266 ___________T_h_e__ G_re_a_t_D_u~~~o/~R_e~fi-~g~na_t_io_n. _________ I will, ·Firfl:, Confider what is confifl:cm with this voluntary Rejignation. That wilJ appear in rhc fo1lowing Particulars. _ _ FirCI:, An carncfl: Deprecation of an impending Judgment is reconcilable with our ~~~1j1}1!~~~~r~~,ir~~c f~fi~~~{~~~: r~~~~i~~c~af~1~y~t~; ~fc~~~ter~f;. Sa~~l~,~~Arhd~\\~~ii~h between God's Law, and his Decre~ an~l CountcJ : 'rh~ Law ts ~hy Rule of our Duty and requires an entire exaCt fubjcChon HI. aH our Faculttcs, even m our internal Dcfircs, in. t~1c firfl: Motions_ o~ the Will: The lcafl: vcllciry, or riling of the Heart againfl: rh~ D1Vli1C Command, IS Irregular and culpable; for not only the Acts of Sin arc forbidden in every Command rcfpcClively, bur .all the lncitations of Concupi1Cencc, before the deliberate Judgment of the Mind, or the actual ConfCnt of the Will. Bur the Decree of God is not the Rule of our Dmy ; and fecrer till manifelled by the Event of Things. Tlus bcmg prcnufed, the Rcafons are evident why we may pray againft an AflhCbon rhat threatens us, without violating our Duty. Firfi; Becaufc Affiic1ions arc Evils which the Will naturally declines, and arc not dc- ·firablc things in chemielvcs. They arc not beneficial and productive of our good by any p~op::r Ef:Jlcacy and ~per~r~011, bur by the ovcr-ntling Provi~ence of God, and the gractous AilJfiance of Ius ~pmr._ When Aaron's Rod was put Into the Sanc:tl~~uy, and became green and Aouri'Ihmg wnh Blolfoms and Almonds, twas not from any tnherenr Virrue of its own, but from rhe ipecial Influence of the Di~ine Power; for the other Rods remained dead and dry : Thus the happy Elfects of the amicting Rod arc from Divine Grace. Secondly; There arc proper Temp~arions char a:trc~d the ailliCted ~are. Many are cncompafS'd in -a fad Circle; ·their Sms procure Aflltdions, ami ~hctr AffliCtions oc- ~~~~- ~- 3, calion many Sins. Indeed, lribulation that is fanctificd, by a liappy gradation worl:et!J Patience; and Patience~ Experienc.e of rhe Div-ine Mcztcy; and J!xperience,E-Iope; and Hopt maketh not ajhamed. But when It mecrs with a frubborn Sptnt, there are fearful defcents jfa~;:1 ~n~r~~;;;;~ ~~:foJ,:n.1me;r:;n:;~vi~1}~y;i~~t~~~~~l~a~:[~~~~ez~e;jg~,~:1~.~!ia;o~~~ rimes by immoderate .Sorrow, fOmer imcs by inordinate Joy, doth mifchief to the Soul. And as more perifi1 by Surfeits t!~an Ab{linence, yet the Difca(Cs that arc caufed by EmptinefS, arc more dangerotts and mcurablc than thofe char proceed from FuJnefS: So more f,:e;~t~,~~~r~: :C~o1~~~r~~~~c~:,e~~: ~~~:c r~:~r!J~il%n~;~~15ar~~1a~u~d~e~1: ~~~nr~~~ t~~~::o~~5v~~~ctr~t;~:;,art~:~ ~~~1::;dn:~~e'%Jv;~,:oT!~;~a~:~~i>::~/;o b~def:U~::JcJ,: all Evil. Secondly ; A mournful fen~e of AffliCtions fenr fr~m God, is confrll:c~r with a dutiful Reftgnarion of our fclves to Ius Will. 'Twas the vmn Boafi of the Ph1lofophers, That ~~~~~r!:~~~le:~:lsa~0e~~af0::tJ~: ~~~~1~:~Wi~Jll~~ Mi~':t~~ll~~:o~;li::~ip~~s ~~l~~~~~~~er~l~~ Nihil agil ~,-.. lOrrowful Accidents to which they might be expof~d here : They fpeak high againft l~r ,IJu"m'!Jis Fortune and Fare, and rcfOlve iluBbornly, that no mtfCry, whether Poverty or Difgrace, !~n ~:::7:•rffi Torments .or D~at-h, fhould exror.t from ~hem a co~1feflion that _i~ was MiferY:. 'T\~as m}ubor m... one of rhctr Axwms , That a W1fe Man IS not fitbjeCt to the vtc!l1irudes and mfl:abilicy !7~~~~~f.P, ~,';~;11~~5 i!'~;~v:;~o;~~vn:~~;~ £uf;;:n~~ ~~~~~~w0~~~~':g ~=~''d'l~ui;J,, h;,~ ~~~~f~ j:;~:;E~~u- ~a~e~~;~c~~~~~~t~1~~ fr~~r :f;e;ffil~~~ ~~effi~~~~~n~s ~:;~l~;:lp;~~~l~c~!~?~e~;~cc~f~~; ~"'!'• fi"'ptr prcfcnt flare : Nor P<;'fflblc, for the be~ Men are not all S_pirft, bur umred to Fie~ ; ~~~et~mum. ~~da~~1;l~1u:1~~n~;~Jndc~:1~h: ~~s11~f~~~~fe ~~n~f~~;s~~!~r}u1~~~t:r ~~~erA~rc~e~1~~~v~;~~ iCnr Life, mufl: caufe Grief. 'Tis ea:fic to utter brave 'Expreffions, and lay down feyere t M_"g"" 'IJtr~a Precepts in contempt of Evils ·t- w·hen they are at a difiance, but hard to fiillain the Spi- ?c::;;:o~~:m ~~ b1~1~~~~~~da~~f11e~~~~~1~f~~- rh~~; ;~~P~fi~;l~;gat~h1f~~~~h~~a1f~l~~~e:l~e~~a~~~~~~; tmo~. rJJtJmun [o hardned as to be proof againfl the mofl: piercing •.1\.fHiCtions, filch a forced infenfibi- ~;!;o~;;t;, ;}!:~ lir_y is nor regular, bur_rrocee~s from. the cxrinCtioh of Humaniw and Piety; and rhar ~=~~;;:,~:: w'~i:X;ei~~ abr,a~~:~;d;:;~~ct~~~~1c,n~h~~~:'~'d~~,~~~rv~'~r '~~~~~ffive Evils, and a penftve fcchn~ of them is funablc to rhe Law of our ·Crcanon: ·for rhe Humane Naru~~
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