Juft like an Neighbour's This is fo

good Name and Reputation in a City, to one that is a Stranger. By which meanes thefe Things will not feem great and precious to us only when we lofe them, but while we enjoy them. For the Lofs of any Thing, fure, doth not add a Price to it. It was worth as much - before if we could have feen it. But as Archefilaus faid, many Men are wonderful exact and curious in judging of another's Poems, Writings, Statues, or Pictures: but their own Life, having in it many delightful Paffages, they wholly neglect, and admire always the Fame and Fortune of ether Men. Adulterer who is fond of his Wife, and cares not for his own. hatefulia Quality, that the unthankful are alfo put among thofe Perfons of a black Character, whom I mentioned before, 2. Tim. iii. 2. On the other Side, the Apoftle feems to make this a peculiar Character of a Chriftian, that he thanks God in every Thing. I am fure he fets a peculiar Remark upon this Duty, as I fhow'd when I difcourfed fome time ago upon those Words, i Theff. v. 18. In every Thing give Thanks: For this is the Will of God in Chrift Jefus concerning you. In every Thing, that is impoffible will fome fay. No, it is not. The Will of God hath made it poffible, and made it our Wisdom too fo to do. If thou fuffereft any Thing that is evil, faith St Chryfoftom, if thou wilt it is not Evil. Give God Thanks, and the Evil is changed into Good, Remember Fob,

24

Fob, he faith, Shall we receive Good from the Hands of the Lord, and shall we not receive Evil? The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleffed be the Name of the Lord. This is a truly grateful Mind to give Thanks even in Adverfity. This is a noble Spirit, there is fomething excellent and beyond the ordinary Rate in this, to acknowledge God, not only for Benefits, but for Chaftifements. When thou giveft Thanks in Profperity, thou doft but pay a Debt, but when thou givest Thanks in Adverfity, thou makeft God thy Debtor. For he that receives a Benefit and is thankful for it, doth but return what he owes; but he that receives an evil Thing and is notwithstanding thankful, hath fomething, we may think, oweing to him. God takes it very kindly at his Hand, and thinks himself obliged by it, And is it not a great Satisfaction to have fuch an one indebted to us? a Pay-mafter fo able, fo liberal, fo wife both to know what is the best Recompençe for us, and when is the best time to beftow it? Let us not then be fo much our own Enemies as not to practise this Duty at all times, in every Thing. For (as a Spanish Writer thinks it ought often to be inculcated) one Thanksgiving in Adverfity, is worth more than many Thoufands in a more profpercus Condition. It is more obliging, and endears us more to God; and I am fure it eafes our Hearts ftrangely, and fills us with heavenly Joy and Satisfaction. When it is well with us therefore,

therefore, (as St. Augustine expreffes it,) let us -thank God and blefs his Mercy; and when it is ill, let us praife and blefs his Juftice too. And that not only because we ftill have much to praise him for; but because there may be much Good even in the prefent Affliction, and it may likewife turn to our greater Good, efpecially if we thank God for it. It is faid of Phi dias, that he was fuch an excellent Artist, that he was able to make a Statue, nay, a Figure of one of their Gods out of any Materials: Not only of Gold or Silver, of Marble or Ivory, of Brafs or Iron no, nor only of Wax or Wood; but of the moft unhewn and ill fhapen Log, and of the poorest Dirt or Clay. This made his Skill admired by all. And Christianity profeffes to make us no lefs ingenious Artificers, teaching us to draw fomething of God, of his Wisdom, Juftice, Holynefs, yea, and of his Love and Goodness toe, out of the worst of Things, and thofe which elfe would feem ill favoured. Nothing can befal us, but the Gospel learns us fuch Dexterity and Understanding, that we may turn it to a Bleffing, if we will; and no way better than by perpetual Thanksgivings to God, howfoever it fares with us,

This no doubt is a Piece of excellent Learning, and it feems to be proper to Christianity to teach us in every thing to give thanks. For Benefits, faith St. Hierome, even Idolaters themselves can be thankful; but for Calamities and Miferies, only good Chriftians, and

they

they who had a Chriftian Spirit in them. Such an one was holy Job; whofe gracious Deportment one cannot fufficiently admire. For when he was ftruck with a four-fold Meffage of grievous Difafters fall'n upon his Children and all his Subftance, and when these came one on the Neck of another, giving him no Space to breathe, yet he omitted not to do any Thing, as I told you before, that became either a loveing Father to his Children, or a dutiful Child to his heavenly Father. For, firft, he arose and rent his Mantle, and fhaved his Head, (as the Custom of Mourners in the eastern Countries was,) whereby he thewed himself fenfible of his Lofs, and that he was a Lover of his Children. But then he fell to the ground and worshipped, faying, Naked I came, &c. and naked I shall return, &c. The Lord gave, and the Lord bath taken away, blessed be is Name: which fhowed he was a greater Lover of God, and one that had confidered beforehand his Providence, and looked upon all Things as comeing to pals thereby. For he doth not fay the Chaldeans, or the Sabaans, or the Devil had robbed and fpoiled him, but that the Lord had taken away what he gave. Knowing that nothing comes to pafs without his wife Providence, who difpofes even of the evil Affections of Men, and makes them ferve his holy Will. This made him ftill blefs God, and not utter one unhandfome Word, when he was provoked to it, by fo many and fo great Afflictions.

And

And thus the Apoftles of our Lord, were as men Sorrowful, yet always rejoyceing; as poor, yet making many rich; as haveing nothing, yet poffeffing all Things, 2, Cor, vi. To. Yea, fome report of St. James, that when he was put to Death by Degrees, first one Member then another being flafht off from the reft, he ftill faid, Thanks be to God, and bid them proceed. If they cut off a Joynt of a Finger, Thanks be to God, was all they could get from him. If they cut off another Joynt, ftill he feconded the Execution with another, Thanks be to God, And fo to every Joynt or Limb that was severed from his Body, he added fo many Deo gratias, Thanks be to God, for all his Benefits. Let us go and do likewife; and we fhall find the fame Peace and Contentment of Spirit, in the Midft even of our Sufferings, which they found under fuch long and fharp Torments. This will not only relieve us, but exceedingly raise us; for it is, as I have told you heretofore, to begin Heaven upon Earth, and to joyn our felves with the happy Society of thofe who feel no Pain at all, but praife God in eternal Joys.

. .

X.

What fhall I add more, but that, as a Help to all this, we must get our Minds as well furnished, as we are able, with Store of good Thoughts. The Soul of Man is a bufy Thing, and will be working

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