A Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practically resolvedA Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practicaly resolved

6. Use not your selves to a complaining talk, but talk most of the great mercies of God which you have received. Dare you deny them? if not, they are not worthier of your discourse than your present sufferings, let not all men know that you are in your troubles, complaining doth but feed them, and it discourageth others: Open them to none but your secret Counsellors and friends, use much to speak of the love of God, and the riches of Grace, and it will divert and sweeten your sourer thoughts.

6. Use not your selves to a complaining talk, but talk most of the great mercies of God which you have received. Dare you deny them? if not, they are not worthier of your discourse than your present sufferings, let not all men know that you are in your troubles, complaining doth but feed them, and it discourageth others: Open them to none but your secret Councellours and friends, use much to speak of the love of God, and the riches of Grace, and it will divert and sweeten your sowrer thoughts.

7. Especially when you pray, resolve to spend most of your time in Thanksgiving and Praising God. If you cannot do it with the joy that you should, yet do it as you can. You have not the power of your comforts, but have you no power of your tongues, say not that you are unfit for thanks and praises, unless you had a praising heart and were the Children of God: For every man good and bad is bound to Praise God, and to be thankful for all that he hath received, and to do it as well as he can rather then leave it undone: And most Christians want assurance of their Adoption; and must they therefore forbear all praise and thanksgiving to God. Doing it as you can is the way to be able to do it better: Thanksgiving stirreth up thankfulness in the heart, but by your objection you may perceive what the Devil driveth at and gets by your melancholy, he would turn you off from all thankfulness to God, and from the very mention of his Love and goodness in your praises.

7. Especially when you pray, resolve to spend most of your time in Thanksgiving and Praising God. If you cannot do it with the joy that you should, yet do it as you can. You have not the power of your comforts, but have you no power of your tongues, say not that you are unfit for thanks and praises, unless you had a praising heart and were the Children of God: For every man good and bad is bound to Praise God, and to be thankful for all that he hath received, and to do it as well as he can rather then leave it undone: And most Christians want assurance of their Adoption; and must they therefore forbear all praise and thanksgiving to God. Doing it as you can is the way to be able to do it better: Thanksgiving stirreth up thankfulness in the heart, but by your objection you may perceive what the Devil driveth at and gets by your melancholly, he would turn you off from all thankfulness to God, and from the very mention of his Love and goodness in your praises.