SER. XII. fiders what will be for our Advantage, with Regard to the whole Extent of our Being

that, if we make a due use of Calamities, our Patience under them will endear us to Him, that the Time will come, and must shortly be, when we shall confider all Troubles in that Light, in which Mofes taught the Ifraelites to regard the Egyptians just upon the Brink of the Red Sea: Thefe Egyptians whom ye have feen to Day, ye shall fee them again no more for ever: Thefe Troubles, which ye have hitherto undergone, ye shall no more undergo; Pain and Sorrow fhall be no more, but one undetermined View of Bliss for ever and ever be before you,

SERMON

On the Duty of Refignation.

JOB II. 10.

Shall we receive Good at the Hand of God, and fhall we not receive Evil?

H

AVING, in a former Discourse, SER.XIII. fhewn, It, How far we are al

lowed to grieve for our Calami

ties, or how far Grief is confiftent with a State of Refignation;

And, IIdly, Upon what Principles our Refignation is to be founded:

I proceed to my IIId general Head, viz. To lay down fome Rules for the Practice of this Duty.

In the first Place, do not expect perfect Happiness: It depends not upon ourselves alone; but upon a Coincidence of feveral Things, which feldom hit all right. Several Ingredients are neceffary to make up

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the

SER.XIII. the coftly Compofition but one wrong Ingredient is enough to poifon the whole, and render it distasteful.

When we first make our Entrance into the World, we are too apt to form fan guine Notions, and to propose to ourselves high Enjoyments in this World. But by that Time we reach the Noon of Life, frequent Difappointments, Croffes, and Pains call home our Thoughts, lower our fwelling Ideas, and reduce them to a just Senfe of Things, to what is really attainable in this State, which is at beft, for any length of Time, nothing but Eafe, Tranquillity, and moderate Satisfactions. All the Rivers run. into the Sea, fays Solomon, yet is not the Sea full: So fhould all earthly Pleasures, without thofe of a moral and fpiritual Nature, center in one Soul; yet would not that Soul be filled or fatisfied? Because, the Soul being a fpiritual Being, none but fpiritual Pleafures can be fuited to it's Nature, and proportioned to it's Great nefs; because in the next Place Virtue is the Health of the Soul, which is as necef any Pleasure with

fary to give a Relish to

in, as the Health of the Body is to make
us relish our Meat and Drink.

N

2dly, If you would not be overmuch SR.XIII, troubled at the Lofs of any Thing; take Care to keep your Affections difengaged. As foon as ever you have placed your Affections too intensely beyond a certain Point on any Thing below; from that Moment you may date your Mifery. Whether Riches, Pleafure, or Honour, be the chief Point in View take it for granted, there is not that earthly Thing, but what is sufficient to make you very unhappy, when once you become too ftrongly attached to it. Whenever you are deprived of it, you will be indifferent to all the Bleffings of Life, which you are poffest of: There will be a craving Void left aking in the Breast, which it will be no easy Matter to fupply and fill up. A fure Indication this, that God has defigned himself, in whom there is a Fulness of Foy, to be the principal Object of our Defires. And fome have been, of Opinion, that the Soul feels stronger Pangs in being torn from thofe Things, for which fhe has contracted a long habitual Fondness; than she does in being divorced from that Body to which he has been long united. Guard then betimes against any growing Paffion, whether for Riches, Pleafures, or Honours;

and

SER XIII and you will find the Lofs of them will fit less heavy upon you. We reft with the main Bent of our Souls upon earthly Things, as our principal Supports; the Confequence of which is, that, when they flip from under us, our Fall is more hurtful, in Proportion to the Weight and Strefs, with which we relied upon them.

2dly, Reflect on the Advantages you have rather, than be always dwelling on those you have not. Turn your Thoughts to the bright Side of Things. The Pleafures of Converfation, the Endearments of Friendship, the folid Satisfactions of Virtuè and Benevolence, are more or lefs in every Man's Power. Lead a Life which knows no Vacancy from generous Sentiments, and then the Spirit of aMan will sustain his Infirmities.

We are affected with delightful Senfations, when we fee even the inanimate Parts of the Creation, the Meadows, Flowers and Trees, in a flourishing State. There must be fome rooted Melancholy at the Heart, when all Nature appears fmiling about us, to hinder us from correfponding with the reft of the Creation, and joining in the universal Chorus of Joy.

"

But if Meadows and Trees in their chearful Verdure,

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