Let us Pray .

PRevent us , O Lord , in all our doings with thy most gracious favour , and further us with thy continual help , that in all our works begun , continued and ended in thee , we may glorifie thy Holy Name , and finally by thy Mercy obtain Everlasting Life , through Jesus Christ our Lord . Amen .

Job 5.7 .

Man is born to Trouble as the Sparks fly upwards .

IF our first Parents had retain'd their Original Innocency , neither they nor their Posterity had ever known Sorrow or Affliction . The wise and good Creatour made nothing to make it miserable ; he does not hate the works of his own hands : And in particular of Man , 't is said , He does not afflict willingly , nor grieve the Children of Men ▪ But our first Parents fell into Sin , and with themselves involv'd us in Guilt , and this has exposed us all to Misery . Therefore the Apostle says , Rom. 5.5 . Death past upon all Men , for that all have sinned . Now as we are by Nature Children of Wrath , we come crying into this World : and Man is born to Trouble as the Sparks fly upwards . That is , The trouble and affliction of this Life is as natural , as common to Mankind as is the property in Sparks to fly upwards . Affliction and Misery are the common Lot , and all of us shall have a share in them at one time , and in one way or other . Indeed innumerable Evils do continually compass us about , and we can seldom if ever be free from all of them . And so many things are necessary to make us perfectly at Ease and Happy , that some or other of them are likely to be always Absent . And besides , every good is liable to some Defect and Imperfection , or to the mixture , and allay of some very sensible Inconvenience . If we will liberally enjoy our Pleasures we must abandon Wealth ; if we will gather great Wealth , we must be sparing in Pleasure : Our Honours are attended with Danger , Envy , and Toil ; our rest and peace with Uselessness , Obscurity , and Contempt .

But altho' this Truth proves it self to every Mans observation or experience : Yet we are so hard to be convinced of what we would not have to be true ; that there are but few among Men who will believe , or be sensible of this . We are all possest with too good an Opinion of this Life , and do think it possible to make our selves very happy here . If in one Condition we are not so happy as we would be , yet we think this may be attain'd in another . And tho' a perfect Rest and Happiness here could never yet be attain'd , yet we will think it may be . We think if it were not for this , or that particular thing that troubles us we should be happy enough ; or if we had but such and such things more that we desire , we should have nothing more to desire : But we forget that if the present Evils which encomber us were removed , we should still be liable to some others ; and if we had those other good things we desire they might bring some Inconveniences with them which we do not foresee , and might even themselves occasion new Necessities and Desires .

Thus we are generally unconvinced and unsensible of this Truth , and that we are so , is many ways an evil and a mischief to us . We continually expect to be happy here , and flatter our selves with hopes of good and pleasant Circumstances ; and we meet with bitter and evil ones ; and they are the more evil and bitter as they come unexpected . Many men when they fall into Affliction are surprized and amazed , because they never thought that any such thing would ever have happened to them . Hence too we are always restless and moving , or given to Change : and soon longing for alteration in every Condition . We can never acquiesce in what the Providence of God orders for us : Besides , while we promise our selves Ease and Happiness here , we apply our selves wholly to the Cares and Enjoyments of this Life . We make it our greatest Concern to remove or avoid present Inconveniences , and to furnish and accommodate our selves with the good things here . This takes up all our thoughts and care , and our Hearts are the mean while stoln away from God , and Heavenly things , and we are diverted from our chief Concern and Business .

It is very useful then as well as necessary to insist a little upon this matter , to shew how very liable this Life is to Misery and Affliction ; after which I shall suggest the due use and Improvement of the sad Truth .

In the first place I shall shew , that this Life is exceedingly exposed to Affliction , or that , Man is born to trouble as the Sparks fly upwards . And this will be most evidently prov'd by producing the many Causes or fruitful Springs of vexation and trouble which attend our Condition in this World . And they are all these following .

1. The weak and mutable Nature of all our Enjoyments in this World . All things here are in continual Motion , they are like the Sea , either ebbing or flowing , either rising by degrees to their highest Perfection and Goodness ; or decaying and ebbing from it . Our great Affection for them is not attended with power to bring them to their Perfection when we please , nor to stay them there . The Apostle says , The fashion of this World passes away . They are all transitory and mutable things , that make up our Portion in this Life ; and it is pain and grief to us to think of or expect , and to find the Change of what we love and expected our Happiness from . All things in their natural Course are subject to Change , and are besides expos'd to many mischievous Accidents which may suddenly alter and deprive us of them .

2. The Frailty and Weakness of our mortal Bodies , is another Cause and Spring of much affliction and trouble to this Life . Our Bodies since the first sin are doom'd to Dust and Dissolution from their Birth . And this incurable Disease of mortality is an Inlet to a thousand others . I might say perhaps , that the Diseases of the Humane Body are innumerable . If all that are or have been felt should be mention'd upon this Occasion , yet we could not be secure that there would be no more : For new Distempers often invade us , and such as were not known before . Every part of us may be affected with various Maladies , every part harbours the Seeds of mortality and Distemper . We are very easily disorder'd and very often so . All Flesh is as Grass , and the Glory thereof as the Flower of the Field , says the Prophet , Isa . 40.6 . Intimating that 't is easily wither'd and destroy'd . An infected Air , a Sun-beam a little hotter than ordinary , a draught of cold water , a little too much Exercise distempers and hurts our weak Constitution and Frame . Too much Pleasure and Joy , or too much Grief : A sudden Disappointment and Loss , or an unexpected good Fortune can disorder and hurt us . If Labour and Care do not waste and weaken , yet meer rest and sloth may impair us . If we are not expos'd to the Injuries and Inconveniences of Want we may be distemper'd with our Abundance . We may find many ways of being Sick and of Dying . The most curious piece of Clock-work , that has the greatest variety of Motions , and Wheels is the soonest put out of order . And such variety of Parts , and Humours , and Passages , and Operations there are in our Bodies , that they can hardly be long without feeling some Inconvenience . But our Diseases are usually attended with very uneasie and afflicting Circumstances . They sometimes render us a Burden to our Friends , sometimes a prey to our Enemies : They take away our Liberty in confining us to a Retirement ; they torment us with Pain ; and deprive us of the Sense and Enjoyment of Pleasure ; they deface our Beauty , and weaken our Strength . Nor have we any Remedies against these Evils , but what are also themselves very afflicting and uneasie . The tedious Methods , and loathsome Prescriptions of Physick , are almost as irksome and grievous as the Disease . And how weak and poor is all the Art of Physick ! how uncertain a Help to us ! Mortality at last certainly prevails against it , and the greatest Artists themselves are forced to yield to that .

3. The Weakness and Folly , the Vices and Passions of our own Minds are another plentiful Spring and Source of affliction and trouble . How often are mens Passions and Lusts their own Tormentors ? Here we are gnawn with Envy at another mans Prosperity ; there we pine and fret our selves at another mans incurable Misery . How many doubts and Anxieties , how many Jealousies and Griefs , and fears and desires wrack and distract us ! We often fear where no fear is , that is , where we have no cause to Fear , and grieve where we have no cause of Grief . When we are not encumbred with any real Evils , we torment our selves with Imaginary ones . Those whom other People think do want nothing to make them very happy , are made truly miserable and uneasie , by their perverse Opinions of things . Very often do we vex our selves with our Advantages , and account our good Circumstances evil ones . One Man thinks himself poor in that Condition , which another man would account himself very rich in if he could attain to it . A discontented Mind is it self a very great Burden , and able to imbitter and afflict our greatest Prosperity . The great inconstancy of our Minds gives us a great deal of trouble . Now we vehemently and earnestly love , and most impatiently desire what we have not , and after a little while we disdain and loath , and as eagerly dislike and distate . We change and then think our Condition does , and so afflict our selves with this Conceit . We think the good we enjoy is alter'd and grown less good , when 't is only our pall'd Fancy that deprives us of the true relish of it : We commonly much value none but absent Goods , or such as we have but newly obtain'd . And perhaps our wanton and fickle Minds have entertain'd some new desire , and then nothing can please us till that be gratified . That puts an ungovern'd Mind upon a continual rack , and makes all its present Enjoyments tasteless and insipid . It is the natural and common effect of many Vices to afflict and trouble those that harbour them . Covetousness is always tormented with the desire of having , 't is like an Hunger never satisfied : It makes a Man run into a thousand dangers perhaps of losing what he already possesses , perhaps of his Life it self , that he may encrease his Portion , and have more than enough . Ambition is always restless and aspiring , climbing after an envied and dangerous Height , and so exposing a Man to storms and mischiefs . A Prodigal humour that is never pleased but when 't is spending , wastes a great Estate , and puts a Man under the Straits and Difficulties of Poverty , even in the midst of a plentiful Fortune . Intemperance , and the ungovern'd love and desire of sensual Pleasure distract the mind , waste the Estate , impair the Health , and bring upon a Man betimes the decays and infirmities of old Age . Thus does our own Folly often and many ways afflict us .

4. The Wickedness of mankind is the cause of a great deal of mischief and affliction to one another , as well as to themselves . The wickedness of the World produces more Calamity and Affliction , than all other Causes of evil besides . Man is the worst Enemy to Man that is in all this World , so far as he is wicked . Religion teaches the Love , Wickedness the hatred of every one besides our selves . If mankind were agreed and would combine , as it were reasonable they should do to make this wretched Life as comfortable to each other as they could , this would be some allay to the other Evils that assault us , but instead of this we are set one against another . If one be prosperous , others envy and undermine him ; if a Man be afflicted others rejoyce at it , and trample upon him and disdain him . No Creature upon Earth does persecute Man with greater fury than Man does , when he is instigated by lawless and exorbitant Lusts , and he has more Wit and Subtlety likewise to do mischief with than any other . Hence are the terrible mischiefs of Lust and Rage , of Envy and Ambition , of Covetousness , and jealous Suspicion . Hence are Frauds and Oppressions , the violent perverting of Judgment and Justice in a Province , by the Tyranny of Rulers , or the Rebellions of the People : Hence proceed very often the Widows tears , the Orphans sighs , and the Groans of the oppressed . Hence are Slanders and Backbitings , bitter Revilings , false Witnessings , Detractions , and all the Injuries of a malicious Tongue , all which are very sensible in themselves , and often draw more evil with them in their Effects . Hence too come publick Wars and Commotions , and with them a vast Inundation of Woes and Calamities . In War as one says ( in Whitl . Mem . ) mankind must surrender up Laws , Liberties , Properties , and Lives into the hands of insolent Soldiers ; whose rage and violence will Command all that we have , and Reason , Honour and Justice forsake the World The ignoble then rule the Noble , and baseness is preferr'd before worth ; Licentious wickedness before Piety and Vertue . In War a potent People become weak , and the rich poor , and mankind are the Instruments of their own ruine ; we burn our own Houses , lay waste our own Fields , pillage our own Goods , open our own Veins , and eat out the Bowels of our own kind . In War men water the ground with the Blood of men , and give their Carkasses for a Portion to Foxes , and Birds of Prey . The sum of War ( as the same person says ) is the rage of Fire and Sword , or , which is worse , of brutish Men . How much reason have all mankind then to say after the Psalmist , scatter O Lord , the People that delight in War .

5. Another frequent Cause of Misery and Affliction , is the disorder of Nature and the Elements . Sometimes the Air infects us with mortal , noisome , painful Diseases , or the Sea overwhelms us in a mighty Inundation , or the Earth opens and swallows us up , or buries us in the Ruines of our Habitations . Sometimes the Heavens above are as Brass , and the Earth under us as Iron : Or the Clouds pour down excessive and continual Showers , and by both these ways may a fruitful Land he turn'd into Barrenness . Sometimes unseasonable Weather makes Nature fail , and the Fruit-Trees forget to bring forth after their kind : Sometimes it spoils what is brought forth , and takes away our Corn , and Wine , and Oyl , in the time of gathering them . Sometimes we are parched with long , excessive Heats , at other times chill'd and greatly Incommoded with long excessive Colds . All Climates are liable to inconvenient and afflicting Seasons . Sometimes we become a Prey to wild Beasts ; sometimes the tame ones Rebel and mischief us . All things in Nature at times shew their Enmity to Man , their readiness to revenge upon us the Affronts which we carelessly offer the common Sovereign of the World , and seem to have conspir'd our Ruin . All things at times plague and hurt us ; even the most innocent things , and the most weak , and the most useful ones . We often meet with Calamity and Affliction from those things which were Originally made and intended for our Comfort and Support .

6. There is yet another frequent Cause of Misery and Affliction , and that is our Adversary the Devil : He , as the Scripture speaks , like a roaring Lion goes about daily , seeking whom he may devour . A malicious , subtle , unwearied and industrious Adversary this is : And he sometimes brings Calamity upon us by our own Wickedness and Folly , which he tempts and deludes us into : Sometimes he sets the Wickedness of other Men against us , excites their Rage , and provokes their Lusts and Vices to do us mischief : Sometimes the Elements are his Instruments to hurt us ; and the Beasts , which should be serviceable and comfortable , by his instigation and impulse , prove vexatius and mischievous . He often uses all the other Causes of Evil and Calamity , is always ready to do mischief , and seeks opportunity and permission to vex and trouble wretched Mankind . This we may see confirm'd in the Histories of Job and Ahab . If a Good Man is to be tried by Afflictions , like Job , for the greater Encrease and greater Glory of his Vertues , the Devil is ready to be the Instrument of his present Smart and Trouble . If a wicked Man , like Ahab , is abandon'd to his deserved Ruin , and is to be destroy'd , the Devil is also ready to be the Instrument of his Mischief and Execution . And there are perhaps many Legions of these wicked and malicious Spirits hovering about in the Air , and dispers'd upon the face of the Earth , seeking opportunity to do mischief to Mankind , and observing where they can find any person in any measure committed to their Malice by the Providence of God , that they may afflict and hurt him .

Thus is our wretched Life on Earth beset with Enemies ; thus is it surrounded with Misery and Trouble . And since this is the Condition of it ; since 't is thus exposed , well may it be said , as in the Text , Man is born to Trouble as the sparks fly upward .

I am now to proceed to the Application of this Truth , to direct the due Use and Improvement of it ; that so we may derive Good from this Evil , bring Light out of the Darkness , and receive the happy Fruits of Joy and Comfort from these Sorrows and Miseries . And this may be if we will help and suffer this Truth to have its due Influence upon us in the following Particulars .

1. This should possess us with a just Disdain and Contempt of the present Life , and make us follicitous to secure the Enjoyment of a better hereafter . We should look upon this Life as a State accursed , as incurably liable to Misery and Affliction ; and therefore should despair to be ever perfectly Happy here , and not seek our Rest where 't is not to be found , but where it is . We may justly account it very unreasonable and foolish to pursue with immoderate Labour and Application the Things that are so mixed with Evil , which we cannot enjoy pure , but they will be attended with some Inconvenience do what we can : Things which we cannot have a sure or safe possession of , which are so liable to fade and change . Such things cannot be worthy to detain our Minds here below , to confine our Thoughts and Care to such a Life as this : But since we cannot have a better Life on Earth , it should engage us with the more Earnestness to endeavour the securing a better hereafter . Since we can have here no enduring City , we should seek one to come . Since we can have here no perfect Happiness , we should make sure that hereafter we may . The Miseries of this Life should raise our Esteem and Desire of the Felicities of the next : They may reasonably make us indifferent towards all things here , and onely much concern'd to secure the Happiness that is to come . They may justly reconcile us to the Thoughts of our own Death , and mitigate our Grief for the Departure of those that are dear to us : And we may certainly say with great Reason upon this account , Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord .

2. This Truth should help us to be patient under the Evils and Inconveniences which at any time encomber us . It should teach us to say , If I should throw off these Evils , I shall be expos'd to others : And if I cannot bear these in truth I can bear none . I may think other Inconveniences lighter than these till I feel them , but then perhaps they will appear much heavier . What portion and share of Evil it pleases the Supream Governour of the World to dispence to us , should be humbly submitted to , lest by undue Endeavours to throw it off , we should encrease our Burden . This should correct that very foolish and mischievous Inconstancy , which is , after a little while , sick of the things we have , and the Condition we are in , fancying we see in them mighty Inconveniences , and then impatient for Alterations . It is a common and a mischievous Folly of Mankind that we can bear no Inconveniences ; that we are apt to think there are none but those we feel , or none so intolerable as they : And that we are hereupon always restless , and given to change , both the publick and the particular State of our Affairs . We are discontented at one sort of Government , and think all our Inconveniences would be remov'd , if the Constitution were but alter'd according to the Model of our own Inventions . We are discontented at such and such Governours , and conclude all would be well with us if they were remov'd , and others were in their places . And we forget that there is Imperfection in all Men , that all are liable to Errour and Mistake ; that however well they design , no Government can always do so well as they would ; that the Providence of God over-rules all things , and sometimes he thinks fit to infatuate the wisest Counsels , and to weaken and frustrate the most vigorous Endeavours . This very unquiet Humour will add to our Evils : Nothing can be more mischievous to the Welfare of States , or the Prosperity of a Man's private Fortune , than the Humour of altering upon every Inconvenience we meet with . By continual Altering to mend , we spoil our Fortune ; To be always seeking Grievances , and redressing them , would encrease their Number , and be it self the greatest Grievance of all ; as he that is always taking Physick may soon kill himself , and may be sure he shall never be well . Let us consider , then , that we cannot be perfectly Happy in this Life ; there is Imperfection in all things , and mixture of Evil with all ; and it is wiser and safer for us to bear the Evils which are tolerable , than by impatient Endeavours and undue Means to seek our Deliverance from them . And he that has a Habit of Contentment and Patience , will thereby make every Condition tolerable ; but he that has not this , will be plagued in every Condition with his own discontented Humour , if there were nothing else in it to trouble him , and that Humour encreases the Load of every Inconvenience ; and will be apt to hurt a Man more by putting him upon frequent Alterations , than the Inconveniences which he would not bear would hurt him .

3. This exposed and miserable Condition of the present Life should perswade all Men to the steady Practice of Religion and Vertue . There is a great deal of Argument for this in it . Nothing can possibly render us so well provided against the Miseries of this Life , as to Live well , to keep a Good Conscience , and to please God . Tho' Affliction is the Common Lot , and Religion and Vertue cannot always exempt any Man from Suffering ; yet the Religious and Good Man has much the Advantage of all others in the same common liableness to this : Which will abundantly appear in the following Particulars , as they will also show this our sad Case to be a very considerable Argument for a Good Life .

( 1. ) To Live well and Religiously , frees a Man from the Terrours and Threatnings of an Evil Conscience ; a very necessary and advantageous Benefit in so sad a Case . It were sad indeed to be afflicted without and within too ; to have Vexation from the things about us , and to lash our selves at the same time . To have a Man's Mind telling him , he owes his Miseries to himself , to his own Rashness and Folly ; They are the Fruits and Effects of his extravagant Passions or enormous Vices . It is a very sad Condition that a Man is in , who lives continually exposed to Misery in this Life , and can expect no cure of it in Death : Whose guilty Conscience tells him , that in Death he must onely exchange his Misery ; and go from lighter to heavier , and worse ; from the Vexations of this Life , to the Torments of Hell ; That he shall be committed from Temporal , to Eternal Evils . But the Good Man is free from all these Fears , and so has much the more tolerable Condition .

( 2. ) A Religious and Good Life gives a Man an Interest in the Favour of God ; and this is a mighty Support and Advantage in so dangerous and expos'd a Condition . The Great God is Lord and Governour of the World , and disposes of all things as he pleases ; nothing can come to pass but by his Order or Permission . An interest in his Favour then assures a Man of two Things which are very necessary to our Comfort in such a Case , and are very full of Comfort .

It assures him of the Divine Protection : That the Almighty and All-knowing God takes care of him ; that he is not naked and utterly exposed , while many Evils surround him : That none of these Evils shall fall upon him but by God's Permission : by the Permission of a faithful Friend and a tender Father : Nothing shall happen to him but what Infinite Wisdom and Never-failing Love does permit to happen . And such a Man must have the best-grounded Hope , that he may avoid Afflictions ; but if he does fall under any , these Considerations will afford him great Satisfaction and Ease of Mind .

Further ; an Interest in the Divine Favour assures a Man , that all things shall work together for his good . This is promised to such , and shall certainly be fulfill'd if their own Folly , and the forsaking of their Goodness does not prevent it . As Wisdom and Love order their Afflictions , they will not fail to turn these to their Advantage . Sometimes God has brought their temporal Advantage , and sometimes their spiritual from the Afflictions which they have endured . These perhaps have by unlikely ways brought about the greatest Comfort of their Lives . They have sometimes given a man an entire Victory over some importunate Follies and Passions which he could not conquer before ; and sometimes given him such strength of Grace and Vertue , as without them he could never attain : So that many Good men find reason to say with David , it was good for me that I was Afflicted . Thus is an Interest in the Divine Favour , a very great Advantage to us in our present Misery ; and this should move us to live well , that we may be in his Favour .

3. A Vertuous and Religious Life affords a Man the comfortable Expectations of everlasting Happiness hereafter , and such Expectations are very necessary and useful to us in our so dangerous a Condition . How will these inable us to triumph over all our present Danger or Affliction . When a Man can think I shall not long fear these Evils that threaten , or feel these that incumber me . I shall not long be vexed with the mutable and transitory Nature of the good things I enjoy . Tho' this World is not my Resting-place because 't is defiled , yet there remains a Rest for the Servants of God , which I shall soon partake of ; and that shall never be disturb'd with Grief or Fear , because it shall never be defiled with Sin . There I shall enjoy stable and durable good things , an Inheritance which shall never fade away , immortal Honours and ever flowing Pleasure . There I shall have full Satisfaction , perfect Happiness , and unmixed Joy . I am going towards that bright and serene World which knows no Clouds or Storms : I am hasting to it and very near it . I shall in a little while exchange my Sorrow for Joy , my Poverty for Riches , my Pain for Pleasure , my Meanness and Contempt for the highest Dignity and Honour , my ragged and poor Garments for a bright Robe , and Crown of immortal Glory . Thus may a good Man upon good Grounds comfort himself under the Dangers and Evils of this Life : the never-failing promise of God gives him leave to entertain himself with such Expectations . And sure 't is a very desireable thing to be able to entertain ones self with such , when Afflictions threaten or fall upon us : And this is certainly the very best Amendment that we can make of our miserable and exposed Condition , to be furnisht with the joyful Hopes of being Happy hereafter . This should perswade us , then , to a Life of Vertue and Religion which will allow us such Hopes . And if the Misery and Danger of this Life has such an effect upon us : If it does influence to the making us Good and Vertuous ; as we shall thereby be the better able to bear whatever Evils may befall us : so these Miseries will promote our Attainment of everlasting Happiness . And this would be , to very great Purpose indeed the deriving Light from the Darkness of this World , Good from its Evil , and Joy from its innumerable Sorrows ; Which , that we may all do , God of his infinite Mercy Grant through the Merits of Jesus Christ .

THE PRAYER .

ETernal and Infinite God! In Thee is all Excellency and Perfection ; a never-failing Sufficiency to thy self without dependance on any other , and in the Enjoyment of thy self , art Thou God Blessed for evermore .

But it has not pleased Thee to remain Happy alone ; Thy Goodness has made the World , and communicated Being , and Happiness to many other Creatures ; Thou Lord art good , and doest good . This we must ascribe to Thee , tho' we find our selves encompast with so many Sorrows and Mischiefs . We are born to Trouble as the Sparks fly upwards ; yet is it true , that Thou delightest not to afflict nor grieve the Children of Men . We foolish Creatures must acknowledge that we pull all our Misery upon our selves . There is nothing Thou dost inflict but we deserve it . And we must always acknowledge , that whatever we suffer while it falls short of the Despair and Torments of Hell , it is far less than we have deserved : It is of the Lord's mercy , that we are not utterly consumed . Oh Father of Mercies , and God of all Consolation , we fly to Thee for all our Help and Comfort , against all the Evils we are exposed to ; for to Thee belong Mercies , and Forgivenesses tho' we have rebelled against thee : As we have experienced thy Patience and Forbearance in afflicting us less than we deserve , let us experience thy Forgiveness too . Give us we pray Thee an unfeigned Repentance of all Sins ; and Grant that the Evils and Vexations of this Life may encrease our Displeasure against them : Make the Diseases of our Bodies work to the Health of our Souls ; the Miseries of this Life set us earnestly on work , to secure our everlasting Happiness in the next . It is thy wonderful Goodness and Favour to us , O Lord in Jesus Christ , that we may have Hopes to be everlastingly Happy ; encrease our Faith in him , kindle in us an ardent Love to him : And make us devote our selves to Live to his Glory and Service . And since we are born to Trouble teach us patiently and contentedly to bear his Cross , and Suffering for Righteousness sake if we are call'd to it . Lord of thine infinite Mercy , proportion all our Sufferings and Exercises to our Strength , and lay no more upon us than thou wilt inable us to bear . Help us to keep in all Circumstances , a Conscience void of Offence , both towards God , and towards Men ; that so we may be supported under all with a Sense of thy Favour , and with the hopes of Rest and Happiness hereafter .

We humbly implore thy Mercy for all Mankind ; let them from thy Judgments learn Righteousness , and do thou bless the miserable World with abundance of Health , Peace , and Plenty . Prosper we pray Thee thy Church , redeem Israel O God out of all its Troubles . Pardon the Sins of thy People , and purge out from among them whatsoever is displeasing to Thee . Make thy Church fruitful in all good Works to thy Glory . We pray Thee bless the Land of our Nativity ; turn us from all Iniquities ; let Piety towards Thee ; Reverence and Obedience towards our Governours ; Justice and Charity towards one another abound among us ; and produce a great Tranquility and Peace at home , and be Thou we pray Thee our Defence against all foreign Enemies . We pray for thy Favour , and the Light of thy Countenance upon our Gracious King ; give him a long and a prosperous Reign among us , abundantly do him good , and make him an Instrument of ours ; continue we pray Thee and encrease the Royal Family , that it may always make these Nations Happy , in a Person qualified to rule over us to thy Glory and our Happiness . We recommend to thy Mercies , all our Friends and Relations ; give them of this World what Thou seest most expedient for them ; if thou pleasest to afflict them , let it always be in measure , and never do thou take thy Loving Kindness away from them . We heartily thank Thee O Lord for all the Mercies of our Lives , especially for those which are Spiritual , and tend to advance us to a better Life ; Grant we beseech Thee , that the means of Grace we have this day enjoy'd , may by thy Blessing promote our everlasting Happiness . We devote the remainder of our Lives to thy Service , we commit our selves this Night to thy Gracious Protection ; and do all in the Name of Jesus Christ .

Our Father which art in Heaven , hallowed be thy Name , thy Kingdom come , thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven , give us this Day our daily Bread , and forgive us our Trespasses , as we forgive them that Trespass against us , and lead us not into Temptation , but deliver us from Evil , for thine is the Kingdom , the Power and Glory , for ever and ever . Amen .

Let us Pray .

PRevent us , O Lord , in all our doings , with thy most gracious favour , and further us with thy continual help , that in all our works begun , continued and ended in thee , we may glorifie thy Holy Name , and finally by thy Mercy obtain Everlasting Life , through Jesus Christ our Lord . Amen .

Rom. 12.12 .

Patient in Tribulation .

THE Wise man says , that which is very often verified in the World ; ( Prov. 19.3 . ) The Foolishness of Man perverteth his way , and his Heart fretteth against the Lord . That is ; our own Folly or Sin ( which is all one with him ) brings us into Calamity and Trouble , and yet when we are so we fall out with God for it . All the Calamities of the World are what our Sins have deserv'd from Him ; and for the most part they are the very natural Fruits and Effects of them : Yet when such things come upon us we are not vexed at our selves , but at the Providence of God : We account him our Enemy for harms , which we do to our selves , and call his Wisdom in question for the Effects of our own Folly . This Carriage Solomon must be understood to condemn , and we may easily apprehend it to be very disingenuous and unreasonable ; and highly Offensive to Almighty God .

Upon these Accounts it is necessary to insist upon this excellent Precept in our Text , which bids us to be Patient in Tribulation . This is certainly the due Behaviour in our Afflictions , tho' it be that which very few know how , or are willing to Practice . In speaking to this , that I may the better promote it , I shall insist upon these Three Heads of Discourse .

1. To give the Character of this Vertue , or to shew what it does require , and how it will express and Exercise it self .

2. To urge the Exercise of it by such Arguments as shall seem most fit for that Purpose .

3. To prescribe some useful means for possessing our selves with it .

In the first place , I shall represent the Character of this Vertue , and shew what is a Patient Behaviour under Afflictions in the following Particulars .

1. This requires , and will exercise an humble Resignation , and Submission to the Will of God in all that befalls us . Patience ascribes all that we suffer to Him , as the chief Cause and Orderer of it . This we see in those that have exercised this Vertue . When Job had lost all his Estate , partly by injurious Neighbours , he takes no notice of them , but ascribes his Losses to God's Providence , and says , The Lord gave , and the Lord hath taken away . So when Shimei took the advantage of Davids Affliction , and insulted over and revil'd him , the good Man calmly bore his Affronts with this thought , The Lord hath bid Shimei to curse David , 2 Sam . 15. If Men are unjust , or ungrateful , if they are Arrogant and Proud in what they do to afflict us , all this must be overlookt , and we must consider they are but Instruments .

And as we must ascribe all that we suffer to God's Providence ; so we must submit to it as his Will . We must not for it entertain any hard thoughts of God , not call in Question any of his Glorious Attributes , nor allow any indecent murmurings , or Expostulations against Him . It were impatience to think or say thus : I cannot please God ; I cannot find any Favour with him : It is in vain for me to endeavour to do always that which is good ; since I am so often plagued and chastened . He blames himself for such thoughts who Penn'd the 73. Psal . as very unfit and impatient ones . It were great Impatience should we think or say , that God deals unjustly with us , or more hardly than he needs to do . We must yield to be afflicted in what way he pleases , by whatever Iustruments , to what degree , and for as long time as he pleases . It were therefore Impatience to say , I could be contented to endure any other Affliction , than that which is upon me : Or I am not so much concern'd at this sort of Affliction , as at this or that particular Circumstance of it , which I am loath to bear . It were also Impatience to think I could suffer from any other Persons , but I cannot bear that these by whom I do suffer should thus deal with me . To say I am tired with the length of my Afflictions , I could bear them , if I could have any Prospect of the end of them , and to be Peremptory , and in haste for Deliverance , to fix times to him , and not leave him to chuse his own time to save us . We deceive our selves in such Imaginations , and could no more be Patient under other Circumstances , than we are under those that are allotted us . The true Vertue is entirely resign'd to the Will and disposal of God , without murmuring or disputing . This we see also in the best Patterns of it . When David was flying in great Distress from a formidable Rebellion of his Son , he supposes the very worst that his Condition could come to , and speaks his Submission to it in these words , If God shall say thus , I have no delight in Thee , behold here I am , let him do to me as seemeth good unto Him , 2 Sam . 15.26 . And we have a greater Pattern of this Resignation and Submission , whom as we bear the Name of Christians , we are bound to follow even our Master Jesus . Who tho' concern'd to avoid if it might be the bitter Sufferings which he was about to undergo , yet he resigns himself to the Father's disposal thus ; Nevertheless not my Will but thine be done .

2. This Vertue requires , that we do continue our Trust and Hope in the Divine mercy ; and express this by continued Addresses and Prayers to God . Tho' this requires that our Wills be resign'd to the Will of God , yet it does not forbid us praying with Submission for Deliverance from our Afflictions . The Scripture it self teaches us that Prayer against our Afflictions is not contrary to the Precept of Patience , in that it says , Is any afflicted let him Pray , Jam . 5.3 . And that we may use it with an unwearied perseverance so long as the occasion for it remains ; the Apostle plainly intimates in this Verse which is our Text , where he joyns together these two Directions , be Patient in Tribulation , and continuing instant in Prayer . This also we find practiced by our Saviour , and allow'd by his Practice : For we find that he pray'd against the bitter Cup that was allotted him , even whilst he submitted to take it . Our Prayers may be Peremptory and hasty , and Quarrelsome , and then they are impatient : But it is also an Instance of impatience to give over Praying . To think or say , This evil is of the Lord , why should I wait on the Lord any longer ? Why should I seek or expect any help and relief from him that afflicts me ? To think this Evil admits of no Cure , I am utterly undone : God himself can hardly retrieve my Condition , or if he can he will not : If there were any Favour in Heaven for me , I had never come to this Extremity . This is a Temptation we are exceedingly apt to yield to , when Afflictions lie long upon us , or a long Series of them succeed one another , in which Cases we must especially be aware of it . Our Saviour 't is said , Luk . 18.1 . put forth a Parable , to teach that Men ought always to pray and not to faint . And he applies the Parable himself in v. 7. to the long Sufferings of good Men . It is perhaps partly for this end that God sends affliction : To awaken us to a due Sense of our dependance upon him , to cure our neglect of his Providence , and to teach us to pray when we have been negligent of it , or too careless in the performance of this Duty . This is therefore what we must look upon as expected by God in our Affliction : And accordingly he bids Men call upon him in the time of Trouble ; and to encourage it he Promises , that if they do so , he will deliver them , Psal . 50.15 . We may hope in his Mercy even while he afflicts us ; and may pray to be eased or deliver'd , provided we keep our Prayers within the bounds of that Submission to his Will which was mention'd before .

3. This Vertue requires of us the continued use of such just and lawful Endeavours to help our selves , as the Providence of God affords us . Even this is allow'd , and this is requir'd by the Laws of Patience . To trust in God , and expect he should help us without the use of means , and endeavour where we may lawfully do this , is , to tempt God rather than to trust in him : We must use our endeavour as long as we can , and wait on him for the Success of it . The People of Israel are a good Pattern of this : When they thought themselves oblig'd to punish that wickedness which the Tribe of Benjamin would needs defend ; tho' they had in several Battels been defeated in some measure by the Benjamites , yet they continued still their Addresses to God , and repeated their utmost Endeavour , and at length it pleased God to give them a great Victory and Success . It is an instance of Impatience to fly to unlawful means and endeavours to help our selves : And it is also from Despair , and the loss of Patience , when Men give over their Endeavours , while there is yet room to apply them : To be a-weary of using means while we yet have them , because they have not succeeded so soon as we could wish . It is Impatience to think that God makes us pay too dear for his Favours , when he requires a long attendance on him in Prayer to obtain them , or a long and great Application of our own Endeavour : To grow hereupon sullen and discontented , and abandon our selves to our Calamities . We must be willing to obtain his Mercy upon as difficult and costly Terms as he is pleased to impose , as well as we ought to submit , that our Affliction shall continue as long as he pleases .

4. Patience requires that we be thankful to God for any Instances of his Favour and Mercy , which he Grants us while our Afflictions are continued Whatever our Condition is we may find in it some Ground to think , that it might be worse than it is , and should be thankful to God for that it is not so . Especially should we help our selves to understand this , and be thankful for it , by taking Notice of others , when we may see some under the same common Calamity , yet in far worse degrees and circumstances of it than our selves . Every Man if he rightly understands his case may see some allays of Mercy and Favour in it ; no Man suffers a pure and perfect Misery in this Life . Therefore the Apostle says , In every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving , let your requests bemade known unto God . Intimating that in this Life we shall have as continual occasion , and reason to give Thanks as to Pray . We must not suffer our Thoughts so to fix upon what is afflictive in our Case , and to aggravate our Condition as to take no notice of God's Mercies to us , and to lose the Sense and Relish of them . We should thus be both ungrateful to God for these mixtures of Favour , and more unmerciful to our selves than he is to us : We should make our Condition worse to us in our own Imaginations than it is in its self , by not observing , or by despising these Favours which qualifie it . If the Providence of God has formerly shewn us Favour in affliction , we ought to be mindful of and thankful for this . If he has begun our Deliverance from any present Trouble , and it pleases him to delay a little the compleating of it , we must yet be thankful for the good beginning . The Holy David affords us a good Pattern of this in the 40th . Psalm . We may observe through the whole Psalm , a very grateful Sense of somewhat God had done for him , altho' in the latter end of it he expresses , that he was not perfectly out of Danger . If we are not thankful to God for the Favour which he does , or has shewn us , we may be reasonably thought not so well dispos'd as we should be to be thankful for more , if all that we desire were granted us .

5. In all Afflictions from Men , we must take care that we do not transgress the Laws of Justice or Charity in our Behaviour towards them . We fall into Impatience when Affliction makes us jealous , and froward , apt to take every thing amiss , and to resent every little opposition to our Will : When we impute that to wickedness , or a perverse Will in our Neighbour which proceeded from Ignorance , or was an unwilling miscarriage . We must not envy the prosperous Sinner that injures us , nor hate him that disdains , or insults over us in Adversity . We must not oppose Evil with Evil . If we can make a just defence against an Enemy , we may and ought to do it ; but we must not repel Injury with Injury , which the Apostle suggests in this Chapter , in saying , Be not overcome of evil , but overcome evil with good . Neither may we seek or desire to revenge our selves , which he forbids also in ver . 19th . Our Saviour teaches us to forgive , as we would desire to be forgiven ; to love our Enemies , to bless them that curse us , to Pray for them that despightfully use and persecute us , Matt . 5.44 . We are bound to a meek , inoffensive Behaviour towards those that afflict us , not only by the Laws of Charity , but by the Laws of Patience too . For we are to consider them as the Instruments of God's Will and Pleasure in afflicting us , and must reckon that any froward or unjust Behaviour towards them , shews an undue and impatient Resentment of God's dealing with us , an unwillingness to bear what he lays upon us . This weakness of Behaviour towards Men , we also find practised by the great Patterns of this Vertue . So David refrain'd himself from all wrath and revenge , when Shimei revil'd and insulted over him in his Adversity . And our blessed Master , When he was revil'd revil'd not again , when he suffer'd he did not threaten , but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously , 1 Pet 2.23 . and when his cruel and unjust Enemies had Crucisied him , even while he was hanging upon the Cross , and they were insulting over him , he prayed for them saying , Father forgive them , they know not what they do , Luk . 33.34 .

So much may suffice for the Character of this Vertue , and that we may know what it requires of us . I proceed to the Second thing intended , which is to urge our Patience in Tribulation by some fit Arguments and Motives for it . I shall Select a few of those many that are commonly insisted upon .

1. It is this Disposition and Behaviour which will find Favour with God , and be most likely to obtain our Deliverance from Afflictions . Till he favours us , who is the supream Disposer of all things , we cannot be deliver'd . But this is the best and likeliest Course to gain his help , and is necessary to it . He requires this Behaviour , and will perhaps afflict us till we learn it . The things that have been mention'd as belonging to a Patient Behaviour in our Afflictions , are all of them such as he has promised his Favour to ; and therefore we may on good grounds expect it in the Exercise of this Vertue . This has prov'd a good effectual course with them that have tried it . We may therefore observe the Psalmist commending it in the 40th . Psalm , not only by his Example , but also from his Experience . I waited Patiently for the Lord ( says he ) and he enclin'd unto me , and heard my Cry . 1st . v. And the Apostle James when he is perswading the Christians to the Exercise of this Vertue . He proposes to their Consideration the good Issue and Success it had with the patient Job , Ye have heard of the patience of Job ( says he ) and have seen the end of the Lord , that the Lord is very pitiful , and of tender mercy , James 5.11 . Impatience makes our Case desperate , but this allows us to hope : That certainly tends to hinder ; this to procure our relief . In that we sin more and further provoke God against us , and therefore we may expect it will continue or encrease his Displeasure , but by this we shall certainly find Favour with him .

2. A Patient Behaviour under our Sufferings from Men tends to deliver us from those Sufferings too . This the Scripture teaches , and Experience very commonly proves : And more frequently would Mens experience prove it , if they would more frequently , and more steadily try the force of it . It is the common Maxim of the World , that to be Patient invites Injuries , and encourages Affronts , but 't is very unreasonable to lay such blame upon it , as we do , without a steady Practice to try , whether it be thus or not . The Holy Scripture assures us , that the meek shall inherit the Earth , and delight themselves in the Abundance of Peace , Psal . 37.11 . And to this purpose is what the Wise man says , Prov. 15.1 . A soft Answer turns away wrath . A steady Meekness and Inoffensiveness , Justice and Charity , will mightily promote our Peace with Men . But he that is often injurious will provoke frequent Injuries against himself . He that is proud and disdainful will meet with much Contempt . He that is easily angry will often provoke Anger . He that is of a revengeful Spirit , that cannot forgive , will continue his Enemies hatred , and endeavour to do him mischief without end . If a Man returns Evil for Evil , he helps his Enemy to justifie the Injuries he has done him . The common pretence for doing mischief , if a Man has not suffer'd any , is because he fears or does pretend to fear , that mischief was design'd against him , and when evil is return'd he will plausibly insist that it was before intended . But he who is Patient under injuries , and so makes it appear that he will not even upon Provocation do Evil , he utterly baffles that Pretence : He then turns his Enemies hatred from him upon his Enemies own self , sets his own Conscience against him , and makes him lash and rebuke himself , for wronging so just and innocent a Person . There are few Men so hardy and cruel , as to persist long in the persecution of those who are steadily Patient and Innocent . The Holy Scripture assures us , that Evil may be overcome with Good in that it bids us do so . And certainly , he that is not conquer'd with Good , will never be conquer'd with Evil , unless we could utterly destroy him . If we overcome Evil with Good , we take away from our Enemy the Will to hurt us , which is much a surer Course to be safe from his Injuries than only to endeavour , by doing him mischief , to take away his Power ; and that Course is altogether as easie , and as cheap to us as this .

3. By the steady Exercise of Patience it comes to pass commonly , that the Deliverance and Mercy which we wait for , is the more compleat and sure when it does come . When by an impatient endeavour , and undue means we hasten the Mercy we desire , and as it were snatch it out of the hands of Providence ; it proves like Fruit unripe , which instead of pleasing the Pallate , will be apt to set the Teeth on edge , or to break them : It will be mingled with trouble and affliction , or the fear and danger of losing it again . Jacob got his Fathers Blessing by a Lie , but he had much trouble and sorrow with it for a great while . It is worth observing what the Wise Man says to this Purpose . The Blessing of God ( says he ) makes rich , and he adds no sorrow with it , Prov. 10.22 . That is , the Wealth procur'd by the Blessing of God upon just and lawful Endeavours , proves a sweet and comfortable Portion ; but he intimates that what is gotten by ill means will be encombred with Affliction : So that he who makes hast to be rich shall not be happy in possessing his Riches , as he is not Innocent in the getting them . To the same Purpose he also says , Bread of deceit is sweet to a Man , but afterwards his Mouth shall be filled with Gravel : and , An Inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning , but the end thereof shall not be Blessed . Prov. 20.17.21 . He means that if Men gain what they desire by an undue Course , they shall not have it so good or pleasant to them as it might have been , if they could have had so much Patience as to use none but lawful means , and to have waited God's time for obtaining it . God does often for very wise and kind Reasons , delay a while to bestow that Favour which yet he does intend to bestow . But Men are apt to think if they do not presently obtain it , it is not to be expected from him , but they must by any means help themselves to it . He will bestow what we desire , if it be good for us , in the best time , if we can but patiently wait for it . Very often is our unfitness for his Mercy the cause of its delay : He sees in us such Dispositions , as that we should not be at all the Happier , if it were granted till those Dispositions are cur'd . He does not immediately remove a sick Man's illness , because he knows him yet subject to ungovern'd Appetites , unruly Passions , and such a Disposition as would soon throw him back into it again . He does not soon make a poor Man rich with his greatest endeavours to help himself ; because he sees that he who is discontented in his Poverty , would grow proud and disdainful if he were rich ; or he sees a Prodigal , or lazy Humour in him , that he is not yet habituated to Frugality or Diligence , tho' for the present he is necessitated to it , and that for want of these he would soon relapse again into Poverty if he were made rich . He afflicts a Nation with a long and tedious foreign War , perhaps to keep them at Peace among themselves : And he does not soon deliver them from such an Affliction , because he sees among them such endless Jealousies , and such fierce Animosities as would be in danger to involve them in a mad War against themselves , if they had no other to divert them . And till a common danger has made them unite their Affections and Interests , they would not be the happier for Deliverance . Heaven knows and understands us better than we do our selves , and is often contriving our Advantage and Happiness , when we think he grudges it . He sees us not fit for the Mercies which we are in haste to obtain , and he delays them only to gain time to make us so , that we may have the more Happy , and the more safe Possession of them when he gives them . We should therefore never Quarrel with God , if we are not speedily deliver'd out of Adversity , but only blame our selves for this , and reckon that our own ill State and Condition , is that which continues our Afflictions .

4. Another Argument for the Exercise of this Vertue may be , that it keeps the Mind compos'd and easie while our Afflictions do continue . This tends to alleviate them , but Impatience to make them heavier than in themselves they would be . Our Saviour says to his Disciples , In Patience possess ye your Souls , Luk . 21.19 . intimating , that this Vertue keeps the Soul in order , and has its Appetites and Passions under command : and thus there will be Tranquility and Peace within , when things are in Confusion without ; the Mind will be at ease , when the Body is in pain , and will be rich in the command of it self when it can command nothing else . And this is much towards the making an Affliction tolerable and easie . But the impatient Man that has no Command of himself , is continually ruffled and disturb'd in his Mind by his own violent and impetuous Passions . His too fierce and peremptory Desires , his very moveable Anger , his Envy at the better Fortune of his Neighbours , keep his Mind always restless and uneasie . There is nothing can so compose the Mind , and keep it in perpetual Peace , as to be entirely resign'd to the Will and Disposal of God . But there is yet something more in this Vertue towards the making our Afflictions easie and tolerable and that is , the Property it has to consider , and be thankful for the Favour and Mercy which is mingled with our Afflictions . It takes notice of whatever is good and comfortable in our Condition , and inables us to relish it , and take Comfort in it . Whereas an impatient Spirit does only pore and muse upon what is grievous and afflicting , and loses us the Sense of the rest . If such an one loses one good , it throws away all that is left , in Effect , while it refuses to take any Comfort in it . So Impatience makes the worst of our Condition , and Patience makes the best of it . Patience too is full of Cheering and Comforting hope for the most part , but Impatience brings with it a sad Load of Despair .

5. Lastly , Our Patience in Adversity does intitle us to the reward of everlasting Happiness . We must understand that our Saviour and his Apostle do both suppose , and require the Exercise of this Vertue in our Afflictions , when they promise the reward of future Happiness to our present Sufferings . Our Saviour says , Blessed are they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake , for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven , Matt . 5.10 . And the Apostle Paul says , These light Afflictions which are but for a moment shall work for us an exceeding and eternal weight of Glory . But this reward of Suffering cannot be expected unless we suffer Patiently . This then is Necessary to gain the future Happiness , as the Apostle further intimates in saying , Ye have need of Patience , that after ye have done the Will of God , ye may enter into rest . And this will obtain it . It is not only doing well , and great Fruitfulness in good Works that will be rewarded hereafter , but also Suffering well too . God beholds and is pleased with the one , as well as the other . There is as much of the Spirit of Obedience to God , in submitting to the Dispensations of his Providence , as there is in keeping his Commands . That which the supream Governour of the World calls us to we must do it , and shall be blest in the doing it : And we must not insist upon chusing our own Station and Work . But if our Patience will bring us to Heaven , it will abundantly cure all the hurt our Afflictions can do us , and bring much more of Good of Joy and Satisfaction , than they can bring of Inconvenience and Harm . Well therefore might the Apostle say , We count them happy who endure .

I shall add no more Arguments to perswade to this Vertue . Especially because I may hope to do yet something more towards the promoting it by what remains of the Discourse . Which is to suggest some things which may be useful means to possess our selves with it . And they are these following .

1. We should live in a constant Expectation of meeting with something or other Inconvenient in every Condition . We must not think that Inconveniences are onely tied to that we are in , but that all other are encumbred with them : Every Condition has its peculiar Inconveniences besides the common ones that 't is liable to with other Conditions : And , Man is born to Trouble as the Sparks fly upwards . This should deliver us from an impatient Desire of change , when any thing afflicts us , since we shall perhaps only change our Inconveniences , and may leave better for worse . But in our greatest Prosperity too , we should live in Expectation of Afflictions , because we are always liable to them . This will prepare us to endure them well if they do come ; and make us the more cautious and careful to prevent them . We should harden our Minds to endure the worst that may befall us , by often supposing it , and setting our selves in a readiness to submit to the Will of God . A Wise Man makes Evils familiar to him , and easie at their first coming , by thinking on them before-hand , as others become accustomed to them , after a long time of enduring them . A foreseen and expected Evil does not disturb nor discompose us by far so much as that which Surprises . He bore the loss of an onely Son without any Disturbance , who when he heard it , had it ready to say , as he had often considered it before , I knew that I had begotten but a Mortal thing .

2. Another necessary and useful means of Patience is to learn a just and mean Opinion of the things of this World . We should consider they have very little worth or goodness in them , that they could never yet afford the Content and Satisfaction which Men are wont to expect from them : We cannot see those that possess them , taking a delight in their Enjoyment , for any considerable time , that is suitable to the eager Desire they had to them before . We should consider too their Transitory and mutable Nature , that , The Fashion of this World passes away , all things here are liable to change . And that , The time is short ; It is but for a little while that we shall need , or that we could use and take delight in these things . And such Considerations would help to beget that Indifferency , which the Apostle advises in the same place , which is , to weep as if we wept not , for Adversity and Losses , to rejoyce as if we rejoyced not in our Enjoyments ; to use our Prosperity moderately , and not be too much Elevated with that , and to possess as if we possessed not : He that highly values any thing of this World , that thinks he cannot be happy without it , he must needs be very impatient and uneasie in the want or loss of such a thing . But if a Man be so wise as to account all things here to be of little worth and small Importance , then he will account the loss of any thing but a very small inconsiderable Loss , not worthy to discompose or disturb him .

3. To be Patient in Affliction , we must learn a mean and humble Opinion of our selves . Humility is Patient , but Pride is Contentious : And we have always a Conceit that we have deserved better things from God than he allots us , when we murmur and quarrel at our Afflictions . We must consider , then , how mean and poor things we are ; that we derive all we have from his free and undeserved Gift , that we are nothing but what he has made us , and therefore can never be too great and excellent to be at his Disposal . We should consider our selves vile and detestable Sinners : that we have as such , forfeited all good , and deserved far worse things than we can suffer in this World . And when the Injuries and Affronts of Men are apt to provoke us highly , we should consider how much greater we our selves are guilty of , against the Great Lord of the World . That while a fellow Servant owes us perhaps a few Pence , we are indebted to him a great many Talents ; a Debt which we could never pay if it should be required of us , but we must needs lie for it in everlasting Punishment .

4. To learn Patience in Adversity , we should learn and accustom our selves to Self-denials . An indulg'd and gratified Will and Humour will be impatient when Circumstances cross them ; but if a Man be wont sometimes to curb and restrain them and cross himself , he will be so used to this as to bear it Patiently . Abstinence and Temperance in Prosperity , lead and prepare a Man to Patience in Adversity . He that by voluntary Self-denials and Abstinence will sometimes want what he has , and use himself to course Fare , hard Labour , mean Garments , uneasie Lodging , he would learn to bear these things with a composed Mind if necessity should lay them upon him .

To conclude , We must earnestly Pray for this Grace ; and should often meditate on the Life of our Blessed Saviour : Who was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Griefs , and was meek and patient under all : Who in this way went to Bliss , and has Commanded us to follow him : And has given us the great Encouragement of his Promise , That , To him that overcomes , he will give to sit with him on his Throne , even as he also overcame , and is set down with the Father on his Throne .