Gurnall - BV4500 .G87 1655

X66 Againflfpratol wwkednele. thoughts are wafte which help thee not to do Gods work withal in thy general or particular calling. The Bee will not fit on a flower where no honey can be fuckr, neither fhould the Chrifti an. Why &telt thou here idle ( thou fhouldeft lay to thy foul ) when thou haft fo muth to do for God and thy foul, and fo little time to difparch it in ? 3. Thirdly, if thou findeft they are good for matter thy heart is bufied about, then enquire whether they be good for time and manner, which being-wanting they degenerate, x. Firft, for the feafon; that is good fruit which is brought forth in its feafon. Chrift liked the work his mother would have put him upon as well as her fell, ?An 2. but his time was not come. Good thoughts and meditations mifplaced, are like fome in- terpretations ofScripture, good truths,but bad expofirions; they fit not the place they are drawn from, nor thefe the time. To pray when we fhould hear, or be mufing on the Sermon when we fhould pray, this is to rob God one way to pay him another. 2. Secondly, carefully obferve the manner. Thy heart may mem dilate a good matter,and fpoile it in the doing. Thou art may be mufing of thy finnes, and affeaing thy heart into a fenfe of them, but fo, that while thou art furring up thy forrow thou weakenell thy faith on the proruife, that is thy finne. He is a bad Chirurgion, that in opening a veine pies fo deep that he cuts an artery,and lames thearms ifnot kills the man. Or thou art thinking of thy family and providing for that, this thou oughteft to do and wert worfe then an infidel if thou negleaeft, but may be thefe thoughts are fo difirading and diftruflfull as if there were no promife, no providence to relieve thee. God takes this ill, beeaufe it reflects upon his care of thee ; 0 how near cloth ourduty here !land to our finne fo much care is neceffary bal- Jait to the foul, a little more finks it under the waves of unbe . fide; like fome things very wholefome , but one degree more allot or cold would make them poifon. CHAR

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