Opened and Applied. evils may be falfely imputed , but then you ihall fee fome other tin (it ' may be) ·for which the Lord may have had long , a Controveriie with ! you. \ 4. Mark what thou arc when crolfed; many a one is good , while men •and God pleafe him ; but when reproof comes , or lie is croll, then he is I mad, hair-brain 'd , hateful, fcorneful, wilful, Eccl1[. ·Io. I I. for men may be croll of their will , but their ovvn ends they will not be croft in ; Mark how you deny your own ends in what you do, then you may appeale to I , God indeed. - 'i· Mark your temptations, and corruptions , wirh oppolition ; if all be .:<_Juiet , eicher there is a truce for a time, or elfe there is peace bet~en you and finne , and Satan , and fo Warre between God i and you. 1 \ 1 6. Mark thy Opinions; Sometimes, faich Solomm, a fool is not known i .r :f;~il~ then, <J! rov. 17· 28. forrheyarife ( unlefs fome in limpliciry ) - from ! f fo.me:corrupnon. . J ~c/hon 2. How mal the Samts come to be fetled , that they may I 0_,ow thu ? . ' ! ..Anfwer r. Beware of contenting your felf wirl! any meafure ; bur \ with Taut , reach after things before, &c. · for hence ' the fe!;ltilh Vir1 gins were deceived ; but after a!~ fillings be ev~r empty, hungry! and feeling 1 need, and praymg.for more, femng thy felf agam!l all fin ; fay With David, I Cleanfe me fromjecret jim. · . , , 1 2. Strike at the root of all fin, (viz..) your evil natures , mourn daily . under it, and the attivity of it; and though fome 'iins be unknown , yet when the root dyes, they!haH .dye. Ift~. 57· 18. When youmournforthis, Godwill fpeak peace. · ;. Befure your end be right, that having received Chri!l, and doing duties, ~oudo thembeforehim, andfor.aisfake; for •here Hypocrires ·fail; and this makes Pi(IHl to appeale to Chnil, 3 Cor, 5· Depart you work.prs of iniquity, will Chri!l fay heteafrer; You have fought your felves in all this: Though the duty is hard, and thy heart loth to come to ir, yer fay , For thJ /ak.p, Lord, /love it. l ~ I Tbe earneft crye; and ;rayers of unregenerate men at death or .iudgement, I are then too late ' to prJcure ' merq from the htmds of ' Chriff, If there be any means in time .of di!lrefs eo have help, it. is by prayer ; . it helps the ,Saints ot~tof ~eep pits, dark dungeo 1s, [-am. 3· and Iron Furnaces, bitIter agomes, mrolerable prelfures; bt~t chts mean!s, though they lhall ufe it then, becaufe th ~ir cormemis great, and their felf-love remaines, as thefe Virgins did, yetitcomesroolate then; Iknowtheirprayersdiffer; but of that I Dull fpeak hereafter. . ' If in this life fometimes they come roo late , much more after this; but fo it is fomet imes; Trov. 1. 28. Pfal. I 8. 41. Trov. 15. I. even unto l che Lord: !he Lord fees it meet to give a ta!le of his fevecity after ltfe, ancl1n thts hfe , that men· may fear, and the terrour may fall upon many. ' Becaufe then Chrilt lies upon the' Throne of judgement, and fo no Medi.nour tohelp cbem, as hach been proved .; and if it be fo , how {hall they ~aad? P{alme I ;o. 3· In this life mercy waits, and patience bears , ti ll tt ¥an t;>~ar no longer, and then doth eafe it felf, Ez.ek.fel 5· I 3· and .cries to Julhce, &c. And therefore the prayers and howling; of the Wicked are to no more purpofe than of a Malefattor b~fore the Judge condemned for Treafon. · ·. . Xxx2 Be· · Obforv. z. Reafon I , Reafon 2,
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