Book III. of J t s U S C H R I S T. 14]

For fuch TrypJs as thefe are more for the Advan- tage of my faithful Servants, than a conftant Succeffi- on of Profperity and Confolation could poffibly be. They mufl needs be fo • fmce Virtue does not confift in abundance of Illumination and Knowledge ; but in Lowlinefs of !vlind^ in Meeknefs and Charity, in a Mind entirely reii,9;ned toGod^ and fmcerely difpofed to ferve and pleafe him; in a juft Senfe of a Man's own Vilenefs , and not only thinking very meanly of One s feif, but being well content to be fo thought of by Others.
Chap. IX.
[ Of Acknowledging our Unworthinefs hefore God.
Difciple.jT)^^>^o/^5 w
XJ [f^^^ if^^o my Lord, who am ^^"- ^^"^• hut Dufi and Jjhes, vile and fmful Duft and Afiies ! For fhould I entertain any better Opinion of my felf, I make my God my Enemy^ and ftand convided by the undeniable Tellimony, and juft Reproaches of my own guilty Confcience. But if I humble my Soul, caft off all vain Imaginations of Merit, and think my felf that wretched thing I really am, thy Grace exalts me, thy Light cheers and fupports me, and all that groundlefs Arrogance, to which my Corrupt Heart is naturally difpofed, vanifhes into nothing. O .' give me then a right underftanding of my felf; help me truly to difcern,what I am now, what I was original- ly, and whence I come. That I am nothing, and pro- ceeded out of nothing,and, if deftitute of thy Grace, have nothing left, but what I had much better be without, even Sin and Infirmity. And yet as vile, as flnful, as dejeded, as I am of my felf, asfoon as thy
bright
X44 ^f ^5^^ gimitattOtX BookllL
bright Beams of Favour are caft upon me, my Weak- nefs is made ftrong, and my Heavinefs turn'd into Joy. I cannot obferve the fudden wondrous Change without Aftonifhment^ and am not able to ac- count for the happy Exaltation of my Nature ,• which, tho' by its own weight inclined to fink perpetually, and, by a fatal tendency to Sin and Hell^prefs'd down with a Load of Flefli and Frailty ,is yet, by the mighty Operations of Grace, enabled to afpire to Spiritual and Refined Objeds, and take noble Flights to Thee and Heaven.
This I am duly fenfible is the ftrange EiFed of thy free Grace alone, preventing my Defires, infpiring noble Thoughts, allifting my Weakneffes, fupplying my Wants, refcuing me from Dangers innumerable ; which, wichout thefe powerful Succours, muft una- voidably deftroy and fwallow me up. For an inordi- nate Love of my felf was formerly my ruin, but a fm- cere Love of Thee, and an entire Dependance upon thy Goodnefs, recovers and reftores me ; And the more I love and truft in Thee, the lefs reafon I find to value and have any Confidence in any thing of my own. For Thou, O deareft Redeemer, art bountiful and kind, far beyond my Deferts: My Deferts I Alas! They are none at all, or worfe than none: ButThou exceeded even my largeft Defires, and givell more, infinitely more, than I either dare prefume to ask, or am able to exprefs.
Eternal Thanks and Praife be therefore rendred to my God, for that unfpeakable Goodnefs, which does not difdain to bellow the precious Gifts of his Grace and Spirit, upon a Wretch unworthy the leaft of all his Mercies. Yea, BlefTed and adored be His Libe- rality and Long-fuffering, which, in defpight of all .cur Provocations, continues ro engage thofe byKind- ^nefs, who, by their former Ingratitude and Abufe of it, had jullly forfeited all future Favours ^ And, by ' ^ many
Book TIL of Jesus Christ. 145-
many Excellent Arts, and Holy Importunities, invites and draws Men to himfelf and their own Happinefs, who have an Averfion to both. Even fo, fweet Jelhs^ extend thy Compaffion, and continue thv Care of Us, who are too prone to negled Thee, and ruin our feives. Oh ! bring us to thy felf, by thankful, humble, pious DifpoHtions ; for We our feives are Nothing, and Thou art Holinefs and Health, our only Strength and Salvation.
Chap. X.
Of Doing All to the Glory of GOD.
Chi'ift.l 'TpH E fure and only Way to Happinefs is, jL to make Me, My Son,, the chief and ultimate End of all thy Actions and Delires. By Tiiis thy Sincerity will beft be proved , byThis thyMjnd is refined and purified from ail thofe fordid Ir.terefis and partial Refpedts, which are apt to debauch Human Nature, too much of it felf addided to private Gain and Selfiflinefs, andthofe falfe Profpeds of Happinefs which the Love of this World vainly propofes.. For, asfoonasany Man defcends to thefe, and feeks hjmfilf in all he does, he finds his own Inability to ccmpafs: ! his Intentions, and grows barrep and unprofitable.' T Keep Me then conitantly in view, and ain^ at nothing but the Advancement of my Honour : Which is in- deed but reafonable and juft, fmce I am the Firft and Perfed Good ,• the Source ftom whence all things flow, and therefore all of Right itcurn to, and. fhould center at laft in Me again 1 abk but of my. Own, the Tribute and Acknowledgment of the Suc- ceifes given by my Providence, of the Actxicns per- formed by Virtu© of my Concurrence, ot the very _ Facul-
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Faculties and Powers originally infpired by my crea- ting Spirit.
The High and Honourable, as well as Mean and Low, the Rich and Poor, all drink of this common Fountain, and the mofi: Powerful of the Sons of Men C3.n do nothing, till furnifhed with Ability from hence. This Spring is inexhauftible, and They who receive mod, and are grateful in their Returns, I water with more liberal Meafures of Grace. Them that honour me, I never fail to honour and blefs in a vifible and , eminent manner ; But, if Men glory in any thing but the Lord, I blait their Devices, difappoint their Hopes, make them ailiamed of their vain boaftings. For fo have I ordered Matters by my Providence, that no true lafting fatisfadion (hall ever fill that Heart, which fets its Affedions upon private and paltry Advanta- ges. Crofles from without, and Perplexities from within, are the certain Confequence of Worldly De- fires, and Selfifh Principles.
If therefore thou haft received or done any good Thing,take careof mifplacing the Honour andThanks due for it, upon thy felf, or any other Perfon. For This is robbing God of his Due, from whom Men re- ceive whatever they have, or are; and ftand in Duty and Equity bound, to pay him their Acknowledg- ments. Since therefore the whole is my Gift, when I demand the whole Thanks and Praife, I demand but the Produd of my Own ; and this is what, as I injure no Man in requiring, fol refolve never to de- part from.
This is the true Principle of Juftice. Neceffary to be confidsred, and thoroughly fubmitted to ; becaufe it checks and utterly confounds that other moft per- nicious Principle of Pride and Vain-glory, to which Mankind are lb exceeding prone. Nor is it lefs con- ducive to their Happinefs, than to their Duty. For, where this generous Love and Regard of Me takes
place^