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Sufferings? Yes, certainly, they fpring up in the Minds of thofe that are thoroughly convinced that their Sufferings come from God, and therefore delight in the Accomplishment of his bleffed Will and Pleafure. Like Soldiers they fuffer with Joy, who chearfully obey the Orders of their Prince, when his Service. expofes them to the greatest Fatigues. Let not therefore Sorrow and Trouble fink your Spirits; preferve a compofed Countenance, and let all your Anfwers be made with Mildnofs. And ftill advance farther in the Temper and Difpofition of your Mind, to embrace great Sufferings, if the Provi dence of God thinks fit to exercise you with greater Trials. O Lord, if it be thy Will, lay more upon me: all I beg is, that at the fame Time thou wouldst be pleased to increase my Patience.

8. Conform yourself to the Will of God in thofe Afflictions which he fends you. It is agreed, that it is our Duty to fubmit to what God in his Wisdom shall lay upon us; and that we fhould always pray, that his Wil! may be done. However, it is very neceffary that I fhould warn you against an ill Practice, too common among thofe that are otherwife very devout: They are apt to declare their Readiness to fuffer, when the Will of God makes it their Duty, to which they defire to conform themfelves, but they would fain excufe themselves from the prefent Affliction that lies upon

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them, and think any other would be easy to them; but that which they endure, always appears to them unfeasonable: They complain it hinders their Endeavour after Chriftian Perfection; and that instead of improving their Virtue, it increases their Guilt. The Man who is touched in his Reputation, declares how willingly he would fubmit to any other Affliction that could befal him; but he is not able to bear fuch injurious Reflections, that strike too near his Heart. The fick Man that is confined to his Bed, which is irksome and very tiresome, complains that his Diftemper makes him impatient and discontented, and prevents the Practice of feveral good Works he defigned, if free from his Sicknefs. The Woman who meets with a perverfe Husband, and with obftinate, difobedient Children, would fuffer willingly any other Affliction, except that which lies upon her, which the imagines can only ferve to increase her Mifery in this Life and the next. In short, there is almoft no Body but who would be willing to exchange their prefent Crofs for another, and think themfelves unhappy in the particular Sort of their Sufferings; whence it proceeds that their Minds are always unquiet, and that they never perfectly refign themfelves to the Will of God.

Now all this Management is very unrcafonable; for is it not God that fends or-permits that particular Affliction? Does not the Manner

Manner of your Suffering come from his Hand? Is it for you to determine what He ought to do? And ought you to prescribe to him the particular Crofs he fhould lay upon you? Banish all fuch Thoughts from your Mind, and let the Crofs which he fends you be received with Refignation and Satisfaction, though it may be it is not what you' would have chofe for yourself: It is fufficient to make you contented and quiet, that it comes from God; and that therefore it is by this Affliction that he defigns to make your Calling and Election fure.

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CHAP. VIII.

FOR THURSDAY.

Of the Improvement of our Talents, and Cooperation with God's Grace.

How do you think that the bleffed Saints arrived at Chriftian Perfection in this Life, and at the Happiness of Heaven, which they now enjoy? Why, it was by a faithful Improvement of thofe Talents God intrufted to their Management; by not receiving his Grace in vain, but by correfponding to it,

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carefully endeavouring to make themfelves perfect in that State and Condition which God had called them to.

1. Be content with that Condition God places you in. Alas! how is it poffible for you to arrive at the Happiness of the next Life, but by being faithful and religious in those Circumftances that Providence has determined for you? Be fure inftantly to beg of God the Light of his Holy Spirit, when you are about choofing your Calling, or engaging in any particular State and Condition of Life; and be not fo much influenced by Paffion, by Intereft, or any worldly Confideration, as by Reafon, as by its Tendency to promote your Salvation, and as by the Advice of your Parents, or a pious faithful Friend. And above all Things defire of God, that He would teach you to do his Will.

2. Acquit your felf faithfully for the particular Obligations of your Condition. There are Saints in all Callings, and in all Circumftances of Life: Never pretend therefore, that in your Condition the Difficulties are too great to work out your Salvation; for as the Providence of God has placed you in it, He will not fail to fupply you with all fuch Means as are neceffary for your Progrefs in, Piety and Virtue. Be but careful to ferve God, and faithfully perform the Duties of your Calling, and you may be fure God will never leave you Gor forfake 3. Endea

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3. Endeavour daily to improve in all Sorts of Virtue. Men whofe Minds are bent upon Heaven, are always advancing in thofe Paths that lead to it. They are not content only to do their Duty, but ftrive continually to perform it after a more perfect Manner. They catch at every Opportunity of doing Good to the Bodies and Souls of Men; they are always upon their Guard, to keep their Paffions under good Government, and are ready to obey all the Infpirations of God's Holy Spirit. Their Method muft be thy Imitation; for thy Happinefs will depend upon thy growing in Grace, upon thy improving in all Chriftian Virtues.

The Method you ought to take must be this:

I. Poffefs yourfelf with the Knowledge of what God requires of you. This is the firft Step you must take: Like St. Paul, upon his Converfion, you must cry out, Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do? The Foundation of a Chriftian Life must be laid in Knowledge; our Mind must be rightly informed in the Particulars of our Duty, before it is poffible we should practile them: And this muft relate not only to our Condition in general, but to all the particular Circumftances of our Life, and to those different Offices the Variety of Relations require from us. Beg of God that he would enlighten your Mind with the Knowledge of his Will, that when any DiffF 6

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