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phet Jeremiah, a man for the punishment of bis fins? And fays Micah, (k) I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have finned against him. And in the New Teftament we are taught to be (1) patient in tribulation ; and (m) in whafoever state we are, therewith to be content; and (n) not to murmur at God's dealing with us, but (o) to fubmit ourselves to God, and (p) caft our care upon him, not doubting but that he will take care of us, when we do fo. And it is therefore a neceffary duty of Christianity, quietly and refignedly to bear all the afflictions it pleases God to try us with, how fharp foever they be. And the fharper they are, fo much the properer season is it for the exercife of this virtue, and fo much the more laudable and confpicuous does it appear. Befides, it deferves to be well confider'd, that how grievous and fevere foever your present visitation be, it falls vaftly short of what our bleffed Lord willingly.condefcended to fuffer upon our account. (q) You know the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that though be was rich, yet for our fakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich. And (r) though he were in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet made he himself of no reputation, but took upon himself the form of a fervant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he bumbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Our bleffed Lord, the only begotten and dearly beloved Son of God, King of kings, and Lord of lords, did not refuse to debase himself to the lowest degree, to fuffer want, and penury, and labour, and toil, and contempt, and difgrace; and at laft, to die the most painful, as well as the most fhameful of deaths, that of the croís. And can any that pretend to be his difciples, grudge and murmur at any leffer afflictions they may meet with? (s) It is enough for the difciple that be be as his Mafter, and the fervant as his Lord.

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And if our Saviour endured fuch a fight of afflictions, and not for his own, but for our fakes, how totally inexcufable must we leave ourselves, if we complain and are diffatisfied, when called upon to tread in his steps, and bear fome lighter burden, out of compliance with his example, and obedience to his commands! If we be obliged to (1) be holy in all manner of converfation, as ke which bath called us is holy, it neceffarily follows in particular, that we muft ftudy to fhew ourselves patient under the worst of calamities, as he our Lord was patient. Nor can any thing be more reasonably requir'd of us, than that fuch as profefs themselves followers of the meek and fuffering Jefus, be always prepar❜d to conform themselves to the pattern he has fet them, by fuffering with unwearied meeknefs and refignation, as he did; especially confidering farther, that how acute and tormenting foever the pains are, which any of us are called to bear, they however fall infinitely fhort of what we have all juftly deferved, by our folly and difobedience. It is of the infinite mercy of Almighty God, that death and everlafting deftruction has not been our portion long fince, and that we are not now roaring under the extremity of his indignation, in the bottomlefs pit, together with the devil and his angels. And confequently whatever misfortune fhort of this, is really a great bleffing; and is fo far from being juft caufe of repining and difcontent, that the greatest sufferer on this fide Hell, has just reason to admire the clemency, lenity, and kindness of God, in dealing abundantly more favourably with him, than he has deferved. Think therefore with yourfelf, Anchithanes, that you can never hope to acquit yourfelf as becomes a good Chriftian, till you have brought your own inclinations into fuch fubmiffion to the divine will, as readily and willingly to comply with whatever portion God fees fit to chufe for you. Think what your bleffed Saviour has endur'd for you, and what an intolerable fhame () 1 Pet. i. 15.

it will be for you, to refufe to undergo the utmost barbarities, much more fome fhort pain or fickness, in obedience to his command. Think again, what a bleffing it is, that you are yet in a state of falvation, and not deliver'd over to thofe everlafting burnings, which were the due demerits of your fins; and to which you might long ago have been juftly condemn'd, had it not been for the patience and long-fuffering of Almighty God. Weigh these things well with thyfelf, and thou wilt foon be convinced, that inftead of being diffatisfied at the divine difpenfations, thou haft great reason, on the other hand, to own to God, with those in Ezra, that he (u) has punish'd thee lefs, abundantly lefs, than thine iniquities deferve; and to refolve, in the words of the prophet Micab, to (x) bear the indignation of the Lord, because thou haft finned against him.

Anchitb. I acknowledge what you fay to be a great truth, and fhall therefore endeavour to compofe my mind, and be as eafy as my diftemper will fuffer me to be.

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Eufeb. Confider with yourself, that (y) for what foever cause this fickness is fent you, whether it be to try your patience for the example of others, and that your faith may be found in the day of the Lord, laudable, glorious, and honourable, to the increase of glory, and eternal felicity; or else it be fent to correct and amend in you, whatsoever offends the eyes of your Heavenly Father, if you truly repent " you of your fins, and bear your fickness patiently, trufting in God's mercy, for his dear Son Jefus Christ's fake, and render him humble thanks for his fatherly vifitation, fubmitting yourself wholly to his will, it will certainly turn to your profit, and help you forward in the right way, that leads to • everlasting life.' Think aright of it therefore, and receive it as God's loving vifitation.

Anchith. As God's loving vifitation?

(z) Ezra ix. 13. (*) Mic. vii. 9. (y) Office for the vifitation of the fick.

Eufeb.

Eufeb. Yes, fo I fay, as God's loving vifitation; for fo we are taught by God himself, in the Holy Scripture: (z) As many as I love, faith God, by the apostle St. John, I rebuke and chaften: hereby declaring, even his punishments in this world to be sent out of kindnefs and affection, and for the good of those who will be prevail'd with to make a right ufe of them. The wife man alfo inculcates the fame truth: (a) My son, defpife not the chaftening of the Lord, nor be weary of his correction. For whom the Lord loveth, he corre&eth, even as a father the fon, in whom he delighteth. As doth alfo the apostle to the Hebrews, exactly to the fame purpose; (b) If ye endure chaftening, God dealeth with you, as with fons; for what fon is be, whom the Father chafteneth not? But if ye be without chaftisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye baftards, and not fons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: Shall we not much rather be in fubjection to the Father of Spirits, and live? For they, verily, for a few days chaftened us after their own pleafure; but be for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (c) These words, good brother, are God's words, and written in Holy Scripture, for our comfort and inftruction, that we fhould patiently, and with thanksgiving, bear our Heavenly Father's correction, whenfoever, by any manner of adverfity, it shall please his gracious goodness to visit us; and there fhould be no greater comfort to chriftian perfons, than to be made like unto Chrift, by fuffering patiently, adverfities, troubles, and fickneffes. For he himself went not up to joy, but first he fuffer'd pain: he enter'd not into his glory, before he was crucified. So truly our way to eternal joy, is to fuffer here with Chrift; and our door to enter into eternal life, is gladly to die with Chrift; that we may rife again from death, and dwell with him. in everlasting life.'

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(z) Rev. iii. 19. (a) Prov. iii, 11, 12. (6) Heb. xii. 7, 8, 9, 10. (c) Office for the vifitation of the fick.

Anchith.

Auchith. I earnestly defire to fubmit to God's will. But yet I am apt to think, no father ufes his fon as I am used.

Eufeb. (d) No chaftening for the present feemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness, unto them which are exercifed thereby. Agreeably whereto, fays the apoftle St. James, (e) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him.

Anchith. I thought myself in a happy ftate, till I was oppreffed with this fit of fickness. I thank God, I have always lived above want, and eafily, and to my own fatisfaction. But alas! fince this unfortunate change, I am forced to lie here, as you fee me, weeping and mourning, with a heart full of forrow and care, tormented to a great degree, and yet not knowing where to find a remedy.

Philog. This is to be expected from God only. Phyficians may adminifter proper medicines, but it is God's bleffing alone, that can make them fuccessful. And it is upon him alone you muft depend for deliverance.

Anchith. I do fo; but he has not yet thought fit to grant it; and fuppofe he should not, what muft I do then?

Pbilog. Then you must take care to follow Theophilus's advice, and difpofe yourself, in the humbleft manner, to submit to his will, in whatever he lays

upon you.

Eufeb. The way to enter into glory is by the crofs: by this way our Lord and mafter enter'd into his Father's kingdom; and if we would follow him thither, it must be by the fame way. He was (f) made perfect by fuffering. And fuch who take upon them the profeffion of his name, muft not think themselves hardly dealt by, if they be call'd to fuffer too; whether by the hand of man, or by the hand of God himself. And indeed, calamities and afflictions are an excellent (4) Heb. xii. 11. (e) James i. 12. (f) Heb. ii. 10. and v. 8, 9.

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