1. That the Lord hath withdrawn all Feeling of any Good, which it may be you once felt, and that the Lord hath let out more of the Evil of your Hearts than ever you imagined was in them, nay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: O bless the Lord for this, for this is God's Way to humble, and empty, and make thee poor; the Lord saw (tho' it may be you did not) that you rested in that Good you felt, and was or would be lifted up by these, ⟨p. 115⟩and therefore the Lord hath broke those crazy Crutches, 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 tho' these Desertions be bitter for the present, yet that by these he might do you Good in your latter End, Deut. 6.19. O Brethren, the Apostle stands at a stay, and desires the Corinthians to consider, You see your Calling, faith 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 real, but) in 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 That the Lord hath withdrawn all Feeling of any Good, which it may be you once felt, and that the Lord hath let out more of the Evil of your Hearts than ever you imagined was in them, nay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: O bless the Lord for this, for this is God's Way to humble, and empty, and make thee poor; the Lord saw (tho' it may be you did not) that you rested in that Good you felt, and was or would be lifted up by these, ⟨p. 115⟩and therefore the Lord hath broke those crazy Crutches, famish'd now, brought you down to nothing, made you like dry Desarts; all the Hurt the Lord aimeth at in this, being only to humble you, and tho' these Desertions be bitter for the present, yet that by these he might do you Good in your latter End, Deut. 6.19. O Brethren, the Apostle stands at a stay, and desires the Corinthians to consider, You see your Calling, faith 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 real, but) in your own Eyes, that then the Lord is about this glorious Work.
