And this will make the Affliction very easy unto thee, when thou bringest thy heart to this: It may be others may think that's very sore and hard with thee, I, but thou findest it very easy, abundance of sweetness comes in with this: Yea, I appeal to the Experience of the Saints, that knows but what this means; Whether ever had you more Comfort in all your Lives, than at that time when you have been most Afflicted, and yet brought your hearts to this Temper and Disposition. O therefore learn to work these things upon your hearts. It's an easy matter for Men and Women to speak these things, but to have the effectual working of these things upon the heart, that's not so easy: To sanctify Gods Name in the Fire. Carnal hearts, they have many poor things to help themselves in their Afflictions: They say this, It is my ill Fortune this befell me; and another saith this, This befalls all Men, one or other, it's common: Others say thus, We must, we cannot help it, and we must submit to it. Another thinks thus, Why, I hope, it will be over. These are poor Reasonings to work upon the heart, in the day of Affliction: But now a gracious heart should get up higher above all these; It is the Lord, and there look into the Counsels of God, and seek to know the Mind of God, and to sanctify the Name of God. O, Grace (my Brethren) hath many ⟨p. 96⟩Excellencies in it; but among other things, this is not the least, That it hath such a mighty Power to help Men in the day of their Affliction; a mighty Power to sweeten the heart, and to take away the sting and evil of all Afflictions, and to carry the Soul on comfortably in the time of all Dangers and Trials. O labour to have this wrought upon your hearts! For by this you will manifest much Beauty in Grace, much Excellency in Grace; it will be a means to Convince all that are about you. All those that profess Godliness, should labour to behave themselves so as to do that that others cannot do in the time of Affliction: They should then show what Grace can do. As David in another Case, said to the King of Achish, Thou shalt see what thy Servant can do. So now in the time of Affliction, a gracious heart should put it to this; Come let's see what Grace can do. And certainly, this will be the way for removing of Afflictions sooner, when the heart is brought thus to yield unto the Lord:
And this will make the Affliction very easie unto thee, when thou bringest thy heart to this: It may be others may think that's very sore and hard with thee, I, but thou findest it very easie, abundance of sweetness comes in with this: Yea, I appeal to the Experience of the Saints, that knows but what this means; Whether ever had you more Comfort in all your Lives, than at that time when you have been most Afflicted, and yet brought your hearts to this Temper and Disposition. O therefore learn to work these things upon your hearts. It's an easie matter for Men and Women to speak these things, but to have the effectual working of these things upon the heart, that's not so easie: To sanctifie Gods Name in the Fire. Carnal hearts, they have many poor things to help themselves in their Afflictions: They say this, It is my ill Fortune this befel me; and another saith this, This befals all Men, one or other, it's common: Others say thus, We must, we cannot help it, and we must submit to it. Another thinks thus, Why, I hope, it will be over. These are poor Reasonings to work upon the heart, in the day of Affliction: But now a gracious heart should get up higher above all these; It is the Lord, and there look into the Counsels of God, and seek to know the Mind of God, and to sanctifie the Name of God. O, Grace (my Brethren) hath many ⟨p. 96⟩Excellencies in it; but among other things, this is not the least, That it hath such a mighty Power to help Men in the day of their Affliction; a mighty Power to sweeten the heart, and to take away the sting and evil of all Afflictions, and to carry the Soul on comfortably in the time of all Dangers and Trials. O labour to have this wrought upon your hearts! For by this you will manifest much Beauty in Grace, much Excellency in Grace; it will be a means to Convince all that are about you. All those that profess Godliness, should labour to behave themselves so as to do that that others cannot do in the time of Affliction: They should then shew what Grace can do. As David in another Case, said to the King of Achish, Thou shalt see what thy Servant can do. So now in the time of Affliction, a gracious heart should put it to this; Come let's see what Grace can do. And certainly, this will be the way for removing of Afflictions sooner, when the heart is brought thus to yield unto the Lord:
