194 Of Patience. SERM. more, and fits the heavier upon him. Pa- VII. tience indeed is a merciful prefcription, cal- culated for our intereft and advantage, as well as it is a duty which we owe to our fupreme and perfealy wife Governor. It is the only effeäual way to make the beft of our con- dition, and give us all the happinefs we can poffibly enjoy in fuch circumftances. Since it is not in our power to alter our Rate, and lince the very fting of af?iiEtion is the unea- finefs and perturbation of our own minds under it ; for as the moralift juftly obferves, it is not fo generally events that trouble men, but their own opinions and ways of thinking concerning them ; what remains, but that it is the wifdom of every man to bear quietly and peaceably what he cannot avoid ? to calm the tempefts of his mind by -the confiderations of religion and virtue ? to retire within him - felf, collet all his ftrength, and fummon all the powers of his foul to attend fuch an im- portant office as enquiring what fund of con - Lfolation remains from within, and what fup- ports independent on all external occurrences? for there is the only fore remedy, and it is all fummed up in patience. But let chriftians look to the captain of their falvation who was made perfet t thro' fuffer- ings ;
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