Book III, of Jesus Christ. lor

Comforts are breaking in upon thee, like a glorious Sun from an aftonifhing Eclipfe. 'Tis Rafhnefs there- fore to conclude Affairs in a lofl Condition^ becaufe fome Croffes have balked your Expedations : Nor can either your own Refentment of Misfortunes within^ cr the Violence of any Calamity without, give you fuf- ficient Grounds, from the terrible Face your prefenc Circumftances wear, to pronounce, That all Hope of Efcape and better Days are paft. Nay, which is the moll fenfible and mofl: deplorable Cafe of any, if at the fame time that I fcourge thee with outward Cala- mities, thou feel the inward Supports of my Grace withdrawn,which fliould enable thee to bear the Rod ; Yet even fo, think not thy felf forfaken, or that I have utterly caft thee from my Prefence. The Way to Heaven is fet with Briars and Thorns, and they, who arrive at that Kingdom, travel over cragged Rocks and comfortlefs Defarts : And more it is for their ad- vantage CO have their Virtue awakened, and brighrned, and brought to the Teft, by the Smart of Adverlity ,• than that all things fhould go fmoothly on, without any manner of Let or Moleilation.
77je Heart of Majj is deceitful^ who can know it ? Thy very felf art often under very dangerous Miftakes about thy own Condition. Thou arc ignorant what thou art, and much more ignorant what is ht for tl>ee. But I, who have a perfed Underftanding of both, fee plainly, that it is proper and beneficial fometimes to be left to thy felf j that thus, ftruggling to fo little purpofe with the Calamities that bear thee down, thou may'rt be brought to a juft and huHible fenfe of thy Infirmities^ that this Senfe may check thy Vanity, and fhew,that all thy Attempts which p44)ve fuccefsful, are owing entirely to another Hand \ and thou in truth nothing lefs than that mighty Man thou art apt to take thy felf for. This makes my depriving thee of thy ufual Comforts convenient, but Itill 'cis in my Power
O 3 to
^o^ €>f tf}t ^mitmion Book IIL
^o reftore and augment them to thee^ when 1 lee that ponvenieni too.
Nor think me hard and unjufl in thefe Difpenfati- ons ; for who (hall forbid me to do what I will with iny own ? I gave thee what thou could'ft not claim ; and I take away what thou hail no right to keep. For James i. 17. every gnod a7id fcrfect Gift is mlne^ and not
a Debt, but a Favour. Jf then Afflidion comeSj remember 'tis of my fending : and], who laid the Crofs^ can both remove andrecompence it. IkiR I Sam ii. ^^^^ make alive ^ I bring down to the Grave ^
and raife ut> from it ; Andj in XX\t inftant , that I lay my Thunder by, andfmile agfiin, thy Hea- vinefs fnall be changed inio Joy unfoeakable*
In all my Dealinc^s 1 am iul^ in all am wife^ ?.ndi good • .-:fiddeferve,noc only ti.y Acmiration, but even thy Thanks and Praiie. Couid'u thou but rightly comprehend n y fVlerhods, ard the i^cret Reafons of them, thou v.ould'ft drink up the biuev Porcion with Joy ^ with Joy, upon this very Conrid;'rauon. thaci do not fpare thee to thy liurt, hut ^^v\.:) Afliicticns in pure kindnefs x.o thee, when J fpr'^fee rljey will be for thy Advanc;^ge. Obferve the Tenure o'^ my gracious Promife to my befl: beloved Difciples : As my Feather John xvi. loved me^ tvm fo have I loved .cu. But both
my Father^s Love to Me, and Mine to Them, was exprefs'd, not by falfe and tranlKoryJoys^ i)ut by fharp and long Confiijfls ; by being called^ not to Honours, but to Contumelies and Difgrace ^ not \>y indulging them in Eafe and Sloth, but by inuring them to Tryalsand Difficulties, by calUngthem, not to Reft and Peace;, but to bring forth noble and ge- nerous Fruit with i'atience. Remember Vv-eii thefe Words, my Son, and then thou canft not think muchj, to drink of the Cup thnt I drank of fo deeply, and to be t;aftizeJ with the Baptifm that I 7if^ps baptiz^ed
'with. Thou canit not then defpair, or think that
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