cannot forbear to complain and cry out, that nothing fadges; but all goes crofs with them? and who more improfperous and unfortunate, than fome that one would take to be the world's darlings? and wonder, that all should not bow and stoop to their pleasure?

But there is an invifible spring in the movement. of second causes; (too little obferved) that steers the whole course; and turns all to ends defigned, by a mind and council far fuperior. The hand that fafhions hearts, is the only hand that can secure events. And that hand has wrought for me; and to that, my foul, I must render all the glory; that affairs do fucceed fo well with me. For all had been blafted, if he had not bleft it. But he, whofe goodness I have lived upon all my days; and whofe mercy ftill I have experienced in every neceffity; he has now been nigh to me, and done great things for me; and fo commanded the operation and iffue of things in my favour; that inftead of fretting at checks, and bewailing difappointments in my enterprize; I am folacing my foul in the loving kindnefs of my God; and find ftill renewed occafion, to tell how graciously he has wrought in my behalf,

This, this is thy fweet benignity, Lord of Love! fo kind thou art to one that deferves nothing lefs, than to be fo well ufed. Thou does not only make, what thy Jofephs do, to profper: But fuch engagements as thefe, thou layeft even upon a poor worthlefs finful creature. 'Tis no reward of merit, that thou shouldest thus please even them that please thee: But O how amazing is the condefcenfion of thy mercy, fo to win thofe hearts to thyfelf; that were wandering from thy ways, and little faithful to thy fervice! such favour haft thou fhewed to me a miferable finner: To thy bleffed name alone, my Lord, for ever be all the honour.

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MY Father, my Saviour, my Comforter! Thou haft not only fuftained and preserved "me, but also profpered and refreshed me, and "made me full of gladness and delight, in all the "fuccefs that thou haft given me, and all the favour "that thou haft fhewed me. I have tafted, how "good the Lord is; and O how largely experienced "what abundant grace is ftill flowing down from "my God. I did commit my way to thee, and "truft in thee; and what I would have, thou didst "bring it to pafs. Dear Lord! thou even thou haft "done it. I fee, I own, I admire thy good hand in "it. And fhall I not extol and praise thee? Shall I "not love and please thee for it? O that I may ever "do it, as now I defire it! And give me, I befeech "thee, grace, and ability to do it fincerely, cheer"fully, joyfully, and eternally. Amen."

MEDITATION IV.

Of Godliness befriending us, even for this World.

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HAT God's holy religion is the way to God's heavenly kingdom, who can call it in queftion? But that it makes for us, in the life which now is, may there not be room for fome fcruple? feeing the rule of our religion teacheth us to defpife the world, and to forfake all for Chrift: yea, lets us know, that all who will live godly in him, fhall fuffer perfe cution, and that we are to count the fiery trial no ftrange thing; but efteem it good for us to be

afflicted;

afflicted; and rejoice even in tribulation. And does not all this, my foul, look rather against us, than for us, in reference to our being here at prefent, whatever we may hope for hereafter? Yet let me not, from hence, take up any prejudice at my religion, as an enemy to my profperous condition, and for expofing me to trouble and affliction. For croffes and fufferings I am to expect, whether I be a follower, or a deferter of the godly way: fuch evils of pain, being even the natural confequents of the evils of fin. And then, instead of refenting the unkindness, am not I rather to take it for a favour; to fuftain the smart here, instead of lying by it for ever? Thus croffes may do me the greatest courtesy, to wean me from this world; to fchool me out of my fins, to fend me home to my God, and set my heart upon the better, heavenly, everlafting good. Cannot he that lays it upon me, (with the greatest ease) thus over-rule that which is against me, to make for me; that what I lose one way, I may regain, in a much better? and when I am but faithful to him, I may depend upon his promife, that fo well it fhall fucceed

to me.

But however, in fome times, and among fome perfons, I may fare the worfe, for efpoufing his holy caufe: yet, is it fo always? or is it fo every where? No, but the better I am, the better I fhall pass among the beft and the better alfo fhall I deferve from the reft, yea, and be a friend and bleffing even to them that might like me better, if I were loofer. O what in the world, like true religion, does make for my peace, for my health, and wealth, and for my advantage every way? Has not my Lord engaged himself, to take care of my maintenance, when I take care of his fervice? Let me but then fet myself to glorify his name, and do his will; and never doubt, but he will give me my daily bread, and all the fitting fupplies of this life. For is not the addition of all o

ther

ther things affured to them that feek firft his kingdom and its righteousness? Mat. vi. 33. And that there fhall be no want to them that fear the Lord: no want of any good thing, Pfal. xxxiv. 9, 10. i. e. Any good thing, that he knows to be good for them. And though all godly men ('tis true) have not the fulness of the world, yet will their heavenly Father raise friends and means, and find out ways and helps ftill to furnish them, with all that is needful, to carry them to their bleffed journey's end.

Yea, righteousness has in it the tendency, to exalt them, even in this world. 'Tis fuch a thriving course, that makes them induftrious and honest, and fit to be trufted; and also useful, and kind, and worthy to be efteemed, and loved, and favoured. And when that godliness, which has the "Promife "also of the life that now is," relates them to God, as his dear children, and peculiar charge; fuch an intereft does it give them in his covenant, and his bleffing, that he cannot fail to take a fatherly care of them; to provide fufficiently for them, and to approve himself particularly kind to them.

But doft thou not fee, my foul, how ufual it is, for wickedness to fret and wafte away a good eftate, and to bring the prodigal, (that runs out of God's bleffing, into riotous living,) to want a piece of bread? And though ungodly men (for a while) may carry it, as lords of the earth, and have the world at will; abundance and fuperfluity of all things, to their wishes yet O what a damping confideration is it, my foul, (had they hearts to lay it home) that they hold all, but by robbery, and pilfering from the great Lord of the world; who has made over all upon his children, (the coheirs with his Chrift ;) who believe and know the truth? and what have the wicked worldings then, but what they can fnatch, with his frowns and vengeance? and how dearly muft they pay, for all the facrilegious rapine and VOL. II.

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abufe

abuse of his creatures? Yea, fo much as they have in poffeffion, what will it, but (like a dead weight,) plunge them into the deeper damnation? and even at prefent, does it give them the ease and joy, that might be expected? No, but as Pharaoh's lean kine devoured the fat, and were never the fuller: o may a wealthy man have all that heart can wifh, and be never the easier; but ftill like a great flave, in chains of gold; that (notwithstanding all the rich links, and fine locks, yet,) hold the wretch as fast, and pinch him as much, as if they were made of the coarseft metal. He may befot, and forget himfelf; but no owner is he of that at the bottom, which can ever make him fatisfied and bleffed.

For O what true content, without godlinefs, let a man be never fo rich! and what true godliness, but it will bring content, let a man be never fo poor! having the key put into his hands, to go into all the treafures of heaven, 'tis but ask and have, for the Lord bids him feek, and gives him the promise to find, if not the very things begged, yet as good or better, with the bleffing of Heaven, upon that which he has of the fat of the earth. And thus is the best livlihood, indeed, got upon our knees; by those prayers, which do keep up the fair and happy intercourfe, between us and the eternal Fountain of all good. And then, O what circumftances in the world can render him uneafy in his mind; who ftands fo well with the Lord! when pleafing unto him, I fhall alfo find favour enough with men. And this boldness at the throne of grace, will either help me to all that I defire: or elfe, to fatisfaction in that which I now enjoy. And then, having even what I would, how can I but be well pleased? And when fo pleased, then may I fet my heart at reft; and count myfelf even as happy as can be expected, in fuch a defective state, and such a vale of mifery.

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