any dependence upon, or expectations from men. For men change foon, and pass away in a moment: But Chrift abideth for ever, and is a fure help even unto the end.

III. No great truft is to be put in a frail and mortal man, tho' he love thee, and be able to ferve thee: Nor oughteft thou to be much concerned, if he fometimes crofs and contradict thee. The very fame perfons that are for thee to day, may be againft thee to morrow; and fo on the other hand: For they are as changeable as the wind. Place thy whole truft in GOD, and let him be thy fear and thy love. He will answer for thee. He will efpoufe thy cause, and do what is beft for thee. Thou haft here no continuing city; and wherefoever thou be, thou art a ftranger and a fojourner: Nor fhalt thou ever have reft, till thou art intimately united unto Chrift.

IV. What is it then that thou art looking about for here below? For eafe and repofe? This, man, is not the place of thy reft. Heaven ought to be thy habitation, and all earthly things to be regarded no otherwife than as in thy paffage thither. All

e Pfal. xxxviii. 15.

things pafs away, and thou thy felf together with them. Beware how thou faften thy affections upon them; left thou be caught, and perifh. Let thy thoughts dwell with the Moft Higheft, and thy prayers be directed to Chrift without ceafing. If thou haft not ftrength of mind to contemplate high and heavenly things, reft thy foul in the Paffion of Chrift, and take up thy habitation gladly in his facred wounds. For if thou devoutly fly for fanctuary to the wounds and precious marks of Jefus, thou wilt perceive a marvellous ftrength and comfort in tribulation: Nor wilt thou value much the flouts and defpifings of men, and wilt bear with eafinefs and temper words of calumny and detraction.

V. Chrift was alfo in this world defpifed of men; and in his greatest neceffity forfa ken by his friends and acquaintance amidst reproaches and obloquies. Chrift was pleafed to fuffer, and to be defpifed; and dareft thou to complain of any one? Chrift had adverfaries, flanderers and gainfayers, and wilt thou have all men thy friends and benefactors? How fhould thy patience be crowned, if thou meet with no crofs? If thou wilt fuffer no adverfity, how canft thou be a friend of Chrift? Suffer with Chrift,

and

and for Chrift, if thou wouldest reign with Chrift.

VI. If thou hadft once perfectly entred into the fecrets of Jefus, and hadft had but a moderate taste of his ardent love; then wouldest thou be altogether indifferent as to any convenience, or inconvenience of thy own: Or rather, thou wouldest rejoice in flanders and reproaches caft upon thee; because the love of Jefus hath this virtue in it, to make a man defpife himself. A lover of Jefus, and of the truth, and a true internal man, and one difengaged from inordinate affections, can at any time freely turn to God, and raise himself in spirit above himself, and enjoy a heavenly repofe in the fruition of his beloved.

VII. The man that has a right fenfe, and a juft and true notion of things, as they are in themselves, not as they are called or esteemed; this man is truly wife, and taught rather of GOD, than of men. He that knows how to walk inwardly, and fetteth little by external things, requireth not particular places, nor expecteth fet times for the performing of religious exercises. The fpiritually-minded, or internal man foon recollecteth himself; because he never gives himself an entire loose to exterior things.

Bodily labour, or business, which may be neceffary for the time, is no hindrance to him; but as things happen, fo he fuits himfelf unto them. He that is well difpofed and regulated within, is nothing difturb'd with the strange unaccountable perverfness of other mens humours and behaviour. Every man finds more or lefs obstruction and vexation, as he engages more or less in the things of the world.

VIII. If thou wert in right order, and thoroughly cleans'd and purified, every ac cident would turn to thy good, and fpiritual advancement. For this reafon many things displease thee, and often give thee difquiet, because thou art not yet perfectly dead unto thy felf, nor feparated and divorc'd from all earthly things. Nothing fo defiles and intangles the heart of man, as an impure love of the creatures. If thou refufe to be comforted outwardly, thou fhalt be in a capacity to fpeculate heavenly things, and oftentimes to be ravifh'd and tranfported in the inner man.

CHAP.

VA

CHAP. II.

Of Humble Submission.

ALUE not much who is for thee, or against thee: But let this be thy principal care and endeavour, that GoD may be with thee in every thing thou doeft. Preferve a good confcience, and GOD will be thy fovereign and moft effectual defence. For whom GOD is pleafed to protect, no malice of man fhall be able to hurt. If thou canft fuffer with filence and patience, thou fhalt infallibly fee the falvation of the Lord. He knows the feafon, and manner of delivering thee; and therefore thou oughteft to refign thy felf to him. It is for GOD to aid and to deliver from all fhame and confufion. It is often of huge fervice towards the working and preferving in us greater humility, that other men know, and reproach us for our failings.

II. When a man humbles himself for his defects, he then eafily appeafes others, and makes no difficulty to give fatisfaction to those who are offended with him. The humble man GoD protects, and delivers: The humble man he loves, and comforts:

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