And therefore let us sift our actions, and our passions, and see what is flesh in them, and what is spirit, and so separate the precious from the vile. It is good likewise to consider what sin we were guilty of before, which moved God to give us up to excess in any passion, and wherein we have grieved his Spirit. Passion wiU be more moderate when thus it knows it must come to the trial and censure. This course wdll either make us weary of passion, or else passion will make us weary of this strict com-se. We shall find it the safest way to give our hearts no rest tiU we have ■wrought on them to purpose, and gotten the mastery over them.
When the soul is inured to this dealing with itself, it will leam the skUl to command, and passions will be soon commanded, as being inured to be examined and checked ; as we see dogs, and such like domestical creatures, that will not regard a stranger, yet will be quieted in brawls presently by the voice of their master, to which they are accustomed. This fits us for
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service. Unbroken spirits are like unbroken horses, unfit for any use until they be thoroughly subdued.
(5.) And it were best to prevent, as much as in us lieth, the very first risings, before the soul be overcast. Passions are but httle motions at the first, but grow as rivers do, greater and greater, the farther they are carried from their spring. The first risings are the more to be looked unto, be- cause there is most danger in them, and we have least care over them. Sin, like rust, or a canker, will by little and little eat out all the graces of the soul. There is no staying when we are once down the hill, till we come to the bottom. No sin but is easier kept out than driven out. If we can- not prevent wicked thoughts, yet we may deny them lodging in our hearts. It is our giving willing entertainment to sinful motions that increaseth guilt, and hindereth our peace. It is that which moveth God to give us up to a further degree of evil aflections. Therefore what we are afraid to do before men, we should be afraid to think before God. It would much farther our peace to keep our judgments clear, as being the eye of the soul, whereby we may discern in every action and passion what is good and what is evil ; as likewise to preserve tenderness of heart, that may check us at the first, and not brook the least evil being discovered. When the heart begins once to be kindled, it is easy to smother the smoke of passion, which otherwise will fume up into the head, and gather into so thick a cloud as we shall lose the sight of ourselves, and what is best to be done. And therefore David here labours to take up his heart at the first ; his care was to crush the very first insurrections of his soul, before they came to break forth into open rebel- lion. Storms we know rise out of little gusts. Little risings neglected cover the soul before we are aware. If we would check these risings, and stifle them in their birth, they would not break out afterwards to the re- proach of religion, to the scandal of the weak, to the ofience of the strong, to the grief of God's Spirit in us, to the disturbance of our own spirits in doing good, and to the disheartening of us in troubling of our inward peace, and thereby weakening our assurance. Therefore let us stop beginnings as much as may be ; and so soon as they begin to rise, let us begin to exa- mine what raised them, and whither they are about to carry us, Ps. iv. 4. The way to be still is to examine ourselves first, and then censure what stands not with reason. As David doth, when he had given way to unbe- fitting thoughts of God's providence, ' So fooUsh,' saith he, ' was I, and as a beast before thee,' Ps. Ixxiii. 22. %
Especially then, look to these sinful stirrings when thou art to deal with God. I am to have communion with a God of peace, what then do turbulent thoughts and aflections in my heart ? I am to deal with a patient God, why should I cherish revengeful thoughts ? Abraham drove away the birds fi'om the sacrifice. Gen. xv. 11. Troublesome thoughts, like birds, will come before they be sent for, but they should find entertainment accordingly.
(6.) In all our grievance let us look to something that may comfort tis, as ivell as discourage ; look to that we enjoy, as well as that we want. As in prosperity God mingles some crosses to diet us, so in all crosses there is something to comfort us. As there is a vanity lies hid in the best worldly good, so there is a blessing lies hid in the worst worldly evil. God usually maketh up that with some advantage in another kind, wherein wo are inferior to others. Others are in greater place, so they are in greater danger. Others be richer, so their cares and snares be greater : the poor in the world may be richer in faith than they, James ii. 5. The soul can better digest and master a low estate than a prosperous, and