Advice to a Friend, Part 11
XI.
IN the next place I muſt exhort you, to exerciſe a great faith in Gods good Providence, which rules in all affairs. This is of great force to baniſh all perplexing thoughts; and conſequently to make you of a chearful ſpirit, and to be good company for your ſelf when you are alone, or about your neceſſary employments. And it hath not only this oblique aſpect upon our Souls, to defend them from that heavineſs & ſadneſs which is too apt to oppreſs them; but is of a more direct and manifeſt influence to comfort and enliven them, on all occaſions. By removing, that is thoſe impediments out of the way, which are a clog and a burden to our ſpirits, and by begetting likewiſe an higher faith in Gods goodneſs to our better part, which takes ſuch care of our lower concernments. For what is it that makes our heart unwilling to go to God, and to wait upon him, as Mary ſate at our Saviours Feet; but the multitude of buſineſſes wherewith, like Martha, we incumber and trouble our ſelves? We imagine we can never take care enough about thoſe things; and when we have done our beſt, ſtill we remain ſolicitous about the ſucceſs. And ſo our Souls being already filled & crowded with theſe thoughts, there is no room left to admit of any other, till they be thruſt out.
And ſuppoſe now our own Conſcience begin in this caſe to reprove us, and bid us go to our God; yet if it be that only which urges us, and not a quiet faith in his good providence, how do we hear thoſe things calling us off again, and inviting, nay drawing our hearts to them; as being indeed their own? It is nothing elſe that diſtracts us but theſe cares; which are not ejected by faith, but only ſilenced and ſtilled a little by natural conſcience, which tells us we do amiſs. Or if they have lain quiet a while, and given us leave to pray to God, and think of better things; how eaſily do they thruſt out all our good Meditations and pious affections, when they return again? Nay, how do they eat up and prey on the very Soul it ſelf, as well as on all the good notions which are within it?
If we be neceſſarily engaged then in more affairs, than willingly we would; it is as neceſſary we ſhould be ſtrongly perſwaded of the Care which God takes of all things, that they ſhall go well with thoſe who truſt in him. That ſo we may uſe but a moderate diligence, and not trouble our ſelves about iſſues and events: and that we may ſave abundance of time for better thoughts; and that theſe affairs may not take up our hearts, both while we are in them, and when we are out of them too. That's too much familiarity with them, when they will never let us alone. And we ought to endeavour that, though they employ our minds for many Hours, yet, when we have done our work, they may not then ingroſs our time alſo.
The care of Religion is great enough; we need not take upon us the care of the World too. With what reaſon do we complain, that we find it difficult to govern our ſelves, when it ſeems, we think our ſelves meet to govern this World and all? No wonder that we are weary of our work, when we have not only our own to do, but will needs undertake Gods work likewiſe. We may well ſigh and be diſcouraged, when we carry ſuch a vaſt burden upon our Shoulders. There is no end of theſe Cares; which intermix themſelves not only with our particular buſineſſes, but trouble us continually with ſad and fearful thoughts about the affairs of Nations, and the ſtate of the publique, wherein our private wealth is embarqued. And this is the miſchief of it, that when we are diſcouraged by this means, it is a ſin, and not meerly our miſery: becauſe we will meddle with more than belongs unto us. We put our ſelves to an unneceſſary pain, to put our ſelves out of the favour and care of him; who would eaſe us of this burden, by caſting it upon his merciful providence. It is an uncomfortable and a ſinful condition; which is aggravated by this, that it is a needleſs and a bold intruſion into his buſineſs who governs the World. It is as if I ſhould be very ſolicitous, whether the Sun will ſhine to morrow or not; when I have occaſion to ſtay all Day about my affairs at home.
Let us do what concerns us; and leave God to diſpoſe of all the reſt▪ And let us believe that he will aſſiſt us in our diſpatches; and a great deal the more, if we will not ſtretch our ſelves to meddle beyond our line. He will help us to do what we ought, when we do no more than we ſhould. When we are not oppreſſed, I mean, with fear that we ſhall not be able to go thorough our employments; and when we are not too careful what will become of them, after we have finiſhed our work. God will take care that we ſhall do them, and that they ſhall have the beſt ſucceſs, when they are done. Look upon your ſelf as a part of the World, and upon God as the Governour of the whole. And then by faith in him, make your ſelf (as it were) a part of himſelf; that ſo he may have a particular concernment in your affairs. Look upon your ſelf not only as one of his Family, and therefore under his General Providence: but alſo as one of his Children, for whoſe good he will more than ordinarily provide. And be always confident he will provide the better for you; becauſe you truſt him, and leave your ſelf wholly to his Wiſdom and Kindneſs.
I could entertain you here with a delightful Diſcourſe on this Argument; were it not that I would not burden you, as I ſaid before, with too great a Book. Let me only adviſe you of this, which ſhall excuſe me from adding a Prayer at the end of this Diſcourſe; eſpecially ſince you know where to find one in another place. That as it is moſt for our eaſe to recommend all we have and do to Gods good providence, and reſolutely to reſt ſatisfied in what he determines: ſo the moſt effectual courſe to obtain this reſignation to him and confidence in him, is rather to exerciſe it in our Devotions by acts of reſignation and expreſſions of our truſt in his great goodneſs, than to be petitioning him continually to beſtow upon us this grace. Say therefore, with the heartieſt affection, upon all occaſions, in the words of David.
Thou art my hope, O Lord, thou art my truſt from my Youth. I truſt in the Mercy of God, Pſal. 71.5.14.52.8.141.8.56.3.92.2.118.9.37.2.5.for ever and ever. Mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: I will hope continually, and will yet praiſe Thee more and more. What time I am afraid, I will truſt in thee. I will ſay of the Lord, he is my refuge, and my fortreſs: my God, in him will I truſt. It is better to truſt in the Lord, than to put confidence in man. It is better to truſt in the Lord, than to put confidence in Princes. I will therefore truſt in the Lord and do good: I will commit my way unto him, that he may bring it to paſs.
Behold, O Father of Mercies, how intirely I confide in thee. I abſolutely reſign my ſelf and all I have unto thee. I rely upon thy bounty, for what thou judgeſt fit and needful for me. Thy Goodneſs is the greateſt treaſure; thy Truth and Faithfulneſs is my beſt ſecurity; thy gracious Promiſes and careful Providence is my comfort; thy Wiſdom is my ſatisfaction in all events and accidents; thy Power is my ſupport, protection, and ſafeguard. Lead me whither thou pleaſeſt; and I will follow thee with a chearful heart. I refuſe nothing which comes from thy hands, O moſt loving Father. I ſubmit to thy orders; and hope that all things ſhall work together for my good. And I truſt in thy grace, that I ſhall always do as I do now: ſtedfaſtly adhering thus unto thee, and never ſuffering any thing that befalls me, to pull me away from this humble faith in thy wiſe and almighty Goodneſs; to which I refer my ſelf, now and ever.
And the more to awaken you to this; let me tell you, My Friend, that we find examples of it, even in the Heathens themſelves, who, in a ſtrange fit of devotion, have ſometime cryed out on this faſhion.
O man, what doſt thou? Why doſt thou not free thy ſelf from all this trouble? Adventure at laſt,Arrian. Epict. L. 2. Cap. 16. with eyes lifted up to God, to ſay unto him. Uſe me at thy pleaſure, O God, for the time to come. Thou haſt my perfect conſent. I am of the ſame mind that thou art. I have a mind to nothing but what thou thinkeſt good. Wilt thou have me bear an Office; or ſhall I lead a private life? Muſt I ſtay or muſt I fly? Shall I be poor or ſhall I be rich? I am ready to obey. I will defend thee, againſt all the World. I will apologize for thy providence about theſe things, to every body. I ſay that all is good, becauſe thou art ſo.
Thus they exhorted men to follow God chearfully, in a belief that he is Wiſe and Good: for we can never be happy ſaid they if we follow him ſighing and groaning; as a man doth one that is ſtronger than he, who pulls him after him, when he hath no mind to go. Let us begin every thing (ſaith the ſame Philoſopher in another place) without too much deſire or averſation. Let us not incline to this, or to the other way. But behave our ſelves like a Traveller, who when he comes to two ways, asks him whom he meets next, which of thoſe he ſhall take to ſuch a place: having no inclination to the right hand rather than to the left; but deſiring only to know the true and direct way that will carry him to his Journeys end. Juſt ſo muſt we come to God, as to a Guide; as to one who ſhall diſpoſe of our motions as he pleaſes. We muſt not look about us, and deſire of him this or the other thing which we fancy. We muſt not direct Him what courſe he ſhould take with us; nor deſire him to ſhow us this rather than that: but embrace that which he propoſes; and deſire only he will conduct us in the right way to happineſs. This is our duty and our ſafety. Whereas now you ſhall ſee Men run to him, and ſay, Lord have Mercy upon me; deliver me from ſuch and ſuch a thing. Wretch that thou art! Wouldſt thou have any thing but what is beſt? And who can tell what that is? Is there any thing beſt, but that which ſeems ſo to God? Why then doſt thou endeavour, as much as in thee lies, to corrupt him who is to judg; and to ſeduce Him who is thy Counſellour; and to move him, by thy cries, to do otherways than he thinks good? Ceaſe theſe clamours, and do not urge him to incline to thy deſires; but ſuffer him to follow his own Wiſdom. It cannot be any delight to him to croſs and vex us. If what we are inclined to deſire be conformable to his judgment; he will not deny it us, meerly becauſe we are inclined to deſire it. But he will give us that which is good in his eyes, as the holy Scripture ſpeaks; And what would we have more? Will it not ſuffice us to have our own hearts deſire? And what ſhould that be, if we are well advis'd, but this; that we may have what unſearchable Wiſdom, united with Infinite Power and Goodneſs, ſhall think to be fitteſt for us, and moſt convenient? Of this we need not doubt: And this is ſufficient for any Mans ſatisfaction.