which feems good in his fight, fhall it look evil in mine? Shall I ftruggle against that bleffed will, which is fo much better than my own? No; I will receive it, and embrace it: I will welcome and approve it if my Lord will be pleased to have it. His will be done upon me; as well as by me. And may I have no will, but what is tuned to a harmonious agreement with his. Though I cannot love the trouble for itfelf: yet will I bless the hand that fends it; and comfort myfelf in this belief, that it is not in wrath, but in love: and not to do me hurt; but for my good. Still I will refer myself to him and feeing it is the Lord, let him do what feems him good. He that rules all the world, cannot be unfit to rule me. That it is his dispensation, fhall be my fatisfaction. For however he uses me, I am fure, he cannot wrong me. And as bad as it is with me, yet it might have been worse. If it be but better than the torments of hell; it is not fo bad as the wages of my fin. And fhall I that have done fo much more evil than good, receive all good at the hands of God, and no evil? Shall I think it much to be afflicted; when it is of his mercy, that I am not confumed? "O why fhould a living man complain; a man for the punishment of his fin?" Lam. iii. 39. 'Tis but what I have procured to myfelf: yea, 'tis but what he inflicts on the children of his love. For the fame afflictions are accomplished on the rest of my brethren in the world. Yea, they that are much better, have fared a great deal worse. And wherefore does he fend the evil, but to make me better; that fo he may love me ftill more? For certain, he belt knows what he has to do: yea, how to make thofe very afflictions the ftairs to my happinefs; which look like the violent hands, coming to throw me down into mifery. And he does not afflict willingly, for the affliction's fake, as delighting in my mifery; but he lays upon me the cross,

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to fave me from the curfe; and plucks but those comforts from me, which feduced my heart from him. He understands, how to profit my foul, without pleafing my humour: and will make his medicines healing, though they be not fo relishing. He would have me to heaven a nearer way, than I had a mind to go and will drive me, where I would not be drawn; yea, compel me to come in, where I was for ftanding it out. That then which is the caufe of my prefent grief, yet will he turn to the matter of my future joy! and make me thrive, even by what I have loft. Should I be ftill my own carver, O how foon fhould I be my own destroyer! Let me then reft affured, that 'tis good for me to be afflicted and if it were otherwife with me, it would be worfe for me. He that fends it, knows me to need it. And it is in faithfulness, that he does afflict me; in love to my foul, that he lays the load on my body. Seeing I have experienced his kindness in every condition; I will believe, that I fhall alfo find it in this affliction: and truft the great Captain of my falvation, to bring me, though it be through many tribulations, to his heavenly kingdom. Let but my foul be fafe in his hands, and fit for his glory; and then let him, if he please, take the world out of my hands, and do what he will with my body. To refign myself up into his hands, that will make me eafy in my mind, and happy under his care. Therefore, that I may not be broken by him, I will bend to him: and though he flay me, yet I will truft in him. I am upon a warfare and meet is it for the foldier, to make account of fharp fervice. I am failing through a troubled fea: and the mariner must not think it ftrange to be weather beaten, and hard put to it. Did not my dear Lord himself go before me, in the fuffering way? but it was the way to his glory: and fhall not 1 chearfully follow him, till I reach to

be

be ever with him? O my foul, there is that, which will more than pay me, for all the worst that ever can befal me: and that will foon make me forget all forrow; as if it had never been upon me. Lord, let not my portion be with the men of the world, that have all their good things in this life: but let me now, as thou wilt, be troubled; that I may be eternally faved. And fo do thou break my will here, that I may have my will for ever.

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THE PRAYER.

FFLICTION Comes not forth of the duft; nor does trouble fpring out of the ground: "but it is thy meffenger, O Lord, difpatched out upon thy errand. And because it comes from "thy hand; I will lay my hand upon my mouth; " and neither reply against it; nor repine under it. "O give me patience and ability to bear it: that I

may not faint, however fore tried: and that "none of the loffes or croffes may fink my heart, "nor ruin my hopes; nor pull me from my God; "nor tempt me to fly out into rebellion against the "Lord. But ftill, let me find thy help at hand, "and thy mercy, in time of my need; thy ftaff, "to fupport me; as well as thy rod, to chaftife me; thy love to my foul, thy pardon, thy peace, "the fhining of thy face, and the reviving hopes "of thy heavenly glory. Amen."

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PROS

MEDITΑΤΙΟΝ XXXI.

Of the danger of worldly profperity.

ROSPERITY is that glittering fword, which every one has an itch to be handling: but O how few, my foul, can tell how to manage it, without hurting themfelves by it? The mountain gives fo fair a profpect; that most are for fcrambling up, though to their own misfortune: and in the flippery places, feeking higher happiness, do but tumble down into the deeper misery. Indeed, there is no wife man, but the godly man. All the wicked, God's Word paints them out for fools. And then let them never fo much applaud their own wifdom, to get up high in the world; none of their profperity can ever make them happy; but will rather run them into the fadder infelicity. When instead of improving the advantages fet before them, the profperity of fools only deftroys them. The lofty ftanding makes them fo giddy, that they know not what to do with themselves in it. And fo they fall, lapfu graviori: till they are quite undone, by that very thing, which they reckoned would make them for ever. This world's good, inftead of doing them any good, O how usually does it make them a great deal the worfe for it; loofe and riotous, proud and imperious, cruel and indeed unfufferable! when they think their wealth and greatnefs muft bear them out in all; and take their fulness and plenty, as the opportunity for their wantonnefs and luxury; yea, even their warrant to fin with authority. Thus, in the rank pafture, do they feed thofe fleshly lufts,

which grow up to be the murderers of their fouis. There it is, that the fnakes lie thick in ambush all about: and they that will lie down among them,and roll carelessly, and sport securely; not fo much as fearing them? O how are they like to escape them! There is the temptation in that eafy profperous condition, heightened with fuch a fort of fafcination, as puts even a good man hard to it, to retain his integrity in it. Agur himself was afraid of riches: "left being full, he should deny God, and say, who "is the Lord?" Prov. xxx. 9. And fo eminent a faint as David, in his profperity, was running into that wild folly, to think his mountain ftood fo ftrong, he fhould never be moved. Therefore does the gracious God ufe to diet his children with a competency and when he gives them any further allowance than fo, yet in all their affluence, he makes them abftemious as pilgrims, that are not to glut themselves upon this world: but to be crucified to it; and keep their appetites, for better entertainments above it. O then how fhall the man that is not fortified with God's heavenly grace, to make him ftrong in the Lord, ever be fafe amidft all the fnares to catch him on every fide! how do the Jefuruns use to kick, as they wax fat; and throw up their heels at their owner and keeper! with what difdain do they look down upon the worship of God, when fo, not only bolstered, but courted and careffed by the world! what room then for prayers and holy offices; when fo taken up with their great incomes, plodding defigns, bon-companions, and variety of pleasures! poor religion muft ftand by: and the God of heaven wait, till they can have while to be at his fervice. Or if they will have any thing to do with him; it fhall be only in fuch a way, as to let him fee, how much they flight him: and what hafte they are in to get away to their only beloved again. Amidst all their fulness, O

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