quiet and torment myfelf with vexation at them? Let God alone to govern and order the world as he thinks fit: as his power is infinite, and cannot be refifted, fo is his wifdom infinite, and knows beft what is to be done, and when, and how. 2. As it gives a found argument of patience and contentednefs, fo it gives a clear inference of refignation of ourselves up unto him, and to his will and difpofal, upon the account of his goodness. It is the mere bounty and goodnefs of God that first gave being to all things, and preferves all things in their being; that gives all thofe accommodations and conveniencies that accompany their being; why should I therefore distrust his goodness? As he hath power to do what he pleaseth, wildom to direct and dispose that power, fo he hath infinite goodness that accompanies that power and that wifdom. As I cannot put my will into the hands of greater wisdom, so I cannot put my will into the hands of greater goodness. His beneficence to his creatures is greater than it is poffible for the creatures to have to themfelves. I will not only therefore patiently fubmit to his power and will, which I can by no means refift, but cheerfully refign up myself to the difpofal of his will, which is infinitely beft, and therefore a better rule for my difpofal than my own will.

5. The next expedient is faith and recumbence upon thofe promifes of his, which all wife and good men do, and muft value above the best inheritance in this world; namely, that he will not leave nor forfake thofe that fear and love him. How much more fhall your ⚫ heavenly Father give good things to them that afk him 3?' He that fpared not his own Son, but de⚫livered him up for us all, how shall he not with him 'alfo freely give us all things 4?' All things fhall 'work together for good to them that love God." Upon the affurance of these Divine promises, my heart may quiet itself in the midft of all the most dark and tu

1 reliance. 'Rom. viii. 32.

Heb. xiii. 5. 'Matth. vi. 30. Matth. vii. 11.

Rom. viii. 28.1

multuous

multuous concuffions in the world. Is it beft for me to be delivered out of them, or to be preferved in or under them? I am under the providence and govern ment of my heavenly Father, who hath faid, He will not leave me, nor forfake me; who takes more care of me, and bears more love to me than I can bear to my moft dutiful child; that can in a moment rescue me from the calamity, or infallibly fecure me under it; that fees and knows every moment of my condition, and a thoufand expedients to preferve or relieve me. On the other fide, do I fall in the fame common cala. mity, and fink under it, without any deliverance from it, or prefervation under it? His will be done, I am fure it is for my good; nay, it is not poffible it fhould be otherwife: For my very death, the worst of worldly evils, will be but the tranfmiflion of me into a state of bleffedness, reft and immortality; for, Bleffed are they that ie in the Lord, they reft from their labours, and their works follow them '.'

6. The next expedient is prayer. The glorious God of Heaven hath given us a free and open accefs to his throne, there to fue out by prayer, thofe bleffings and mercies which he hath promiled. It is not only a duty that we owe in recognition of the Divine fovereignty; a privilege of greater value than if we were made lords of the whole earth; bu: a means to attain thofe mercies, that the Divine wifdom and goodnefs knows to be fitteft for us; by thefe means we may be fure to have deliverance or prefervation, if ufeful or fit for us; or if not, yet thofe favours and condefcenfions from Almighty God, that are better than deliverance itfelf; namely, patience and contentednets with the Divine good pleafure; refignation of our wills to him; great peace and tranquillity of mind; evidences and communications of his love and favour to us; fupport under our weakneffes and defpondencies; and many times Almighty God, in thefe wilderneffes of diítractions and confufions, and ftorms, and

1 Rev. xiv. 1S.

calamities,

calamities, whether public or private, gives out, as a return to hearty and faithful prayer, fuch revelations of his goodness, and irradiations of his favour and love, that a man would not exchange for all the external happiness that this world can afford, and recompenfeth the lofs and troubles in relation to externals, with a far greater measure of the manifeftations of his favour, than ever a man did receive in his greatest confluence of external advantages. Yea, and poffibly, the time of external ftorms and troubles is far more feafonable for fuch returns of faithful and humble prayer, than the times of external affluence and benefits; and the devotion of the foul by fuch troubles raifed to a greater height, and accompanied by more grace, and humility, and fervency, than is ordinarily found in a condition of external peace, plenty, and ferenity.

CHANGES AND TROUBLES.

PEACE way-ward Soul! let not thofe various ftorms, Which hourly fill the world with fresh alarms,

Invade thy peace; nor difcompofe that reft,

Which thou may'st keep untouch'd within thy breaft.
Amidst those whirlwinds, if thou keep but free
The intercourse betwixt thy God and thee;
Thy region lies above these ftorms; and know,
Thy thoughts are earthly, and they creep too low,
If thefe can reach thee, or accefs can find,
To bring or raise like tempefts in thy mind.
But yet in these disorders fomething lies,
That's worth thy notice, out of which the wife

May

May trace and find that just and powerful Hand,
That fecretly, but furely doth command
And manage thefe diftempers with that skill,
That while they feem to crofs, they act his will.
Obferve that filver thread, that fteers and bends
The worst of all diforders, to fuch ends,
That speak his justice, goodness, providence,
Who clofely guides it by his influence.

;

And though these storms are loud, yet liften well,
There is another meffage that they tell :
This world is not thy country; 'tis thy way;
Too much contentment would invite thy ftay
Too long upon thy journey; make it strange,
Unwelcome news, to think upon a change:
Whereas this rugged entertainment fends
Thy thoughts before thee to thy journey's end
Chides thy defires homewards; tells thee plain,
To think of refting here it is but vain ;
Makes thee to fet an equal eftimate
On this uncertain world, and a just rate
On that to come; it bids thee wait and stay,
Until thy Master calls, and then with joy
To entertain it. Such a change as this,
Renders thy lofs, thy gain; improves thy blifs.

OF

OF

THE REDEMPTION OF TIME:

HOW, AND WHY IT IS TO BE REDEEMED.

I WOULD confider these particulars: 1. What that

Time is which we are to redeem. 2. What it is to redeem that Time. 3. How that Time is to be redeemed. 4. Why that Time is thus to be redeemed.

The first of these, What that Time is, that is to be redeemed. The philofophers trouble themselves much what Time is, and leave it very difficult; but we shall not need to trouble ourselves with that enquiry. The Time that is here meant, feems to be under this double relation: Firft, in relation to fome apt season for any thing to be done; and then it is properly called opportunity, which is nothing elfe but the coincidence of fome circumftances accommodated to fome action fuitable to it: as the Time for the hufbandman to reap his corn, is when the corn is ripe, and the weather feasonable; it is Time for the fmith to forge iron when it is hot, and therefore malleable. And fo in matters moral; it is a Time to fhow mercy when an object of mifery occurs, and a power to give relief. This, as I take it, is that which the Greeks call xayès, or opportunity. Secondly, in relation to that continuance of the duration of the reasonable creature in life, in this world, or the Time of our life.

II. To redeem Time, therefore, is in relation to both thefe; viz. 1. In relation to feafons and opportunities; the redemption of Time in this refpect is, 1. Diligently to watch and obferve all fitting feafons and opportunities of doing all the good we may, whe

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