Muft not be shew his difpleasure against thy ingratitude? Doft not thou correct thy Child when he is ftubbarn? and, Doft thou let thy Servant go without chiding, that doth neglect the business thou haft recommended to his care? May be, thou haft ferv'd thy God, and led a fober life, but, Was it a life fo blameless, that it had no defects and, Muft not thofe defects endure that fiery Tryal, that they may be burnt away? Haft thou receiv'd the good at the hand of the Lord, and, fhalt not thou receive the evil alfo How long hath God fpared thee, who might long ago have poured out the vials of his wrath upon thee? Haft not thou reafon to thank him for chastifing thee, but now, who might have done it much fooner? Alas! Why fhouldst thou think he doth thee wrong, by fending this cross upon thee, who haft deferved no less than Damnation? Are not Rods gentler than Scorptons and, Drops of Gods anger more tolerable, than flouds of his difpleasure? thou art in pain; but, What is this to Hell fire? thou art in torments; but, What is this to the Agonies the unhappy Spirits in the burning Lake endure? How great a Mercy is it, that it is not worse with thee? The Waters of Marah, which are but to the Ancles now, How foon might God increase them to the Knees, and make them a River that could not be pass'd over? and he that doth but frown now, How eafily might he Thunder & Confider, O my Soul, thou art pot call'd to Perfecution, to Gibbets, to Fire, to Bb 2

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the Sword, to Gridirons, to wild Beasts, as the Martyrs of old were: If thou complain'st now, What wouldst thou do, if thou wert call'd to Martyrdom? Look upon Jefus, the Author, and Captain of thy Salvation, who was made perfect through fufferings: Art thou better than the Son of God? look upon the Apoftles, look upon the Primitive Saints that were torn afunder, stoned, flain with the Sword, wandred about in Sheepskins, and Goat-skins, were destitute, tormented, afflicted; and,Art thou a greater Saint than they? Why should't thou expect better dealing at God's hands, than they? thou art not alone in Mifery, thou haft whole Armies of Holy Men to bear thee company; Canft thou look upon yonder Heaven, and repine? Canft thou behold that Glory, which God hath prepared for thee, and think much of these fiery Trials? the hopes of a Kingdom makes a Captive Prince merry, though he is in Prifon; and, Shall not the hopes of yonder joyes, keep thy heart from finking? When a Socrates can chearfully fubmit to the unjuft Sentence of the Athenians, upon no other account but this,because it was God's will? Shalt thou,who art a Christian, lie fretting at thy trouble,as if thou meant'st to refift and controul God's will? Wilt not thou give God leave to use that priviledge in his great House, the World, which every Peasant uses in his Cottage, and lay what burthens he pleases on his Servants? Shall he fay, Suffer thou this Affliction; and wilt thou anfwer, with that Ill-natur'd Son in the Go

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fpel, I will not? Look, O my Soul,look upon the benefit thou wilt receive by this providence;thou waft proud before, ftay a while,and this calamity will make thee humble; thou didst defpife thy God before,have a little patience, and this trouble will drive thee hence to thy Fathers houfe; thou didft play with the bread thy Father gave thee, this cross will teach thee how to prize it; tho didst trust too much to thine own strength; this calamity will make thee relye altogether upon him, who hath promis'd to be thy refuge, thy hiding place, thy fortress, thy deliverer, thy ftrong Tower, and the horn of thy falvation: God knows what thou wanteft,and how thy wants must be supplyed; He fees profperity would undo thee; he therefore takes it away, and, like a tender Father,cries,Do thy felf no barm; He fees fuch a bleffing would make thee furfeit; he therefore wifely prevents thy disease by depriving thee of that Mercy; He fees fuch a comfort would be but a Knife, or Sword in thy hand, and kill thee; he therefore fnatches it away, because he would preferve thee from Eternal ruine; he fees thou art too much in love with this World, he therefore embitters thy fweet morfels, to make thee weary of this barren wilderness, and in love with that Kingdom which fades not away. Doft thou blame a Phyfician, because he gives his Patient a bitter potion? and, Wilt thou blame thy God, for not pleafuring thy pallate with dainties; which would encrease thy distemper? Wouldst thou follow thy Saviour in Sun-fhine only, and Bb 3

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with him into the Garden of Gethsemane? Would'st thou inherit his Crown of Glory, without wearing his Crown of Thorns here? Wouldst thou be with him on Mount Tabor only,and not accompany him to Golgotha? Wouldst thou be about him only, when he rides in triumph into Jerufalem, and forfake him in the Defart? Wouldst thou follow him only while the Loaves do laft, and abandon him when he wants bread for the multitude? Wouldst thou own him only when Men cry Hafanna, and run away from him, when they cry out, Crucify him? Wilt thou eat of the fame Bread he doth, and not drink of his Cup too? God would fave thee by that burthen which lies upon thee; and, Doft thou prefer a little froth before an Eternal weight of Blessedness? Hadft thou rather enjoy thy good things here, than lye with Lazarus in Abrahams bofom? God fees thou canst not be happy without this affliction; and, Wilt thou prefer living delicioufly for a few days, before the rich Banquet God hath prepar'd for his favourites in Paradife? O my Soul, its but a little while yet, and thy Prison will be changed into a Palace, thy Poverty into Eternal Riches, thy Bondage into perfect Liberty, thy Perfecution into endless Joys, thy mourning Songs into Hallelujahs, thy Sorrow into Rivers of Delight. Alas! What is a Prifon? God's Prefence can make it a Heaven; Walls cannot keep out the Smiles and glory of the Higheft; What is Poverty? it may confift with being Gods

Gods Jewel; and, he that hath nothing in this World to boast of, may have an incorruptible Crown to lay hold of, and be really richer, than the wealthiest of Mankind. What are flanders and reproaches? they cannot hurt the Soul, whatever injury they may do the Body; they come fometimes from Men, whofe Tongue is no flander; and, while thou art innocent in the fight of God, thou art a Crown of Glory in th› hand of the Lord,and a Royal Diadem in the hand of thy God; and if fo, How little need'st thou matter the good opinion, and efteem of Men, efpcially when thy innocence fhall be proclaimed oneday, in the Ears of the whole World. What is perfecution? a Cloud, which foon paffes àway, and he that chearfully endures it, great is his reward in Heaven. Despair not, O my Soul, thou haft to deal with a God, who will lay no more upon thee than thou art able to bear, but with the temptation will make away to ef cape, that thou may'ft be able to bear it; one that doth not afflict the Children of Men willingly, one that will certainly, if thou obftruct not his operation by thy unbelief; fo order thy Winter, that a moft glorious Spring and Summer fhall follow it.

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May be thy troubles are altogether Spiritual, and thou dost not complain fo much, because thou art destitute of outward conveniences, as because thy God is departed from thee: a deep fenfe of thy fins afflicts thee, thou feeft the wrath of God hovering over thee, and God hides

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