Every Accident may be turn'd into Vertue; and every Vertue is a Step to our glorious End.

If our Affairs fucceed, let us praise our great Benefactor, and think what he'll give us hereafter, who fo favours us here.

If they mifcarry, let us yield to the Will of Heaven, and learn by our Croffes in this World, to betake us to the other.

Whatever happens, let this be our conftant Rule, to provide for the future Life, and be contented with the prefent.

Shall we not patiently accept a little Evil from him, that has given us so much Good?

Shall the being without fome one Thing we need not, more fenfibly affect us, than the having of all we need?

Ingrateful we! the common Benefits we all enjoy, deserve the Thanksgiving of a whole Life.

The Air we breath in, the Sun that shines upon us; the Water and the Earth that fo faithfully ferves us :

The Exercise of our Senfes, and the Ufe of our Wits, if not in Excellence, at least to fome Degree.

All thefe, O Lord, thou generally givest to the Good and to the Bad, and for the least of these none can praise thee enough.

What shall we fay to thofe high fupernatural Bleffings; The Son of God to redeem us, and Heaven to reward us? What

What fhall we fay? Can we yet complain, because fome few, perhaps, are more profperous than we?

Should we not rather look down on the many below us, and be thankful to see our felves more favour'd than they?

Should we not reckon o're the Miseries of Mankind and blefs our God that has fo far preferv'd us?

Had we some desperate Canker breeding on our Face, or noisome Leprofie spreading over our Skin :

(Thefe, we must confefs, are incident to our Nature; and more than thefe due to our Sins.)

What would we give to be as now we are? How gladly change for a moderate Affliction?

'Tis but interpreting our worst Condition well, to find Motives enough for our Gratitude to God.

'Tis but interpreting our best Condition frowardly, and we find Defects enough to think our felves miferable.

Did we adore as we ought the Wisdom of our God; we should easily trust Him to rule his own World.

Could we understand the fecret Character of his Decrees, we should read in each Syllable a perfect Harmony.

Teach us, O thou bleft Enlightner of our Minds; teach us to expound thy Actions in a fair Senfe.

Suffer

1

Suffer us not to follow our private Spirit; left we create to our felves a voluntary Misery.

Still let us conftrue the Afflictions thou fendeft us; as meant to correct, not to destroy us:

To prevent fome Sin, or beget fome ver'tuous Practife in us; and when we need our Croffes no longer, thou'lt take them away.

Mean while, O gracious Lord, make us wait thy Time, and not impatiently prefcribe Limits to Thee.

Make us rejoyce that our Lots are in thy Hands; but O let thy Mercy chufe favourably for us.

Difpofe as thou pleaseft our Condition here; only our Portion hereafter let that be with thy Blessed.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

As it was in the Beginning, &c.

Antiphon.

Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all Things elfe fhall be added unto you.

T

Our Father, &c.

Firft Leffon.

Ruft in our Lord with all thy Heart; and lean not to thy own Understanding. In all thy Ways think on him, and he will direct thy Paths. Be not wife in thine own Conceit; fear God, and depart from Evil. The greater thou art, the more humble

thou

thou shouldst be; feek not the Things that are too high for thee, nor fearch into those above thy Strength; but the thing that God has commanded thee, that do thou; and in many of his Works be not thou curious, fince it is not neceflary for thee to fee with thine Eyes thofe things that are hidden. Lay up thy Treafure according to the Commandments of the Moft High, and it shall profit thee more than Gold. Shut up Alms in thy Store-houfes, and it fhall deliver thee from all Affliction: It fhall fight for thee against the Enemy better than a mighty Shield and strong Spear: In all thy Gifts fhew a chearful Countenance, and pay thy Tithes with Gladnefs. Give to the Highest according to what he has given thee, and with a good Eye give according to the Ability of thy Hands; for the Lord is thy Rewarder, and he will repay thee Seven times as much. When a Man's Ways please the Lord, he maketh even his Enemies to be at Peace with him. The Heart of Man devifeth his Way, but the Lord directeth his Steps. He that is patient is better than he that is ftrong; and he that rules over his Mind, than he who conquers Cities. There is no Wisdom, nor Understanding, nor Council against the Lord.

Ref] Well may we give thee, O Lord, fome part of what we have, fince we re

ceiv'd from thee all we have; well may we give with gladness to thee, fince thy Boun ty rewards us with fo great Advantage.

O Make us ftill mistrust our felves, and with an humble Confidence rely on thee. Without thy Blessing our Labour is in vain, and against thy Decrees no Policy can fucceed; but if we humbly fubmit to thee, thou wilt direct us; if we keep thy Commandments, thou wilt defend us. * O Make us ftill

W

Second Leffon.

Hen thou comest to serve the Lord, prepare thy Soul for Temptation; cleave unto him, and depart not away, that thou mayeft be encreased at thy laft End. Whatever is brought upon thee, take chearfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low Estate; for Gold is try'd in the Fire, and acceptable Men in the Furnace of Adverfity. Believe in God, and he will help thee; order thy Way aright, and trust in him. Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his Mercy, and go not afide, left ye fall: Ye that fear the Lord, believe him, and your Reward fhall not fail: Ye that fear the Lord, hope for good, and for everlafting Joy and Mercy. Look at the Generations of old, and fee, did ever any truft in the Lord, and was confounded, or did any abide in his Fear and was forfaken? Or whom did he ever despise that

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