The trial of a Christians growth in mortification, purging out corruption, or vivification, bringing…The tryall of a Christians growth in mortification, purging out corruption, or vivification, bringing…

Fourthly, when a man is still distempered under variety of conditions and businesses, and is inordinate in them all, it argues much unmortifiednesse: As if he be to recreate himself, he is inordinate in it, and knows not when to end, and fall to his calling again; if to study, then he is also as violent in it, and entrenches upon the duties should keep up his soul in health, as also upon the necessary refreshings his body requires. Broach the vessel where you will, if still it runs muddy and thick, it is a sign the vessel is full of ill liquor. To be distempered in some one particular is less, but when in every vein that is opened, much corrupt blood comes forth, it is a sign the body is full of humours, and needs purging. A man that is in an ague, and when the cold fit takes him, he is extreme cold, and when the hot fit comes, he is on the contrary as extreme hot, it is a sign he is full of humours, which as they are purged out, one or the other abates, or both; if when a man abounds, then he is commonly confident, and forgets God; if when he wants, then he is as much on the other side distempered, and grows solicitous, distrustful. Sound bodies can bear sudden alteration of heat and cold, but distempered weak bodies cannot. Nature cannot bear a sudden alteration, but much Grace can; I know how to want, I know how to abound, Phil. 4. 12. He was much therefore mortified; he could work hard in Summer, without much sweating, and he could undergo the cold of Winter without catarrhs and such weaknesses as others are subject to; his soul was well purged of humours. And so Job had learnt to bless God when all was gone; he was a man throughly ⟨p. 75⟩mortified before, he had carried himself in his best estate without security and carnal rejoicing; thus he says of himself that he made not gold his hope, nor his confidence, nor had rejoiced because his wealth was great, Job 31. 25. and answerably he behaves himself in his worst estate with patience and thanksgiving.

Fourthly, when a man is still distempered under variety of conditions and businesses, and is inordinate in them all, it argues much unmortifiednesse: As if he be to recreate himselfe, he is inordinate in it, and knows not when to end, and fall to his calling againe; if to study, then he is also as violent in it, and entrenches upon the duties should keep up his soule in health, as also upon the necessary refreshings his body requires. Broach the vessell where you will, if still it runs muddy and thick, it is a signe the vessell is full of ill liquor. To be distempered in some one particular is lesse, but when in every vein that is opened, much corrupt bloud comes forth, it is a signe the body is full of humours, and needs purging. A man that is in an ague, and when the cold fit takes him, he is extreme cold, and when the hot fit comes, he is on the contrary as extreame hot, it is a signe he is full of humours, which as they are purged out, one or the other abates, or both; if when a man abounds, then he is commonly confident, and forgets God; if when he wants, then he is as much on the other side distempered, and grows solicitous, distrustfull. Sound bodies can beare sudden alteration of heat and cold, but distempered weak bodies cannot. Nature cannot beare a sudden alteration, but much Grace can; I know how to want, I know how to abound,