"World, (fays he) why is my Learn "ed Uncle Rutilius ftill in Banish"ment? And why was my Good "Friend Drufus Stab'd in his own "House? Grand Exceptions against "Providence. " [Claudian, one of the graveft of all the Poets, feriously muf ters up all the Arguments on Both Sides, that fway'd with bis Belief, for or against Providence, ready to determine himself either way, as Rufinus fhould at last fucceed; at whofe Profperity be was fo much disturbed, that Nothing but bis Punishment could reconcile the Poet to the Belief of a God and Providencê. -Sæpe mihi dubiam traxit Sententia Mentem, Curarent Superi Terras, an nullus ineffet But for the Reft, One bas loft a Son*, and another a Friend†, or but a Miftrefs §, and they presently let fly at God and Pró. vidence. * Complexa fui Corpus Miferabile Nati, Atque Deos atque Aftra vocat Crudelia Mater-apud Virg. Thus Ovid on the Death of his Friend Tibullus: putare Deos. S And again upon the Unfaithfulness of another Friend of bis, Effe Deos credamne? Fidem Jurata fefellit. Once more ; Men are generally Favourable to Themselves and their own Caufe: They are apt to think they have all the Justice in the World on their Side, and therefore think themfelves hardly dealt with, if they have not all the Succefs on their Side too; And if Providence does but once Crofs Cross them, they are prefently ready to Quarrel with it. * * Pompey mas the great Darling of Fortune; In the long Course of a very Active Life; be bad been always Successful in All his Great Designs, and Victorious in all his Battles, except only in the Laft, at Pharfalia, And then meeting with Cratippus the Philofopher, Plutarch tells us, He began to Queftion with him, and Re pine at Providence. Plut. in Vit. Pomp. I have inftanced amongst the Antients, not for want of In ftances nearer Home, but to fave the Credit of our own Times: Now when Reflections made on Providence are grounded on fuch Piques and Paffions, fuch Prejudices and Pri vate Interefts as Thefe, they ought to be valued accordingly. There have indeed been Times, when God has been pleafed, (for great Ends and Purposes of his Providence,) to fuffer heavy Perfecutions to befal his Church Which is a Particular Cafe, wherein God is pleased to call feveral Perfons to glorifie him by their Deaths, whom he will amply Reward with a far more exceeding weight of Glory hereafter, for all their Sufferings here on Earth. "Martyrdom (fays Tertullian,) "is not an Act of Cruelty, but an A& "of God's Favour to us; fince for our "short Momentany Sufferings, he there. Tert. "by brings us to Everlasting Happiness. Scorp. But for the General Courfe of Providence, the Good Man is by no means L up: upon harder Terms for This World's Happiness than Other Men; but on the contrary, (all Things rightly eftimated) is in a fairer way for it, and fhall be fure not to Mifs of it, unless it be for his own Good and Advantage. It may be he never may attain to Riches and Honours and Worldly Greatness, (which Many Men call Happiness, yet perhaps would not be Good for Him,) but he may find more True Happinefs in a Moderate Competency,_the Portion that God's Providence affigns him, with Quiet Enjoyment and Contentment. Inward Peace and Serenity of Mind, which are Sure Attendants on Good and Honeft Practices, are worth More than the World has to Give; And are what the World cannot Take away; and will therefore make a Man more truly Happy than All the Riches of the Ungodly. This is the Prefent Bleffedness of the Righteous; That Inward Calm and Peace of Mind, which is their Happiness in This World; but in the World to come, Everlasting Life; Where All Tears fhall be wip'd away, and Trouble and Sorrow shall be no more. This abundantly makes amends for All, and Clears up All, to the full Conviction of 10. 147 of All Men, So that a Man fhall say, Ve-Pf.lviii, rily there is a Reward for the Righteous; doubtless there is a God that Judgeth the Earth. To which Bleffed State God of his 148 SERMON VI. A DISCOURSE Of the Refurrection of the Body. The First Sermon on the Refurrection. JOHN V. 28, 29. Marvel not at This; for the Hour is com- And shall come forth; They that have done T WAS hard Measure our Saviour met with, to be continually Revil'd and Perfecuted by those very Perfons whom he came to Save: Who befides his principal Design, his Charity to Mens Souls, and his Care for |