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that we fuffer in juftice for our faults; or for our trial, and to humble us; or for God's glory, and to fanctify us.

I Pet. v. 5.

Be clothed with humility; for God refifteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.

Give me grace, O God, to ftudy, to love, to adore, and to imitate that humility, which thy Bleffed Son hath taught us both by his word and by his most holy example,

Bufinefs.

Ephef. v. 17. Understanding what the will of the Lord is.

To engage in any bufinefs of importance without knowing this, and taking counsel of GOD, may cost us dear.

Ifaiah xxx. I. Woe to them that take counsel, but not of me, faith the Lord.

But then, let a man take heed, that when he goes to enquire of the Lord, he does not set up idols in his own heart,

heart, left God anfwer him according to his idols.

We are to pray for the direction of God's Spirit, upon all great occafions: efpecially, we are humbly to depend on his direction, and cheerfully to expect it, which he will manifeft, either by fome plain event of his providence, or by suggesting fuch reasons as ought to determine the will to a wife choice.

But to follow the inclinations of the will without reafon, only because we find ourselves strongly inclined to this or that, is a very dangerous way, and may engage us in very dangerous practices.

Mafter. Servant.

Death, in a very little time, may make the master and the fervant equal. Let us anticipate this equality, by treating our fervants with compaffion; having refpect to Chrift in the perfon of our fervant,-to Chrift, who took upon him the form of a fervant for our fakes.

TUESDAY

TUESDAY MEDITATIONS.

Trouble, Perfecution, Afflictions, &c. Pfa. 1. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble, fo will I hear thee, and thou shalt praife me.

GOD, who feeft all our weaknelles, and the troubles we labour

under, have regard unto the prayers of thy fervant, who ftands in need of thy comfort, thy direction, and thy help.

Grant that I may fuffer like a Chrif tian, and not grieve like an unbeliever;-that I may receive troubles as a punishment due to my paft offences, as an exercife of my faith, and patience, and humility, and as a trial of my obedience;-and that I may improve all my afflictions to the good of my foul, and thy glory.

Thou alone knoweft what is best for us: Let me never difpute thy wif dom or thy goodness.

Direct

Direct my reafon, fubdue my paffions, put a stop to my roving thoughts and fears, and let me have the comfort of thy promife, and of thy protection, both now and ever, for Jefus Chrift's fake. Amen.

Heb. xii, 4. If ye endure chaftening, God dealeth with you as with fons; for what fon is he whom the father chafteneth not? But if ye are without chaftifement, whereof all are partakers; then are we baftards, and not fons.

Micah vii. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have finned against him.

If I am defpifed or flighted, I ought to confider it as a favour, fince this is a mark of God's children; and therefore I ought to thank him for it, and not be angry with thofe whom he makes his inftruments to fubdue and mortify my pride.

1 Pet. iv. 13. Rejoice in as much as ye are made partakers of the fufferings of Chrift; that when his glory fhall be re

vealed,

vealed, ye may be glad alfo with exceeding joy;-viz. Because your reward will be proportionable to your fufferings.

Matth. v. 11, 12. Blessed are ye when men fhall revile you, and perfecute you, and fhall fay all manner of evil against you falfly for my fake. Řejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven; for fo perfecuted they the prophets which were before you.

The mystery of the Crofs is to be learned under the Crofs.

Matth. x. 28, 29. Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the foul: but rather fear him which is able to deftroy both body and foul in hell. Are not two Sparrows fold for a farthing? and one of them fhall not fall to the ground without your Father. The very hairs of your head are all numbered.

1 Pet. v. 6, 7. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, [under great afflictions which he fuffers to befal you] that he may exalt

you in due time:

Cafting

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