reafonable to acknowledge with the Pfal mist in another Place; Eleffed is the Man whom thou chaßnest, O Lord, and teacheft him in thy Law.

Farthermore, 'tis to Sufferings and Affictions that we are indebted for the Exercife and Improvement of feveral Chriftian Graces and Virtues: Such as Patience, Truft in God's Providence, Submif fion to his Will, and the like.

What Aflurance can we have, that our Souls are in every thing refigned to God's Pleasure, 'till we have been tried by Difpenfations, which are feemingly harth and fevere? How can we know that our Truft is in God's Providence for Blef fings, is firm and unfeigned, except we have exercised in it an appearing Want of his Favours? Or after what Manner can our Patience be proved, when there are no Troubles or Calamities for us to undergo? These are Virtues which must be exercifed by Sufferings and Afflictions; and 'tis the Exercise of these Virtues, which advances and improves them.

Agreeably to which St. Paul tells us, in Rom. v. 3.4. 5. that Tribulation worketh Patience; and Patience Experience; and Experience Hope; and hope make th. not afhamed, because the Love of God is

d Pfilm xcviv. 12.

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fbed abroad in our Hearts, by the Holy Ghoft, which is given unto us. lation worketh Patience; it exercifeth and improveth Patience, and other Graces that are nearly allied to it: And the Exercife of these Graces fhows by Experi ence that we have them: And Experience of these Things raises in us Hope, or Expectation of future Happiness: And this Hope, or Expectation, maketh not afhamed, fhall not be difappointed, nor fuffer us to be afhamed of Sufferings and Afflictions: Because the Love of God; the Evidence of God's Love to us, or of our Love to God, or of both, is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Thus then it appearing, that Afflictions and Sufferings are Inftrumental in leading us to the Attainment of higher Degrees of Holiness: It appearing likewife, that the higher Degrees of Holiness we attain unto, the better we are: Hence we may justly reckon that another Reason, why Afflictions and Sufferings may be faid to work for Good.

Thirdly and lastly, Afflictions and Sufferings may be faid to work for Good, because they capacitate us for the Enjoyment of a greater Degree of future Happiness and Glory. This is a Confe

Y

quence

quence of what was faid on the second Particular: For the Degrees of Glory and Happiness in Heaven will be diftributed, according to the Degrees of Holinefs we arrive at upon Earth: Afflictions and Sufferings therefore, being Inftrumental in bringing us to higher Degrees of Holinefs in this Life, do thereby capacitate us for the Enjoyment of a greater Degree of future Glory and Happiness. And this is farther confirmed by St. Paul, in 2 Cor. iv. 17. Our light Affliction, which is but for a Moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding, καθ' ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν 11 Exceeding upon Exceeding, an inexpref fible Exceeding, and eternal Weight of Glory.

Here then we fee another Realon, why Affliations and Sufferings may be faid to work for Good; they work for Good, in that they are Inftrumental in advancing our Good in another World. God is pleafed to fend us Afflictions for the Correction of our Mifbehaviour; for the Trial of our Patience, and Submiffion to his Will; and if we bear them as we ought, and use them aright, he will beftow upon us a greater Degree of Happinefs hereafter: He has made the Cross The Way to a brighter Crown, and suffering a Path to a larger Portion of Blifs.

Well

Well therefore might the Apoftle fpeak as he does at the 18th Verfe of the Chap. ter before us: I reckon that the Sufferings of the prefent Time, are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us. Our Sufferings are but of this prefent Time; they cannot last long, Death will put an End to them: But the Glory which fhall be revealed in us, is of the Nature of Chrift's Glory; we shall as St Paul expreffes it, be glorified together with him, and this our Glory will be eternal: 'Twill admit of no Decay or Confùmption; of no Period or Conclufion. O vaft Eternity! How are our Thoughts loft in the Contemplation of it! How does it ravifh our Souls at once with Wonder and Delight! This, this it is, that gives the greatest Excellency to the Glory which fhall be revealed, and chiefly fets it beyond Compare with any Thing here below; namely, that it is Eternal. God grant therefore, that we may not look at the Things which are feen, any farther than is confiftent with our purfuing and obtaining the Things which are not (een; for the Things which are feen are Témporal, but the Things which are not feers are Eternal. Amen.

And we know that all Things work together for Good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to This Purpose.

IN

N my former Difcourfe from thele Words, I propofed to do thele two Things:

First, To enquire how, and in what Senfe, Afflictions and Sufferings might be faid to work for Good.

Secondly, To examine the Description of those Persons, to whom Afflictions and Sufferings will work together for Good.

What I thought proper to speak upon the First of these Heads, I have already delivered; by showing, that together with a right Ufe of our Reafon, and the Blef fing of Almighty God, Afflictions and Sufferings might be faid to work for Good in these three Respects.

Firf, Because we may learn from them

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