1. What is the very ground and reason of our excessive sorrows for the •oss of earthly Comforts? •s it not this, that they are ⟨image 6⟩perishing and transitory? that is, that you find them to be as God made them. And can you expect that God should alter the Laws of Nature to please and humour us? It is as natural to our Relations to die, as it is to Flowers to wither, or the Moon to wane.
2. That there is no such necessary connection betwixt these things, and our comfort, that whenever God removes the one, he must needs remove the other with it. Christ and Comfort are indeed so united, but nothing beside him is or can be so. I ⟨image 6⟩hope you will shortly experience the truth of this Conclusion, by the Comforts God will give you in the absence of those Comforts you have lost. Can you not now have as free access to God as before? Yea, do not these very Afflictions send you oftener into his presence? And if God meet you in those duties (as in days of distress he uses to meet his People) then it will be evident to you that your Joy and Comfort lives, though your Husband and Children be laid in their Graves.
⟨image 7⟩3. That the removing of your earthly Comforts hinders not but that yo• may still pursue the great end and business of you• life, and carry on all you• designs for Heaven as successfully as ever. Indeed, Madam, had we been sent into this World to raise Estates, contract Relations, and then sit down in the midst of them, as our Portion, then our design had been utterly dashed and disappointed; but you know this is not your main end, or great business upon Earth, but to honour God by an holy fruitful ⟨image 7⟩life here, and make •eady for the full enjoyment of him hereafter. And what hinders, but you •ay as prosperously ma•age and carry on this •our design as ever? You •o not think the Traveller is disabled for his Journey, because he hath fewer clogs and hindrances ••an before. I think few Christians find much furtherance Heavenward by ••eir multiplicity of Engagements or Enjoyments […] this World. Your ••res and fears about these ••ings, will now lie in a narrower compass than ⟨image 8⟩they did before, and there by you may have yo• thoughts more about yo• to attend the great concerns of Gods glory an• your own salvation.
4. But above all, yo• will certainly find yo• relief and consolation […] lie in the everlasting Covenant of God.
1. What is the very ground and reason of our excessive sorrows for the •oss of earthly Comforts? •s it not this, that they are ⟨image 6⟩perishing and transitory? that is, that you find them to be as God made them. And can you expect that God should alter the Laws of Nature to please and humour us? It is as natural to our Relations to die, as it is to Flowers to wither, or the Moon to wane.
2. That there is no such necessary connection betwixt these things, and our comfort, that whenever God removes the one, he must needs remove the other with it. Christ and Comfort are indeed so united, but nothing beside him is or can be so. I ⟨image 6⟩hope you will shortly experience the truth of this Conclusion, by the Comforts God will give you in the absence of those Comforts you have lost. Can you not now have as free access to God as before? Yea, do not these very Afflictions send you oftener into his presence? And if God meet you in those duties (as in days of distress he uses to meet his People) then it will be evident to you that your Joy and Comfort lives, though your Husband and Children be laid in their Graves.
⟨image 7⟩3. That the removin• of your earthly Comforts hinders not but that yo• may still pursue the grea• end and business of you• life, and carry on all you• designs for Heaven as successfully as ever. Indeed, Madam, had we been sent into this World to raise Estates, contract Relations, and then sit down in the midst of them, as our Portion, then our design had been utterly dasht and disappointed; but you know this is not your main end, or great business upon Earth, but to honour God by an holy fruitful ⟨image 7⟩life here, and make •eady for the full enjoyment of him hereafter. And what hinders, but you •ay as prosperously ma•age and carry on this •our design as ever? You •o not think the Traveler is disabled for his Jourey, because he hath fewr clogs and hindrances an before. I think few Christians find much furerance Heavenward by eir multiplicity of Enagements or Enjoyments this World. Your res and fears about these ings, will now lie in a arrower compass than
