ons, all Diseases and Pains, are laid upon you for your Good. This we are unwilling to believe, though revealed to us by the Spirit of Truth; and can hardly be perfuaded, That to be Sick and in Pain can be for our Good.

And therefore for your Conviction I must remind you, That this Promise, That all things work together for Good to them that love God, is to be understood, with respect to their future State in the other World, and not their prefent Condition in this.

For we are but Strangers and Sojourners in this World; and are only Travelling and paffing thorough it to another Countrey; where we must make an Eternal Abode.' It is therefore comparatively of very small moment, what our Condition is in this World, whether we be Happy or Miferable, provided we

fe

fecure our main State in the next. And those Paffages of our Lives, be they otherwise never fo unpleafing, are certainly best for us, which do most our Eternal Welfare.

promote

Indeed were the Disposal of Things left to our Choice, we would always be Happy and Profperous; Rich and Honourable; Healthful and at Eafe. But God who knows our Temper, and what bad ufe we should make of thefe Mercies, how we should pervert and abuse them, in great Kindness to our Souls, he withdraws them from us.

For God truly loves us. And as his Goodness fincerely designs our Happiness, fo his unerring Wisdom most infallibly difcerns what conduceth to it.

When therefore you are in Sickness and in Pain, fubmit not only with Patience but Thankfulness. And blefs God that he

takes

takes fuch Care of you; that he doth not leave you to your Self; to follow your own finful Imagination; but that he treats you with Difcipline; and by gentle Methods of Affliction, curbs and restrains the Exceffes of your Na

ture.

And though fuch Sickness and Pain are not easy to you (for no chaftening for the prefent feemeth to be joyous, but grievous,) yet when you confider, that they are the effect of God's unerring Love; and that these Difpenfations are laid upon you for your Good, your Reformation and Amendment, you will then bear them, not only with Patience and Submiffion, but with Chearfulness and Courage.

Hearken therefore to the Exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto Children. Obferve and attend it for your Inftruction and Comfort.

Here

Here read, out of your Bible, Heb. 12. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. And then proceed thus.

T

HE Subftance of which
Admonition is this.

That there is the greatest Reafon why we should submit to the Chaftifements of the Lord, in whatever Instance he may please to afflict us, because he is our Father he is the Father of Spirits, and doth correct his Children, not in Fury, like Earthly Parents, to vex and torment us; but in Judgment and Discretion, for our Profit, that we may live, and that we may be partakers of his holiness.

And that this Confideration of God's Fatherly Love and Kindnefs in afflicting his Children, may make its due Impreffion upon you, I fhall endeavour more particularly to explain, How and in what manner, Sickness, Difeafes, and Afflicting Pains, do work

for

for your Good, in the following Instances.

1. The first Benefit of Sickness.

De

Ifeafes and Pains, and the Confinement of a Sick Bed, do give you both Leifure and Inclination, to confider Eternity, and take care of your Soul. Which in the time of Health and Profperity was too much neglected.

The Generality of Men (being Men of Business, or Men of Pleasure) are fo wholly taken up with the Defigns of this World, that they have neither Leifure nor Inclination to think of the next. In what a Hurry fuch Men do spend the Day, is very obvious to obferve. And at Night, when they should Commune with their own Hearts, and recollect the Passages of the preceding Day [What Mercies they have received, that they may

thank