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THE

DIVINE LIFE:

IN

THREE TREATISES.

THE FIRST, OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

THE SECOND, OF WALKING WITH GOD.

THE THIRD, OF CONVERSING WITH GOD IN SOLITUDE.

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TO THE

RIGHT HONOURABLE AND EXEMPLARY

MADAM,

LADY ANNE,

COUNTESS OF BALCARRES.

IN hope of the fuller pardon of my delay, I now present you with two other Treatises besides the Sermon (enlarged), which at your desire I preached at your departure hence. I knew of many and great afflictions, which you had undergone in the removal of your dearest friends, which made this subject seem so suitable and seasonable to you at that time: but I knew not that God was about to make so great an addition to your trials in the same kind, by taking to himself the principal branch of your noble family (by a rare disease, the emblem of the mortal malady now reigning).* I hope this loss also shall promote your gain, by keeping you nearer to your heavenly Lord, who is so jealous of your affections, and resolved to have them entirely to himself: and then you will still find, that you are not alone, nor deprived of your dearest or most necessary friend, while the Father, the Son, the sanctifying and comforting Spirit is with you. And it should not be hard to reconcile us to the disposals of so sure a Friend. Nothing but good can come from God; however the blind may miscal it, who know no good or evil, but what is measured by the private standard of their selfish interest, and that as judged of by sense. Eternal Love engaged by covenant to make us happy, will do nothing but what we shall find at last, will terminate in that blessed end. He envied you not your son, as too good for you, or too great a mercy, who hath given you his own Son, and with him the mercy of eternal life. Corporal sufferings with spiritual blessings are the ordinary lot of believers. here on earth: as corporal prosperity with spiritual calamity is the lot of the ungodly. And I beseech you consider, that God knoweth better than you or I, what an ocean your

* Charles, Earl of Balcarres, who died of a stone in his heart, of a very great magnitude.

son was ready to launch out into, and how tempestuous and terrible it might have proved, and whether the world that he is saved from, would have afforded him more of safety or seduction, of comfort or calamity? Whether the protraction of the life of your noble husband, to have seen our sins and their effects and consequents, would have afforded him greater joy or sorrow? Undoubtedly as God had a better title to your husband and children, and friends than you had, so it is much better to be with him, than to be with you, or with the best or greatest upon earth. The heavenly inhabitants fear not our fears, and feel not our afflictions. They are past our dangers, and out of the reach of all our enemies, and delivered from our pains and cares, and have the full possession of all those mercies which we pray and labour for. Can you think your children and friends that are with Christ, are not safer and better than those that yet remain with you? Do you think that earth is better than heaven for yourself? I take it for granted you cannot think so, and will not say so: and if it be worse for you, it is worse for them. The Providence, which by hastening their glorification, doth promote your sanctification; which helpeth them to the end, and helpeth you in the way, must needs be good to them and you, however it appear to flesh and unbelief. O madam, when our Lord hath shewed us (as he will shortly do) what a state it is to which he bringeth the spirits of the just, and how he doth there entertain and use them, we shall then be more competent judges of all those acts of Providence, to which we are now so hardly reconciled! Then we shall censure our censurings of these works of God, and be offended with our offences at them, and call ourselves blind, unthankful sinners, for calling them so bad as we did in our misjudging unbelief and passion. We shall not wish ourselves or friends again on earth, among temptations and pains, and among uncharitable men, malicious enemies, deceitful flatterers, and untrusty friends! When we see that face which we long to see, and know the things which we long to feel, and are full of the joys which now we can scarce attain a taste of, and have reached the end which now we seek, and for which we suffer, we shall no more take it for a judgment to be taken from ungodly men, and from a world of sin, and fear, and sorrow; nor shall we envy the wicked, nor ever

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