1.68 What duties God calls for ftrength in fervice and doing for Cod, if your hearts were af- fedted as they ought ro be tor the Churches, you would, confi- der thus : How do they fuffer in their eltates, and in their bo- dyes and liberties ? They are forced to fpend their ftrength and eflates iii a way offuftering : why, Now Lord thou doff not call me to fpend my ffrengrh and elate in that way, of fuf- feting as thou call'ltmy brethren to; why Lord thou (halt have it spent for thee in a way of doing, in a way of fervice : ô 'tis good for us to have our ftrength and effates to be fpent for God in the exercife of our graces, rather then to be fpent for him in the fuifering for our fin,and it were a very good medita- tion when you hear of any that futfer by any accident whatio- ever, they fuller fo much for God in a paffive way : ô then let me be willing to fpend in an aclive way for God, and this will 'be a good argument that your hearts are fpiritual. Fourthly; Yea further, When the thankfulneite that you have for your being delivered from thofe heavy affli &ions that are upon others f ! all humble your hearts as much as if you were under the fame afflictions that others are under, this were a good ligne of a fk,irituall frame, you heare of the afflictions of other men, why, -noW whin you can be fo fenfible of thole af- ilietions fo as to make you to be as much humbled in a way of thankfulnelf as you ii-ould be if you were under the fame af- flioîions,now your hearts are in a f irituall way fenfible of their condition : -- And fo much for that of the f7iritualneffè of our hearts in being fen'. ible of the afflictions of others. But now in the fecond ¡.lace ; What duties doch the confi- tieration of the afflióons of others call for from us, when we bear that others are in affliaiòn, and we are delivered, I fay, what duties dorh this call for at our hands ? Now to that I an- fiver, it calls for there three. Fi ff, An abarement.ofour outward comforts in this world: weTòuld be willing when we hear how the Churches fuffer, to abate ofa,freat part of our outward comforts that we had before for the-Ilef t), robe willing to be cut fhort our felves,fo farre ar we tpay'c'o it in a way of fervice for God. Certainly it is not lawfull for nieta.in fuch times as thefe are, when there is fuck
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