Cafting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.

Matth. vi. 10. Thy will be done.

It is juft, great GoD, it fhould be fo; for who fhould govern the world but he that made it? And yet we poor creatures repine when any thing croffes our hopes or defigns. What ftrange unthoughtfulness! what prefumption is this! And it is thy great mercy that any of us are fenfible of this folly, and become willing to be governed by Thee.

With all my heart and foul, O God, I thank Thee, that in all the changes and chances of this mortal life, I can look up to Thee, and cheerfully refign my will to thine.

It is the defire of my foul, and my humble petition, that I may always be ready and willing to fubmit to thy providence, that thou mayeft order what Thou judgeft to be most convenient for me.

I have trusted Thee, O Father, with myfelf, my foul is in thy hand, which I verily believe Thou wilt preferve to eternal happiness; my body, and all that belongs to it, are of much lefs value. I do therefore, with as great fecurity and fatisfaction, trust all I have to Thee, hoping Thou wilt preserve me from all things hurtful,, and lead me to all things profitable to my falvation.

I will love Thee, O God; being fatisfied that all things, however strange and irksome they appear, fhall work together for good to thofe that do fo.

I know in whom I have believed; f have a Saviour at thy right-hand, full of kindness, full of care, full of power; he has prayed for me, that this faith fail me not; and by this faith I am perfuaded, that neither tribulation, nor anguish, nor perfecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, nor fword, nor death which I may fear, nor life which I may hope for, nor thing's present which I feel, nor things

to

to come which I may apprehend, shall ever prevail fo far over me, as to make me not to refign my will entirely to Thee.

In an humble, quiet, and dutiful fubmiffion, let me faithfully run the race that is fet before me, looking unto Jefus, the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was fet before him, defpifed the fhame, endured the crofs, and is now feated at the right hand of God; to whom I moft humbly befeech Thee to bring me in thy good time; and for whatever fhall fall out in the mean while, Thy will be done. Amen.

Look unto Jefus.

He was defpifed and rejected of men;-his life was fought for by Herod; He was tempted by Satan;— hated by that world which he came to fave;-fet at nought by his own people;-called a deceiver and a dealer with the devil;-was driven from place to place, and had not where to lay

his

his head; betrayed by one Disciple, and forfaken by all the reft;-fally accufed, fpit upon and fcourged;fet at nought by Herod and his men of war; given up by Pilate to the will of his enemies;-had a murderer preferred before him;-was condemned to a moft cruel and fhameful death; -crucified between two thieves;reviled in the midft of his torments;

had gall and vinegar given him to drink;-fuffered a most bitter death, fubmitting with patience to the will of his Father.

O Jefu, who now fitteft at the right hand of God, to fuccour all who fuffer in á righteous way; be Thou my Advocate for grace, that, in all my fufferings, I may follow thy example, and run with patience the race that is fet before me. Amen.

Take all things that befal you as coming from God's providence, for your particular profit. And though they are evil in themselves, yet as he permits,

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permits, or does not think fit to hinder them, they may be referred to Him.

God no fooner difcovers in your heart an ardent defire of well-doing, and of fubmitting to his will, but he prepares for you occafions of trying your virtue; and therefore, confident of his love, receive cheerfully a medicine prepared by a phyfician that cannot be mistaken, and cannot give you any thing but what will be for your good.- See Ecclus. chap. ii.

Lord, prepare my heart, that no afflictions may ever fo furprize, as to overbear me.

Difpofe me at all times to a readinefs to fuffer what thy providence fhall order or permit.

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It is the fame cup which Jefus Chrift drank of; it is he fends it. He fees it abfolutely neceffary that I must be firft partaker of his fufferings, and then of his glory.

Matth. x. 22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name-fake; but be that fhall endure to the end, fhall be faved.