and compassed with many bodily infirmities, I was willing to leave behind me a little scrap of my labours to my children and friends, to put them in mind of what I had taught them for above thirty years together, that they might be fortified against all the troubles of this life, and by faith in God and Christ, hold fast and not loose their crown.

But why so mean a thing as this among the learned labours of so many eminent writers on the like subject?

I Answer, That our Lord took special notice of the widows mites; and he will not despise the day of small things, Zech. iv. 10.

But what can you aim at? may be said.

Ans. Not applause to be sure, being conscious of my weakness; nor profit or gain, expecting but acceptance: But this, God and my Conscience bear me witness, this is my aim, my most humble and fervent prayer, that some of Christ's poor little flock (my children and others, whose souls are precious to me, and whom I dearly love in the Lord) may receive some advantage; and chiefly, that God may have all the glory, who hath chosen the weak things of this world, &c. and who accepts the will for the deed, &c. Such as will not make use of it, let them do better, and I will be glad.

None may be afraid to buy or read it, for there is not a word of the state, or church-matters in it; I daily pray for the prosperity of both, but think it not my duty to meddle with either, but in subjection.

Two requests I have to thee, loving reader:

1. Pray for a blessing upon as much as you find to be the express will of God.

2. Pray for me, that I may more and more find and feel the life and power of those, and all the truths of God in mine own heart, and may express more of the life of faith in my whole conversation, and I will also pray for thee, that thou mayest find as much (and much more) benefit in reading this, as I have in composing and perusing it; all praise to the God of all grace. If you find some passages (in your opinion) too often repeated, be not offended, till you find them too powerful on your hearts.

Thus committing this poor Essay to the blessing of him who is the father of mercies, and can teach us to profit, by his word and rod, and thyself to his love and favour in Jesus Christ; in him I remain for thy soul's good.

Thy humble Servant,

J. B.

HEARTS' EASE

IN

HEART TROUBLE.

1

"Let not your Hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me." JOHN xiv. 1, 2, 3.-Ver. 1.

TH

HESE words are a part of our Blessed Saviour's last sermon upon earth just before his passion, which begins (as is probable) at the 13th verse of the 13th chapter of this gospel, and ends at the last verse of the 16th chapter; in which verse our Lord tells his disciples, (how dear soever they were to him, yet) in the world they should have persecution, tribulation; of which he had often told them before in effect; that they should not expect their heaven here, but his cross they must bear, if they would wear his crown tribulations of all kinds, outward and inward, you must endure it is your portion here, you are thereunto appointed. Man is naturally born to trouble, as the sparks naturally fly upwards, and new-born to trouble also, and commonly to new and more troubles, B

Acts xiv. 22. 2 Tim, iii. 18. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution; of hand, or tongue, one way or other. Indeed, such as can be content with a profession of a godliness that may suit with the times; that can please themselves with any kind of godliness, or with a form, any form of godliness, and that can change their forms when they please, such may avoid persecution; but all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, in the power and spirit of Christ Jesus, and resolve to live up to the example and rule of Christ Jesus, they shall have persecution, no avoiding. of it. No entering into the kingdom of God but by tribulation. But notwithstanding this, our Lord lays this positive commaud on his disciples ; Let not your hearts be troubled.

These poor disciples were like shortly to sustain an heavy loss, of their dearest Lord; he was now a going away from them, a greater loss they could not have; and yet, saith Christ, Let not your hearts be troubled. Which command is repeated and explained in the 27th verse; Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid.

What might they say, must we not be troubled at all? must nothing trouble us? No, we must not be troubled for any outward loss, for any outward tribulation, for parting with the nearest and dearest relation, we must not be troubled. Yet we are not forbidden to be troubled for Zion. It is a grievous sin, not to be grieved for the afflictions of Joseph surely, we must be troubled for God's dishonour, because men break God's commandments. Trouble of heart, except for sin, is sinful trouble. Where sin lies heavy, affliction lies light. Isa.

xxxiii. 24. They shall not say, I am sick; for their iniquities shall be forgiven them. Sense of pardon to those souls that have feit the burden of sin, much alleviates and lightens the burden of affliction, Strike, Lord, (said Luther) now I am absolved from my sin.

We are always too prone to fall into extremes, to sin either in excess or in defect; too much, or too little; we are faulty both ways. As for sin, which is the worst of evils, we are apt to be troubled too little. How few fail here in the excess, tho' it is possible so to do; and some have, that refuse to be comforted by all the sweet promises of Christ in the gospel: but there are but few of those; most of us fail in the defect. We are not troubled for sins so much as we should; our sins do not lie so hard and heavy upon us as they should; our hearts do seldom feel the weight of sin pressing us down: many sins lie light on us; our vain thoughts our omis sions, careless performance of holy duties, misspending precious time, idle talk, &c. and such like evils, which should trouble us most, they trouble us least.

But our afflictions, which, comparatively, are but light, lie too heavy upon us, and press us down even to the dust. So, in respect of afflictions themselves, we are apt to run into extremes, against which the Holy Ghost gives caution as to both extremes. Prov. iii. 11, 12. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his Chastisements; the Apostle explains it, neither faint when thou art corrected of him, Heb. xii. 5, 6. Adding a most powerful argument against those extremes; ver. 6. For whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth, even as