Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London

Sixthly, if you would manage your sufferings so as they may turn to a good account, then let your eye be more upon the Public good, then upon your own private loss; more upon Gods design, then your own detriment; more upon Gods dishonour, then your own grievance, or your own pressure. 'Tis good for a man to be spiritual and savoury in his suffering: our Saviour saith, Such worshippers the Father seeks, &c. and truly I say, ⟨p. 55⟩Such sufferers doth the Father seek, that suffer in spirit and truth, whose spirits are savoury in their sufferings. And when is that? when that your eye is more upon the public good, then your own private loss; more upon Gods design, then your own detriment; more upon Gods dishonour, then your own grievance, and your own pressure.

Sixthly, if you would manage your sufferings so as they may turn to a good account, then let your eye be more upon the Publike good, then upon your own private loss; more upon Gods designe, then your own detriment; more upon Gods dishonour, then your own grievance, or your own pressure. 'Tis good for a man to be spiritual and savoury in his suffering: our Saviour saith, Such worshippers the Father seeks, &c. and truly I say, ⟨p. 55⟩Such sufferers doth the Father seek, that suffer in spirit and truth, whose spirits are savoury in their sufferings. And when is that? when that your eye is more upon the publick good, then your own private loss; more upon Gods designe, then your own detriment; more upon Gods dishonour, then your own grievance, and your own pressure.

Seventhly, if you would so order and manage all your sufferings, as that they may turn to a good account, then let your eye be upon that, and observe what that is that you have most delighted in, and that your heart is most upon in this world; and give that up to God the first thing you do: for truly nothing is done till that be done. 'Tis said of Abraham, that God tempted Abraham. Divines observe, that Abraham met with ten temptations; but it's never said before, that God tempted him, till he spake to him to offer up his son Isaac. Why there was his heart, and his love, and his delight. And where doth a mans temptation grow, but where his Isaac is? he shall be sure to be tried there. Here was Abraham's heart, here lay his temptation. And so, it may be, my heart is upon my house, or upon my land, or upon my trade; and I cannot part with this: I can part with any thing else, but when it comes to this, I am ready to say, The good Lord pardon me in this. Many say, I will not adventure to suffer any further for the Name of Christ, then I can secure my trade, or my land, or relations: but when it comes to this, I cannot part with these; I must have my trade, &c. Here's a but comes in. Ananias and Sapphira they parted with a great deal, but it came to little, because they had a reserve. And so if we have our reserves with the Lord,