1: .....,L, Picobi "Veit*, 5qb, 1,4-644 lie= mo,T,ard, and thole worthies us the 1 th. of the ilebrexs, have been as much _af- flided as thou haft been; now for thee to conclude that thou art not beloved,becaufe thou haft,he an thus afflicted, this is to conclude a- t," ainft all thofe worthies, of whom this world was not worthy, tleb41.3 8. x. 2,5'. chap. 2.7. 9. Heb It.rIO,TI. James 1.10,1r. AR= of precious Ointment Or tieing and judging of himfelt for,it) or becaufe he is thus and thus afflited in his Family, or in his Relations, or in his own perfon ; or becaufe he Is thus and thus difirgted in Prayer, and firaitned in Prayer ; or becaufe he is fomtimes troubled with fad,,hard, hideous, and blafphemous thoughts of God ; he does in fo judging, judg and condemn the whole Generation of the Righteous, for there are none of them but fiat or laft, more or lefs, have been exercifed even as he is, or as he has been exercifed : Who dare judg his neigh - hour, his brother, his friend, an hypocrite, becaufe the hand of the Lord has been various wayes lifted up againfl him, or becaufe Satan has been let loofe to play with his grand bat- tery upon hiin ? Now if thou darel not judg thy neighbour an hypocrite upon thefe accounts, how dareff thou to judg thy felf an hypocrite upon the very fame accounts? When thy neighbour, thy brother, thy friend is thus and thus affliol- ed, tempted, difireffed, &c. thou cant} tell them that this has been the common lot of the People of God, in all the Ages of the World ; thou canft tell them that no man knows love or hatred by thefe things; and that all things come alike to all ; thou canft tell them that the molt choiceft Saints have been moll afflioled, tempted, clouded, and diftreiced ; thou cant} tell them that all fhall end well,that alIfhall if- f well. Remember the patience of Yob, and confider the end that the Lord made with him. Thou canfl tell them that thou hail got that good by affliolions,temptations, cloud ings, diftreffes that thou wouldll not exchange for ten thoufand worlds. Now if Chriflians when they are afflio-led, temp- ted,clouded, diftreffed, would be but as kind; favourable, and merciful to themfelves as they are to others in the fame condition, how we'l would it be with them, how foon would they get out of the fnare. 0 Sirs, if th 's rule were but prudently confidered, and ferioufly praecifed, how- would the fears, doubts, and darkneffes of many poor weak doubt- ing fiaggering and trembling Chriflians van All, and what peace, comfort/. and fettlement would they quickly find. 0 Sirs, we mull never ftand to that judgment which we pafs upon our Spiritual eflates, which is _irrational, or withuout
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=