A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 210 (Questions 79-80)
SERMON CCX.
QUESTION LXXIX.
WHICH is the Tenth Commandment?
ANSWER.
THE Tenth Commandment is, Thou ſhalt not Covet thy Neighbours Houſe, thou ſhalt not Covet thy Neighbours Wife, nor his Man-Servant, nor his Maid-Servant, … his Ox, nor his Aſs, nor any thing that …is thy Neighbours.
IT was formerly obſerved in the Introduction to the opening of the Commands of the …calogue, That every one of theſe Commands hath a diſtinct Subject about which our Obedience is required. And this may be a good general Rule to direct us in our Enquiry after the ſpecial mind and meaning of This Command.
BEFORE I proceed to a diſtinct handling of it, there are Two things that muſt be a little enquired into; viz. Whether it be One Command, or Two? And, I… …at is the Subject particularly deſigned in it? Becauſe in both theſe Points there are Diſputes.
1. THE Papiſts who have for a Wicked Deſign, made but One Command of the …irst and Second, to keep up the number of Ten, have made Two of this Laſt; and their main Defence of this Partition, is the mentioning of the Prohibition Twice, which would not be, as they ſuppoſe, unleſs they were Two. But this is of no force; The thing It ſelf forbidden, is the ſame, as to the Nature of it, and is only diſtinguiſhed by the ſeveral Objects; which Diſtinction doth not alter the Nature of the Precept it ſelf; for if they did, we muſt make ſo many Precepts of it, as there are particular ſorts of things offered; & how many muſt be contained in the laſt Words? Beſides, if we ſhould make Two of them, then the Order will be inverted; for what in Exod 20. is made the Ninth, is the Tenth in Deut. 5. making the Firſt and Second but One: And Concupiſcence is the ſame for Kind, whether it be ſet upon a Dele…table, or a Profitable Object, which is their Diſtinction.
2. BUT then there is a matter of greater weight, to conſider what is directly intended in the Covetouſneſs, which is the Subject of the Command. The Word here uſed for Covering, properly ſignifies, vehemently to Deſire a thing, and is uſed in Scripture Aequivocally, ſometimes in a Good, ſometimes in a Bad Senſe. Deſire it ſelf is an Affection, which is put into the Creature, and was for Uſe, and is therefore in it ſelf Good, as all the Powers which God did put into His Creatures are. And in Man theſe Affections are neceſſary for the Will to execute it's Imperate Actions by.
BUT theſe Affections being in Men, put under the Government of the Underſtanding and Will, are ſubjected to the Rule of Special Government, and are either Good or Evil Morally, according as they are Subject to, or Rebelling againſt the Moral Law; and that not only in reſpect of the Actions, but the Diſpoſition too of theſe Affections, which is lodged in them, whether they be exerciſed or no. So that this Command doth not forbid all Deſires, but only ſuch as are Irregular, and contrary to the Rules which God …ath preſcribed to them, in His holy Law. For Deſire it ſelf is Natural to Man, as he is Man, tho' in ſinful Man there is a depravation on them, as in all the other Powers in him.
BUT then it remains a Queſtion, In what reſpect theſe do peculiarly belong to this Command, diſtinctly from any other Command in the Decalogue? And there are different thoughts about it.
SOME think, that the Other Commands of the Second Table forbid the External Actions, which are prohibited in them; but This, the Inward Motions and ſtirrings of the Heart about them, before they are perpetrated; and the Phariſees thought, that if they abſtained from the outward Act, they were blameleſs; againſt which Chriſt ſays, Matth. 5.28. But I ſay unto you, That whoſoever looketh on a woman to luſt after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. But this cannot be the thing intended, for the Law is ſpiritual, Rom. 7.14. And every particular Precept forbids the Sin in the Heart, as well as the Life: He that Luſts after another Man's Wife, breaks the Seventh Command directly.
OTHERS reduce it to Original Sin, ſuppoſing that all the Acts of Sin, with reſpect to our Neighbour, are prohibited in the Five fore-going Commands reſpectively, but that Original Sin, which is the Root from which they all proceed, is forbidden in this: And that, in this regard, it comprehends all the ſeveral Objects, about which the other are ſeverally concerned; and they infer it from that of Paul, Rom. 7.7. What ſhall we ſay then? It the law ſin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known ſin but by the law: for I had not known laſt, ea…p… the law had ſaid, Th… ſhalt not cover. As of he Juſtified his Actions, …o far as they referred to the particular Precepts, only by this Tenth he found them ſinful. But this alſo is a miſtake; for the whole Law in every Precept, requires perfect Sanctification in the Man, without which he cannot Obey any Command, according to the Perfection required in it; it ſuppoſeth that the Man …, and chargeth him with Guilt, becauſe he now hath …, that Integrity, which was once put into him; thro' the Loſs whereof he Sins in all that he doth, and cannot ſtand the Trial of the Law in any Duty: So that Original Sin in fallen Man, ſtands Arraigned for every Defeat, in every thing which he medleth withal: Hence that, Rom. 7.20. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but ſin that dwelleth in me. Whereas there is ſomething in this Command, which is Diverſe from what is in the other, which makes it a Diſtinct Precept.
OTHERS there be, who refer it to the f…ſt ſtirrings of Concuſ…iſcence in us, with reſpect to a forbidden Object; and in this a great many Judicious Divines do determin it.
THERE are three ſteps obſerved in the Production of a ſinful Action, there are the Firſt ſtirrings in the Mind, wherein a Motion is offered to draw the Will to comply with it; there is an Inclination in the Mind towards it, which puts the Man upon Deliberation▪ and there is the Choice of the Will, by which it embraceth the Motion, or Conſents to the doing of it▪ And when this laſt Act is paſt; the Conception of the Sin is ready for the Birth, and waits but for an Opportunity. As to the Two laſt of theſe, they are generally acknowledged to be Sin by our Adverſaries; but the former they Deny to be Sin at all; ſuppoſing theſe Motions to ariſe from the Inferiour Powers of the Fleſh, which they ſay were in Adam at Firſt. But all the Orthodox do ſay, and prove, that theſe Firſt Motions tho' reſiſted as ſoon as ſtarted, cannot be without Sin▪ which it would be too great a Digreſſion here to Inſiſt upon, except it were to the preſent Purpoſe, which I think it is not▪
BUT ſeveral are of Opinion, That theſe are the very things which this Command immediately intends; and that the other refer to the ſeveral Commands, to which the things themſelves do refer
BUT the Anſwer given to the former, may here ſuffice, viz. That if th…ſe M…t…ns are the Firſt born of Original Sin, and are the Ebal…ions of it, then the ſame Command that forbids Original Sin, forbids them too: And muſt therefore needs refer to the ſame Command, which the Overt Acts do come under the Cognizance of; and ſo cannot be the diſtinguiſhing Note of this Command from the reſt.
THAT therefore we may Eſſay to come at the thing deſigned, I ſhall offer the following Concluſions, which will at leaſt amount to a fair probability of the meaning of the Command:
1. THAT this Precept belongs to the Second Table of the Moral Law, and is to be reſ;trained to That. All the things mentioned in … Body of the Command, are terminated on … Neighbour, and are therefore proper to the … great Command, which our Saviour ſaith, is like to the Firſt, in Mitth. 22.39. And it is apparent that Chriſt divides theſe Two with regard to the Next and Immedine Object, about which theſe are to be exerciſed; God being the Object of the one, and our Neighbour of the other; altho' it is certain, that God is the Ultimate Object of both, for both Obedience and Sin, have their Denomination, as …, with reſpect to Him who is our Lord and Lawgiver. Pſal. 51.4. Againſt thee, thee only have I …inned, and done this evil in thy fight. And who is to be underſtood by our Neighbour, we formerly conſidered, and may again glance at in the ſ…quel.
2. THAT This Command comprehends under … Objects pointed at in each of the foregoing Precepts of this Table. What theſe are, we have taken an Account ſeverally, in the handling of them, and wherein they differ one from the other. And that they are here re…ed to, is evident from the very Words uſed▪ Some of them are mentioned, as Houſe, Wife, Servants, and all the reſt are comprized in the General, Any thing that is his: ….… If there is any thing elſe, which is to be thought of, is which thy Neighbour is concerned, this Coveting about it, is here Prohibited, as if it were diſtinctly named. And we before obſerved, That the Words of every Command in the Decalogue are Synechdochical, inaſmuch as they comprehend the whole Moral Law under them; for it was that whole Law which was revived at Mount Sinas, Exod. 20.
3. THAT hence, It muſt have ſome distinct …eſpect to theſe Objects, from what was proper … thoſe Commands. The reaſon of this ſeems to be Cogent, becauſe otherwiſe this Command would be Superfluous; for tho' it be true, that the ſome Duty may in diverſe reſpects, be enjoyned in ſeveral Precepts, yet they are not to be conceived to belong to more than One, in the ſam… reſpect; for ſo one Command would be confounded with another, which is not agreeable to the Infinite Wiſdom of God in giving the Law. So that it is not enough to ſay ſuch a thing is Commanded or Forbidden by this and that Precept; but if we would be diſtinctly acquainted with the Mind of God, we muſt enquire after what manner it refers to this, and how to the other.
4. HENCE it follows, That the thing …med …, is ſomething wherein we either expreſs our Love or our Hatred to our Neighbour. For one of theſe belongs to every Command of the Second Table, the former attaining to the Affirmative, the other to the Negative part of the Precept. Now the Apoſtle hath plumply aſſured us of this in, Rom. 13.9. For this, Th… ſhalt not commit adultery, Thou ſhalt not k…r, Thou ſhalt not ſteal, Thou ſhalt not bear ſ…ſe witneſs, Thou ſhalt not cove…; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this ſaying; namely, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf. And hath given us this reaſon for the Confirmation of it, in Ver. 10. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore Love is the fulfilling of the law. And this he doubtleſs gathers from our Saviour's ſaying open of the Law, in the fore-cited, Matth. 22.37, &c. So that in the breaking of this Command, that Love which God requires of us to Men, is directly tranſgreſſed againſt, and thereby comes under the Definition of Sin, 1 Joh. 3.4. Whoſoever committeth ſin tranſgreſſeth alſo th… law: for ſin is the tranſgreſſion of the law.
5. THAT though this Command be delivered with reſpe… to the Inward Motions of the Heart, yet it …ath its External Actions which refer to it. There is this Difference in the Mode of Expreſſing of This, from that of the other, that it nextly ſpeaks of Coveting, which we obſerved intends the ſtirrings of Concupiſcence within, and doth not mention any outward Deed; whereas the …er do directly ſpeak of the Action it ſelf, and not of the framing of the Mind and Affections; but, as under Theſe the other is Comprehended, as hath formerly been Proved, ſo in This are theſe contained; and this may be the Apoſtle's meaning in the fore-cited Rom. 7.7. Becauſe in his Phariſaical State he was deluded, with the Vulgar Error, that if he performed the Matter of Duty, and abſtained from the Overt, Acts of Sin, he was Blameleſs; and this is the meaning of that, Acts 23.1. And Paul earneſtly beholding the councel, ſaid, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conſcience before God, until this day. But when he better Meditated on this Precept, he found himſelf Deceived, becauſe he was now Convinced, that the Law, in all it's Precepts, required the Heart, and the having of a Sanctify'd Principle in it; and that every Command was broken, as well by the Inward ſtirrings of the Heart, as by the breaking out of ſuch Motions in the Life▪ And not, as ſome have thought, that every ſuch Motion belonged peculiarly to this Command, and were not a Breach of any other: For as he aſcribes Spirituality to the whole Law, Ver. 14. ſo he applies the Reſiſtance of Sin in him, as the Obſtruction of his aright performing every Duty which is Good, Ver. 21. Nor is this Command reſtrained to Inward, ſtirrings, but it alſo requires the ſuitable Actions, and forbids ſuch as are contrary; which, what they are will be conſidered in the ſeq…l.
6. HENCE it ſeems that the thing here …im… a…, … ſomething … is a Rejultan…y from … yet … from them. It is … a…ing inconſiſtant, that out of a great many … laid together, there may be one great Da…y gathered which is ſomething Different from them, and that not only in the Degree of it, as ſome would make it here, and therefore tell us that this Precept requires the moſt Intenſe Degrees of that Love which is required in every of the …eſt; but, whether the Maxim be univerſally true, that Degrees do not vary the Kind, which ſome Diſpute in point of Morals; yet this muſt be acknowledged, that every Command requires Perfection in regard of the Duties enjoyned by it, and ſo there needs not a ſpecial Command to oblige us to this Intenſeneſs, becauſe it is included in the Command it ſelf: The ſame Command that binds as to Love God, …inds us to do it with All our Heart, and that which requires us to Love our Neighb…ur, directs us to Love hi… as our ſelves.
7. FROM the Premiſes it follows, that the thing here required is a ſuitable Frame & Dep…rtment in reſpect of our ſelves & others, with reſpect to the Providence of God, in both rega…d…. That the Man himſelf is an Object referred to, in all the Commands of the Second Table, yea and primarily ſo, hath been formerly ſufficiently proved; the thing therefore intended, muſt refer to the Man Himſelf, as well as to his Neighbour, elſe how ſhall he make his Love of Himſelf, the Pattern of his Love to another? Now if we ſequeſter what is pointed at in the other, there …ms nothing elſe to Remain for this, but a Conſideration of the Providence of God, ſo far as it concerns the Affairs of this Love; and that as both we our ſelves and our Neighbours are concerned in it▪ and are the Subjects on whom it terminates: It therefore directs to our ſuitable Deportment there…o, according as the Over-ruling Providence of God determines it; which, what it is, will come be conſidered in the laying open of the Affirmative and Negative part of the Precept.
QUESTION LXXX.
WHAT is required in the Tenth Commandment?
ANSWER.
THE Tenth Commandment requireth full Contentment with our own Condition, with a right and charitable frame of ſpirit towards our Neighbour, and all that is his.
WE before obſerved, That this Command, in the manner of Wording it, nextly ſtrikes at the Inward Motions of the Heart, tho' not excluding, but ſuppoſing the Outward Actions in which the thing is diſcovered: We may therefore Conſider it with a peculiar reſpect to the former, in which we may obſerve the riſe of the latter.
HERE then obſerve, That there as a … Condition of this Life, in which Men are concerned, which co…es …der the G…neral Denomination of … and Adverſity, the … whereof bears the Conſideration of Good, the other of Evil. Now theſe may be conſidered, either as they are ordered by the governing Providence of God, who is the Supream Diſpoſer of all the Affairs of Men, and under that reſpect the Duty incumbent on us, refers to the Firſt Table, and the Firſt Command in it; … elſe as we Ourſelves and our Neighbours are nextly concerned …n them, and ſo they belong to This Command in the Second Table. Now we are here acquainted with a double Duty, the one in regard to Our ſelves, the other referring to our Neighbour
1. WITH reſpect to Our ſelves; it acquires of us, full Conte…ment with our own Condu…: And that when we compare Ours with that of Others the State wherein we are, or the Lot which befals us in this World, ſatisfies u…, whatſoever the Lot of other Men may be: So that the great Vertue here preſcribed is Conten…tion, which is a thing to be learned from Above; and therefore the Motives to it, muſt be fetch'd from God, and learnt of Him: Hence that, Phil 4 11. For I have learned in whatſoever state I am, there with to be content. Nor ought the contrary Condition of our Neighbour move us to any exorbitant Thoughts, or Carriages, with reſpect to our Own; but we ought to reſt ſatisfied in it, as that which is Beſt for us. Now this Contentation hath a reſpect both of Proſperity and Adverſity; for in both of theſe there is required a due exerciſe of it; and it conſiſts in the ſetting ſuch Bounds to the Deſires of our Hearts after theſe things, ſo as that we can Acq…eſe in them, whether it be More or Leſs of them, which falls to our ſhare: If we have Much of this World, it doth not lift us up, and if we have but a Little, it doth not ſink us down, but we Contentedly take all things as they come; not placing our Happineſs in the Fruition, nor reckoning our ſelves Miſerable in the Abſence of them.
NOW this Contentment may be Conſidered,
[1.] Negatively, in Three particulars.
1. IT doth not …orbid us to entertain all Providences with ſuitable Reſentments. It is the Wife Man's Advice, Eccl. 7.14. In the day of proſperity be joyful, but is the day of adverſity conſider. Proſperous Providences are ſuited to our Cravings, and we count them Good, and are glad of them; Adverſity is a thing irkſome to us, and is wont to Grieve us: Nay God uſeth theſe, either to Encourage or Chaſten His People; and not to lay theſe things to Heart, is an Argument of Stupidity. Religion doth not require Men to be S…oicks, and to make no Difference between the Smiles and Frowns of Providence: He therefore Complains of them, Iſa. 42.25. Therefore he hath poured upon him the …ury of his anger, and the ſtrength of battel; and is hath ſet him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.
2. NOR doth it make it Un…a…ful for us, to Apprecate Favour, and Depre…ate Affliction. God hath made Prayer to be a great Medium of Communion between Him and His People, in which they are to preſent their Petitions to Him, for all that they ſtand in need of; in which they are to lay their Reſentments before Him, and therein to teſtify their entire Dependence on Him for all Good: He therefore bids us to Ask of Him the Good things that we Need, Z…ch. 10 1. And to call upon Him for help when we are in Trouble, Pſal. 50.15. We cannot but Deſire theſe things; and we ought to Acknowledge that He only can Anſwer them, and accordingly to Supplicate Him for them.
3. NOR doth it prohibit us, The uſing of proper Means for Obtaining the one, or Avoiding the other. As He hath made it our Duty to Pray, becauſe all our Succeſs depends upon Him, ſo he hath appointed the Means, which He would have us to Attend, in order to ſpeeding: in which according to the ordinary Courſe of His Providence, He is wont to Communicate the Bleſſing. To uſe Means without Prayer, argues Atheiſm, and a Contempt of God; and to Pray and neglect Duty in uſe of theſe Means, is a toke of Preſumption: Hence that Exhortation, P. 37.3. Truſt in the Lord, and do good, ſo ſhalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou ſhalt be fed.
[2.] Affirmatively, IT comprehends theſe things in it,
1. A Chearful Acquieſcence in the Condition which God diſpoſeth for us. It is a Duty lying on the Children of God, 1 Theſ. 5.16. Rejoyce evermore. And therefore all Godly Ones are ſo Commanded, Pſal. 33.1. Rejoyce in the Lord, Oye righteous, for praiſe is comely for the upright. And we find this to be a Duty lying upon us in the worſt and moſt diſmal Times that paſs over us, as the Prophet emphatically Expreſſeth himſelf, Hab 3.17, 18. Although the fig-tree ſhall not bloſſom, neither ſhall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive ſhall fail, and the fields ſhall yield no meat, the flock ſhall be cut off from the fold, and there ſhall be no …rd in the ſtalls. Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my ſalvation. Our Condition may be Troubleſome to the Fleſh, and our Carnal Reſentments may diſturb our Tranquillity, and put us into Diſquietment; but we ought to reſiſt ſuch Motions in us, and endeavour to entertain all with a ſedate Mind, and chide down all ſuch moleſtful Regrets; Pſal. 42.5. Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I ſhall yet praiſe him, who is the health of my countenance, and thy God It therefore is given as one of the Characteriſtical Notes of a Godly Man. Pſal. 112.7, 8. He ſhall not be afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed, truſting in the Lord. His heart is eſtabliſhed, be ſhall not be afraid.
2. A reſolving that our preſent Condition is now Beſt for us. And this is a natural Reſultance from the former, and the proper Help to the practiſing of it: Nor can there be any true Satisfaction in the Providence, except we entertain ſuch an Apprehenſion of it; for Nature it ſelf relucts againſt Evil, and it cannot be compoſed, but by an Apprehenſion, that Good will come out of it: God therefore thus encourageth them, Jer. 24.6. For I will ſet mine eyes upon them for good. We ought therefore to Believe, that there is Good in the bottom; and that tho' for the Preſent it be Grievous, and we lawfully ſeek a Riddance of it, in God's time, that yet it ſhall be Profitable for us, and it ſhall do us Good and not Hurt in the iſſue; tho' it is Bitter, yet it ſhall prove Wholeſome: Thus therefore he encourageth them in, Heb 12.9, 10. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our fleſh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: ſhall we not much rather be in ſubjection unto the father of ſpirits and live? For they verily for a few days chaſtened us after their …n pleaſure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs.
3 THAT we do entirely ſubmit all our Affairs to the Divine Diſpoſal. We are to Believe that God Orders all the Affairs of this World, and of every particular Perſon in it; and that there is His holy Hand in all that comes to paſs: and that nothing can befall us without Him: He therefore expects of us an entire Reſignation to Him, of our Perſons and all our Concerns, and freely to leave every thing in His hand. It is He who diſpoſeth our Condition, and the Condition of others, as He ſees meet; and all is of Him, and this ought to pleaſe us: Thus we find him to reſign under a ſevere Commination, 1 Sam. 3.18. He ſaid, It is the Lord: let him do what ſeemeth him good. Tho' we ſhould be glad if it might be otherwiſe, and we ſee Anger in the Diſpenſation, yet we are to give Him this Glory, to leave it with Him: Hence that, Pſal. 10.14. Thou haſt ſeen it, for thou beholdeſt miſchief and ſpite to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himſelf unto thee, thou art the helper of the fatherleſs. What if I am in Adverſity, when my Neighbour flows in Proſperity, it is God's Pleaſure that it ſhould be ſo, and I am Content.
4. THAT we duely Moderate our Affections both of Joy and Sorrow. That there is a lawful Exerciſe of theſe, according to the face of Providence, we have already obſerved; and theſe Affections were put into us for ſuch an Uſe, and not to be eradicated; but ſtill there is a Moderation of them required, and neceſſary to be uſed, if we would maintain Chriſtian Contentment. There is an over Rejoycing which unfits us for the Entertainment of Adverſe Providences, that we have no Security againſt; which will therefore ſurprize us at unawares, and unfit us for entertaining them with a due compoſed frame of Spirit; as he confeſſeth, Pſal. 30 6, 7. And in my proſperity I ſaid, I ſhall never be moved. Lord, by thy favour thou haſt made my mountain to ſtand ſtrong: thou didſt hide thy face, and I was troubled. And there is a ſullen Sorrow when Evil diſtreſſeth us, … we cannot ſee when Good comes, and thereupon we are not fit to entertain it with ſuitable Gratitude. We are therefore adviſed to carry it … reſpect of theſe Chequered Providences, with an Even Frame of Spirit, and due Temper of Mind; that tho' we do, we may not over…do, in any of th…ſe regards, 1 Cor. 7.29, 30.
NOW to help us to, and in the Exerciſe of true Contentation, let me offer theſe Directions,
1. LET us make ſure that God is our Father by a gracious Adoption. There is no true Contentment without Godlineſs: It is therefore put as an inſeparable Concomitant of that, 1 Tim. 6.6. But godlineſs with contentment is great gain. As long as we have God for our Enemy, we have no Quiet in our Minds, becauſe His Curſe, is upon our Proſperity, and our Adverſity hath His Wrath written upon it: Hence that, Iſa. …7.20.21 The wicked are like the troubled ſ…a, when it cannot reſt whoſe w…ters caſt up mire and dirt. There is no peace, ſaith my God, to th… wicked. But if we have this God for our God, we have therein good Security, for the Advantageous Iſſue of all things which befalls us in the preſent Life. Rom. 8.28. And we know that all things work together for good, to them that …ov… God, to them who are the called according to his purpoſe. And certainly there cannot be a greater or more ſolid ground of Contentment afforded us, than this is; it ſaith, that we can be no leſs than Happy, let our Condition be what it will.
2. LET us firmly Believe, that all which He doth to us, is the Product of His Wiſdom and Love. God would have His Children to Believe, that when He afflicts them, it is becauſe He Loves them; Heb. 12.6. For whom the Lord loveth, he chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every ſon whom he receiveth. And ſurely what is done in Love, ought not to diſguſt us, but ſatisfy us. Much more then, when there is no Error or Miſtake in the Application; becauſe He who Loves us is infinitely Wiſe; and manageth all our Affairs according to the moſt mature Counſel, which cannot poſſibly miſtake; this compoſed the Pſalmiſts diſturbed Mind, and bro…t him to a ch…rful Acquieſcence; Pſal. 73.24. Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel. And with this God offers to quiet His People in the dark times of the Captivity, Jer. 2….11. For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, ſaith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
3. LET us diligently obſerve, how Theſe things work to the furtherance of our Beſt Intereſt. Our Diſcontents often flows from our Falſe reckoning; we eſteem of things according to Senſe, and the preſent Temporary Concerns before us, whence a Falſe Judgment neceſſarily follows. We are made for an Eternal Eſtate, and whatſoever is made ſerviceable to Advance that, is truly Good, and ſo is to be Valued; the Proſperity that hinders it, is Evil, the Adverſity that gives a lift to it, is Good; that which weans us from the Creature, engageth us in working out our own Salvation, helps us to more Diligence in laying up Treaſures in a better World, is certainly matter of Joy and Satisfaction: Hence that, 2 Cor 4.17. For our light aff…tion, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
4. LET us therefore always Value our ſelves upon our Interest in another Life. If we count our ſelves Happy or Miſerable according as our Temporary Affairs go, we can never enjoy any ſolid and unſhaken Contentment: But if we look upon our ſelves herein to be truly Happy, that the Lord is our God, that our Names are written in Heaven, that we are Heirs of the Kingdom, and look for a continuing City to come, and are only Pilg…i… and Strangers here: This will be the way to poſſeſs our Souls, and be full of Inward Tranquillity in the moſt boiſterous Tempeſts, … knowing that our Life is hid with CHRIST in GOD; and that whatſoever we encounter in our Paſſage, ſhall moſt certainly turn to our Beſt Advantage.
[APRIL 30. 1706.]