I52 6,Mitigation of difaflert. 7.Contentatiö i t all efiates. Mitigation of difaieri. Contestation, of heavenly confolation into the foule, as thewounded man in the parable difcerned the Samaritan powring oyle into his wounds ; now he is difcerned feafting, cheering, and miniltring the fence ofhis love to the heart, as the Spoufe in Solomon difcerned the bridegroome in the banquetting houfe, fpreading his love over her as a banner ; and this minifters matter of fweet and fingular comfort; and hence arifeth the comfort offweet and gracious communion with god, the Lord dwell with the humble. The more man goes out of himfelfe, the nearer he commeth unto God, the more man is emptied of himfelfe, the more he enjoyes of God. Very fweet and manifold is the confolation which the foule derives from holy and gracious felfe- denyall. 6. Themitigation andfweetning of all dilaters. Self-denyall in all troubles, tryals, loflès, and temptations is to the foule, like the honey -combe in the belly ofthe Lyon unto Sampfon ; a bleffed fweetner of them, afflicion is ever fe much the Icffe burthenfome, by how much the more per- fecc man is in the worke of felf-denyall : He that truly and throughly denyes himfelfe, puts a low price upon all out- ward abilities, and can take the f ogling of his goods ioy_' fully ; he fees and feeles the good of affliftions, and can readily receive them, as a wife patient a bitter purgation, and quietly beare them, as an Oxe the yoake, that is ac- customed thereunto; he can fingwith `Paul in theprifon ; he can walke comfortably in them , as the three children in the fiery furnace ; he can rejoyce with ioy lorious and un eakable, that he isaccounted worthy to&Ter for the caufe dtChrift.The want ofPelf - denyall makesaffliftion a moft in- fupportable burthen. 7. The C'ontentation Which Self -denyall ministers With the leaft earthly portion and poffeon. He that can deny him- felfe, knowes how to want, and how to abound, and to be content in every (tate ; the humble manpoffeffeth Chrift, and in poffefling him pofl-ffeth all things ; there is more in a holy mans little, then in a carnali mans great abun- dance. God proportions his thirst accordingly. CHAP,
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