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AND having ufed our prudence, let us not be folicitous about events. This would be a great prefervative against fears of what may happen, and against vexation for what is happened. For to what purpose should we trouble our felves, either with the one or the other; when all our prudence and skill cannot help it? Fear indeed betrays our fuccours, and difarms us of our weapons, and makes us run into thofe dangers, which our prudence might have prevented. Therefore let us do our beft, and leave the fuccefs to God.

ANOTHER rule conducive to this purpose is, to have a little esteem of our felves. A proud man is never at reft. The leaves of the tall trees shake with every breath; and no man can open his mouth to whisper an ill word, but a proud man is difturbed. Where-. as the obfervance of this rule, will make us fay when we are defpifed and vilified, that they cannot think fo low of us, as we do of our felves; and then we fhall not be moved. It will help us in poverty, fickness, and all misfortunes, whilft we fay, we are lefs D 2 than

than the leaft of all God's mercies. Our conceit of our felves is the cause that we quarrel at every thing which happens, as if we were fuch confiderable creatures, that every thing must be done to please us, and God must rule the whole world according to our humour, yea and no body else must be served and gratified but our selves. Let us but know our felves, and all will be well. There is no reafon that fuch poor things, as we are, fhould take matters fo ill and unkindly at God's hands as we do. We are well used, tho' we were in a worfe condition.

FURTHER: Let us labour to understand the true nature and value of every thing. I will instance in a few things: That which is future is uncertain: That which is born may die That which once was not, may again not be. What hath happened to others, may happen to me. That which hath its value from fancy, is not much worth. That which can do us no harm unless we will, need not bé much feared. That which a man can live without, he need not covet. Such like rules as thefe, will the confideration of the nature

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of things teach us; and being thus inftructed, we shall find much quiet from many occafions of trouble.

In the next place, Let us take care to have but one rule or principle of our lives; and that is, to chufe only that which Chrift hath commanded in the Gofpel, and to refuse only that which he hath forbidden. This is the principle whereby we may guide our lives, and it will never fail us. Now Christ hath faid, Be holy, humble, meek, patient; but no where hath he said, Be rich, be honoured, or the like. The former therefore, and not thefe, we must always chufe. He hath bid us likewife, that we should not speak evil of others, nor hate them, nor return their injuries: But no where hath he faid, Do not fuffer affliction, do not put up those wrongs, and the like: The former things then are thofe only, which we muft refolve not to do. And by this course it is manifeft, what a great way we shall go to the obtaining peace. Let us follow fcripture and reafon; and let the world approve of what we do, if they please. D 3

Nothing is

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more troublesome to a man, than an ambitious defire of every one's good word. But he will find enough to do oftentimes, who defires to please a fool; but, how much trouble he thall have, that would please no body knows how many of them, is fcarcely to be imagined. He muft not chufe one thing, but ten thoufand; one thing this moment, and another the next; and innumerable contradictions at the fame time, to please divers men. Let us therefore content our felves with this, God is fooner pleased than men. Let us refolve upon his will, to let that be ours, and to keep it. Let us chufe that which no body can hinder, no accident can forbid. If we cannot do God's will, we can fuffer it. Why then fhould we be troubled, when our own choice remains intire, and we have what we would have.

LASTLY: To prevent misunderstanding, it is to be confidered all along, that these rules are fuch, as fuppofe the use of fome other, that have an univerfal influence upon christian practice; fuch as prayer; giving thanks in

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every cafe; meditation of heaven and eternal bleffednefs, of God's mercy and goodnefs, and of Chrift's death and interceffion for us. To all which religious exercises, if we add those other rational and natural confiderations, we may be well eafed.

The truth is, there are no fuch cordials as thofe of the chriftian religion. Nothing can support and comfort us, fo fpeedily and fubftantially, as the belief, that God was manifested in our flesh, and therefore hath a fingular love to us, and care of us: That the Lord Jefus is exalted at the right hand of God; and that we are members of his body; That he hath a great compaffion to us, and both power and will to relieve or fuftain us: That we fuffer nothing but what he himself fuffered; and are in the way to that glory where he dwelleth: And that he will certainly reward our patience, fubmission, and refignation to him, with endless joys.

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Thefe things we must always have in our

and in our heart. On these foundations we must lay the weight of our fouls. Which will quiet our defires, and banish our fears, and cut off vain hopes, and reftore our very reafon

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