XLII.

SERM. by complaining of our state, to contest his right or impeach his management thereof: that we are obliged to God's free bounty for numberless great benefits and favours; whence it is vile ingratitude to be displeased for the want of some lesser conveniences that God having undertaken and promised to support and succour us, it is a heinous affront to distrust him, and consequently to be dissatisfied with our condition: that seeing God doth infinitely better understand what is good for us than we can do, he is better affected toward us and more truly loveth us than we do ourselves, he with an unquestionable right hath an uncontrollable power to dispose of us; it is most reasonable to acquiesce in his choice of our state that since we have no claim to any good or any pleasure, and thence in withholding any no wrong is done to us, it is unjust and frivolous to murmur or grumble; since we are, by nature, God's servants, it is fit the appointment of our rank, our garb, our diet, all our accommodations and employments in his family, should be left entirely to his discretion and pleasure: that we being grievous sinners, less than the least of God's mercies, meriting no good, but deserving sore punishment from him, it is just, that we should be highly content and thankful for any thing on this side death and damnation that our afflictions being the natural fruits and results of our choice or voluntary miscarriages, it is reasonable we should blame ourselves rather than pick quarrels with Providence for them. That our condition, be it what it will, cannot, being duly estimated, be extremely bad or insupportably grievous; for that as no condition here is perfectly and purely good, (not deficient in some accommoda

XLII.

tions, not blended with some troubles,) so there is SERM. none that hath not its conveniences and comforts; for that it is our fond conceits, our froward humours, our perverse behaviours, which create the mischiefs adherent to any state; for that also how forlorn soever our case is, we cannot fail, if we please, of a capacity to enjoy goods far more than countervailing all possible want of these goods, or presence of these evils; we may have the use of our reason, a good conscience, hope in God, assurance of God's love and favour, abundance of spiritual blessings here, and a certain title to eternal glory and bliss hereafter; which, if we can have, our condition cannot be deemed uncomfortable. That indeed our adversity is a thing very good and wholesome, very profitable and desirable, as a means of breeding, improving, and exercising the best virtues, of preparing us for and entitling us to the best rewards. That our state cannot ever be desperate; our adversity probably may not be lasting, (there being no connection between the present and the future, vicissitudes being frequent, all things depending on the arbitrary dispensation of God, who doth always pity us, and is apt to relieve us.) That, however, our affliction will not outlive ourselves, and certainly must soon expire with our life. That this world is not a place of perfect convenience, or pure delight; we come not hither to do our will, or enjoy our pleasure; we are not born to make laws, or pick our condition here; but that trouble is natural and proper to us (we are born thereto, as the sparks fly Job v. 7. upwards.) No tribulation seizeth us, but such as 1 Cor. x. 13. is human; whence it is reasonable that we contentedly bear the crosses suitable to our nature and

SERM. state.

That no adversity is in kind or degree pecuXLII. liar to us; but if we survey the conditions of other

men, (of our brethren every where, of our neighbours all about us,) and compare our case with theirs, we shall find that we have many consorts and associates in adversity, most as ill, many far worse bestead than ourselves; whence it must be a great fondness and perverseness to be displeased that we are not exempted from, but exposed to bear a share in the common troubles and burdens of mankind. That it hath particularly been the lot of the best men (persons most excellent in virtue and most deep in God's favour) to sustain adversity; and it therefore becometh us willingly and cheerfully to accept it. That, in fine, patience itself is the best remedy to ease us in, to rescue us from adversity; for it cannot much annoy us, if we bear it patiently; God will, in mercy, remove it, if we please him, by demeaning ourselves well under it; but that impatience doth not at all conduce to our relief, doth indeed exasperate and augment our pain: such considerations may induce us to a patience in general respecting all sorts of evil.

There are also reasons particularly disposing to bear injuries and contumelies from men calmly and meekly, without immoderate wrath, rancorous hatred, or spiteful revenge toward them: because they do proceed from Divine Providence, disposing or permitting them (for the trial of our patience, the abasing our pride, the exercising of some other virtues, or for other good purposes) to fall upon us: because vindication of misdemeanours committed against us doth not appertain to us, we not being competent judges of them, nor rightful executors of

Heb. x. 30.

35, 36.

de Pat. cap.

10.

8. lxxxvi.

the punishments due to them, God having reserved SERM. to himself the right of decision and power of execu- XLII. tion; Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, I will Rom.xii.19. repay it: because we are obliged to interpret cha-Deut.xxxii. ritably the actions of our neighbour, supposing his vid. Tert. miscarriages to proceed from infirmity, from mistake, or from some cause, which we should be rather inclinable to excuse than to prosecute with hatred or revenge: because, indeed, our neighbour's most culpable offences, as issuing from distemper of mind, are more reasonably the objects of compassion and charity, than of anger or ill-will: because we are bound to forgive all injuries by the command of God, and in conformity to his example, who passeth by innumerable most heinous offences committed against himself; Gracious is the Lord, and full of Psal. cxlv. compassion, slow to anger, and of great mercy; 15. longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth ; so must we be also, if we will be like him or please him because we ourselves, being subject to incur the same faults in kind, or greater in value, do need much pardon, and should thence be ready to allow it unto others, both in equity, and in gratitude toward God, lest that in the gospel be applied to us; O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, Matt. xviii. because thou desiredst me: shouldest not thou also 32. have had compassion upon thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? Because God hath made it a necessary condition of our obtaining mercy, promising us favour if we yield it, menacing us extremity if we refuse it; If ye forgive men their Matt.vi. 14. trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses :

Ecclus. viii.

2.

Matt. xviii.

35. Mark xi.

25.

XLII.

SERM. because our neighbour suffering by our revenge in any manner, (in his body, interest, or reputation,) doth not anywise profit us, or benefit our estate, but needlessly doth multiply and increase the stock of mischief in the world; yea, commonly doth bring further evil upon ourselves, provoking him to go on in offending us, rendering him more implacably bent against us, engaging us consequently deeper in strife and trouble: because no wrong, no disgrace, no prejudice we can receive from men is of much consequence to us, if our mind be not disordered; if we are free from those bad passions, which really are the worst evils that can befall us: because, in fine, impatience itself is insignificant and ineffectual to any good purpose, or rather produceth ill effects; it doth not cure our wound, or assuage our grief; it removeth no inconvenience, nor repaireth any damage we have received, but rather inflameth our distemper and aggravateth our pain; more really indeed molesting and hurting us, than the injury or discourtesy which causeth it. Thus, briefly, doth reason dictate to us the practice of all patience.

in

But the example proposed by the apostle here, Phil. ii. 5. and otherwhere by St. Paul, (Let the same mind be you, which was also in Christ Jesus-) by the Heb. xii. 1, apostle to the Hebrews, (Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith-) by our Lord Matt. xi. himself, (Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly—) that doth in a more lively manner express how in

2.

29.

a Idcirco quis te lædit ut doleas, quia fructus lædentis in dolore læsi est. Tert. de Pat. 8.

Si patientiæ incubabo, non dolebo; si non dolebo, ulcisci non desiderabo. Ib. 1.