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fine the earthliness, and purge out the vanity of the spirit. How many Christians can bear witness to this truth! Af ter some sharp affliction has been upon them, how is the earthliness of their hearts purged! Oh how serious, humble, and heavenly are they, till the impressions made upon them by afflictions is wan sé, and their deceitful lusts have again entangled them! And this is the reason why we are so often under the discipse of the rod. Let a Christian be but two or three years without an affliction, and he is almost good for nothing; he cannot pray, or meditate, or discourse as he was went to do: but when a new affliction comes, now he can find his tongue, and comes to 119 knees again. It is a good sign that affficeing providences are sanctified to us, when we draw near to God under them and cata to him that smites us. A wicked man under affliction "revolts more and more," "turns not to him that suites him," but grows worse than before; formality is turned into stupidity and indoience. But if God afflicts his own people with a sametified rod, it awakens them to a more earnest seeking of God; it makes them

ought, in this case, to encourage us to proceed. And, on the other side, no frowns or discouragements of Providence should dishearten us in the way of our duty, how many soever we should encounter therein. Holy Job could not find the meaning of God in his works, yet would he not " go back from the commandment of his lips," Job xxiii. 9. Paul by the direction of the Spirit was engaged to go to Jerusalem, Acts xx. 22. After a clear revelation of the mind of God to him in that matter, how many difficult and discouraging providences befell him in his way? The disciples of Tyre said to him by the Spirit, though they followed their own spirits, "that he should not go to Jerusalem." Acts xxi. 4. Then at Cæsarea he met Agabus, a Prophet, who told him what should befall him when he came thither, Acts xxi. 11. All this does not dissuade him. And after all this, how passionately do the brethren beseech him to decline that journey! Yet knowing his rule, and resolving to be faithful to it, he puts all aside, and proceeds on his journey.

Providence, in concurrence with the word, may give some encouragement to

us in our way; but no testimony of Providence is to be accepted against the word. If scripture and conscience tell you, such a way is sinful, you must not venture upon it, how many opportunities and encouragements soever Providence may suffer to offer themselves to you, for they are only permitted for your trial, not your encouragement. Take this therefore for a sure rule, that no Providence can legitimate or justify any moral evil; nor will it be a plea before God for any man to say, The providence of God gave me encouragement to do it. If therefore in doubtful cases, you would discover God's will, govern yourselves in your search after it by these rules. Get the true fear of God upon your hearts. Be really afraid of offending him. God will not hide his mind from such a soul, "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant." Study the word more, and the concerns and interests of the world less.-Reduce what you know into practice, and you shall know what is your duty to practise. "If any man do his will, he shall know of the doctrine," John vii, 17. Pray for illu

have the ground and reason why their deliverance was not, nor could be, delayed one day longer, because "the time of the promise was now come."

But for the seasons which are of our own fixing and appointment, as God is not tied to them, so his providences are not governed by them; and hence are our disappointments. Hereupon is it that we fret at the delays of Providence, and suspect the faithfulness of God in their performance.

2. During this delay of Providence, the hearts and hopes of the people of God may be very low, and much discouraged. The causes of these despondencies are partly from ourselves, and partly from Satan. If we duly examine our own hearts about it, we shall find that these sinkings of heart are the immediate effects of unbelief. We do not depend and rely upon the word with that full confidence that is due to the infallible word of a faithful and unchangeable God. Faith is the only cordial that relieves the heart against these faintings and despondencies; where this is wanting or is weak, no wonder that our hearts sink when discouragements are

before us. Our judging things by the rules of sense is a great cause of our discouragements. We conclude, that according to the appearance of things will be their issues. In all these things Satan carries a design upon us. Hence he takes occasion to suggest hard thoughts of God, and to beat off our souls from all confidence in him, and expectations from him; and his suggestions gain the more credit with us because they are confirmed and attested by sense and feeling.

To assist the soul in this difficulty, I shall offer some farther help, beside what has been already given under the first caution, in the following considerations. -Though Providence do not yet perform the mercies you wait for, yet you have no ground to entertain hard thoughts of God; for it is possible God never gave you any ground for your expectation of these things from him. It may be you have no promise to found your hope upon; and if so, why shall God be suspected and dishonoured by you in a case wherein his truth and faithfulness were never engaged to you? If we are crossed in our outward concerns, and see our

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