tion, or
extraordinary manifestations. For we should not tempt the Lord, nor set
limits to him, neither should we prescribe means and ways to him,--we
must be satisfied with the ordinary means which he hath appointed, and
wait at wisdom's doors, with our ears nailed to his posts.

13. Whatever point of truth they learn, or whatever measure of knowledge
they get, they would do well to give that back again to Christ, to keep
for them against a time of need; and wait on him for grace to improve it
for his glory.

14. Let them beware of minding things too high, Psalm cxxxi. 1. It is
better to fear, and to stand in awe, and to seek to lay the foundations
well, to get the saving knowledge of things necessary to salvation. This
will yield most peace and satisfaction.

CHAPTER XIV.

HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST, AS TRUTH, FOR COMFORT, WHEN TRUTH IS
OPPRESSED AND BORN DOWN.

There is another difficulty, wherein believing souls will stand in need
of Christ, as the truth, to help them; and that is, when his work is
overturned, his cause borne down, truth condemned, and enemies, in their
opposition to his work, prospering in all their wicked attempts. This is
a very trying dispensation, as we see it was to the holy penman of Psalm
lxxiii. for it made him to stagger, so that his feet were almost gone,
and his steps had well nigh slipt; yea he was almost repenting of his
being a godly person, saying, ver. 13, "Verily I have cleansed my heart
in vain, and washed my hands in innocency." It was something like this,
which made Jeremiah say, chap. viii. 18, "When I would comfort myself
against sorrow, my heart is faint in me." The harvest was past, and the
summer was ended, and yet they were not saved, ver. 20; and they looked
for peace, but no good came, and for a time of health, but behold
trouble, ver. 15--and this was fainting and vexatious. And what made
Baruch, Jeremiah's faithful companion in tribulation, say, "Woe is me
now! for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my
sighing, and I find no rest," Jer. xlv. 3, but this, that all things
were turning upside down. God was breaking down that, which he had
built; and plucking up that which he had planted. Tribulation and
suffering for a good cause, is even fainting to some; as the Apostle
hinteth, Ephes. iii. 13, when he says, wherefore, "I desire that ye
faint not at my tribulation for you." And that which evinceth the danger
of this dispensation, is the fai