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SERMON IX.

T

LUKE xxi. 19.

In your Patience poffefs ye your Souls.

HE unpleasant Things which befall us, in one Part or another of this Life, are so many; and the Impressions, which they make upon us, are commonly so strong; that being affected by them no otherwise, than we ought, constitutes a large and difficult Part of our Duty: which therefore I shall endeavour to explain and recommend to you in several Discourses. And as some Things are immediately and necessarily uneasy to us, and fome only by Means of needless and unreasonable Reflections and Comparisons of our own State with what others are, or with what we might have been: I shall speak at present of bearing what we cannot but feel disagreeably, with Composure, which is usually called Patience;

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tience; in the next Place, I shall direct to the like Behaviour under comparative Misfortunes, which is generally expressed by the Name of Contentment; and after these moral Obligations, which however need not and cannot well be altogether separated from those of Piety, I shall proceed to lay before you more distinctly the religious ones, of Refignation first, and then of Thankfulness, under every Affliction and seeming Disadvantage.

Now the Feelings unavoidably disagreeable to us, and tempting us to Impatience, are chiefly Pain, Sorrow, Fear, and Anger.

1. Pain: under which may be comprehended alfo Sickness, Restlessness, and languid Lowness. These are often so grievous, by their Degree, or Continuance, or both; that we cannot fail, from the very Make of our Nature, to suffer under them extremely: and stifling at such Times all Expressions of suffering, and earnest Wishes of Eafe, would usually require too violent an Effort to be lasting; or perhaps to be safe, even could we perfist in it. Besides, these external Marks of Distress were certainly designed by Providence to excite a proper Degree of Pity and Assistance from those around us; which, without some power

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ful Calls upon them, would frequently be withheld. And therefore we ought neither to condemn ourselves, nor others, who may possibly undergo far more than we imagine, for fome strong Expressions of present Misery : nor think it a very heinous Fault, if they now and then exceed the proper Bounds. But still the more calm and moderate we are, the more we shall appear, if not to need, yet to deserve, both Compassion and Relief; and they will both be afforded us with more Good-will and Regard. Then further, all vehement Complaints and immoderate Significations of our Wretchedness, heighten strangely our own Sense of it; and thus either work us up into wild Rage, or fink us down into spiritless Dejection; and so make our Cafe much worse than it was; when, alas, we have Cause to seek out for every Alleviation, great or small.

In acute Torments, it is a very comfortable Circumstance, if we can hope, that they will not be durable. Even a short Time, indeed, will feem dreadfully long to us. But however, it must be a Confolation in a Storm, that we are making towards a safe Harbour within our View, though we feem to approach it flowly. And as the easing of Pain is not only Ease but Delight; we should fupport ourselves by expecting it, as well as enjoy it when it comes.

In tedious Disorders it may be very useful to look back now and then, and see how much we have gone through already: not in order to load our Minds with the Burthen of it a second Time; but to learn, from what we have done already, what we can do more, if Need be. And probably, we shall be able to do it with less Difficulty hereafter, than we did before. For by Degrees and proper Care, both our Minds and Bodies become habituated to endure Hardship quietly and chearfully. It is a great Proof and Instance of the Mercy of our Creator, that we are so framed. And we ought to make a faithful Use of his Goodness in this Respect, as well as others.

But in order to acquiefce more patiently under our Sufferings, we should look beyond the Bitterness to the possible Benefits of them. Our Liableness to them may teach us Caution and Prudence in many Parts of our Conduct, in order to avoid them; may preserve us from Follies destructive to our Fortunes, our Reputations, our Health itself. For Numbers have prefumed so far upon their Strength, as utterly