the damage to us may be very confiderable: for which reason we should be follicitous, both to make all the improvement by our friends, and fhew all the kindness to them, that we can, whilst we have them; left we fhould regret our negligence, when it is too late. But, though the common fault is underrating the value of thofe, who are near and ought to be dear to us, yet present grief on lofing them may poffibly overdo it; and we may find ourselves able to go on without them far more tolerably than we imagined. Neceffity will put us on exerting our powers: we fhall feek for other helps and other comforts; and in fome degree at leaft, we fhall find them. Or, fuppofing the accident to be as grievous, and as irreparable, as we apprehend it; yet this confolation is left, that the painful feeling of it will greatly diminish, however impoffible we may at the time conceive that to be. Indeed, fome appear unwilling that this fhould happen; and account it a duty to afflict themselves as much and as long as they can: whilst others go on to do it, though they profess to believe it a great fin. But, in reality, moderate concern, for a moderate feason, is the ufeful dictate of nature: and immoderate concern is pardonable weaknefs; only it ought not to be wilfully indulged, wrought up to a great height and lengthened. Even if we af fect to do thefe things, God has mercifully provided, in the changeable frame of our nature, that they shall have an end; and we should, instead of abfurdly refifting him, co-operate with him by prudent reflection: not aim at infenfibility; but only at fuch a rational degree of difengagement, as fuits our condition; thus preparing by due behaviour under one ftroke, to bear others which are to be expected. Perfons on a journey quit many things, one after another, that are very agreeable to them; regret them all, but go forward however with compofed minds. Now we are travellers through life: our friends are so too: our appointed stages are different: and we must learn to part. Another cause of forrow, lofs of worldly fubftance, if it be fo great as to bring an abfolute painful want, hath been already confidered: and if it doth no more than lower us in comparison with others, will be confidered hereafter. But a few things may be observed here. We commonly urge it, as a great aggravation of our grief, if we not only are destitute of VOL I2 the the conveniences which wealthier perfons enjoy, but have had them and known them, and been deprived of them. Now furely, on the whole, our condition is better for this, than if we had never had them, unlefs we make it worse by repining. Befides, when we had them, did they make us extremely hap py? In all likelihood far from it. And why then fhould foregoing them make us extremely miferable? Or how happy foever we were before, why fhould we not now be as eafy as we can? Why indeed fhould we not provide for fuch accidents, by living in the midst of plenty, as if we had lefs of it, and doing good with the remainder? This would be the beft ufe of it, were we ever fo sure of keeping the whole; but hath a fingular advantage, if we are to lofe part. For then we shall be able afterwards to afford ourselves, perhaps nearly, if not quite, as much as we did before: the poor and the public will be the fufferers: and our concern for them will, inftead of a selfish, be a virtuous one, and probably feldom excessive. Disappointments in other worldly matters, failure of obtaining rank, power, favour, or lofs of them after they are obtained, require fcarce any other confiderations to alleviate them, than difappointments about wealth do. Only as it is yet more uncertain, whether they, who feek them, fhall be able to acquire them; or they, who acquire them, to retain them; and indeed, whether they, who do both, fhall be the better or the worfe for them; there is lefs reason to set our hearts upon them, and afflict ourselves at croffes in relation to them. : But perhaps our grief is, that our character in the world is impaired and this we cannot tell how to bear. Yet the cafe may be, that it had been raised too high; and now is reduced only to what it should be. Surely we may bear this: it will teach us to know ourselves, keep us from aiming in any refpect at things above us, and do us good many ways. Or if others think too lowly of us, yet provided they impute nothing bad to us, we may ftill be very eafy. We ourselves are ignorant of the worth of many: no wonder, if many be ignorant of ours. But fuppofing, that even downright ill is spoken of us; poffibly it is because we have deferved juft the contrary, because we have done our duty; and then what faith the fcripture? That we have caufe to be forry and dejected? No. Suffering for confcience fake is the very cafe, of which our Saviour Saviour faith in the text, In your patience poffefs ye your fouls. Elsewhere he faith more. Blefed are ye, when men shall revile you and fay all manner of evil falfely against you, for my name's fake: rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven *. Nay, he goes further ftill: Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you t. Not that a good reputation is in itself a blameable thing: but that when all men, particularly bad men, applaud any one highly, it is a ground for him to suspect himself of being too much conformed to this world ‡. Or, if we are not defamed for having acted wifely and well, yet perhaps it is for something indifferent, that we are misreprefented; and we cannot be fairly accused of acting foolishly or wickedly. In this cafe, if we have not merit, we have innocence, to fupport us. And a great fupport it is, had we none elfe. But there will always be fome in the world to do us juftice. And, by the affiftance of their friendship, indeed fooner or later without it, time will bring truth to light. But poffibly we think our behaviour hath been imprudent; and we have brought our fufferings on ourselves; and this caufes our forrow. Yet poffibly alfo we may charge ourfelves, as perfons under affliction often do, either unjustly, or however much too heavily. We did as well perhaps, as the abilities, which God hath given us, permitted: and if so, we are not to blame. But if we were imprudent, let us grow prudent now not torment ourselves fruitlessly, which would be fresh folly, but labour compofedly to retrieve our falfe fteps, as far as we can. But it may be we grieve, not for indifcretions merely, but for fins. And this grief fhould certainly be the heaviest, which is ufually the lighteft. Yet, though in moft perfons it very much wants to be increased; in fome it needs to be restrained and regulated. Self-reflection was given us, not barely to make us uneafy, but, by fo doing, to amend us. If it rifes to a higher degree, than contributes to our amendment, it is undergoing fo much mifery to no ufe. And if we carry it fo far as to obftruct our amendment, it is adding greatly to our former guilt. Excefs of concern either for the weak or the wicked things that we have done, may fink us into defponden D 2 су Matth. v. 1', 12. † Luke vi. 26. Rom. xii. 2. cy, may drive us to intemperance, may incite us to yet more defperate courses. Therefore we fhould by no means be impatient with ourselves: (for it is commonly a mark of pride : we cannot bear the imagination of having acted wrong :) but fhould humbly acknowledge our faults and infirmities, beg wisdom and ftrength from God's Holy Spirit for the fake of his bleffed Son; and in the faith of that affiftance, without which we can do nothing, meekly and perfeveringly labour to do better. By this method we shall learn felf-knowledge and watchfulness; improve by our very falls in fkill to ftand, recover our character amongst men, acquire a lively hope of acceptance with God, and be at peace within. 3. The next cause of impatience, mentioned before, was fear. Now fear fupposes the evil apprehended to be at some distance: perhaps the distance is fo great, that we need not yet provide against it and why should we difquiet ourselves before the time? But admitting the danger to be nearer: though doubtless this paffion was wifely and kindly implanted in us by our maker for precaution, yet we must keep it within bounds; elfe we shall be incapable of ufing effectual precaution; indeed fhall contribute to bring on the very thing we dread. If we preserve our minds in à condition to take proper measures, it may never come near us; or though it do, may never fall upon ús. Future bad events, as well as good, are extremely uncertain. Our pleasure is often diminished by the latter uncertainty. Why should not our uneafinefs be calmed by the former? Have not we often feen others, have not we often been ourselves, grievously frightened with the profpect of what after all did not happen? let us oppofe terror with hope. Or, if the agitation, produced by the conflict between the two, makes our cafe worse, as in fome minds it seems to do; let us lay afide hope, and take it for granted that the misfortuné we expect will befall us: yet it may continue a much lefs time than we expect. Or if not, it may however be much more tolerable. Fear is a strange magnifier. People fay, they are pofitive, they are certain, that they fhall never be able to go through what is approaching. They are not certain, they cannot be certain before-hand. Human nature will endure much more, than we imagine. At leaft, furely God can ftrengthen us, us, if he will. And his word declares, God is faithful, whe will not fuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will, with the temptation alfo, make a way to efcape, that ye may be able to bear it *. Moft men have found, and the timorous will own it, that they have frequently fuffered a great deal more by the apprehenfion of heavy strokes, than by the infliction. Why should we not learn then to moderate our apprehenfions? Look fteadily at the thing feared: examine the worst of it but obferve alfo the mitigations and remedies, and apply them. They are various in themfelves, and useful in various degrees, according to the difference of circumftances: and the particulars cannot be reckoned up here. Only, do no thing wicked by way of prevention; for fin is worse than any temporal fuffering. Set not your thoughts wholly on guarding against one danger; for there are many: nor against them all; for your attention ought to be divided amongst the feveral duties of life, that none may be neglected. Want not to be fecurer, than the ftate, in which we live, will allow but let it fuffice you, that the world is governed by the providence of God. Pray to him, and chearfully put your interefts into his hands, and all will end well. Be not afraid of sudden fearwhen it cometh: for the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken t. The fear of the wicked shall come upon him: but the defire of the righteous fhall be granted‡. The fear of man bringeth a fnare; but whofo putteth his trust in the Lord fhall be fafe §. These affurances hold good more efpecially with refpect to one fear, that of death, which deferves to be mentioned fepatately. We fhould always live in the thought of it: but many live in the dread alfo; and dread it on occafions where there is not even the fmalleft hazard of it. And foretimes their very alarms, fometimes the ufelefs and hurtful precautions, which they take in confequence of them, haften it. These things are evidently in a high degree unwife: and a moderate use of reason, one should think, might check them. But be we ever so prudent, it will come. And numbers are terrified with the great pain, which they fancy it must bring with it. But this, as far as ever we have room to judge from appearances, is quite a groundlefs imagination: and there are very |