patience either against God or men, this gives experiment of the truth and soundness of that grace within him; whereas standing water which is clear at top while it is untouched, yet, if it have mud at the bottom, stir it a little, and it rises presently.

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It is not altogether unprofitable, yea, it is great wis dom in Christians to be arming themselves against such temptations as may befal them hereafter, though they have not as yet met with them; to labor to overcome them before-hand, to suppose the hardest things that may be incident to them, and to put on the strongest resolutions they can attain unto. Yet all this is but an imaginary effort; and therefore there is no assurance that the victory is any more than imaginary too till it come to action, and then they that have spoken and thought very confidently, may prove, (as one said of the Atheni ans,) but patient and courageous in picture or fancy; and notwithstanding all their arms and dexterity in handling them by way of exercise, may be foully defeated when they are to fight in earnest. The children of Ephraim being armed and carrying bows, yet turned back in the day of battle. It is the battle tries the soldier, and the storm the pilot. How would it appear that Christians can be themselves, not only patient but cheerful in poverty, in disgrace, and temptations, and persecutions, if it were not often their lot to meet with them? He who framed the heart knows it to be but deceitful, and he who gives grace knows the weakness and strength of it exactly, yet he is pleased to speak thus, that by afflictions and hard tasks he tries what is in the hearts of his children; for the word of God speaks to men, and therefore it speaks the language of the children of men: thus, Gen. xxii, 12, Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

'God delights to call forth his champions to meet with great temptations, to make them bear crosses of more than ordinary weight; as commanders in war put men of most valor and skill upon the hardest services. God sets some strong furious trial upon a strong Christian, made strong by his own grace, and by his victory makes

it appear to the world, that though there is a great deal of the counterfeit coin of profession in religion, yet some there are, who have the power, the reality of it; and that it is not an invention, but there is truth in it; that the invincible grace, the very Spirit of God dwells in the hearts of true believers; that he hath a number who do not only speak big, but do indeed and in good earnest despise the world, and overcome it by his strength. Some men take delight to see some kind of beasts fight toge ther, but to see a Christian mind encountering some great affliction and conquering it, to see his valor in not sinking at the hardest distresses of this life nor the most frightful end of it, the cruelest kinds of death, for bis sake, this is, as one said, "a sight worthy of a God;" this is a combat which God delights to look upon, and he is not a mere beholder in it, for it is the power of his own grace that enables and supports the Christian in all those conflicts and temptations.

Through manifold temptations. This expresses a multitude of temptations, and those too of divers kinds, many and manifold. It were no hard condition to have a trial now and then, with long ease and prosperity be twixt; but to be plied with one affliction at the heels of another, to have them come thronging in by multitudes and of different kinds, uncouth, unaccustomed evils, such as a man hath not been acquainted with before, this is that which is often the portion of those who are the beloved of God; Psal. xlii, 7, Deep calleth unto deep, at the noise of thy water-spouts; all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me..

Ye are in heaviness. This the apostle blames not, but aims at the moderating of it. Seek not altogether to dry up this stream, but to bound it and keep it within its banks. Grace doth not destroy the life of nature, but adds to it a life more excellent; yea, grace doth not only permit, but requires some feeling of afflictions. There is an affected pride of spirit in some men, instead of pati ence, suitable only to the doctrine of the stoics as it is usually taken; they strive not to feel at all the afflictions that are on them; but this is to despise the correction of the Lord, which is alike forbidden with fainting under

it. Where there is no feeling at all, there can be no patience. But this heaviness is mitigated, and set, as it were, within its banks, betwixt these two considerations, the utility and the brevity of it, the profitableness and the shortness of it.

To a worldly man, great gain sweetens the hardest labor; and to a Christian, spiritual profit and advantage may do much to move him to take those afflictions well, which are otherwise very unpleasant. Though they are not joyous for the present, yet this allays the sorrow of them, the fruit that grows out of them, the peaceable fruit of righteousness. It is not an easy matter to be drawn from, nor to be beaten from the love of this world ; and this is what God mainly requires of his children, that they be not in love with the world nor the things of it; for that is contrary to the love of God, and so far as that is entertained, this is wanting. And if in the midst of afflictions they are sometimes subject to this disease, how would it grow upon them with ease and prosperity! When they are beaten from one worldly folly or delight, they are ready, through nature's corruption, to lay hold upón some other, being thrust out from it at one door, to enter at some other: as children unwilling to be weaned, if one breast be imbittered, they seek to the other; and therefore there must be somewhat to drive them from that too. Thus it is clear there is need, yea, great need of afflictions, yea, of many afflictions, that the saints be chastened by the Lord, that they may not be condemned with the world. Let us learn then, that in regard of our present frailty there is need of afflictions, and so not promise ourselves exemption, how cahn soever our seas are for the present; and then for the number, and measure, and weight of them, to resign that wholly into the hands of our wise Father and Physician, who perfectly knows our mould aud our maladies, and what kind and quantity of chastisement is needful for our

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Though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness. The other consideration which moderates this heaviness, is its shortness. Because we willingly forget eternity, therefore this moment seems much in our eyes; but if

we could look upon it aright, of how little concernment is it what be our condition here! If it were as prospe rous as we could wish or imagine, it is but for a season. The rich man in the gospel talked of many years, but Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, was the longest period. The many years are quickly drawn to a very great abatement, and if full of pains and griefs, those do help to put an end to themselves, and hasten to it.

Wherein. This word, though it cannot fall amiss, being referred to any particular to which interpreters have appropriated it, yet it is rather to be taken as relative to the whole complex sense of the preceding verses concerning the hope of glory. In this thing ye rejoice, that ye are begotten again-that there is such an inheritance and that you are made heirs of it-that it is kept for you and you for it-that nothing can come betwixt you and it, to disappoint you of pos sessing and enjoying it-that though there be many deserts, and mountains, and seas in the way, yet you are ascertained, that you shall come safe thither.

This is but one thing, while the cause of your grief is temptations and manifold temptations; yet this one thing weighs down all that multitude. The heart being grieved in one thing naturally looks out for its ease to some other; and there is usually somewhat that is a man's great comfort, t, that he turns his thoughts to, when he is crossed and afflicted in other things: but herein lies the folly of the world, that the things they choose for their refuge and comfort, are such as may change themselves and turn into discomfort and sorrow; but the godly man, who is the foot in the natural man's eyes, goes beyond all the rest in his wise choice in this. He rises above all that is subject to change; he casts his anchor within the vail. That in which he rejoiceth is still matter of joy, unmoveable and unalterable. Although not only his estate, but the whole world were turned upside down, yet this is the same; or rather in the psalmist's words, Though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, yet will not we fear. When we shall receive that rich and pure and abiding inheritance, that salvation which shall be revealed in the

last time, and when time itself shall cease to be, then there shall be no more reckoning of our joys by days and hours, but they shall run parallel with eternity. Then all our love that is now scattered and parceled out upon the vanities amongst which we are here, shall be united and gathered into one, and fixed upon God, and the soul filled with the delight of his presence.

The sorrow was limited and bounded by the considerations we spoke of; but this joy, this exultation, and leaping for joy, for so it is, is not bounded; it cannot be too much; its measure is, to know no measure. The afflictions, the matter of heaviness, are but a transient touch of pain, but that whereon this joy is built is most permanent; the measure of it cannot exceed, for the matter of it is infinite and eternal, beyond all hyperbole. There is no expression we have which can reach it, much less go beyond it. Even in the midst of heaviness itself, such is this joy, that it can maintain itself in the depth of sorrow; this oil of gladness still swims above, and cannot be drowned by all the floods of affliction, yea, it is often most sweet in the greatest distress. The soul relishes spiritual joy best, when it is not glutted with worldly delights, but finds them turned into bitterness.

For application.-In that we profess ourselves Christians, we all pretend to be the sons of God, and so heirs of this glory, and if each man were individually asked, he would say, he hoped to attain it; but were there nothing else, this might abundantly convince us, that the greatest part of us delude ourselves and are deceived in this; for how few are there who do really find this height of joy, of gladness and exultation, in their thoughts and hopes of it; who do daily refresh and glad themselves with the consideration of what is laid up for them above, more than with all their enjoyments here below! Consider how the news of some small outward advantage that is to come to us, raises our light vain hearts, and makes them leap within us; and yet this news of a kingdom prepared for us, stirs us not; our hearts are as little affected with it as if it concerned us not at all: and this is too clear an evidence against us, that indeed it concerns us not, that our portion as yet is not in it.