Creature gone; or when other Widows weep in fecret, and are left alone; then the Leffon is, ALL MUST DIE: And Submission was preached up, as Wisdom, our best Wisdom, as well as Duty. Behold, thou haft instructed many: But now it comes upon thee, and thou fainteft; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled, Job 4. 3, 5. It touches thee to the quick And you find the Leffons you taught to others not fo eafy to learn yourself.

Shall the Commander of an Army be allowed to place his Men according as he knows to be best for the Service, whether the common Soldier knows it or not: He affigns their Pofts; he draws them out, and gives Command. They form themselves in the Face of Danger; they march to the Mouth of a Cannon, or mount a Breach, though ever fo dreadful, and all for Bread and Clothes! A Submiffion with which we hardly honour the Captain of our Salvation, though it be for eternal Life.

SECT. IV.

Of Submiffion to the Will of God, as it regards the Frame of our Spirit, and Temper of our Minds.

I HOPE I have learned fomething of this Submiffion, fince I am come to the following Refolves; in which, I apprehend, it does in a great Measure confist.

Refolved

Refolved and agreed, that God's Will ought to determine mine, and not mine pretend to determine the Will of God. The Queftion is put, whofe Will fhall be done? That Petition in the Lord's Prayer, was made for this very Cafe and Seafon: Thy Will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven. I fhould be afhamed to fay otherwife; but Actions have a Language as well as Words. I fhould have been afhamed to have faid, in Words at length, Lord, my Will fhall determine thine, and govern thine. I will have no Will fuperior to my own: But my Actions have faid as much when by my Murmurs, rebellious Thoughts, finful Courses, and defperate Uneafinefs, I have behaved fo contrary to the Duty of a Subject, and the Relation of a Child. Lord, forgive what is paft! And now, Behold, here I am! Let the Lord do to me what feemeth good unto him; 2 Sam. 10. 12. Father! Not as I will, but as thou wilt, Luke 22.42.

;

Again: Refolved and agreed, that it is Part of my Business in this World to endure what I cannot innocently avoid. What can be avoided, we may, and ought to avoid; fince no Affliction for the prefent is joyous, but grievous: But what cannot be avoided by lawful Means, has the Mark of being the Will of God that I fhould endure. And, no Man fhould be moved by these Afflictions § for you yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto, Theff. 3. 3. How do I know what I am appointed to, but by being unable to avoid it without Sin, which is a worse Evil than Suffering,

and

Sect. IV. and comes in the room of a great Excellence, namely, a fubmiffive Spirit.

Farther Refolved and agreed, that I will neither defpife the Chaftening of the Lord, nor faint when I am rebuked, Heb. 12. 5. To prevent which, I fly to the Affiftance of his Grace. I confider, that it is one Evidence of true Grace to be willing to bear the Will of God, as well as to do it. I call to mind the Promises in this Behalf made and provided. I look to the Recompenfe of Reward; and I endure, as feeing him that is invifible. I look to that particular Bleffing promised to him that endures in a right Manner. Bleffed is the Man who endureth Temptation; for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Righteoufnefs, James 1. 12. For which Caufe we faint not: For though our outward Man perish, our inward Man is renewed Day by Day, 2 Cor. 4. 16.

I

Moreover: Refolved and agreed, that I humble myself under the mighty Hand of God. am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay my Hand upon my Mouth. Once have I spoke, but I will not answer: Yea, twice, but I will proceed no farther, Job 40. 5. that is to fay, "I have not

a Word more to fay; neither against thee, nor "for myself. I have faid too much already, " and too unadvisedly with my Lips, in defending myself, and arraigning thy Providence: I "will proceed no farther in fuch Challenges. "Forgive what is past, and affift me for the "Time to come."

God

God delights to humble thofe who will not humble themselves, and to exalt thofe that do. Humble yourfelves, therefore, under the mighty Hand of God; that he may exalt you in due Time, 1 Pet. 5. 6.

Mourner. My Sorrows are great, but fo is my Guilt. Things are very bad with me, but they might have been worfe: And they will be better, if I can behave fo well under this Trouble as to gain his Pity and his Favour. He has takenaway, but he first gave.

God takes great Notice of fuch a Frame of Spirit, and has a thoufand Ways to reward it. Becaufe thine Heart was tender; and thou didst bumble thyself, the Evil fhall not be in thy Day, 2 Kings 22. 19. Heaven will make Amends for all Sorrows and Sufferings. Submiffion is the

Way to Heaven; and thefe Confiderations are the Way to Submiffion.

SECT. V.

Of Submiffion, as it refpects our Behaviour and Carriage.

GRIEF is fometimes outrageous, and fome. times fullen. It will often fay any Thing that comes next, without Grace or Decency; as well as fometimes fay nothing at all. Job fat feven

D

Days

Days and feven Nights filent, and none Spake a Word to him; for they faw that his Grief was great: And when he did speak, he curfed the Day of his Birth. David acted a better Part, when he got up, anointed, washed, and eat, after the Death of his Child. There is a Way of faying, Thy Will be done, by the Behaviour or Gefture; with the Eyes and Hands, as well as with the Tongue. Submiffion is a 'Grace that reaches to the Behaviour, the Features, and the outward Poftures of Body. The natural Poftures of Grief have no Offence in them; but there are unnatural Diftortions of Rage and Defpair. I have seen some lift up their Eyes and Hands to Heaven as if they threatned, rather than fupplicated the Almighty; and heard them fay fuch Words as only ferved to provoke their own Sorrow and God's Anger.

How much better is it to caft our prefent Burden and future Cares upon God, in a believing Dependance upon his Promifes and Goodness? Treasure them up in your Mind, for a fure Recourfe upon those Trials you, are most liable to. Lay up his Word in thy Heart, Job 22. 22. Thy Word have I bid in my Heart, that I might not fin against thee. Let the Widow and the Fatherless remember, that he has promifed to be a Father Lo the Fatherless, and a Judge of the Widow. Thou art the Helper of the Fatherless, Pfal. 68. 5. In thee the Fatherless find Mercy, Hof. 14. 3. The Lord preferveth the Stranger. He relieveth the Fatherless and the Widow; but the Way of the Wicked be turneib upside down, Pfal. 146. 9. Leave tby Fatherless Children, I will preserve them alive:

And