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that could possibly have befallen us; and we should, without any further care and anxiety, using our own best diligence, and studying to please him, cheerfully leave ourselves in his hands, with the greatest confidence and secu rity, that he will do all that for us, which is really best; and with a firm persuasion, that the condition and circumstances of life, which he shall choose for us, will be the same which we would choose for ourselves, were we endued with equal wisdom. Therefore let it be considered how great a mischief we frequently do ourselves, by loading our minds with a multitude of vexatious and tormenting cares, when we may so securely cast our burden upon God. And let us earnestly beg of God, that his watchful and merciful providence would undertake the care of us; that he would fit and prepare us for every condition he hath designed to bring us into; and that he would teach us to demean ourselves in it as we ought; that he would consider our frailties, and lay no greater load of affliction upon us, than he will give us grace and strength to bear; that, if he sees it good to exercise us with afflictions and sufferings of any kind, he would make us able to stand in that evil day, and when we have done all, to stand.

And let us be sure to keep within the bounds of our duty, trying no unlawful ways for our ease and preservation, and rescue from the evils which we fear and lie under; for we may assure ourselves, that God is never more concerned to appear for us, than when, out of conscience of our duty to him, we are contented rather to suffer, than work our deliverance by undue means. Let us commit ourselves to him in welldoing, and do nothing that is contrary to the plain rules and precepts of religion. Should we, instead of vain murmurings, and complaints, and terrifying ourselves with fears of what may never happen, follow the example of holy David, betake ourselves to prayer, and by this means engage the providence of God for our protection from evil, or for our support under it; we should certainly do much better for ourselves, and contribute much more, than we can do any other way, to the prevention of any evil that we can fear; or to the mitigating or shortening of it, as to God's infinite

ye

wisdom and goodness shall seem best. To this we are directed by St. Peter, when he exhorts us to cast all our care upon God, who careth for us; according to what he had been taught by our saviour Christ, who in his divine sermon on the mount says: Take no thought for your life, what shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body,what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment ? Consider the lilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (for after all these things do the Gentiles seek :) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take thereforeno thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

That is to say, not that we are to live at random, secure and careless of whatever may befall us ; not that we are to look into the consequences of our own or other men's actions, and not to endeavour in any wise to foresee, and prevent approaching dangers; not that we are to make no manner of provision for future events, to lay up nothing and concern ourselves about nothing, but what is present, and immediately before us: doubtless, sagacity in discerning, and a prudent forecast toward declining evils, are not only allowable, but commendable qualities; frugality and diligence are certainly virtues; but our Saviour's meaning plainly is to forbid such a care and concern for future

accidents, as is attended with uneasiness, distrust, and despondency; such a degree of thoughtfulness, as takes up, and dejects, and distracts the mind. We are not too curiously to pry into the remote issues of things, nor to perplex and afflict ourselves with the forethought of imagined dangers we are not to guard against want by any eager anxious pursuit of wealth, nor be so careful in providing supplies for the necessities of this life, as to forget that we are designed for another: it is very unreasonable to disquiet ourselves about distant evils; for the presence of the things themselves often suggests bitter expedients, wiser and quicker counsels to us, than all our wisdom and forethought at a distance can do. The morrow (says our Lord) shall take thought for the things of itself; that is, it shall bring along with it a power and strength of mind answerable to its necessities; a frame of spirit every way suited to our

circumstances and occasions.

He that terrifies himself with the apprehension of future evils, declares in effect, that he doth not absolutely rely upon God for his ordering and disposing of them. And he, who doth not absolutely trust God with all his concerns, has no right to his protection and defence; no reason to expect his support and assistance; but is left to work out every thing as well as he can, by the dint of second causes, by his own parts, policy, and prudence. And how wretched is his case, who has brought his affairs to that pass, as to be deprived of his best and most faithful counsellor, his most kind and potent friend, and to live, as it were, without God in the world? It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. And surely, next to that, it is a fearful thing to take ourselves out of his hands, and to exempt ourselves from his care; which that man is justly supposed to do, who sets himself with any degree of solicitude to take thought for the morrow. Therefore,

Let us not by our rashness and folly provoke trouble and danger, and bring them upon ourselves. Let us, according to our Saviour's counsel, be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves. Let us use that care and prudence, which is consistent with innocence and a good conscience; and, when we

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have done that, let us be no further solicitous, but resign up ourselves, and all our cares, to the good pleasure of God, and to the disposal of his wise providence; and leave it to him, who made the world, to govern it for no doubt he understands it much better than we.

Here it cannot be improper to remark, that the vain desire of knowing beforehand things to come, is such a desire of the knowledge of secret things, as is not consistent with our trust in God; nor is it permitted us by the present circumstances and condition of our nature.

And it is very observable that those always, who have least knowledge of God, and least trust in his promises, and least understanding, have the greatest confidence in groundless pretences, and unwarrantable methods of pursuing knowledge; for to pretend to know things by the stars introduces fatality, and destroys religion; and is a distrust of the Almighty and witchcraft, fortunetelling, and all unlawful arts, either real or pretended, whenever they have any reality in them, are evidently diabolical; and when they have no reality, they are cheats and lying impostures: the works of him, who was a liar from the beginning. And therefore let me exhort you in the words of St. Paul: Be careful for nothing: but in every thing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgivings, let your requests be made known unto God.

VII. A sixth duty to God is HUMILITY, or that lowliness of mind, which is an entire resignation to the will of God, and a dependence upon him in all dangers that relate either to our bodies or souls; consisting in the true knowledge of ourselves, and the understanding of our own weak and sinful condition; taking to ourselves the shame and confusion due to our follies, and giving God the glory of all the good we receive, or are enabled to do. For he who desires to be truly humble, and clothed with humility, must do nothing on purpose to draw the eyes good opinion of men, but purely to please God: and he must receive from the hands of God all afflictions and trials without murmuring against his justice. So that the submission of a christian consists in a firm persuasion of

and

mind, that nothing happens to us but by the will and permission of God, and that we never presume too much upon the best of our works; for all our righteousness is as filthy rags, and when we have done all those things which are commanded, we are no better than unprofitable servants*; and again, in being persuaded that he loves us better than we do ourselves, and knows the best methods of making us happy. Such a submission as this will make us easy under the greatest afflictions: and though God should visit us with the most intolerable disappointments and losses in this world, it will either stop our mouths against providence, because it is the work of God; or it will enable us with courage to receive them with the resignation of good old Eli, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth to him good.

Therefore, whenever he strikes with the rod of correction, we must not only bear it, as it were, because we cannot avoid it, but to our patience let us add our thanks: forasmuch as we, having highly provoked his goodness, are not by his justice given over to our own hearts' lusts, but are still preserved under the wings of his mercy. And this should be so far from causing us to repine against God, that it should raise in us an immediate reformation, repentance, confession, contrition, and full purposes of amendment with satisfaction. For some of the greatest afflictions and calamities of life are not always real and positive inflictions of judgments from the hand of God, but merely the original differences of men's state and circumstances, the variety of God's creation, the different talents committed to men's charge, the different stations God has placed men in, for their various trials, and in order to the exercise of a diversity of duties. The like may be said of want of honour and power, want of children to succeed in our estates and families, weakness of body, shortness of life, and the like; nay, and even of spiritual disadvantages themselves; likewise want of capacity and good understanding, want of knowledge and instruction, want of many opportunities and means of improvement which others

See this Doctrine explained on Page viii. in the Preface to this Bock, by the 11th, 12th, and 13th Articles of Religion.