Baxter - BT785 B39 1657

MM. To the Poor in Spirit. ingfoul where one or both of there is not appa- rent ? their Low expectations from God here- after, or their high expectationsfrom the Crea- ture now ? What doth keep us under filch trouble and difquietnefs, but that we will not Expert what God bath Promifed, or ive willneeds Expea what he Promifed not? And then we cam- plain when ive miff of thofeexpeOations whichwe foolifhly and ungroundedly raifed to our felves ! We aregrievedfor Croffes, for Loges, for wrongs from our Enemies, for unkind or unfaithful dealings of our Friends, for ficknefs, for con- tempt and di f efteem in the World ! But who bid you lookfar any better ? Was it Pro(ierity, and Riches, and Credit, and Friends, that God cal- ledyou to Believe for ? or that you became Chri- flians for, or that you had an abfolute promnife of in the Word ? 1 f you will make Promires to your felf, and then your own Promifes deceive you, whom Mouldyoublamefor that ? Nay do we not, a's it were, necej?itatc Godhereby, to embitter all our.Comforts below, and to make every Creature as a Scorpion to us, becaufe we will needs make them ourpetty Deities ? We have lefs Comfort in them then elfe we might have, becaufe ive rnujl needs havemore then wefhould have. You might have more faithfulnefs fromyour Friends, more Reputation in the World, more fiveetnefs in all your or

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