2. When thou art cast into perplexing troubles of mind, through suffering, or fear, or care, or temptations, then is it seasonable to address thy self to this duty. When should we take our cordials but in our times of fainting? When is it more seasonable to walk to heaven, then when we know not in what corner on earth to live with comfort? or when should our thoughts converse above, but when they have nothing but grief to converse with below? Where should. Noah's Dove be but in the Ark,1 when the waters do cover all the earth; and she cannot find Rest for the sole of her foot? What should we think on but our fathers house, when we want even the husks of the world to feed on? Surely God sends thee thy afflictions to this very purpose. Happy thou poor man, if thou make this use of thy poverty: and thou that art sick, if thou so improve thy sickness. It is seasonable to go to the Promised Land, when our burdens and tasks are increased in Egypt; and when we endure the dolours of a grievous wilderness. Believe it, Reader, if thou knewest but what a cordial in thy griefs and care, the serious views of glory are, thou wouldst less fear these harmless troubles, and more use that preserving reviving Remedy: I would not have thee, as Mountebanks, take poison first, and then their Antidote to show its power; so to create thy affliction to try this remedy: But if God reach thee forth the bitterest cup, drop in but a little of the Tastes of Heaven, and I ⟨p. 707⟩warrant thee it will sufficiently sweeten it to thy spirit; If the case thou art in, seem never so dangerous, take but a little of this Antidote of Rest, and never fear the pain or danger. I will give thee to confirm this, but the Example of David, and the Opinion of Paul, and desire thee throughly to consider of both. In the multitude of my thoughts within me (saith David) thy comforts delight my soul, Psal. 94.19. As if he should say, I have multitudes of fading thoughts that crowd upon me, thoughts of my sins, and thoughts of my foes, thoughts of my dangers, and thoughts of my pains; yet in the midst of all this crowd, one serious thought of the comforts of thy Love, and especially of the comfortable life in Glory, doth so dispel the throng, and scatter my cares, and disperse the clouds that my troubles had raised, that they do even revive and delight my soul.
2. WHen thou art cast into perplexing troubles of minde, through suffering, or fear, or care, or temptations, then is it seasonable to address thy self to this duty. VVhen should we take our cordials but in our times of fainting? When is it more seasonable to walk to heaven, then when we know not in what corner on earth to live with comfort? or when should our thoughts converse above, but when they have nothing but grief to converse with below? Where should. Noahs Dove be but in the Arke,1 when the waters do cover all the earth; and she cannot finde Rest for the sole of her foot? What should we think on but our fathers house, when we want even the husks of the world to feed on? Surely God sends thee thy afflictions to this very purpose. Happy thou poor man, if thou make this use of thy poverty: and thou that art sick, if thou so improve thy sickness. It is seasonable to go to the Promised Land, when our burdens and taskes are increased in Egypt; and when we endure the dolors of a greivous wilderness. Believe it, Reader, if thou knewest but what a cordial in thy griefs and care, the serious views of glory are, thou wouldst less fear these harmles troubles, and more use that preserving reviving Remedy: I would not have thee, as Mountebanks, take poyson first, and then their Antidote to shew its power; so to create thy affliction to try this remedy: But if God reach thee forth the bitterest cup, drop in but a little of the Tastes of Heaven, and I ⟨p. 707⟩warrant thee it will sufficiently sweeten it to thy spirit; If the case thou art in, seem never so dangerous, take but a little of this Antidote of Rest, and never fear the pain or danger. I will give thee to confirm this, but the Example of David, and the Opinion of Paul, and desire thee throughly to consider of both. In the multitude of my thoughts within me (saith David) thy comforts delight my soul, Psal. 94.19. As if he should say, I have multitudes of sadding thoughts that crowd upon me, thoughts of my sins, and thoughts of my foes, thoughts of my dangers, and thoughts of my pains; yet in the midst of all this crowd, one serious thought of the comforts of thy Love, and especially of the comfortable life in Glory, doth so dispel the throng, and scatter my cares, and disperse the clouds that my troubles had raised, that they do even revive and delight my soul.
- 1Gen. 8.8, 9.
