Book III. of Jesus Christ. 141

can bear its being taken away without Murmuring or Defpondcncy , tiiil exciting and encouraging it jelf. Hill conririuing the fame Diligence in Holy Duties, and never fufFcring Sloth, or Defpair, or Dilcontent to abate one whit of a Man s belt Endeavours, to do the utmoft his Condition is capable of.
This is an Excellence which very few come up to ; Idlenefs and Impatience are the ufual Effects of Spiri- tual Difappointments. W'hichyet ismoft unreafonable, if we think at all, in whofe Difpofal Thefe, as well as all other Succeffes are. For Man cannot command Events • God is fole Mafter of his own Favours. He gives to whom he pleafes ; nor will he be limited , otherwife than by his own Wifdom^ what, or how much, or in what time and manner hefhail give And even, when he is moft liberal, Men may convert his beft Gifts into Occafions of their own Deiuudion. Thus fome Men of bold ungoverned Zeal alpire at things beyond their Strength, and exprefs more Ve- hemence than Condud: in their Actions. They are perfectly carried out of themfelves with Eagerncfs; forget they are ftill poor Infeds upon Eaith, and think of nothing lefs than building their Isleft in Hea- ven ; Now Thefe are often left to themfelves, and taught by fad Experience, that the faint Fiutterings of M:ia are weak and ineffedual, and that none foars to Heaven, except laflift his Flight, and mcunt him up- on my own ^ ings. -
It is therefore highly expedient, that Perfons of
1 more Zeal than Exicrience, fhculd not proceed upon their own faife Meufures ot themfelves, but reter their Proceeding to rhe Guidance and better Judgment of fome Peifons, whom long Time, and much'obfeiva- tion hath taught to temper thofe Vain Conceits they are c^pt to enteitain of their own Stiength, and to propcrtion tbeir Undertakings to their Circumftances.
11 But This is a Submiffion which Humility muft qualify them
14^ ^f tl^egimttatton Book III.
them for. For he wh ; is wife in his Own Eyes, fel- dom endures to bed?- eded by another. And this Con- fide rati on makes a very moderate Degree of Know- ledge, arccrr ed wiili a modeftand governable Mind^ much mo: c fafe a* d eligible, than the higheft Attain- ments with PrJ e and Self-conceit. The mighty Tranfports and great Satisfa(^ion Men frequently feel from their o' n Improvement in Goodnefs, are of dangerous c ^nfequence. if they befuffered to deftroy ,the Remenibrance of a Man's former Weaknefs, and his Fears of relapfing into Sin again. And, on the other h'At.d, thefe Fears may run into Excefs, if Dif- ficulries tempt Men to Defpair, and beget Melancho- ly Diftrufts of God's Ability and Readinefs to relieve and refcue them by the Succours of that Grace, which knows how to fcatter and defeat the ftrongeft Tem- ptations.
The fame Difpofition of Soul, which leads to Se- curity in Times of Profperity and Peace, inclines to Fearfulnefs and Dejedion of Mind in the Day of Ad- verfity and Confiid. For would a Man but guard himfelf againft vain Confidences, and proceed always with Caution and Prudence, when his Graces and his Hopes are at the higheft^ This would preferve him from thofe Dangers, which unwary Heat and too fan- guine Hopes are apt to involve him in. And there- fore, when you form to your felf the faireft and moft promifing Expectations, it will be feafonable to con- fider, what may become of you, if God fhould hide his Face, and abate or wholly withdraw thofe cheer- ing Comforts, which now fo much exalt you. And fo again, when thefe are interrupted, fupport your Spirits in thofe dark Intervals, with the Hope, that Day may break upon you again, and that this Night of AiBidion is prolonged, to make you more advifed, and get the greater Honour.
For