himself in truth and faithfulness, he will most certainly anfwer and reward them.

And then, as for another fort of things, which men are wont to pray for, as HEALTH, or SUSTENANCE, or SAFETY, or any other OUTWARD bleffings; God expects in the gift of these alfo, as of the other, that they themselves should labour after them, and be diligent in the ufe of wife and due means to attain them; it not being his way, to grant health, or to feed, or fecure men by miracle; but only, by bleffing their own care and pains, in pursuit of these mercies.

And much more doth he expect, both in Spiritual and temporal bleffings, that they fhould not take any courfes, which are directly contrary to them. When they pray for deliverance from any fin, they must not put themselves in the way of temptations, which are ftill apt to make them to fall into it. When they pray to God for health, they must not put it away from themselves by intemperance. If we expect that he should hear and further our prayers, we muft fhew firft, that we are VOL. IV.

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in earnest with him, by furthering them ourselves; and not falling to fuch courses, as directly overthrow our own petitions.

And when we do thus wifely endeavour after any outward things; God has no where promised to grant them, nor may we hope to receive them, further than, in the wisdom of his all-feeing providence, be fees them fit for us, and conducing to the benefit and advantage of the world, and the good of others. So that whenfoever we ask them, it must be with this referve, if in his wifdom he fees it fitting. In fpiritual mercies, we are fure of the grace or virtue we defire, if we come duly prepared to receive them. But in temporal; the having, or not having of what we ask, is uncertain, and always depends on this,-if God, in his wisdom, fees it fit we should have them.

Sometimes outward bleffings, whether of health, or eafe, or plenty, are not fit for us, but would turn in the end by far more to our hurt than to our advantage. They would carnalize our fouls, and render us fenfual and earthly minded, proud and infolent; they would make us forget

God,

God, and fleight his fervice, affront those who are placed above, and opprefs fuch as he hath fet below us. Profperity is a state of great danger to men's fouls; it exposes them to many vices, and puts them under a number of temptations to several instances of disobedience; and it is the concern of every one, who has pious wifdom, and prudent care enough, to avoid being enfnared by it. The profperity of fools, fays Solomon, shall destroy them *. There are but few minds, that can grapple with the temptations, which are still foliciting perfons in wealth and honours, pleasures, and affluence; but they are generally led away into several fins, and overcome by them. And there have been (doubtless) many perfons, whofe fouls have utterly miscarried in a profperous state, that might have done well, and gone to heaven, had it pleased God to have visited them more frequently with croffes, and to have kept them under the most gracious and wholesome discipline, of a troubled and afflicted state of things.

Outward mercies then, are not always fit for us, but would often prove a snare, and a moft dangerous temptation to us. And when they would do fo, they are neither fit for us to ask, nor (fo long as he retains any love and kindness for us) for God to grant to us. They are no fit matter in this cafe for God to promife; and fo are no fit fubject, wherein we are to hope he always fhould perform.

Again, at other times outward bleffings are denied, though not fo much for our own fakes, yet for the good of others, and the advantage of the world. Oftentimes God fees it neceffary in the world, to fet out fome examples of content, and instances of patience; that men may fee, both what they ought to follow, and how they may be able to perform it; and so, never be difcouraged, with defponding thoughts, of their being unable to bear those things with patience, if they should be called to it, which they fee are borne by others like themselves.

So that even when outward bleffings and enjoyments might be trusted with us, and would

would be no ways prejudicial to us in our own perfons; yet doth God in his good providence, which is to take care, not only of us, but of all the world, fee fit many times to deprive us of them, for the fake of others; that we may be examples to them, and that they may learn from our fufferings, and our meek carriage under the fame, both to be thankful for their own bleffings, whilft we want, and they enjoy them, and to be ready to part with them with patience at an evil day.

And fince God will not bestow upon us outward bleffings, when either they are unfit for ourselves, or when he fees it proper to deprive us of them for the fake of others; whenfoever these cases happen, we must not expect them. And because when this would be, God only knows, but we are ignorant; whenfoever we ask any outward things, we must do it with fubmiffion, and under this conditional reserve, if he sees them fitting and convenient; and leave the determination, to the wisdom of his unerring judgement.