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Christ’s lucky hand. Our vessels are but feckless, and contain little: His fulness is most straitned were it wants a vent. It is easy for Christ to be holden busy in dividing the fulness of his Father’s house to his poor friends: He delights not to keep mercy over night. Every day brings new mercies to the people of God: He is the easiest merchant ever the people of God yoked with: If ye be pleased with the wares, what of his graces make best for you, he and you will soon sort on the price. he will sell goods cheap that ye may spier for his shop again; and he draws all the sale to himself. I counsel you to go no farther than Christ. And now when it is come to your door, either to sin or suffer, I counsel you to lay your account with suffering; for an out-gate coming from any other airth, will be prejudicial to your soul's interest. And for your encouragement, remember he sends none a warfare on their own charges. And blest is the man that gives Christ all his money. It will be best for you to block with him, when you want hand-money. And the less you have, he has the more heart to trust you and so it is best with you to keep in with your old acquaintance Christ. New acquaintance with strange lords, is the ready way to make a wound in grace’s side, which will not heal in haste; the sore may close before the wound dry up; for grace is a tender place, and is very easily distempered with the backslidings of our present time; and if the wheels of it be once broken with sin, all the money in the world will not make it go about, until it be put in Christ’s hand. I hope I have said more on this matter than is needful; for I have seen marks of tenderness deeply drawn on your carriage, the safest way to shift the shower, is to hold out of God’s gate, and keep within his doors, until the violence of the storm begin to ebb which is not yet full tide. Christ deals tenderly with his young plants,and waters them oft, lest they go back; be painful, and lose not life for the seeking. Grace, mercy and peace be with you.
