A Saint Indeed

'Tis pity that our tears upon the account of our troubles, should so blear and blind our eyes, that we should not see our mercies and grounds of comfort. I will not insist upon the mercy of having your lives given you for a prey, nor yet upon the many outward comforts, temporal conveniences, and accommodations, which you enjoy even above what Christ and his precious servants, of whom the world was not worthy, ever had.

But what say you to pardon of sin? interest in Christ? the Covenant of Promises? and an eternity of happiness in the presence of God after a few days are over? O that ever a people entitled to such mercies as these, should droop under any temporal affliction, or be so much concerned for the frowns of men, and loss of trifles! You have not the smiles of great men, but you have the favour of the great God: You are it may be cast back in your estates, but thereby furthered in spirituals. You cannot live so bravely, plentifully, and easily as before, but still you may live as holy and heavenly as ever. Will you then grieve so much for these circumstantials, as to forget your substantials? shall light troubles make you forget weighty mercies? Remember the Churches true Riches are laid out of the reach of all its enemies: they may make you poor, but not miserable. What though God do not distinguish in his outward Dispensations betwixt his own and others? yea, what though his Judgments single out the best, and spare the worst? what though an Abel be killed in love, and a Cain survive in hatred, a bloody Dionysius die in his bed, and a good Josiah fall in Battle? What ⟨p. 68⟩though the belly of the wicked be filled with hid Treasures, and the teeth of the Saints broken with Gravel-stones, yet still here is much matter of praise: for electing Love hath distinguished, though common Providence did not, and whilst prosperity and impunity slay the wicked, even staying and adversity shall benefit and save the righteous.

But what say you to pardon of sin? interest in Christ? the Covenant of Promises? and an eternity of happiness in the presence of God after a few dayes are over? O that ever a people intitled to sch mercies as these, should droop under any temporal affliction, or be so much concerned for the frowns of men, and loss of trifles! You have not the smiles of great men, but you have the favour of the great God: You are it may be cast back in your estates, but thereby farthered in spirituals. You cannot live so bravely, plentifully, and easily as before, but still you may live as holy and heavenly as ever. Will you then grieve so much for these circumstantials, as to forget your substantials? shall light troubles make you forget weighty mercies? Remember the Churches true Riches are laid out of the reach of all its enemies: they may make you poor, but not miserable. What though God do not distinguish in his outward Dispensations betwixt his own and others? yea, what though his Judgments single out the best, and spare the worst? what though an Abel be killed in love, and a Cain survive in hatred, a bloody Dioysius die in his bed, and a good Isiah fall in Battel? What