Lib. de Refurre&. Carn. cap. 9. This he thought would breed generous Thoughts and noble Difpofitions in their Minds: And therefore would much more do fo in us; who know God to be more than good. So Tertul lian excellently expreffes it ; Bonum Deum novimus, folùm optimum à Chrifto ejus addifcimus. We knew God to be good, but that he is the beft, or fuperlatively good; we learn only from his Chrift. Who, as I told you the laft time, hath affured us of an extraordinary good Will which God bears to us; and hath made fuch clear Demonftration of his abundant Goodness, that we have no Reafon to diftruft him; but all the Arguments in the World to confide in him, and acquiefce in what he orders for us. So we fhall moft certainly do, if thefe becoming and worthy Thoughts accompany us concerning our Creator. They will produce in us an ingenuous Love to him, an hearty Truft in him and Refignation to his Providence, as you fhall hear another time; and an handfome Courage and Refolution under any Hardship that it is his good Will we fhould endure. For why fhould we fear? why fhould we decline any Thing fo paffionately which the good God would have to be our Portion? There is no Caufe we fhould ftart at it, much lefs fret and vex, and, tofs our felves up and down in perpetual Unquietnefs. We ought rather to bear it decently and with a fubmiffive Generofity: remembring, as I faid, that he is not tied to one Way of doing r us us Good; and that all Ways are alike to his Power; and that he hath no Inclination to do us any Thing but Good, by all that befalls us; and that he hath promifed, as you will fee in what follows, to provide for our Welfare, both here below and in the upper eternal World. We may truft him; and we are very unwife if we do not: for nothing will more difoblige him than mean and unworthy Thoughts of him, and unkind Jealoufies and Sufpicions of his Inclinations, which make us diffident and diftruftful of his Providence, and with a penfive Sadness to groan under his Government: Which we ought by our chearful and patient Obedience to commend and praise. Amen. A PRAYER.R Moft boly and ever blessed God, when we turn our Eyes from this World towards thy Self, we cannot but account it our highest Happinefs that we know thee to be the Author of it, and that we know thou ruleft and governest in Heaven and Earth, and humbleft thy felf to take a Special Notice of us, the Children of Men; whofe Affairs thou adminiftreft with fuch great Reafon, Wifdom, and justice, and baft declared thy felf fo abundant in Goodness and tender Mercy, that we ought not to fufpect thee of any Unkindness to us, or entertain any hard Thoughts of of thee, notwithstanding any Mifery that may befal us: But in every Eftate and Condition of Life to adore thy Power and commend our felves to thy Wisdom, and hope in thy Goodness, and reft fatisfyed of thy Intentions of giving us better Goods, than we are naturally apt to defire. Accordingly, O Lord, I bere bow down my very Soul before thee, and with the greateft Humility of Spirit fubmit my felf, both to what thou wouldst have me to do, and what thou wouldst have me to endure. I know that I cannot but be fafe in thy Hands, and that no Harm can come unto me, while my Heart is poffeffed with a due Care to pleafe thee, rather than to ease my self. Settle in me, O blessed God, right Notions and Apprehenfions of thee. Perfwade me perfectly, as of thy Being, fo of thy Providence, and excellent Counsel, and fatherly Care, and Almighty Love; that can turn the greatest Evils of this World, into our greatest Good. Fill my Mind with fuck a ftrong and lively Belief of thy moft bleffed and gracious Nature, that none of the Croffes of this Life may ever shake my Hope in thee, or make me murmur and repine at any Thing, which thou thinkeft fit fhould be my Por tion Indue me likewife with a right Senfe of the Nature of all thofe Things whether good or evil which we defire to enjoy or to avoid; that the Want of the one, or the Suffering of the other may not feem fo confiderable, as to alter my Thoughts of thee, or weaken my Belief in thee, or difturb the holy Peace and Foy which the Thoughts of thy good Will towards me, are apt apt to raise up in me. Help me by wife and compofed Thoughts to moderate all my Defires after thofe Goods that are without me; to be contented with thofe that are within my felf, which none can take away from me; to value all Things by their End and Ufe; to enjoy what I have temperately; and to live in an bumble Senfe that I have nothing, but what comes from thee, and is the Fruit of thy free Bounty That fo I may return it quietly, and acknowledge that in all Conditions I have more, than I deferves Adorn my Soul with all the Graces of thÿ boly Spirit, that So I may have Peace within, in the midst of all Troubles which furround me; and the Splendor of Chriftian Vertues may shine forth in the greatest Darkness. Enable me always to prize Innocence, more than Pleafure or Greatness, or any other worldly Good; to show forth the Power of Godlinefs and a divine Nature, under all the Preffures and Sufferings that I may lie under: That honouring my Religion, it may be an Ornament and a Crown of Glory to me, both now and in the great Day of the Lord. Fefus. i I commend my Self unto thee, O God, who canft not mifguide me; and perfectly knoweft what is fittest and most convenient for me in every Part of my Life: Bear me up against all Difcouragement, by wife and pious Thoughts, efpecially by a firm and mighty Senfe Y that |