XLII.

der and pliable in our temper and frame of spirit; SERM. being deeply affected with reverence and dread toward the awful majesty, mighty power, perfect justice and sanctity of God; all this) wrought by our adversity, effectually, according to its design, quelling our haughty stomach, softening our hard hearts, mitigating our peevish humours; according to St. Peter's injunction, Be humbled under the mighty 1 Pet. v. 6. hand of God; and God's own approbation joined with a gracious promise, To this man will I look; Isa. Ixvi. even to him that is of a poor and contrite spirit,' and trembleth at my word.

I

2.

9. Restraining our tongues from all discontentful complaints and murmurings, all profane, harsh, unsavoury expressions, importing displeasure or dissatisfaction in God's dealings toward us, arguing desperation or distrust in him; such as were those of the impatient and incredulous Israelites: They Ps. lxxviii. spake against God, and said, Can God furnish a 19, 20. table in the wilderness? Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? Such as they used, of whom the prophet said, When they shall be hungry, Isa. viii. 21. they will fret themselves, and curse their king and their God; such as they were guilty of, whom St. Jude calleth γογγυστας, καὶ μεμψιμοίρους, murmur- Jude 16. ers, and querulous persons, (or such as found fault with their lot,) that which is styled, charging God foolishly; for abstaining from which, notwithstanding the pressure of his most grievous calamities, Job is commended, (where it is said, Job sinned Job i. 22. not, neither charged God foolishly;) that which the prophet condemneth as unreasonable in that ex

SERM. postulation, Wherefore doth the living man comXLII. plain? In such cases we should smother our pasLam. iii. sions in a still and silent demeanour, as the PsalmPs. xxxvii. ist advised, and as he practised himself: I was dumb, saith he, and opened not my mouth, because Ps, xxxix. it was thy doings. Yea, contrariwise, patience re

39.

7. xlvi. 10.

iv. 4.

9.

quireth,

10. Blessing and praising God, (that is, declaring our hearty satisfaction in God's proceedings with us, acknowledging his wisdom, justice, and goodness therein, expressing a grateful sense thereof, as wholesome and beneficial to us,) in conformity to Job, who, upon the loss of all his comforts, did thus vent his Job i. 21. mind: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

11. Abstaining from all irregular and unworthy courses toward the removal or redress of our crosses; choosing rather to abide quietly under their pressure, than by any unwarrantable means to relieve or relax ourselves; contentedly wearing, rather than violently Jer. v. 5. breaking our yoke, or bursting our bonds; rather continuing poor, than striving to enrich ourselves by fraud or rapine; rather lying under contempt, than by sinful or sordid compliances attempting to gain the favour and respect of men; rather embracing the meanest condition, than labouring by any turbulent, unjust, or uncharitable practices to amplify our estate; rather enduring any inconvenience or Jer. xlii. 15. distress, than setting our faces toward Egypt, or having recourse to any succour which God disalloweth ; according to what is implied in that repre1 Cor. vi. 7. hension of St. Paul, Now therefore it is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why

I

do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? SERM. and in that advice of St. Peter, Let them that suffer XLII. according to the will of God commit the keeping 1 Pet. iv. of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

19.

12. A fair behaviour toward the instruments and abettors of our affliction; those who brought us into it, or who detain us under it, by keeping off relief, or sparing to yield the succour which we might expect; the forbearing to express any wrath or displeasure, to exercise any revenge, to retain any grudge or enmity toward them; but rather even upon that score bearing good-will, and shewing kindness unto them; unto them, not only as to our brethren, whom, according to the general law of charity, we are bound to love, but as to the servants of God in this particular case, or as to the instruments of his pleasure toward us; considering that by maligning or mischiefing them, we do signify ill resentment of God's dealings with us, and in effect, through their sides, do wound his providence: thus did the pious king demean himself when he was bitterly reproached and cursed by Shimei; not suffer- 2 Sam. xvi. ing, upon this account, any harm or requital to be offered to him: thus did the holy apostles, who being reviled, did bless; being persecuted, did 1 Cor. iv. bear it; being defamed, did entreat: thus did our Lord deport himself toward his spiteful adversaries, who being reviled, did not revile again; when he 1 Pet. ii. 23. suffered, did not threaten; but committed it to him that judgeth righteously.

13. Particularly in regard to those, who, by injurious and offensive usage, do provoke us, patience importeth,

7.

12.

iii. 9.

XLII.

Eccles. vii.

SERM. 1. That we be not hastily, over-easily, not immoderately, not pertinaciously incensed with anger toward them, according to those divine precepts and Jam. i. 19. aphorisms: Be slow to wrath; be not hasty in thy 9. spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom 32. xiv. 17, of fools. Give place to wrath, (that is, remove it.) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. Cease from anger, let

Prov. xvi.

29.

Rom. xii.

19.

Eph. iv. 31, 26.

Col. iii. 8.

Matt. v. 21, sure, fret not thyself anywise to do evil.

24.

Ps. xxxvii.

8.

go displea

2. That we do not in our hearts harbour any ill will, or ill wishes, or ill designs toward them, but that we truly desire their good, and purpose to further it, as we shall have ability and occasion, according to that law, (even charged on the Jews,) Levit. xix. Thou shalt not bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; and according to that noble comMatt. v. 44. mand of our Saviour, Love your enemies, pray for Luke vi. 27. them which despitefully use you and persecute

18.

39.

14.

you.

3. That in effect we do not execute any revenge, or for requital do any mischief to them, either in word or deed; but for their reproaches exchange blessings, (or good words and wishes;) for their out

rages, repay benefits and good turns; according to Mat. v. 44. those evangelical rules: Do good to them that hate Rom. xii. you, bless them that curse you: Bless them that Thess. v. persecute you, bless and curse not: See that none 15. render evil for evil: Be pitiful, be courteous, not Prov. xxv. rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but Rom. xii. contrariwise blessing: If thine enemy hunger, feed Prov. xxiv. him; if he thirst, give him drink: Say not, I will do to him as he hath done to me; I will render to

1 Pet. iii. 9.

21.

20.

29.

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the man according to his work: Say thou not, I SERM. will recompense evil, but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.

Prov. xx.

22.

14. In fine, patience doth include and produce a general meekness and kindness of affection, together with an enlarged sweetness and pleasantness in conversation and carriage toward all men; implying, that how hard soever our case, how sorry or sad our condition is, we are not therefore angry with the world, because we do not thrive or flourish in it; that we are not dissatisfied or disgusted with the prosperous estate of other men; that we are not become sullen or froward toward any man, because his fortune excelleth ours, but that rather we do rejoice Rom. xii. with them that rejoice; we do find complacence and delight in their good success; we borrow satisfaction and pleasure from their enjoyments.

In these and the like acts, the practice of this virtue (a virtue which all men, in this state of inward weakness and outward trouble, shall have much need and frequent occasion to exercise) consisteth; unto which practice, even philosophy, natural reason, and common sense do suggest many inducements; the tenor of our holy faith and religion do supply more and better; but nothing can more clearly direct, or more powerfully excite thereto, than that admirable example, by which our text doth enforce it: some principal of those rational inducements we shall cursorily touch, then insist upon this example.

It will generally induce us to bear patiently all things incident, if we consider, that it is the natural right and prerogative of God to dispose of all things, to assign our station here, and allot our portion to us; whence it is a most wrongful insolence in us,

15.