Confcience, and Joy in the Holy Ghoft; the Hope and Prospect of Eternal Life near, and not the lefs pleasant on that Account: Thefe are Confolations indeed that are not fmall. There are two Things also faid of thofe divine Comforts, that give them infinite Advantage above all other; they are ftrong, and they are full. They are frong Confola tions; Heb. vi. 18. Others are too weak to bear much Weight. A Soul in all its Heavinefs finds they are not Affliction proof: They cannot stand under the Troubles of Life, much lefs will they do against the Terrors of Death and Judgment. But the Comforts that are truly Chriftian wilb

པར

* O vitam verè vitalem, ut ait Ennius, omnibus, bonis et gaudiis circumfluentem! Sed beatam etiam mortem, quæ ad beatiffimam vitam aditum aperiat. Cic. Conf

will bear a Man up when every thing else fails about him, the World finking under him, and all is a going. The other thing faid of these divine Confolations, is, that they are full: As Chrift faid to his Difciples, Let not your Hearts be troubled; ye lieve in God, believe alfo in me. Thefe things have I Spoken unto you, that your Joy might be full.

be

To have a God to apply to who is the Father of Mercies, and the God of all Confolation; the God that comforteth them who are caft down: To have an Interest in Christ, by whom we have Access unto the Father; whose Grace is fufficient for us in every Time of Need To have the Spirit, the Comforter by Office, to do his Office to us, and diffufe that

Joy and Peace in believing, which are Part of the Kingdom of God, and the Fruits of the Spirit: To have the holy Scriptures to go to, that were written on purpose that we, through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures, might have Hope. Thefe are, in comparison to all other Comforts, as the Fountain of living Waters to the broken Cifterns that can hold no Water,

Prayer gives Eafe to the Mind, revives Faith, Hope and Patience; promotes Holinefs, as well as fetches down Comfort: It is, in fhort, the true Way of handling our Weapons against our fpiritual Adverfaries. Put on the whole Armour of God: Praying with all Prayer. And the true Way of applying our fpiritual

Remedy:

Remedy: Is any afflicted, let him

pray.

Befides the Mourner for departed Friends, the Afflicted on other Accounts will here find fome Relief under the Troubles of Life.

The

Nature of Submiffion, and the Arguments and Motives of Acquiefcence, do very much agree to both. They have fuch an Affinity, that one can hardly be treated of without touching upon the other. As, in laying down the Map of any Kingdom, fome Borders of the neighbouring Nations will appear. They are but different Ingredients of the fame bitter Cup, put into the Hands of mortal Men.

He ufually behaves beft, who is beft prepared, who has not his

Weapons

Weapons to feek when they are to be used; nor his Armour to be put on, when the Attack is begun *. It is obferved that none are more confounded when Calamity comes, than, those who are most careless to prevent it. Principles must be fixed, before they can be ufed; and frequent Practice muft fettle Habits, before we can enjoy the Benefit of that Eafe with which they exert themfelves. Of all People they fuffer moft, who will not allow you to mention beforehand the Death of a beloved Object, nor themselves to think of any fuch Thing, Do not Speak of it; I cannot bear the

Thoughts

Nec verò quifquam doloris impetum excipere, ac fortiter perpeti poflet, nifi fe prius ad obfiftendum comparáffet:ex quo confuetudo fit, quæ callum obducit" animo, nofque contra omnes vel naturæ vel tortunæ impetus armat. Cic. Conf.