that, fays he, This is the very Thing that troubles me*.

"Others have tried to divert and "entertain the Troubles of other "Men, by pretty and plaufible Say❝ings, fuch as this, That, if Evils are long, they are but light; wif Sharp, but short: and a hundred "fuch like. Now I am apt to ima

gine, that it is but a very small "Comfort that a plain ordinary "Man, lying under a fharp Fit of "the Stone for a Week together, "receives from this fine Sentence: "For what Pleasure foever Men, "who are at Ease and Leisure, may "take in being the Authors of witty Sayings, I doubt it is but poor "Confolation, that a Man under

*Hoc ipfum eft quod me malè habet.

great

"great and stinging Afflictions can "find from them.

"The best moral Argument to "Patience, in my Opinion, is the Advantage of Patience itself. To "bear Evils as quietly as we can, "is the way to make them lighter "and eafier: But to tofs and fling "and be reftlefs, is good for no"thing but to fret and enrage our "Pain, to gall our Sores, and make "the Burden upon us fit more un

'

cafy. And this is properly no "Confideration of Comfort, but an "Art of managing ourselves under "our Afflictions, fo as not to make "them more grievous than indeed

"But now the Arguments that Christianity propounds to us, are

"fuch

“ such as prove a just and reason“ able Encouragement for Men to "bear Affliction patiently." And then the Author mentions "the Example of Chrift and the first Chriftians; the Glory that shall "follow the light Afflictions of this แ prefent Time:

"

And closes this Part of his Subject with a Paffage in the "Life of Lipfius, who was a great Studier and Admirer of the "Stoic Philofophy. When he lay

on his Death-bed, and one of his "Friends who came to vifit him "faid, That he need not use Argu"ments to perfuade him to Patience « under his Pains, the Philofophy "which he had ftudied fo much, "would furnish him with Motives "enough to that Purpose; he an

"fwers

(22)

"fwers him with this Ejaculation; “Domine Jefu, da mihi patientiam "Chriftianam; that is, Lord Jefus give me Chriftian Patience. No "Patience like that which the "Confiderations of Christianity are "apt to work in us."

This is one Inftance of the Excellence of the Chriftian Religion, its furnishing us with the best Motives and Confiderations to Patience, under the Evils and Afflictions of this Life.

All the other philofophical Thoughts, fo far as they are of Ufe, the Chriftian can take and

any

make his beft of; and when they fail, he knows where to go. He can turn to God, and fay; Pfalm cxix. 82. When wilt thou comfort

me?

me

ne? If thou doft not, all the World cannot. Without Thee, miferable Comforters are they all. If thou doft not speak Peace, there will be

no End of my Trouble. This Balm is only to be found in Gilead. Say unto my Soul, I am thy Salvation: Say, Be of good Chear; thy Sins be forgiven thee. And then will I fay, In the Multitude of my Thoughts within me thy Comforts delight my Soul: Thy Comforts! Comforts that come from God, which lead to him, and are fully to be enjoyed in him. The Light of thy Countenance, the Senfe of the Pardon of my Sins, an Intereft in the Promifes of the Covenant of Grace, a Conqueft of Self-will, and confequently of every other Enemy: Peace of

c 2

Con