Divine contemplations, and spiritual breathings of Mr. Henry Dorney

1662. To P. D. N^o 68.

I Have no other thing to recommend to you but this; that as you have already found this pre∣sent World to be a slippery Foundation, so beware how you lay the whole stress of your Expectation upon it, or the persons in it. A thirsty Man may dream that he drinketh; yet when he awakes he may faint. The drink of a Dream gives not nourish∣ment; 'tis only the Water of Life, issuing from the Rock Christ, that is satisfying and healing; He that drinks thereof shall never thirst. Frowns and favours of Men are some of the strongest Engines the Devil has, to shake a Soul from simple and single hearted following of the Lamb: and besides them, the trea∣chery

of our carnal and unbelieving hearts is ever watching to betray our poor Souls into a dis-relish of the pure paths of Life; dulling the edge of Zeal, and blinding the eye from beholding the Excellency that lies in the Person of Christ crucified and risen, and the excellent Grace that has shone from Heaven for recovering poor Sinners out of the Snare of the De∣vil. So that you and I have need to be much attending at the Foot-stool of that Throne where the Lord of Life sways the Scepter of Relief, Mercy, and saving Health for all Comers. Let my Portion be in the Fountain of Life, and not in the broken Cisterns of earthly deceitful Contents. If you would save your self from grieving the good Spirit of God (which I trust, dwells in you) retire your self as much as you can into the Contemplation of such things as may cause the fear and love of God to be and remain with some odoriferous Verdure, and kindly grow in your Soul. And take an ingenious and serious view, whe∣ther the Plants of the Lord do flourish, or else are blighted: No less than an infiniteness of Power is requisite to such work; and he only who engageth his heart to it, lieth under the Promise of the Influ∣ences of Heaven, to quicken and satisfie him with good things full of Marrow. I have no more, but recommending you to the Lord, to keep you from declining in a declining time; and that you may be preserved from evil, and your Affections be where Christ is. I remain, &c.