422 The true Remedy againfi Vol. II. t. Let us depend upon God, and entirely confide in his Goodnefs and Care, and truft his 'Wifdöm and Power for our ProteSion and Deliverance for here .is our great fecdrity. In all our difficulties and troubles, the Pro- vidence of God is infinitely more to us, than any Prudence and Condu£t of our own. He hath a thoufand ways to divert and put by the evils which are levelled againft us, to turn the coaanfels of men backward, and make their devices of none OWL When we can do nothing to help and fave our felves-, his right band, and his arm, and the light of his countenance can do it, if he have a favour for us. 2. Let us fo truft God , as to negle& no prudent and lawful means for our fecurity and prefervation from evil. Let us not, by our rafhnefs and folly, provoke trouble and danger, and bring .them upon our felves. Let us, according to our Saviour's Counfel, be wife as Serpents, and innocent as Doves. Let us ufe all that Care and Prudence which is confiftent with Inno- cence and a good Confcience ; and when we have done that, let us be no farther follicitous, but refign tip our felves, and all our concernments to the good pleafure of God, and the difpofal of his wife Providence ; and leave it to him, who made the World, to govern it, becaufe he certainly underftands it bed. 3. Let us be fure to kéep within the bounds of our duty, trying no un- lawful ways for our cafe and prefervation and refcue from the evils which we fear and lie under ; by loofening the bonds of fubje&ion and obedience to Authority, or by any other ftnifter and indire& means. For let us affure our [elves, that God is never more concerned to appear for us, than when out of Coiafcience of our Duty to him, we are contented rather to fuller, than work our deliverance by undue means. Let us commit our felves to him in well- doing, and do nothing, no not for the taufe of Religion, which is contrary fo the plain Rules and Precepts of it. II. We fhould put a high value upon the Chriftian Religion, and hold fait the profefon of it without wavering, which affords to us fuch firm and fo- lid grounds of Comfort and Support under all Troubles and Affiliions, as, . are no where elfe to be found; fuch as neither the Light of Nature, nor any o- ther Revelation that God ever made of himfelf to Mankind, do gives us notice and knowledge of. We fhould highly value the Chriftian Religion, which bath brought Life acid Immortality to light, and hath made fo clear a difcovery to us of the glori- ous and eternal rewards of another World, for the encouragement of our Faith, and fupport of our Patience, under the evils and preffures of this life; and which promifeth, and is ready to afford to every frncere Chriftian, the precious Aids and Comforts of God's holy Spirit, to fuftain the weaknefs of humane Nature under the greateft Tribulations and Sufferings ; and does likewife affure us of the fpecial Efficacy of our Prayers with God; and Pets be- fore us the belt and molt admirable Pattern that ever was, of a contented and chearful fubmiflion to the will of God in the [added Condition incident to hu- mane Nature, and of perfel patience and compofure of mind under the appre- henfion of approaching Evils, and the fenfe of prefent Sufferings; and laftly,. which affures us of a molt companionate and prevalent and perpetual Patron and Advocate and Interceffor with God in Heaven for us. All thefe are pecu- liar advantages of the ChriftianReligion, and ought to be fo many endearments of it to us, and engagements to hold. pill the Profèffion of it. This builds our Comfort and Hope upon a Rock, which will abide firm againft all Rains and Winds and Storms. And if we fuffer our felves to be removed from it, we quit the only Foundation of all our Comfort in this life, and Happinefs in the next. So that if we would hold fall the confidence, and the rejoycing of hope, firm unto the end, we mutt take heed, as the Apofile to the Hebrews, Chap. 3. 12. cautions the Chriftians in his time, we ma, I fay, take heed, left there 5 be
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