Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

360 The fpecial Care^ 8cc. State III.
a Saint in the Exercife of Grace, to fee how a good-l
God crojjeth his corrupt Inclinations, and prevents \\
his Folly! How fweet is it to behold thefe 'Thievesm
upon the Crofs ! How refined a Pleafure is there in it
obferving, how God draws away Provifion from t
unruly Lufts, and fo pincbeth them, that the Chri- Ji
ftian may get them governed! Of a Truth, there’s fi
a Paradife within this Thorn-hedge. Many a Time -p
the People of God are in Bonds; which are never •
Icofed, till they be bound with Cords of Jffliftion.
God takes them, and throws them into a fiery Fur-;
nace, that burns off their Bonds ; and then like the
three Children, Dtf#. iii. 25. they are/coy*, walking.
in the Midft of the Fire. God gives his Children a
Potion, with one bitter Ingredient: If that will not j
work upon them, he’ll put in a fecond, a third, and
fo on, as there’s need, that they may work togethery
for their Qood, R.om. viii. 28. With Crofs-
winds he haflens them to their Harbour. They are
often found in fuch Ways, as that the Crofs is the j
happieft Foot they can meet with: And well may j
they falute it, as David did Abigail, faying, bleffed
be the Lord God of Jfirael, which fent thee this Day
to meet me, 1 Sam. xxv. 32 Worldly Things are
often fuch a Lorfi to the Chriftian, that he moves
but very {lowly Heaven-ward. God fends a Wind
of Trouble that blows the Burden oft' the Man’s Back:
And then he walks more fpeedily on his Way; af¬
ter God hath drawn fome gilded Earth from him,
that was drawing his Heart away from God, Zeph.
Hi. 12. I will alfo leave in the midfi of thee, an af~ .
fit Bed and poor People, and they jhall tntft in the
Name of the Lord. ’Twas an Obferve of a Heathen
Mora! iff, That m Hifiory makes mention of any Man,
who hath teen made better by Riches. I doubt if our