Chap,17. AnExpoftionspan the Book of J O B. Verf.ti. 507 ¿ifappoint or fcatter there fixed purpofes; and thoughts which a bjiever hath had,or thofe refults and refolves which Proptermulti; he hathoften made in his own foul about the hopes and con- pliceranirni cernments of eternal life; yet he may be pittifully puzled, motus a per_ amuzed, and interrupted in his prefent motions and medita- tions about them. mebat, nunep' Renee take this caution. erigibatin fpem Seeing not only our worldly thoughts perifh, but our meliorem, Hunt fpíritual thoughts may be much broken by thong temptati- a4a concida ons, andvariety of bodily difiempers, in times of troubleand ficknels, let us hafien to fettle our purpofes and thoughts a- bout eternal life, yea to fee our foules paled from death, to life, before we fee ficknefs and forrow, much more before we fee our felves ready to pats from life to death. Purpofes to repent, or to mind heavenly things, not only may, but for the moil part are broken off, and loti when ficknefs and forrow finds us. Beware of this deceit of the Devil, who tells us we (hall have leafure to leek God when we .. are tick 'and that we !hall have a fair opportunity to fettleall the of faires`ofour fouls, when we are going out ofthe body : then (he tells us) we (hall have nothingelfe to do, and therefore we !hall furely do it then.Let notSatan deceive us with thefe vainwords, for then he intends usmoil blows, then is his feafön to break our thoughts intoa thoufand pieces, and to vexus with the fplinters, even when we lye upon oin fick beds, or rather bewildred with affliálion. There is fcarce one of twenty, but findes breakings, and convulfions upon his thoughts , at the fame time when he feels them upon his body: howoften have tick menbeen heard to fay,we cannot let our felves.to think feriouflyof heaven,or toad Faith,efre boluffer and be f ck, it workenoüghfor any man at one time: he had not need to:havehis greateft work to do when he hath fuch work todo. They whohave had brave fpirits, and fixed holy purpofes upon their death -beds, were fuch as had been long excer- cifed in them before. Wo to thole who put off their begin- nings in grace, till they are ready to finifh in nature: A dying man is unfit for any:bufinefs, how.much'more for this. Reis extxeamly indifpofed for worldly purpofes, much more for heaveny : and therefote as foon as aman that hath any T t t 2 Eilate,
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