2. But in the issue it will be comfortable. Yea, for the present it breedeth a quiet frame of spirit to refer all things to God : Prov. xvi. 3, ' Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established ; ' Phil. iv. 6, 7, ' Be careful for nothing ; but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth alt understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.' This is the wisest way to an holy security and sound settlement of soul. Never is the heart at rest till it can refer itself to God for all events ; as Noah's dove had not whereon to rest the sole of her foot till she returned to the ark : Isa. xxvi. 3, ' Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.' It is perfect trust that breedeth perfect peace ; it easeth you of many tempestuous and unquiet thoughts. Others are always distracted with anxious and dubious thoughts about future events ; they do fierecopL^ea-de : Luke xii. 29, ' Neither be of doubtful mind.' Margin, ' Live not in careful suspense.' It is a blessed frame of spirit to have thoughts established.
3Ieans.
1. See you be weaned. There is no talking of referring all things to God while worldly affections reign in us. Trust is for the mortified soul : Heb. xiii. 5, 6, ' Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have ; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what men shall do unto me.' There is no room or work for faith till the heart be purged from ambition and covetousness. If your chief care be for heavenly things,.
448 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SeR. IV.
you will be sooner contented with a moderate supply of earthly things, and will find trust more easy, Mat. vi. 33. That is our Lord's cure, ' Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.' Carnal affections unbroken are vehement, and must have satisfaction, and you cannot quiet and still your souls in the want of it. Surely you cannot expect God's providence should serve your lusts.
2. When you have abated the desire of worldly things, remember you have a father. The weanling is not left shiftless though he be taken from the dug ; he hath a mother. So have you a father in heaven, to whom you may repair in all straits : ' Doubtless thou art our Father,' Isa. Ixiii. 16 ; and Ps. ciii, 13, ' Like as a father pitieth his children, so doth the Lord pity those that fear him.' Surely if God stand in this relation to us he will pity us, and do the part of a father to us ; for none is so fatherly as God ; there is not only an as, but a much more in the case : Luke xi. 13, ' If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him ? ' What may we not promise ourselves from a father's bowels ?
3. You must trust all events in his hands, without anxiety and solicitude, upon two grounds ; for,
[1.] He can do what he pleaseth, and will do what is for the best. Nothing can be done amiss which is done by God ; for infinite wisdom, power, and goodness cannot err. As for God, his work is perfect, Deut. xxxii. 4. Some things may fall out cross to our opinions and desires, but God maketh not our desires the measure of his dispensations, nor will he govern the world according to our opinion. Most persons in the world would have nothing but wealth and health, and love and respect from men ; but it is wisdom, not our partial conceits, which must judge what is necessary for us. And therefore many things fall out which restrain our lusts and pleasure ; but because God doeth it, it is good, it is best for us. God knoweth what is good for us, better than we do ourselves ; and his divine choices are to be preferred before our foolish fancies. If you were once thoroughly persuaded of this, you would be fitted, not only for a patient, but a cheerful entertainment of all that is or can come upon you. It is expedient sometimes that God should displease his people for their advantage. The shepherd must choose the pastures for the sheep, whether bare or full-grown. The child is not to be governed by his own fancy, but the father's discretion ; nor the sick man by his appetite, but the physician's skill : John xvi. 6, 7, ' It is expedient for you that I go away.' Christ's dealing is very expedient and useful, when it is very unsatisfactory to us. We are short-sighted, distempered with passions ; our requests many times are but raving ; we ask we know not what ; would pray ourselves into a mischief and a snare. If it were good for us to have large revenues and means, we should not want them. Therefore out of love and perfect submission to God you should count that good whatever God doeth.