I. General Directions.

Direct. 1. Fix it in your heart to seek some spiritual improvement of the conduct of Provi- dence towards you, Micah vi. 9. Till once your lieart get a set that way, your humiliation is not to be expected. Hosea xiv. 9. But nothing is more reasonable, if we would act either like men or Christians, than to aim at turning what is so griev- ous to the flesh unto the profit of the spirit; that, if we are losers at one hand, we may be gainers at ^another.
2. Settle the matter of your eternal salvation, in the first place, by betaking yourself to Christ, and taking God for your God in him, according to the gospel-offer, Hosea ii. 19. Heb. viii. 10. Let your humbling circumstances move you to this, that while the creature dries up, you may go to the Fountain : for it is impossible to reach due humiliation under the mighty hand, without faith in him as vour God and friend, Heb. xi. 6. 1 John