"tempt. 5· '.Diretlio11S how to profit by Sickmjs. cBmforts, but alfb) the defirts and·wiUingntfi of your hearts, tu be with (/J, i(f. Jr will abate o;r.r Love to God and Heaven, to think'on them with too mu<:h cftrangtdnefs and re~ror; The o· d under 1it. 3· will help you againfi this Temparion. Jte IOns 9· •3· Ttmpt. 5· Another dangerous Temptation is fercht from the remnants of your,. Id!' mindcdnrfi; when your dignity; or honor, your hmfi, or land.~, yourrelatiotts and friend.J, or you/r1e; for~s and co~twtrf!wts, are .fo tweet .to yoll, that you are loth ro_ leave them; anJ the rhough/s of death are ~ncvous to Y?U, becaufe tt taketh·you from that wh1ch you over-love; and God and Heaven are r.hc Jds dthred, becaufe you are loth to ltave the world. Watch carefully agai it h. ~re~t licmptat~on. Obferve how it fecketh the very <;ldhudion of your f!.race and fOul!, au1~ h~; 1r hghr~th aganill your Lovt' to God and H~i:z.vtn, . an~ ~ould u.ndo a~I rhat Chri!t and his Spirit have been domg to long? Obfi.rvc what a·root ot n~a-rrer tt hnde.th tn your [elves; and rhcrrforc be the mo're humbled under it: Learn now what t-he;: world is, and how lirtlc the accornmodJrions cf rh .fldh ar~ worth; whn1 yell perceive wh\lt the end of all mutt be.. WoulJ yt u nevn dye~ ~oul: you enJoy your worldly things for ever ? H"d you rather have them, than to live with Chrilt in th Heav:nly gl.o1y of the N!w .Jcrufolem l If yo.u ha\J, it i_s your grievous fin and folly : And yet yo: know that It IS a ddire that youcan never hope to artam: Dye you mull whether you will or not t What is ic r11en t~af yoU would fi:ay fo~? Is. it till the world be g10wn ltfi pleJ.{.lnt to yolf, and your Love and mmds·be wcanl:d from 1t? W-hen fhould that rather be than now? And what fhould tnorc dftctua<l\y do it, tl\an rhis dy-ing condition that you are in'? le is time for· you to fpit out thcfe unwholfome plcafurcs, ;md now to look up to the trUe, the holy} the unmeafur.~.b!c everlaliing pkafures. Tit. 2. Vire8ious how to Profit by oztr Siclvzejs. WHether it ·{hall plcafe God to recover you ot not, ir is no fmall B<nefit wh1ch y0u may get by his Vijiwion, if you do your part, and f.nthfully improve tt, accordmg to thele D'ndicns following. Dird1. l• 9· r. Direct. I• If J9U' htar God.tcallto a clofer tryd! of.your bcaru concrrnhtg tht finccrity of yo"r cowvcrfion, and thereby are brought to a more txal1txammatcon, a'ifd cume to a trutr acqHflintanct with yot~~r ftate (be it good or b.Jd) the benrfil may be excttdinggre~t. For if ic be grJild, you may be much comforted and confirmed, and fitted to give thanks and pmfe to God: And if it be hJd, you may be awakened fpeedily to look about you, and fcck for a recovery. Dirtll· 2• 9· 2. Diuct. 2· If in the rf'View 9[ your lives yoH find out tho[t jin1 which btfote you overlook!, or pcrc€ive the gre::ztntfi of tho[t {in1 ff!hicb ynu before accountttl fmaU, thr benefit may be vtry great: For it will help to a more deep and found repentance, and to a llronger Refolution again!\ all tins, if you recover. And ajJliliion is a very great help to us in this. Mlny a man harh been aflumed and deeply humbled for that fame fin, when ficknefs did awake him, which he could make his play-fellow bcforr, as if there hJd been neither hurt nor danger in it. Dirtl1· 3· 9· 3· Di~cd-. 3· 1htre it maNy a dup corrupdon in tht he.6rt, r:rbicb afflillion opem.th and di[cove• rctb, wbich dw:itfu!Hrfi hid in the lime of prnfpcrity: And tht dutliing of theft: is no fmall benetit ro the foul. when you come fo part with wMitiJ and honour, you fhall better know how much you t~~ved them, than you could before. Mark therefore what corruptions appear in your aJffitJirm> and how the heart di{clofeth its deceits, thar you may know what to repent of and rcfmm. Dircll. 4· ~· 4· Direct. 4· JPhrn affiillion caL'etb you to tl;eufe and txercife of your gracu, ynu b.JVe agrt.tt help to be betttr acquainted with tbe jlrwgth or wcak.._neji of them : When you arc called to lowdly ro the ufe of Faith, and lovr, and palicncr, and beavcnly-mindednrfs, you may beuer know what mea .. fure of every one of thefe you have, than you could when you had no fuch help Muk thenfore what your hearts prove in the tryal, and whJ.t each Grace doth fhcw it felf ro be in the exlrcife. . DireU. 5• 9· 5· DireCt:. 5· Yon have a vtry grtJ.I hrlp now to be throughly acquainted witb the vanity of tht. world, and fo to mortifie aUaffeaions ttnto the things below. Now judge of the value of wea!tb, and l;mor, of plenty, and bigh-placul Are they a comfort to a dying man that is parting with them? Or is it any grief to a poor man when he is dying, that he did nor enjoy thern? Is it nor cafie now to retlitie your errors, if ever you thought highly of thefe tranfircry thingi? 0 fcrde ir now in your firmRefolution, that if God fuould rdtore you, you would value this world at a lower rate, and fct by ir and feek it but as it deferveth. Dircll. 6. 9· 6. Direct. 6. Alfo you have now a fpecial help to rai{e yourcjlimatiO>t of the happintfi of Lu~e 1o. 4t. the S.&ints in Heaven, and of the nccemry and excellency of a holy life , and of the wif– Phll.J, 19· 11· dam of the Saints on earth; and to know who maketh the wifc:ll: choice! Now you may fee that it .is no~hing but Heaven rh~t is worth om feeking,. and that is finally r.o be trullcd to, a~d ~iU not fat! us m thehour of our dtfirefs: Now you may dtfcem between the Rrghttous and the W"k,.<d ; be· tween
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