Divine meditations and holy contemplations. By that reverend divine R. Sibbes D.D. Master of…Divine meditations and holy contemplations. By that reverende divine R. Sibbes D.D. Master of…

There is a thousand ⟨p. 19⟩§35things that may hinder good success in our affairs, What man can apply all things to a fit issue, and remove all things that may hinder? Who can observe Persons, Times, Places, Advantages, and Disadvantages, and when we see these things there is naturally a passion, that it robs us of our knowledge; as when a man sees any danger, there is such a fear or anger, that he is in a mist. So that unless God give a particular success, there is none. As it is in the frame of a mans body, it stands upon many joints, if any of these be out of frame it hinders all the rest.

There is a thousand ⟨p. 19⟩§35things that may hinder good successe in our affaires, What man can apply all things to a fit issue, and remove all things that may hinder? Who can observe Persons, Times, Places, Advantages, and Disadvantages, and when wee see these things there is naturally a passion, that it robbes us of our knowledge; as when a man sees any danger, there is such a feare or anger, that hee is in a mist. So that unlesse God give a particular successe, there is none. As it is in the frame of a mans body, it stands upon many joynts, if any of these be out of frame it hinders all the rest.

If we will hold out, because the error is in want §36of deep apprehension of the miseries we are in by nature, let us labour therefore to have our hearts broken more and more. Upon this fault it was that the stony ground spoken of in the Gospel wants rooting: therefore it is Christian policy to suffer our souls to be humbled, as deep as possible may be, that there may be mould enough, otherwise there may be a great joy in divine Truths, and they may be comfortable, but all will be sucked up like dew when persecution comes, if it be not rooted.