he fhould fall into fome tribulation; yea, tho' he fhould be involv'd in never fo great difficulties, yet fhall he be speedily delivered, or at least comforted, by thee: Becaufe thou wilt never forfake him, that hopeth in thee even unto the end. A faithful friend, and fuch a one as will ftand by us in all diftreffes, is hard to be found. Thou, Lord, thou alone art moft faithful at all times, and in all circumftances, and there is none other like unto thee.

III. O how divinely wife was that holy Soul which faid: My heart is firmly eftablifed, and rooted and grounded in Chrift. Were this my cafe, human fears would not fo easily disturb me, nor would the arrows of Men, the bitter words they fhoot forth, move me. Who is fufficient to forefee, who to prevent all future evils? And, if the ills we are aware of, and provide against, yet oftentimes fenfibly touch us, how can it be but that thofe that are unforeseen fhould grievously wound us? But why did I not provide better for my felf, wretched Man that I am? Why alfo was I fo eafy in giving credit to others? But we are Men, yea, no better than frail Men, tho' many call and think us Angels. Whom can I believe, Lord? Whom, but thee? Thou art

Truth

Truth itself, incapable of deceiving, or of being deceiv'd. And again, all Men are liars, weak, unstable, and apt to faulter, efpecially in their words; fo that we ought not presently, and rafhly to believe, what carries the appearance of Truth.

IV. With what wisdom haft thou fore warned us, that we should beware of Men: And, that a Man's enemies, are thofe of his own houshold: And, that we ought not to believe, when Men fay, lo Chrift is here, or lo, he is there! Thefe Truths I have learnt at my own expence, and I wish they may rather serve to render me more cautious for the future, than to convince me of my paft imprudence. Take care (fays one) be fure you take care to keep this private which I tell you: And yet that very Man in the next company divulges what he had imparted juft before under the feal of fecrecy. From fuch unfincere ways, and indiscreet perfons deliver me, O Lord, to the end I may not fall into their hands, nor ever be guilty of the like things my felf. Put into my mouth the word of Truth and fidelity, and remove far from me a deceit

pfal. cxvi, 10.

Matth. x. 17. 36.

d xxiv. 23.

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ful

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ful tongue. What I would not fuffer from another, I cannot be too careful to avoid in my felf.

V. O how good a thing is it, and what peace doth it bring, to be filent of others, and not to believe all things indifferently, nor lightly to take up and fpread reports: To unbofom one's felf to but few: Evermore to seek and to look up to thee, the judge and infpector of the heart: Not to be carried about with every wind of discourse, or idle report; but to defire that all things that pafs both within and without us, may be order'd and accomplish'd according to the good pleasure of thy will! What a fecurity, what a powerful preservative of the grace of Heaven is it, to fly the pomp and fhow of the world, and not to cover those things which feem to create esteem and admiration abroad; but to perfue with the utmost diligence whatsoever tends to amendment of life, and fervour of fpirit.

VI. How many fouls have been undone, by their virtue being known, and celebrated too foon? What a mighty advantage on the contrary, hath it been to others, that they kept their grace under an humble filence in this frail life, which is one continu'd Temptation and Warfare.

CHAP.

CHAP. XLVI.

Of putting our Trust in GOD, when we are attack'd with bitter Revilings, and Evil-speakings.

I.

JESUS-CHRIST.

ON, stand fast, and hope in me. For what are words, but words? They fly through the air, but make no real impreffion. If thou art guilty; think with thy felf, that thou shouldît be glad of this occafion to amend. If thy conscience reproach thee of nothing; confider that thou oughteft to fuffer this injurious treatment chearfully for the fake of GOD. How will that man be able to endure wounds and blows, who is not yet a match for words? And what can be the reason that fuch trifles go fo near thee, but because thou art as yet carnal, and regardest men more than is meet? For, because thou art afraid of contempt, therefore thou art unwilling to be reprov'd for thy mifcarriages, and art ever feeking colours and excufes for them.

II. But look into thy felf more narrowly, and thou wilt confefs, that the world, and a vain

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a vain defire of pleasing Men, ftill liveth in thee. For whilft thou dreadeft to be buffeted and put to fhame and confusion for thy faults, it is a plain fign that thou art neither a true humble man, nor really dead to the world, nor the world crucified to thee. But give ear to my word, and thou wilt not value ten thousand words of mortal men. Behold, tho' all things were faid against thee, that the utmoft malice could poffibly devife; what hurt could they do thee, if thou fufferedft them to pafs, without taking any more notice of them than of a ftraw or mote that flies in the air? Could they all together pull off fo much as one hair of thy head?

III. But he that enters not into himself, that fuffers his heart to wander abroad, and hath not God before his eyes, is eafily moved with the leaft word of difpraife. But the man that confideth in me, and affects not to depend upon his own judgment and fense of things, fhall be delivered from the fear and dread of Men. For I am the Judge, and the difcerner of all fecrets: I know in what manner, and with what intention the thing was done; I know both the perfon that offer'd, and the perfon that fuffer'd the injury. That word of reproach came forth

from