hast but a short life, a little time, to testify thy love to God here on earth: and he hath an eternity to reward thee in. Which therefore should encourage thy patience to persevere and hold out to the end: especially when thou considerest, that though thy reward be future, yet it is near; at least, part of it, and a considerable part too. For though there will be a further completion of our felicities at the resurrection of the just, and the great day of recompence; yet the souls of the faithful may expect to receive a very considerable part of "the recompence of reward" before that day. And even in this life they have some earnests of that glorious reward, some foretastes of the " pleasures at God's right hand," some bunches of the grapes that grow in the upper and heavenly Canaan. And the more Christians endeavour to live the life of heaven, the more heavenly their affections and conversations are here; the more shall they have here of heavenly enjoyments. In which respects the Scripture sometimes speaks of those that are excellently religious, even whilst they are in this life, that they “have eternal life;" and that they "sit with Christ in heavenly places.”*

5. And lastly, This resignation to the will of God is also highly conducing to our temporal good: And that not only because it "hath promise of the life that now is," as well as of "that which is to come;" but also because it tends in its own nature hereunto. Here I will particularly, yet very briefly, show, that it makes (1.) for our profit and advantage, as to our outward estate; (2.) for our ease,

8 Heb. x. 35.

h Psal. xvi. 11.

i John vi. 54. and 1 John v. 13.

* Eph. ii. 6.

11 Tim. iv. 8.

and quiet, in the world; and (3.) for our health and strength.

1. It makes for our profit and advantage, as to our outward estate. This it doth; (1.) as it engages men against pride, and to humility and modesty. By this means are avoided vast and needless expenses about attire and dressings, buildings, feastings, and a great number of pompous vanities; and also the great charges which men of aspiring and ambitious spirits are at, for the procuring of dignities, honours, and high places, and the supporting of their grandeur, that they may be the more esteemed, reverenced, and admired by the world. (2.). As it engageth to temperance and sobriety; against all sensuality, and a delicious, luxurious life and so are avoided all expensive divertisements, sports and revellings, incontinence, and "making provision for the flesh to fulfil the the lusts thereof;" which impair and consume men's estates, and bring not a few to a morsel of bread. The desires of temperance are cheap, easy, and soon satisfied. (3.) As it engageth to meekness, in opposition to wrath, malice, and revenge: and by this means quarrels, which often cost men dear, and abundance of expensive lawsuits are pre-' vented. It usually costs men much more to revenge injuries than to bear them. (4.) As it engageth to labour and industry in lawful callings, in opposition to carelessness and sloth, which, as Solomon saith, "shall clothe a man with rags ;" whereas "the hand of the diligent maketh rich."

2. It makes for our ease and quiet in the world. And this, (1.) as it engageth to meekness, or

a Rom. xiii. 14.

b Prov. xxiii. 21.

с

Ibid. x. 4.

peaceable-spiritedness; which, as it is a grace most lovely in itself, so it makes those that are endued with it, lovely and acceptable to others, and wins and attracts good-will. (2.) As it engageth to mercifulness, both in giving and forgiving. None but a monster, and one prodigiously wicked and unworthy, will put affronts upon, and procure trouble to, those that are merciful in these two respects. (3.) As it engageth to justice, truth, and uprightness, in giving to every one his due; and not defrauding, wronging, or defaming any: all which plainly tend to the procuring of peace.

3. It makes for our health and strength; the good habit and constitution of our bodies, as well as of our souls. This it doth, (1.) As it engageth to sobriety; against excess, which both begets and feeds diseases and distempers. Incontinence and intemperance weaken both the body and the mind; shorten life, and make it painful and uncomfortable, while it lasts. (2.) As it engageth against heart-tearing cares, and such anxious solicitudes as waste natural strength, and prey upon the spirits. (3.) As it engageth against all inordinate affections, all fleshly as well as worldly lusts. These make men lean and sick; as Amnon's lust after Tamar made him. (4.) As it begets cheerfulness and tranquillity of spirit; which hath a proper efficacy to the preservation of health. "A cheerful heart doth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones." (5.) As it engageth to honest labour, in opposition to a soft and delicate life. Exercise hath a natural tendency to the making men hardy, strong, and healthful.

d

d 2 Sam. xiii. 6.

e Prov. xvii. 22.

Would we then be fully, and in all things, resigned to the holy and good-will of God; let us observe this first direction, and labour after a great sense of the truth of the foregoing principles; and all those considerations that have been proposed to our view, as most powerful arguments to persuade to this duty.

CHAP. II.

That humble and fervent prayer

is a necessary and effectual means to the obtaining the grace of self-resignation.

In the second place; Being humbled in a deep sense of thy irresignation and disobedience, wherein thou ' hast hitherto walked to the hurt and danger of thy soul, beg of God this high and holy temper of soul: this "one thing desire" thou " of the Lord ;" and "seek after it all the days of thy life.”

Humble and holy prayer is one of the greatest helps to the obtaining of any grace or good thing from God. Let us then carefully apply ourselves to him for this great blessing; which is such a one as none but himself can give: and he who is our "Father in heaven, ('the Father of mercies,") will give" this, and all "good things, to them that ask him."

66

"If any of you lack wisdom," saith St. James, "let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Now the resignation of our wills to the

a Psal. xxvii. 4. b 2 Cor. i. 3. c Matt. vii. 11.

d James i. 5.

1

will of God is the highest point of wisdom; and this sort of wisdom is particularly meant in the text, as appears by the foregoing verses.

But then our prayers must be fervent, and in faith.

First. They must be fervent. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much:"" but not cold and languid desires, or faint wishes.

Nor are we to judge of the true fervency of prayer by the heat of the head, or fancy; but by the heat of the heart, and the arḍency of our affections. 66 My heart," saith David, boils,' or "bubbles forth, a good matter." We are to judge thereof by the passionateness and earnestness of our desires not by the loudness of prayer, nor by the length thereof, whether it be with, or without a form of words; nor by any thing obvious to sense.

All that is outward, is easy in comparison of that which is more spiritual, a heart affected suitably to every part of prayer. And there may be as much, yea more, of the spirit of prayer, when there are no words at all. There are times when "the Spirit maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered;" with affections too quick and strong for expressions, and which would cool, if put into words. Thus Hannah, "praying before the Lord, spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard." She "poured out" her "soul before the Lord:" and God, who "searcheth the hearts," and "knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit," heard her. These inward breathings of the soul are ever