Hands of feeble Men: Men can only kill the Body, but God can deftroy Soul and Body in Hell.

(3.) Keep upon your Spirit an awful Senfe of the Evil of Sin, as a more formidable Thing than any present Sufferings. Fear, above all things to offend God your Father, and your beft Friend. (4.) Think of the Courage of the ancient Heroes of Faith, who expofed themselves to all manner of Loffes, Pains and Death, for the fake of Christ: And above all, take the Example of Jefus the Son of God, who endured the Cross, and defpifed the Shame, &c.

(5.) Think of the Advantage and Glory of fuffering for the fake of God and Religion: Think of the awful Judgmentfeat of Chrift, the Joys of Heaven, and the infinite Recompences provided there for our poor little Services and Sufferings. But of thefe Things I have written much more largely in the two firft Sermons of my third Volume, which was published fome time ago, and I afk Leave to remit the Reader to thofe Difcourfes.

SECT.

Rules to guard against immoderate Sorrow, and to relieve the Soul that is under the Power of it.

HE Paffion of Sorrow is neceffary

THE

to Creatures dwelling in a World which has fo much Sin and Mifery in it. As Sorrow is originally the Effect of Sin, fo Sin ought to be the chief Object of it: Yet we may grieve alfo for our own Miseries, or for the Miferies of others. Hereby we learn more fenfibly the Effects. of Sin in time paft, and are excited to avoid it for time to come: Hereby we testify our Love to our Friends under Trouble, and are awakened to endeavour the Removal of thofe Evils that we or Our Friends fuftain. Jefus himself, who was all Innocence, wept for the Sins and Sorrows of Mankind.

But though Sorrow, as well as fome other uneafy Paffions, is ordained for the Good of Man in the prefent ftate, in order to excite him to his proper Work; yet when it rifes to fuch a degree on the Account of any Loffes or Toubles G

we

we fuftain, as to hinder us in the Dif charge of present Duty, it becomes exceffive and immoderate, and ought to be reftrained or prevented; and perhaps fome of the following Rules may be useful to this Purpose.

1. Have a care of exceffive Love to any Creature whatsoever, for this Fondnefs lays the Foundation of immoderate Grief when divine Providence takes that Creature from us. We fhould love Creatures but as uncertain and perishing Comforts. The greater Sweetness in the Enjoyment, the fharper is the Sorrow at parting.

And as a Part of this Direction I may add, Let your Hopes of any earthly Good be very moderate; for in a thousand Inftances we find the Poffeffion or Attainment of it depends upon great Uncertainties, and the Concurrence of many favourable Circumftances, whereof if one be wanting, we are difappointed. And if our Hope has been railed very high, our Surprise of Grief will be proportionable in the Disappointment.

2. Meditate on the Sovereignty, the Wisdom and the Goodness of God in

his

his Government of the World, and believe that all that he does is wife and good: Learn to fubmit your own Judgment, and your own Will, to the wifer Determinations of his Providence. When our Saviour was to drink of the bittereft Cup that ever was put into the Hand of a Creature, (or at leaft of a Creature beloved of God) he submitted to the intenfe and unknown Agonies of that Hour, under the awful Influence of this Rule, Father, not my Will, but thy Will be done.

Remember alfo that divine Grace has promised, and divine Wisdom knows how to turn the heaviest Croffes into Bleffings. Perhaps God is now doing you the greatest Good; do not counterwork him by obftinate Murmuring and Impatience.

3. Seek after a comfortable and established Hope of the Love of God in the way of the Gofpel, and this (if well improved) will be a fufficient Balance for every Load of temporal Sorrow. If you can caft your Burden on the Lord as. your God, he will sustain, and he will relieve: He will not contend always. G 2

Re

Remember the Revolutions and the Changes of the right Hand of God. Reflect upon Days paft and former Sufferings. How often has God relieved you (as he has delievered his People in ancient Times) when there appeared to human Prudence no Way for Escape, no Method of Relief? If he be your God, let your Soul live upon him. He is not an Idol, whofe Ears cannot hear, and whofe Hands cannot help. Prayer will ease the wounded Spirit, and engage Omnipotence on your Side.

4. Take heed of bringing fresh Guilt on your Consciences, that so you may not be overwhelmed with Sorrows of all kinds at once. A peaceful Confcience will help to bear up the Spirit under fome of the heavieft Burdens of Life; but how unspeakably heavy and painful will thefe Burdens lie upon a Spirit wounded with a Sense of Sin?

5. Let not your Thoughts dwell continually upon your Diftreffes and Afflictions. Suffer not the Chambers of your Soul to be ever hung round wirh dark and difinal Ideas: Chew not always. the Wormwood and the Gall; but re

member