2. It is therefore Juſt and Reaſonable for us to think, that if the Inferiour Animals have a kind of Felicity or Happineſs attending their being, and ſuitable to it, that much more Man, the nobler being, ſhould not be deſtitute of any Happineſs attending his being, and ſuitable to it.

3. But rather conſequently, that Man, being the nobler Creature, ſhould not only have an Happineſs as well as Inferiour Animals, but he ſhould have it placed in ſome more Noble and Excellent rank and kind than that wherein the Brutes have their Happineſs placed.

4. It is plain that the Inferiour Animals have a Happineſs or Felicity proportionate to their Nature and Fabrick; which as they exceedingly deſire, ſo they do in a great meaſure Enjoy: namely, a ſenſible Good, anſwering their ſenſible Appetite. Every thing hath Organs and Inſtruments anſwerring to the Uſe and Convenience of their Faculties; Organs for their Senſe and Local motion, and for their Feeding, for their Generation of their kind: Every thing hath its peculiar Inſtincts and Connatural Artifices and Energies for the Exerciſes of their Organs and Faculties for their Preſervation and Nouriſhment: Every thing hath a ſupply of External Objects anſwering thoſe Faculties, Deſires and Inſtincts; Meats proper for their Nouriſhment; Places proper for their Repoſe; difference of Sexes in their ſeveral kinds anſwering their Procreative Appetite: And moſt commonly ſuch a proportion of Health and Integrity of Nature, as goes a long to that period of time allotted for their duration; and in default thereof they are for the moſt part furniſhed with Medicines naturally provided for them, which they naturally know and uſe, ſo that they ſeem to want nothing that is neceſſary to the complement of a Senſible Felicity.

It is true, they are in a great meaſure Subjected to the Dominion of Mankind, which is ſometimes over ſeverely exerciſed, but then they have the Benefit of Supplies from them, Protection under them, and, if they meet not with Maſters more unreaſonable than themſelves, they find Moderation from them. They are alſo expoſed to the Rapine one of another, the weaker Beaſts, Birds and Fiſhes, being commonly the prey of the greater: but yet they are commonly endued with Nimbleneſs, v. Lactant. de Opific. Dei. c. 2. Artifices or Shifts to avoid their Adverſaries. But be theſe what Abatements of their Senſible Happineſs may be, yet they have certain Negative Advantages that conduce very much to their Happineſs, or at leaſt remove very much of what might abate it, and thereby render their fruition more free and perfect and uninterrupted, for inſtance, they ſeem to have no Anticipations or Fear of Death as a common Evil incident to their nature: They have no Anticipations of Dangers till they immediately preſent themſelves unto them: They have no great ſenſe or apprehenſions of any thing better than what at preſent they enjoy: They are not under the Obligation of any Law, or under the Senſe of any ſuch thing, and conſequently the Sincereneſs of what they enjoy, not interrupted by the ſtrokes of Conſcience under a ſenſe of deviation from Duty, or Guilt.

5. It is therefore plain, that if the Humane Nature have no greater or better Happineſs than what is accommodate only to a Senſible Nature, they have no greater Happineſs than the Beaſts have, which is not reaſonable to be ſuppoſed for a Nature ſo far exceeding them.

6. Farther yet, if the Humane Nature were not under a capacity of a greater Happineſs than what is terminated in Senſe, mankind were much more Ʋnhappy than the baſeſt Animal; and the more Excellent the Humane Nature is above the Beaſts, nay, the more excellent any one individual of the Humane kind were above another, the more miſerable he were, and the more uncapable of being in any meaſure happy: for the more Wiſe and Sagacious any man were, the more he muſt needs be ſenſible of Death, which ſenſe would ſower all the Happineſs of a ſenſible Good: the more ſenſible he muſt needs be, not only of the ſhortneſs and uncertainty of ſenſible Enjoyments, but alſo of their Poorneſs, Emptineſs, Inſufficiency, Diſſatisfactorineſs. It is evident, that a Fool ſets a greater rate upon a Senſible Good than a Man truly Wiſe, and conſequently the Fool could be the only man capable of Happineſs: for it is moſt certain, that according to the meaſure of the Eſteem that any man hath of any good he enjoys, ſuch is the meaſure of his Happineſs in that Enjoyment, Since the Happineſs is ſomewhat that is intrinſecal to the Senſe or Mind that enjoys it. A thing really Good can never make that man Happy, who is under a Senſe of Evil or Inconvenience by that enjoyment, ſo long as he is under that ſenſe. Since therefore it is prepoſterous and unreaſonable to ſuppoſe that Man, the beſt of terreſtrial Creatures, and Wiſe men, the beſt of men, ſhould be Excluded from at leaſt an equal degree of Happineſs with the Beaſts that periſh; and ſince it muſt needs be that a bare Senſible Good can never communicate to a man an Equal degree of Happineſs with a Beaſt, nor to a Wiſe man an Equal degree of Happines with a Fool, it remains, there muſt needs in common reaſon be ſome other ſubject wherein the Happineſs of a Man, of a Wiſe Man, muſt conſiſt, that is not barely Senſible Good.

7. All the good things of this Life they are but Senſible Goods, and therefore they cannot be the true matter of that Happineſs, which we may reaſonably think belongs to the reaſonable Nature as ſuch, the former will appear by an induction of particulars, which I ſhall purſue in order, with the particular inſtances of their Inſufficiencies to make up a true Happineſs to the Reaſonable Nature, as well as that general that they are but Senſible Goods, and meerly accommodated to a Senſible Life and Nature.

1. Life it ſelf is not as ſuch a ſufficient conſtituent of Happineſs: and the Inſtance is Evident, becauſe it is poſſible that Life it ſelf may be Miſerable: there may be Life where there is Sickneſs, Pain, Diſgrace, Poverty, and all thoſe External Occurrences that may render life Grievous and Burthenſome. Life may indeed be the Subject of Happineſs, when it hath all thoſe contributions that concur to make it ſuch; but Life alone, and as ſuch, cannot be Happineſs, becauſe there may be a Miſerable Life.

2. Thoſe Bona Corporis or Compoſiti, the Goods of the Body, are not ſufficient to make up a ſuitable Happineſs to the Reaſonable Nature; as Health, Strength; for the Beaſts themſelves enjoy this, and for the moſt part, the Brutes enjoy a greater meaſure of theſe than Mankind: and beſides ſtill, there is that which is like the Worm at the root of the Gourd, that ſpoils the Happineſs that muſt ariſe from it; viz. Mortality and Death, which will certainly pull down this Tabernacle, and Man hath an unintermitted Pre-apprehenſion of it, which ſowers the very enjoyment it ſelf. And in this as hath been ſaid, the Beaſts that periſh have a pre-eminence over Mankind; for though both are Mortal, yet the Beaſt is not under that Pre-apprehenſion of it that Man inceſſantly hath, whereby his Fruition of that Happineſs of Health is the more Sincere, and this conſideration muſt run through all thoſe other contributions of Senſible Goods, that hereafter follow. And as for Beauty, the Happineſs thereof as it is but fading and empty, ſo the Felicity that it gives, is not to the party that hath it, but to others, unto whom perchance it may be a delightful and amiable ſpectacle, but not to him that hath it.

2. The Seaſon for this Duty, that is here principally commended, is, The days of our Youth. And the Reaſons that commend that Seaſon for this Duty are principally theſe:

1. Becauſe this is the moſt Accepted Time. God Almighty was pleaſed under the Old Law to intimate this, in (the) reſervation to himſelf of the firſt fruits, and the firſt born. And ſurely, the firſt fruits of our Lives, when dedicated to his remembrance, are beſt accepted to him.

2. Becauſe this Seaſon is commonly our Turning Seaſon to Good or Evil. And if in Youth we forget our Creator, it is very great difficulty to reſume our Duty: Commonly it requires either very extraordinary Grace, or very ſtrong Affliction, to reclaim a Man to his Duty, whoſe Youth hath been ſeaſoned with ill Principles, and the Forgetfulneſs of God.

3. Becauſe the time of Youth is moſt Obnoxious to forget God; there is great Inadvertency and Inconſiderateneſs, Incogitancy, Unſtableneſs, Vanity, Love of Pleaſures, Eaſineſs to be corrupted in Youth; and therefore neceſſary in this ſeaſon to lodge the Remembrance of our Creator in our Youth, to be an Antidote againſt theſe defects, to eſtabliſh and fix the entrance of our lives with this great Preſervative, the Remembrance of our Creator.

4. When Almighty God lays hold of our Youth, by a timely Remembrance of himſelf, and thereby takes the firſt poſſeſſion of our Souls, commonly it keeps its ground, and ſeaſons the whole courſe of our enſuing Lives; it prevents and anticipates the Devil and the World. It is true, it may poſſibly be, that Natural Corruption and Worldly Temptations may ſuſpend the actings of this Principle, but it is rarely extinguiſhed: It is like that abiding ſeed remaining in him: ſpoken of by John. 1 Joh. 3.9. Which will recover him again.

5. The laſt reaſon is becauſe there are Evil Days that will certainly come, which will render this work of Remembring our Creator difficult to be firſt begun: and therefore it is the greateſt Prudence imaginable to lay in this ſtock, before they come, for it will certainly ſtand us in great ſtead when they come. It is the greateſt Imprudence in the World to defer that buſineſs, which is neceſſary to be done, unto ſuch a time, wherein it is very difficult to be done: and it is the greateſt Prudence in the World to do that work, which muſt be done, in ſuch a ſeaſon wherein it may be eaſily and ſafely done. He that lays in this ſtore of Remembrance of his Creator before the Evil Day come, will find it of the greateſt uſe and ſervice to him in that Evil Day.

Now thoſe Evil Days are many, and all of them befall ſome, but ſome of them will certainly befall all Mankind.

1. An Evil Day of Publick or Private Calamities. He that beforehand hath laid in this ſtock of Remembring his Creator, will be eaſily able to bear any Calamity when it comes; but a man, that hath not done this before hand, will find it a very unſeanable time to begin to ſet about it, when Fear, and Anguiſh, and Perplexity, and Storms, and Confuſion are round about him, and take up all his thoughts.

2. The Evil Day of Sickneſs is an unſeaſonable time, or at leaſt a very difficult time, to begin ſuch a buſineſs. When Sickneſs, and Pain, and Diſorder, and uneaſineſs ſhall render a man Impatient and full of Trouble, and his Thoughts full of Diſorder, and Diſcompoſure, and Waywardneſs, then it will be found a difficult buſineſs to begin the Remembrance of our Creator. It is true, no time is utterly unacceptable of God for this work, but ſurely it is beſt to begin before this Evil day come, for then it will be a comfort and mitigate the Pains and Diſcompoſure of Sickneſs, when a man can thus reflect upon his life paſt, as Hezekiah did in his Sickneſs; Remember, O Lord, that I have not failed to remember my Creator in the days of my Health.

3. The evil Day of Old and Infirm Age, which is a Diſeaſe and burthen of it ſelf, and yet is ever accompanied with other Sickneſſes, Pains and Diſeaſes, and a Natural frowardneſs, and Moroſity, and Diſcontentedneſs of mind, and therefore not ſo ſeaſonable to begin the undertaking of this work as the flouriſhing Youth. And indeed, a man cannot reaſonably expect that the Great God, who invites the Remembring our Creator in the Days of our Youth, and hath been ungratefully denied, ſhould accept the Dreggs of our Age for a Sacrifice, when we have neglected the thoughts of him in our ſtrong and flouriſhing age. But on the other ſide, that man, that hath ſpent the time of his Youth and Strength in the remembrance of his Creator, may with comfort and contentment, in his old and feeble age, reflect upon his paſt life with Hezekiah, Remember, O Lord, I pray thee, that I have not failed to remember thee in the days of my Youth and Strength, and I pray thee accept of the endeavours of my Old Decayed Age to preſerve that Remembrance of thee, which I ſo early began, and have conſtantly continued, and pardon the defects, that the natural decays of my ſtrength and age have occaſioned in that duty.

4. The evil day of Death: when my Soul fits hovering upon my lips and is ready to take its flight, when all the World cannot give my Life any certain truce for a day, or for an hour, and I am under the cold embraces of Death, then to begin to remember my Creator is a difficult and unſeaſonable time: But when I have began that buſineſs early, and held on the Remembrance of my Creator, it will be a Cordial even againſt Death it ſelf, and will carry my Soul unto the Preſence of that God, which I have thus remembred in and from the days of my Youth, with Triumph and Rejoycing.

Briefly therefore:

1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth; becauſe thou knoweſt not whether thou ſhalt have any other Seaſon to Remember him: Death may overtake thee, and lay thee in the Land of Forgetfulneſs: thy Spring may be thy Autumn, and thy early bud may be the only fruit that Mortality may afford thee.

2. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth; becauſe it is a time of Invitation: neglect not this Seaſon, becauſe thou knoweſt not whether ever thou ſhalt be again invited to it.

Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth, that thy Creator may remember thee, in the days of thy Sickneſs, and Old Age, and in the Evil Day.

4. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth, leſt thy Creator neglect thee in the Evil Day. Neglected Favours, eſpecially from thy God, may juſtly provoke him never to lend thee more; Becauſe I called, and ye refuſed, I alſo will laugh at your Calamity, and mock when your Fear cometh. Prov. 1.24, 26.

5. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth, becauſe it will heal the Evil of Evil days, when they come; it will turn thoſe days, that are in themſelves Evil, to become days of Eaſe and Comfort; it will heal the Evil of the day of Affliction, of Sickneſs, of Old Age, and of Death it ſelf, and make it a paſſage into a better, a more abiding Life.

4. It lays open ſuch a Man to the Power and Malice of thoſe envious Spirits; they have gotten him within their Territories and Dominions; and unleſs God in great Mercy reſtrain them, renders a Good Man obnoxious to their Miſchief: And as the contagion and noyſomneſs of Sin, drives away the Pure and Holy Spirits; ſo it attracts and draws together thoſe Impure and Malignant Spirits, as the ſmell of Carrion doth Birds and Beaſts of prey. It concerns us therefore, to be very vigilant againſt all Sin, and if through Inadvertence, Infirmity, or Temptation, we fall into it, to be diligent to make our Peace, and waſh our ſelves as ſoon as we can, in the Blood of Chriſt, and Water of Repentance.

1. Some End that a Man hath in proſpect, which carries a Complacency and Suitableneſs to the mind; as to be Rich, or Powerful, or Learned, or Applauded. Theſe are the ordinary ends of ordinary Men; but there are ends of a nobler Condition, as to be everlaſtingly happy, &c. But of theſe nobler and higher Ends, I do not now ſpeak.

2. That end is alſo repreſented as an End Poſſible and Attainable.

3. That there be alſo a Means propoſed probably conducing to the attaining of that End; and the Hope or Expectation of that End, is the Spirit or Life that puts a Man upon the uſe and exerciſe of that Means, thus conducible to it: For the moſt part the Complacency that is taken in the Exerciſe of the Means to the attaining of the End propoſed, is at all times equal, and moſt times exceeds the Complacency, that is taken in the injoyment of the End when attained; for the reaſon hereafter given: For the End is preſent in Expectation in the moſt ample and Comprehenſive Image or Idea thereof that can be: And this is that which quickens and drives on Action with intenſiveneſs proportionable to that meaſure of Worth and Value, that the Soul puts upon the End thus proſpected. And therefore he that hath a great and high Expectation and Value of the End propounded, acts with Vigor and Induſtry; he that ſets but a low Price or Valuation upon the End, as a buſineſs but little preponderating the Trouble and Induſtry to attain it, is cold in his Proſecution of it: But if the Labor and Induſtry, that is required in the uſe of that means, appear to equal the Good that is attained in the End, the whole action is for the moſt deſerted; as he that ſets a great Value upon Wealth or Honor, ſpares no pains to attain it: So he that ſets but a low value upon it, is flat and lazy in his proſecution of it; and he that looks upon it as not countervailing the pains in acquiring it, ſits ſtill and is idle in it.

For the moſt part the Good Things of this World, are preſented to Men in expectation, not only in their beſt dreſs, but in an Elevated Value above what is in truth in them; and this is therefore ſo upon a double Reaſon.

1. The Wiſe Providence of God permitting it, and that for this excellent End, to keep Men in Action and in Motion; which is of ſingular uſe for Mankind: For if the things exciting the ordinary Actions of Life did appear with no greater an Elevation than poſſibly they do really and intrinſically bear, the moſt part of Mankind would ſit ſtill and do nothing. This very fallacy, that Men put upon themſelves in over expecting, is a Spur to Action and Motion; which in moſt Men would be wholly intermitted, unleſs the very Worldly concerns did ſet them in Action, as the end ſtands thus repreſented to their Expectation.

2. Mankind being indued with a Fancy or Imagination, that hath not only a power of ſeparating the Good of every thing from the Evil that may poſſibly accompany what it expects, but alſo of ſtuffing and filling the Good with great Imaginary Advances, it doth (to pleaſe and gratifie it ſelf) exerciſe both theſe Delightful Deceits. If it finds any good in what it expects, it doth upon choice thruſt away and remove all that Evil that is really annexed to it; that ſo it may not be vexed with the pre-apprehenſions of it; and it multiplies, and augments, and advanceth and magnifieth that Good that it hath left, that ſo he may with the greater delight expect what he, by this phantaſie, hath wrought himſelf up to a belief that he ſhall injoy.

The miſery and unhappineſs that falls upon Mankind, from this advance of the Hope and Expectation of Worldly Ends, is obſervable in one of theſe Events thereof.

When I come to my Inn I have this conſideration preſently occurs to me. If my Lodging be good and fair, the Furniture ſplendid, the Attendance great, the Proviſions good and well ordered; yet I ſtreight conſider this is not the place of my Reſt, I muſt leave it to morrow, and therefore I ſet not my Heart upon it. And again, if my Inn be but poor, my Entertainment mean, my Lodging decayed, I do not preſently ſend for Painters, Carpenters, and Maſons to Repair, or Beautifie it; but I content my ſelf with it, and will bear with the inconveniencies, becauſe I conſider it will be but for a night, and to morrow I ſhall be gone, and poſſibly come to my home, where I ſhall be better convenienced. And although the truth is, that this World is little other than our Inn to entertain us in our Journey to another Life; and our ſtay in it is many times very ſhort, yea, our longeſt ſtay here in compariſon of Eternity, is infinitely more ſhort than a nights lodging at an Inn in compariſon to the longeſt life here; yet it is a wonderful thing to obſerve how much we are taken up with the concerns of this our Inn, what a ſtir we keep about it? what pains and coſt we imploy in it? how much of our time is laid out upon it? as if it were our only home. If our Lot caſt us upon a handſome Lodging (as it were) and in it furniſhed with Wealth, or Glory, or Honor, How we pride our ſelves in it? how goodly we look upon our ſelves? how happy we think our ſelves? what care we have to make it more Rich, Glorious, and Splendid: And on the other ſide, if our Lot caſt us upon a lower, meaner Station; if we are Poor, or Sickly, or Neglected, or under Hatches, what a deal of Impatience, and Diſcontent, and Unquietneſs appears? Nay, though our Lodging and Entertainment in this Inn of the World be pretty well, and will ſerve till we take our Journey; yet if it be not ſo Fine, and Splendid, and Rich, and Comely as anothers; if our Meat be enough to ſuffice nature, if our Cloaths enough to protect us from cold, if our Houſe good enough to keep off the Storms, and defend us from Injuries, yet if theſe be not ſo good as ſuch a Mans, or ſuch a Neighbors, not ſo good as my Anceſtors or Relations, Lord! What a deal of Unquietneſs, and Complaining, and Envy, and Impatience, and Turbulency of mind there is in Men? What Deſigns, and Frauds, and Plots, and Underminings, and Undue Means Men take to advance their own condition, and to depreſs others? and all this while never conſider that which would eaſily cure the extravagance, as well of one hand, as of the other: Namely, This is not my home, it is but my Inn; if it be Beautiful, Splendid, Convenient; if my condition in it be Wealthy, Honorable, Proſperous, I will not ſet my heart upon it, nor think any better of my ſelf for it, nor ſet up my Reſt in it: It is but my Inn, I muſt leave it, it may be to morrow. On the other ſide, if it be but Poor, Weak. Infirm, Ignoble, Low, I will content my ſelf, it is but my Inn, it may ſerve for my paſſage, I ſhall, it may be, leave it to morrow, and then if I have taken that due care that becomes me in my proviſion for my Eternal State, I am certain the caſe will be mended with me; however my Inn be Poor, Mean, Inconvenient, Troubleſome, it is but for a night, my home will be better; I have learned, that I have here no abiding City, but I ſeek one to come. The benefits of the conſideration of this Text are many.

1. It will teach a Man a very low eſteem of this preſent World, and never to ſet the heart upon it. Wilt thou ſet thy heart upon that which is not? It is not an abiding City: Either like the old feigned inchanted Caſtles, it will vaniſh and come to little, while we think we have faſt hold of it; or elſe we muſt leave it, we know not how ſoon: It is full of trouble and vexation when we injoy it; and very unſtable and uncertain is our ſtay in it. 2. But let it be as good as it will, or can be, yet this Text tells of a City that is better worth our thoughts, an abiding City, a City that cannot be ſhaken, where there are no Troubles, no Thorns, no Cares, no Fears, but Righteouſneſs and Everlaſting Peace and Reſt.

2. Conſequently it will teach us to ſeek that which is moſt of value firſt and moſt, and make that our greateſt Endeavor, which is our greateſt Concernment; namely, to ſeek that City that is to come, Peace with God in Chriſt Jeſus, and the Hope of Eternal Life. It is true, while we are in this City that continues not (this Inferior World) God Almighty requires a due care for Externals, and Induſtry in our Imployments, and Diligence in our Callings: It is part of that ſervice we ow to God, to our Families, to our Relations, to our Selves; and being done in Contemplation of his Command, it is an act of Obedience and Religious Duty to him: But this Conſideration will add this Benefit even to our Ordinary Imployments in our Calling, it will be ſure to bring a Bleſſing upon it. Seek first the Kingdom of God, and the Righteouſneſs thereof, and all theſe things ſhall be added unto you. It ſhall be given in, as an advantage and over-meaſure. 2. It will add great Chearfulneſs to the Imployments of your Calling, and to thoſe Worldly Imployments that are requiſite for your ſupport and ſubſiſtence, when you ſhall reſign up your endeavors therein to the Good Pleaſure of Almighty God. 3. It will remove all Vexatious Solicitouſneſs and Anxiety from you, when you ſhall have ſuch Conſiderations as theſe. Almighty God (it is true) hath placed me in this World, as in a paſſage to another, and requires of me an Honeſt Imployment for my ſupport and ſubſiſtence; or elſe hath lent me a reaſonable liberal portion, whereby I may comfortably ſubſiſt without much pains or labor; I will uſe it Soberly, Chearfully, Thankfully: If he bleſs me with Increaſe or greater Plenty, I will increaſe my Humility, Sobriety, and Thankfulneſs; but if it be not his pleaſure to bleſs me with Plenty and Increaſe, his Will be done, I have enough in that I have, there is another more abiding City, wherein I ſhall have ſupplies without Want, or Fears, or Cares.

3. This Conſideration will give abundance of Quietneſs, Patience, Tranquillity of Mind in all conditions. Am I in this World Poor, or Deſpiſed, or Diſgraced, or in Sickneſs, or Pain; yet this Text gives me two great Supports under it. 1. It will be but ſhort, this lower World, the Region of theſe Troubles and Storms, is no continuing, no abiding City, and conſequently the Troubles and Storms of this inferior City are not abiding or long. 2. After this flitting, periſhing City, that thus paſſeth away, this ſower life which is but the Region of Death, there ſucceeds another City that indureth for ever, a City not made with hands, Eternal in the Heavens, a State of Everlaſting Bleſſedneſs, where are neither Cares, nor Tears, nor Fears, nor Poverty, nor Sorrow, nor Want, nor Reproach: I will therefore with all Patience, Chearfulneſs, and Contentedneſs bear whatſoever God pleaſeth to exerciſe me withal in this life; for I well know that my light Afflictions, which are but for a moment, ſhall be attended with a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory.

Theſe Conſiderations will ſeem but dry and empty, to Men that do not deeply and conſiderately weigh matters: Ordinarily young heads think them, at leaſt, unſeaſonable for their youth; but they muſt know that Sickneſs and Death will overtake the youngeſt in time, and that will undeceive People, and render the beſt appearances of this World, either Bitter, or at leaſt Inſipid, and without any pleaſant reliſh; and then the Hopes and Expectations of this City to come, will be more of value to us than the beſt Conveniencies and Delights this lower World can afford. Let us therefore in our health make it our buſineſs to ſecure our Intereſt in it, and it will be our Comfort and Benefit both in Life and Death.

He that ſets his love upon that, which the more he loves, the more he injoys, is ſure to avoid the danger of Diſcontent or Impatience; becauſe he cannot want that which he loves: and though he love ſomething elſe, that may be loſt, yet under that loſs he is not obnoxious to much Impatience or Diſcontent, becauſe he is ſure to retain that which he moſt values and affects, which will anſwer and ſupply leſſer wants with a great advantage: The greateſt bent and portion of his love is laid out in what he is ſure to injoy, and it is but a ſmall portion of love that is left for the thing he is deprived of, and conſequently his diſcontent but little, and cured with the fruition of a more valuable Good.

He that ſets his love upon the Creature, or any reſult from it, as Honor, Wealth, Reputation, Power, Wife, Children, Friends, cannot poſſibly avoid Diſcontent or Impatience; for they are mutable, uncertain, unſatisfactory Goods, ſubject to Caſualties; and according to the meaſure of his love to them, is the meaſure of his Diſcontent and Impatience in the loſs of them, or diſappointment in them.

He that ſets his love upon God, the more he loves him, the more he injoys of him, and the ſurer hold he hath of him. In other things the greateſt danger of diſappointment, and conſequently of impatience, is when he loves them beſt; but the more love we bear to God, the more love he returns to us, and Communicates his Goodneſs the more freely to us. Therefore we are certain that we cannot be diſappointed, nor conſequently have any ground of impatience or diſcontent in that which is our unum magnum, the thing we chiefly value.

He that ſets his intireſt love on God, yet hath a liberty to iſſue a ſubordinate portion of love to other good things; as Health, Peace, Opportunities to do Good, Wife, Children, Friends: And in theſe he may be croſſed and diſappointed. But the predominant love of God delivers the Soul from Diſcontent and Impatience, even under theſe loſſes.

1. Becauſe the Soul is ſtill aſſured of what it moſt values, the love of God returned to the Soul, which compenſates and drowns the other loſs, and the diſcontent that may ariſe upon it.

2. Becauſe the Heart is ſatisfied, that theſe loſſes come from the hand of him, whom he loves, of whoſe Truth, Wiſdom, Love, and Goodneſs he hath aſſurance, and therefore will be delivered out in meaſure, upon moſt juſt Grounds, and for moſt excellent ends. He ſends an Inſtruction along with his Rod; and the Soul reads love as well in the Rod of God, as his Staff.

3. Becauſe the Love of God, taking up the principal bent and ſtrength of the Soul, leaves but a gentle and moderate Affection to the things it loſeth, and conſequently a gentle and eaſie parting with them, or being without them. The great tumult and diſorder that is made in the mind upon Loſſes, Croſſes, or Diſcontents, is not ſo much from the Intrinſical Value of the things themſelves, but from the Eſtimation that is put upon them; were the love to them no more than they deſerve, the Diſcontent and Impatience in the loſs would be very little. Our chiefeſt love, when it is placed upon God, it is placed where it ſhould be; and the mind is then in its right frame and temper, and diſpenſeth his love to other things regularly, and orderly, and proportionably to their worth; and thereby the Diſcontent or Trouble, that ariſeth upon their Loſs or Diſappointment is weighed out according to their true value, agreeable to the juſt meaſure of Reaſon and Prudence: But when our love is out of his place, it becomes Immoderate and Diſorderly; and conſequently the Diſcontents that ariſe upon Diſappointments in the things we immoderately love, become Immoderate, Exorbitant Diſcontents, Impatience, and Perturbation of Mind.

4. Our love to God brings us to a free Reſignation of our will to His: For we therefore love him, becauſe we conclude him moſt Wiſe, moſt Bountiful, moſt Merciful, moſt Juſt, moſt Perfect; and therefore muſt of neceſſity conclude, that his Will is the beſt Will, and fit to be the meaſure and rule of ours, and not ours of his: And in as much as we conclude that no Loſs or Croſs befals us without his Will, we do likewiſe conclude that it is moſt fit to be born: And becauſe he never Wills any thing, but upon moſt Wiſe and Juſt Reaſons, we conclude that ſurely there are ſuch Reaſons in this Diſpenſation; and we ſtudy, and ſearch, and try whether we can ſpell out thoſe Reaſons of his.

3. Conſideration in reſpect of others, even of the very perſons provoking. It may be they are Inſtruments, permitted by God as his Inſtruments, either to correct, or try me. Peradventure God hath bidden Shimei curſe David; be not too violent againſt the Inſtrument, leſt peradventure thou oppoſe therein the principal Agent. Again, many Men are of ſuch a pitiful conſtitution, that their injuries ariſe from very Impotence of Mind in them: Shall I be angry with them, becauſe they want that underſtanding they ſhould have? And yet it is very ſtrange to ſee the weakneſs and folly of our nature in this Paſſion, that it will break into a Perturbation even with Children, Drunken Men, Mad-men, Beaſts; yea, very dumb things: Witneſs our anger with the Cards and Dice, when their chances pleaſe us not; which ſhews the Unreaſonableneſs and Frenzy of this Paſſion.

2. There be ſome Expedients againſt it, even when the occaſion is offered.

1. Carry always a Jealouſie over thy Paſſion, and a ſtrict Watch upon it. Take up this peremptory Reſolution and Practice. I will not be angry, though an occaſion be adminiſtred. And let the return upon that Reſolution be the firſt act after the Provocation given: For if a Man can but bring himſelf to this paſs, that he take not fire upon the firſt offer, the Paſſion will cool: A Man calls then his Reaſon about him, and debates with himſelf: Is there cauſe I ſhould be angry? Or, is there any Good end attainable by it? Or if it be, what is the juſt medium, or ſize, or meaſure of Anger proportionable to that end? And theſe Conſiderations will break the firſt on-ſet of Paſſion, and then it ſeldom prevails: For, it is the firſt Wave that carries on the Perturbation to the end, which if it be broken at the firſt, Serenity of Mind is preſerved with much Contentation, and ſenſe of advantage.

2. Take up this Reſolution, never to give thy ſelf leave to be angry, till thou ſeeſt the juſt Dimenſions of the Provocation. Firſt, Learn whether there be any ſuch thing done or no: For many times we ſhall find that a falſe report, or a miſ-conception in the Mind, ſets up the Image of an Injury, and preſently the Paſſion ſwells upon it; when, it may be, upon a due examination, there is no ſuch thing at all. Secondly, Admit there be an injury, yet learn what the Circumſtances of it are: For till that be known, though thou haſt a mind to be angry, thou knoweſt not what Proportion or Meaſure of Anger to allow, till thou knoweſt the Meaſure of the injury done. It may be it is not ſo great; or it may be it was done by miſtake; it may be it was done upon ſome provocation given by thee, or at leaſt ſo underſtood; and then it is not ſo malicious: and it may be the Man is coming to make thee amends, or to ask thee pardon. This will give leaſure to thy Reaſon, to thy Grace, to come in; and will break the firſt ſhock, which the cholerick blood gives to the Heart, which raiſeth the combuſtion; and then a Thouſand to one it comes to nothing, and either dies preſently, or languiſheth below the name of a Paſſion.

3. In caſe of Provocation to Anger by Words, conſider this, that there is nothing ſo much gratifies an ill Tongue, as when it finds an angry hearer: nor nothing ſo much diſappoints and vexeth it as Calmneſs and Unperturbedneſs. It is the moſt exquiſite and innocent Revenge in the World to return gentle words, or none at all to ill language. But on the other ſide, Anger and Perturbation doth not only produce what thy adverſary deſires, but alſo puts a Diſcompoſedneſs and Impotence upon thee, that thou becomeſt unable to keep ſilence, or to ſpeak with that reaſon and advantage thou ſhouldeſt.

2. But alaſs! when we have uſed all the Care and Induſtry, and Watchfulneſs we can, who can ſay he hath made his wayes clean before God? our Proſperity, and the Temptations that await us from without, and the Corruptions that are within us, give us often falls that we know of, and many more that we know not of: if therefore the neceſſity of our condition ſubject us to Afflictions, and the prevalence of our Corruptions ſubject us to Temptations, what hope can I have to have a comfortable Affliction, when I cannot hope to have an Innocent Converſation? yet there is another expedient to eaſe and lighten Afflictions: If thou canſt not be Innocent, yet be ſincere and upright Hearted, an Honeſt and Plain Heart, that holds no confederacy with any known Sin, keeps a quiet Conſcience even under Affliction it ſelf. If thou haſt not a perfect Life, yet be careful in thy Proſperity thou keep a perfect Heart.

3. But yet if thy Heart hath proved deceitful to thee, and thou hadſt fallen into any Sin, yet there remains one expedient to ſtop and anticipate the malignity of it from mingling with thy Affliction: Before Afflictions come, be ſure thou break of thy Sin by Repentance. Every Sin leaves a kind of Poyſon in the Soul, and there it many times lies raked up till an evil day comes, and then it begins to work to ſome purpoſe: Sound and Serious Repentance fetcheth out this Core, this neſt of malignity; cleanſeth this Ulcer that Sin hath gathered. And leſt the malignity of Sin ſhould remain in thy Soul, when Affliction overtakes thee, be careful. 1. That thy Repentance be frequent and iterated; and to that end let thy Examinations of thy heart and life be ſtrict and daily. Poſſibly thou mayſt find a Sin upon the review that thou didſt not before eſpie, that may deſerve a ſpecial Repentance: but if thou doſt not, yet thy Sins of daily Incurſion require a daily Repentance. 2. That thy Repentance, upon any known Sin committed, be Speedy while thou art in thy Proſperity; let it not lie upon thee till to morrow. Who can tell whether ſome bitter Affliction may not overtake thee before thou haſt repented? and then that Sin will reach out its Venome and Malignity into thy Affliction, and make it worſe. Therefore intercept that accurſed influence of Sin by a ſpeedy Repentance. Thy Repentance will be the eaſier, and thy Affliction the lighter; thy Heart the ſtronger to bear it, thy Acceſs unto Heaven for Deliverance the readier. When a Man lies under a Sin till Affliction come, he hath two great Suits to diſpatch in the Court of Heaven: Firſt, To gain his Pardon. Secondly, To gain Deliverance from, or ſtrength under Affliction. Be careful therefore to get the former diſpatched in thy Proſperity: thou haſt the leſs to do under thy Affliction. When Guilt and Affliction come upon a Man together, they add to each others weight and difficulty of removal: but Affliction meeting with a Conſcience cleanſed by Faith and Repentance is always tolerable, and for the moſt part Comfortable; it loſeth its nature, and becomes another thing; It is a prevention of Sin, a Corrective of Corruptions, an Exerciſe of Grace, a Conformity to Chriſt, an Aſſurance of Gods love, a Preparative for Heaven, rather than an Affliction.

4. Above all things be very careful that thy Affliction be not the just production of thy Sin or Folly: for in the one caſe thou ſuffereſt as an Evil Doer; in the other thou ſuffereſt as a Fool; and in neither thou canſt take any Comfort. If thou ſuffereſt without thy fault, or for thy Vertue, Piety, and Goodneſs, thou needeſt not be troubled for the one, and thou mayſt moſt juſtly rejoyce in the other: but to ſuffer as an Evil Doer, or as a Buſie-body in other mens matters, or for ill Language or Paſſionate Words, or Diſturbance of the civil Power; theſe take away both the Comfort and the Glory of theſe Sufferings. Nay, though the end intended in theſe Extravagances, may poſſibly be good, and though the Puniſhment inflicted excede the due proportion, and ſo hath ſomewhat of injuſtice or extremity in the infliction, yet ſuch a kind of ſuffering brings little Honour to God, little Peace to a Mans ſelf, and little Advantage to others; but rather the contrary. A Man that hath Sins about him hath ill Companions, and ſuch as abate the Comfort, even of an Innocent Suffering: but when a Man ſuffers for a Sin, or any unjuſtifiable Action, his ſufferings loſe the name of Afflictions, and become formally, and in their own nature Puniſhments: and in ſuch a kind of ſuffering, though ſometimes the Goodneſs and Wiſdom of God brings Good out of it to the party that ſuffers, yet in ſuch, a Man doth not only undergo temporal Loſs, Pain and Inconvenience, but hath the inevitable proſpect of his Fault and Offence in them, which makes the ſuffering the more bitter and diſtaſtful.

5. Be careful to bring thy ſelf to a right Estimate of the World, and the Good or Evil of it. Our over valuation of the World is that which makes us excede either in the Comfort we take in the enjoyments, or in the Perturbation that we ſuffer in the Loſſes or Croſſes of it: and commonly according to the meaſure of our Love unto, or valuation of the things of this life, ſuch is the meaſure of our Grief or Sorrow, or Diſpondency, or Anger, or Vexation that we entertain in our loſs or diſappointment in them: for indeed all other Paſſions and Perturbations of the Mind are but the Handmaids of the Paſſions of Love, or Love acted in a different ſhape or method, if I ſet too high a value upon my Wealth, or my Health, or my Honour, or my Relations, or my Credit, then my loſs or diſappointment of any of them will produce an Exceſs of Sorrow, or Vexation, or Deſpondency, or Anger, or Revenge. Therefore let it be thy buſineſs in the time of thy quiet and proſperity, in the firſt place to ſettle thy Judgment aright, and conſequently thy Affections aright, in reference to Externals. Conſider, firſt they are but Externals: they have no ingredient at all into the Man; a Man may be a Fool, or a Vitious and wicked Man, and yet injoy theſe things in a great meaſure: and a Man may be a Wiſe, a Juſt, a Vertuous, a Pious, a Man, a Man in the favor of God, and yet be without them. 2. They are in their own nature very uncertain things: they are ſubject to a Thouſand contingencies: nay, if they ſtand ſecured unto me with the greateſt ſtability that may be, yet my Body is ſubject to many weakneſſes and Diſtempers, and a Diſeaſe in my Body will render all theſe things inſipid and vain to me. What good or content will all my Wealth, my Honour, my fine Houſes, my great Retinue, my great Power, do me when I am in a burning Feaver, in a painful Conſumption, nay, under a fit of the Head-ach, or Stone? for ſo ſmall a Diſtemper will make me take no contentment or ſatisfaction at all, in all or any of theſe enjoyments, the truth is, they are but Proviſions for the Fleſh, and in order to the Body, and when the Body is under a diſtemper, they become but inſignificant uſeleſs things. He that is under a ſtrong Pain or Diſeaſe finds as little contentment, though he lie on a ſoft Bed richly furniſhed, in a Chamber richly hanged, in it a Cupboard furniſhed with maſſie Plate, as if he lay in a Cottage. 3. They are but for a time, Death will at laſt overtake me, and as all my Riches, and Pleaſures, and Honours, and Worldly Accommodations, cannot prevent or buy it off, ſo neither will they be of any comfort or value to me in that hour. Indeed they may make death more troubleſom and unwelcome to me, but they cannot at all ſecure me againſt it. The plain truth is, Death doth undeceive and open the eyes of the Children of Men; it teacheth us to put the true value upon every thing as it deſerves. My Riches and my Honour, my Pleaſures and my Profits, my Gallantry and my Policy, which I made much reckoning of in my life time, when Death comes, I ſhall perceive them to be but Vanity at the beſt, and ſet no Eſteem upon them: but Piety, and Prayers, and Charity, and Intereſt in God, and in the Merits of Chriſt and the Promiſes of the Goſpel, that perchance in my life time I eſteemed as dry and uſeleſs things, I ſhall then ſee to be of greatest value, and accordingly prize them: Theſe I ſhall carry with me into the ſucceeding World; but all my Worldly Comforts, when I paſs through this ſtrait Gate of Death, I ſhall leave behind me, as a Snake leaves behind his antiquated Skin when he paſſeth through a brake, and never make uſe of them, or take comfort in them more. And when I come unto the other ſide of this dead Lake, the Fruitions of all my life paſt will be forgotten, or at leaſt remembred as a Man remembers a Dream when he awakes; only the Good or Evil of my paſt life will ſtick upon me unto all Eternity. Why then ſhould I ſet my Heart upon that which is of ſo ſmall a value, ſo little uſe, ſo ſhort and ſo uncertain a continuance? they are things which I may loſe while I live, but I am ſure I cannot keep them when I die; and if they take their farewel ſooner, they do but their kind, and at beſt, do but a little anticipate their laſt and neceſſary valediction. I reſolve therefore I will not ſet my Heart upon them, but carry a looſe and flaccid Affection towards them: And if I loſe them, I will not over-much afflict my Soul for the loſs of that, which I had not much reaſon to value while I had it.

And as thus a Man ſhould tutor himſelf to a juſt Eſtimate of the Good things of the World; ſo a Man ſhould bring himſelf to a juſt and due Eſteem of the Evil things of the World, ſuch as Sickneſs, and Pain, and Impriſonments, and Reproach, and Want, and the like. There are theſe two things that do much allay the ſeverity of thoſe Evils. 1. They are but Corporal, they reach no farther than the Body, the Husk, the outward Man, the Cottage, they cannot at all get ſo deep as the Soul. 2. They are but Temporal: It is moſt certain that Death will cure and heal theſe Evils; and poſſibly theſe Diſtempers and Sufferings, the leſs ſevere they are, the more tolerable; the more ſevere, the more in probability they will haſten and advance the cure: As nothing that hath an end can make a Man truly Happy; ſo nothing that hath an end can make a Man truly Miſerable; becauſe he hath under his greateſt Miſery the Lenitive of Hope, and Expectation of a Deliverance.

6. But yet farther, Gain Aſſurance of thy Peace with God in Chriſt, and conſequently of thy future Happineſs; and be frequent in the Contemplation and Improvement of it. This is the great Engine of a Chriſtian, a Magiſtery, that was never attained by the moſt exquiſite Philoſopher, nor is attainable but in, and by the knowledge of Chriſt, who brought Life and Immortality to Light: It is the great expedient whereby a Man attains Victory over the World; whereby he is able to injoy Proſperity with Moderation, and undergo Affliction with Patience. 1 Joh. 5.4. This is the Victory which overcometh the World, even your Faith. When a Man, under the ſevereſt Afflictions, ſhall have this Aſſurance, and theſe Contemplations. It is true, I am in as low a condition as the World can caſt me; my Eſtate torn from me by the baſeſt of Men, and I and my Children expoſed to extream Want and Neceſſity, ſo that I am become little better than a Vagabond upon the Earth, for the very attaining of Bread; or at beſt am driven to the hardest and moſt ſordid imployment that can be conſistent with honeſty for my ſupplies of Neceſſaries, and if by chance my own ſweat or others charity ſupply me to day, I cannot imagine what ſhift to make for to morrow; and if this were a condition to which I had been born, or in which I had been bred, uſe might have made it eaſie and familiar; but it is not ſo, I am fallen into this low condition from a plentiful and liberal condition, wherein I had my Table crowned with plenty; and as I wanted not Charity to imploy my Plenty, ſo I wanted not Plenty to ſupply my Charity. Again I was in the greateſt Reputation and Esteem among Men that may be, but now I am fallen under the ſaddest, the baſeſt, Scorn, and Obloquy, and Reproach, and Imputation that can be, and all this without any cauſe: my Enemies Triumph over me with Scorns, Deriſions, and Exprobrations: my former Friends beſtow upon me a kind of Scornful Pity, that is more bitter than the upbraidings of my Enemies: the abjects and dregs of the people make me their by-word; and the Calumnies under which I ſuffer, are of ſuch a nature, that none dares be my Advocate, but the ſilent Teſtimony of my own Conſcience and Innocence. Again, under all theſe preſſures it had been ſome allay, if I were but a Citizen of the World, that I had but the liberty to forſake the place of my ſuffering, and go to ſome more auſpicious or tolerable corner of the World; but in that I am alſo prevented, my liberty is taken from me, and I am penned up in the narrow, dark, loathſome, ſtinking confines of a moſt odious Priſon, without the benefit of Light, or Friends, or indeed of any other Company than ſuch as make my Impriſonment the more intolerable, Chains, and Vermine, and the moſt accurſed Malefactors. Again, I ſuffer not only under reſtraint of a loathſome Goal, but I am expoſed to lingring Torments, Racks, and Whips, and Famine, and Nakedneſs, and Cold, and continual Threats, and ſad Expectations of worſe to follow, if worſe there may be. Again, diſmal and painful and tormenting Diſeaſes ſeiſe upon my Body, no part of my Body free from pain, no place affords me eaſe, no Cordial gives me comfort, my Breath ſhort and painful, and even loathſome unto my ſelf, my eyes conſumed and weary with expectation of Deliverance, my Heart faint, and not able to ſupport its weak and languiſhing motion, my Stomach gone and not able to receive or digest the moſt pleaſant meat, my exhauſted conſumed Body standing in need of ſupply; and yet unable to receive it; my Intrails parcht and ſcorcht with burning heat, which is nevertheleſs the more increaſed by that which ſhould allay it; my Limbs, and Joynts, and Arteries, torn and racked with tormenting Convulſions; my Sleep gone, or more troubleſome, than if I were awaked, no poſture, no place affording me eaſe or relaxation; in the Morning I wiſh it were Night, and in the Night I long for the Morning; my eaſie Bed aſſords me no eaſe, and I deſire to riſe, and when I am riſen, I cannot bear it, I muſt preſently lie down, importunately longing for this or that meat, and when I have it, loathing the very ſight of it: In ſum, the whole maſs of my Blood corrupted, and my whole Body a bag full of putrefaction, ſtink, and corruption, loathſome to my ſelf and others, a very Carcaſs bound to a living Soul, tired with her burthen, exquiſitly ſenſible of it, unable either to bear it or deliver her ſelf of it. Theſe be ſome of thoſe ſad attendants that accompany this condition, and it may be all thoſe Calamities befal a Man at once, together with the loſs of Friends, or near Relations, as in the caſe of Job, and then what remains to denominate a Man perfectly miſerable, if the calamities of this World can do it? But, if under any or all of thoſe Preſſures I can, upon ſound grounds and aſſurance, reſt upon my Hope of Immortality, theſe and a thouſand more External miſeries will not only be tolerable, but eaſie: When I can upon ſound Convictions and Experiences, practically entertain my ſelf with ſuch thoughts as theſe. It is true, I am as miſerable in Externals as the World can make me, but in the midst of all my External Loſſes and Poverty, I have in my proſpect a Kingdom prepared for me, that cannot be ſhaken, a Treaſure in Heaven above the malice and reach of Men and Devils, and after a few days ſpent in my poor Pilgrimage through this World, I ſhall as ſurely poſſeſs it, as if I were already actually inveſted in it; and as this Hope doth allay the ſharpneſs of my paſſage, ſo in my arrival to my Happineſs, my preſent ſuffering will make my future reſt more welcome. That Beam of Light and Comfort, that this Hope darts into my Soul, will inlighten my darkeſt Night here, and walk along with me to my Canaan, when my Hope ſhall be ſwallowed up in Viſion and Fruition; in the midſt of all the Storms and Reproaches and Vilifyings that the World heaps upon me, I injoy the Comfortable Preſence and Favor of my God in my Soul, and his Suffrage, and Atteſtation, and Acceptance of my Innocence, which doth infinitely more over-ballance the Frowns and Contempts of the World, than the favor of the greateſt Prince doth overweigh the Reproaches of the baſeſt Peaſant. In the midſt of my cloſeſt and darkeſt Reſtraints, I have that converſe, which the ſtricteſt guard, the ſtrongest Bars cannot exclude: I have the Preſence and Converſation of my Saviour Chriſt, and his Bleſſed and Sacred Spirit, which doth cure and heal the noyſomneſs, and ſupply the retiredneſs of my cloſest Reſtraints; and this company makes my Priſon a Temple, wherein I can with his Bleſſed Apoſtle, with a chearful Heart, magnifie my God; my Soul and Mind is at liberty and free in deſpight of Gates of Braſs, and Bars of Iron. In the midſt of all my Pains and Sickneſs, and the tedious declination of my Body to its final corruption and diſſolution, I can ſatisfie my ſelf with an expectation of a happy Reſurrection, when this weak, and frail, and dying Body of mine ſhall be made like unto the glorious Body of my glorified Saviour, and tranſlated into the Company of Saints and Angels, where there ſhall be no Sickneſs, nor Sorrow, nor Pain, nor Sin, nor Death, and I ſhall meet with thoſe Friends and Relations of mine, which died before me in the ſame hope. I look upon theſe my preſent Pains, and Sickneſs, and Weakneſs, as the Harbingers of that diſſolution, which ſhall put an end to them, and begin my Happineſs; and hereupon I bear them not only with-Patience, but Comfort (the greater their Violence is, the ſooner they will finiſh their buſineſs, and rend away this mortal corrupted Carcaſs from my Immortal Soul,) and even in the inſtant of my diſſolution can, by the eye of my Faith, diſcern the Bleſſed Angels ready to tranſport my Soul, cleanſed by the Blood of Chriſt, into the joys of Heaven, and my Bleſſed Redeemer ſtanding on the other ſide, as it were, of this dead Lake, ready to receive me, and lead me into thoſe Heavenly Manſions of Rest and Happineſs, which he went before to prepare for me. This Hope and Aſſurance, as it makes the beſt things of this World, in their beſt appearance and dreſs, but light and vain, and empty and nothing: So it makes the worſt things that the World and Mortality can inflict or ſuffer, light and eaſie. For theſe light Afflictions, which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory, while we look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen: For the things which are ſeen are Temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are Eternal. 2 Cor. 4.17, 18.

Theſe be ſome of thoſe Preparations that will admirably fit and prepare us to meet with Afflictions, and in them theſe two things are to be remembred.

Firſt, That we do not only content our ſelves with Notions and bare Speculations of theſe things, but that we may practically digest them into our Hearts and Reſolutions, for if they be but notional only Afflictions, when they come, will eaſily rend and defeat theſe Notions. I have known many Men, that have had very excellent Notions of this kind, and could diſcourſe excellently of them; nay, could urge them very effectually upon others, but when any little Croſs hath overtaken them, they have been quite out of all Patience and Comfort, and as much to ſeek how to entertain it, as thoſe that had never known any ſuch matter; nay, a poor experienced Chriſtian, that could not talk half ſo much, hath received the ſhock of Affliction with much more Chriſtian Reſolution than the other; and the reaſon is, The former had digeſted theſe Matters barely into Notion, and the latter he made it Practical and Cordial. When I read Plutarch, and Seneca, and Tully, I find excellent Inſtances and Reaſonings to ſupport the Mind in Afflictions; and many times upon the ſoundeſt Grounds that can be. Plutarch de Animae Tranquillitate, tells us, That he that hath learned the Nature of the Soul, and thinks that by death it ſhall attain a better, or at leaſt not a worſe condition, hath a great freedom from fear of Death, and no ſmall viaticum to attain Tranquillity of mind in his life. And many ſuch inſtances are given by the Stoicks, eſpecially Seneca, and by Tully. But when the latter came to an exquiſite apprehenſion of his danger from Anthony, his Philoſophical Notions and Contemplations were too weak to bear up his mind againſt thoſe fears; and therefore in his Sixteenth Epiſtle, Lib. 10. to Atticus he writes to him to this effect: If thou hast any thing to comfort me, gather it up, and write it not out of Learning or Books; (for I have theſe here with me.) Sed neſcio quomodo imbecillior eſt medicina quam morbus: But, I know not how it comes to paſs, the Phyſick is too weak for the Diſeaſe. And Job, though a Wiſe and Experienced Man, and bore up pretty well in his Afflictions, yet his friend Eliphaz tells him, and that truly. Job 4.3, 5. Behold thou hast instructed many, and thou haſt ſtrengthned the weak hands; but now it is come upon thee, thou faintest, &c. Men may have excellent Theories to ſupport in Affliction, and can apply them to others in that condition with ſingular dexterity and advantage; yet when the caſe comes to be their own, their Spirits ſink under them, becauſe theſe Theories many times flote in the Underſtanding, but are not digeſted deeply, and practically in the Heart.

Secondly, What ever you do, gain this Habit and Temper of Mind. Actuate and Exerciſe your Faith, make even your Reckonings, get your Peace and Aſſurance ſetled before Sickneſs comes: For a Man in any kind of ſuffering beſides, poſſibly may learn them, becauſe his mind is, or may be in his intire ſtrength; but moſt certainly Sickneſs is an ill time to begin to learn theſe Contemplations, unleſs they are learned before the Diſtempers of the Body diſcompoſe the Mind, and make it unfit to begin to learn. It is a time when that, which hath been before fitted and laid up in ſtore in the Soul, muſt be drawn out and exerciſed; but it will be a moſt difficult buſineſs, then to begin that Leſſon, which ſhould be learned in Health, though practiſed in Sickneſs.

II. Thus much for our Preparation, to meet Afflictions. Now concerning our carriage under them.

Firſt, In the beginning, and firſt Onſet of any Affliction, be very careful to keep the Mind in a due temper: Call in all your Aids of Reaſon, Religion, and Duty, to keep you in a right frame and temper of Moderation; for Affliction of any kind, when it hath lain a while upon a Man, will probably bring him into order; but at the firſt Onſet the Paſſions begin to flie out, and play reaks, and diſorder the Soul, and fill it with Perturbation. Then immoderate Anger, or Murmuring, or immoderate Sorrow, or Fear flie out, and Men thereby become leſs able to bear for the future, and many times flie out into that Immoderation and Diſtemper at firſt, either in Thoughts, or Words, or Actions, that they are ſorry for after, and ſo draw upon themſelves a double trouble: Firſt to Repent of their folly and immoderation; and then to fit themſelves for ſufferings; it throws more grains of Sin into the Scale of Afflictions, and makes it heavier, and many times longer than otherwiſe it would be: And after ſuch Perturbation and Exorbitancy of Paſſion upon the firſt inroads of Affliction, a Man hath much ado to bring himſelf into a right and due temper. This was Jobs caſe, in the beginning of his Affliction he flies out into more Impatience and Diſorder, than all the reſt of the time; therefore beware and ſee thou keep thy mind in temper, and check Perturbation at the firſt Onſet, call together all thy Grace, and Reſolutions, and Reaſon, to keep thy mind in due temper at firſt.

Secondly, On the firſt Onſet of any Affliction, Lift up thy heart to God, deſire his Aſſistance and Grace to inable thee to carry a due temper and frame of Heart. This is not only thy Duty, and expected from thee by God; but it is a ſingular help to inable thee to avoid any preſent Diſtemper: For firſt it is a means to ſupply thee with more ſtrength from Heaven to order thy ſelf aright. 2. It brings thy Soul into the Preſence of God, before whom it were a ſhame to bring any Perturbation; the Paſſions and Diſtempers of our Minds are under an aw in his Preſence. 3. It is a diverſion of the preſent buſtle and ſtir that Paſſions are apt to make, and being diverted at firſt, they do not ſo ſuddenly, nor ſo eaſily fall into a diſorder. Commonly Paſſions are moſt diſorderly and impetuous upon the firſt occaſion: And if they be then interrupted or diverted, the ſuccors even of common Reaſon, much more of Grace, have opportunity to rally themſelves, and prevent Immoderate Perturbation.

Thirdly, Make as ſpeedy an Inquiſition, as thou canſt, into thy own ſtate, and what the cauſe of this Affliction may be: Let us ſearch and try our ways, is the voice of every Affliction; and commonly every Affliction upon any perſon, that lies under any Sin unrepented of, and not forſaken, ſoon leads the Conſcience to point out that Sin; and indeed moſt Afflictions in ſuch a caſe carry upon them the very Inſcription of the Sin, and bear ſome Analogy or Proportion with it. Adonibezeks Cruelty, and Davids Adultery, were, as it were, written in the Puniſhments they ſuffered, and might eaſily bring them to their remembrance. If thou ſuffereſt in thy Eſtate, conſider whether either Immoderate Worldlineſs, and Covetouſneſs, or Confidence and Glory in thy Wealth went not before: If thou ſuffereſt in thy Name, conſider whether thy Reputation hath not been thy Idol, or whether thou haſt not born thy ſelf too high upon thy Reputation; and ſo of other Croſſes.

Fourthly, If upon this inquiry, thou findeſt Sin written upon thy Sufferings, or in the bottom of them, ſpeedily Repent of that ſin; Humble thy ſelf in the ſight of God for it, take up Reſolution againſt it. This is the voice, the injunction that this Rod gives thee, and here thy ſpecial duty is Humiliation.

Fifthly, If upon ſearch, thou findeſt thy Heart and Conſcience clear, look upon this Affliction as a Diſpenſation ſent from God, and with all Humility ſubmit to his hand; and know that the moſt Wiſe God ſends it, for moſt wiſe ends, though thou ſeeſt not any Enormity in thy ſelf that might deſerve it. It may be it is to exerciſe thy Patience, thy Faith, thy Dependance upon him: It may be he diſcerns that ſome Temptation is like to meet with thee, or ſome Corruption is growing in thee, that thou doſt not perceive; and he ſends this Meſſenger to divert the one, and to prevent the other: ſtudy to improve this Affliction to that end, and here thy ſpecial duty is Patience and Vigilance.

Sixthly, But it may be, upon this ſearch, thou doſt find the true cauſe of thy ſuffering is for Righteouſneſs ſake, for keeping a good Conſcience, for the honour of thy Redeemer, for adhering to the Truth, and that this is the cauſe that ſtirs up evil Angels and evil Men againſt thee: and then indeed thy ſuffering loſeth the name and nature of an Affliction, and becomes an Honour, a filling up of the meaſure of thy Saviours ſufferings, a ſuffering that hath not only a Bleſſing in it, but it is a very Bleſſing it ſelf; for Bleſſed are ye, Mat. 5.10. if Men perſecute you for Righteouſneſs ſake. Suffering for or under a Sin committed, requires thy Repentance and Humiliation, for it is a Judgment: Suffering without any Sin before hand ſignally requiring it, requires thy Patience and Vigilance, it is an Affliction: but ſuffering for the Teſtimony of a Good Conſcience requires thy Rejoycing it is a Perſecution: But beware thy Heart deceive the not, and make thee believe thou ſuffereſt for a Good Conſcience, when, it may be it is for thy Folly, or Frowardneſs: in this caſe, though they that inflict Puniſhment may want ſomewhat of that Charity and Moderation that is fit, yet thou haſt reaſon to repent for thy Folly, and not to Glory in thy Suffering; we are wonderful apt to believe well of our ſelves, and flatter our ſelves many times, into the title of Perſecution, when it is but the fruit of our Folly and Inconſiderate Raſhneſs.

Seventhly, Receive and bear all thy Afflictions with Humility and lowlineſs of mind: for it is a Meſſage ſent to thee from the moſt Wiſe and Soveraign Lord of the World, though it may be by the hands of a moſt vile and unworthy Man. It was an excellent temper in David, that, when his diſloyal Subject curſed him, reſtrained the juſt indignation of his followers: Let him alone, it may be the Lord hath commanded him to Curſe. It may be the Inſtrument executes his own Malice and Spight, and it may be thou canſt not find any Signal cauſe of this Affliction even from the hand of God, yet be not Vindictive againſt the Inſtrument; he doth Gods Errand, though he vent his own Malice: receive Gods Meſſage, and leave the Revenge to him that hath reſerved it to himſelf as his own Prerogative; and it may be he will burn the Rod, when he hath done with it. Neither ſtorm at Gods diſpenſation, it may be thou haſt deſerved it, though thou doſt not ſee it; or If thou haſt not, give leave to thy great Soveraign to deal with his Creature, as he pleaſeth, and put thy mouth in the duſt.

Eighthly, Receive it Thankfully, as well as Humbly. Know that it is ſent from the moſt Wiſe and Merciful God; what he doth, he doth upon moſt excellent Grounds and Reaſons. It may be it is Preventing Phyſick againſt a greater miſchief: It may be it is for an Improvement of thy Grace; it may be it is intended, as an evidence, that thou art a Son, and not a Baſtard; it may be it is to wean thee from the World; it may be it is to fit and qualifie thee for a greater Bleſſing, and to give thee a capacity to receive and bear ſuch a Benefit, which without the Preparation of an Affliction would make thee Proud; it may be it is to make thee an Example, a ſtrengthning to others; it may be it is becauſe thy Good things are reſerved for the better World, and therefore thy Evil things are diſpenſed to thee here. If God be thy Father, truſt his Wiſdom, becauſe he is God, and truſt his Love, becauſe he is thy Father; and then thou canſt not doubt that any thing that he ſends deſerves thy Thanks though thou ſeeſt not wherein the Benefit of it lies: Be contented herein with an Implicite Faith, and be Thankful to him at all adventures. A Cup of Wormwood would not be reached to thee from ſo Wiſe, and ſo Good a Father, but that his Love and thy Benefit is mingled with the bitter Cup, though thou canſt not at preſent taſte the one or the other.

Ninthly, Bear it Patiently and Quietly. 1. If it come for thy Sins, thou haſt reaſon to bear it patiently, for it is but the fruit of thine own Plant, the Crop of thine own Seed. Why doth the living Man complain? a Man for the Puuiſhment of his Sin? Thou haſt procured it to thy ſelf, be contented to bear the iſſue of thine own way. 2. Bear it patiently, for it might justly have been worſe, and more ſevere; thou wanteſt ſomewhat that another injoys, but haſt not thou ſomewhat that another wants? thou haſt loſt a conſiderable part of thy Eſtate, but haſt thou not ſomewhat left? or, if thou haſt loſt all, haſt thou not ſtill thy Health, and thy limbs, that may ſupply thy neceſſities by honeſt Labors? thou haſt loſt thy Limbs or thy Health, but doſt thou not injoy thy Senſes, and thy Underſtanding and Reaſon? thou haſt loſt thy Reputation, Honor, and Eſteem in the World, but haſt thou not thy Integrity and Uprightneſs? the Witneſs and Serenity and Peace of thine own Conſcience? thou haſt loſt many of thy near Relations, but haſt thou not ſome left? thou art viſited with Sickneſs and Pain, but haſt thou not ſeen ſome that have had more acute, and leſs ſtrength to bear them, and leſs hopes to be delivered from them, and leſs means to ſupport them? but ſuppoſe thou haſt loſt all thy Wealth, thy Reputation, thy Health, thy Friends, yet haſt thou not Peace with God? the Light of his Countenance? the Aſſurance of his Favor? the Hope of Eternal Life? and wouldſt thou exchange this Hope for the return of all thy Temporal Comforts and Advantages? believe it, that Mans condition cannot be exquiſitely miſerable, where there is any Hope, much leſs where there is ſuch a Hope, a Hope that out-weighs whatſoever the World can afford, or inflict; a Hope that is ſo much the nearer to fruition, by how much the greater thy External preſſures are, when thou doſt deſerve the loſs of all, thou haſt reaſon to be patient, if thou doſt injoy any thing; the Interrogation of the Prophet is pathetical: Why doth the living Man complain? a Man for the Puniſhment of his Sin? Where there is Life, there is Hope; and for a ſinful Man to complain while he yet is living, carries with it the conviction of the unreaſonableneſs of his complaint; becauſe he injoys ſomewhat that yet he deſerved to loſe. 3. Bear it patiently, becauſe it is but ſhort, though it be never ſo ſharp, it may be that the ſame God that inflicted or permitted it, is at this inſtant reſolving to turn thy Captivity, to give thee Beauty for Aſhes: And what an unſeemly thing will thy Impatience be? How troubleſome will the remembrance of it be to thy Soul upon the change of thy condition? How much wilt thou be aſhamed at thy return of thy undecency of thy carriage under thy Affliction? I am perſwaded there was nothing more ſowred Jobs returning Proſperity, than the remembrance of his former Murmuring and Impatience under the viſiting hand of God. But again, Suppoſe thy Affliction wait upon thee till thy diſſolution, yet it is but a Night, but an hour of Affliction: This Night, and this Hour will end with thy life; and this life of thine is but a Span, and then thy day will dawn, and thy Sun will ariſe, and thy Affliction will vaniſh and never return again. 4. Bear it patiently, Becauſe thy Patience will ſhorten thy Affliction. The Tryal and Improvement of thy Patience is one of the chief ends and buſineſs of thy Afflictions: It is ſent to teach thee that Leſſon, and the ſooner thou learneſt it, the ſooner the buſineſs is diſpatched, and the Diſcipline diſmiſt: Thy Impatience doth but protract and lengthen out thy Diſcipline: If thou wouldſt be diſcharged of this importunate and troubleſome Meſſenger, ſpeedily diſpatch his buſineſs, and he is likely the ſpeedier to leave thee. 5. Bear it patiently, Becauſe thy Patience will make thy burthen the more eaſie and tolerable. When God ſends Afflictions to tame a Man, and bring him to a right temper, believe it, he will not be over-matched, he will bring thee down, and if one Affliction will not do it, he will add more, and make thy bond the ſtronger, and can and will yet viſit thee ſevenfold more, till he hath reduced thee to Patience and Humility: Struggle not with him, for he will be too hard for thee: If thou bear thy Yoke patiently, thou wilt bear it eaſily; but if thou fling and toſs, like a Wild Bull in a Net, thou mayeſt hamper thy ſelf worſe, and thy Yoke will gall thee the more; but it will neither break the Net, nor the Yoke. Be contented therefore, Reſign up thy ſelf to his Will with Humility, and receive the chaſtiſement of thy folly with Patience, thou wilt have this double Advantage by it. Firſt, The great God will then lay no more upon thee, for he hath attained his end and purpoſe, by what he hath already inflicted; but will either remove it from thee, or put his own hand to help thee to bear it. Secondly, By the quietneſs and compoſure of thy mind, thou wilt be of greater ſtrength to bear thy burthen, and with more eaſe under it; for it is a moſt certain truth, That the turbulency, and ſtorming, and ſtrugling of the mind, is that which makes Affliction more ſharp and troubleſome, than the nature, or quality, or meaſure of Affliction it ſelf, it is the mind that gives the value and weight of external Proſperity or Adverſity. Take two Men the one of a proud and great Spirit, as they call it, the other of a mild, humble, patient Spirit, we ſhall eaſily ſee that a ſmall diſgrace or loſs ſhall more afflict and torture the former, than Five times as much of either or both ſhall trouble the latter. And this is the true reaſon why Afflictions at the firſt are more troubleſome and grievous, than after, though they continue the ſame. At the firſt, they meet with a mind unacquainted with it, and conteſting againſt it, as a Heifer unaccuſtomed to the Yoke; but when by time and continuance, the mind is accuſtomed to it, though the Yoke be the ſame, yet it finds no ſuch ſeverity and importableneſs in it. A Patient Heart gains that habit quickly, which cuſtom, length of time, and neceſſity, doth with more difficulty produce in another temper. 6. Bear it patiently, becauſe thou haſt an Example of greater Patience, under a greater Croſs, in a moſt innocent perſon: Thy Saviour hath left a Copy of his own Patience for thee to imitate; and thy Affliction is ſent to thee to teach thee to write after his Copy, and to conform thee to the Captain of thy Salvation, who was made perfect by ſuffering, conſider the diſparity of the perſons; He moſt innocent without any Sin to deſerve it: Thou a perſon laden with Sin, that meritoriouſly deſerves as much, if not more than thou haſt a capacity to bear: He, the Son of God cloathed with Innocent Fleſh, Thou a Worm cloathed with Impurity and Sin. Conſider the diſparity of the Sufferings; He a Man of Sorrows, under the Perſecution of thoſe whom he came to ſave, ſubjected to all the ſcorns and torments that the wit of moſt Exquiſite Malice could inflict, and above all this, under the ſenſe even of the wrath and ſeeming deſertion of his Father: Thou, it may be haſt loſt ſome Eſtate, or Reputation, or art in Priſon, or Baniſhment, or Sickneſs, or Pain, but under all this doſt or mayeſt injoy that Peace, and Pardon, and Favor of God that his ſufferings purchaſed for thee: The ingredients of His Cup, nothing but Gall and Vinegar, but thy Cup, though never ſo ſeemingly bitter, yet ſanctified and ſweetned by His Sufferings: And yet under all this, As a Sheep before his Shearers is dumb, ſo he opened not his mouth; though his moſt Innocent Humane Nature ſhrunk at the pre-apprehenſions of this bitter portion, yet with Patience he reſigned up his Will to his Father, Not my Will, but thine be done. In ſum, as His Patience was meritorious and expiatory for thy Sin, ſo it was left as a Patern and Example for thy practice. 7. Bear it patiently, For it is reached unto thee from the hands of God, though it may be by the hands of moſt vile and accurſed inſtruments, and this conſideration is enough to tutor thee to an Invincible Patience. 1. It is the Diſpenſation of God, who is Infinite in Mercy and Goodneſs; and therefore it is moſt certain it is a Meſſage of Mercy; for He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the Children of Men. Be ſure that it coming from the Fountain of Goodneſs and Love, it hath a Bleſſing in it, though thou canſt not at the preſent ſee it. 2. It comes from the Hands of the most Wiſe God, that doth all things for moſt excellent ends, and even in thoſe Diſpenſations that are moſt obſcure and rugged, that we cannot unriddle, yet there is always a complication of moſt Soveraign and Excellent deſigns, which ſhall not be diſappointed. 3. It comes from the hands of that God, that is under the relation of a moſt tender Father, that hath the very ſame Bowels of Mercy, Goodneſs, and Love to us, in his corrections, as in his favors. A poor ſilly child, when a Father either corrects him for a fault, or takes that from him that will hurt him, or keeps him hard to his Book, or other imployment, or denies him ſomewhat that is noxious to him, thinks his Father deals hardly with him, when in truth the very ſame tender and Fatherly love, that diſcovers it ſelf in more grateful diſpenſations, is the cauſe and companion of theſe. The ſame is thy caſe and mine, be patient therefore; it is the hand of a Father that afflicts thee; and that may aſſure thee that it is for thy good, and it ſhall be in meaſure. 4. It comes from that God, that is thy abſolute Lord, that hath that unlimited right over his Creature, that his only Will is a ſufficient rule of his Juſtice, thou oweſt an infinite ſubjection to him, from whom thou haſt received thy Being: His Soveraignty over his Creature is even by the very right of Nature Infinite and Boundleſs. Be contented therefore to bear whatſoever he inflicts without the leaſt diſputing of the Juſtice or Injuſtice of it. This was that Excellent Contemplation of old Eli, under the moſt ſevere denuntiation of Gods judgment. It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good. And it was that great Leſſon that Jobs Afflictions was ſent to teach him, though he could not learn it, till God himſelf, as well for our Inſtruction, as His, taught him out of the Whirlwind; but then he learned it, and abhorred himſelf in Duſt and Aſhes for his former Ignorance and Frowardneſs. 8. Yet further, bear it patiently, for that God, that ſent thee this Meſſenger doth behold and obſerve how thou entertaineſt it; wherein we may with all due Reverence, ſuppoſe the Lord of Heaven, thus reſolving. Yonder is ſuch a Man that profeſſeth to Know, and Fear, and Love me, and I ſee him nevertheleſs fond of his Wealth or Honor, or ſome other Bleſſing; I will give leave to Evil Men, or Evil Angels (as once in the caſe of my Servant Job) to ſpoil him of Wealth, and to cast him into Diſgrace; and I will obſerve his carriage and deportment under it; and though I know what it will be, yet I will make it now conſpicuous both to Himſelf, and Men, and Angels: And if his Deportment be not anſwerable to his Profeſſion, if he storm againſt my Providence, or uſe unworthy Means to free himſelf, or grow Impatient and Diſorderly under it, I will make his folly conſpicuous, and ſend more and ſharper Viſitations unto him, till this fire of Afflictions hath brought him to his due temper of Patience, Humility, Submiſſion to my Will, Dependance upon my Power, Subjection to my Soveraignty: But if on the other ſide, I ſee him humble himſelf under my hand, Submit to my will, Juſtifie me in his Sufferings, Patient under them, and Waiting my time to be delivered from them, I will exhibit him before Men and Angels as a Patern of Patience, and I will make him as Signal in his Deliverance, as he is Eminent in his Patience. Suppoſe thou couldſt hear ſuch a Deliberation, and ſee and behold ſuch Spectators of thy Deportment, how wouldſt thou indeavor to compoſe thy ſelf with all Patience, and Contentedneſs, and Quietneſs, and Reſignation of thy ſelf under the moſt ſevere Affliction? And how little wouldſt thou dare in ſuch a Preſence to diſcover, or ſo much as entertain any Murmuring or Impatient thought? Aſſure thy ſelf, though thou canſt not with a bodily eye behold this Great Lord of the World beholding thee, while thou art in this Scene of Affliction, yet he beholds and obſerves thee, and the very motion of thy Soul, and the Glorious Angels, though they cannot look into the ſecret retirements of thy Thoughts, yet they behold thy external Deportment, and are grieved, if it be unſeemly, and unſuitable to the Honor of their and thy Lord, and are glad to behold a Deportment ſuitable to the Ends and Glory of their Lord: And the Evil Angels, which irritate and provoke thee to Impatience, are pleaſed and gratified if they effect it, and aſhamed and vexed if they are diſappointed in it. Believe it, in a ſignal and eminent degree of Proſperity or Adverſity thou art like a Man upon a Stage, a ſpectacle expoſed to the view of God, and Men, and Angels, and Devils; let thy carriage therefore be ſuch, as if thou didſt as viſibly behold thy Spectators, as they moſt certainly do ſee thee.

Tenthly, As thus thou art to bear thy Affliction patiently, ſo indeavor to uſe it profitably; and beſides theſe advices before mentioned, add to them theſe inſuing. 1. Learn by them to have a juſt Eſtimate of the World. Affliction pulls of thoſe fine gay Cloaths from the World, by which in Proſperity it deceives us, and renders it, as it is, a Vain, Empty, Vexing World. 2. From that ſound and juſt Eſtimate of the World, Diſcipline thy Affections to a moderate and looſe application to it. It is true, Afflictions do ordinarily imbitter the World to us, and ſo for the preſent our Affections may be dull towards it; but this ariſing meerly from Senſe, without a ſound practical eſtabliſhed Judgment, it ordinarily laſts no longer than the Afflictions laſt, and as they wear away, and worldly comforts begin to grow up and increaſe, ſo our love to the World comes on, and grows up again: But when a Man by the advantage of Afflictions digeſts this principle into his Judgment, commonly it abides and moderates the love of the World, notwithſtanding the return of the Comforts and Advantages of the World. 3. Keep up thy heart in a dependance upon Gods Power and Alſufficiency to deliver thee from Affliction, or to ſupport thee under it; and labor by Obſervation and Experience to rivet this Dependance into thy Judgment and Choice. It is moſt certain, that almoſt every Man, as long as he can have any thing to lay hold of beſides, will make that his Dependance: The Sick Man will depend upon his Phyſician; the Impoveriſhed Man upon his Friends, and the like; but when there is nothing elſe to reſt upon, then Men will to their Prayers, with the Mariners in the Storm; but this being but an Act of Neceſſity, as it riſeth upon Neceſſity, ſo it vaniſheth with it: When the Neceſſity is over, and other Dependances come to hand, we are apt to throw off our Dependance upon God. Labor therefore for an Experimental and Judicious Dependance upon God: Sometimes in Afflictions we begin to attain it; but the beſt way is to begin to entertain ſuch a Dependance before we are driven to it; and then the Neceſſity of our Afflictions will faſten and improve it, that it will ſtick with us after. 4. By thy Afflictions learn to value and improve thy Hope and Aſſurance of Everlaſting Life: And indeed thy Neceſſity now doth in a ſpecial manner drive thee to it; and it is a great End of Gods ſending Afflictions, that it may drive us off from the claſping of this preſent World, and thereby carry us over to the valuation of our Eternal Condition: Thy Wealth is gone, and thy Honor and Reputation is ſunk and blaſted, and thy Friends have forſaken thee, and thy Body is mouldering to duſt and rottenneſs, and thy Soul ſits hovering upon thy Lips ready to take her flight, and all thy hold of this preſent life is broken and gone, ſo that thou haſt nothing now to lodge and faſten thy Hopes upon, but the Promiſes of Everlaſting Life, thy intereſt in Chriſt, the Hope of Everlaſting Life, and now, if ever, theſe things will be welcome to thee. God hath ſcattered and broken all other Confidences; improve this Ʋnum Magnum, this one thing neceſſary, that alone doth ſtand by thee, when all things elſe forſake thee, and will accompany thee in and through Death it ſelf; and fix in thy Heart ſuch a value upon this that hath been thy only Comfort, when all others forſake thee, as not to let go thy valuation of it, though thy Temporal Proſperity ſhould return unto thee.

Eleventhly, Wait Gods leiſure for thy Deliverance out of Afflictions, and uſe no Ʋnlawful Means to be delivered from it. Uſe no baſe or unworthy Compliances with the World, either by diſſimulation or flattery, or violence, or falſity, to extricate thy ſelf; for that will either intangle thee worſe, or at leaſt and Guilt to thy Sufferings. And above all, avoid that accurſed temptation of ridding thy ſelf from thy Troubles by putting an End to thy own life; for thereby thou doſt at once two great Evils; an Evil of extream Folly and Madneſs to exchange a Temporal Inconvenience by running the hazard of an Eternal Miſery; for the very ſame Impatience and Perturbation and Anxiety of Soul, that puts thee upon ſuch an accurſed Reſolution, goes with thee into the other World with a great improvement of it, and makes thy Soul in its Separation infinitely more vexed and tormented than it was before in the Body; and an Evil of Rebellion against God, who hath ſent thee theſe Afflictions, and hath made it thy Province, and thy Task, and thy Service, that he injoyns thee, to bear with Patience, and to his Honor till he deliver thee. Thou art juſt like an hired Servant, who art ſet on work by a moſt righteous Lord, and thy labor ſet out to thee, and thy Reward appointed in the end of thy day, and thou wilt run away before the day be ended, whereby thou doſt not only loſe thy Wages, but art juſtly obnoxious to be purſued and caſt into Priſon for thy Diſobedience and Rebellion: Be contented, wait Gods time with Prayers and Patience, and thou mayeſt be ſure to find his Mercy in moderating thy Afflictions, his Power to ſupport thee under them, his Goodneſs in his time, which is always the beſt time, to deliver thee from them, and his Bounty to reward thee for thy Patience and Obedient bearing of them.

Twelfthly, Take this for a moſt certain expedient to be prevented from many Afflictions, and to be delivered from them: Meddle as little with the World, and the Honor, Places, and Advantages of them, as you can; and extricate thy ſelf from them as much, and as ſoon as thou canſt. Although the Divine Wiſdom and Providence governs the World in a moſt infallible and unerring method, yet in the External Adminiſtration of it, it ſeems to be full of confuſion and uncertainty: When I have ſeen a Lottery with a goodly ſhow of fine Plate, and a great many perſons parting with certain money for an uncertain Lot, and though poſſibly one or two may gain a fair prize, yet a Hundred for one drawing nothing but blanks, and when they have opened their Papers vexing and tormenting themſelves with their Loſs and Diſappointment; or, when I have ſeen at Chriſtmas time a few Apples thrown among a Room full of Boys, and one ſcrambling, and another catching, ſome getting nothing but a fall, or bruiſe, or a broken Shin, or a broken Limb, and another getting it may be two or three, and thoſe that miſs falling upon him that hath gotten; ſo the company fall together by the Ears: Or, when I have ſeen a match at Footbal, one while one getting the Ball, and then another kicking up his heels and getting it from him, and then another doing the like by him. Theſe give me a kind of Reſemblance of the World, wherein, though by the help of Civil Government there are certain Rules put to the Game, yet they are not always kept, and when they are, yet it is not without a mixture of Irremediable Deceit and Violence, though it be of a finer ſort.

And it ſeldom miſſeth its effect, if there be but any Wiſdom or the Common Inſtinct implanted generally in the Humane Nature. When we know not which way to turn, we then flie to God, 2 Chro. 20.12. becauſe all other ways are moſt commonly obſtructed and hedged up, and this paſſage only left open to an eſcape: In their Affliction they will ſeek me early. Hoſ. 5.15. Almighty God deals by us, as a wiſe Artiſt, that hath a purpoſe to turn a ſtream towards ſome deſigned place, ſtops all other egreſſes but that which fits his deſign; or, as a Father, that is minded to bring an Extravagant Son to his Duty and Dependance, obſtructs all ſupplies but ſuch as may be had from himſelf. So oftentimes God Almighty doth ſo methodiſe his Afflictions, that all ways of relief are obſtructed, but ſuch as may lead a Man to him. It is true, many times in ſuch caſes we will be ſhifting and trying every avenue to get out at; but when we find every paſſage hedged up with Thorns, but that only which leads to him, our Stomachs come down, and we are glad to ſeek relief in that way where we find only it can be had. Like Jonas his Mariners in the Storm, we try all experiments and Artifices to ſave our ſelves, throw out our Anchors, take down the Sails, ply the Pump, throw over the Goods to lighten the Veſſel; and when all will not do, then we begin to call upon God, Lord ſave us, we periſh.

But yet the method of the Divine Goodneſs reſteth not here, but brings us a ſtep forward: He is often graciouſly pleaſed to grant the Deliverance we pray for, to let us ſee that we call not upon his Name in vain, and to incourage us to depend upon him, to draw near unto him, to make him our Confidence as well as our Fear: And though ſometimes he defers our Deliverance, yet he doth it, partly to give unto our ſelves an Experiment of our own Sincerity and Patience, partly to Diſcipline and Tutor us to Conſtancy and Patient waiting upon him; partly to carry us on to more Importunity and Continuance in Prayer; and by this means our Souls are made the better by drawing nearer and nearer to him, that is the Fountain of Light and Goodneſs; for the repetition of Prayers rectifies the Soul, brings it nearer to God, lays more hold upon his Strength, and Goodneſs, as the ſinking Man draws himſelf nearer to the ſhore by the repeated laying hold upon that Cord that is from thence thrown out to ſave him.

But yet it ſeems, though both thoſe Duties be highly due and neceſſary, yet Thanksgiving hath a kind of preference even above Prayer it ſelf, in theſe conſiderations eſpecially.

1. The Duty of Thanksgiving ſeems to be a more Permanent Duty, even than Prayer it ſelf, and of a greater extent and durableneſs. The Bleſſed Angels, and the Saints that are and ſhall be ſettled and fixed in a ſtate of full and unchangeable Happineſs, that enjoy whatſoever they can deſire, and therefore have no reaſon to pray for more, becauſe they cannot enjoy more than they do; yet have an Everlaſting occaſion of Thanksgiving for that Happineſs they Everlaſtingly enjoy: And as this is their Everlaſting occaſion, ſo it is and ſhall be their Everlaſting buſineſs unto all Eternity to Praiſe and Glorifie God. And as the Beams of the Divine Goodneſs ſhall Everlaſtingly ſhine upon them, ſo there will be an Everlaſting Reflection, as it were, of the ſame Goodneſs in the neceſſary and unceſſant returns of Praiſe and Thanksgiving by them.

2. The Duty of Thanksgiving ſeems to be a Duty of more noble Nature, than even Prayer it ſelf, becauſe it anſwers more appoſitly and cloſely the nobleſt End in the World; namely, the Glory of God, which certainly is a more ultimate and noble End, than even the very Good of the Creature. It is true, Almighty God receives no acceſſion to his Happineſs and Perfection by all the Honour and Praiſe and Thanksgiving that all the Creatures in the World can pay him, yet the Glory of his Majeſty is the chief ultimate End why he made all things, Rev. 4.11. Thou art worthy to receive Glory, Honour, and Power; for thou haſt Created all things, and for thy pleaſure they were and are Created. It is true the proximate immediate reaſon of the Creation of all things was, that the Redundant Goodneſs of Almighty God might be communicated unto Being, derived from him by Creation: But the ultimate and more univerſal End was, that by this Communication of the Divine Goodneſs unto ſomething without himſelf, the Glory, and Honour, and Praiſe thereof might return unto himſelf, who only can be the adequate End of himſelf, of all he doth. Thanksgiving therefore and Praiſe anſwers the greateſt and moſt noble End in the World: If I want, and pray for what I want, my immediate End therein is my own Good, and yet that End is too narrow, if I propound not to my ſelf to Praiſe and Glorifie the Bounty of that God which anſwers my Prayer.

3. Again, whereas all the Irrational and inanimate Creatures in the World do paſſively praiſe Almighty God, in that they bear every one of them the Inſcription of his Wiſdom, Goodneſs, Power. The Reaſonable and Intellectual Natures of Men and Angels have that noble Advance, that they can and may Actively and Intentionally Glorifie and Praiſe the Goodneſs of God: and it is indeed the nobleſt Harmony that they can make when they ſummon all their Underſtanding, Will, Affections, all that is within them, to Praiſe that God, to whom they owe their Being and Benefits: And the Wiſe and Glorious God doth therefore Communicate the ſenſible, Experimental, Eminent Influences of his Mercy, Goodneſs and Bounty unto the Reaſonable and Intellectual Natures of Men and Angels, that they might touch and ſtrike upon thoſe noble ſtrings of the Heart and Mind and Affections, that may thereupon return the Harmony of Thanksgiving, and Praiſe to the great Lord of the World: And ſurely the Nature of Man, in its true ſtate and temper, is as naturally and effectually moved to the returning of Thankſgiving to God for Mercies received, as a well tuned Lute, or other Inſtrument doth give an Harmonious ſound upon the touches of a skilful Artiſt. And moſt certainly that nature is ſtrangely out of Tune and Order, that upon Mercies received makes not a ſweet return of Thankſgiving and Praiſe. This therefore, as it is the nobleſt, ſo it is the moſt natural production of the Reaſonable Nature, the fulleſt of Congruity to the right diſpoſition of its Faculties.

Almighty God ſends upon the Children of Men Benefits, Bleſſings, Deliverances, Favours; And the fruit that he doth (and that moſt juſtly) expect, is a Crop of Praiſe, Glory, Honour and Thankſgiving, Call upon me in the day of Trouble, and I will Deliver thee, and thou ſhalt Glorifie me. And it is a barren, degenerate, ſtupid Heart, that yields not ſuch fruit of ſuch a Semination. So that Praiſe and Thankſgiving is Con-natural to our very Faculties, the tribute that the Rational Nature, naturally payes to the Divine Being as his Benefactor, the very fruit that the great Lord of the Harveſt expects for all his Goodneſs and Mercy.

1. That Chriſt doth not exclude other Prayers: The injunction of this excludes not all other prayers. Our Saviour himſelf, and thoſe that were acquainted with his Mind and Practice, uſed variety of prayers, according to the ſeveral occaſions, differing from this form, and therefore the Apoſtle commands, Epheſ. 6.18. Praying always with all prayers and ſupplications. Prayers formed for every occaſion. And that Spirit, that maketh interceſſion for us with groans that cannot be uttered, is not confined to any particular form, not to vary from it.

2. Though thou art not reſtrained to this form only, yet in all thy prayers pray after this manner. There is ſomewhat in this Prayer that muſt be ingredient to all thy prayers.

1. Be ſure thou haſt a Commiſſion, a Promiſe, for what thou prayeſt; deſire thoſe things that are warrantable by the Will of God revealed in his Word. Chriſt was acquainted with the Mind of God, and gives us a pattern to ask thoſe things which are warrantable. Ask for thy good, but ask not for thy Luſt, James 4.2.

2. Though the things thou askeſt be warrantable and agreeable to the revealed Will of God, Yet in the particularity of thy deſires refer thy ſelf and ſubmit unto the Will of God: becauſe thou art not wiſe enough to know what is fit for thee in particular, Eſpecially in the meaſure, time, and manner of the thing thou askeſt. The Son of God hath taught us to pray for the fulfilling of the Will of God before the ſupply of our own Wants; and in his own Prayer in the Garden, Matth. 26. Nevertheleſs not as I will but as thou wilt. Whatſoever thou deſireſt, yet confine not God. Thou ſhalt be ſure thy Prayer ſhall not loſe his fruit, though the thing deſired ſeem not to be granted. The Cup did not paſs from our Saviour, though he asked it, Matth. 26.39. Yet he was heard in that he feared, Heb. 5.7.

3. As much as thou canſt let thy prayer be a reaſonable ſervice, a work of thy Spirit and Underſtanding. 1 Cor. 14.15. not only of thy Lips and Tongue: for thou haſt to do with the God of the Spirits of all fleſh, that will be worſhipped in ſpirit and in truth. Pray with thy Lips, that thou mayſt by that means fix thy Mind the better to the work; but let thy words be the production of thy Soul. Let thy Heart pray as well as thy Tongue. And this was one of the Reaſons of our Saviour's inditing this Prayer in this ſhort and pithy form, to condemn the vanity of the Gentiles, who had confidence in their vain repetitions of words, without the intention and application of the heart, Matt. 6.8.

4. Here we ſee Chriſt, the Wiſdom of the Father, delivers out a Form of Prayer, framed with a great deal of Wiſdom, containing very much matter in a few words: Learn that, though thou art not to put confidence in ſtudied Devotions, nor to make thy prayers the work of thy invention or wit, but of thy Heart and Soul, yet let the Reverence and Awe thou beareſt to him, before whom thou comeſt in thy prayers, the ſeriouſneſs of the buſineſs about which thou goeſt, put thee in mind to Prepare thy ſelf and thy Soul, and to tune it by theſe conſiderations to an humble frame of ſpirit; to a fore-caſting of thy deſires; to an humble approach to the preſence of God; to all beſeeming Reverence both in thy words and geſture. The Heart, it is true, ſhould be in a continual frame of prayer, and almoſt every occurrence of our Life requires a lifting up of the Heart to God in Prayer, or in Thankſgiving; which cannot be ſo ordered with preparation; but a ſolemn Prayer, though in private, requires a juſt preparation of the Heart, and a performance of it with the whole contribution of the whole Soul, and ſtrength, and underſtanding, and affection.

3. Though thou art not bound to uſe no other form, yet uſe this frequently, upon theſe Conſiderations:

1. It is the Command of thy Lord and Maſter. There is ſomewhat of Command in theſe words. He, that commands to pray, after this manner, meant not that this Prayer ſhould be forgotten. That which was made a pattern to thy other prayers, was not intended to be a thing only to be looked upon, and not to be uſed. Thou mayeſt uſe other Prayers to give ſcope to thy ſpirit, but conclude with this.

2. It is a great means of ſtrengthning the Heart in Prayer. When I ſhall conſider I am now uſing that very Prayer which the Son of God, when he was in the fleſh, at the requeſt of his Diſciples, gave unto them, not only as a rule and pattern, but as a form, When ye pray, ſay, &c. I call the great God my Father, and it is no preſumption in me ſo to do; the Eternal Son of God, that knew all his Father's mind, commanded me to call him ſo, and to come before him as my Father. I am begging for the conveniencies of my Life, for the pardon of my Sins, for my preſervation in and from temptation. Had they not been things that I might hope to be granted, the Son of God would never have taught me to ask them. O Lord, it is true, I can ſee nothing in my ſelf why I ſhould expect that thou ſhouldeſt hear me; my Sins are renewed every day, and I beged pardon but yeſterday, and I have ſinned againſt thee the ſame Sin this day: But yet thy Son, that knowes all thy Will, that would never have put me to beg that which were unfit for me to ask, or thee to grant, he it is that taught me to begg my daily bread of thee, and as often in the ſame Prayer to begg thy forgiveneſs: I will not learn hereby to preſume in offending, but yet I will learn to be confident in thy Mercy.

3. It is a Comprehenſive Prayer, and therefore fit to be ſupplemental unto thine own prayers. Thy preſent wants or fears or deſires carry thy ſpirit in thy own prayers eagerly and vehemently in purſuit of thoſe thy wants, fears, or deſires; becauſe they are things preſently incumbent upon thee, and in thy view; and by that means thou doſt many times in thy prayers overſhoot many matters, that are of more concernment, it may be, for thee to ask: as the Glory of God, thy preſervation from future inconveniencies, that are not yet in thy view; and this prayer gathers up thy omiſſions, calls home thy ſpirit unto that frame and temper of heart that is fit; viz. Submiſſion to the Will and Glory of God in the firſt petition of this Prayer, furniſheth in a ſhort Compendium to pray over that which thou haſt before asked, and to pray for that which before thou haſt omitted.

4. As it is a Comprehenſive Prayer, and contains much, ſo it is a Compendious Prayer, and contains much in little. The Wiſe and Merciful God knowes the frailty of our Nature, and therefore hath fitted us according to our own narrowneſs with abridgments; he knowes the ſhortneſs of our Memory, and therefore he gave his Will under the Old Law in Ten Words. Chriſt he gave us another abridgment of that abridgment: Love God and thy Neighbour. God alſo knowes the weakneſs of our ſpirits, and therefore he gives us a ſhort Prayer, that in the uſing of it our ſpirits may bear up, and the fire laſt till the Prayer ended. It is true, when we have a continuing ſenſe of Evil felt or feared upon us, our ſpirits are able to hold out a Prayer long in warmth and heat: But when the matters of our deſires are not ſo apparent to our ſenſe, our ſpirits are apt to grow cold before we come at the end of it. Here is a ſhort Prayer, furniſh'd in all things fit to be asked, and ſuch as thy ſpirit may go along with to the End, without being tyred. It is true, that a Man ſhall uſually find more intention of ſpirit in his own prayers, than in this. Bleſs God that thou haſt this intention of ſpirit in thy own prayers, and neglect them not, but pray for pardon that thou wanteſt it in this, and ſtrive to amend it.

Now the great Cauſe of the unprofitable uſe even of this Prayer, and of divers other Ordinances, grows from this, That people uſe them without a diſtinct and deep conſideration of the things contained in them. The Sun in the Firmament is the greateſt Wonder in the World, and of infinite more conſideration than the appearance of a new Star or a Comet; But the commonneſs of the Sun makes Mankind paſs over that without any obſervation, and yet look upon the latter with much admiration and aſtoniſhment. Juſt thus it is with this and other Prayers: This Prayer, being taken up and learnt with our ſpeech, we ſwallow by whole-ſale, and never weigh it or conſider it; but other Prayers of our own or others, whileſt they are new to us, we uſe more attentively, and it may be more profitably. It ſhould therefore be our care to rub out the Corn out of this Ear; to Examine and Conſider this excellent Prayer diſtinctly, that ſo in the uſe of it a full underſtanding and affection may go along with it; without which it is no Prayer: for in Prayer we have to do with the God of the Spirits of all fleſh, that judgeth not, neither regardeth the bare repetition of words, the thing condemned by our Saviour when he commanded this Prayer. But by the uniting our Souls and Spirits to him, our words are not ſo much our prayers, as the conſequents and ſigns of our prayers.

The known Diviſion of this Prayer, is firſt, the Preamble. Secondly, the Requeſts. Thirdly, the Concluſion.

1. The Preamble, Our Father which art in Heaven. The general duty we learn from it is this, that we come not ſuddenly and unſeemly in our Requeſts to him, but as much as may be to prepare our Souls, with fitting apprehenſions and affections before we come to ask of him; with apprehenſions of his goodneſs, that may draw us to him in that he is our Father; and with apprehenſions of his Greatneſs, that may make us conſider our diſtance, and come before him with Reverence, in that he is in Heaven. Eccleſ. 5.2. Be not raſh with thy Mouth, and let not thine heart be haſty to utter any thing before God; for God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth: therefore let thy words be few. God is in Heaven, and thou upon Earth: it teacheth thee thy diſtance, and it is fit thou ſhould'ſt throughly digeſt that apprehenſion before thou ask, that thy asking may be with Reverence. External Reverence of it ſelf is inconſiderable, but as it is the figure of that internal Reverence that is in the Soul. Where the external Reverence is without the internal, it is baſe and odious Hypocriſie, a dead and a deſpiſed performance, a picture of Piety without life. But the internal Reverence of the Mind cannot be without an external expreſſion of it. The Forms or Natures, that God hath put into every creature, are thoſe which ſhape their external figure, in ſome proportion anſwerable to their internal Form. And it is as impoſſible for an heart ſenſible of the Majeſty, Glory, Greatneſs and Power of God, to come before him either with a petulant ſawcy, preſumptuous or unſeemly carriage, as it is for the Form of a Lamb or a Child to render it ſelf either in the ſhape of a Lion, or a Wolf. Again, God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth: As thou haſt a buſineſs to do to prepare thy heart with the ſenſe of thy diſtance, that thy deſires may be with a ſutable humility when thou prayeſt, ſo thou haſt need of preparation to bring up thy heart out of that Earth, wherein thou art, unto Heaven, to defecate that Earthy heart of thine, that it may be fit to come into the preſence of the God of Heaven. When God beholds the higheſt things in nature, the Heavens, he humbles himſelf, he deſcends below his own Excellency, Pſalm 113.6. And if thou art a Sutor to this great King, it is fit thou ſhouldeſt come unto the Throne of his Majeſty, and not expect that he ſhould come to thy Cottage to be importuned, though yet he doth this alſo in his great Mercy and Condeſcention; yet it is not fit for thee to expect it: Again, thy lifting up of thy heart to him is thy Advantage; the nearer thou draweſt to his Glory and Preſence, ſo it be with an humble and clean heart, the more thou wilt partake of his Bounty and Goodneſs; the fitter thy heart will be to have communion with him. The Holy and Glorious Angels and Souls departed partake more of his fulneſs and perfection than Man doth, becauſe by the purity of their nature they have a nearer approach to the Fountain of Good, than Man hath; and the nearer or farther off the Spirit of a man comes or keeps off from God, the more or leſs of his Goodneſs he participates. Now in this act of prayer we endeavour to lay hold of his Goodneſs and Promiſes: Neceſſary it is therefore we bring our hearts by preparation as near to him as we can. 1. That we may be near unto him; and in this nearneſs conſiſts an advantage of Communion with him. 2. That we may be like him; and that likeneſs is every day increaſed by our beholding of him, whereby we are in ſome meaſure tranſlated into the ſame Glory. 3. That we may be in our proper place. God hath communicated his goodneſs to all things according to their ſeveral degrees of perfection in thoſe ſtations, wherein his own Great and Infinite Wiſdom placed them, and the place of Man was nearer to God by his nature, than he can now arrive unto in this Life in his own Perſon, (though we have a High-Prieſt that continually bears our names before our Father.) And certainly, if it be at any time ſeaſonable for a Man to wind up his heart in the greateſt nearneſs to God, that he can do, it is when he comes before him in Praiſes for the things he hath, and Petitions for the things he wants. Learn therefore in general to bring up thy heart as near as thou canſt to the great God in preparation and meditation, before thou offereſt thy Prayer, that thy ſacrifice may be mingled with a true fire, and thy Soul may be raiſed up with the due conſideration of what thou art about, and who thou art to deal withal.

And the Glory.

And although thy Infinite All-ſufficiency and Glory can receive no increaſe from thy Creatures, yet give us leave with Humility to preſs Thee ever with this argument alſo: Thou haſt been pleaſed to declare unto us, That thy Glory is thy great end of all thy Works, and art pleaſed to ſet the greateſt value that may be upon thy own Glory; and art pleaſed to command thy Creatures to Glorifie Thee; and doſt accept that ſmall Tribute of Praiſe and Thankſgiving and Glorifying of thy Name from thy Creatures in good part. Thou haſt the Glory of our Dependance upon Thee, which we teſtifie by invoking thy Great Name; thou wilt have the Glory of thy Goodneſs, thy Power, thy Bounty in granting theſe our Petitions, and Requeſts; and the Glory of our Praiſes and Thankſgivings for thy Bounty and Goodneſs in accepting and anſwering them; which though it cannot benefit Thee, yet it is all thy poor Creatures can return unto Thee, and thou haſt declared thy ſelf well pleaſed with it. Pſal. 50.32. He that offereth Praiſe glorifieth Thee.

Amen.

Bleſſed Lord, therefore be it according to theſe our Petitions and Deſires: and ſo much the rather, becauſe theſe our Requeſts, are not the product of our own Imaginations and weak Judgments; but that Son of thine, who beſt knew thy Will, and what thou wouldeſt grant, hath taught us thus to Ask, and commanded us thus to thus to Pray. Luk. 11.2. When ye pray, ſay, Our Father, &c.