bowels yern over it And in its Enjoyment can triumph over all her other Misadventures and Misfortunes In general any thing to which we can let out our hearts in an entire Affection administers Satisfaction The very working of Love and Commiseration singularly pleases There 's no Solace but in something that delights Thy Comforts delight my Soul Under Perplexity no Peace The Heart cannot rest in what displeases What 's unlovely is indelectable Whatever delights comforts whether it be in our own Act or an outward Object Now in incident Company there 's something pleasing something and often much more displeasing else we embrace it with Friendship In a choice Friend there 's much more pleasing than displeasing for we always give some Allowance for Humanity If a Relation in which blind Love sees the least ill yet do in nothing displease 't is ador'd and made a God Whatever is mortal is not without some kind of Embitterment The purest Gold has its Alloy 't is but so many Caracts fine But God is infinite Delectation alway in thy Company Thou art altogether incapable of Solitude He that fills the Universe is ever with thee Ps 139.18 Yet not accidentally but substantially essentially nor only as a Spectator but every way concern'd Afflicted in all thy Afflictions Isa 63.9 So thou enjoy'st that Solamen And if thou hast elected him for thy Freind he hath no less chosen thee In his Love mayst thou rejoice into his Bosome pour out all thy Griefs and meet with a Sympathy in his Compassionate Heart Vpon him mayst thou cast thy Burthen who has promised to sustain it and thee Psal 55.22 He cares for thee 1 Pet. 5.7 He is tenderly affectioned towards thee kind to thee all his is common to thee when none else will or can a Friend will he be and a Relation too the nearest the sweetest To the Natural Relation founded in forming and begetting thee as a Faithful Creator Merciful Father he hath for thy further Comfort superadded a voluntary tye in the condition of a Bridegroom Mat. 25. the beginning But as if Espousals were not firm enough to prevent thy jealousie of a dereliction the Conjugal Bond is actually ty'd Thy Maker is thy Husband Isa 54.5 Rom. 7.1 2 3 4. therefore has he obliged himself to ever enduring Cohabitation and Love with everlasting Kindness will be embrace thee never leave thee nor forsake thee Neither are his Converses and Communication less delightful than his Company and Presence The Discourse
its Speculations infinitely weakned and debased The Will possesses a kind of Empire over the Mind to excite divert direct or determine Thoughts and vary all their Circumstances by proposal of Objects c. and sometimes to give a Supersedeas to some kind of Thoughts though not all but oft it raises up such Spirits as it cannot conjure down and very seldom has Dominion over the Matter or Subject of our Thoughts to biass the Mind into such Conceptions of Things as it pleases difform and dissonant from the Nature of the Things themselves except where there is a more than ordinary Debauch upon both Mind and Will For the Reason of the Subject must necessarily accord with the Reason of the Object if there be any Truth in our Conceptions Thoughts disagreeing from Things are Errours and Delusions The Remainders therefore of Corruption in the Will after its Renewal by Grace together with a subtile Tempter and sometimes the Holy Spirit of God himself as under Convictions of Sin do excite such Cogitations as are too hard for us and bear down all the Supports of Nature raising such Tumults and turbulent Affections that our Spirits are ready to succumb and sink under them into the most pensive Dumpishness Dolour Despair Horror and Confusion He is a Stranger to Himself the World the Scriptures Christianity the Church and particular Souls that know not this If any will not yet believe it I remit him to Bedlam where his Sense will convince him what doleful Tragedies of this nature have been and are acted by Amorous Envious Studious Dolorous and Religious Melancholy to omit other kinds And what Man is there that with any Sense and Seriousness reflects upon his own particular Sins against the Holy Majesty of Heaven in their odious Aggravations together with the declared Displeasure and Indignation the menaced Wrath and Curse of Almighty Vengeance against them and his Person for their sake but will sometimes find so great and oppressive Perturbations in his Mind and Conscience as to be utterly at a Non-plus and scarce able to secure himself from Despondency Who is there that in some either common or uncommon Calamity or imminent Danger thereof does not sometimes find the Passions excited by his Thoughts to be an Over-match for his Reason Who but a senseless stupid Log does not a little sometimes pass the bounds of Decorum in the Internal Workings of Sorrow upon the I oss or Death natural but especially suddain and violent of or any considerable Crosses in and by dearest and nearest Relations and yet more especially when their immortal Souls are apparently hazzarded if not finally lost and sunk into Eternal Damnation Now no inward Affections are Self-movers they neither do nor can act but upon the apprehension of Sence or Motion of Thoughts or Influence of some exterior very powerful Agent that can make immediate Impressions upon the Blood and Spirits as neither are our Thoughts no nor can be any Molestation or Affliction but only as irritating our Passions And I would gladly see the Man who by Rational or Religious Considerations has reduc'd his Thoughts and Passions to that equable Temperament and Balance that they neither are nor can be induc'd or impell'd won or wrested into any Irregularity or Excess by the single or united Powers of Earth Hell and Heaven which last never depraves them though it oft punishes us by them Surely Job was a very good Man yet the Extremity of his Afflictions provoked him to talk and therefore think extravagantly And if God Almighty cast away the Reins out of his hands and let loose a Man's Thoughts upon him and who is there that gives him not a world of Provocation I know not whither even the most mere Man's Thoughts may not hurry him on this side Hell If any desire a full Conviction what a wicked Man's Thoughts can do let them a little survey those dismal Regions of Everlasting Horror not in Person as the poor Prisoner in Alex. ab Alexandro Genial Dier L. 6. C. 21. but in Thought and Meditation and I hope it will do him this Good viz. engage him to implore Omnipotent Grace to Restrain and Govern his Thoughts that they may not be an Introduction and Earnest of those easeless endless remediless Woes and if his Thoughts thereof will permit him to sleep or rest before he hath done this he thinks to little purpose Lastly Behold the infinite Condescension and Care of Heaven towards impotent degenerous Man in the Provision made not only for his Necessity but Consolation Rather than our Thoughts should be too many and so an Over-match for us the Divine Goodness will interpose and relieve us and has exhibited such a full Treasury of Comforts that no Distress can befal us so uncouth so uncommon so inextricable as to be out of the reach and road of the Relief therein tendered us That so inconsiderable a Piece as a Sinner a Pourtraicture of Hell limn'd after the Image of Satan the Father of all Wickedness an Enemy thro natural depravement to God and Goodness should engage the Solicitude and Providence of Heaven in such admirable instances to retrieve its lost Happiness and recover it out of the Sink and Abyss of Filth and Wretchedness that it may be set aloft in the Galleries of Glory and be beautified in rather than beautifie the Presence-Chamber of the King of Kings This this is a wonder beyond the Dimension of all other Miracles to be ascrib'd to the Benignity and Efficiency of nothing Inferiour to Infiniteness Men may flatter themselves in their sweet Harangues concerning the Celsitude Dignity and Nobleness of Humane Nature let it in its positive State as the effect of a most excellent Cause be advanc'd and admir'd as much as it can by Words or Thoughts yet what is it comparatively to God What is it under the debasements of Sin Which is infinitely more odious to God than any thing short of Himself can be pleasing so that nothing less than Divinity could give Satisfaction for the Wrong it did to the Supreme Majesty of Heaven not all the natural Excellencies of the whole Creation not all the Moral Perfections and Performances of Men and Angels and what Account is to be made of a drop of Honey intermingled with an Ocean of Gall The ever Adoreable Son of God who was much more a Man in respect of all eximious humane Endowments than ever any born of Woman besides his Sinlessness yet in the Person of David saith of himself Psal 22.6.4 I am a Worm and no Man if that be not to be understood estimatively that he was no better in the account of his Reproachers that shaked the Head at him saying be trusted in the Lord c. compare this with Matth. 27.39.43 See also Psal 8.4 5 6. Heb. 2.6 c. In Job 25.6 Man is considered with respect to that which does most of all ennoble viz. Goodness and Righteousness Yet because 't is allay'd with the
get advantage by nothing according to the Proverb of the Rowling Stone Therefore Command thy self in chief is a good Monition of Mr. Herbert If thou losest the regiment of thine own Mind and canst not bridle the exorbitances of thy Thoughts bring them to a beck like one in Authority keeping them under controul and if thou hast not a good stock of profitable matter treasured up in thy Memory to entertain them with at all times maintaining thy Jurisdiction and Dominion over them to be able to divorce and divert them from any thing to any thing thou canst never live in Tranquillity and Peace Those Cogitations that break the pale and run out of course will still be creating Civil Wars and Combustions among thy Passions and interrupt the Serenity of thy Conscience Hence it is that Meditation is not the immediate duty of nor proper for the constitutionally Melancholick whose temper it is to be too cogitabund and their Disease to be altogether unable to biass their Thoughts and to be too willing to lay out those Cogitations rather upon any thing than what is Joyous and Comforting Let such make use of other Mens Thoughts rather that their own and be more in Company and Conference than Solitude and Soliloquies Neme est ex imprudentioribus qui relinqui sibi debeat Seneea Ep. 10. 'T is dangerous riding in that Chariot where there will be no other Company than the Prince of Darkness and Melancholy by some is call'd the Devil's Chariot 'T is oftner managed by an Evil Spirit than a Good therefore 't is no Wisdom for a Man to trust himself with it alone And if trouble of Heart for Sin degenerate into it as sometimes it does 't is good to set a guard upon it to live under Inspection A Man can never keep himself secure from Sins or Sorrows that hath none to keep his House but a dumpish Mind Think thou but not too much that thy Thoughts do not swallow thee up as they will if that black humour prevail within Get a guide for thy Thoughts least they misguide thee into Darkness And for that end 3. Get a clear practical notion of God This was the Psalmist's great relief In every Distress he could find an accommodate suitable Satisfaction and Solace in God Did the Wicked rage and revel in the Blood of Innocents His Faith beholds a revenging Hand ready to execute Judgment for them Did those presumptuous Deists incourage themselves in Cruelty by renouncing Divine Providence He understands and convinces them that it supervises all even to the very thoughts of the Heart Did he feel the treachery and failure of Friends on Earth He both knew and found a never failing Friend and Helper in Heaven c. In every Trouble and Exigence he meets with God Now had he been unacquainted with his Nature and Perfections we should have seen nothing of all this and then in what deplorable Circumstances would he have found himself under those surrounding Calamities Whence could he have taken any Encouragement Let us take a view of Men making no such Reflections and therefore its likely but little acquainted with such Notions And the Instance shall be in his own Companions 1 Sam. 30.3 David and his Men return to Ziklag find it burnt with Fire their Sons and Daughters taken Captives wherefore ver 4. They lifted up their Voice and wept till they had no more power to weep Ver. 6. And David was in great distress for the People spake of stoning him because the Soul of the People was bitter every Man for his Sons and for his Daughters Here was wild work What fury of Passion first in Grief next in Rage first they swelt in Tears then would swim in Blood and what would they have been the nearer To such Excesses will the frenzy of a drunken Appetite lead Men that are ignorant of God or entertain no serious Considerations of his Excellencies and their concern in the Government of the World Now behold did not an other Spirit rule in David a Man acquainted with God Yes a brave Heroical Spirit Ver. 6. David encouraged fortified garrison'd himself in the Lord his God Mark His knowledge of God and Interest in God now mightily bore up his Heart and stood him in very good stead else might his Spirits have sunk with theirs But whilst they were impotent through effeminate or diabolical Passion he was strong in God Their puling and peevishness did emasculate their Hearts and melt them into Pusillanimity and Cowardice that they did not dare to confront and face this present hardship but he became Couragious and Valiant in God so as with an undaunted masculine Fortitude and greatness of Mind to triumph over and outface the imminent Storm and work his way through it though with redoubled Violence from both Enemies and Friends it rush'd upon him And truly since all our Comfort is originally and eminently and consummately in God 't is impossible to enjoy any sound Quiet and Heart-ease under ignorance of him For how should a Man be able to draw and derive Comfort from he knows not what But if he see that fulness of all delectable Joys in God which are all-sufficient to relieve his Mind and compensate his sorest Troubles as the Love of God in Christ will and contemplate study and dwell upon that infiniteness of Soul-satisfying Good till the inviting amiableness ravish his Desires command his Delight engage his Soul in the most vigorous pursuit and endeavours to gain an Interest therein he shall not fail to obtain that sweet reviving Solace and Peace in the most acceptable season which will place him as in a corner of Heaven Our Sorrows are more than half remov'd when we gain a sight of their most efficacious Remedies If a Man at unawares have drunk Poyson 't is no small satisfaction to see and be sure of a prevalent Antidote Despair is the sting of Miseries Be the Storms and Surges never so high and beat upon us with seemingly the most fatal Violence yet if our Hope can but meet with any Anchor-hold if we can gain a sight of Land if we behold a sufficiency of Help and Security there our Despondencies only are Shipwrack'd we escape Those Hopes can never perish that steer towards Heaven If our Course be guided with an Eye upon the Star 't is safe But if the very Heart despair Psal 73.26 and Hope be sunk yet that case cannot be desperate that 's under-taken by God Almighty Love is never at a loss either in Ability or Will to succour those whom it once Embraces which if we understand neither our Help nor our Hope can perish from the Lord. Fix therefore thine Eye here In summ God is all in all in him if we will but oblige our selves thereto may we behold infinitely more than enough to still the raging of our troubled Minds and all engaged in Covenant to meet us more than half way Pardon of Sin Propriety in God are