Helps for Faith and Patience in Times of Affliction, Part 1

Helps for Faith and Patience in Times of Affliction · Part 1

p. 1PART I.

2 Cor. iv. 16.

For which cauſe we faint not; but though our outward Man periſh, yet our inner Man is renewed day by day.

IN theſe words we have a Divine Cordial to prevent the fainting of God's People, under the troubles of this Life; commended to us, from the experience of the Apoſtles and Primitive Chriſtians. For although the words may p. 2have a reference to what goeth before, unto-ſome other grounds and means of comfort and ſupport which they had (as I have largely diſcourſed of elſewhere) beſides this; yet this was one ground of their comfort and ſupport, that they gained by their loſſes; Their Souls proſpered, while their Bodies waſted; what they loſt in the outward Man, they gained in the inward Man, and for this cauſe they fainted not: and wherever this is found by experience, it will be a ground of ſupport and comfort. Now that this truth of God (ſo proper and pertinent to my preſent Condition, which is a periſhing of my outward Man) may be a mean to ſupport and uphold me, to the praiſe of my God: I have pitcht my thoughts upon it, and humbly begging the gracious aſſiſtance of his Holy Spirit, that I may rightly underſtand the mind of God in it, and rightly apply it to my own Soul, and may find and feel the power of it, and by Faith ſuck out the ſweetneſs of it, to my ſupport and conſolation: now ſeeing thoſe evil days are come upon me, wherein I may truly ſay, I have no Pleaſure in them; praying alſo, that theſe my Meditations on this Text may be uſeful to them into whoſe hands they may ſall.

The Doctrinal Concluſion I obſerve from the Won is,

That it is the Comfort and the Character … truly gracious Perſons, that as their outward Ma… doth decay, decline and periſh; ſo, their inward Man doth revive, increaſe, and is renewed.

Four Things are to be explicated, which wil… fully open the Text, and demonſtrate the Propſition.

1. That in Man there are two Parts, an outward and an inward Man; and what theſe are.

p. 32. That the outward Man is ſubject to declining, decaying and periſhing; it cannot be avoided nor prevented, but it muſt be ſo: and that the inward Man is capable of increaſing, growing, and renewing.

3. That the decaying, decreaſing and periſhing of the outward Man, in gracious Perſons, through the great Goodneſs and Grace of God, tendeth unto the increaſing and renewing of the: inward Man; and what influence the one hath upon the other to effect the ſame.

4. That this is the Comfort and the Character of truly gracious Souls.

Firſt, that there is an outward Man is obvious to ſenſe: That we have Bodies of fleſh and blood and bone is evident enough: This is the Shell, the Carcaſe, the B…rk of the Man, as I may ſay; but there is an inner Man alſo, which every body doth not believe; for too many live and walk in ſo much care and fear, with ſo much ſollicitouſneſs about the outward Man, the Body, and the proviſions and accommodations of it, that the inner man is totally neglected; whoſe whole care is for the Body, as if they had no Souls at all to mind or care for: And oh! that God would pardon and purge this guilt from my Soul through Chriſt's blood; but we muſt know there is an inner Man alſo …. …. 22. Epheſ. 3. 16. And the Scripture ſpeake… Wiſdom in the inner parts, Job 38. 36. And of truth in the inward parts, Pſal. 51. 6. and God promiſeth to write his Law in the inner …. 31. 32. This inner Man, is the Man of the Man, the Kernel, the Jewel, the Treaſure. But more particularly,

By the outward Man, I underſtand the Lady, and all the concernments and accommodations thereof; all that tends to the preſervation and conveniences p. 4of it: Animal-life, Livelyhood, Bodily, Endowments and Comforts; Health, Strength, Beauty, Eaſe, Liberty, Friends, Relations, Eſtate, and whatſoever tends to the outward Wellfare of the Body; Food, Phyſick, Recreation, Reſt, &c.

By the inner Man, I underſtand the Soul and all its faculties, the Spiritual, in viſible part of Man, and all the concernments and accommodations of it; and all that conduceth to the Life and Livelyhood of the Soul; to the Preſervation, Health, Strength, Safety, Liberty and Advantage of it; all its Graces and Comforts; all that belongs to the inner Man, to its Being, and well-being.

As for the Qualities of both, they are theſe.

1. As for the Body, ſimply and ſingly conſidered for the fleſh and blood, the Scripture gives us many Epithetes of it: as, Houſes of Clay, Earthly Tabernacles, Duſt and Aſhes, earthen veſſels, &c. And theſe Bodies are.

1. Vile bodies. Phil. 3. 21. becauſe made of vile and baſe materials; ſubject to vile diſeaſes; to vile abuſes; to vile abominations; and to a vile diſſolution at laſt; ſowen indiſhonour, ſhall end in Corruption; great hinderances to the Soul many waies.

2. The outward Man is the mortal Man, that of Neceſſity muſt dye and return to duſt, from whence it came; this cannot poſſibly live alway: There is an irreverſible Sentence of Death paſt upon it Hebr. 9. 27. and for theſe reaſons, the Body is the worſt part of Man; the worſt by far; and ſhould be leaſt eſteemed: and ſuch as is the Body, even ſuch are all bodily Comforts and Accommodations; Health, Strength, Beauty, Liberty, Friends, Honours, Eſtate, &c. all mortal, mutable, decaying, fading, dying things: daily experience confirmeth this: I need ſay no more.

p. 52. But for the inner Man, the Soul, that is 1. Precious; ſo precious, that it is more worth than all the World. Math. 16. 26. Pſal. 49. 8. having the bleſſed Image of the glorious God ſtamped on it at firſt; being capable of knowing and injoying the true and living God; and when ſin had ſpoil'd and captivated it, it could not be redeemed, but by the precious Blood of the Son of God. So are all the Concernments of the Soul precious alſo. 2. It is immortal alſo; it never dies, it lives for ever: None can, nothing can kill the Soul; that is, cauſe it not to be: and for theſe reaſons, it is the nobleſt, chiefeſt and beſt part of Man; and hence alſo the Concernments of the Soul are more excellent, more noble and precious than thoſe of the outward Man; the Graces and Comforts, the Strength and Beauty of the Soul; the Priviledges, and Peace, and Wellfare of the Soul are more excellent and precious, as will more appear in the next particular.

2. The ſecond thing to be conſidered is, That the outward Man is ſubject to decline and periſh. The Body it ſelf; all its Beauty, Strength, Health, &c. is ſubject to decay. The Bodies, even of the beſt Saints, that ſhall one day be made like unto Chriſt's glorious Body, are ſubject to vile Infirmities and Diſeaſes.

What is become of Sampſon's Strength, and Saul's Beauty? Job and David will tell us of their decays in all theſe; their Friends, Eſtates, Relations; their Health, and all their outward Comforts failed them; and how can we poſſibly hope, that we ſhall keep them? All outward things are dying Vanities; we are all of us travelling to the Land of forgetfulneſs. They that live longeſt, go the fartheſt p. 6way about; and they that dye ſooneſt, g… the ſhorteſt way home. Our greateſt Care ſhould be, to be ſure, that we are in the right way to Eternal Life.

But now, the inner Man is capable of growing increaſing and renewing; our inner Man is renewe… day by day, ſaith the Text: Grace and Peace, Spiritual Life, inward Strength and Comfort, are capable of increaſing. For

1. This God commandeth; That Chriſtian ſhould grow and increaſe, 2. Pet. 1. 5. and 3. 1… and that they ſhould abound and go forward, and be ſtrengthned.

2. This is God's Promiſe to his People; that they ſhall grow and flouriſh, Pſal. 92. 14. Iſa. 14. 40. 29, 30, 31. They that wait on the Lor… ſhall renew their ſtrength.

3. This is the Character of a gracious Soul Prov. 4. 18. and 24. 5. Coll. 1. 10. and 2. 1… Eph. 4. 16. And this the Apoſtle prays for 1 Theſſ. 3. 12. and 4. 16. 3 Epiſt. John … This the Soul is capable of; being deformed i… ſin, and God's Image defaced on it, it is capable of being renewed, and of having God's bleſſe Image repaired on it; which is begun in Regeneration, and is ſtill carried on, and promoted … God's Ordinances and his Providences, his Spi… working in them, and with them upon his People All afflictions being intended for, and ſanctifie unto this end; to make Souls more and more … unto Jeſus Chriſt. Thoſe weaknings and perſhings of the outward Man, being, by the love at wiſdome of God, deſigned to ſtrengthen, repair and better the inner Man; that the Soul may b… made, and muſt be made more holy, more humble, more heavenly, more like God: it muſt group p. 7in all things like unto Chriſt; Epheſ. 4. 12, 13. The Soul, the inner Man, may, and muſt get more ſtrength againſt Corruption and Temptation; it muſt get more Victory over the World, and over it ſelf; it muſt grow in ſelf-denyal, in faith, in patience, in hope, in Communion with God; it muſt increaſe in knowledge and experience; it muſt get nearer God; and more weaned from the World, and better prepared to put off this earthly Tabernacle of the Body: Wherefore is the Chriſtian train'd up in Chriſt's Schools, his School of Ordinances, and of Providences; but that the Soul, the inner Man, may be made better? That Grace may grow; for it is the Growth of Grace, that evidenceth the Truth of it. And why doth our heavenly Father chaſtiſe us in our outward Comforts, but to better us in our inward Man.

But, before I proceed, let me pauſe a little, and commune with my own heart: O my Soul! Thou haſt been under the blaſtings and witherings of thy outward Man; theſe many years thou haſt been in the School of Correction: Thy God hath made many breaches upon thy earthly Comforts; ſtript thee of thy deareſt Relations, of thy Liberty, of thy Eſtate, of opportunities of ſerving thy God in thy place; deprived thee of thy Health and Strength, &c. yet hath he dealt with thee, infinitely better than thy Sins have deſerved. It is his mercy thou art not conſumed; not in Hell, not in thy Grave: but O my Soul! what art thou the better for all thoſe ſtroaks upon thy outward Man? What haſt thou gained by all thy loſſes? It is true, Afflictions are dry Rods, and my heart, a dead heart; there can be no bloſſoms, nor fruit, without God's Bleſſing, and the Word and Spirit's working in and by Affliction: but what bleſſing p. 8upon all thy troubles canſt thou diſcern? What good to the inner Man have theſe afflictions done thee? Art thou more ſenſible of the evil of Sin? more weary of it, and more grieved with it? Is thy Heart more tender, thy Spirit more humble, thy will more ſubdued to Gods will? Art thou more Crucified to the Creature; thy inordinate Affections mortified; thy unruly Paſſions ſubdued? Art thou more meek and patient? Are thy Affections raiſed, and more inlarged after God, and Chriſt, and Heaven? Is Jeſus Chriſt more precious to thee? And doſt thou pant and thirſt more after the manifeſtations of his Love to thy Soul? Art thou more watchful over thy thoughts, words and actions? More careful to pleaſe God, more fearful to diſpleaſe him? More tender of his Honour? More ſenſible of the Afflictions of Joſeph? More diligent in holy Duties? More frequent in Self examination, in heavenly Meditation, in heavenly diſcourſe? Art thou, O my Soul, aſhamed of, and grieved for thy former Miſcarriages, thy miſ-ſpending time, Breath, Liberty, Strength? &c. More diligent in preparing for thy Diſſolution; and more contented with thy preſent Condition? Doſt thou endeavour now to go to the Fountain for all Supplies? And doſt thou labour with all thy might, in the ſtrength of God, to make up all thy loſſes and breaches in God, and in his Covenant through Chriſt? Doſt thou prize the promiſes, and laboureſt to live upon them by Faith? Is God and Chriſt more in thy thoughts and affections than heretofore? And doſt thou labour to get out the bleſſing of thy Afflictions, and art moſt earneſt with God for the bleſſing? Doſt thou labour to caſt all thy care upon God, and to truſt him with all? If any of theſe things appears, let God have all the Glory; and bleſſed p. 9be God for any weak deſires after theſe ſweet Fruits. Deny not what God hath done for thee; but be aſhamed and grieved, that thou art no better: Cry to God mightily, wreſtle with him for his bleſſing upon thy afflictions.

3. The third Particular is, That the Decaying and Periſhing of the outward Man to God's people, tends to the ſtrengthning, the proſpering and renewing of the inner Man. The Adverſity of the Body proves the Proſperity of the Soul, to all gracious Perſons, and to them only. The Soul and Body of a Saint, is like the Houſe of David and Saul; as the one grows weaker and weaker, the other grows ſtronger and ſtronger; and where it is ſo, there is good ground of Comfort under all outward troubles; and where it is not ſo, there is little ground of Comfort for the preſent: although, there may be a growing in the Soul, when it is not diſcerned; as there is of the Babe in the Womb, and of the Corn in the Earth, under the Clods; both grow, even when they are not diſcerned; but in due time will appear. But more of this afterward.

Queſt. But how comes this to paſs? What Efficacy and Influence have the periſhings of the outward Man, to help forward the increaſings of the inward Man? How the Sickneſſes, Pains, Troubles, Loſſes, Croſſes upon the outward Man, ſhould greatly contribute to the Strengthning and Renewing of the inward Man, is the Queſtion; which great Truth reſolved, clearly apprehended, firmly believed and experienced, will tend very much to a poor Chriſtians Conſolation.

p. 10Anſ. 1. By the Decays and Witherings of the outward Man, thoſe Hinderances are removed, which did very much obſtruct the Growth, Strength and Comfort of the inward Man. When David… outward Man flouriſhed; When he had his Honour, Health, Eaſe, Liberty, and the confluence of earthly Comforts about him; he was weak in his Soul: that lay languiſhing in ſinful Security; he was ſo weak in his Soul, that he could not reſiſt the leaſt Temptation; but was ſhamefully conquered by the glance of his Eye. Ordinarily, our Souls are in the worſt caſe, when our Bodies are in the beſ… caſe: It is pitty (we ſay) that fair weather ſhould do hurt: yet ſo it is. The welfare of the outward Man, tends to the ill-fare of the inward Man, without a more than ordinary meaſure of Grace.

For firſt, Ordinarily, the Proſperity of the outward Man interpoſeth betwixt God and the Soul and keeps God at a diſtance from the Soul; and the Soul at a diſtance from God: Jeſus Chriſt loves not to lye in their arms, who embrace other Lovers. God will be uppermoſt, or not at all; neare the heart, or not at all there. He deſerves Beſt and will have the Beſt, or will accept of nothing.

While the outward Man is fixt on the Creature the inner is not far off from it; and then it is ſo in divided from God. 2 Cor. 5. 6. While th… Soul is at home in the Body, it is abſent from power Lord; and the reaſon is, Becauſe of that power the Body hath upon the Soul, to draw it down t… it ſelf, and even ſink it into it ſelf; and to participate with it. It is hard for a poor Bird to flye u… that hath weights tyed to his feet; and harder … a poor Soul to Mount up, or indeed to move wi… any ſpeed heaven-ward, that hath ſuch a weigh… of Clay hanging on it. And this made godly Ag… afraid of fulneſs. Prov. 30. 8, 9.

p. 11Uſually, Proſperity begets Pride; and Pride ſets us at a diſtance from God; God reſiſteth the proud: he ſees the proud afar off. Chriſtians are never ſo far from God, as when they are neareſt to their outward Comforts and Enjoyments. God is then but in few of their thoughts: Now it is the Preſence or Abſence of God, that makes Summer and Winter in the Soul; as it is the preſence and abſence of the Sun that makes Summer and Winter on the Earth. Now, if Proſperity does withdraw our hearts from God, (as too often it doth) it cauſeth God to withdraw from us, (though we may not find him wanting while earthly Comforts continue with us) it muſt needs do us a great deal of hurt; for if God withdraw or withold the influences of his Grace from us, our Souls muſt needs be in a ſickly and languiſhing condition! How weak and feeble muſt we be, when God doth not continue his Grace to us? Proſperity lies betwixt God and our Souls; which we all know by woful Experience: and our God, our gracious Father knows it, and therefore, in tender love to our Souls, many times breaks our outward Proſperity, that our Souls may not be drown'd in it; and periſh by it.

2. Secondly, The welfare of the outward Man hinders the inner Man from that ſerious, diligent, hearty intent, and Spiritual Service, that it ſhould perform to God: in which the Soul might have had many ſweet meetings with God, and many Communications of Love and Grace from him; which, through the defects of his duties, are ſuſpended from him. Iſai. 64. 5. and this muſt needs tend to the weakning of the Soul. What Strength, Life, Comfort, have God's People found in holy Duties? How have their Souls been refreſht, their p. 12Hearts raiſed, and quickned, and enlarged after God many times? but then they have been ſerious, earneſt, fervent in Spirit in theſe Duties. Now in Proſperity, what careleſs, heartleſs ſervice do we perform? How ſoon weary? ſecretly glad when the work is over? How ready upon the leaſt occaſion to neglect a Duty, or an Ordinance? Not ſo fearful to diſpenſe with ſome Service that God calls for; nor ſo fearful to draw nigh a Temptation. O, how cold, dead, and heartleſs are we in Duty? All this is too true, O my Soul, ſee it, lament and bewail; and bleſs the Lord for time to do it, and bleſs him more for an heart to do it.

What bad ſervice did Manaſſes do to God? Or, rather what great ſervice did he do the Devil, when he was in his proſperity? never minding his God, or his Soul, till his outward man periſhed.

3ly, It hinders communion with God, which is the very life of gracious Souls, their Heaven upon Earth: Communion with God in holy Ordinances, and holy Duties; as Prayer, Praiſes, Meditation, &c. is that which fattens and proſpereth the Souls of God's people; but outward proſperity hinders communion with God in theſe; for then, even while outward comforts are preſent, God, and his company, and preſence, are not ſo much ſound wanting, nor ſo much valued, deſired, and panted after, as in a barren Wilderneſs, where no waters of worldly comforts are, Pſalm 64. 1, 2, 3. Pſalm 42. 1, 2, 3. When David was in great ſtraits, ſtript of his earthly Comforts, bedewed all with Tears; then his Soul panted after God: when he was in the Valley of Baca, then he looks unto the Mountains of Myrrh, the Garden of Spices, Pſalm 84. 1, 2, 3, 4. Is it not p. 13ſo with God's People? when their Liberty, Friends, Health, Eſtate, &c. are gone; then God is ſought for, and communion with him, earneſtly longed and thirſted for, more than ever; and then uſually moſt enjoyed.

By Acts of Communion with God, Souls converſe, commerce, and trade with God, trade in Heaven, and that turns greatly to their advantage: We can never take a Voyage to Heaven by Prayer or Meditation, but it will turn to account firſt or laſt; ſome gain to our Souls will accrue by every act of communion: We cannot touch Chriſt by our Faith or Love, but ſome Vertue will flow from him to our Souls, Pſalm 145. 18. God will fulfil the deſires of them that fear him: He will ſatisfie the hungry with good things. Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs. Every groan of a gracious Soul after Grace, every pant and breathing after God in truth, is obſerved and recorded in Heaven. Mal. 3. 16. A book of remembrance for them that thought upon his Name. O, the tranſcendent goodneſs of our moſt gracious God, to take notice of ſuch poor things! He will not deſpiſe the day of ſmall things: and what an encouragement is this to us, to ſpend our moſt ſerious thoughts on God: But Proſperity in the World, doth ſtop and interrupt the Soul's converſe and trade with God; by eſtranging the heart from God and heavenly things, and ſo it becomes very prejudicial to the proſperity of the inward man. It is very hard for a man to have much of the World in his hands, and much of Heaven in his heart alſo: to have much converſe with, and much enjoyment of Creature-comforts, and to have his Converſation in Heaven too. And when do our Souls thrive and flouriſh beſt, but when we p. 14are trading above, converſing with God?

Now theſe great Miſchiefs, I have named, to the inner man, are promoted by the proſperity of the outward man; thus:

1. By making us forgetful of thoſe things that we ſhould neceſſarily remember, in order to the good of our Souls: Proſperity ſpoils the Memory exceedingly, as to heavenly and ſpiritual things, and that in theſe particulars.

Proſperity breeds, 1. Forgetfulneſs of God, the chief good; and ſurely that Soul can never thrive that forgets God, who is the Fountain of all its Life, Grace, and Comfort. The remembrance of God brought ſweetneſs and ſatisfaction to David's Soul, Pſalm 63. 5, 6. but Proſperity makes us forgetful of God; Deut. 6. 11, 12. and Deut. 8. 14, 19, 20. Yea, fulneſs of outward things makes men to deny God; of which good Agur was afraid, Proverb. 30. 9.

2. Forgetful of their beſt part, their Souls; the Soul is then moſtly forgotten, when the Body is moſtly minded.

3. Forgetful of their Duties to God and Man; ſo it was with Pharoah's Butler.

4. Of the Affliction of Joſeph, Amos 6. 6. When we our ſelves are at liberty, how apt are we to forget them that are in Bonds.

5. Of Sin; that uſually is moſt remembred in time of Affliction, as in Joſeph's Brethren.

6. Of God's Word, that is too much forgotten in Proſperity; the Precepts of God not obeyed, nor the Promiſes ſo reliſhed and believed, not Threatnings feared.

7. Proſperity makes us forgetful of Death, Judgment, the World to come, Eternity: The Evil Day is put far off.

p. 15All theſe Seven Things ſhould be always remembred by us, and have our frequent Thoughts and Meditations; for the remembrance of them is very advantageous to the welfare of the inner man, and will tend to the good of our Souls; but the flouriſhing of the outward man breeds too much forgetfulneſs of all theſe things; and the forgetfulneſs of theſe things, drives us from God, and God from us, keeps us at a diſtance from him, caſts him out of our Minds and Thoughts, makes us unſerviceable to him, and hinders our communion with him.

2ly. The flouriſhing of the outward man begets Pride, Wantonneſs, Security, Envy, Ambition, Contention, negligence in God's Service, contempt of others, and many hurtful Luſts, Deut. 32. 15. Experience proves this.

3ly. It conſumes precious Time and Strength, waſtes the Spirits, Thoughts, and Affections, being placed on earthly things, which ſhould all be ſpent on God principally, and but ſo much on other things, as may fit us for his Service, and in ſubordination to him: But while men are contriving how to get, how to manage, how to ſpend, &c. This fills up their Time, Hearts, Thoughts, Minds, Spirits and all; ſo that there is no place nor room left for God, or the concerns of their Souls: Therefore the wife God in great Love and Mercy to the Souls of his People, breaks their outward Proſperity, which otherwiſe would ruine their Souls, removing thoſe things that hinder the welfare of the Soul; for when outward Proſperity is gone, then the Soul flies to God, it draws nigh to God. Proſperity kept it at a diſtance before; it forgot God before, now it remembers him, ſeeks God early, ſerves him diligently: Now p. 16it ſeeks communion with God, pants after his Favour, and the ſenſe of his Love: Now the Soul is awakened and enlightned, and now it remembers God, and it ſelf, and Sion, and its former miſcarriages; it now minds Death and Eternity more ſeriouſly than ever, and is more diligent in preparation for them; and now the Soul that lay languiſhing and pining before, while the outward man flouriſhed, begins to be in a thriving way; for theſe things promote the welfare of the Soul. And this is the firſt way, how the periſhings of the outward man help towards the renewing and ſtrengthning of the inner.

Secondly, The Adverſity of the outward man promotes the Proſperity of the inner, by being a means of bringing in Light and Conviction into the Soul: Proſperity ſhuts Men's Eyes, and deafens their Ears; but vexatio dat viſum, Affliction opens Men's Eyes, ſo that they ſee what they did not before; and they ſee things otherwiſe than before: dark Diſpenſations bring Light with them. Afflictions put God's People upon the ſearch. Lamen. 3. 40. Then they retire and look within themſelves; then they find out the filthineſs, vanity, frowardneſs, pride, earthlineſs of their own hearts, more than ever they ſaw before; then they find and feel their Spiritual Wants, Diſeaſes, Dangers, the treachery, falſeneſs, deceitfulneſs of their own Hearts; their often grieving, quenching, reſiſting of God's Spirit in time of Proſperity; their inordinate Self-love, Fleſh-pleaſing, and Gratifyings: then they ſee their former ſpiritual ſloth and negligence, their backwardneſs to, and wearineſs in God's Service; their formality, deadneſs, cuſtomarineſs in holy Duties; their impatience of reproof; their haſtineſs of Spirit, their p. 17want of tenderneſs towards, and of ſympathy with thoſe that were afflicted; not weeping with thoſe that wept; their cenſuring and judging others; their want of Charity: then they ſee how badly they improved their healthful and youthful time; their Talents, and their Enjoyments, with many other Evils are diſcovered.

As alſo in times of Affliction, there is a diſcovery of the vanity and emptineſs of the Creature: when all Comforts of Life fail; as Health, Wealth, Friends, Liberty, Eſtate, &c. then the Soul is convinced of the vanity and uncertainty of all theſe: The Rod diſcovers both Heart and Life, and what the Creature is; And alſo, then the Souls of God's People come to ſee the ſurpaſſing Excellency of God and Chriſt, and of the Promiſes, and of the great Importance of the things of the World to come; O, now the Soul can prize an Intereſt in God, and in his Chriſt and his Covenant: and is hereupon ſtirred up to mind God more, and Heaven more; and to beſtir it ſelf in the uſe of all Means, and to get Aſſurance of an Intereſt in God. Now all this tends very much to the Welfare of the inner man; and if we well and wiſely conſider this Benefit which our merciful Father grants us, by blaſting and withering our outward Comforts; thus to enlighten and convince us of all thoſe things, we ſhall have cauſe to Adore and Admire his Goodneſs towards us, in taking ſuch courſe with us, and to cry out with Job 7. 17, 18. What is man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him? and that thou ſhouldeſt ſet thy heart upon him? and that thou ſhouldeſt viſit him every morning, and try him every moment?

p. 18Thirdly, The Adverſity of the outward man promotes the Proſperity of the inner man, by taking away the Idols of the Soul, which divided the Soul from God: The beſt of us are apt to make Idols of every Creature-enjoyment, very apt to let out our Hearts in inordinate Affection to Huſbands, Wives, Children, & c. and ſuffer them to have more of our Hearts, Loves, and Delights, than God and Chriſt, and Heaven; over-prizing and over-loving them; taking too much content in them, and expecting too much from them; and ſo make Idols of them; and then God withdraws his gracious Influences from us, thoſe quickning ſtrengthning, and comfortable Influences of his Spirit from us, and hides his face; and then our poor Souls languiſh, and we grow weak and feeble; ſo it was with David, Pſalm 30. 6, 7. but this withdrawing of God from us, we do not many time perceive and feel, while our earthly Comfort continue with us; though our Graces be weak Faith and Love weak, our Paſſions and Corruptions ſtrong, and are too often too hard for us, and we are carried captive by them; and although w… decay in ſpiritual ſtrength, and grow dead in holy Duties, careleſs and watchleſs in our Converſations, and want that vigour, ſpirit, and life, which ſometime we had; which are the effects of the abſence of God's Spirit; that we grow cold in on Affections to heavenly things: I ſay, theſe ſa… effects of God's withdrawment from us, are no… perceived and felt by us, ſo long as our bodi… Comforts continue with us; but then it pleaſed our gracious God to ſend ſome awakening Providences upon us, he ſends Adverſity, and remove theſe our Idols; and then through God's aſſiſting Grace we come to ſee our ſin, and the fruits of it p. 19then we ſee our folly, in letting out of our Hearts upon the vain Creature, and that then God did withdraw, and that our Souls did wither and languiſh; upon which, by the ſpecial Grace of God, we lament our folly, beg forgiveneſs through the blood of Chriſt; and the Lord, being gracious and merciful, returns to the Soul again; and then the Soul begins to recover it ſelf, and to grow better.

Fourthly, Adverſity is a means of bringing afreſh to our Remembrance thoſe particular ſpecial Sins which in Proſperity were forgot; and which, while they lye on us without Repentance, they waſte and weaken, hurt and corrupt our Souls. Adverſity (as was ſaid before) puts God's People upon the ſearch of their Hearts and Lives: now they ſay unto themſelves, what have we done? now their Spirits do, or ſhould make diligent ſearch; now they do, or ſhould commune with their own Hearts, and examine their ways, and ſeek for the plague of their Hearts; their Dalilah's, their Jonah's, their darling, their beloved Sins, which they did not, or would not ſee in their Proſperity, nor were willing to be reproved for, but did over-look them, or forgot them, or look'd on them as little ones, and common Infirmities, humane Frailties; and could ſtudy ſhifts to cover and excuſe them: Such as Pride and Paſſion, inordinate Affection, Unthankfulneſs, Hypocriſie, Covetouſneſs, Selfiſhneſs, vain Thoughts, idle Words, Omiſſions, Unfaithfulneſs, breaking Vows and Promiſes; Earthly mindedneſs, Security, hardneſs of Heart, unprofitableneſs under the means of Grace, and many other Heart-evils that ſcarce p. 20appear in time of Proſperity; that in time of trouble upon a through ſearch we may find out; as our Unbelief, want of love to God and Chriſt, want of love to God's Word, inſenſibleneſs of Sin, and want of hatred to it; want of fervent Charity to others; with many others: which upon a conſciencious ſearch, and by the help of God's Spirit, we ſhall find out in our ſelves, which lay hid in us, corroding and putrifying our poor Souls, which were never ſo heartily confeſs'd and lamented as they ſhould. But when the Spirit and the Word comes with Affliction, there is a diſcovery made of thoſe lurking Luſts, the filthy corners of our falſe Hearts opened; and every gracious Soul is willing to be convinced of every ſin, and begs God heartily to ſearch him, and to rip him up, and to ſhew him all the Evils of his Heart and Life, with all their aggravating Circumſtances, being committed againſt much Love and Light, againſt Conſcience, Conviction, Reſolution; after many Confeſſions of them before the Lord; and many times thoſe Sins are brought to remembrance, which were quite forgotten; as ſins of Youth, fleſhly Luſts, exceſs in Meat, Drink, Apparel; Diſobedience to Parents, miſpending Time, fooliſh jeſting, raſh Anger, ſinful Silence Cowardize in God's Cauſe, neglect of Reproof; neglect of relational Duties; Sabbath-ſins, with multitudes of others, which will appear upon a diligent ſearch; many omiſſions of Spiritual Duties; as Heavenly Meditations, Self-examination ſelf-denial, Watchfulneſs; all which the gracious Soul being convinced of, repents of, mourns for before the Lord; and by Faith in the blood of Jeſus, obtains Pardon of them, and by the Spirit of Jeſus obtains power againſt them; and ſo the p. 21Soul being pardoned and healed, recovers, and is renewed day by day; whereas before it lay pining and la…ithing: this bleſſed fruit is produced by the bleſſing of our moſt gracious God, upon the periſhings and waſtings of our outward man.

Fifthly, By diſingaging and weaning the Hearts of God's People from all the things of this World, mortifying and crucifying their Affections to things below; drawing off the Heart from Creature-comforts, weaning the Soul from thoſe dry Breaſts. In Proſperity, the beſt of us think little on Mortification, and on crucifying the Fleſh, with the Affections and Luſts of it; although the very Life and power of true Chriſtianity lies in theſe; as Rom. 8. 13. Galat. 5. 24. but then we are for pleaſing and gratifying the fleſh. Oh, how tender are we of our fleſh, and how loth to be croſs'd? how deeply are our Affections engaged to the Vanities of the World? how do our Hearts cleave and cling to the Creature, even as our Skin to our Body? how ſeldom do we think ſeriouſly of parting with our Relations, our Health, &c. or of putting off our earthly Tabernacles, and of our …ying down our Heads in the dark Grave? How are we afraid of Dangers to our outward man, and troubled at evil tydings? how thoughtfully careful to preſerve our Creature-comforts with us, not taking ſo much care to en…oy God in them, and to enjoy them for God, as to enjoy them our ſelves, and for our ſelves? How …ear do they lie to our Hearts? Now our loving Father ſeeing all this, he takes it very ill at our …ands, that the Creature ſhould be ſo near and …ear to us, and have ſo much room in our Hearts; and therefore in love to our Souls, blaſts and p. 22waſtes theſe our Comforts, to draw off our Hearts from them, that we may not ſet our Affections upon them.

Sixthly, The periſhing of the outward man furthers the flouriſhings of the inward man, not only by bringing our Sins to our remembrance, (as was ſhewed but now) but alſo as being a means of God's appointment and bleſſing, both to purge away Sin paſt, and to prevent Sin for the future; as Iſa. 27. 9. the Lord ſpeaking of Afflictions there, upon the Church, ſaith, By this therefore ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit, to take away his Sin. O bleſſed deſign of our good and gracious God: O bleſſed fruit. So Job 33. 17, 18. To withdraw man from his purpoſe, and to hide Pride from Man. Are not many of God's People ſenſible of this? how that be their Afflictions they have been kept from many Sins that without their Afflictions, they ha… been liable to have fallen into and committed Surely they will acknowledge it, and give Go… thanks.

Sin is the Sickneſs and plague of the Sou… which corrupts the Spirit, wounds the Conſcience weakneth Grace: now in time of Proſperity, whe… there is no Plague nor Sickneſs in Town or Cou… try, but all things belonging to the outward m… flouriſh, even then, is the very Air moſt ſpiritual infectious, and moſt places then, and moſt peoples breath then moſt infectious; then the con… gion of Sin ſpreads moſt: let a man then go in what place he will, into what Company almoſt I will, his Soul is in danger of Infection by Si… what Contentions, Pride, Envy, Cenſuring, Bad biting, unjuſt Dealing, and at beſt, but vain, idi… unprofitable Diſcourſe is to be heard among moſt p. 23and how little of promoting the power of Godlineſs, or mutual edification: Now, in ſuch a time the poor Soul gets falls and wounds, gets many a diſeaſe and Spiritual diſtemper; which it perceives not: now it gathers much Ruſt, much Droſs; and it may carry the infection of ſin a long time, and is weakned and waſted by it; which, it may be, others ſee by him more than himſelf; his Paſſions and Corruptions get ground upon him, and he pines day by day: he grows more worldly, froward, proud, &c. and yet perceives it not; and thus the inner Man is much damnified, by the advantages of the outward. All this, the wiſe God ſeeth and obſerveth, and out of his pity and tender compaſſion to the precious Souls of his poor Servants; ſeeing them thus captivated by their Corruptions, and diſeaſed with ſo many ſpiritual Diſtempers, and that they ſtand in great need of Phyſick, leſt they ſhould periſh, thinks fit to break their worldly proſperity, to give them the bitter purge of affliction; to caſt them into the Furnace, that they may be purified and purged, and ſo recovered and ſaved. Zachar. 13. 9. Thus God ordereth the fire of affliction as a means to cleanſe and purify his people from their filthineſs, and to make them pure and white. Dan. 11. 35.

Seventhly, By exerciſing the Graces of God's people, which in time of their proſperity, were as it were laid aſleep, and for want of uſe and exerciſe did decay, and ſcarce appear: for, it is not Grace …n the habit, that doth ſo much comfort the Soul, …s Grace in exerciſe: now, Adverſity ſerves to draw …ut Grace into act and exerciſe; as Faith, Repentance, Hope, Patience, and other Graces: now if ever, the Chriſtian labours to put forth his faith p. 24on God in Christ; and on the Covenant and Promiſes: Oh! now, God and Christ, and the Covenant and the promiſes ſignify ſomething indeed to the Soul; to theſe, the poor Soul now flies, as it was with Micah, 7. 7. When all outward Comforts failed, then he acted his Faith, Hope and Patience. I will look unto God, I will wait for the God of my Salvation, my God will hear me. So Habb. 3. 17. 18. Then alſo, God's People renew their Repentance ſearch their Hearts and Ways, and turn to God, as Ephraem, Jerem. 31. 18, 19. And then they act their Hope upon the promiſes of future Glory; and then their Patience appears, and ſtand… them in great ſtead; and their tender-heartedneſs, their love to God, his Word and People; their contempt of the World; yea, every Grace is exerciſed moſtly in time of affliction: and this is the rare and ſpecial excellency of true Grace, that … thrives moſt and proſpers beſt in the worſt time for the moſt part: Grace is ſtrengthned and fa… ned, when ſenſible Comforts are withered an… ſtarved; and thus the inner man is renewed, whe… the outward doth decay and periſh.

Eightly, The periſhings of the outward Man he, forward the flouriſhing of the inward, by makit room and place, and preparation in the Souls o… God's People, for the gracious Communications Spiritual Mercies to them: as is evident from tha… Scripture, Hoſ. 2. 6. and 14 compared. The… Creature-enjoyments ſtood in the way before, fill… up all the room in the Hearts; now theſe muſt b… removed, to make way for better Mercies; the too-well-beloved gueſts muſt be diſcarded, that th… King of Glory may come in. Other lovers had th… heart before, theſe muſt be divorced, that th… p. 25Lord Jeſus may the more fully and ſweetly manifeſt his love to the Souls of his people: See Mr. Burr. on the Second of Hoſ. Verſe 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. There are many heavy Judgments threatned; the taking away all the Comforts of the outward Man: Where, we may note God's abſolute Soveraignty over all our enjoyments, and his propriety in them all: So Ezek. 16. 18, 21. All we have is the Lord's; and his gracious, ſweet and bleſſed ends and purpoſes in threatning and executing thoſe terrible things, and that is wonderful; as Verſe 14. Therefore, Behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the Wilderneſs, and ſpeak comfortably to her. It was to make way for the communications of glorious Mercies.

The gracious God hath gracious Ends, in all his taking Providences towards his poor people; to make the waſtings, fadings, totterings, periſhings of their outward Man, to prove helpful to the increaſing, proſpering and flouriſhing of the inner Man.

Outward Takings make way for inward Givings: I will take away (ſaith God) all her Lovers, dry up all her Ciſterns, that I may open to her the Fountain. I will ſtrip her naked of all her outward Comforts, that I may ſpeak comfortably to her Soul: Now I will allure her; now I have brought her into the Wilderneſs; now my poor peoples hearts are taken off from the Creature, I will ſee now to win them to my ſelf. I may now win their love and gain their hearts to me, ſeeing they are ſtript of the earthly comforts.

O what ſupport ſhould this be to God's afflicted People, O, that we could believe it and improve it; that God's deſign in all his takings from us, is but to make way, that he may beſtow greater and p. 26better Mercies upon us: This Argument our Lord uſed to comfort his Diſciples with, John 16. 6, 7. Of all earthly Comforts, the bodily preſence of Chriſt with his Diſciples was the beſt; yet, he tells them, he muſt leave them, and withal aſſures then for their comfort, that it was for their advantage, and that it was expedient for them that he ſhould leave them, that the Comforter might come, which ſhould abundantly ſupply his abſence; and who would not come to them, if he did not go away.

This would be enough to quiet and comfort … in all ſinking providences, that theſe takings an intended to make way for the giving of Spiritu… Mercies, if our unbelief, diſtruſt, deſpondenc… and impatience do not hinder.

Oh, could we but drink in this truth, and firmly believe it, that God's takings from us, are i… order to his givings to us; as God took from Davi… an Infant begot in Adultery, and gave him Solomon in its room; and that his Caſtings of … down, are in order to his Raiſings of us up; h… witherings of our outward intended for the rene… ings of our inner; how patiently and comfortabl… ſhould we bear our troubles; yea, and how fervently ſhould we pray, that God would bring paſs all thoſe his gracious purpoſes upon o… Souls.

I ſhall conclude this particular by ſetting dow… an Inſtance of our times, which I had from a Perſon of Quality and Honeſty; tho' I never uſe … record Reports, but this, upon the credit of t… relator, I ſhall for once, and it is very remarkable.

There was ſome years ſince, in London, a ve… Godly Gentleman and his Wife, who had a ve… fair Eſtate, both of them very zealous profeſſors p. 27Religion; eminent for Piety and Charity; who had lived together many years, but had never a Child, which they much deſired, and often ſought the Lord to build their Family for them; and at laſt, God was pleaſed to give them a Son, to their great joy; which lived and grew up to be three or four Years Old, exceeding fair and witty, very delightful and pleaſant, tractable and teachable; and they having but this one Child, their affections were much ſet upon him; and likely too much: The Husband and Wife lived exceeding lovingly together, inſomuch that many obſerved their ſweet Carriage to each other; he being of a lovely diſpoſition, and every way well bred, and a Man of good Parts, and of an Holy Life; ſo amiable and tender to his Wife, that her Life was even bound up in his: In the midſt and height of this their Proſperity, the Gentleman fails Sick and Dies; which was ſo heavy a ſtroak to his poor Wife, that ſhe could not bear up under it: her Spirit ſinks, and ſhe refuſed to be comforted: many Prayers were put up to God for her in the publick Congregations; and many pious Miniſters and godly Friends viſited her, to Comfort her, but to no purpoſe; for ſhe had no regard to her ſelf, or did care to Eat or Drink, but for meer neceſſity, but would ſit in the Chimney-corner all day, ſighing and weeping, and hanging downher head, ſeldom giving an anſwer to any body: Upon a certain day, ſome godly Miniſters with Chriſtian Friends by agreement, met at her Houſe to Faſt and Pray, and ſeek God for her; and it came to paſs, that after they had ended their work, walking up and down where this diſconſolate Widow was; her lovely Child playing there in the Room, (of whom ſhe took no noice) had got a Joint-ſteel; and carrying it up and p. 28down, at laſt he turns the Stool upſide down, and immediately fell or thruſt himſelf into it, no Perſon preſent knew how; but the Stool and the Child overturning together, the Childs head being downward, he brake his Neck; they ſent preſently for Phyſicians and Chirurgeons, but the Child died preſently; and no means would avail at all, to get ſo much as one breath from him; which was moſt amazing and aſtoniſhing to all the beholders; the Chamber being then full: The poor Mother ſat there all this while in her uſual poſture, but when ſhe ſaw her Child was really dead, ſhe aroſe up, and before them all, uttered theſe words, or words to this purpoſe; moſt of them are the very words: O! bleſſed Jeſus, will nothing pleaſe thee but the heart of thy poor Creature; and the whole heart, and the whole love; now take it, Lord; take it, thou haſt won it, thou art worthy of it, I give thee my whole heart; Lord, take it, take it, fill it with thy Love, and poſſeſs it for ever. And from that very moment, ſhe was filled with joy and comfort, and walked very chearfully and comfortably ſeveral Months, even until God took her unto himſelf. Here we ſee the truth of what I have been treating of; the Lord made the blaſtings and breakings of her outward Man the means of refreſhing and comforting her inner. I ſhould not have ſet this down, but that I depend upon the Credit of the Relator. O Lord! how unſearchable are thy Judgments, and thy ways paſt finding out!

4. The laſt particular propoſed, was, that, for a Chriſtian to be renewed in the inner Man when the outward Man doth decay and periſh, is the Character and Comfort of gracious Perſons. That it is their Character, appears, becauſe the contrary is true of wicked Perſons; they are curs'd in Soul, when p. 29croſs'd in Body; their outward periſhings prove inward periſhings alſo; for then, uſually they murmur and repine; fret againſt God and Inſtruments; then, they think of ſinful ſhifts and unlawful means to get out of trouble; when their outward Man is hurt by affliction, they hurt their Souls by ſin; by impatience and diſcontent, as that wicked King, who ſaid, what, ſhall I wait upon God any longer? but now we find the ſervants of the Lord, as Eli, David, Job, Micah, Habakkuk and others, when their outward comforts failed them, then they ſubmitted to the will of God, fled to him for ſupplies, truſted in him, and ſo by the exerciſe of their Faith and Patience, their Souls were ſupported and ſtrengthned. David expreſsly confeſſeth that it was good for him, that is, for his Soul, his inner Man, that he was afflicted. Pſal. 119. 71. And in the Text, we have the atteſtation of the Apoſtle and Primitive Chriſtians.

And this is the comfort alſo of God's People, that their greateſt outward evils, through the goodneſs and bleſſing of God, turn to their greateſt inward good: and this makes them rejoyce in afflictions, and glory in tribulations; as Rom. 5. 2. to wit, becauſe of the Spiritual benefit they receive by afflictions, and upon this very ground, God gives that command, Heb. 12. 12. Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down: that is, therefore be comforted and encouraged. Therefore, wherefore? becauſe of the great profit and ſweet fruits of God's chaſtnings upon his People: Therefore lift up the hands that hang down. As it is a comfort to a Man that hath a Wound in his Body, to have his Cloths torn off, that ſo his wound may be healed; ſo it is to have the diſeaſes of our Souls cured, tho' our outward comforts be rent and torn from us.

p. 30The Application.

I. For Information. First, Hence it appears, that there is a great difference between the Godly and Ungodly, in reference to afflictions, between the upright and the hypocrite: The godly are the better, the wicked are the worſe for affliction. The godly Man gains in his inner Man, by his loſſes in his outward Man but the wicked in their afflictions commit more wickedneſs, and their Corruptions break out more to the ruine of their Souls: The Righteous holdeth on his way, altho' Briers and Thorns, yea, Lyons be in his way, that tear and ſpoil all his outward Comforts; and he that hath clean Hand and a clean Heart, groweth ſtronger and ſtronger even when his outward Man grows weaker and weaker: Job 17. 9. The wicked in affliction are like the troubled Sea, that caſts up nothing but mi… and dirt. Iſa. 57. 20.

Secondly, That an afflicted godly Perſon is in a far better caſe than an afflicted wicked Perſon, th… the affliction be of the ſame kind, meaſure and degree; becauſe an afflicted godly Perſon hath fa… better grounds of Comfort than the other; forth godly Man may be confident that his affliction o… his outward Man, ſhall tend to the good of his Soul but the ungodly hath ground enough to fear, that he ſhall be the worſe for his affliction: the wicked ſhall grow worſe and worſe. Tho' all things may happen alike to all, as to outward afflictions; yet the godly have the beſt on't upon this account, that their outward afflictions ſhall tend to their Inward, Spiritual and Eternal Good: O, happy are the People that are in ſuch a caſe, that no Winds can p. 31blow amiſs to them; but that all the croſs and contrary winds that they meet with, upon the Stormy Sea of this World, ſhall but further them in their Paſſage, and haſten them to their Harbour in Heaven. Bleſſed be the Lord our God: Amen.

Thirdly, Then, a gracious perſon hath more and better ground of Patience, quietneſs and Contentation under all his afflictions than a wicked Perſon hath; becauſe every gracious Perſon hath good ground to hope, believe and conclude, that, his good God is doing him good, doing his Soul good, by all the troubles on his outward Man; and having ground to hope, believe and conclude ſo, he hath good ground of Patience and Contentation. Now a Child of God hath good ground to hope, believe and conclude ſo; becauſe he hath the faithful word of the true and faithful God, for to ground his Hope and Faith upon; who hath ſaid, that all things ſhall work together for good to his People: if all things, then afflictions; Rom. 8. 28. And that all things are theirs; 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. things preſent, all their preſent ſufferings and troubles are theirs; that is, ſhall work for their Spiritual good: and God's word tells us expreſly, Hebr. 12. 10. that all our chaſtiſements are for our profit, our greateſt profit; namely, to make us partakers of God's Holineſs; to purge away our Sins, Iſa. 27. 9. to make us conformable to Chriſt: and to fit and prepare us for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory, 2. Cor. 4. 17. Here we have a ſure word of Promiſe; the God of Truth, who cannot Lye, the Almighty God, (who is able to perform his promiſes; which promiſes flow from his everlaſting Love and unſearchable goodneſs & mercy, and are founded in the full ſatisfaction of Jeſus Chriſt, in whom they are p. 32made, and through whom they ſhall be fulfilled; to aſſure us of the truth of them.) I ſay the Almighty God hath engaged his word, that all the ſufferings of his Children ſhall work for the good of their Souls; which is a moſt firm ground of Patience, Contentation and Conſolation to them. When I can believe and be perſwaded in my Soul, that all my afflictions ſhall promote the welfare of my Soul, I have all the reaſon in the World to be patient and content under them: Our great care muſt be to look to this, that we be the Heirs of the Promiſes; and if we be in Chriſt, really united to Chriſt, grafted into him, made partakers of his Spirit, Life, and Grace; then are we the Heirs of the Promiſes, Hebr. 6. 17, 18. Gal. 3. laſt: and we being the Heirs of the promiſes, we have grounds of Patience, becauſe God hath promiſed all ſhall work for our good: and then next, that we may be able with patience to bear our afflictions, we muſt labour to keep theſe promiſes ſtill in our eyes, looking to them, and to the love, goodneſs, faithfulneſs and all-ſufficiency of God in them, and looking unto Jeſus, through whoſe ſatisfaction and mediation they come to us, and labouring to keep our Eyes, the Eyes of Faith and Hope, fixed on thoſe promiſes, truſting in God, and relying upon him; and ſo ſhall we be able in our Patience to poſſeſs our Souls: and Patience will do us great ſervice in affliction, for altho' it cannot keep us from miſery, it will keep us from being miſerable: for we can never be miſerable, ſo long as we have an intereſt in Chriſt, and through him, in the promiſes. Now Faith in the promiſes is both the breeder and feeder of Patience, let Faith live, and Patience will not dye: let Faith be preſent, and Patience will not be abſent; and through Faith p. 33and Patience we ſhall inherit the promiſes. Oh, then, let us labour to live by Faith, and ſtrive to keep up our …aith in Act and Exerciſe; and in ſpecial, upon the real Spiritual Good, that our good God will bring to our inner Man, by the decays and periſhings of our outward, he having promiſed ſo to do, and he being faithful who hath promiſed; and let us alſo labour to live in hopes and expectations of that good, praying alſo conſtantly for increaſe of our Faith and Hope, ſo ſhall we be able with Patience to endure to the end, and be ſaved.

Certainly it is every ones concernment, to know and conſider, that Man conſiſts of two Parts, the inner and outer Man, and which of the two is beſt, and ought to be moſt minded, and principally looked after? for moſt live, as if they had Bodies only, and no Souls; or, if they have Souls, that they need not much minding, but ſay, they leave the care of them to God: whereas indeed, it is the welfare, the ſafety and ſalvation of our Souls, that we all ſhould be moſt ſolicious about. What ſhall it profit a Man (ſaith our Saviour) if he gain the whole World, and …oſe his own Soul?

Sin is the Diſeaſe of the Soul, and Holineſs the health of the Soul, and afflictions are God's Phyſick to effect this Cure by; ſurely then, we had better take the Phyſick, the Remedy, tho' it make us ſick, than keep our Diſeaſe, which will make us Die, and that eternally: the Remedy is better than the Diſeaſe. So that when our merciful Father, the only wiſe God, ſees, that the blaſtings and breakings of our outward Comforts, are proper means to keep us from, and to purge from … Spiritual Diſeaſes, our ſins, which not purged would deſtroy our inner Man, our Souls; and p. 34therefore uſeth this means, what cauſe have we to endeavour in God's ſtrength, patiently, quietly and comfortably, to bear all our breaches and periſhings of our outward Man? yea, and to praiſe and bleſs the Lord, that he will take this courſe with us, thus to chaſten us here in this World, that we may not be condemned with the World hereafter: 1 Cor. 11. 32.

Fourthly, It follows alſo from the Premiſes, that wicked Men are fools, very fools, yea, mad fools and cruel to their own Souls, becauſe all their ca… is for their Bodies, and none at all for their Souls, they provide for the Servant, but neglect the Maſter; provide for the Horſe, but forget the Rider: Eccl. 10. 7. We have ſeen, how little care God takes of the outward Man, but beats and break that many times, that he may ſecure and preſerve the inner Man of his People.

And alſo wicked Men are cruel to their own Souls Prov. 8. 36. He that ſinneth againſt God, wrongeth his own Soul. Is it not a madneſs, carefully to preſerve the Box, but loſe the Jewel? to ſpend precious time, ſtrength, thoughts, cares, pains, all Mans days, in feeding, cloathing, preſerving the outward Man; but let the poor Soul ſtarve, periſt and be eternally loſt? if there be any cruelty out… Hell, this is a great piece of it.

Fifthly, It follows alſo, that the continuance o… outward Comforts is not to be expected. The… will be witherings, decays, periſhings of our ou… ward Man; it cannot be avoided: our health at eaſe, and peace, will not abide always with us our deareſt Relations muſt bid us farewel, this on earthly Tabernacle muſt ſhortly be put off; w… cannot live always: all things here are mutable and changeable; we ſee this by experience ever… p. 35moment: our pleaſant and lovely Companions in the fleſh, our deareſt friends in Chriſt; our Yoakfellows, the deſires of our Eyes, the comforts of our lives; they and we muſt part. Pſal. 39. 6. This fully believed, and ſeriouſly conſidered, would unglue our affections from theſe things, and prepare us to part with them; that our parting with them be not ſo grievous to us, as uſually it is. Could we uſe theſe things as we do our Gloves on our Hands, which we can with eaſe pluck off; and not as the ſkin on our Hands, which cannot be pulled off but with much pain and ſmart. It were good wiſdom for us often to look on all our earthly comforts, as things that we cannot long enjoy; as things that we muſt needs ſhortly part with; this my health, my eſtate, my eaſe, my relations, I muſt part with, and I know not how ſoon, a parting time muſt come: This Soul and Body muſt part, and to keep ſuch thoughts in our minds, and often to conſider of it, would help to moderate our affections to them while we enjoy them, and to imploy them for God, and alſo it would prevent our immoderate ſorrow for the loſs of them, becauſe we expected ſuch loſſes, and made account of them before they came: but we are too often ſurpriſed, and therefore too often overcome with ſorrow.

Sixthly, It follows from the premiſes, that the Servants of God have no true cauſe or reaſon to be diſcouraged, diſquieted or dejected, when their outward Man periſheth, their outward Comforts wither, their old Houſe begins to totter and decay; becauſe by all theſe witherings and periſhings of their outward Man, their inner Man is renewed day by day; and therefore, no cauſe of fainting.

Such as know, that is, are aſſured by Faith, that when this their earthly Tabernacle ſhall be diſſolved, p. 36that they have a building with God, an Houſe not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens, ſuch will not be troubled when their Houſes of Clay begin to totter; no, but rather, they groan earneſtly to be cloathed upon with their Houſe which is from Heaven. 2 Cor. 5. 1, 2, 3. And that God's Servants may thus be willing to put off their earthly Tabernacles, and exchange them for Heavenly Houſes. God is working upon them, and in them, this willingneſs, as Verſe 5, by his Spirit, his Word, and by his Chaſtiſements, breaking and blafting their earthly Comforts, weakning their bodies, to make them willing to leave them, and to long for thoſe everlaſting habitations, which their dear Lord hath prepared for them; John 14. 1, 2, 3. And for the more effectual working of God's People to this willingneſs, he gives unto them the earneſt of the Spirit, which is the earneſt of their Inheritance, untill the Redemption of the purchaſed Poſſeſſion, Eph. 1. 13, 14. and Rom. 8. 23. We which have received the Firſt-fruits of the Spirit groan within our ſelves, waiting for the Adoption, to wit, the Redemption of our Bodies.

Now this Earneſt or Firſt-fruits of the Spirit, which in ſome meaſure God gives to all his people here in this life, to prepare them for Glory, is called alſo the Seal of the Spirit, Epheſ. 1. 13. After ye believed, ye were ſealed. Now, this Seal of the Spirit, I take to be, the ſaving Works, Graces and Fruits of the Spirit in us; as the Work of true and ſound illumination, true Conviction of our Sin and Miſery, and of the Creatures Vanity; of our own impotency and utter inſufficiency to help … our ſelves; and of Chriſt's Excellency, Allſufficiency and willingneſs to ſave all ſuch as come p. 37unto him, and are heartily willing to take him for their onelyonly Lord and Saviour; all this is the work of the Spirit: As alſo, ſound Converſion from all Sin unto God, as the chief good; the Spirit enabling the Soul to repent and turn to God; and alſo working in the Soul the Grace of Faith, enabling it to come to Chriſt, to receive him, accept of him, reſt upon him, and to reſign it ſelf up ſincerely to him and to his Government, by his Word and Spirit. The Spirit works Sanctification in the Soul, deſtroying the old corrupt Principles of Nature, and implanting new Principles of ſpiritual Life, making it partaker of the Divine Nature; mortifying in it the luſts of the fleſh, and quickning it to newneſs of life; repairing the Image of God upon it, and working all thoſe other Graces, which are the Conditions of Pardon and Juſtification; as true love to God and Chriſt, to his Word and People; true Fear of God, ſorrow for, and hatred of Sin; producing thoſe Fruits mentioned, Galat. 5. 22, 23. as Patience, Meekneſs, Humility, and the like. Alſo the Spirit helps the Soul to act thoſe Graces, and to perform thoſe Duties required of us, in order to our Salvation: It guides and leads, and teacheth us, helps our Infirmities, teacheth us to pray, and carrieth on the whole work of Sanctification in us. And this I take to be the Seal of the Spirit; when thoſe ſaving Impreſſions and Habits of Grace and Holineſs are wrought in and upon the Soul, whereby the Soul is made in ſome meaſure like unto Chriſt Jeſus, being by the Spirit united to him, planted and grafted in him, and by vertue of its union with him, made partakers of his Life and Grace, whereby it lives and grows, until it come to the State of Perfection in the other World.

p. 38This Spirit thus ſavingly working, is God's Seal upon our Hearts, the Seal of his everlaſting love to our Souls, and of his everlaſting Covenant which he hath entred into with us, which he will never deface or blot out; and it is alſo the Earneſt of our Inheritance; that thereby we may confidently conclude to our great comfort, that, as ſure as he hath given us his Spirit, thus ſavingly to work in us thoſe gracious Works, this gracious Change, this true Repentance, and Faith and Love, and Holineſs, and other Graces; even ſo ſure he will give us the Inheritance in Heaven at laſt: as ſurely as he hath ſanctified us, ſo ſurely he hath juſtified us, and will glorifie us: For this is the Seal, this is the Earneſt. And upon this account ſaith the Apoſtle, Having this Seal, this Earneſt, this comfortable Aſſurance of a better ſtate, and of a better life after this, we groan earneſtly to be clothed upon with our houſe which is from Heaven; That we may poſſeſs that glorious purchaſed Inheritance, of which we now have the earneſt; we long to enjoy the full Harveſt, of which we have received the Firſt-fruits, and conſequently, we that have received theſe Firſt-fruits, this bleſſed Earneſt; have no cauſe to be troubled or diſquieted, when theſe our earthly Tabernacles begin to decay and periſh; becauſe we are wrought by God's Spirit for a better ſtate; and, as was ſaid, not only the Spirit of God worketh this willingneſs to die, by working thoſe Graces in the Soul, as you ſee; but alſo accompanying Afflictions, and bleſſing them, to crucifie our Affections to earthly things, and helps to Holineſs in order to our eternal Happineſs; and therefore alſo ought the more patiently to be endured.

p. 39Seventhly, Then it is the chiefeſt wiſdom in the World, for every one of us to labour to become real Saints, to get into a ſtate of ſaving Grace; and often to ſearch and try our ſelves, and never to give over ſearching and trying, until we come to ſome well-grounded Aſſurance, That we are indeed truly Regenerated, and that we have a real Intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt; for this Aſſurance may be attained, and we are commanded to give all diligence to attain it, 2 Pet. 1. 10. It is not bare wiſhes or deſires will ſerve the turn, but we muſt labour and ſtrive after it, and be much in ſelfexamination, 2 Cor. 13. 5. How is it poſſible we can have any true comfort living or dying, if we have no Aſſurance of a better Life; and ſo long as we know not whether we ſhall go to Heaven or Hell when we die: We all have been too negligent in labouring after this Aſſurance; let us lament it, and let us all now begin to beſtir our ſelves, and in God's ſtrength lay out our utmoſt care and pains in the uſe of all means to get the clear evidences of our peace with God, and that we are in a pardoned and reconciled ſtate; for upon this Aſſurance, we ſhall have this Advantage above all others, that we ſhall not be troubled nor much diſquieted, when our outward man doth decay and periſh, our earthly comforts fail us, our bodily Members wither; becauſe all theſe decays and waſtings do but make way, and prepare us for the happineſs of our Souls. Whereas, on the contrary, it muſt needs be an uncomfortable thing, to look upon a decaying Body, and be altogether uncertain what will become of the Soul when it leaves this Body: It muſt needs make Death terrible. But when we know that p. 40our Souls at death ſhall enter into our Master's joy we ſhall bid Death welcom.

The Eighth Inference.

From what hath been ſaid, we may draw one Rule of Tryal to us all, whereby we may know whether we be true real Christians or no, or only nominal, and but formal Profeſſors, viz. by the real good to our Souls that our Afflictions have done us; we all have had Afflictions of one kind or other; let us examine what ſpiritual good we have got by them: look over the former Particulars, and apply them.

It is a true ſign of a Child of God, to be the better for Proſperity and Adverſity, and commonly more the better for Adverſity than or Proſperity.

But leſt we ſhould be miſtaken, I grant, that Affliction may work ſome good in the hypocritical Profeſſors, as on Ahab and Nineveh. But note theſe Differences.

First, On the Godly, Afflictions work good moſtly on their inward man, on their Souls; although they work good alſo on their Converſations; the ſweet fruits of Afflictions appear alſo in their Lives. But on others, if Afflictions do work any good at all, it is moſtly on their outward man; they may by them be outwardly reclaimed and reformed, but not inwardly renewed and ſanctified. Now there is a vaſt difference between outward Reformation and inward Renovation.

2dly, The fruit of Affliction on the Godly is continually increaſing and growing; it is renewing day by day; as in the Text. But the Fruit of Affliction upon others, is like a morning dew, or p. 41early cloud, which the Sun-blaſt of Proſperity dries all up, and blows all off. Thoſe ſeeming Fruits of Humility, of Senſibleneſs, Patience, Inclinations to good Duties, Reſolutions againſt Sin, &c. which appear in ſome in time of their Affliction, are all blaſted and withered again, when their Afflictions are removed, Hoſ. 6. 4.

Thirdly, The Fruit of Affliction upon the Godly is more afterward than at preſent, Heb. 12. 11. …ut on others 'tis moſt at preſent, even while the Affliction is upon them; then they will ſeek God early and earnestly: but when the Affliction is over, they grow remiſs and careleſs. And oh, that this were not the fault of too many of the Godly! It is the After-fruit of Righteouſneſs, the exemplary Holineſs of our Lives afterwards, that …s the good Fruit of ſanctified Afflictions, which we muſt bring forth, to evidence the Love of our Father to us in his Chaſtnings of us, and our ſpiritual Profit by thoſe Chaſtiſements. It is not ſo …uch how we behave our ſelves in the time of our Afflictions, (though that muſt be minded alſo, and …reful we muſt be to carry our ſelves as Chriſtians under the Croſs;) for an Ahab may then …ehave himſelf well: but the great matter is, how …e carry our ſelves after our Afflictions; that …en we bear and bring forth the quiet and peace…ble Fruits of Righteouſneſs; that we ſhew forth our Converſations, the ſingular good and ſpiritual profit that we have got by our Afflictions; at we are become more holy, more heavenly, …umble, meek, lowly, more tender-hearted, more …tchful and circumſpect, more zealous of good …orks, more charitable, more careful in all things pleaſe God. This is that will clearly prove, p. 42That Afflictions have done us good, and then we ſhall have cauſe to bleſs God for them.

Fourthly, The promiſed Good and Bleſſing … Affliction, is the main thing which the graciou… Soul moſtly deſireth, prayeth for, and hopes and expects: Thus he breaths; O, that this ſtrok… may be a ſtroke of Love; O, that this Affliction may do good to my inward man; O, that my S… may flouriſh and proſper, and be a Gainer by a my outward Loſſes and Croſſes: O, that my So… may be purged in thoſe Fires, and cleanſed i… thoſe Waters of Affliction, that I may bring for all the bleſſed Fruits of Affliction; and O, th… God would accompliſh all his gracious ends up… my Soul, by his Chaſtiſements: but it is not with others; they cry, Lord, remove thy ha… take away my Affliction.

Fifthly, The gracious Soul underſtands God's a ſign in Affliction, and earneſtly deſires to k… the whole Mind of God, and why the Lord o… tendeth with him; and hears the Voice of Rod, ſearcheth for his Sin, for the Plague of own Heart; repents and turns to God through caſts away the Idols of his heart, reſolves aga… his Corruptions; prays and hopes for the ble… of his Affliction; and thereupon he labours ſubmit to the holy Will of God, and patiently bear his Afflictions. But it is not ſo with oth… they are not ſollicitous about the attaining of ſpiritual good to their Souls; ſo they can get the Affliction, they care for no more: Whe… the gracious Soul is afraid that he ſhall loſe … benefit of his Afflictions, and therefore is n… earneſt with God for it.

p. 43Sixthly, The gracious Soul ſeeks a …eparation of all his Loſſes, and a Balance to all his Troubles in God through Chriſt, and in God's Covenant, 2 Sam. 23. 5. and there he finds it in ſome meaſure, which ſtayeth and quieteth him: When the ſtreams of all Creature-comforts fail him, he repairs to God the Fountain, and there he lies for all Supplies, Pſalm 31. 14. Pſalm 142. 4, 5. Refuge failed me, no man cared for my Soul. I cried unto thee, O Lord, I ſaid, thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. But the Ungodly are ſtrangers to this courſe in the time of their trouble.

Now theſe things conſidered, we may by them attain in ſome meaſure the knowledge of our eſtate, whether we be godly or no; in a ſtate of Grace or no; to wit, by the real good our Souls have gotten by our bodily troubles.

So much for Information.

II. Theſecond Ʋſe is of Counſel to God's afflicted People, when their earthly Comforts wither and decay.

1. Bear the Indignation of the Lord, take his blows with patience, acknowledge his hand, ſtoop and ſubmit to his Will; He is your gracious, wiſe, merciful Father that ſmites you; he intends you no hurt; He that loves you better than you can love your ſelves; He that Redeemed you, and he that knows what is beſt for you; He that intends all for your good, and will cauſe all things to work for your good: therefore in your patience poſſeſs ye your Souls, and quietly ſubmit to his good Will.

p. 442. Search your Hearts and try your Ways, and turne him that ſmiteth you; Commune with your o… Hearts; call to remembrance your neglects … Duty to God and Man; your neglect of the So… of your Relations; your careleſs performance … holy Duties; your miſ-ſpending your Talents your earthly and unprofitable Diſcourſes, &c. Th… is a time for Heart-ſearching, a time for the tr… of your ways, Lamentat. 3. 40. In the day of Adverſity conſider: Conſider wherefore God afflicts you conſider what you have done againſt God, a… what your preſent Duty is: Repent of your f… mer miſcarriages, hurable your ſelves under God mighty hand; and act Faith on the Lord Jeſus … Remiſſion, and by Faith labour to draw ſtreng… of Grace to reform and amend; and ſo comp… with God's deſign in his Corrections, which i… to take away your Sin, and to make you partake of his Holineſs.

3. In your Afflictions conſult God's Word, a… be converſant therewith, and conform there… Now learn to kep God's Precepts, Pſalm 119. … Now ſet ſtraight ſteps to your fe…t, Heb. 12. 12. … God's Word you will fin… ſweet Counſels and Co… ſolations precious Promiſes, encouraging … amples of Faith and Patience; ſupporting, qui… ning and ſtrengthning Arguments: Had it … been for God's Word, David had periſhed in his … fliction O, therefore now ſtudy the Scriptur… and make them your Meditation Night and Da… acquaint your ſelves with God's Word, and app… it, and yield up your ſelves to the obedience of … holy Job in his Affliction, eſteemed the Word of G… above his neceſſary Food; and David, above Gold … Silver.

p. 454. Learn and comply with God's Deſigns in chaſtening you: His main Deſigns are theſe; To take away our Sins, Iſa. 27. 9. He takes away our Iſaacs, to deſtroy our Dalilahs; he removes the deſire of our Eyes, to conſume the Defilements of our Hearts; God deſigns the purifying of us, to make us clean and holy, and fit Veſſels for himſelf to dwell in, to make us partakers of his holineſs, and conformable to his Son; to make our Souls better; to draw us off from all our Idols, and to draw us nearer to himſelf, and to prevent our ſinning here, and our condemnation with the World hereafter. O bleſſed, gracious Ends our heavenly Father hath in all his Chaſtiſements of us; now it's our Duty to comply with theſe his Ends, and purſue them with utmoſt diligence.

Queſt. But how ſhall we purſue thoſe Ends?

Anſw. First, by deep and ſerious Meditation upon thoſe few ſpecial things fit to be thought on in Affliction.

1. Think ſeriouſly on the meritorious Cauſes of your Affliction; ſearch for your Sins; let your Spirits make diligent ſearch for your Sins; for now God is ſearching for your Sins, Job 10. 6. and we ſhould ſet in with him, and think how greatly you have provoked him, how unkindly you have dealt with him; againſt what Light and Love, and Mercy you have ſinned; and think alſo upon the deſert of your Sins; you are now under outward Afflictions; but where had you been, …f God had dealt with you according to your Deſerts? Call to mind your Sins, and repent, and reform?

2. Think ſeriouſly on the Deſigns of God in all your Troubles, what good Intentions God hath p. 46in them; that he aims at nothing but your real ſpiritual, and eternal good: It he break your earthly Comforts, waſte your Eſtates and Bodies it is for the good of your Souls; be perſwaded of this, conſider it, and lay it to heart.

3. Think ſeriouſly of the Love of God in Chriſt to you, in all your Afflictions; they come from his Fatherly Love, he ſees that you need them, that your Souls will periſh without them; and that he doth chaſtiſe you, becauſe he loves you, and becauſe you are his Children.

4. Think alſo, how infinitely better God deals with you, than with others, whom he chaſtn… not here, but reſerves them for the Wrath to come, unto everlaſting Deſtruction; in compariſon of which, all your heavieſt Afflictions here are not as much as Flea-bitings.

5. Think alſo upon the many exceeding great and precious Promiſes which God hath made t… you, for your ſupport: As, that he will be … you; will never leave you; that all ſhall work togeth… for your good; that he will uphold you: and ma… ſuch.

6. Think ſeriouſly and deeply on that … more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, for whi… all your Afflictions do prepare you. Thus be m… in Meditation on thoſe things

Lastly, Think upon the Sufferings of Christ fo… you; his bitter Agony, and bloody Sweat in the Garden; his cruel, curſed, ſhameful, painful Death on th… Croſs, Iſa. 53. 10. Thus if we exerciſe our Thought in theſe Conſiderations, it will help us to th… attaining the gracious Ends of God in his Chaſtiſements.

p. 47Secondly, As by Meditation, ſo by Prayer we muſt purſue God's Ends: Now pray, pray continually, pray without ceaſing; pray moſt earneſtly, moſt fervently; ſtrive and wreſtle with God in Prayer, as Jacob did for the Bleſſing; ſo ſhould we pray, and continue instant in prayer, that God would accompliſh all his bleſſed Deſigns upon our Souls, and perform his whole Work.

Thirdly, By Faith in Chriſt, and in the Promiſes; for no Bleſſing comes to the Soul any way, but in and by Jeſus Christ; and only in and through him are the Promiſes fulfilled: Therefore in all our Afflictions, we muſt look unto Jeſus, as unto him, through whoſe hands the Affliction comes upon us; for all our Afflictions come through his hand; and the bleſſing of them comes through his hand alſo; act Faith on all that Jeſus hath done and ſuffered for you; and upon what he is doing for you in Heaven; and upon what gracious Promiſes he hath made to you: and the more you can act Faith on Christ, the more you will love him; and the more you love him, the more patiently and comfortably you will bear his Chaſtiſements; as knowing that they proceed from his Love to you, Rev. 3. 19.

III. The last Ʋſe is for Conſolation: The Text and Doctrine is very full of Comfort. If this be a Truth that I have held out; That the periſhings and wastings of the outward man, of the People of God, tend to the renewing of their inward man; then let none of God's People be diſcouraged or dejected, whatever Afflictions befal them; Poverty, Sickneſs, Reſtraint, loſs of Relations, Eſtates: Remember and conſider, what great Spiritual Good all ſhall certainly produce to you, and what a gracious p. 48iſſue all your Afflictions ſhall have upon you; and therefore faint not, nor be weary; but be quiet and comforted.

Queſt. But when may we take Comfort in our Afflictions?

Anſw. 1. When God's ſmiting you, works i… you true turning unto God, Iſa. 9. 13. Jer. 31. 1… 19, 20. for then Affliction proceeds from God Love, and turns to your good. O, the yerning Bowels of God towards returning Sinners.

2. When by Chaſtiſements we are made partakers of God's Holineſs, made more holy, an… more conformable to Chriſt than formerly, He… 12. 10.

3. When God's Soveraignty works in us S… lence and ſubmiſſion; as in Eli, David, as others.

4. When God's Rods on us make us mor… obedient to his Law, Pſalm. 94. 12, 13. as 119. 67. 71.

5. When God's Righteouſneſs in what he doth gives quietneſs and ſatisfaction to the Soul; a Dan. 9 14. Nehem. 9. 33.

6. When Afflictions put us upon Self-examination, and ſearchings for our Sins, Lam. 3. 4. Gen. 42. 21.

7. When in Afflictions we can ſee God's faithfulneſs, making good his Promiſes, Pſalm 119. 75. He hath promiſed to withhold no good thing.

8. When we hope and believe, that God wil… give us more, and better things, than thoſe he takes from us, 2 Chron. 25. 9. Pſalm 90. 14, 15. Iſa. 35. 6.

9. When God's Wiſdom contents us; that becauſe God is only wiſe, and knows beſt, what is be… p. 49for us, this contents us, Iſa. 28. 27, 28. Infinite Wiſdom hath ordered it.

10. When we can firmly believe that God's Love is in all his Chaſtiſements, Heb. 12. 6. All theſe things will produce Comfort in all our Afflictions; eſpecially when we can ſee theſe Effects in ſome meaſure brought forth in us, we may conclude, that God's gracious Deſign proſpers in us.

Could we but find that our inward man grows better, and that we grow and flouriſh in Grace, when our outward man doth decay and periſh, we ſhould not faint.

The good Lord grant that this may be the good Effect of all my Afflictions.

Amen.

So much of the Firſt Part.