ment implies the forbearance of immediate gratification, which is always painful, a state of suffering is an essential ingredient in this important discipline of the mind, and therefore ought not by any means to be complained of, by those who wish not to retard their progress towards perfection.

We see in the affections and conduct of children how injurious constant indulgence is to them, and how necessary to their own future happiness, as well as to the comfort of those who are about them, are frequent checks and restraints. The less is the gratification of their wishes restrained, the more eager are their desires, and the more confident their expectation of any desired event; and consequently the more painful is disappointment to them. And since disappointment will necessarily come, from the absolute impossibility of gratifying all their absurd wishes, the more they must suffer from impatience and vexation in consequence of a want of early checks.

It is happy for men that, in a state of infancy, they cannot explain their wants; so that whatever they. feel or wish, it has little or no connection with what they experience. They must necessarily be many years under the absolute government of others. This lays a foundation for a habit of patience

patience and forbearance, which is of infinite value to them, and which must be carried much farther as they advance in life, if they advance in intellectual and moral improvement.

We see not only in the case of indulged children, but in that of kings, and others who have many persons intirely subservient to them, that a habit of indulgence makes them incapable of brooking disappointments; so that they suffer infinitely more than persons who frequently meet with them, and who have by that means acquired a meek disposi tion, and a habit of patience and forbearance. These persons can enjoy the pleasures of life without suffering much from the evils of it; whereas they who have not been in a situation proper for acquiring this habit, not only suffer much from evil; but have little enjoyment even of good. This being nothing more than they always expect, and what from frequent indulgence they receive with much indifference, often bordering on disgust.

Hence it follows that, in exercising the faith and patience of men, God acts the part of a kind and judicious parent, attentive to the improvement of his

も

children; not affected by their present temporary feelings, but consulting their happiness at a future C. period,

period, and in the whole of their existence; this life, long as it may be, being only the infancy of man, in which are to be formed habits that are to qualify them for superior and more lasting enjoyment hereafter. Compared to eternity, what is time? what is the longest term of human life? If the whole of it should be passed in suffering, there is room for an abundant recompence in a future state. But our merciful father has given sufficient proof of his benevolence in the provision that he has made for the enjoyment of this life, happiness greatly exceeding the misery that is so much complained of in it. From this his disposition, and his wish, to make his offspring happy is sufficiently evident; and we have just ground to hope, and believe, that all the sufferings of this life are in their nature preparatory to our happiness in another, provided they have their proper effect upon our tempers and dispositions.

We see most of the conduct of divine providence in the scriptures, which are eminently calculated for our instruction; and we there see that the methods of the extraordinary providence of God, in his intercourse with mankind, is exactly correspondent, to the plan of his general providence. We there

see

see that from the beginning of the world he has been training men to virtue and happiness by a course of severe but salutary discipline; some of the most eminent of our race, those whom we may call the greatest favourites of heaven, with whose history we are best acquainted, having been treated in such a manner as to exercise their patience to the utmost, before they were distinguished by any reward for it. As an attention to particular cases, such as are briefly recited in the eleventh chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, will be eminently instructive, I shall enlarge a little on some of them, noticing such circumstances in their history as appear to be the most remarkable.

Abraham, at the age of seventy five, was commanded by God to leave his native country, on a promise that he would give him another which he would shew him, and that he would make his descendants a great nation. Accordingly, he leít, Chaldea, and went to Haran in Mesopotamia and the year following he proceeded to the land of Canaan, Gen. XII. 4. There God appeared to him the second time, telling him that that was the country destined for him. Ten years, however, passed without the appearance of any issue, from which the.

promised

promised nation was to descend; and in the mean tinte he had been obliged by a grievous famine to go into Egypt.'

At his return the promise of his descendants becoming a great nation was renewed, and again, in a peculiarly solemn manner, after his rescue of Lot; but having no hope of any son by his wife Sarah, he was prevailed upon by her to take her maid Hagar, and by her he had Ishmael, when he was eightysix years old. But this was not the son from whom the great nation was to descend; and it was not till he had arrived at the advanced age of ninety nine that he was promised to have a son by Sarah, who was then ninety; so that her conception was out of the course of nature. Notwithstanding this long delay, and the most unpromising appearances, faith did not fail; and on this account he was highly approved by God, Gen. XV. 6. Accordingly he had a son the year following, but only one; so that, to all appearance, his having a numerous posterity was very uncertain.

his

To give the greater exercise to his faith, when this son, so long expected, was arrived at years of maturity, the affectionate father received a command from God to sacrifice him; a command which he hesitated not to obey, though to appear

ance