to the Temptation of thinking themselves allowed or even called, by the Author of their Beings, to put a voluntary End to them, whenever they were oppreffed by Sufferings hard to fupport. But in the clearer Light of our Days, either of thefe Difpofitions would be unfpeakably more criminal. Yet, were we only to believe, that God will do us no Wrong, our Submiffion to his Will, though it might well be full of the profoundest Reverence, would not be accompanied with the highest Degree of Esteem. But happily he hath also fhewn us great Kindnefs. For every Pleasure that we enjoy, every Capacity of receiving Pleasure that belongs to our inward or outward Frame, proceeds from his Bounty. And how do we commonly behave upon it? Yield ourselves up to his Difpofal with a chearful Trust in him? No: repine and complain, that he hath not done more for us, or that he doth not continue to us all that we ever had. But every Thing is more than we are intitled to. We have no Property in any Thing: we ourselves are his Property. Our very Being is not our own: He bestowed it, and whatever we pofsess in it, and that only during his Pleafure: he may allow us as few Comforts, or mix with them Q 2 them as many Afflictions as he will. Shall we re we rei ceive Good at the Hand of God, and shall we not receive Evil? All that he granted, he may withdraw at any Time: and our Concern is only to fay with Job, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; bleffed be the Name of the Lord h. He might have made any one of us the very lowest of his Creation: and if the meaneft of the Works of his Hands hath a Claim to more than he hath vouchsafed, it hath an equal Claim to more without End: and if it is not bound to Refignation at present, can never be bound to it in any Situation at all. But though the Sovereignty of God is abfolute, we know not that he ever ufes it in an arbitrary Manner. The Scripture tells us in exprefs Terms, that he doth not willingly afflict or grieve the Children of Men. And to think, that he limits the Happinefs of the leaft happy of his Creatures without Caufe, would be entertaining a disrespectful Notion of his glorious Attributes. Manifold as his Works are, yet in Wifdom bath he made them all and the Earth is full of the Goodness of the Lord. The farther Men fee into whatever he hath done or appointed, the more Evidence they discern of Job ii. 10. * Pf. civ. 24. h Job i. 21. Lam. iii. 33. Fore Forefight and Skill, of Bounty and Mercy : and therefore ought firmly to believe they take Place, even where they see them not. Such and fuch Things we are apt to imagine might have been contrived more for our particular Advantage. Yet perhaps we mistake: and what we wish either could not have been at all, (for many Things may be impoffible, which we do not perceive to be fo) or would not have been the better for us. Our Infight into Confequences reaches but a very little Way. In Multitudes of Cafes we are full as ignorant of what would be for our Benefit, as Children are of what would be for theirs ; and ought therefore to acquiefce in the Will and the Knowledge of our heavenly Father, as we expect them to acquiefce in ours. But fuppofing that granting every one of our Defires would be an Act of Kindness to us: yet the Lord is good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works". Very often it is visible, that, if we fucceed in our Wishes, others muft fail in theirs were we to have this or that Advantage, they must be under proportionable Disadvantages. And why is it not as confiftent with the Wisdom and the Goodness of God to regard their Interests, as ours? Perhaps we deserve it no better, perhaps not fo well. Or if we did, or if it appeared not who would be hurt by greater Indulgence to us, it doth not follow, that no one would; and that no Inconvenience to any Part, or in any Respect, would arise from it. In this wide World the Connections of Things are innumerable: and may be very important, where they are abfolutely hidden from our View, who probably difcern but an inconfiderable Portion of them. Subordinations are neceffary in every Syftem of every Kind. The low Rank and Helplessness of many Creatures fits them for our Ufe; our Advantages proceed from their Sufferings; from the very Sufferings which we inflict on them; yet they are totally ignorant of this: and how know we, what Advantages may, fome Way, though quite different and quite inconceivable to us, proceed from our low Rank and our Sufferings? And as God hath wifely and kindly made so many Orders of Beings beneath us; why may it not be as wifely and kindly, notwithstanding we are ignorant on what Account, that he hath made us juft fuch as we are, and no higher or happier? But though, in all Likelihood, we can fee only a few of the Reasons of God's Ways, yet feveral we may fee, at leaft in fome Meafure. For Inftance: He governs the World by general Laws. On fome Occafions indeed he hath openly departed from them, and wrought Miracles: on many, we have Cause to think he secretly reftrains and varies them for gracious Purposes, or just Correction: but were he not to obferve them in the ordinary Course of Things, we should neither know, what to expect, nor how to proceed. If folid Bodies did not weigh downwards, if Bodies in Motion did not communicate their Motion to others, if Winds had not a strong Force, if Rain was not carried about by them, if Fire did not heat and confume, if fharp Inftruments did not cut, the whole Frame of Nature would be difordered, and ftop. If what tends to destroy our Lives or our Healths did not give us Pain, we fhould take no fufficient Care to avoid it. If any one Thing almost, that we know, were to fail of commonly producing its natural Effect, very general Mischiefs, or however Inconveniences, would follow and yet, if they are left to produce Q.4 |