THE DUTY OF SUBMISSION TO Divine Providence, In all its Dispensations. Described and Recommended from the Example and Argument of JOB. By SAMVEL MASTERS. B. D. James 6. 10, 11. Take, my Brethren, the Prophets, who have spoken in the Name of the Lord, for an example of suffering Affliction, and of Patience. Behold we account them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord: that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender Mercy. London, Printed for Awnsham Churchill, at the Black-Swan in Ave-Mary-Lane, 1689. IMPRIMATUR, GUIL. NEEDHAM. July 23. 1689. TO THE Right Honourable the LADY LETITIA ISABELLA Countess Dowager of RADNOR. MADAM, THe late smarting Afflictions which I have felt in my Person and Family, have made me very quick of Sense in resenting Yours; and have engaged my Mind on such Meditations, as may render me capable of speaking a Word in Season to You. I dare not be so unjust to your Sorrows, as to dissemble or extenuate your Loss: All who knew the Lady Essex, found it necessary to admire her for the Beauty of her Person, the Quickness of her Parts, and the most obliging Sweetness of her Conversation; but chief for her Religious Accomplishments, her unaffected Virtues, and her frequent Exercises of Devotion, both in public and private. But I need not tell your Ladyship how good she was, who took so much delight in making and seeing her such; and I dare not gratify myself any farther in displaying her excellent Character, lest I should thereby solicit those Tears, which your Religious Wisdom endeavours to suppress. I would rather observe to you those good things wherewith the Divine Wisdom hath attempered your Affliction, that the Sweetness of the One, may allay the Bitterness of the Other. The Person You bewail is indeed gone from You, but to her Heavenly Father; She died in the Youth of her Age, but not before She was capable of a Life of Glory; She left the World when it began to temp her with a New Scene of Enjoyments; but She left its Vanities, and Troubles too, and hath gained by the exchange much purer and more lasting Joys. You have lost One Blessing, but Others continue still, which deserve your Esteem and Love, and which may support and consolate the Remainder of your Life, You have lost a Child, but Your Heavenly Father is immortal and unchangeable, who will continue to dwell with you here by his Holy Spirit, till he take you up to dwell with him Above; of which he hath given you a Pledge in advancing a part of you already thither. Let not then the evil Things You have met with, so far engross Your Thoughts and Affections as to rob God of the Honour, and Yourself of the Comfort, of all those good Things he hath provided and prepared for You. And to assist You herein, I humbly offer the ensuing Discourse, to perfect You in that Art, wherein You are already so well improved, of receiving dutifully whatever good or evil is dispensed to You by the Hand of Providence. That You may continue long among us to recommend the Power and Beauty of Religion by Your Illustrious Example: And may at last exchange Your Earthly Honour for a far brighter Glory in Heaven, is the Hearty Prayer of, MADAM, Your most Humble and Faithful Servant and Chaplain, SAMUEL MASTERS. JOB 2.10. — What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive Evil? THese Words relate to a Passage in the History of Job, concerning which History it may be useful to premise a few Things, to recommend it to our serious Attention, and to predispose our Minds, by some proper Anticipations, to consider more easily and profitably this Argument of the Text. There have been some Christians of late, and some Jews of old, who thought this History of Job to be a Poetic Fiction, and not a real History, because so extraordinary in its Matter, and so artificial in its Composure; and because they observe that it was usual in those Times to teach and exemplify the Institutions of Morality and Religion by such Fictitious Parables. But when we consider how positively this History doth describe and assert the Person of Job, and the several Circumstances of his Condition; also that the Holy Ghost makes mention of Job, Ezek. 14.14. as a Person in great Favour with God, and joins him with Noah and Daniel, of whose Reality there can be no doubt; and that St. James recommends Job for an imitable Pattern of Patience, Jam. 5.10, 11. which cannot but suppose the Reality and Truth of his History: These Considerations will be sufficient to induce us to concur with the more general Testimony both of Jews and Christians, that this History, however wonderful, is yet real, that there was indeed a Man so great and good as Job, that his Trial was no less, and his Patience as great as this Book describes and asserts. And as this History is real, so it may be probably presumed to be the most ancient now extant in the World; for though it be placed next before the Book of Psalms, because composed like them in Metrical Numbers, yet it is probable that this. Book was written by Moses, the most ancient Writer, and before any of those Five Books which are placed first in our Bibles. For there are good Reasons upon which learned Men conjecture that Job lived in the time of the Patriarches, being a Nephew of Abraham, descended from Esau; and that Moses met with this History of him while he sojourned in the Land of Midian, where he translated it out of the Arabian into the Hebrew Language; and composed the Discourses between Job and his three Friends in that Metre in which we now read them; and that when he returned to his Brethren in Egypt, he presented this Book to them, to teach them Patience under their Afflictions from Job's Example, and to confirm their Faith and Hope in the Divine. Mercy, from the Deliverance and Reward which God wrought for him: of which an ancient Author, under the Name of Origen, is so certain, that he recites a Speech made by Moses to the People of Israel, when he published this excellent Book among them. But this History is not more considerable for its Antiquity than for its Usefulness, which acquaints us with several important Truths, that we could not know but by Revelation, and which are not declared so expressly in any other part of the Holy Scriptures, as in this Book; and also sets before us an eminent Pattern of Patience, to instruct and support us under the many Troubles to which we are here always obnoxious. For first in perusing this History we meet with such considerable Truths as these. 1. That God takes a particular and kind notice of all his Faithful Servants, and reflects on them with Complacency, and is ready to bear an honourable Testimony of their Innocence; for thus he speaks, and even boasts of his Servant Job to Satan, Chap. 1. v. 8. Hast thou considered my Servant Job, that there is none like him in the Earth, a perfect and an upright Man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil? Which is a great Encouragement to a good Man, that though the Devil accuse him, his Friends reproach him, and the World condemn him, yet God that searcheth the Heart doth approve and commend him. 2. We are informed also from this History, how Satan dares to accuse, even to God himself, his most Faithful Servants, if not of outward Scandal, yet of inward Hypocrisy; for thus the Lying Spirit drew up a Charge against Job: Ch. 1, v. 9, etc. Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made a Hedge about him, and about his House, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his Hands, and his Substance is increased in the Land: But put forth thy Hand, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy Face. And when this Pretence was refuted, he again suggests, That if God would put out his Hand, Chap. 2. v. 5. and touch his Bone and Flesh, he would curse God to his Face. Whence we may learn how Satan is called the Accuser of the Brethren, Rev. 12.10. who accuseth them before God Day and Night; and how great a Privilege the Gospel hath discovered to us, that we have the Son of God to be our Advocate, to justify us in the Court of Heaven, against the malicious Allegations of this Adversary. This also may render an easy account of the perverse Malice of Wicked Men, who take great Pleasure in reproaching the Faithful Servants of God, if not of any apparent Wickedness, yet of some latent suspected Hypocrisy, Joh. 8.44. for they being of their Father the Devil, his Lusts they will do; who is a Liar, and the Father of Lie. 3. We may hence also discover that those Calamities which befall Mankind, are chief wrought by the Agency of the Devil, who is described in the Scripture, as the Prince of the Power of the Air, the Destroyer, a Murderer from the beginning, the great Tempter and Tormenter of Men, the chief Author of all Evil, either of Sin or of Misery: who sometimes tempts Men to mischieve themselves, sometimes to mischieve others; and who can use Fire, or Water, Clouds, or Wind, or other Creatures to be the Means and Instruments of our Ruin. Thus Job feared lest he might have Tempted his Children to abuse themselves at their Feast. Thus he stirred up the Sabeans and Chaldeans to rob Job, and procured a Fire from Heaven to consume his and Servants, and a strong Wind from the Wilderness to overturn the House, in which his Children were Feasting; and those ill Humours in Job's Body which broke out in Boils from Head to Foot. Which Discovery may be of use to guard us with the strictest Caution, and strongest Indignation against that Tempter, who is so great an Enemy; and may also help us to conceive how some extraordinary Calamities, which sometimes surprise us, are produced, though no other natural causes of them do appear. 4. We may further learn from this History that the Devil and his Legions, with all their Malice & Power, are able to effect no Mischief against us, but then only, and foe far as God gives them permission: For we find that the Devil could not hurt Job, though eager in his Malice against him, till God said to him, Behold all that he hath is in thy Power: And at first he could not hurt his Person, because God restrained him by a Prohibition, Chap. 1. ver. 12. only upon himself put not forth thy Hand. And when the Devil sought to have his Commission enlarged, God gave him Power over Job's Body, saying Behold he is in thy Hand, Chap. 2. ver. 6. yet then also restrained him with this Exception, But save his Life. And this is matter of great Comfort and Encouragement to us, that we are not abandoned to the powerful Malice of the Devil, that though he goes about as a roaring Lion seeking to devour, yet he cannot go beyond the Tedder of his Chain; that an Almighty Wisdom and Goodness watcheth over us in a continual Providence, and that God will be faithful to us in not suffering us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear, 1 Cor. 10.13. and will with every Temptation make a way for us to escape, that we may be able to bear it. 5. We are also informed from hence, that God doth sometimes permit the Devil to afflict his Servants, not out of Wrath against them, but only to approve and exercise their Graces, for the Advancement of his own Glory and of their Praise, and for the increase of their Graces here, and of their Rewards hereafter. This is evident from the Character God gives of Job, and the Favour and Delight he expresseth towards him, both before and after his Sufferings; The Lord said unto Satan, Ch. 2, v. 3. Hast thou considered my Servant Job, that there is none like him in the Earth, a perfect and an upright Man, one that feareth God, and escheweth Evil? and still he holdeth fast his Integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without a cause. This may support and encourage us under any Sufferings, when our Consciences can attest our Integrity as Jobs did; and teach us to suffer cheerfully for God's sake, when we do not suffer for our own. This may also restrain us from making any reproachful Reflections upon the Afflictions of God's Servants, as Job's Friends did on his, because God may permit them for other wise and good Ends, beside that of Punishment. 2. This History doth not only teach us such useful Lessons, but also exhibits to us a very eminent pattern of Meekness and Patience, very needful to Instruct and Encourage us in the difficult Duty of bearing, as we ought, those Calamities and Afflictions, which are our common Portion in this World. Whilst we dwell in this lower World, depraved with the Malignity of Sin, and Blasted with the Curse of God's Displeasure, we cannot but expect to meet with a great variety of Crosses and Disappointments, Miseries, and Calamities, insomuch that Suffering is become at least one half of our Duty, and Patience is a Grace of as perpetual and common use as any other whatsoever. And this part of our Duty is so irksome to Flesh and Blood, that we need the most Forcible Helps and Supports to contain us in the performance of it. Now nothing doth more sensibly encourage us under Sufferings, then proper and eminent Examples, which at once Demonstrate to us, that our Afflictions are Tolerable, because we see them Born by others, and also excite in us a generous Emulation to acquit ourselves as well as our fellow Servants, who have been in a like or worse Condition. But among all the Patterns of Patience, there is none comparable with this of Job (excepting that of our Saviour who was more than a Man) whom God seems to have exercised with such extraordinary Trials, and to have recorded his History in the Holy Scriptures purposely for our Imitation and Encouragement. And that its great usefulness herein may more appear, let us a little display and view over this illustrious Example. Behold here a perfect and upright man undergoing the heaviest Calamities, falling from the height of prosperity into the lowest depth of Misery, surprised by his Calamities on a sudden, which came upon him altogether, without Intermission, and were of so extraordinary a Nature as, at once, to deprive him of all his Comforts, and plunge him into the lowest State of Wretchedness: For, all his great Estate, which according to those Times and Countries, consisted of Servants and , was in one day consumed by Sabeans and Chaldeans, and a Fire from Heaven. And as soon as he knew himself to be reduced to perfect Poverty, he is told also that he is become Childless, and that his Children perished together, by an unusual Death, under the Ruins of the House in which they were Feasting, Nor was he only stripped naked of all his outward comforts, but the Calamity seizeth on his Person too, and spreads over him a most Noisome and Painful disease. And that the good Man might have nothing to support him under all this Misery, but God and his own Conscience, his Wife, who should have been his Helper, became his Tempter, and his Friends did but Aggravate his sorrows with harsh Censures and unjust Reproaches. What Estate on this side of Death can we conceive more Calamitous than this? Let us now reflect on this Worthy wretched Man, and behold his Behaviour, and admire his invincible Patience. When Job had heard that he was deprived of all his Estate and his Children too, he indeed Rend his Mantle, and shaved his Head, and fell down on the Ground, as o ne that was not stupidly insensible of such extraordinary Events; but withal he worshipped toward Heaven, and expressed his Resentments in this Pious Devout acknowledgement. Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb, Chap. 1. v. 21, 22. and Naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord. And the Holy Ghost makes this Reflection on his behaviour in the next Verse, In all this Job sinned not, neither charged God foolishly. When afterwards his Body was afterwards his Body was afflected with the anguish and stench of unusual Boils, he contentedly sat him down among the Ashes, and relieved himself, as well as he could with the broken Potsherds that lay about him. And when his Wife could no longer suppress her Passions, or lengthen out her Patience, but in a transport of Fury called on him to curse God and Die; He replies, more angry with Her then with his Condition, Thou speakest as one of the foolish Women speaketh; and that he might Convince as well as Rebuke her, he suggests to her consideration this reasonable Argument, What? shall we receive Good at the Hand of God, and shall we not receive Evil? And here the Holy Ghost hath thought fit to bear his Testimony a second Time that, in all this Job sinned not with his Lips. This is a pattern that we cannot enough admire, but let us also labour to imitate it; And that we may attain to such an excellent frame of Spirit, let us study well this short Argument wherewith Job governed his own Heart, and endeavoured to restrain the impatience of his Wife, What? shall we receive Good at the Hand of God, and shall we not receive Evil? The Argument is proposed in the form of a Question, and accented with an unusual earnestness, that it might enter the Mind with a greater Force, and produce in it a more speedy and through Conviction. We may resolve the Argument into these two parts. I. An Antecedent supposed, That we receive our Good from the Hand of God. II. A Consequent thereupon inferred, That we ought to receive any Evil from the same Hand. The plain Sense and Design of the Argument is this, That as we receive all our Blessings from God's bountiful Hand; so we should be ready to accept any Afflictions from his correcting Hand. In discoursing on this Argument, I design to do these three Things. First, To explicate its Sense, that we may fully understand those things which are expressed or implied in it. Secondly, To discover the Force of the Argument, that we may be convinced by it. Thirdly, To apply it, for directing and containing us in the Discharge of so necessary a Duty. First, I begin to explain the Argument, That we may understand those Things which are expressed or implied in it: And this may be sufficiently done by enquiring into these three Things. 1. What is that Good and Evil which are mentioned in the Argument? 2. What that Hand is by which this Good and Evil is dispensed? 3. How we should receive both Good and Evil from that Hand. 1. Let us consider what that Good and Evil is which is expressed in the Argument? It is plain enough from the Context, that Job did design by Good and Evil, nothing else but those Temporal Blessings and Calamities, of both which he had so great a share, as this History describes. And though most Men are quick enough of Sense in the things of this World, to distinguish between Good and Evil; so that they need not be told that Riches and Honours, Health and Long-Life are good Things, and that Poverty and Disgrace, Sickness and Death are evil Things; Yet they are perchance very few who understand the Nature or Degree of that Goodness or Evil which are ascribed to the things of this World, and therefore it may be needful to teach them this piece of Sacred Philosophy: That Man being compounded of such different parts as a Spirit and a Body, he hath consequently very different Interests, such as are Spiritual, and such as are Carnal, and that those excel these, as much as a Spirit doth excel a Body: from whence we should infer, that those things are Good or Evil to a Man in the highest sense, which can promote or destroy the noblest Interests of his Spiritual part, and those things are Good or Evil but of an inferior Kind or in a lower Degree, which concern the welfare only of the Body. Now the things of this lower World about us, do not in their Nature's import any Good or Evil to that Soul which is the chief part of the Man; for a Man may abound in Riches, and yet be destitute of true Wisdom; he may cover a deformed Mind with a beautiful Body: or the more the outward Man decays, the inward Man may be renewed. Yea these Temporal things are indifferent of themselves to become either Good or Evil to us, according as they are blest by God, and improved by us: for Riches, Honours, and Pleasures may prove very evil Things, if they debauch our Minds with Vanity and Pride; and Poverty, Disgrace, and Sickness, which we make the instances of Adversity, may become very good Things to us, if they render our Minds more Sober & Teachable, and our Hearts more Meek and Submissive. Wherefore the Stoics, who in Matters of Morality came nearest to the Institutions of our Holy Religion, were Unanimous and confident in this Maxim, that there was no Good or Evil but only Virtue and Vice. So Tacitus describes Helvidius Priscus, Doctores sapientiae secutus est, qui sola bona quae honesta; mala tantum quae turpia, potentiam nobilitatem, caeteraque extra animum neque bonis neque malis annumerant. Tacit. Hist. lib. 4. That he followed those Masters of Wisdom who taught that those Things only were Good which were Honest, and only those things Evil which were dishonest, but Power, Honour, and other such things which affected the outward Man, they accounted not to be either Good or Evil. And though we Acknowledge that they went too far in this Assertion, and that According to the style of the Holy Scriptures we are allowed to call Temporal things Good or Evil, and there be this plain Reason for it, because these things respect the Interests of the Body which is a part of the Man, though the ignoblest part in the Composition; yet after all we must assert that these outward things are not Good or Evil in an Absolute sense with respect to the whole Man, or in the highest Sense with respect o his more valuable Interests; and that in the strictest Sense ●hose things only deserve to be accounted good or evil to a Man, which can affect the Spiritual interests of his Soul. These notions will be very useful to us for Proportioning our Estimations and Affections toward the things of this World; for allowing them to be in some degree Good or Evil, we shall be disposed to thank God for Temporal Blessings, and to humble ourselves under his Temporal Corrections; but knowing withal that there are other things which relate to our Spiritual Interests, which do comparatively far exceed them in their Goodness or Evil, we shall be induced to regard these with our highest Estimations, and our strongest Affections. 2. We are next to consider what that Hand is, which dispenseth to us both our Good and Evil things; the Text asserts it to be the Hand of God, which can import nothing else but the Power and Instuence of his continual Providence, whereby he sustains the Being's he hath given us, and disposeth of all Events and Circumstances about us, so that nothing doth or can befall us, without, or contrary to the Council of his Will. This hand of providence deals out to every Man that proportion of Good or Evil, which the divine Wisdom thinks fit to assign to him, so that nothing happens to us by a blind Fortune, or an unaccountable Fate, but by the Conduct of that good God, who is the great Creator and Sovereign of the whole World. If therefore there be any Creatures about us which are Good or Hurtful to us, it was the Hand that made them, which put those Qualities into them. If any Good accrue to us through our own Skill and Industry, or by the Care and Favour of our Friends, we must acknowledge that We, or our Friends, are but Instruments in the Hand of God, for conveying such Blessings to us: Or if we suffer through our own Default, or the Injury of other Men, we are to account of our selves or our Enemies, as Rods in his Hand, whereby he inflicts such Punishments upon us. Thus the pious King of Israel acknowledged to God: All that is in Heaven or in Earth is thine; 1 Chron. 19.11, 12. thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted above all; both Riches and Honour come of thee, in thy Hand is Power and Might, and in thine Hand it is to make great, and to give Strength unto all. So on the other Hand the Prophet demands, Shall there be Evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it? Amos 3.6. and with respect to both kind of Events, God himself declares, I form the Light, Isa. 45.7. and create Darknesss; I make Peace, and create Evil; I the Lord do all these things. And the Hand of God doth thus concern itself not only in the greatest and most important Events, but also in those which may seem most slight and inconsiderable to us: for our Saviour assures us that God numbers our very Hairs, Luke 12.6, 7. and that a Sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his Knowledge. A right Apprehension, and firm Persuasion of our entire Dependence on the Hand of Divine Providence, in managing and ordering our Conditions in this World, would have a very great influence on our Religious Devotion; for who would not be careful to please him who hath the dispensing of all Blessings and Curses? to whom shall we direct our Prayers for what we want, or our Thanksgivings for what we enjoy, but to that bountiful Hand which is the Fountain of all our Blessings? Or what can make us more Meek and Patiented under Correction, than the sight of that Almighty Hand which holds the Rod and lays on the Stroke? 3. We are in the last place to consider how we should receive both Good and Evil from the Hand of God. Job hath used but one word with respect to both sort of Events, and that word, Debemus accipere sive excipere cum affectu, lubentiâ reverentia & acquiescentia; id enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signisicat, nempe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acipere quod ad Donum sua natura refertur. Cocceius in locum. doth properly denote such an Acceptance as that wherewith we entertain a Gift from a Superior, with a cheerful Reverence, and a graceful acquiescence. Now though the design of the Argument would require only to explain how we ought to receive our evil Things from God's correcting Hand, yet inasmuch as we are equally concerned in the Duty of receiving Good as of receiving Evil; I think it will be worth our while, to Study out the right Art of doing both; in order to which I shall take both parts of this Duty under a distinct Consideration. 1. The right manner in which we should receive our good Things from the Hand of God, doth consist chief in this threefold disposition of Mind, viz. that we receive God's blessings with a contented, thankful, and an honest Mind. (1.) We should receive our good Things from God with a contented Mind, i.e. with a Mind that can contain itself within those Enjoyments which God thinks fit to allow; so as to be well pleased with his Blessings of whatever Kind, in whatever Degree, by whatever Means, or at whatever Time conferred upon us; not to despise our Blessings, or to be despise our Blessings, or to be dissatisfied with them because they are not of such a sort, or not so much, or do not come in such a way, or so soon as we would have them, and that we do not look askew on them with an evil Eye, or receive them awkardly with an unwilling, Hand. And to promote so good a Disposition of Mind, we should consider that God is the absolute Lord of all his Blessings, and may do with his own as he pleaseth; that his Hand is guided by an unerring Wisdom, so as to dispense them in an exact Proportion to every Man's Capacities and Necessities; that he is not stinted by any Penury of Blessings, or Envy of our Happiness; that he could and would give more or sooner if he saw it fit for us; that therefore it becomes us to contain our Desires within the same Bounds, which his Wisdom hath prescribed to his own Bounty, to accept of our Share which the great Master of the Family of the World hath allotted to us among the rest; lest by any dissatisfaction we reflect on God, as if he erred in giving too little, or on our Selves in desiring too much. If them God thinks fit to give us only Necessaries, let us stop our Desires there, and not hanker after Superfluities; if God gives us Health and Strength, let us be contented if we are not also Rich; let us be pleased and satisfied with the Children he gives us, the Friends he raiseth up for us, the Station he assigns to us, and the Competency he provides for us. And if he think fit to send us any good Things through our unws Industry, or the Charity of others, let us not be disconteneed, though we must labour or be beholden for them: and if our Blessings come not so soon as we desired, yet let it satisfy us that they come in that Season which Infinite Wisdom thought most fit. Let us learn with St. Paul, How to want, Phillip 4.11. and how to abound, and in all estates to be contented; and practise that Duty which he prescribes to all Christians, Let your Conversation be without Covetousness, Heb. 13.5. and be content with such Things as ye have. (2.) We should receive good Things from God's Hand with a Thankful Mind, i. e. with a Mind disposed to acknowledge with grateful Affections God's great Bounty toward us, and the Returns we own to him for it. To this end, we should keep on our Minds such Apprehensions of God, and our Selves, and of the Blessings we receive, as will promote and cherish in us the most grateful Resentments. We should take care that we do not injuriously deny, or carelessly overlook our great Benefactor, lest we withhold his Praises, or ascribe them to a wrong hand. We should consider how high a Privilege it is, that the great God of Heaven will condescend to take care of us in a continual Providence. We should consider also how unworthy we are of the Blessings we enjoy; or rather how much we deserve the severest Punishments. We should also rate the Blessings we receive with a just value and esteem; none should sem small to us which come from so great a God, to such worthless Persons; we should also consider how innumerable they are; how constantly and continually they flow into our Bosoms; and how seasonable, useful and delightful they prove to us. And such Considerations as these should not only start up at the Receipt of some new Blessing, but should dwell in our Minds, to affect them always with a grateful Sense of the immense Goodness & plenteous Bounty of our great Benefactor. If God's Blessings find us thus disposed, they cannot fail of a most affectionate Entertainment; for the Thoughts which acknowledge and admire the Riches of Divine Goodness, will easily inflame the Heart with a strong Love to God, as to the best of Patrons, the kindest Friend, and most indulgent Parent; they will melt us into sorrow for the inexcusable ingratitude of affronting and grieving so good a God in time past, and excite in us the most earnest Resolutions of an entire Devotion to him for the time to come. And out of the abundance of the Heart thus disposed, our Mouths will speak forth his Praise, and our own Thankfulness. We shall not forbear to boast of God and his Favour towards us, to declare his Goodness, and to bless his Name both in our private and public Devotion. And these Cords of Love which engage our Hearts will easily contain us in our Duty to so good a Lord, and oblige us to be diligent, faithful and cheerful in his Service, and make us very zealous for his Glory. Every Blessing received by such a grateful Mind will fall like Rain on good Ground, and bring forth much Fruit to the praise of him that sent it. With such Returns of Praise and Thankfulness we should always correspond with our great Benefactor, sending up to Heaven our Tributes of Gratitude, in some proportion to the Blessings God sends down to us; which is not more our Duty than it is our Interest; for as our God doth infinitely excel us in Goodness, so he regards more kindly the unprofitable Returns we make to him, than we do all the invaluable Blessings he bestows on us, and will not fail to exceed our Gratitude with his Bounty. After this manner have good Men disposed themselves for receiving the Blessings of Heaven; among whom we need no better Pattern than the Royal Psalmist, whose devotional Addresses consist chief of returns of Praise and Thanks, who had fixed his Heart, and turned his Lyre purposely to this Duty, and resolved to continue in it as long as he had a being; who also often invites all other Men, yea all the Creatures of God, to join in Consort with him, as sharers with him in the Blessings of Divine Bounty. (3.) We should receive our good Things from the Hand of God with an honest Mind, i. e. which a Mind honestly disposed to acquire God's Blessings in his own Way, and to employ them only to that End for which he designed them. If we project to obtain any Blessings by indirect Courses and unlawful Means, we shall not receive, but rather snatch them out of the Hand of Providence; for he defrauds or robs God of his Blessings, who procures them by Injustice, Violence, or Deceit; and if God suffer him to succeed therein, he must at last expect a Mixture of Sorrow with them; as Jacob's Blessing was imbittered which he fraudulently wrested from his deluded Father. We shall also greatly abuse God, if we Use his Blessings to any other purpose than he intended. How loud an Impiety must it needs be to make our Holy God a Caterer for our Lusts, by making his Blessings a Provision for the Flesh, to fulfil the Lusts thereof? To employ the Riches he bestows, to entertain our Luxury; the Honour he confers, to feed our Pride; the Power he entrusts us with, to revenge ourselves, or oppress our Neighbour; or the Health and Strength he preserves to us, to sin against him more presumptuously? What blacker Ingratitude and Injustice can we be Guilty of, then to fight against God with his own Weapons; to serve the Devil with the Blessings of Heaven; and to make those things to become Evil, which God sent for Good? If we do thus, we not only forfeit God's Blessings, but even necessitate him to take them from us, in his own Vindication; as he threatened Israel by the Prophet Hosea, Hos. 2.8, 9 She did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oil, and multiplied her Silver and Gold which they prepaturn for Baal; therefore will I return to take away my Corn in the Time thereof, and my Wine in the season thereof, and will recover my Wool, and my Flax, given to cover her Nakedness. Whenever we receive a Blessing, we should consider that he is the Lord who gave it, and we are his Servants or Stewards that receive it; that therefore we cannot honestly put it to any other Use than our Lord hath Appointed or Allowed; and must expect to be one Day called to an Account of the Blessings we have received; and if we have not put them to a good Use, or perverted them to a bad one; we shall be condemned as Wicked or Slothful Servants; Matth. 25. as our Saviour hath Taught us in his Parable of the Talents. If then God in his bounty bestows Riches on us, let us receive them with an honest Resolution to abound Proportionably in good Works; If he advance us to Honour, let us become thereby more illustrious Patterns of Piety to the World; If he confer Power and Authority upon us, let us use it to maintain his Cause, protect his Servants, and suppress the Enemies of his Religion; If he bless us with a long Life, and a convinued Health, let us be more Abundant and unwearied in his Service; let us receive every Blessing with no other design, than to employ it in the Service and to the Honour of him that sent it. And as God intends to engage us more closely to himself by all the Obligations he lays upon us; so upon the receipt of every Blessing, especially of such as are most remarkable, we should solemnly and hearty devote ourselves to God, as Jacob did in that pious Vow. If God will be with me, Gen. 28.20, 21. and will keep me in the way that I go, and will give me Bread to eat, and Raiment to put on, so that I come again to my Father's House in Peace, than shall the Lord be my God. II. Let us pass on to consider how we ought to receive our evil Things from God's correcting Hand. The design of the Argument is not that we should barely partake of these evil Things, for that is not in our Power to prevent; but that we should receive or accept them in a right Manner; and the Art of doing so, doth consist chief in this threefold Disposition of Mind, viz. that we receive any evil Things from God's correcting Hand, with Meekness and Humility; with Patience and Long-Suffering; and with a Cheerful and well-pleased Mind. First, We should receive any evil Things from the Hand of God with Meekness and Humility, i. e. with a Spirit so lowly and Submissive, as to yield quietly and easily to the Corrections God inflicts, without recoiling in angry Passions, or reflecting in discontented Murmurs, or returning any sort of Revenges against God, or the Instruments he useth in correcting us. Meekness and Humility are those passive Graces, which render our Spirits soft and gentle, yielding and impressive, and thereby susceptive of Corrections; but the stroke that falls on a hard Heart, rebounds in the Face of him that strikes, and a proud Heart will rise up against the weight of Affliction, like a Spring against the Hand that depresseth it. The Man whose passions are not broken and tamed by Discipline, must be nailed to the Cross which he is to suffer, but he will never submit to take it up and bear it; he will kick and roar under his Corrections, and often accuse and blaspheme the Author of his Troubles. The murmuring Israelites ●hen distressed in the the Wilderness spoke against God, Psal. 78.19 saith the Psalmist. Such the Prophet describes, Isa. 3.21. who when hungry would fret themselves, and curse their King and their God. Of such we read in the Apocaylipse, Rev. 16.9, 11. who would blaspheme the God of Heaven, that had Power over their Plagues, because of their pains and sores. But the Servants of God who had other Spirits, could receive their evil Things after another Manner. When old Eli heard the heaviest Doom from God, he meekly entertain d it, saying, It is the Lord, 1 Sam. 3.18. let him do what seemeth him good. When David was flying before his rebellious Son, whom God, according to his Denunciation, had raised up against him, he humbly submitted, saying, Behold, here I am, 2 Sam. 15.26. let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. The evil Things which our blessed Saviour received, and the Meekness and Humility wherewith he received them, transcend all other Patterns. He endured the contradiction of Sinners, the most and worst that ever was, with such Meekness, that when he was reviled, 1 Pet. 2.23 he reviled not again; when he Suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. When he was to receive from his Father's hand that cup of Fury, at the apprehension of which the human nature staggered; though he deprecated it, if possible, to be avoided; yet, if not, he humbly submitted to it, Mat. 26.39. saying, Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. With a like meekness and lowliness of Spirit should we be always disposed, to receive easily, to resent mildly, to suffer quietly any strokes of Correction from the Hand of God. We should consider the Greatness and Authority of him that strikes, with whom we may not, we cannot contend; and we should reflect impartially upon our own Gild, which hath made us justly obnoxious to greater Evils than this World can produce. We should thus reason which ourselves; Will it become us to be provoked by a Punishment, who have much more provoked God by our Sin? Shall we think much of the smart of his Rod, who have so often grieved his holy Spirit? Dare we in one Thought or Passion to oppose that Almighty Justice, which we cannot conquer, but may farther irritate by our rebellious Opposition? When therefore we receive any Cross or Loss, or any other sort of Affliction from the Hand of God, we should immediately look within, give a charge to our Hearts, set a guard on our Passions, and a watch before the door of our Mouth, that we fall into no Disorders or Indecencies; either, with David, we should be dumb, Psal. 39.9. and not open our Mouths, because it is God's doing: or, with Job, take care that we do not sin with our Lips by charging God foolishly. And let me add, That we should take care to suppress all proud or angry Passions against the Instruments that God useth in correcting us, because they will ultimately strike at God himself. When we curse our Stars, or fret against the cross Events that befall us, we reflect upon that Providence by which all things are managed; If we malign and pursue the Enemy that hath done us a Mischief, we wound God through his Side, who thought fit to order and permit that we should be Corrected by such an Instrument; However therefore the Affliction comes, let us humbly and meekly submit, without contending or quarrelling with God or Man, or with the World about us. So David when most malicilously and reproachfully Cursed by Shimei, governed his Spirit, saying, So let him curse, 2 Sam. 16.10, 11. because the Lord bathe said unto him, Curse David; let him alone, let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him; it may he that the Lord will look upon mine Affliction, and requite me Good for his Cursing me this Day. With such meekness could this humble King receive so great a Provocation, from one of his Subjects, out of reverence to Almighty God who was the supreme Author of his Sufferings. Secondly, We should receive our evil Things from the Hand of God with a proportionable Patience and long-Suffering, i. e. with such a passive fortitude or firmness of Spirit, as will not sink under the Burden, or faint under the Anguish, or grow weary under the continuance of our Sufferings. As soon as the Affliction seizeth us, we should immediately apply our Care to put ourselves into a posture of Bearing it; we should recollect our Spirits, and summon up all our spiritual Forces; we should fortify our Minds with the strongest Arguments, and fix our Hearts with the firmest Resolutions, and so buckle to the Burden we are to bear, and put out our strength in assoiling the Difficulties which encounter us. We should watch over our Spirits with a prudent Jealousy; and with a generous Indignation suppress any base Thoughts or mutinous Passions, that may enfeeble and dishearten us, or tempt us to seek a Redress by any unlawful Means. And we must beware of limiting our Spirits with any fond Conceits, that we can bear but so much, or so long; and think of providing no less Patience than what may be equal to the Evils we are to bear. If God call us to bear a heavy Cross, we must receive it with a proportionable strength of Patience; if he visit us with a long Sickness, we must endure it with a no less long-Suffering? if he try us with the loss of a dear Child or Friend that is never to be retrieved, we must provide a Patience that will be as endless and perpetual. We should consider, that God sends us such Evils, not only to punish us, but also to exercise and try us; which therefore we should receive as becomes good Soldiers and Servants, approving our ability and readiness to sustain them for his Honour, and our own Commendation. We should encourage and confirm our Patience, by placing before our Eyes the brave Examples of our Fellow-Servants, who have approved their Fortitude in as great Trials as those with which we are exercised; and by calling to mind those Divine Promises, which assure us infallibly of a sufficient Assistance here, and a golrious Crown in Heaven. We should with our evil Things, receive also those Admonitions and Exhortations, those Directions and Encouragements which God hath given us in his Holy Word, to enable us to bear them, viz. Luke 21.19. Jam. 1.4. That in Patience we possess our Souls; that Patience should have its perfect work, That, Prov. 3.11. we despise not the chastning of the Lord, neither be weary of his Correction; Prov. 24.10. that if we faint in the day of our Adversity, our Strength is small: For as it is a sign of a weak Body, to be disordered by every ill Accident; so it is no less of a weak Mind, to droop or fret under the Afflictions which befall us. This History presents us with great Instances both of Prowess in Job, and of Weakness in his Wife; for he bore up with a strength and length of Patience, that the Devil could not overcome, with all the Loads of Misery he heaped upon him; but she, though she suffered less, yet being of a weaker and shorter Spirit, was soon overcome; and to that degree of Impatience, that she advised her Husband to seek Ease, though in Death itself; and by cursing God, to provoke him to put an end to a miserable, Life. Thirdly, We should, receive any evil Things from the Hand of God with a cheerful and well-pleased Mind; so as to approve of God's dealing with us, to justify and bless him while he is correcting us; to consent to, and accept kindly his fatherly Chastisements; and to keep up a hopeful confidence in his Mercy, amidst our greatest Distresses. The former requisites were chief Negative, which only restrained us from resisting or fainting under God's correcting Hand; but this is positive, and imports somewhat higher and greater, even a voluntary and cheerful Concurrence with God in the Corrections he infflicts. We should like dutiful Children reverence the Crowns of our Father's Displeasure, acknowledge his just Authority and our own Demerit; and render Thanks to him for his Paternal Care and Discipline over us, who in very faithfulness afflicts us. We should not only, not reject and nauseate the evil Things which God despenseth, but receive them kindly and thankfully as the most useful Physic prescribed by the wisest and best Physician. We should be so far from flying out, or snarling against the Instruments of our Correction, as even to Kiss the Rod, to bless them that Curse us, and to Pray for them that Despitefully use us. Our evil Things should not be forced upon us, but received by us with a willing Hand; we should not only endure the Temptation, but overcome it; not only bear it patiently, but cheerfully rejoice under it. Thus St Paul prays for the Colossians that they might be strengthened with all might according to the glorious Power of God, unto all Patience, Col. 1.11. and long-Suffering, and that even with Joyfulness. And in such a manner have God's Servants been able to receive the worst Dispensations from him; Heb. 10.34. 2 Cor. 6.10. they took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods, they were as grieved, yet always rejoicing. Thus particularly did David receive the many evil Things with which he was Exercised, still Acknowledging that God was Righteous in all his ways, that all his Paths are Mercy and Truth to them that fear God; that in very faithfulness God afflicted him; and that it was Good for him that he was Afflicted. Thus also did Job worship the God who permitted him to be so severely treated, and justified, and blessed the Author or his Sufferings, saying, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord. And however strange and difficult this Rule may seem, yet it is not more than the wiser Heathens had learned. There is nothing that befalls me, saith Seneca, Senec. Ep. 96.75. that I would receive with a sad look or a lawring Countenance: every Thing should please Men that pleaseth God. I always, saith. Epictetus, will that which comes to pass; Epictet. l. 4.6. Ta for I account that better which God willeth, than what I will for myself; I adhere to him as his Servant and Disciple, I pursue, I desire, I entirety will with him, And the Royal Philosopher describes a good Man to be one that will with all his Heart embrace any Events that Providence dispenseth to him. Antonin. l. 3. sect. 4. The Christian hath much more reason to receive kindly and cheerfully any Events, which he believes are dispensed to him by the wisest and kindest care of his Heavenly Father: He is assured from the Word of God, that an Almighty Spirit shall help his Infirmities; and the Divine Blessing shall make all things work together for good to him. Rom. 8.26.28. He is told, Job 5.17. that the Man is happy whom God correcteth, Prov. 3.12. and that whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, even as a Father the Son in whom he delighteth. Jam. 1.12. That the Man is blessed that endureth Temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of Life. How well may this satisfy and please the Christian, that he is happy in God's account, when he seems most wretched in the Eye of the World? How cheerfully may he receive those evil Things, which are the Pledges and Tokens of God's Fatherly Care and Favour towards him; which he knows are sent not to hurt, but cure him, to promote his Spiritual Life here, and his Eternal Life hereafter. Let us therefore aspire to this excellent frame of Spirit, that we may be able to accept our evil Things as well as good, with a grateful Satisfaction. That we may be able to welcome Poverty, Sickness, or Death itself, as coming from so good a Hand, and tending to so good an End. Secondly, Having now attained to a competent understanding of those things, which the Argument imports; let us proceed to consider its Force and Weight, that we may be convinced and persuaded by it. It was wisely designed by Job, to recommend to us those evil Things to which we are naturally averse, by those good Things which attract us with Delight; that our receiving of the latter, may more easily induce us to accept the former. The Consequence of one to the other may be sufficiently evinced and confirmed by several Reasons: of which I shall mention these Four: 1. That Supreme Authority of God over us, which is plainly manifested by the good Things we receive from him, should oblige us to receive dutifully any evil Things, which he thinks fit to dispense to us. What other account can we give of the care of God's continual Providence over us, but that He is the Parent of those Being's he so indulgently cherisheth, and the Master of that Family, for the Members of which he so bountifully provides; and that consequently we are his Children and Servants, by whom we were made and are maintained? Psal. 100.3 Know ye, saith the Psalmist, that the Lord he is God, because he made us, and not we ourselves; and we are his People, because the Sheep of his Pasture. This Relation we stand in to God gives him a supreme and absolute Authority over us, whereby we are obliged to receive whatever he dispenseth to us, and to submit ourselves not only to be fed and maintained, but also to be disciplined and employed by him. As therefore the Blessings we enjoy, are Proofs of God's Authority, and Badges of our Dependence on him; so they should be forcible Arguments, for submitting us readily to his Discipline and Disposal. We expect no less from our own Children and Servants, than that they acknowledge our Authority, as well in correcting as maintaining them; and indeed we seem to collude with God, or overreach him, when we share in his Blessings as part of his Family, and yet deny his Authority, when he thinks fit to correct us; for in Equity, if God hath no right to send us evil Things, we have no right to his good Things; and if we receive these, we oblige ourselves thereby to accept the other also. With this Argument from Authority, the Servants of God have usually contained and quieted their Minds, under the sharpest Afflictions. 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, saith old Eli, let him do what seemeth him good. Psal. 39.9. I was dumb, saith David, and opened not my Mouth, because thou didst it. Job blessed the Name of that Lord, who had not more right to give than to take away; and contented himself with this Consideration, which the Septuagint have added to the Text, Job 1.21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as it seemed good to the Lord, so it came to pass. 2. If we receive all our good Things from God, we are obliged in Gratitude to him, to receive any evil Things he may require us to suffer for his sake. If our Gratitude bear any proportion to the Bounty of God, we shall be as ready to receive any evil Things from him, as he is to bestow good Things upon us; and be very willing to accomplish his Will, and glorify his Name by our Suffering, who at first made and doth still maintain us for his Honour and Service. He is a very ill-natured Servant, who can endure no Hazards or Hardships for a good Master; he is not worthy the name of a Soldier, who will only receive his Pay, but declines all the Difficulties and Dangers of his Warfare. We should think him a very disingenuous Friend, who, after many considerable Kindnesses done for him, refuseth to bear with us in any thing that is cross to his Humour, or to undergo any trouble in doing for us some necessary office of Friendship. How then can we deal so perversely and frowardly with God, as to receive daily so many good Things from him, and yet to murmur against him and his Providence, upon every cross Event he dispenseth to us! And our Ingratitude herein is so much the worse, as the good Things he bestows on us, are always more and greater than the evil Things he inflicts; for there is no Man wants so many Blessings are he enjoys, or can in this World meet with a Cross that is not outweighed by some other Blessing he possesseth; at best Life is more considerable than any Temporal Blessing we want, or any Calamity we suffer, for otherwise it could not be supported. Why then should a living Man complain? Lam. 3.39. saith the Prophet. How basely ingrateful are we, if we cannot suffer a little from him, from whom we have received so much? 3. If we receive good Things from God which we no way Deserve, it is very reasonable that we should receive evil Things which are justly Due to us. The blessings we enjoy are the free-gift of God which we can never merit or exact from him; but the Punishments we meet with, are the Fruit of our own Do, or the just wages of our Sin. How absurd then must it be for us to expect only good Things of which we are most unworthy; and to refuse or quarrel at those evil Things, which we have justly deserved and procured to ourselves. Shall a Profligat Criminal who hath forfeited his Life, expect only the Caresses of his Prince's Favour, and think much of enduring the confinement and hardships of a Prison? If God denied us all his Blessings; and allotted only evil Things to our share, we could not charge him with any Injustice, or have any just exception against his Providence; but when our merciful God dispenseth to us a mixture of both, it would be a most unreasonable piece of Fondness, to accept only the good Things which he frankly gives, and to refuse the Punishments which he justly inflicts; or to quarrel at him for not giving us those good Things which he owes us not, or for sending us those evil Things which are of right due to us. Thus the Prophet Jeremiah expostulates in his Lamentation; Why doth a living Man complain, Lam. 3.39. a Man for the Punishment of his Sin? He hath more than his due by being a living Man, and not more in bearing the Punishment of his Sin. 4. If our evil Things come out of the same kind Hand which dispenseth our good Things, we have reason to think well of them, and to receive them with a contented cheerful Mind. That our God is very kind and merciful, appears from the many good Things we daily receive from him; and if he also afflicts us, yet we may rejoice in this, that we are in good Hands; that we are under the Discipline of one that doth not afflict willingly, or take pleasure in grieving the children of Men; that he will not correct us immoderately but in Judgement; that his merciful Hand will support us, while the Hand of his Justice chastiseth us; and that he sends us evil Things, only to make us more capable of receiving the good Things he hath prepared for us. If then all the Blessings we have received, can be but enough to assure us of the Goodness and Faithfulness of God, we shall never murmur or despond, but rather hope and rejoice in his Mercy, under the worst Dispensations. What is good should never be unwelcome to us, and nothing but what is good can come from our good God; for though we distinguish and call things Good or Evil, yet they are all good as they come from him, and may be improved by us. God who is not led by Passion, saith, St. chrysostom, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Chrysost. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Tunc maxime est optimus cum tibi non bonus. Tirtul in Marc. 2.2. whether he bless or correct, he is equally Good; Yea he is then best, saith Turtullian, when we think him best. Good. Whatever therefore is dispensed to us by the Hand of God, we ought to approve and embrace as Good; as Hezekiah did that heavy Doom brought by the Prophet, saying, Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. 2 Kings 20.19. Thirdly, I come in the last place to make some useful Application of the precedent Discourse, which may serve to exhort us to yield to this reasonable Argument of the Text; by resigning and submitting ourselves entirely to the conduct of Divine Providence, for whatever good or evil Things shall fall to our Lot. That we may more easily learn this general Duty, we may conveniently divide it into these two particular Lessons. 1. That by an entire resignation of ourselves to God's disposal, we allow him to choose and order for us the Good or Evil which shall befall us; he being the Lord who hath the right of disposing both. 2. That we contentedly and cheerfully acquiesce in his choice; when he hath made, and declared it to us in the course of his Providence, receiving either Good or Evil from his Hand, as he hath thought most fit for us. 1. Let us be exhorted to resign up ourselves entirely to God's disposal, to choose and allot for us whatever good or evil Things, he shall think fittest for us. Almighty God hath an unquestionable right to dispose of us, and he will certainly make use of it whether we allow it or not; but it will best become us, and be most pleasing to God, that we should by our own Act deliberately and voluntarily resign up ourselves to his Conduct, and constute him the disposer of us, and of all our Concernments, whereby we may make a great virtue of Necessity, discharge a necessary Duty, and give much Honour to God. This self- Resignation imports many pious Acts of the Mind, our Acknowledgement and approbation of God's right and Authority, of his Wisdom and Faithfulness in disposing of us; our choice of him for our Guide; our consent to his Conduct; yea our Hearty desire and humble Prayer to him, that he would condescend to manage and order our Condition for us; and it will by consequence restrain us from intermeddling in that Affair we have entirely committed to his Management, by any anxious Cares, or eager Desires, or vain Curiosity of our own about it; so that we shall employ our care only in doing what God hath made our Duty, leaving it wholly to the great Master of that Family to which we belong, to provide for us and dispose of us, as he shall think fit. This we are taught in those Scriptures which require us to commit ourselves, Psal. 31.5. and our ways unto the Lord; Psal. 37.5. Psal. 55.22. 1 Pet. 5.7. Psal. 37.3, 5, 7. Philip. 4.6. to cast our Burdens and our Cares upon him, to trust in him, to rest on him; to be careful for nothing, but in all things by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgivings to make our requests known to God. Thus David when he fled out of Jerusalem, resigned up himself most submisively to God's disposal, saying to Zadok, Carry back the Ark of God into the City: 2 Sam. 15, 25, 26. if I shall find favour in the Eye, of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his Habitation; but if he thus say, I have no delight in thee, behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth Good to him. And our Blessed Saviour, in a more extraordinary Case, suppressed his own desires, and submitted himself entirely to his Father's disposal, saying, Mat. 26.39. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. Yea, we find this Duty excellently taught by a Heathen who thus adviseth; Dare to look up to God and bespeak him after this Manner: Epicter. l. 2. c. 16. Use me for the future as thou pleasest, for I am of the same Mind with thee, I refuse nothing that seems Good to thee; cloth me as thou wilt, appoint me what Station thou thinkest fit, whether Public or Private; to abide at home, or go into banishment; to be Poor or Rich, I will not only comply myself, but will justify thy Providence by Apologies to the World. Into such a submissive Frame, should we bring our Spirits, that we may leave off to carve and choose for ourselves, and be well content to be at God's allowance and disposal, and always ready to receive from his Hand whatever good Things he thinks to be Food conventient for us, or whatever evil Things he thinks to be needful Physic for us. 2. Let us be exhorted also to acquiesce contentedly and cheerfully in whatever Choice God makes for us, when he declares it to us in the course of his Providence, whether it be of good or evil Things, or of whatever kind or degree they are. We should shamefully affront God and contradict ourselves, if after we have solemnly chosen, and consented to his Conduct, and by our Prayers besought him to take the care and charge of us, we should allow ourselves to censure his Providence, to dislike his Management, and refuse our Lot; whereby we reflect on God's Wisdom or Goodness, or Power or Faithfulness, as if he could not, or would not do so well for us as we expected; or else discover ourselves to be very weak and vain, froward and inconstant, like Children, never long of a Mind, difficult to be pleased, whom God himself is not able to satisfy. We justly condemn the perverse Spirit of the Israelites, who after they had put themselves under God's Conduct, and promised to be very obsequious to it in their passage from Egypt to Canaan, yet murmured against him upon the slightest Occasions; disliked his Provision, though he catered for them by Miracles, and chose rather to return back to their House of Bondage, than to continue under the care and safeguard of his Providence. And St. Judas, Judas 16. reproves such in his Time who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Murmurers, who complained of the Lot which Providence had drawn for them. We should be very cautious of dealing humourously or frowardly with the great God of Heaven, that we do not tempt or limit him, provoke and grieve him, as he sometimes complained of the People of Israel, lest he should cast us out of his Presence, and refuse to take any farther care of us; for how helpless and forlorn, how wretched and miserable must we needs be, if God should abandon us to our own Impotence and Folly. When therefore our wise and good God declares to us in the course of his Providence, that he hath appointed such a state or condition of Life for us in general, or hath allotted such good or evil Events to befall us in particular; we should forthwith, without disputing or contending, accommodate and conform our Will to his, accept thankfully the Blessings he sends, or bear patiently the Corrections he inflicts, being satisfied with this, that it is God's appointment, who hath right to dispose of us, and who knows better than we, what things are fit for us; that we have often in our Prayers resigned up ourselves to his disposal; and that it is a high Privilege that he will vouchsafe to take care of us; that his Promise is a sufficient Security, on which we may rely, even when we cannot comprehend the design or reason of his dealing with us. In such a manner did pious David conform himself to the Will of God, when declared to him in the course of his Providence. When his Child was sick he besought the Lord for it, and fasted, and lay all night upon the Earth; but when the Child was dead, he arose, washed, anointed, changed his Apparel, and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped. And he gives this accountn of his Behaviour, 2 Sam. 12.22.23. While the Child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious unto me, that the Child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. While the Child was sick he recommended him to God by Prayer, and when God had disposed of him as he thought fit, David acquiesced. Abraham the Father of the Faithful, was no less obsequious to the Will of God, who without disputing the divine Command, left his Native Country, and followed Providence, though he knew not whither; and offered up his only Son a Sacrifice to God, as soon as he was demanded, without any discontented Murmurs. And our Blessed Saviour when dissuaded by St. Peter from submitting to the Sufferings which God had appointed for him, he rejected the fond advice with Indignation, saying, Get thee behind me Satan, Mat. 16.23. thou art an offence to me, for thou savourest not the things of God, but those that be of Men. And when the same Apostle would have rescued him by violence from those Sufferings, our Lord forbade him, saying, The cup which my Father hath given me, John 18.11. shall I not drink it? To all which I cannot but add those excellent Say of an honest Heathen. In all Affairs this should be our wish, Epictet. c. 77, 78, 79. Led me O God, according to thy Decree, whither thou wilt, and I will follow cheerfully; and yet if I should be so wicked as to refuse to follow, yet follow I must of necessity. He that can accommodate himself to the necessity of Events is a wise Man, and understands the things of God. If then God will have it so, so be it. Such than is the Duty we are exhorted to that we would choose no more than this only, that God would choose all things for us; and that we approve and accept of whatever choice he makes for us. To enforce this Exhortation, I will subjoin a few Considerations, which may incline our Hearts to such a submissive compliance, with the conduct of Divine Providence. 1. It is our necessary Duty to do so, and the contrary practice will involve us in a great deal of Gild. We may beconvinced of this, not only from those express Precepts which frequently occur in the Holy Scriptures, but also from a self-evident Law inscribed upon our Natures. For inasmuch as we are Creatures, we are by Nature dependant both on the will & power of God from whom we received our Being's; and are consequently obliged to render him both active and passive Obedience, and do become as guilty in rebelling against his will, by not suffering what he inflicts, as by not doing what he commands. If we attempt to dispose of our selves, or of the Circumstances of our Condition, we usurp upon God's Prerogative, we invade the Sceptre of his Government, and become guilty of High-Treason against the Majesty of Heaven. For we thereby confront his Will with ours, we take upon us to dispose of his Creatures, to dispense his Blessings, to withstand his Corrections; which is in short to depose him from the Government, and to assume it to ourselves. 2. It is our great Privilege that we need not do more, than quietly commend and commit ourselves to the care of Divine Providence. It would indeed be very ill for us, if God should leave us, like Orphans, to our own care and disposal, and should make our carking Sollicitudes, and toilsome Labours as necessary as we think them to be; How madly should we order ourselves? How miserable should we soon make ourselves? We understand not our own Wants or Capacities, or the fitness and usefulness of the things about us; we should be ready to choose any Evil that appears speciously, or to reject any Good that is not attended with fair and easy Circumstances; so foolish and humour some are the wisest Men, that if God left Events to their management, they would but disturb and destroy themselves, and the World about them. Is it not therefore much better that we may sit still, and not disquiet or mischief ourselves with our unwise Cares, and rash Projects; and that the infinitely Good, the only Wise, and Almighty God, who is the Master of the great Family in which we live, our Father, and Guardian, will vouchsafe to take care of us, and order all things about us for our good? Why will we toil and cark for ourselves, when we need not? What can we desire better than to be under the conduct of infinite Wisdom, and at the disposal of infinite Goodness? 3. It is in vain for us to attempt to do more, for after all our projecting, wishing and striving, though with never so great Earnestness, it is not in our Power to attain the good Things which God denies, or to refuse the evil Things which God appoints. God hath fitted our Nature with faculties for doing so much as he intended to make our Duty, and therein we should assiduously employ ourselves; but as he never designed to trouble us with governing the World, so he hath capacitated us with no Powers for so vast an Undertaking, but hath reserved it to himself, who hath most Right, and is best able to perform it. We may as well make an attempt at God's work of Creation, as of Providence, for both greatly transcend our Skill and Power; or try if we can alter the frame of our Natures, as well as change the circumstances of our Condition; but, as our Saviour says, we cannot make one Hair White or Black, Mat. 5.36. so neither can we of ourselves make our Condition better or worse than God hath appointed. If our Experience hath not long since convinced us of this, let us make an Experiment of our Power, in changing the Wether, in preventing Sickness and Death; and if we cannot command these ordinary Events, why should we think of ordering others! or rather why should we not leave off the folly of attempting what is impossible for us to perform. 4. There is great Peace, Pleasure, and Satisfaction in the performance of this Duty. He that hath hearty resigned up himself to God's conduct and disposal, is become a happy Man, and leads the most easy, safe and delightful course of Life; for he hath unloaded his Mind of all his burdensome Cares, and dismaying Fears; he takes no thought what he shall eat, or drink, or wherewithal he shall be clothed, much less doth he distract himself with future Wants or distant Dangers, because his heavenly Father takes Care of him: He can wake, or sleep securely, and attend on his Duties without distraction; he can enjoy his Blessings with the greatest Cheerfulness, and bear his Afflictions with the greatest Ease, and be at all times well pleased, and fully satisfied, because the wisest and best of Being's hath undertaken to manage and order all Things for him. And he that can contentedly acquiesce in the Dispensations of Providence, is free from the uneasy passions of Grief and Shame; he is never disappointed, never discontented; he never envies the good Things which are dispensed to another, or frets at the evil Things which are allotted to him: He never murmurs at God, or quarrels with Men, or disquiets himself however the World moves about him; for all things come to pass as he would have them, because he would have them come to pass as God appoints them. How very sweet and pleasant must such a state of Life needs be, wherein is fulfilled that saying of the Prophet, Thou wilt keep him in perfect Peace whose Mind is stayed on thee, Isa. 26.3. because he trusteth in thee? 5. Great Benefit and Advantage will accrue to us by a sincere and constant discharge of this Duty. By resigning up ourselves to God's conduct, we effectually engage the care and favour of his Providence over us; for it will not consist with his Honour or his Promise to suffer any who repose their trust in him to be ashamed. And how great an advantage must it needs be, to have the Wisdom of God to contrive for us, his Goodness to supply us, and his Power to protect us? Is it not a much greater privilege than if we were received under the Patronage of the greatest, wisest or best Man in the World? for what can we want, if fed from the Hand of divine Bounty? what Evil can hurt us, if sheltered under the Almighty wings? By submitting to God's Conduct we shall escape many Sins and Dangers, which they usually fall into who would be at their own disposal; Yea hereby our evil Things will be turned into Good, for we shall receive a Blessing with them, which will sanctify and sweeten them to us. And if we continue always to implore and rely on God's Conduct; he will never leave or forsake us, till he hath brought us past all our Fears and Dangers, up to that Heaven where we shall receive good Things only, and shall be able to thank, and praise God for those evil Things wherewith he disciplined us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his Holiness here, Heb. 12.10. and of his Glory hereafter. This Argument may be farther improved by considering more particularly some of the chief Advantages, which will accrue to us by submitting our selves to the conduct and disposal of God's Providence. 1. In following this Divine Conduct, we shall always walk in ways that are right and lawful, and thereby escape those sinful Courses, which defile our Souls; wound our Consciences, and enthral us in manifold Miseries; when we walk in the Light of our own Eyes, and after the Lusts of our own Hearts, we run ourselves into many dangerous Errors. So the Apostle observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. They that will be rich [and follow their own will therein] fall into Temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts, which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition. For the Love of Money is the root of all Evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the Faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But if we follow this Heavenly Guide, he will never misled us into any crooked ways, not betray us into any Temptations, which may prove too strong for us. This David mentions as a considerable Advantage of having God for his Shepherd over him. He restoreth my Soul, he leadeth me in the paths of Righteousness for his Namesake. Psal. 23.3. And elsewhere the Psalmist observes it to be the Privilege of him that relies on God's Conduct, that, The Law of God is in his Heart, Psal. 73.31. none of his steps shall slide. We find also the Royal Preacher largely insisting on this Argument! The Lord giveth Wisdom; Prov. 2.6, etc. and out of his Mouth cometh Knowledge and Understanding. He layeth up sound Wisdom for the Righteous; he is a Buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of Judgement, and preserveth the way of his Saints. Then shalt thou understand Righteousness and Judgement, and Equity; yea, every good path. Discretion shall preserve thee, Understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil Man, from the Man that speaketh froward Things, who leave the paths of Uprightness, to walk in the ways of Darkness. And in the next Chapter he expressly asserts this to be the Privilege of those who acknowledge God for their Guide, and follow his Conduct. Trust in the Lord with all thine Heart, Prov. 3.5, 6. and lean not unto thine own Understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. He cannot but be in the right way who hath God to direct him; and no wise or good Man, but will highly value so great a Privilege. 2. If we follow the Conduct of God's Providence, our way will be smooth and plain, not encumbered with such perplexities, or obstructed with such impediments as they meet with who are led by the ignis fatuus of their own uncertain Understandings. We sometimes complain of Difficulties in our Affairs which our skill cannot extricate, we cark in our thoughts, are dubious and fluctuating in our Resolutions, and after many fruitless Attempts and toilsome Endeavours, are forced to let go the fond Project, and sit down in a hopeless despair: But if we were under the Conduct of Divine Wisdom; if we would stay till God open a way to us by the course of his Providence, and follow his conduct in using those means and opportunities he provides; we should find favourable Circumstances about us conspiring to facilitate our designs, the course of God's Providence would suggest to us prudent Thoughts, and the Events that happen to us would concur with our Endeavours; whereby our Affairs would proceed easily and steadily; and though God may sometimes permit some rubs or delays for our spiritual exercise and improvement, yet he will not suffer us to be puzzled with any inextricable Difficulties, or to be defeated in any extraordinary Disappointments; Thus some interpret that Aphorism of the Wiseman, Commit thy ways unto the Lord, Prov. 16.3. and thy thoughts shall be established; that by committing our Affairs to the Conduct of God's Providence; our thoughts shall be established in prudent and steady Resolutions; and be supported in an honest design against all Obstacles and Difficulties. 3. If we are under God's Conduct we shall be under his Safeguard too, and our way will be always safe and secure. He that hath no better Guide than himself, is like the Blind leading the Blind, which, according to the Jewish Proverb, falls into a ditch; and indeed most of the Mischiefs and Troubles we meet with proceed from our own ill conduct of ourselves. But if God be our Guide, his Hand that leads us, will also support us, his Prisence that conducts us will also protect us; He will give his Angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways, into which his Providence leads us. Psal. 37.23, 24. The steps of a good Man are ordered by the Lord, and none of his steps shall slide; Tho he fall he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with his Hand. Thus we read that Israel travelled with safety in an uncouth Wilderness amidst all their Enemies, while they obsequiously followed the sign of God's Presence conducting them; but when they would go on their own Heads against Amalek, they were easily vanquished. We likewise find that Abraham who resigned up himself to God's Conduct, met with no considerable Troubles in the whole ocurse of his Life; But Jacob who followed rather the Conduct of his subtle Mother, than the Guidance of God, in procuring his Blessing, procured thereby many Crosses and Troubles, which followed him all his days. 4. If God be our Guide, we shall not fail of Success; for he that can do whatever pleaseth him in Heaven and Earth, will prosper the work of our Hands; He will certainly lead us to that Good which is most convenient for us, if not to that particular Good which we, by mistake, designed. Delight thyself in the Lord, Psal. 37.4, 5. and he shall give thee the desire of thine Heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. As God conducted the Children of Israel safe through the Wilderness, and at last brought them to the Land of Promise: So will he conduct those who Trust in him, amidst all the changes and chances of this mortal Life, and at last put them in possession of that Heavenly Canaan, toward which every good Man is tending in all the passages of his Life. He will guide them by his Counsel while they are on the way, and at last receive them to himself in Glory. FINIS. ERRATA. P. ●●▪ l. 20. f. then r. when. l. 21. deal the. P. 75. l. 7. r. glorious. P. 78. l. 3. for Crown. r. frowns. P. 90. l. 11. f. hist. r. lest. P. 95. l. 14. f. best. r. jest.