working within it felf. Let it have therefore always at hand Abundance of pleafing and com fortable Thoughts, to entertain and employ it. If there be not Plenty of thefe ftill ready to prefent themselves, and prefs in upon all Occafions, it will be turning towards its own Mifchief, and working upon fome Matter or other of its Difcontent: But if these be so numerous, that it cannot mifs of fome of them, but find them ftill next to the Mind, and forward to offer their Service; there will no Place be found for the other, or if they thruft in themselves, they will be prefently difcharged. And is there any want of them? Need our Minds be unfurnifhed with a large Provifion of them? Though other Things are not in our Power; yet our Thoughts are: And you fee by thefe Difcourfes that our Minds are fruitful, and will yield us great Plenty of them.

Let us fottle as great a Senfe therefore, as we can, in our Souls, of God and of all his At tributes. Let us remember continually, that we live and move and have our Being in him, that all Things are guided by him; that he hath manifefted himself in his Son, who hath Power and Authority over Angels and Men, and all Creatures. In fhort, let us remember, actually fuch Things as I mentioned in the Reasons why we fhould be contented, and they will not let us be otherwife than well-pleafed. The Things that moleft and trouble us are near, and prefs hard upon us; Now if thofe Things that fhould

comfort

coinfort us be far off, and removed at a distance from us, how is it poffible we fhould find any Relief? Let us therefore bring them near to our Souls alfo, and lay them close to our Hearts, and make them one with us by continual Meditation, that we may feel their Power to revive and refresh us, as great as other Things have to difcomfort and vex us. If a Man can think of nothing elfe, yet let him think of himfelf. Who is nearer to thee, than that? What is there that thou thouldeft defire to know fo much as thy felf? And if thou wilt not be ignorant of that, thou canst not be difcontented. There lieth in every one of us greater Matter of Ade miration and Praife, than there doth of Vexati on and Complaint. Hear only St. Bafil speak a little of this Bufinefs.

Thou haft received, faith he, an understanding Soul, by which thou percei

εχει ἑαυτῶν

veft God, and difcovereft with Homes Toś thy Reafon the Nature of Things; and reapeft the moft fweet and pleasant Fruit of Wifdom. All earthly Things wild and tame, all in the Water, all in the Air, are Servants to thee, and fubject to thy Command. Is it not thou, O Man, who haft found out all Arts: Doft not thou build Cities; and invent all manner of Things, which conduce either to the Supply of our Neceffities, or the Advanceinent of our Pleasure? Hath not thy Reason found out a Path in the great Seas? And taught fmall Veffels to cut their Way through the dreadful Waters ?

Waters ? Do not the heavenly Orbs fhow thee their Order, and their comely Motions? Doft not thou understand their Dances, and perceive the Mufick and Harmony which they make ? Ti & puxgofoxers What's the Matter then that thou art fo faint hearted? Why doth thy Mind fail thee, and grow fo little and feeble? Is it for fuch an one as thee to fhrink up in Trouble of Spirit, because thou haft not, fuppofe, a fine Horfe with goodly Trappings, as another Man hath? And yet thou haft the Sun all the Day running his Courfe, and fhowing thee his illuftrious Face. Thou haft not the Splendour of Silver and of Gold; but thou haft the Moon and the Stars which furround thee with a glorious Light. And to what purpofe is it to reckon all the reft; Thefe are humane Things; they that follow are Divine. Was it not for thy fake, that God vouchfafed to be converfant here on Earth? Did he not diftribute the Gifts of the Holy Ghost to Men like thy felf? Death is abolished; the Refurrection is preached, the divine Commandments, which perfect this Life, are published, there is a plain way to God, by keeping them; the Kingdom of Heaven is prepared; Crowns of Righteousness are ready for thofe, who will not fhun the Labours of Ver tue. Attend but thy felf, and finding all these, and many other Things there, the Effect of it muft needs be this: Katonators Mer TWY. TUϊόντων, ο μικροψυχήσεις δὲ πρὸς τὸ ἔνδιον : Thou wilt both enjoy that which is present, and not

be

be bafely dejected for that which is abfent. Thou wilt never lofe the Pleafure of what thou haft, nor be in Pain for that which thou haft not The Sight of fo many goodly Things will comfort thy Spirit, when it begins to faint; and raife thee up, when thou art ready to fink. They will bid thee be of good chear; both becaufe thou haft the Poffeffion of them, and becaufe, unless thou wilt be fo carelefs, thou canst never lofe them.

J

A PRAYER.

O Moft blessed and glorious God, who art to be acknowledged and praised by all understanding Creatures, as much as they are able: For according to thy Name, fo ought thy Praife to be; very great and excellent. And fo likewife ought to be our Fear of thee, our Faith in thee, our Love to thee, our Defire after thee, and our Delight and Foy in thy Love. All good Men have magnified and extolled thy Power, by which the Heaven, the Earth, and the Seas, and all Things therein, were created. They have acknowledged thy Truth and Faithfulness which endureth for ever. Thy fuftice and Mercy have been wonderful in their Eyes, and all Ages have celebrated thy particular Care of thofe that fear thee, and put their Truft in thee. Thou hast preferved the Strangers, and relieved the Fatherless and Widows; and, bleffed be thy Goodness, I know that thou reigneft King for ever unto all Generations.

But above all I rejoice in this, that thou haft not difdained to appear in our Flesh: But baft loved and honoured us fo far as to fecure our Hope and Confidence in thee, by dignifying our Nature at thine own Right-hand, with the teft Glory.

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