hour of affliction, or the giddy tumultuous season of gaiety and abundance ? * Alas! few, of choice, think of this gloomy fcene: it is neceffity alone that reconciles it to our minds. The rich and happy confider death as an enemy, that tears them from their enjoyments; the unhappy embrace it as an afylum and refuge from their diftreffes. Now, if the greatest wisdom on this fide the grave is, as one expreffes, to learn to die, if this leffon is best learnt in the school of affliction ; would not this be fufficient, if we wanted other arguments, to recommend a patient fubmiffion under so useful, fo falutary a discipline?

*LUCIAN touches this with his ufual pleasantry and good fenfe : και τέτων εδεν όλως αυτές εισερχεται, επ' αν εκ πρατίωσι, όταν δε σφαλωσι, πολυ το οτίοτοι, και αι, αι, και ωμοι μοι· ει δ' ευθύς εξ αρχης ενενουν οτι θνητοι τε εισι αυτοί, και ολίγον τετον χρονον επιδημησαν ες τω βιω, απιασι, ωσπερ εξ ονείρατος, πανία υπερ γης αφενίες, εζων τε αν σωφρονέτερον, και ητίον ηνιωντο αποθανονίες.

Tom. 1. Ed. Bleau. p. 354.

BUT

BUT granting, laftly, that the fufferer is good and virtuous; afflictions have still their use they tend to perfect our virtues, and brighten our future reward. When good men find themselves fuffering under diftrefs, and fee their profligate neighbours furfeiting in abundance; when they have the lofs of wives, friends, or children, the fupport and comfort of their age, to deplore, while worfe men have children at their defire and leave the reft of their fubftance to their babes; they are tempted, with the pfalmift, to doubt almost of a righteous Providence their feet are almost gone; they almost repent of their integrity. "What have I "done; they cry, that I should suffer fo

feverely? Why have I washed my hands "in innocence; and yet be like those "who have not God in all their thoughts? "Why am I diftinguished only by a haplefs pre-eminence in afflictions?

GOD has various ends in his visitations. There is no one too good to be benefitted

benefitted by his correction.

As

There are many secret faults, too apt to escape the careless eye of a mind at eafe: and if adverfity makes you look deeper into yourself, if it makes you cultivate a closer and more intimate acquaintance with GOD, it will improve your virtue, and, confequently encrease your reward. the fire separates the gold from the drofs, fo virtue, when tried, comes forth brighter and purer from the furnace of adverfity. There is a brighter crown prepared for approved virtue: The patient abiding of the meek cannot perish forever, or fail of a fuitable reward. Having been a little chaftifed, they fhall be greatly rewarded; for God proved them and found them worthy of himself. Wisd.

iii. 5.

THESE things will be allowed to be the proper fruits of afflictions.

But the

greatest difficulty ftill remains: How

fhall

shall we learn to bear them ?* It is eafy to talk of patience under the fhade of indolent retirement, and the comforts of profperity; but how are evils to be fupported in the hour of trial, under the keen irresistible feelings of nature?

THE answer is fhort: It is the will of GOD, that we should endure afflictions; and to his will muft we fubmit. He enjoins nothing that is impoffible. He forbids not forrow, as abfolutely unworthy of virtue; he forbids us only to forrow as men without hope. chaftening (fays the apoftle) for the prefent feemeth to be joyous but grievous. Heb. xii. II.

No

AND indeed nature seems to claim it as a fort of eafe and relief under her diftreffes. To a throbbing heart tears are a kind of refreshment; and groans in a

FACILE omnes, cum valemus, recta confilia ægrotis damus:

Tu fi hic fis, aliter fentias.

TER.

manner

manner break the force of an afflictive pang. Accordingly, the innocent captive may figh under his chains; and the virtuous fick complain upon his bed of languishing. The man after GOD'S own heart drops the tributary tear over the urn of his friend or his child. when nature has difcharged her torrent, may not religion come in then to her relief, and pacify and reconcile her to her afflictions?

But,

IT is one effectual means of moderating our forrows, to confider the falutary ends and purposes of affliction. Though reflection may not immediately work a cure; yet a repetition and habit of it may, by degrees, establish a principle of fortitude. We all know the power of conftitution in cases of this nature; and yet we fee very weak and timid fpirits, contrary to conftitution, fometimes perform prodigies of courage upon false principles of honour or reputation.

IT