4. A sense of the demerit of sin, would certainly persuade to much composure of mind in such an expectation. He that considers with himself, "I am less than the least of all mercies, and I have deserved not only to be under the continual harassings of severe providence all my days in this world, but I have deserved hell;" may keep his spirit quiet by that means, though he doth not see a prosperous state of things in this world; especially if he have the apprehension withal of pardoning mercy, and the sweet savour and relish of that. He that would be contented to have undergone any, the greatest agonies and distresses whatsoever, so he might but have had the light of God's countenance shining upon him, so he might but see that those agonies and distresses of spirit did open a way unto a more halcyon season for his Spirit, certainly he would well be content to undergo any severities of dispensations in outward respects, and think all well, if God have pardoned his sin, and let fall all controversy with him. And that belongs to a good temper of spirit too, to apprehend sin either actually pardoned, or at least pardonable; that God is reconcileable, if he comply with his terms. And if I can once savour and relish such a thing as that, I may very well forbear indenting and capitulating with him for such a state of things in this world, that would be pleasing and grateful to me.

5. A subject, governable spirit would contribute very much to keep us composed and quiet under such an expectation and delay: a spirit instructed unto obedience, and that knows how to be under government, and to yield a consent that God should rule. If we can but allow him to bear rule in all the kingdoms of the world, and do what he pleases on earth in his own way and time; if we have our hearts formed unto this, it will certainly make us composed in the expectation of whatever were most grateful to us in this world, or during the delay of bringing such things about for us. We find our Saviour doth

with some severity reflect upon his disciples, immediately be fore his ascension, when they put that curious question to him, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" It was an odd notion too, that they had of that kingdom; as appears from other passages. Why says he, "It is not for you to know the times and the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power." Acts 1. 6, 7. What! are you for wresting the sceptre out of his hands, and will not you allow him the government of the world? Are you not contented he should rule? Certainly it is a very ill-tempered spirit, that will quar rel at this, that God is above us, that he hath the ordering and timing of all things in his own hand and power. Therefore a subject, governable spirit must needs be in this case a calm,

composed, quiet spirit, unapt to storm and tumultuate, and to admit of any vexatious and unquiet thought, because such things are not done now, or possibly may not be done within our time, that we could wish to see done. You find, that it was indeed a very fervent desire, that Moses had of seeing the land of Canaan. It is worth while to take notice, how he pleads with God upon that account, as he recollects the story himself, Deut. 8. 24. &c. He is relating to the people how he besought the Lord at that time, when the controversy was about that business. "I besought the Lord," says he, "at that time, saying, O Lord God, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand; for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might? I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon." But how is he answered? "But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me ; and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee, speak no more to me of this matter, I will not be spoken to any more about the matter." And you see afterwards, how contentedly he goes up and dies on this side Jordan. "Go up and die ;" and he goes up and dies; there was no more disputing about the business; he was contented to die, and not see that goodly mountain and Lebanon. Certainly that is a very good contentment in such cases, for the Lord to order what he sees meet unto our lot and portion.

6. A serious diligence in present duty. Whoever have not a disposition of heart to mind the duty of their own time, the business that lies in their hand to do; certainly their temper is not good. But every serious christian can find himself so much to do, as to have little leisure to entertain himself unto his prejudice with disquieting thoughts concerning what is yet future, whether of good or evil, within the compass of time and of this present lower world. And if it be observed, I doubt not but common experience will give suffrage to it, that they are most apt to let out their spirits extravagantly to mind the concernments of future time unto anxiety, and so as to busy themselves most about them, who have the least mind to be busy about present duties. You know the looser and more careless and licentious christians, that cannot endure to have their spirits bound and tied down to their work, the work of their present stations, are they that love to be making complaints; Oh! how could I serve God, if I were but in such a time! So liberal are they to him of that which is not in their own power, which is not theirs. It is only the present time is theirs: but they will not serve him with that which they have, the present

day. He that understands his work and business as a christian, that is, to give up himself to prayer, and to a serious watching over his own heart, to the endeavour of preserving a good temper of spirit, or preventing a bad; he that knows, what it is to be intent upon the mortifying of corruption, and the quickening and exercising of one and another grace seasonably, and as occasions do invite and call it forth into exercise; such a one we may truly reckon to be very well composed in his own spirit, in reference to what God does or is doing in his time.

7. Familiarity with death is another thing in the temper of a good soul, that will very much compose to a quiet peaceful frame, during the delay of such things as we wish to see in this world, in reference to the prosperous state of the church of God and the interest of religion. Certainly a man is to be reckoned so much the better christian, by how much the more he is acquainted with the thoughts of dying, and hath made death familiar to himself. Now he that lives conversant about the very brink of the grave, that reckons upon living but a little while here, but is continually expecting his dismission and call into eternity; cannot surely be concerned to any great anxiety of mind, about what shall or shall not come in this world within his time. For such a one would reckon with himself; "Suppose I had never so great assurance, that such and such desirable things shall fall out next year, yet I may die this." No serious person will put death far from him, look upon it as a very distant thing; and therefore such will not be very apt to disquiet themselves with the solicitous expectation of good things on this side, because they will still reckon, death may come between me and that expectation, if it were

ever so near.

8 A heavenly frame of spirit will do more than all in this matter. To have the heart much taken up with the thoughts of heaven, and the rest which remains for the people of God, will deliver one from the danger of hurtful impressions by having the prospect of such good things before us in this world, which it may be we shall not live to see.' You read of those worthies in Heb. 11. several of whom had been named in the verses before this which I am about to mention, ver. 13. It is said of them, they all died in faith, not having received the promises; but they saw them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. And doing so, they that say such things, ver. 14. declare plainly that they seek a country; that it is the affairs of some other country that their hearts and minds are more upon, and therefore that they are

not so greatly concerned about the good and evil that they may enjoy or suffer in this country: no, they are seeking a country, knowing that their great concerns did not lie much here. And therefore they confidently died in faith, not having received the promise of such and such things that they had the prospect of; merely through the impression and power that a heavenly spirit had with them, to carry them to follow and mind heaven and the great concernments of the eternal world, that everlasting state of things. And (as was hinted before) it is certainly a most intolerable distemper of spirit, and wherein we are by no means to suffer or indulge ourselves, that there should be a disposition in us to be more pleased and take more complacency in the forethoughts of the best state of things imaginable in this world, than in the forethoughts of heaven, that every way perfect state, unexceptionably perfect. He that can be contented to sin on still, that he may have his imagination gratified here in this world, is certainly under a great distemper, to speak the most gently of it. And how unreasonably preposterous is it, that any should prefer that which is but intermediate, before that which is most ultimately final? Still always that which is best is at last; that state of things is the only unexceptionable state, which is unalterable; that state, which is never to give place to another, is the only state that is entirely and completely good; it is fit, that that only should be

So.

There is no pretence for a desire of change, in reference to a state perfectly good; and whatsoever state is not perfectly good, it is still always reasonable to expect and desire a better.

Now all these things, I doubt not, you must confess at the very first view do belong to a well-tempered spirit. And if so, it must argue a very ill frame, if there should be any such sickly hankerings after the best things that we can imagine in this world, as that we cannot satisfy ourselves, while we have no hope, or no great reason to hope, that we shall see them to fall out within the compass of our time,

SERMON IV.*

I shall add one or two more principles of a Christian spirit to those already mentioned, which cannot but keep our spirits composed in the prospect of a better state of things on earth, though we have little prospect that we shall live to see it.

9. A sincere devotedness to God and to his interest. This will compose, and upon the matter make us indifferent, in what time or state of things we live, so it may serve his interest. We have that notion most clear in our minds, that we were not made for ourselves, nor sent into this world upon our own errand; and it can never be well with us, till the temper of our spirits doth correspond and answer to the true light that shines in us, to our light in this particular thing; so as that we hereupon become sincerely devoted and given up to God, as knowing, that this is our errand in this world, to be to him, and to be used by him for his own purposes and services as he pleases. We well know, it is very reasonable and fit, he should have some or other that should own him even in the worst of times; and why not we? What reason can we assign, why we should be the exempted persons? Why we, rather than others, should not serve him in difficulties and exercises, and endure hard things for him, if he will have it so?

* Preached May 29th, 1678.

Unto