ly interest. May we only think to be exempted from chastisements, whereof all God's children are partakers? Heb. xii. 8. And must God make a new way to heaven for us? Or, do we think it best for us to live here for ever, in ease, and plenty, and honour, and never see a change? No, surely, it is in vain to think so. It becometh us betimes, to prepare for crosses. None so strong, lively, and brisk now, but they shall shortly wither and decay. None hold their heads so high now, but they must shortly lay them down in the dust. We, and our dearest relations must part.

It would be our wisdom, to turn the stream of our sorrow for losses and crosses, into godly sorrow for sin, then it will run in its right channel. Let our sins lie heavy upon us, and then our afflictions will lie light. Let us grow weary of our sins, not of our sufferings. God doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men, Lam. iii. 33. Let us consider also, the real spiritual benefit of affliction. God aims at our profit; and in good time, in the best time he will send deliverance. And be sure, those that are not unmindful of their duty, God will not be unmindful of their safety.

But that which should mostly affect us, and make us take heed of immoderate worldly sorrow, is, to consider, that this kind of sorrow of heart, is God's curse, imprecated on God's enemies. Lam. iii. 65, Give them sorrow of heart, they curse. As godly sorrow is God's blessing, a grace of God's spirit, a fruit of the cove

nant of grace, and a fruit of faith, Zech. xii. 10. So worldly sorrow is God's curse, and a bitter fruit of unbelief. They that sorrow for sin shall be comforted, Matt. v. 4. but, they that mourn immoderately for outward losses, there shall be none to comfort them. This is the first piece of heart trouble which Jesus Christ hath forbidden, let not your hearts be troubled, that is not filled, and overcome with worldly sorrow, whatever your losses and crosses be, let not your sorrow go beyond its lawful bounds; take heed, let not your hearts be troubled.

Secondly, Another piece of heart trouble is sinful fear. And against this distemper also Christ counselleth his disciples, 'Let not your hearts be troubled, nor let it be afraid,' as ver. 27. As if he had said, let not that distemper of base slavish fear seize your hearts.

This fear is a passion, or rather a perturbation of mind, whereby upon the sense of approaching evils, the mind is discomposed and disordered, and the heart troubled and dejected.

This fear is a tyrant where it comes, and it tyrannizeth where it prevails, as Job iv. 14, 15. We read how it prevailed over that famous believer, the father of believers, Abraham, to his prejudice, and to the discredit of his religion who for fear denied his wife once and again, Gen. xii. and Gen. xx. And good Isaac was taken in the same fault, Gen. xxvi. This fear troubles mens' peace, and disquiets their

minds, that they are said sometimes to be like the leaves of the forest; and this fear is often forbidden to Abraham, Gen. xv. 1. And to Isaac, Gen. xxvi. 24. And when Israel was in the greatest dangers that ever men were, they were forbid to fear, Exod. xiv. 13. Isa. viii. 12. And in the New Testament, our Lord strongly cautions against this fear, Luke xii. 4, 32. Rev. ii. 10. "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer." Slavish fear troubles the heart more than any thing.

Object. But may we not fear God's judgments? Did not good Josiah tremble at them? and did not holy David say in Psalm cxix. 120. “I am afraid of thy judgments?"

Answ. Doubtless, it is our duties so to do. When we see the same sins abound, for which God hath executed his judgments in former times, we ought to lay them to heart, and to be affected, Jer. vii. 12. Luke xvii. 26, &c. Remember Lot's wife, said our Lord. So, 1 Cor. x. 2. Pet. ii. 6. Rom. i. 18. Zeph. iii. 6, 7. a remarkable scripture.

Although it went well with Nehemiah himself, yet had he a sad resentment of the state of Jerusalem, Neh. i.

God's people have tender hearts, wicked men have hearts of stone; when God smites them, they are not grieved, Jer. v. 3.

But we must distinguish of fear.

1. There is a natural lawful fear, when evils are approaching to our bodies, or names, or friends, or the like, dangers are apparent,

it is natural to fear. This was in the best men in the world; it was in Christ himself, Mark xii. 14, 15. Also it is said, "he feared, and was sore amazed," Mark xiv. 33. yet without sin. Secondly, There is a lawful filial fear of God's judgments, which ariseth from the consideration of the evil of sin, and of God's righteousness, of his hatred of sin and his wrath against it; which fear produceth, repentance, self-examination a turning to God with our whole hearts, through reformation, and an endeavour to secure ourselves in God's covenant, and to hide ourselves, Prov. xxii. 3. "A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself." A striving to get into Christ, and to get clear evidence of God's love to us in Christ; I say, such a fear that worketh these effects is a great duty.

Thirdly, There is a base slavish fear of approaching evils, arising from our mis-apprehensions of God; producing in us unworthy thoughts, sinking into despondency, and inciting to murmuring and impatience, and putting us upon sinful shifts, the use of unlawful means to prevent or escape dangers; a fear of despondency, a vexatious, distracting fear, that drives from God, and unfits for service. A tormenting, disquieting fear, that unsettles and discomposeth our minds, disturbs our peace, suspends our acts of faith, and disposeth us to diffidence, distrust, and impatience; this is the fear that Christ would not have his peoples' heart troubled with.

Thirdly, Another piece of heart trouble is care, vexatious distracting care, which our Lord would not have his disciples trouble themselves with, and therefore he useth so many powerful arguments to dissuade them from it, Matt. vi. from ver. 25. onward. 1. He assures us, it is God that takes care for our bodily life, we trust him with that, how much more should we for food and raiment. 2. Saith he, your father takes care for the fowls, and provides for them, "are ye not much better than they?" 3. He clotheth the lilies, " And will he not clothe you?" 4. You cannot by all your care make your condition better than God hath appointed it shall be, ver. 27. 5. Your heavenly father knows you want all these things. 6. They that are ignorant of God, and of his fatherly care and good providence, that have no God to care for them, they trouble themselves with those cares; therefore you should not do so who have an heavenly father that dearly loves you, and looks after you. 7. You have the promise of the faithful God, to have all necessaries provided for you, while you make it your care to serve, and please, and trust him, ver. 23. "All these things shall be added unto you." 8. We have no cause to be thoughtful for time to come, because every day brings evil enough with it; and therefore it is no wisdom to perplex ourselves with cares, ver. last. So again, Luke xxi. 34. Phil. iv. 6. "Be careful in

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