SERMON IX.

LUKE XXI. 19,

In your Patience poffefs ye your Souls.

HE unpleasant Things which befall us,

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in one Part or another of this Life, are so many; and the Impreffions, which they make upon us, are commonly fo strong; that being affected by them no otherwise, than we ought, constitutes a large and difficult Part of our Duty: which therefore I fhall endeavour to explain and recommend to you feveral Discourses. And as fome Things are immediately and neceffarily uneasy to us, and fome only by Means of needlefs and unreafonable Reflections and Comparisons of our own State with what others are, or with what we might have been: I fhall fpeak at present of bearing what we cannot but feel disagreeably, with Composure, which is ufually called Patience;

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tience; in the next Place, I fhall direct to the like Behaviour under comparative Misfortunes, which is generally expreffed by the Name of Contentment; and after these moral Obligations, which however need not and cannot well be altogether separated from those of Piety, I fhall proceed to lay before you more distinctly the religious ones, of Refignation first, and then of Thankfulness, under every Affliction and seeming Disadvantage.

Now the Feelings unavoidably disagreeable to us, and tempting us to Impatience, are chiefly Pain, Sorrow, Fear, and Anger.

1. Pain: under which may be comprehended alfo Sickness, Reftleffness, and languid Lownefs. These are often fo grievous, by their Degree, or Continuance, or both; that we cannot fail, from the very Make of our Nature, to fuffer under them extremely and ftifling at fuch Times all Expreflions of fuffering, and earnest Wishes of Ease, would usually require too violent an Effort to be lasting; or perhaps to be fafe, even could we perfift in it. Befides, these external Marks of Distress were certainly defigned by Providence to excite a proper Degree of Pity and Affiftance from thofe around us; which, without fome power

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ful Calls upon them, would frequently be withheld. And therefore we ought neither to condemn ourselves, nor others, who may poffibly undergo far more than we imagine, for fome strong Expreffions of present Mifery: nor think it a very heinous Fault, if they now and then exceed the proper Bounds. But still the more calm and moderate we are, the more we shall appear, if not to need, yet to deferve, both Compaffion and Relief; and they will both be afforded us with more Good-will and Regard. Then further, all vehement Complaints and immoderate Significations of our Wretchedness, heighten ftrangely our own Sense of it; and thus either work us up into wild Rage, or sink us down into spiritless Dejection; and fo make our Cafe much worfe than it was; when, alas, we have Cause to feek out for every Alleviation, great or small.

In acute Torments, it is a very comfortable Circumstance, if we can hope, that they will not be durable. Even a fhort Time, indeed, will feem dreadfully long to us. But however, it must be a Confolation in a Storm, that we are making towards a fafe Harbour within our View, though we seem to approach it flowly. And as the eafing of Pain

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is not only Ease but Delight; we should support ourselves by expecting it, as well as enjoy it when it comes.

In tedious Disorders it may be very useful to look back now and then, and fee how much we have gone through already: not in order to load our Minds with the Burthen of it a fecond Time; but to learn, from what we have done already, what we can do more, if Need be. And probably, we fhall be able to do it with lefs Difficulty hereafter, than we did before. For by Degrees and proper Care, both our Minds and Bodies become habituated to endure Hardship quietly and chearfully. It is a great Proof and Inftance of the Mercy of our Creator, that we are so framed. And we ought to make a faithful Ufe of his Goodness in this Refpect, as well as others.

But in order to acquiefce more patiently under our Sufferings, we should look beyond the Bitterness to the poffible Benefits of them. Our Liableness to them may teach us Caution and Prudence in many Parts of our Conduct, in order to avoid them; may preserve us from Follies destructive to our Fortunes, our Reputations, our Health itself. For Numbers have prefumed fo far upon their Strength, as

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utterly to destroy it by Irregularities, while the happy Neceffity of being difcreet in the Management of themselves hath carried on many who were very infirm, comfortably enough, to a good old Age. Therefore, on the Whole, perhaps bodily Complaints may prove a Security against greater Inconveniences: and, were these less; yet only the Difference between the one Evil and the others ought to be computed, as clear Lofs to us. Nor is it only from Follies, that Men are thus kept back, but frequently from Sins also: from fome, to which, if they would examine themfelves, they might perceive they should have been exposed; and poffibly from others, of which they have no Sufpicion. Firmnefs of Constitution, Vehemence of Appetites and Paffions, flowing Spirits, Confidence of being able to do and to bear almost any Thing, miflead Men unaccountably in the Conduct of Life: make them forgetful of God and their latter End, prompt them to Debauchery, Intemperance, Violence, Injustice, to regard only present Indulgence, and take the good Things of this World for their Portion. Better were it for fuch as refift not these Temptations, if they