struction of his house, saying, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. This is what we should labour for; for, as I said, if once we could attain to this, that nothing God did should displease us, then nothing that we do should displease God.

But alas! alas! vain man would be wise, and will needs contend with his Maker; whereas we should subscribe our faith and belief, that whatever happens and comes to pass, is the best, yea, better than if it should happen otherwise. Indeed, I must tell you plainly, until we come to this, or so far as we come short of it, we are mere Lucifers, mere devils; for we are not content with God's government, and we mislike what he doth; and we would fain establish, (if we had power,) a government not according to God's will, but according to our own wills. But, until we come to this, to esteem God's government to be best,

we can never quietly submit to it, or choose it; for so long as we apprehend a thing to be evil, we cannot choose but hate it; for it is natural to us to hate and abhor that which hurts us, and to love that which does us good, as we conceive things good or evil.

O fools! and slow of heart to believe! Know this, that every man must either be a God, or else be subject and submit to a God. For there must needs be one rule, one standard-measure, that must be the rule of all justice. In corn-measures, and the like in weights, scales, &c. there is a rule, a standard to repair to, that rules, governs and measures all the rest, to which all measures must be brought, to be regulated and fitted by: it must not be this or that man's saying so, but come to the rule. So, in divinity, will you be your own judges ? Or rather, shall we not say as David, Arise, O Lord, and judge thou the earth; for thou art justice it

self, and I account better of what thou dost than what I do; for my wisdom is foolishness in respect to knowing what is best for me.

Oh, beloved! to what a height in ` Christianity is that soul come unto, that not only can endure, but endure joyfully; as the apostles, who went away rejoicing from the council (when they had been imprisoned, misused and whipt) that they were counted worthy to suffer such things for the name of Christ; and those mentioned in Hebrews, who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods.

So, when a man, simply out of an awful respect and reverence of his Almighty God and Father, can look upon all crosses cheerfully, as the carrying away of his goods, the burning of his house, or the like, with dry eyes, and with a smooth face, (I say, out of an awful respect to God, not out of a senseless stupidity,) and so carries himself, in God's sight, in these things, as

if he willed them, and takes them joyfully, as the apostles did this is something worthy of a disciple of the Lord Jesus. This man has now truly submitted himself to God, and is always happy and comfortable in his mind; for he is ready for whatsoever God shall appoint, either in doing or suffering; nor is he ever unarmed for any thing God shall send, be it what it will. If God call him to sickness, to imprisonment, to death, to judgment, he is ready, and none of these things move him, or agitate his mind. If he suffer any thing from men, he can both pity his enemies, and likewise pray for his enemies. In case they should stone him to death, he can, with Steven, pray : Lord! lay not this sin to their charge. If they put him to any other death, torture or torment, he can pray : Father! forgive them. Nay, all news is alike to him, and he prefers not one thing before another, nor one condition before another;

but whatever happens to this man, he can make no difference; for he knows that in the government of the most High, there can be no error, not the least error that can be imagined; and, since not a sparrow falls to the ground without his notice; he is sensible that whatever is done is well done, and is for the best. Doth riches happen? doth credit happen? doth poverty happen? doth disgrace happen? doth friends happen?All is one to him; for he is assured that he that directeth all these, knows what is best for him, better than he knows himself; and he can say, Blessed be thy will, in all things; and, with our Saviour: Even so, Father! for so it seemeth good in thy sight. He desireth no more his own will should be done, but that God's will may be done; he no longer retires to his own wisdom, to his own directions, in any case, but saith, with Jehosaphat: We know not what to do, but, O God!