3'68 Generali directions for a 4. What canft thou thinke upon, or what can poilibly befall thee ; out of which thou being turned unto God, and trueofheart, mayeft not colle& matter ofcomfort, and by the mighty helpeof faith extra& fome joyful]. meditation? r. If thou furvay thy graces, withwhich the free mercy of Godhath glorified thy foule, thou (halt fee in them a facred heavenly fun- fhine, which is able to illighten thedarken midnight ofall thine outward miferies; to difperfeand dif- folue. theblackeft and molt tempeftuous clouds of tempo- ralltroubles. Thou (halt feele in them fuch an inexplicable exceflive fweetneffe, which weretheworld above theea Sea ofbitterneffe andgall, might turne it all into fugar. Thou (halt finde in them fuch an impregnable immortall vi- gourthat will moftcertainely uphold thy fpirit unconquer- ably, at thy dyinghoure,and before that laft dreadful! barre; whenall impenitent wretches (Ball roare like wilde Bulls in anet frill ofthe terroursof God, and cryupon the Hillsand Rocks to hide them from his unquenchable wrath; which they (hall never be able either to avoide or abide. Hence fprings that abundant and unexhattítedmatter of joy, that ?tr1.i 26. t, 2° thejoyofbarveft of dividinggreat #oiles,and that which isof fuch ravifhing temper, that we thinkweare but in adreame, isbut a toy and trifle, a type and (hallow to it ; and whiche- ver predominates and incomparably tranfcends all matter of mourning, 2. If thou looke outupon thine outwardflare; upon thywife, children, friends, health, goods, good-name, Orchards, Gardens, poflèffions, honours, or whatfoever veut.ss.,:. thouhaft attained, or doftenjoywith good confilence and & 46 '6: fan&ifiedly; thou art bound to rejoyce in them; as tempo- 33' rail tokens of Gods eternalllove ;notable encouragements to doemore nobly inhis glorious fervice and comfortable additions to thine hopeofheaven; but fo,and in Inchorder, that as thycloathes firft receive heat fromthy body, before they can-comfortablywarme it : fo fome inward jy of re- concilement to the Creator, mull firft warme thine heart, before thou canft take any kindely comfort from thecrea- tures. z. Concerning croffes, aflii&iöns, troubles perfectí- tiOnS;
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