64, IhefecoedSermon. ifwecould berighteous as inhistime menwere, the Lord would prouide for vsas well as hedid forrhem,and wethouldhaueas goodexpcence enc hereof aseuerhadDauid.Tothis Troperties prouidenceof Godwee mull bringa patient minde,whichfirft mutt becontentedwith patientmindea whatfoeuerthe Lord fendeth , and ahvaies acknowledgegodlinestobegreat riches For Plühq,it. we might not tof eekegreat matters,nor Puffer ourdefires tobe carried after high things: Ierem,gf.q. " for this did the Lord by his Prophet leremie rebukeinBarack; And Ciuift giuethvs ano- ther rule,whenhe teacheth vs toprayfordaily bread ; which when we haue,then=Rive Genas. be contented. This minde was in ourfatherlacob,whensee prayed for nothing tlfebut t.Tim.6. meate and clothing. And this dothPatel generally tomniaund to be in all, faying,WYhen mehaue menteandclothing,letvsbecontented. Wemuff firfttherefore feeke thekingdome of God,and therighteoufires thereof: we muttfirft labour fortheforgiuenes ofourfnnes in Chrife,that fowee may be in the fauour ofGod, and enjoy thelightofhis louingcounte- Pfa14, nance; which when we haueand feele,let vs el}eenie it aboue allearthly treafure,asBarad loth : let vs receiue it though it come alone,yea though it bring troubleswithit, and then for outward things wee(hall polka our foules in patience. Ifthe Lordgiue plentieof Tbefeetingof them,we'hal! take it asanouerplusofhisfauour: but if hegiue the leffe,yet fhall webe förgiuenes of contented,becaufe webindenot hisfauour tothefe outwardthings : but ifwe cannotrefi fic:tee'n,Ws in thefauour of God,though we wantthefeoutward things, itis certainewe neuer truly mitbit. 4 el}eemedthefauourof Gnd,neitherdtd.weeeuerfeeletheforgiuenesofourfinnes ,ifwee couldnot when wefelt it be therewithcontented,and readie to forgoeall other things. Tbefecond Thefecondpropertieofapatientmindeis, fimplietogiuevpitfelfevntoGod,and popeneofpa- commit it felfe intohishand, waitingatalltimes forlielpe from him who onely is the au- thor ofall goodnes,yet neitherprefcribing the meanes, nor appoynting the time, norin any cafe indenting withhim : for theLord will hauethe difpofrtionof his merciesfreevn- tohimlèlfe,to giueand to beftow,when and where,andhow it pleafethhiin,andas it may molt makefor his glorie. Wee mull then euermoreandwith our whole hearts defireand crane ofthe Lord,t)achis bitllèd name maybeglorified,that Isis kingdome maybeeen- larged,and hisholy willperformed: but the meanestobringthefe thingstopaflè we muff wholy leaue veto him, who knoweth what is belt: and in otherthings which concerne our outwardeltate,we oughtalwases to relfin hisgood pleafure.This ifwe canonce doe, fo mercifully dots seevie todeale with vs, that when weeleaf}delire them we (hall Issue them : andwhen wefreolygiuethem to him,hewily foonefe giue themvs againe.Salo- mondeired wifedome ofthe LorJ,but tor outwardthings, his prayer was that bee might Prou.;o. haue ameaneefface ;then- the Lordgauehim wifedome which his heart fomuch defired,- , and riches allòwhich he didnot oncedefire.Oh happieman if in his heart he had defired towalke before the Lord in fence! Abraham gauevnto theLord lfaachisfonne,which when the Lord did behold, he quicklygauehimhis fameagaine : cuco thus altomutt we thinkit ftandeth now withvs.Tlie readief} way to obraiueh.`e,is tobeheartily wellcontê- ted either to line ortodie,and to commit our felues unto theLord,knowing that nothing: euer perifhed'bwas committedtohis keeping: fo is it alto in all other outwardthings,tht readieway toobtaine tliem,is to giue them vpwholy into his hands. But yetwemuff not To retelse commit thefethings ro the Lord with this con'dition,that hefhould giuethem vs,againe, earthlyble he for that were to mocketheLord: butwithoutall care to haue themwemtii giuethem to dmemthe him,being(in refpeó}ofhis glorie,andbecaufe hisgood plealureisfo)hartily well content' be voideofdi- toforgoethern, and then iftheybe good forvs wee(hall receiue them againe ; ìfnot,wee find-ling cater (hall receiue Male fpirituall grace whichbetterfhall fupplie thewant oftheir. Yea theist- Mateh.6 and finite wilèdonieand inertie of Goddots wonderfullyappeare herein : for fometimes hee refigne alleur keepethvs longwithout thefethings,becaufe thatifweehad them,hefeed] wee would a- '44 ink bir bufethenr,andwould preferrethem before fpirituall bletiings. And fometimethe Lord feeingour final' regard and accompt offpirituallthings,willby thewant ofthefe outward things,bring vs tomake greater accompt ofthem, that whenwee can wellwant theone, and highlyefieeme theother, wemay haueboth together. Let vstherefore reuerencethis great goodnetfe and wifedomeof the Lord,and be contentwith thevfeof lifewhichhe in nierciegranter) vs, knowingthat it is better to be aliningdogge then a dead lyon. For whilett
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