per, arifing from a full conviction that whatever happens unto us is according to God's appointment, and that whatever he appoints is always beft. This is the only folid foundation upon which our Submiffion can be built; and Submission is that duty which of all others conduces to our eafe and quiet, which conducts us with a steady course through all the storms of life, which foftens every forrow, affwages every pain, and blunts the edge of the most fevere misfortunes.

When we reflect on the fufferings of human nature in general, and those which we ourselves groan under in particular, the unequal diftribution of them, fo that the lives of some men glide on in ferenity and peace, whilft others know nothing but misfortunes from the cradle to the grave, and that oftentimes the righteous suffer,

and

and the wicked profper, upon fuch reflections we are often tempted to call in queftion the Justice of God, and cavil at his difpenfations; actuated by a principle of self-approbation, we are readier to condemn any thing than ourselves, to impute our fufferings to any rather than the true caufe, to clear ourselves, and accufe God. A practice this as unreasonable as impious, greatly prejudicial to our own interests, and injurious to his honour; instead of removing it augments our fufferings, increafes God's difpleafure, and inspires all thofe uneafy paffions, and produces those difhoneft actions, which are the general confequences of a difcontented mind. Submiffion on the contrary, fuch a Submission as giveth thanks in all things, has not only a tendency in itself to alleviate our griefs, but also to prevail on God to remove them.

However

However dark and mysterious, unintel ligible and inconfiftent the ways of Providence may appear, this patient and refigned temper receives and fuffers all things without repining; and is firmly perfuaded, that in a future ftate all which feems dark and mysterious in God's government fhall be cleared up, all that feems unintelligible fhall be thoroughly explained, and all which feems inconfiftent fhall be fully re conciled; fo that however we may repine at our fufferings here, we fhall fee the juftice and good tendency of them hereafter, It is indeed impoffible for us to fuffer and not to feel, what is required of us is to feel like men, and bear like Christians; neither are our endeavours to extricate ourselves, or our prayers that God would deliver us, any ways oppofite to this duty, but are themselves duties which ought always to accompany our fufferings as we are reason

able

able creatures, and as we are Chriftians; only let us ufe no endeavours but fuch as are ftrictly juft, no prayers but what are offered up with that refignation of which Christ has fet us an example; we may befeech God, that the cup may pass from us, but always with this conclufion, not my will, O Lord, but thy will be done. This is a temper which every man ought always to carry about with him, and yet it is a point in which the very best of us are apt to fall fhort; I fhall therefore conclude this discourse with fubjoining fome of the many motives which might be offered for the enforcement of this duty.

First, let us confider the perfon who brings these sufferings upon us; it is God; a Being of whose nature we can have no true notion, without acknowledging him endued

endued with Almighty Power, perfect Goodness, and confummate Wisdom.

In confequence of the first of these attributes he rules and governs all things, brings to pass whatfoever he fees fit, and fuffers no oppofition nor controul, he is mighty in ftrength, who hath hardened himself against him and profpered? And if God, who brings thefe fufferings upon us, is of fuch infinite power, how imprudent is it in us to murmur and repine at what we can no ways prevent, how unfafe to provoke a power, which we are utterly incapable of refifting? This argument, however-ftrong. when applied to our weakness and neceffity is, it must be confeft, but little calculated to engage and work upon the heart; it demands out fubmiffion through fear, but not through

love;