7 00 Prov.J. u. Jobr.6. SE R M 0 N V. that arc not fo low nor mercenary; in the thickefl: Darknefs of Paganirro the L' 1 f Reafon difcover~ the amiable Excellence of Venue, as becoming the' H'uman Ng 1t 0 and ufefu l for til e Tranquillity and Welfare of Mankind; and the Moral Goodnrt~',~;:; adorns th.e Sa1~ts, t~e fnnocence, Punty, Meeknefs, Jufrice, Clemency, Benicrnit . ~~~~~~et~:~~~~~ ~1e~o~~n;~dr~~~e~~fs ~ni~r~~::~~~e~~;~ others who are Stra~: And as the Miflake of this Affection is cafy, fo it is infinitely dangerous; for he that builds IllS hope of Heaven upon afandy Foundatzon, upon falfe Grounds, will fall ruinouOy from Ius Hopes and Fehclty at la.fl:. How fearful will be the Difappointmem of one that has been a Favourer of the Samts, that has defended their Caufe, protetled th~Ir Perfons, relreved ,thmNecefliues, and prefirm'd for this, that his Condition i• fa fe as to Etermty, tho he hves m the known neglect of other Duties, and the indulgent Prachce of fome Sm ? But if we find that our Love to the Children of God Aows from. our Love to God that f .vays the Soul ro an entire compliance to his Commands, and makes us obfer: vant of them m the coutfe of our Lrv_es: What ablef[edHopearifes from this Re!letlion? We ne,ed not have the Book of the Drvme Decrees opened, and the Secrets of Elellion :rnvarl d ; for we k>~ow that we are paf/ from Death to Life, if roe lO'IJe the Brethrm. This IS an mfallrble Effect and Srgn of the Spmtual Lrfe, and the Seed and Evidence of Etern• l Life. SERMON V. How to bear AffiiCl:ions. HEBREWS XII. 5· 1vfy Son difpife not thou the chajlening of the Lord, nor faint ••hm thou art rebuf<!d of him. THE words are an excellent Paflage from the Book of the PrO'IJerh ; wherein the Supream Eternal Wifdom is reprefented, giving Infl:ruction to the Affiicted, how to behave themfelves under Troubles, fo as they may prove beneficial to them: the Counfel is, that they lhould preferve a Temperament of Spirit, between the excefs and de fed: of Patience and Courage, neither defpifing the Chafl:enings of the Lord, by a fmful neglect of them as a fmall unconcerning matter, nor fainting under them, as a Durden fo great and opprefling, that no Deliverance was to be expected. To enforce the Exhortation, Wifdom uferh the amiable and endearing Title,~ Son, to fignify that God in the quahty of a Father,corrects his People ; the Confideration whereof is ~ery proper to conciliate Reverence to his Hand,and to encourage their Hopes ofa b!effed Jlfue. The Propofition that arifes from the Words is this ; 'lis the Duty and befl Wifdom of 4fliE/ed Chrif/ians, to prefeMJe themfehm from the vicious Extreams of defpijing the Chaf/enings of the Lord, or fainting under the~>~. To illaflrate this by a clear Method, I fhall endeavour to fhew, I. What it is to defpife the Chaflenings of the Lord, and the Caufes ofit. . JI. What faint ing under his Rebukes fignifi es, and what makes us incident to ttIlf. Prove that 'tinhe Duty and bell: Wifdom of the Affiicted to avoid thefeExrreams. ~;';f/~!1~Yd~tfpife ,;,e Chafl:enings of the _Lord, imports the making no account of them, as unworthy 9f ferious Regard ; and mcludes Jnconfideratenefs of Mmd, and an Jnfenfiblenefs of Heart. r. ]nconfideratenefs of Mind, .with refiYect to the Author or End of Chaflenings: (x.) With refpect to the Author, when the Affiicted looks only. downwar.dps rfrhe Rbil,i Affii<'.t!on !}>rgn~v~u: of the.PU:f1, and there were no fuperror Caufe that.fe~b~s
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