Divine contemplations, and spiritual breathings of Mr. Henry Dorney

1669. To D. H. N^o 97.

I Am refreshed in that experience you have had of the good hand of God towards you: and though God has caused you to walk in many rough Paths, as to your outward Condition, yet he still appears a God of all Grace; and doth in these things plainly tell you, that this World is not your Rest; and there∣fore you meet with Thorns and Briars here, that you may have the fresher desires maintained in your heart, aspiring upwards. The greatest of earthly Contentments will be of no worth nor use in Hea∣ven; neither can they of themselves, any way add to the Comfort or thriving of a spiritual Life here on Earth. The only Life we are allowed to live in this World is the Life of Faith; which grows bet∣ter under difficulties, than in a smooth state of Af∣fairs in this World. I know no sweeter Entertain∣ment that God can give in this World to his poor Children, than that he give often Convincement that the best of this World is too lean Diet for them to feed upon; and so make them take the truer taste of that Marrow and Fatness which in Christ, they are always to live upon; that is no less than God himself, the Fountain of Blessedness, Safety, Peace, Sufficiency, and solid Joy. What can come amiss to that Soul, which Christ undertakes by all things, and through all things, to bring to himself? For this end he died; and this is the great end of every Trial you meet with; and upon this Ground the Spirit saith, Rejoyce when you fall into divers Temptations. All the Glory, Fulness, and Ease of this World is but horrour and distress to a convinced Soul, that looks on God as an Enemy: but nothing can be dis∣mayingly

sad, when God saith, I am thine; when Infinite saith, I am thine; I who am the Maker of all things, am thy Husband; thy Trials shall not quite overwhelm thee; thy sins shall not ruine thee; Death it self shall not destroy thee. O Death, where is thy Destruction, when God shall say, I will be with thee in the Fire, and in the Water? Thy Person is ac∣cepted, thy Prayers (though in thy own eyes with∣out any form or comeliness) are sweet, and accepted in Christ, who hath chosen thee, and thou hast cho∣sen him. What shall I say? The freeness of God's Grace in Christ, his powerful and most voluntary Love is such, where-ever it darts, that neither Sin nor Devil can stand before it, to hinder a jot of all that good which such a God has promised and un∣dertook to perform; and that meerly upon the Ac∣count of his own Name, streaming forth through Christ in the Gospel, to such poor impenitent Crea∣tures as you and I are. I shall add no more at pre∣sent; but committing you to this God, whose you are, whom you serve, and who will never leave nor forsake; but guide you by his Counsel, and support you by his Spirit, till he has brought you to Glory, the perfection and fulness of what you pray and long for, &c.