Difciple.] Lord, I moft willingly commit my Concerns to thy Management, for all that little I am capable of is very infignificant. And therefore I cannot but wish, that this Senfe, to how little purpose all my own Pains and Contrivances are, might free me from anxious Thoughts concerning future Contingencies, and difpofe me calmly to acquiefce in thy wife and good Pleasure.

Chrift.] Alas! my Son, eager and greedy Men covet they know not what. An Object at a diftance engages their Defires, while they fee only the fair and glittering fide; but upon clofer and more diftinct View, Enjoyment undeceives them: and they grow fick, even of their own Defires; for their Defires are various and mutable, and ever veering about to fome fresh Object. It is therefore of fome confequence for a Man to forego his own Inclinations, even in Matters of no great Importance; but he who hath attained to the Faculty of doing this in any cafe whatsoever, is truly free, and great, above the Reach and Envy of Fortune, and at the highest Pitch of Human Perfection. Yet even this Man will find his Virtues called to the Teft: For the old Enemy of Souls is ever framing fome Stratagem to undo good Men ; and lies in Ambush Night and Day, to catch an Opportunity of enfnaring unwary Souls. Let then his Diligence provoke yours, and be not lefs affiduous to fave, than he is to deftroy you. For this is the Purport of thy Matth. xxvi. Lord's Command; Watch and Pray, that ye enter not into Temptation.

CHAP

Disciple.]

CHA P. XLV.

In Man dwelleth no good Thing.

L

Ord, what is Man, that thou Pfalm viik art mindful of him, or the Son of Man, that thou vifiteft him? How can he deferve to be affifted by thy Grace, or fuccoured by thy Favour? What right have I, fo vile a Wretch, much more, to complain unto my God, if he withdraw his Prefence, and leave me to my felf? Or if I beg and pray for Comforts, what have I to alledge in my own behalf, how can I take it ill if he reject my Petitions? This I am fenfible is all I ought to think, or can pretend to fay, That I have Nothing, and am Nothing, and in my own Nature tend to and pursue after Vanity and Nothing. A miferable Creature, faint and feeble, incapable fo much as of one good Defire, till animated and strengthned by Thee. Fickle and mutable, fubject to Infirmities innumerable, and perpetual Decays; but Thou, my God, Heb. xiii. art the fame, Tefterday, and to Day, and for

ever, ever happy, and juft, and wife, and good, and ordering all things for the belt, after the Counfel of thy Divine Will. Well were it, if I were but equal ly difpofed to Good and Evil; but the Corruption of my Nature, alas! preponderates ftrongly to Vanity and Vice; I eafily fall from my own ftedfaftness, and am carried about with every fhifting Wind of Time, and Chance, and Paffion,

And yet, thus weak and veering as I am, thy helping Hand can Comfort and Confirm me. Thy powerful Grace, without any Human Aids, can work Wonders in me; ftrengthen my Refolutions, fcatter my Fears, and fill my Soul with Reft and fweet Content. If, when I thirst after higher Degrees of Vir

tue

tue and Devotion, or if I fly to thee for Succour in Diftrefs, when all other Succours fail me,(and all but thine will and muft prove ineffectual); If then I could but abandon all other Hopes, and repofe my whole Confidence in thee alone; then might I entertain fome expectations of thy Favour; and wait with Joy, for the cheerful Returns of Grace and Comfort from above. For all my Succeffes are thy free Gift, and I my self a defpicable Wretch, not able to effect any good, not in a condition to merit the least of all thy Mercies.

What therefore can I have to boaft of, who, till I defpife and go out of my felf, am not fo much as qualify'd to receive Affiftance from Thee? Or how can I defire the Applause and Admiration of Men? What! Shall I pretend to Glory of Weakness and Inconftancy, and Nothing? This were a Vanity beyond Example, an Extravagance beyond Imagination. How foolish and abfurd, nay, how hurtful and deftructive a Vice is Ambition, which, by undue purfuit of Honour, robs us of true Honour, and affecting Favour with Men, incurs Punishment and Difpleafure from God? For he who labours to please himself, is fure at the fame time to offend Thee; and lofes true fubftantial Virtue, by coveting empty Praife. For true Honour and Virtue confifts in Glorying, not in our felves, but in Thee, O Lord; in Magnifying, not our own Attainments or Performances, but thy free Grace; and in loving and delighting in nothing, but fo far only as may advance thy Honour.

Pfalm cxv. Not unto me, therefore, not unto me, but untothy Name be the Praife ;May Men commend and extol, not my works, but thy Power,which infpired, produced, and perfected them: And may this Commendation devolve fo entirely upon thy Grace, that not the leaft part of it may fall upon my Concurrence with it. Far be it from me to arrogate any

John V.

thing to my felf; for while I rejoice in thee, I find nothing in my felf to glory in but my Infirmities: And in them I will gladly glory; because the greater my Weakness is, the more vifible and eminent is thy Strength, which is fo confpicuously perfect in it. Let Unbelieving Jews feek Honour one of another, but I, who profefs my felf one of the Faithful, will feek the Honour which cometh from God only. For what is all the Fame, and Refpect, and Greatness of thisWorld, if put into the Balance of thy Eternal Glory, but exquifite Folly, deceitful Bubble, and altogether lighter than Vanity it felf? All Ho nour therefore, and Praife, all Might and Majefty be ascribed to thee, O bleffed Trinity, myGod, my Light, my Truth, my Succour and Defence, my Refuge and Comfort, for ever and ever. Amen.

Chrift.]

CHA P. XLVI.

Of Defpifing Worldly Honour.

IF

F thou feeft others grow great in Reputa tion and Preferment, while thou art overlooked and despised, let this, my Son, be no Concern to thee. Look up to Me, and fet thy Affections and Hopes in Heaven, and then the Neglect and Contempt of Men will give thee little Trouble.

Difciple.] Were it not, Lord, for the Blindnefs and Corruption of Nature, which makes me fond of Vanities and Joys, I fhould have jufter Notions of thefe Matters. For he who rightly understands himself, cannot but difcern, that it is not in the Power of any thing without to do him real Prejudice; and confequently, that he can have no reasonable Ground to complain of thy Providence, however it thinks fit to difpofe

difpofe of fuch Matters. The Confciousness of my own Sins convinces me, I have deferved that all the Creatures fhould confpire and make War against me. To me belongs Shame and Confufion, but to Thee only Honour and Praise is due. And thou haft taught me, that to bear Contempt, and Hatred, and Barbarous Treatment with Humility and Patience, is the only Method of attaining inward Peace, and true Satiffaction; the Virtue which muft recommend me to thy Favour; the beft Predifpofition for Light and Grace; and the fureft, clofeft Band of Union with thy felf.

CHA P. XLVII.

Happiness is not to be had by the Favour or FriendShip of Men.

Chrift.]

HE

E that propofes to be Happy by the Affection or Acquaintance of the beft, the greatest Man alive, will always find his Mind unfettled and perplexed. For even the Best and Greatest are but Mortals; and the effectual Remedy against immoderate Concern for their being taken away from thee, will be to court the Favour of an Eternal and Immortal Friend. Now the lefs Confidence any Man reposes in any Earthly Comfort, fo much the more he ingratiates himself with God. And the better he acquaints himself with his own Vileness, the less he is in his own Eyes, the higher he rifes in God's Efteem. But they who vainly fancy any thing that is good or meritorious in themselves, put an effectual Bar to Divine Grace. For this is given to the Humble, and the Spirit of God chufes the Contrite Heart for the place of his peculiar Refidence. Would thou aban→

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