The Great Duty of Refigpatio~. is fram'd with fitch Scn1Cs and Paffions, as according ro God's intention fl1ould be affected fuitably to the Q;!ality of their Objects; and if the Soul acts rationally, 'tis moved accordingly. A Samt on Earth IS noc a Same m Heaven, radht above all D1fJftcrs fi~~s ~~~tYl~~es,b~~e~:'tf~~~ ~~ 1~ffi~~Jn!~;~7~~0~t~0i~ni ;v~~~~~~in~1~s f~rl~~;v:~ll~~1~l~t~ Paffions pliable to his Condirio1, bur without exccfS; rhe Eyes mt11l: not be drown'd, nor dry, but tenderly affected. . . . Secondly, Confldcred in a moral refpect, as they arc fcnt from the lugh and ;ufl: Providence of God, it is abfOlurely neceffary there fhould be an humble rcfcntmcnt of his DifplcafUrc. This is a coniCquent of the former; for if our AffeCtions. arc !Cared up, chat we do not feel tl~c ~rrokc ; How fuall .we rcga~d the hand rhar fnurc~ u.s? If we arc not fcnfible of i\.ffhChons, we are fecure 111 our Sms. Natural Sorrow IS mtroductiYe of Godly Sorrow. There arc two Extreams to be avoided by the afllicted, according ro rhe direction of Solomon in the Perfon of Wifdom, and repeated by t he Apofrlc: JJtyfon, defiife.not t}Jou the chajfening of the Lor~, ~or faint_JVI:Jen thou art relmkedHr:'u_ 12 · s. vf him. Some arc d tfcouraged and over-born by A~fbdwns as urfitpportablc: Others arc fl:ubborn and carelcfs) and never lay them to Heart: They never look upward to the ~l~~~;1~i\~~c~l1t~t 3t:~~ th1~~~~~~~~t~~~e~~rr;~;;a~~;~~1~t;11~~~~~~~r~b1~rfr~~~' ~~~~~~~ out a defign ro correct and reform Sinners ; or ro proceed from a bli~d neceility, things of coudC ; or mecrly rcgar~ the fccon_d_Caufes an~ In!l:ru_mcnts of their Tro_ublcs : accordingly, when they meet Wtth Calanut~cs, all d~etr care IS_ by a prcverfc f111ft to fcek for relief only in Temporal Comforts ; :vtthout fenous applyt~g rhemfelves to God, whofe end in fending Troubles, is to rcclatm us from Sin to Holmcfs, from Earth to Heaven, from the Creatures to himfelf. This fecret Arheifin, like a benumming Opium, fiupifies the Confdencc ; and the infcnfibility of God's hand infli&in~ Evils, is as _different from Chrifuan P~tic~cc and Confl:allcy, as a mortal Lethargy IS from the qtuct, foft Sleep of Health : Nothmg kindles his Allger more than neglecting it; 'tis equally provoking with the defpifmg of his Love : Ir is a i)'mpron of a wretched fl:ate of Soul; 'if there proceed no fighs and groans, no figns of Grief from the fenfe _of God's difplcafure, it is a fJd Evidence there is no Spiritual Life. Indolence under the Effects of God's Anger, is like the fl:illnefs of the dead Sea, whofc Calm IS a Curfe. The ]e~~>s, rho' innrled the People of God, arc dccpl~ charg'd for this prodigious Madnefs; 0 L ord, thou bajl jlrllck them, but they bav~ ttot grtevetl; thou baft ~on fumed tl:em, but they refufed to receive correElion: lbf)' bave made t~Jeir faceJ harda than a rock, they bave refufed to r~turn, _Jer. S· _J· We ha\'C whole Qy.arncs of fitch obdurate Wretches amongfl: us; this tmpenttent dtfrcgardcd of God's hand is a dread ful prefagc of future and inore heavy Judgments. Who ever bardned bim.felf againft the Lord, and profpered .> Do We provoke the Lord to ;ealoujie! Are we jl-rong,er thmi /;e .> The mofi rcfractary he can compel to acknowledge with bitter lamentations his Wickcdncfs and Wcakncfs, how unable he is to contend with his Judge. Bur fitppofing ~ ~f~;~n~0~~f~~?~~;~,~~·r~;'~~~r. th~~,~~a~~,~~~J;~F~~~~' ~~a~~~~~;;~ ~~~~~:dn;vJ;~;~ Secondly ; I fll<~ll t~ow proceed_ t~ exphcat~ wl~at is included 111 the _Refignmenr of Iiour fclv~s to God m tunes of ~fHH~IO~ . Tlus Will b~ made evident bY: cohfidering the ~:~~i!e~~~~af~~bc~:di~1 ~~i~1~culnes wluch Grace fanCbfies and works m, according to The Un<lerfl:anding approves the fcvcrcfl: difpenfations of Providence to be good ti>at is for rea~ons, rho' fomenmes unfearchable, yet always nghreous, a1~d for graciou~ ends to the SatMts. When Hezekiah heard the heavy Prophecy, that all ius Trcalitres fl10uld be carried to Ba~ylon, and his Royal Progency fl10uld become Slaves there, he faid tb I fa. 39 . 6, 1 , s «d;;d i~~"/!~ ~'f,:irt~fr:~~;,o~'l~~~:::r;,;i;fo1~,~~ui!i~ f~t:~:!~~ ~~i~~ ,a±,':d:; there i~ a ii"ltisfJdion of Mi~d in ~he rectirud~, fo in rh~ graci~u~1cfs of his Proceed ings. The nnf-opptchcnflon and tmf-behef of Gods Defign m afll1<~rmg, caufeth Impatience and Mur_murmg; bur when t~1c Mind ·ts convinct;;d , that he Afflicts us for our Bc:;nefiri that Bodtly DifCales are McdJcinal Advantages, the Remedies of the Soul; that the loffcs of Earthly Comforts prepare us for Divine Enjoyments; that rhc way whicft is fo~ved W1th Thorns, and watered With Tears, leads ro Heaven ; the Heart is compliant wtth the flmpefl: Methods of Ptovidence. llut thcfc things will be more fully opened under_ the fevcral Heads of Arguments to enforce" the Duty. . Tins Rcflgnmcnt principallyconftfl:s in the confem and li1bjcctioh of the Will to die O rders of Heaven. The Will !S an tmpcriotis Faculty, rtatural!y impatient of op·poflttoti to'
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