_Recommending devotion at three o’clock, called in scripture the |ninth hour| of the day. The subject of prayer at this hour may be |resignation| to the divine pleasure. The nature and duty of conformity to the will of God in all our actions and designs._
1. * THERE is nothing _wise_, or _holy_, or _just_, but the _great will_ of God. This is as strictly true as that nothing is infinite and eternal but God.
* No beings therefore, whether in heaven or on earth, can be wise, or holy, or just, but so far as they conform to _this will_ of God. It is conformity to this will, that gives virtue and perfection to the highest services of angels in heaven; and it is conformity to the same will, that makes the ordinary actions of men on earth become an acceptable service to God.
* The whole nature of virtue consists in conforming, and the whole nature of vice in declining from the will of God. All God’s creatures are created to fulfil his will; the _sun_ and _moon_ obey his will, by the necessity of their nature; _angels_ conform to his will, by the perfection of their nature: if therefore you would shew yourself not to be a _rebel_ and _apostate_ from the order of the creation, you must act like beings both above and below you; it must be the great desire of your soul, that God’s will may be done by you on earth, as it is done in heaven. It must be the settled purpose of your heart, to _will_ nothing, _design_ nothing, _do_ nothing, but so far as you have reason to believe, it is the will of God.
2. ’Tis as necessary to think thus of God and yourself, as to think that you have any dependance upon him. And it is as great a rebellion against God, to think that your will may ever differ from his, as to think that you have not received the power of _willing_ from him.
You are therefore to consider yourself as a being, that has no other business in the world, but to be that which God requires you to be; to have no tempers, no rules, no designs of your own, but to fill some _place_, and act some _part_ in strict conformity, and thankful resignation to the divine pleasure.
To think that you are your own, or at your own disposal, is as absurd as to think that you created yourself. It is as plain that you are thus God’s, that you thus belong to him, and are to act and suffer all in thankful resignation to his pleasure, as that in him you _live, and move, and have your being_.
3. * _Resignation_ to the divine will, signifies a chearful approbation, and thankful acceptance of every thing that comes from God. It is not enough patiently to submit, but we must thankfully receive, and fully approve of every thing, that by the order of God’s providence, happens to us.
* For there is no reason why we should be patient, but what is as strong a reason why we should be thankful. If we were under the hands of a wise and good _physician_ that could not mistake, or do any thing to us, but what tended to our benefit; it would not be enough to be patient, and abstain from murmuring against such a physician; it would be as much a breach of gratitude, not to be thankful for what he did, as it would be to murmur at him.
* Now this is our true state with relation to God; we cannot be said so much as to _believe_ in him, unless we believe him to be of _infinite wisdom_. Every argument therefore for patience under his disposal of us, is as strong an argument for thankfulness. And there needs no more to dispose us to this gratitude towards God, than a full belief in him, that he is this being of infinite wisdom, love and goodness.
Do but fully assent to this truth, and then you will cheerfully approve of every thing that God has already approved for you.
When you are satisfied that God does not only do that which is wise, and good, but which is the effect of infinite wisdom, and love in the care of you; it will be as necessary to be pleased with every thing which God chuses for you, as to wish your own happiness.
4. Whenever therefore you find yourself disposed to _murmuring_, at any thing that is the effect of God’s providence over you, you must look upon yourself as _denying_ either the wisdom or goodness of God. For every complaint supposes this. You would never complain of your _neighbour_, but that you suppose you can shew either his _unwise_, _unjust_, or _unkind_ behaviour towards you.
Now every impatient reflection under the providence of God, is the same accusation of God. A complaint always supposes _ill usage_.
Hence you may see the great necessity of this thankful state of heart, because the want of it implies an accusation of God’s want either of wisdom, or goodness in his disposal of us. It is not therefore any high degree of perfection, founded in any uncommon _nicety_ of thinking, but a plain principle founded in this plain belief, that God is a being of infinite wisdom and goodness.