Imatges de pàgina
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efteem? Is common Opinion the Standard of Merit ? Nothing lefs. For here every Man abuses his Fellow : The Cheat imposes upon another as great a Cheat the Vain puffs up the Vain; the Blind misleads the Blind; the Weak fupports the Weak; and all the while, by empty undeserved Commendations, each brings a true Reproach upon the other, while he extols him againft Senfe and Reafon. For after all, thefe Praises are but Words without any Significance; nothing more than Air and empty Sound; for every Man is just so much, fo good, and neither more nor less than he is in thy efteem only.

CHA P. LVI.

A Man must be content with meaner Acts of Virtue, when he is indifpofed for greater.

Chrift.]

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O not fuppofe, my Son, that thy Zeal can always be equally bright, or thy Mind capable of Transport and intent Contemplation upon heavenly Objects at all times. Thou carrieft about with thee a Load of Infirmity and Corruption, which will often damp the cleareft Flames of Devotion, darken thy Mind, and check its noble Flights; and make thee know and feel, that Mortal Flesh and Blood is a heavy, but infeparable Incumbrance upon a Rational and Religious Soul. While Men are in the Body, there is no Remedy, but they muft feel and groan under the weight; And groan they ought indeed, when they confider, how great an Interruption this is to their Attendance, and entire Dedication of their Time and Thoughts, to God and Heavenly Objects. These they must be content to dwell upon as much as may be, by fnatching all thofe happy

Intervals, which Leifure and a good Temper of Mind allow them.

But when the Soul is indifpofed for Nobler Exercises, when Cares or Infirmities prefs it down, let it not be unactive. Variety is here of ufe; and Works of a meaner Rank in the Scale of Virtue must be recurred to; that thou may'st be ftill employ'd, ftill waiting for the happy hour, when I fhall return and visit thee with larger measures of my Grace: bearing with Meeknefs the prefent Discomfort and Incapacity, the dry and barren State of thy Soul, till I fend my refreshing Dews, and infufe a Principle of Fruitfulness for a Product in greater Plenty and Perfection. For I can foon make thee to forget thy paft Troubles, and fatisfy thy Mind with the abundance of Peace. I open for thee the fpacious Plains of Scripture, that thou may'ft be enlarged, and run the way of my Commandments in Liberty; and, with a Soul full of Joy and inward Exaltation, fay, I reckon that the Sufferings of this prefent time Rom. viii. are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us.

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CHA P. LVII.

A Man fhould think Correction, not Comfort, his due.

Disciple.] Ord, I muft needs with Shame confefs my felf altogether unworthy thy Comforts, or any part of that Care thou art pleased to take of my Soul; and therefore I have no pretence to complain of hard Usage, or Injustice, when thou withdraweft thy Grace, and leaveft me to my felf. Whole Seas of Tears could not fo cleanse my polluted Soul,

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as to render it pure enough to merit the bleffed Influences of thy Spirit. Scourges and Vengeance are the Portion of a Wretch, who by fo many and fo grievous Tranfgreffions hath offended thy Majefty. The more therefore I reflect upon my own finfulness, the clearer and jufter Notions I have of thy free undeferved Mercy. For Merciful thou art, even to Aftonishment, whofe Bowels thus yearn over the Work of thy own Hands, who thus to all the World haft manifefted the Riches of thy Grace in the Veffels of Mercy, and extendeft thy Liberality to those who have no right to challenge, no recommendation to induce thee to it.

But, if we could pretend to Comforts, yet how could we expect fuch divine, fuch incomparably fweet and noble Marks of thy Favour? fo very unlike, fo much above any Human Helps or Encouragements? For how could I expect the Bread of Life from Heaven? Good Works I know of none I have to plead; but the flighteft recollection even amazes and confounds me with Sins innumerable brought to my remembrance. My vehement proneness to Evil, and fhameful Sloth and Backwardness to Reformation and Goodness, are of themselves fo evident, that fhould I labour to cloak them, the attempt muft needs be vain: For Thou, the Searcher of Hearts, art privy to them; Thou canft difprove me, and no Advocate is to be found, who could offer any thing in my Vindication. What then can I juftly lay claim to, but Hell and everlaíting Flames? I own with Grief and Shame, that Reproach and Contempt are my due, and that I am unworthy to be named among thy Sons, or even thy meaneft Servants. Nature indeed ftarts back, and cannot without reluctancy acknowledge its own Vileness and Guilt; but I will offer Violence to my native Pride, and freely confefs my Sins, that thou may'ft fhew thy Juftice and Faithful

nefs,

nefs, in a full and free Pardon of the Faults I fo freely confefs.

But where fhall I find Words fit for fo miferable a Condition, or how fhall fo fcandalous a Creature apply to thee for pardon? I know no other Terms than thefe, that can become my Mouth. "Lord, I have "finned, I have done wickedly. Mercy, thou Judge "of Quick and Dead, Mercy, or I perifh. Refpite "thy Sentence yet a little while, and grant me fome "time at least to bewail my Mifery, before I be "fwallowed up in Darkness, and go into a

"Land Black with the Terrors of the fha- Job x. "dow of Death. What other reparation doft thou excc pect, what other can indeed be had from Men la"den with Guilt and Infirmity, than that they should "feriously bewail and humble themfelves for their mighty and manifold Provocations? Hence all our Hopes of Remiffion fpring, here the firft feeds of "reconciliation take root; the Joy of a peaceful Conscience is fown in Tears; the Acknowledgment of our Weakness is the first step towards repairing our Lofs, the firft Defence against the Wrath to come; and in these melancholy Solitudes the Gracious God and penitent Soul meet and embrace each other. A broken and a contrite Heart is reputed a

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Sacrifice, and Thou, in marvellous Con- Pfal. li. "defcenfion preferreft it before the Odors the sweeteft Incense, or whole Hecatombs of Burnt-offerings. Of this that precious Ointment, whofe Perfumes, when it anointed thy holy Feet, filled the "whole House, was an Emblem; for Thou, Lord,

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never didft, or wilt defpife a Soul afflicted with a "Senfe of Sin. Contrition and Humility are our "Sanctuary against the Rage and Malice of our Spi"ritual Adverfary; and Tears of Penitence, that purifying Stream, which wafhes off the Stains and Blemishes of our defiled Souls,

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CHAP.

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The Grace of God dwells not with Worldly-minded

Men.

Christ.] kind, than that they fhould fubmit to be Rivall'd by the Bleffings of this World, and Heavenly Comforts difdain to mix with those of Earth. If then, my Son, thou defire to be filled full of my Benediction and Grace, all that obftruct its free Poffeffion of thy Heart must be effectually difcarded. Covet Retirement, and prefer private Converfation with thy God, before all the Diversions of Human Society; Efteem no Company fo delightful as thy Clofet and thy Devotions, and there, by fervent Prayers, pour out thy Soul alone, that thy Zeal may be quickned, and thy Peace of Confcience fecured. Let the whole World be mean in thy Efteem, and account it a greater honour to be called and chofen of God, than any Advantages of Fortune or Advancement can confer. For, be affured, thy Soul cannot admit of two fuch different Affections, as the Love of Me, and tranfitory Pleasures. The most intimate Acquaintance and dearest Friends muft not ftand in Competition with Me, but they who will be mine in good earnest, muft follow the Apostle's Advice, and behave themselves as 2 Pet. iii. Strangers and Pilgrims in a World which must fhortly be diffolved; and when that time of this, or their own Diffolution approaches, the Joy and holy Trust of that Mind, which fits loofe to all here below, is more bleffed than words can exprefs.

HE Tokens of my Love are of a nobler

But to live thus abftracted and difengaged from the. World, is a Perfection not attainable by every common Man; nor can the fenfual Perfon tafte the Delights, or enjoy the Liberty of a true fpiritual State. For this re

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