[3.] It is here supposed to be the Christian’s great duty, under the apprehensions of approaching troubles, to resign his will to God’s, and quietly commit the events and issues of all to him, whatever they may prove. Thas did David in the like case and circumstances: And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city.

If T shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back again, and show me both it and his habitation: but if he thus say, I have no delight in thee, behold here am I, let him do to me as seemeth geod unto him,” 2 Sam. xv. 25, 26.

Oh, lovely and truly Christian temper! As if he had said, Go, Zadck, return with the ark to its place, though I have not the symbol, yet I hope I shall have the real presence of God with me in this sad journey: how he will dispose the events of this sad and doubtful providence, I know not; either I shall return again to Jerusalem, or I shall not: if I do, then 1 shall see it again, and enjoy the Lord in his ordinances there: if I do not, then I shall go to that place where there is no need or use of those things; and either way it will be well for me; I am content to refer all to the Divine pleasure, and commit the issue, be it whatever it will, to the Lord. Sn

Till our hearts come to the like resolve, we can have no peace within. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established,” Prov. xvi. 3. By works he means not only every enterprise and business we undertake, but every puzzling, intricate, and doubtful event we fear. “These being once committed by an act of faith, and our wills resigned unto his, besides the comfort we shall have in the issue, we shall have the present advantage of a well composed and peaceful spirit. But this resignation is the difficulty. No doubt of peace, could we once bring our hearts to that. And therefore, - -. pe

[4.] I shall here subjoin such helps and directions, as may, through God’s blessing, in the faithful use of them, assist and facilitate this great and difficult work.

First help. Labour to work into your hearts a deep and fixed sense of the infinite wisdom of God, and your own folly and ignorance. This will make resignation easy to you; whatsoever the Lord doth is by counsel, Eph. i. 11, his understanding is infinite, Psal. exlvii. 5, his thoughts are very deep, Psal, xeii. 5, but, as for man, yea, the wisest among men, how little doth his understanding penetrate the works and designs of Providence! And how often are we forced to retract our rash opinions, and confess our mistakes; acknowledging, that if Providence had not seen with better eyes than ours, and looked further than we did, we had precipitated ourselves into a thousand mischiefs, which, by its wisdom and care, we have escaped. Itis well for us that the seven eyes of Providence are ever awake, and looking out for our good. Now, if one creature can and ought to be guided and governed by another that is more wise and skilful than himself, as the client by his learned counsel, the patient by his skilful physician, much more should every creature give up his weak reason, and shallow understanding, to the infinite wisdom of the omniscient God.

It is nothing but our pride and arrogance, overruling our understandings, that makes resignation so hard. Carnal reason seems to itself a wise disputant about the concerns of the flesh, but how often hath Providence baffled it. The more humility, the more resignation.

How few of our mercies and comforts have been foreseen by us! Our own projects have come to nothing, and that which we never thought on, or contrived, hath taken place; not our choice of the ground, or skill in weighing and delivering the bowl, but some unforeseen providence, like a rub in the green, was that which made the cast.

Second help. Deeply consider the sinfulness and vanity of torturing your own thoughts about the issues of doubtful providences.

1. There is mueh sin in so doing: for all our anxious and solicitous emotions, what else are they than the immediate issues and fruits of pride and unbelief? Lo a

‘T’kere is not a greater discovery of pride in the world than in the contests of our wills with the will of God. Tt is a presumptuous invading of God’s prerogative to dictate to his providence, and prescribe to his wisdom,

2. There is a great deal of vanity in it: all the thoughtfulness in the world will not make one hair while or black; all our discontents will not prevail with God to call back, or (as the word may be rendered,) make void his word, Isa. xxxi. 2. He is in one mind, Job xxiii. 13. The thoughts of his mind are from everlasting, Psal. xxxiii. 11.

Third help. Set before you those choice Scripture patterns of submission to the Lord’s will, in as deep, yea, much deeper points of self-denial than this before you, and shame yourselves out of this quarreling temper with Providence.

You know what a close trial that providence was to Abraham, that called him from his native country and father’s house, to go he knew not whither; and yet it is said in Isaiah xli. 2, He came to God’s foot,” as readily obeying his call, as a servant when his master knocks for him with his foot,

Paul’s voyage to Jerusalem had a dismal aspect upon himself; he could expect nothing but bonds and afflictions as he tells us, Acts xx. 23. And a great trial it was to the saints, who could not tell how to give up such a minister, yet he resigns up his will to God’s, and so do they, Acts xxi. 14, “The will of the Lord be done.”

But far beyond these, and all other patterns, what an example hath our dear Lord Jesus set before us in the deepest point of self-denial that ever was in the world, when the Father gave the cup of suffering into his hand in the garden, Mark xiv. 36, a cup of wrath, the wrath of the great and terrible God, and that without mixture; the very taste whereof put nature into an agony and astonishment, a sore amazement, a bloody sweat, and forced {rom him that vehement and sad ery, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass;’’ yet still, with submission, nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.”” Oh, blessed pattern of obedience and resignation to the pleasure of God! What is your case to this!

Fourth help. Study the singular benefits and advantages of a will resigned to, and melted into the will of God.

1. Such a spirit hath a continual sabbath within iteelf: the thoughts are established, Prov. xvi. 3. And truly, till a man come to this he doth but too much resemble the devil, who is a restless spirit, seeking rest but finding none.

It was an excellent expression of Luther, to one that was much perplexed in his spirit about the doubtful events f some affairs of his that were then pending: ‘I he Lord shall do all for thee, and thou shalt do nothing, but be the Sabbath of Christ.

It is by this means that the Lord gives his beloved sleep, Psal. cxxvii. 2. He means not the sleep of the body, but of the spirit. Though believers live in the minds of many troubles here, yet with quiet and composed minds they keep themselves in the silence of faith, as though they were asleep.

2. Besides, it fits a man’s spirit for communion with God in all his afflictions, and this alleviates and sweetens them beyond any thing in the world. 3. And surely a man is never nearer the mercy he desires, or the deliverance he expects, (as one truly observes,) than when his soul is broughtinto a submissive temper. David was never nearer the kingdom than when he became as a weaned child. Fifth help. Lastly, think how repugnant an unsubmissive temper is, both to your prayers and professions. You pray that the will of God may be done on earth as it is in heaven, and yet, when it seems to cross your wills or interests, you struggle and fret against it. You profess to have committed your souls to his keeping, and to leave your eternal concerns in his hands; and yet cannot commit things, infinitely less valuable, unto him. How contradictory are these things!

Your profession, as Christians, speaks you to be led by the Spirit; but this practice speaks you to follow the perverse counsels of your own spirits. O then regret no more, dispute no more, but lie down meekly at your Father’s feet, and say, in all cases, and at all times, the will of the Lord be done.

And thus I have, through the aid of Providence, performed what 1 designed to speak from this Scripture. I acknowledge my performances have been accompanied with much weakness, yet I have endeavoured to speak of Providence the things that are right, Blessed be the Lord, who hath thus far assisted and protected me in this work.

How Providence will dispose of my life, liberty, and labours, for the time to come, I know not; but I cheerfully commit all to him who hath performed all things for me.”