CCXV.

SERM. II. Another ground of comfort is, that if the providence of GOD have a particular regard to good men, and favour for them, then we may be affured, that if we be careful of our duty to GOD, and rely upon his goodness, and refer ourselves to his pleafure, in the final iffue and refult of things, all shall turn to our good, and confpire in our happiness: nay, if we make the best use of the evils and afflictions which befal us, and bear them as we ought, we ourselves may do a great deal to turn them to our benefit and advantage; to the bettering of our minds, and the improvement of our virtues, and the increase of our reward. And why fhould we be troubled fo much at things which may prove fo many ways beneficial to us, if it be not our own fault? which tend to our good, and will end in it, if we will but "let patience "have it's perfect work," as St. James fhews, chap. v. 11. in the inftance of Job, whofe admirable patience had a glorious end and reward, even in this world; " you have heard," fays he, "of the patience "of Job, and of the end GOD made with him; that "the LORD is very pitiful and of tender mercy." Job upon a dunghil, is no whit inferior to the most glorious prince that ever fat upon a throne. Some men have been more illuftrious, and according to the true rate and value of things, more confiderable for their patience, and courage, and conftancy of mind in great afflictions and fufferings, than the greatest pomp and profperity of the world could poffibly have made them. Some have borne poverty, and ficknefs, and reproach, and perfecution, and exquifite pain and torments, with fo much decency, with fuch greatnefs of mind, and firmness of refolution, as might justly provoke the envy of the greatest and wealthiest, and to all outward appearance the happiest persons

that

that ever were in the world. M. Antoninus was an SER M. CCXV. excellent good man, and perhaps the greatest emperor that ever was, for in his time the Roman empire was at it's greatest extent; and yet it is hard to fay, whether Epictetus, whofe example I proposed before, and who lived about the fame time with this great and good emperor, I fay, it is not eafy to fay, whether this poor man Epictetus, who was depreft into the lowest and most afflicted condition, that human nature is almoft capable of, were not, by reason of ↑ those admirable virtues which fhined so brightly in that dark and difmal condition, his invincible pati#ence, his perfect fubmiffion to the providence of God, ง the perpetual chearfulness and ferenity, the unmoveable conftancy and equality of his mind, according to a right eftimation of things, the greater and more glorious perfon of the two.

So that good men are always fecure, as to the main and the effentials of happiness; under all outward afflictions and sufferings of the body, they may ftill retain a wife and virtuous mind, which is "that good

66

part which cannot be taken from them;" and if they retain that, they are fure of the favour of GOD, and the countenance of heaven, which alone is fufficient to make any condition happy.

III. Another ground of comfort is, that if God govern the world, he can either prevent and divert the greatest evils that threaten us, or if they come upon us, he can fupport us under them, and deliver us out of them and if we be good, and it be for our good, he will do one of thefe for us; either he will prevent the evil, that it fhall not come, if that be best for us; or if affliction fall heavy upon us, he will fupport us under it; and if our ftrength be increased in proportion to the weight of our burden, it is as well

as

SER M. as if we had escaped it, nay perhaps much better, CCXV. confidering the benefit and the reward of it. But

how grievous foever it be, he can, when he pleaseth, deliver us from it; and he will do it presently if it be for our good; and if it be not, it is not really defirable to us to be so foon freed from it.

IV. and lastly, which is confequent upon the former particulars, it is certain upon the whole matter, and upon the ballancing of all accounts, that in every condition good men have much more caufe of comfort and joy, than of dejection and trouble. Let our fears be as great, and our prefent fufferings as heavy as they can, there are confiderations of fo great moment to be put into the other scale, as will infinitely outweigh them, and make them feem light. The confideration of our immortal duration in a future state, and of the endless and unfpeakable happiness of another world, are of that folidity and weight, that "these light afflictions," as the apoftle calls them, "which are but for a moment, are no ways worthy "to be compared with them."

What though our paffage through this world be never fo ftormy and tempeftuous, we fhall at laft arrive at a fafe port. Heaven is a fure fanctuary and retreat from all the evils and afflictions which we are liable to, and which many times purfue us fo close in this mortal ftate. It is but exercifing our faith and patience for a very little while, and all will be well with us; much better than if we had never been afflicted, and had been wholly exempted from all forts of fufferings in this world. We have no pretence to "the crown "of life," if we do not "overcome ;" and there can be no conqueft, without fome conflict.

But because the chriftian religion does give us the greateft, if not the only firm affurance of the happi

nefs

nefs of another life, which when all is done, is the great fupport and cordial of our fainting fpirits, under the troubles and afflictions of this life, therefore I shall not now enlarge farther upon it, but refer it to the fecond head of my difcourfe, which I propofed to speak to in the next place, viz. what farther confiderations of comfort and fupport, faith in CHRIST, and the firm belief of the chriftian religion do afford to good men, for the allaying and mitigating of their fears and troubles. "Let not your heart be trou "bled: ye believe in GoD; believe alfo in me." But this I fhall refer to fome other opportunity.

SERMON

CCXVI.

The true remedy againft the troubles of life.

JOHN xiv. 1.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God; believe alfo in me.

HAVE confidered thefe words as an univerfalS ER M. remedy against trouble: and in fhewing what vir- CCXVI. tue and force there is in this remedy, I have confidered, The feFirst, that faith in Gop is a proper and moft pow-cond fererful means to mitigate and allay our trouble, and to his text. fupport and quiet our minds under it.

I now proceed in the fecond place to fhew what farther confiderations of comfort and fupport, faith, in CHRIST, and the firm belief of the chriftian religion, do afford good men, for the allaying and mitigating of their great fears and troubles. "Let not

"your

mon on

SERM." your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, beCCXV. "lieve alfo in me." I fhall mention these five.

I. Faith in CHRIST, or the belief of the christian religion, gives us full and perfect affurance of immortality, and of the glorious and eternal rewards of another world.

II. It promiseth to every fincere Chriftian the inward affiftance, and fupport, and comfort of GOD'S holy Spirit, to bear up the weakness of human nature, under it's heaviest preffures, of fear, or grief, or pain.

III. It affures us of the special efficacy of our prayers with GOD, either for our deliverance from trouble, or for the aids and fupports of his grace under it.

IV. It propounds to us the best and most admirable pattern that ever was, of patience and conftancy of mind under the apprehenfion of approaching evils, or the sense of present sufferings: and of a contented and chearful fubmiffion to the will of God, in the faddeft condition to which human nature is incident.

V. It affures us of a moft compaffionate, and prevalent, and perpetual patron, and advocate, and interceffor with GOD for us.

I. Faith in CHRIST, or the doctrine of the chriftian religion, gives us full and perfect affurance of immortality, and of the glorious and eternal rewards of another world. Of this the world was very doubtful and uncertain before, and had but obfcure and wavering apprehenfions about it. And though the generality of mankind had naturally fome glimmering apprehenfions of another life after this, and fecret hopes and expectations of a future reward for good men that were hardly used in this world; yet the philofophers had wrangled and difputed the matter into fo much uncertainty, that mankind was very much Staggered about it, and the doubts and difficulties

that