Thirdlv, for the helps by which we might bring our hearts to ['if^l to the will of God. ' sie
1. See God in all thing.s. This is the first principle of submission : Ps. xxxix. 10, ' I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it;' that made David quiet and altogether silent. So Hezekiah speaks of his patient submission to his disease and the sentence of death : Isa. xxxviii. 15, ' What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it.' That passage, thougli it be in the song of thanksgiving, relates not to the deliverance, but to the affliction. As soon as we see God in the providence, it is the duty of a christian to cease and say no more ; as he answered the king, I have learned not to dispute with him that can command legions. Why should we con- tend with the Lord of hosts, unless we can make good our quarrel ? Every wheel works according to the motion of the first mover. Creatures
Book IJ a treatise of self-dexial. 257
are but subordinate instruments of providence. AYe break our teeth. in biting at tbe nearest link of the chain. Oh ! look to the supreme mover, it is God that hath fastened all the links. David was so iar from opposing God that he bears the very contumacy of the instrument : 2 Sam. xvi. 11, ' Let him alone, and let him curse : for the Lord hath bidden him.' This was spoken when Shimei cursed him, and one of the captains would have taken off his head ; that was a time rather for humiliation than revenge. As a magistrate, he might have punished him; but 'Let him alone ' saith he, I see God in it. Consider, it is God that chooseth men to be instruments of his justice, that by them he may admonish us of our duty. To resist a lower officer of state is to contemn that authority with which he is armed. Consider, instru- ments are set a-work by God ; they could not wag their tongue without God. It is good to see God at the end of causes. Do not think God sits idle in the heavens ; providence hath no vacancy. Christ saith, ' My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.' God is always working, in and by the operation of the creature. We look no higher than the creature, and so are apt to murmur.
2. Wait for changes. Evils foreseen are the better digested and borne ; it is like the fitting of the burden before we put it upon our backs. Hereby the cross is made more portable — * The evil I feared,' saith Job, ' is come upon me.' It is good to look for changes ; it is good to look for the affliction before it finds us out, and to keep our mind and heart loose from all comforts. We have great reason to think of changes : we cannot elude the course which God hath set ; the cause of suffering is born and bred up with us. We were born in sin, and sin grows as we grow, and therefore the cross, which is tbe consequent of sin, shall not be taken away till we are taken out of the place of sinning. God might have translated us to heaven presently, without trouble, but there is a method in all his works. He might have caused the earth to bring forth bread as well as an ear of corn ; but he would have it first to grow, then to be threshed, then ground, then baked, and so fitted for man's use ; so there are many preparative changes to fit us for heaven, as the stones were squared before they were set in the temple. He were a madman that should expect his bread to grow out of the ground before the corn were cleansed by the flail, or bruised by tbe mill-stone, or baked in an oven; or should expect the stones of a building to come together by chance ; so it is a great madness to think to go to heaven without changes and afflictions. We must expect to ' enter into the kingdom of God by much tribula- tion.'
3. Moderate and lessen your carnal desires. Our afflictions are very much heightened by our afiections. We set up a court of providence in our own hearts, enact laws there, and speak of what we would do and do not reserve the exceptions of Gods providence. Oh! it is very hard to repeal the decrees and sentence of our own will when once it is set and determined ; when we have decreed that thus we will do, this we will have, then we are vexed if God will not let it stand ; this causeth storms and murmurs against the will of God : Jer. xlv. 5, ' And seekest thou great things for thyself ? seek them not.' When men's desires are for great things, especially in uncertain times, they do but
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258 A TREATISE OF SELF-DENIAL. [BoOK I.
dress up a trouble and sorrow for themselves. Self-love and self-seek- ing always make way for self-trouble ; and therefore keep your desires low. It is far easier to add than to subtract ; and it is far better to rise with providence, when the master of the feast ' bids us sit higher,' than to be compelled to descend and lie in the dust. Therefore till God's will be declared it is good to keep the heart in an equal poise for all f)rovidences, and not let our will outstart God's : as David said, 2 Sam. XV. 26, ' If the Lord hath any pleasure in me, he will bring me back again ; if not, here I am, let him do with me what pleaseth him.' He did not dare to pass his vote first, but gives providence the preced- ency ; so should we.