1. That the Lord hath withdrawn all feeling of any good, which it may be once you felt, and that the Lord hath let out more of the evil of your hearts then ever you imagined was in them, nay so much evil that you think there is none like unto you, who hast now no heart nor power to stir, think, desire, will, or do any thing that is good: oh bless the Lord for this, for this is Gods way to humble, and empty, and make thee poor; the Lord saw (though it may be you did not) that you rested in that good you felt, and was or would be lifted up by these, and therefore the Lord hath broke those crazy cr•tches, famished now, brought you down to nothing, made you like dry deserts; all the hurt the Lord aimeth at in this, being only to humble you, and though these desertions be bitter for the present, yet that by these he might do you good in your latter end:1 Oh brethren the Apostle stands at a stay and desires the Corinthians to consider, You see your calling, saith he, 1 Cor. 1. Not many mighty, not many wise, but things that are not doth he call, that no flesh might glory: The Lord, saith Moses, Deut. 8.2, 3. suffered thee to want, (that was the first) and then fed thee, that he might prove thee and humble thee; remember this, saith he: So say I to you; remember this mercy, that when the Lord makes you worst of all (not really, but) in ⟨p. 154⟩your own eyes, that then the Lord is about this glorious work.
1. That the Lord hath withdrawn all feeling of any good, which it may be once you felt, and that the Lord hath let out more of the evill of your hearts then ever you imagined was in them, nay so much evill that you think there is none like unto you, who hast now no heart nor power to stirre, think, defire, will, or doe any thing that is good: oh blesse the Lord for this, for this is Gods way to humble, and empty, and make thee poor; the Lord saw (though it may be you did not) that you rested in that good you felt, and was or would be lifted up by these, and therefore the Lord hath broke those crazy cr•tches, famisht now, brought you downe to nothing, made you like dry desarts; all the hurt the Lord aimeth at in this, being only to humble you, and though these desertions be bitter for the present, yet that by these he might doe you good in your latter end:1 Oh brethren the Apostle stands at a stay and desires the Corinthians to consider, You see your calling, saith he, 1 Cor. 1. Not many mighty, not many wise, but things that are not doth he call, that no flesh might glory: The Lord, saith Moses, Deut. 8.2, 3. suffered thee to want, (that was the first) and then fed thee, that he might prove thee and humble thee; remember this, saith he: So say I to you; remember this mercy, that when the Lord makes you worst of all (not really, but) in ⟨p. 154⟩your own eyes, that then the Lord is about this glorious work.
- 1Deut. 6.19.
