583 / 1054
Rules
and
helps
to
Chr.flián
meelvjefre.
through
Gods
mercy
I
have found
this,
that
when
I
have
been;
able
to
overcome
my paffion,
I
have had
the fweeteft time-that
ever
I
have
had in
all
my
life
:
when
I
could deny
my
felfe,and
exercife meeknefs,
ô the
quiet of
any
'heart,
It was
worth
a
world,
and fhall
I
loofe
this for
a
trifle,
now for
a
toy,
ô
the,
poore trifles
and
toyes that men
and women
do
caft away
the
quiernefs
of their
spirits for,
as
if
they were
nothing worth
:
If:
a
man
had
a golden ball
in
his
hand,
and
any
in the
fires
-
lhould
caf+
dirt
upon
him, would
it
shot
be
accòunted
a
folly
in
him
to
throw
his
golden
ball
at them againethat
call
dirt
upon
him,
to
revengehimfelfe that
way
;;
trúly thus
you
doe,
you
that
have any
of
this grace of meeknefs in your
hearts,
and
ever
have had
any
qu etnefs through the exercife
ofthis
grace,
nova
there.comes
a
temptation,
fuch an
one
doth
things
difpleafing
to
you; and
croffes your
will,
how
do you rebenge
your
felves
you paft
this
golden
ball
away
upon
thern,that is, the
quietness
and meeknefs of your
fpirits,
you
loofe this upon
them
:
Ac-
count
it
at.a high
rate,
and
therefore
loofe
it
not
for
a
little
That's the
firft rule.
A
fecotrd
rule
to
helpe:us
againf+paflìon; from
the
exercife
of meeknefs
and
quietnefs,
it
is
often
to
covenant with
God
(yet
in
the
f+rength
ofChrift)
and'though
it
be but for
a
little
time,
as-thus, why may
you
not covenant thus with
God,
you
that
find
that
you
are overcome
in your ;paffion
and
you
fay
you are
troubled
for
them,
and
would faine
get
vibtoi'y
over
them
to,the
exercife
of this
grace
of
meeknefs,
why
may you
nor when
you
rife in
the
morning thus
bethink
your
felves,'
why
'cis
like this day
there
may
fall
fomewhat out
that
may
fir
my
paflion, and
take
away
the comfort
of meeknefs
that
I
have
had
;
welYlle covenant,
(i
trough Gods
inabling
of
me
)
now
this
da,.,
that
what
ever
(hall
befall nie,
this
dap-
I
will be
qui-
et
till night,
at
leaf+,
Ile
beare
it
birr
till that time,
and
upon
this
con
ideration,thatif
there
be
any
caufe
for me
tobe furred
and
angry,
I
maybe furred
angry
afterwards for
it,
and-:I
may
righttriy
felfe
as
well
afrerw,rds
as
this dav,but
for
this day
I
im
refolved
that
I
will
fet
my
felfe
to
curb my paliion and my
will for this
One
dáv,
and
if
you
think that be too long,do
it
bùt
till