And yet this is not done: The Oppreffions and Infults of bafe and barbarous Wretches are often not prevented: And the Good are not only affaulted from that Quarter, but fometimes from Sorrows and Dangers, that fpeak a more immediate Hand of God. Such was the Tempeft in the Text; Such are many Troubles and Difafters in Human Life; And, as in That Chrift was afleep, fo in Thefe, God feems to take little or no notice, of his Suffering Servants. For the reconciling all which, with a Juft and Holy, a Wife and Watchful Providence, I beg it may be confidered in the

II. Second Place; That, though the Best Men, and the Best Actions, are not fecured from Sufferings and Dangers; yet are thofe Sufferings and Dangers always directed to the Good of the Parties concerned; and ordained by Providence, for wife Reasons, and excellent Purposes. Of These Many may be unknown to Us; and of Those that are, or may be known, Some are without the compass of my present Defign. For this reaches no farther, than to our Adverfities, in proportion to the Cafe of the Difciples here: and confequently, to fuch Reafons and Ends alone, as fuit with thofe, whereby we may reafonably gather our Bleffed Lord induced, to fuffer the Coming of this Diftress Them.

upon

1. One of thefe Reasons feems to have been the Bringing them to a modeft and humble Opinion of themselves. Mention is frequently made of their failing in this Point: And their exceeding Forwardness, to give themselves the Preference, not only above the rest of the World, but also before one another. Now the Honour of retaining to, and an intimate Friendship and Acquaintance with their Divine Mafter, The partaking in his Privacies, and being there let into the Myfteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, were Privileges, exceeding valuable in them

felves;

felves; likely to draw upon them the Refpects of Others, and not lefs fo, to beget in Themselves pleafing Imaginations of fomewhat more than ordinary, that fhould difpofe our Lord thus to diftinguifh, and as it were cull out them, from the reft of Mankind. Now, what could be more proper to refute these Notions, and prevent their mifchievous Confequences; than putting those fuppofed Excellencies to the Touch, and convincing them, by fuch an Experiment, how little they were removed above common Men, how far from answering the glorious Idea, which they had formed of their mighty Proficiency, and, yet untried, Virtue?

Thus we have reafon to believe good Men in general dealt with, whofe Profperity is but too prone to turn God's Bleffings into Poyfon; and taint the Virtue they have, with fond and lofty Conceits of their own Merit. And it is, no doubt, an Inftance of the Wisdom and Goodness of Providence, to fhew fuch to themselves: To inftruct them by Sufferings and Dangers; and feemingly to neglect and forfake them for a while; that they may feel their own Weakness, when the Enemy attacks them. Such fenfible Proofs foon teach them, that, how great foever they may represent themselves to themfelves, and whatever imaginary Fights and Triumphs they may act over in their own Fancies, yet in truth that Strength, which faints in the Day of Adverfity, is but, can be but small; and That, which refifts and conquers in fuch a Day, is not their own, but His, whose Grace enables them to ftand, and gets it felf Glory of their Infirmities and Temptations. Which leads me to,

2. A fecond Reafon for Chrift's permitting the Difficulty upon his Difciples; Even, that they might hereby attain to juft Apprehenfions of his Power and Goodness, and higher degrees of Faith and Truft in

Him. No Body need be told, how quick a Senfe we have, where our own Persons or Interests are touched; and what deep Impreffions thofe Dangers and Deliverances make, which, when our Brethren only are concerned, are entertained but coldly. Thus the prefent Terror and Diftrefs would not fail to affect the Difciples more tenderly, and to have a more vigorous and lafting Influence; than our Lord's Cleanfing Lepers, giving Sight to the Blind, healing the Sick at a diftance, raifing the Dead with a Word, or any the most amazing Inftances upon Others, of which they were only Spectators.

And fo we may fay in general, that Afflictions are of ufe even to Good Men, for refreshing their Memories, rouzing their Thoughts, and fettling Affiance in the Almighty. For, though fuch Perfons apply themselves, more than Common Men do, to weigh the feveral Difpenfations of Providence, and make fome Profit of whatever is remarkable in the Fortunes of Others; Yet even thus Good Men will ftill be Men; and, while they are fo, they will not be able to confider fuch Events, with equal Warmth and Affection, as when the like fhall happen to themselves.

And, as this Expedient is of Advantage to us; from the difference of Concern for other People, in comparison of our Selves; fo is it likewife, with regard to each Man's private Affairs, confidered fingly and apart. For it is very vifible, that nothing, which does not make fome great Change in Our Affairs, affects us ftrongly, or sticks long by us. The fame good Providence contrives our Prefervation from, and our Escapes out of, Danger. But, notwthftanding, nothing is more evident, than that constant Health and Safety do by no means move our Spirits, and awaken our Senfe and Praise of the Divine Goodnefs, like a Recovery from Sicknefs juft defpaired of, or a Rescue from fome common and imminent Ruin.

They,

They, who judge rightly, will difcern the hand of God in both: But Few attend to this in ordinary Cafes; and They, who do carry their Thoughts fo far, feel their Paffions more powerfully wrought upon to acknowledge, and be thankful for it, in the One Cafe, than the Other. So that it is good for us, even in this respect, to be fometimes in trouble; for, did we not feel Smart and Danger, we fhould never know the Pleasure of Eafe and Deliverance. And it may be faid with great truth, that much of the Sweets of Life would be loft, were there no mixture of Bitter and Diftafteful, to heighten their Relish, and recommend them to us.

3. Thirdly, The Providence of God might intend, by the Danger in my Text, as it certainly does by the Tryals of other Good People, to exercife thefe Difciples, and train them up to a Conftancy and Perfection in Virtue. Thefe were the Perfons, upon whom the weight of eftablishing the Gofpel was to lie. This they were to effect, in defpight of Indignities and Reproaches, Malice and unrelenting Barbarity, Oppofitions on every fide, and Perfecutions in every place. Fit then it was, to inure thefe Champions betimes; to fhew them Death in its moft frightful Form; and at the fame time make them fenfible, that he who could quiet the Rage of the Seas, could not want Power to fubdue the Madness of the People.

Every Good Man, it must be allowed, is not defigned for fuch vaft and hazardous Undertakings; but every Man hath a Poft appointed him by God, and the Character of a Chriftian to maintain. And Few

arrive to any uncommon Excellencies in this Station, except Such, as make their way up to them, through Sufferings. Hence 'tis, we commonly call Afflictions Tryals, becaufe they are the Teft of a Man's Virtue, and difcover what he really is. Thefe are the

very proof, which the Devil defired to bring Job's Integrity to. They have effects, in fome measure, like high Winds, and Thunder in the Air; or like the Fermentation of Humours in Bodies: for, as Health and Wholfomnefs could not be preferved without Thefe, fo is the Soul confirmed by fome Returns of violent Agitation, that awaken and exert its Powers, in Sufferings and Difficulties. And what degree of these is neceffary, the great Phyfician of Souls beft knows; and therefore our Care must be, to fubmit to His Prescriptions. Thus much, however, we may fee plainly; that, the more familiar these things are made to us, the more will that Terror and Surprise wear off, which difables our firft Encounters, from all that Steadiness and Decency, that becomes us. And how fubject to fuch Confternations, very Good Men are, may be gathered from my Second General

Head.

II. The Behaviour of thefe Difciples under their present Danger. The 25th Verfe tells us, they came to Jefus and awoke him; and herein, no doubt, they are our Examples. They teach us, whither to flee in the Neceffity of our Affairs, and the Anguifh of our Souls; that Chrift is a fure Refuge, our only Support, when Humane Remedies fail; and if he be afleep, that is, if we be not answered at the first Call, not to give over, or grow weary of Praying; but to exalt our Voices, and double our Importunity, till we receive fuch Help in Time of need, as his infinite Wisdom fees expedient for us. Thus far, I fay, the Difciples did their own Duty, and have directed Us in Ours. But fomewhat else, 'tis evident, there was, wherein they failed, and for which they are reproved at the 26th Verfe. He faith unto them, Why are ye fofearful, O ye of little Faith? or, as another Evangelift expreffes it, How is it that ye have no Faith? Mark iv. 40. and St. Luke, Where is your Faith.

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