A Goodly Heritage

If thou art in great afflictions, and feelest any tumultuous thoughts, any rebellious risings within thee, consider thou art a sinner, guilty of ten thousand provocations, and darest thou appear before his enlightened and terrible tribunal, and challenge him for any unrighteous proceedings? 'Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins ?' Lam. 3. 39. Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I will not offend any more. That which I know not, teach thou me; and if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. Job. 34. 31,32. Besides, all the punishments of men here, are with merciful allays, not in just proportion to their guilt. The church in its calamitous state, described in the most doleful lamentations of Jeremiah, when the greatest number of the Jews perished by the sword, or famine that attended the war, their city and temple were laid in ruins, and the unhappy people that escaped the fury of the Chaldeans, were the captives and triumphs of their en...

Who can describe what is ineffable, and most worthy to be adored with silent admiration and ecstacy of mind? ~ 'He dwells in that light which is inaccessible ;' the angels, the most comprehensive spirits, 'veil their faces in the presence of his glory.' He is his own original, but without beginning: alone, but not solitary; one ever blessed God, yet communicates his entire Deity to the Son and Spirit; he is not divided in number, nor confused in unity. He is not compelled by necessity, nor changed by Liberty, nor measured by time: if we ascend to the first fountains of all ages, then his infinite understanding comprehended in one clear view, the whole compass, extent and duration of all things. His powerful word made the visible and invisible world, and upholds them. That which was spoken with flattery, of a Roman emperor, by Seneca, (who as much degenerated from the dignity of a Stoical philosopher, in licking Nero, as in biting Alexander) is absolutely true of the so...

The prayers of the afflicted must be always with submissive deference to the will and wisdom of God, as to the manner, the degrees, and time of his delivering them. Afflictions are not peremptory and immutable dispensations, but conditional, for holy and good ends, and we may humbly pray for their removal. It is no resisting of providence, to address to the divine majesty with frequent and fervent requests, that he would please to take his chastising hand off from us. Upon David's humble prayer, the destroying angel was commanded to cease; in the midst of judgment mercy interposed, 'it is enough.' But, we are apt to be impatient in our troubles, and by hasty impetuous desires of ease and deliverance, disturb our tranquillity and offend God. As those who are diseased with a rheumatism, being worse in the night than the day, impatiently long for the rising sun to dispel the oppressing humours, and cheer their spirits: so in our afflictions we impatiently renew our requests, ...

 We may certainly argue the being of God from the consent of parts in the world, and their perpetual confederations to support the whole.—Confusion is the effect of chance, but order is the product of art and industry. When we consider, in a watch, how the different wheels, by their unequal motions, agree in distinguishing the hours, and with that exactness, as if they were inspired by the same intelligence, we presently conclude it to be the work of an artificer; for certainly pieces of brass could never have formed and united themselves into that method: proportionably, when we view the harmony of all things in the world, and how disagreeing natures conspire together for the advantage of the whole, we may collect [that] there is a Divine Spirit, which hath thus disposed all things. We will not make a curious inquiry into this; an eminent degree of knowledge in several faculties would but imperfectly discover the proportion and measures which the Eternal Mind hath observed in th...

 We owe perfect obedience to God's will.—Namely, subjection to his commands, and submission to his providence. (1.) Subjection to his commands.—As he is the first cause, so he is the supreme Lord: he that gave us life, must give us law. God hath an absolute title to our service as Creator. This made the Psalmist desire the knowledge of God's commandments in order to his obedience: "Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments." (Psalm 119:73.) We may learn this from the universal obedience of all creatures: those which are without reason, sense, or life, inviolably observe his commands: "Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them they stand up together," as prepared to execute his commands. (Isai. 48:13.) The insensible parts of the world are so compliant with his will, as to contradict their proper natures to serve his glory:...

The body shall be awaked out of its dead sleep , and quickened into a glorious immortal life . The soul and body are the essential parts of man ; and though the inequality be great in their operations that respect holiness , yet their concourse is necessary . Good actions are designed by the counsel and resolution of the spirit , but performed by the ministry of the flesh . Every grace expresses itself in visible actions by the body . In the sorrows of repentance , it supplies tears , in fastings , its appetites are restrained , in thanksgiving the tongue breaks forth into the joyful praises of God . All the victories over sensible pleasure and pain are obtained by the soul in conjunction with the body . Now it is most becoming the divine goodness not to deal so differently , that the soul should be everlastingly happy , and the body lost in forgetfulness ; the one glorified in heaven , the other remain in the dust . From their first setting out in the world to the grave they ran the s...