_6~j_l _________ :;piritual PeifeUion. hURf.'J• hoth to abound, ana to fujf<r nmJ. In Profperity he was lowly and temperate ready ro refign al1 at the firft_ca!l of the ~i~er .. In Ad~~rfi~y he was conr.em, as if h~ ~~~e~~~re;J~~~f~~~·a~q~iri~~~p~~~ffi~~:~ ~~~~~~efrr~~e~~;~;~~ ~rw~!fi~:~h/ha~i~~~'!, us truly Rich. All the Go.ld and Silver of. the W rfl· lndus , and the Pearls and Jewels of the EAjl, cannot truly eonch the Sout fh1s Leifon he had .learnt in the School of Heaven, and .by Experience and Exerclfe made it familiar to hun, as our Saviour ltarnt obe*hl~'isb{ ~~t~·t~ial~ult as excellent : therefore a wife and hol~ Mao; either confcious of his own weaknefs, or fufpicious of his firength, fo earoetlly deprecated the Extremes : Prov, lo.8 ,g. Givl me neitherJOVtrf1 nor richiJ; fud me with footl. convenient for mt : lrfl I bt {uU llnd denJ tbu, and JaJ, who is the Lord? Or /ef/1 be poor and (i<al, ana take tht n.mt of rht ~:~t~;it~~~~r f~;d~;s .~"cr~.~~t;.ouT~~~::s ~~e~:~~~~a;~~ohe~t~~~~~u~~~~;;~~~t~~ than in W~nc, as was touch'd on ~efore. H.e that ro":s in a Shallop near the !bore, needs not the SktU and Courage of a Ptlot that d~reils a Sh1p through Tempetluous Seas, and with his ill-govern'd Ship mull fink to the bottom. The Temptations of Profperirv are more numerous: a [warm of Flies come to fwec t thi ngs : and are ve~y gracetul tO the fenfual Appetites: the Temptations of Adverfit y are troublefome and grievous, and at their,appearance Nature recoils from them: and accordingly the Tempcer manages tbem: he iofiouates into the Heart like a Serpent by Pleafures, and tramfules his poifoo indif. ceroible; but like a Roaring Lion he purfues the A ffi1iled. Experience inltruils us that many have made an eafie forfeiture of their Incegricy, when Pro fjx~ rollti, and in tharp Affi,Clions have been recover'd. Bqt in heavy Calamities, we are apt either to be fir'd with Difconteot, and cootlruilively to difpute with God about the Righteoufnefs of his proceedings: or to faint and langui!h by bleeding inwardly: Vexation and immoderne .Sorrow hinder the free Exercife of Reafoo and Religion, and Mens fulfcrings. occafi0 • nally increaf• their fins. As ~hen Phyfick does not work well, it improves the Difeafe, and brmgs Death more fpeedtly and patnfully. Now 'tis rare to a wonder to fee a Pafon wifely to maoago thefe wide extreams: and that there is not fuch a variation of Scenes in the Paffions according to External accidents. If the Sun !hould make a fearch, it would difcover but few among the numlx:rle!S number of Chritliaos, that enjoy profperity without lofolence, or fulfer Adverfty with· out Impatience, or fuch dejeClioo as exceeds the Rule of the Paffioos. To endure the burning Line and frozen Pale, without diftempering the Blood and Humours, proceeds from a found and firm Cootlitutioo. To receive no hunfulimpreffioos by great changes ofCondition, difcovers a Habit of Excellent Grace and venue in the Soul. Thus wtien a Perfon retains an humble Mind with rifiog Honour, when Affability, Modetly and Coodefcenfion are joyo'd with Courtly Dignity, 'tis rhe elfea of great Vertueat<d Victory over the Natural Paffions. 'Tis faid by the Pfalmifl, The Sun knows its going pcr~Jn; when arrived at the Mendian Circle, and fbining 10 its richeft Beams, the revolution Js ceruin, and he fets in the Evening. So when thofe who are in their highe!t elevation of Honour, undertland themfdves, and with folx:r aud fad thoughts confider they mulllhortly decline, and fet in the dark Grave, 'tis the elfea of excellent Venue. When thofc who from a mean Condition , come to abound in Riches, do not {tt thtir heArts on tbtm, remembring they often take Wings and Hy to the Heavens, and the Poife!Tors mull !hortly fall to the Earth, when they do not furni!h provifioos for their Lutts and Liceotioufnefs, bur ufe them with difcretion, when they employ them for Sacred and Merciful Ufes, coofidering they are nor Proprietors but Stewards, when they confider their Receipts and Expeoces, and the ftria Account they mutt give of aU, this adorns the Gofpel. And in the fuddeo Fall from a Profperous, into a Calamitous Condition, when a Mao looks upward to the Sovereign Difpofer of all EveNs, with meek Submiffion, and refigo themfelves to the Will and Wifdom of God, whofe end is to refine, not confume them, by a Fiery Trial : When they are more follicitous to have their Allliftion lanilified than removed, and blefs God for taking, as well as giving his Jlenefits; this is the elfed of Excellent Grace, and has a Rich Reward attending it. CHAP. /
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