Jer. Jl.., Juig. 12.18 p{a!m86. tt Pfa'm IH-10 ~atnts fuffettngg. Chap. Jl'.Sea +· one an'lther with deeper imprdlions. 5. Feed that frame of heart which God hath taught us into : meditate much upon theftnf~elnefs offin, the emptinefs of the <n 4 ture tl>rJidnef ofChr jl,the exquijitenefs ofhis[Hjfe"ings, thefeverity ofthe /aft judgement, th; torments •fhell, the joyes ofheaven, the horrour ofetmmy, rich in !lleditati'On, and rich in. grace. 6: Be much in prayer : Strengthtn 0 God (prays David) thllt whichtho 1 i haft wror<ght in'"· Accordmgly was that prayer of Lmher, conftrme 0 L ord in m what tho~<c hajl wrought, a1rdperje[t the work_ thou h~tjl beg1m in m to thy glory, §o be it. Thefe arc the means to prefcrve a good fr~me of heart. 2. But on the other fide, 'ifour heart anfwer in the negative; that our ch~tftenings have had no divine teachings, our God hath not difcovered to us theftnfuinefs offin, the emptinefs ofrhecreatttre, th!fit!nefs ofChrij/; either the·rod was dumb, or we were deaf; affli'tion hath left u~l as it foun\1 us, as ignorani, as unhumbled, as unfenfible of fin, as \vorldly, as flrange to Chrifl, and our own hearts ; as regar dlefle of eternity, as fit for fin as we were before; as devoyd of grace, as unthankful, as uncomfortable as ever; 0 it is fad ! and therefore, comt, rowle we ourfeivrs in the duft before Phe Lord, fsniu rtpon cur thigh, jigh lVith the breaking ofour loynes, and cry ow with Ephraim, Thou hajl ch«Ptfed me, and l1vas chajlifed, tU a bu/lock_unaccltj/omed to the yonk!; I haveftlt thebiolvs ofGod, but that is"": I have received no more inj/ruflions then a brute be4j/: or ifI had , I have quickjy !of/ it ; it is lik! the ~entimdy fruit ofa woman that neverj4w the fun. Truly we have caufe to fit down, and even wifh far our affli~ion againe : God hath put himfelf into our hands (as it wero) and we h~ve let him go without the bleffing offaving inflruetion: how may we even wifh, that we were in prifon againe, in our fick 9ed againe, in banifhment againe, &c. however humble our felves greatly before the Lord,and wreflle mightily for the after-improvings of God upon our .hearts; pray, turne me Lord, and I jhali be turned, for thou art the Lord my God; wh.ct ~tjfMtion hath not doru; Lord do thou,[et omniporency on work_, and it jhAII be_done; turne me, and I fha/1 be turned; that fo our fouls may yet fpeak to the praife of free grace, after that I . rewrned I repented, ansl~tfter that !was injlruCled, I fsnote upon the thigh, IlVRS 11jhamed, Y'" even confo~ended, becaufe I did hear the repr011ch ofmy yomh. Urge the Lord, as Sampfon did after his vi~ory, thou haftgiven this great deliverance into the hand of thy ferv~<nt, AndJha/II now dye for thirft, andfall into the hand ofthe Nncircumcifed r Say we, Lord, thou haftgiven thyfer·uant thisgreat deliverance from d~tnger and death, andJhaU I now perifh for want ofdivine improvement , and go down to hdl among the uncircumcifed I teach me thy way 0 Lord, and I will wAlk! in thy truth. --te11ch me to do thy will, for thort art my God, thy (pirit is good, Lead me into the land of uprightnefs. In a word, defirc the Lord'; that he would do all the work , and then take all the .glory-. Thus m).lch of the Sufferings of Sainu. CHAP.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=