that he ought, you wish that he would deal so ten. derly and bountifully with his people. But my present business is not to listen to what you may fancy ought to be the situation of the people of God in this world, but to tell you what it really is; and that, too, by the permission and appointment of the only wise God, their assured friend and father and I believe no one will deny but that many are the afflictions of the righteous, arising from Bodily Infirmities, Worldly Disappointments, Spiritual Conflicts, and Laborious Services.-A word or two on each and a word or two is enough; for why should we spend much time on the gloomy part of the scene? Now it is over, her sufferings are all ended, and she is entered into rest; and we will make all the haste we can to follow her. me only just mention the sources of her former trouble, because, though she is safe over Jordan, we are yet in the wilderness, and may have many of those distressing trials to go through from which she is so happily delivered.

Let

I say, then, the people of God may suffer much, I. From bodily infirmities.

Physicians have reckoned up a surprising number of diseases to which the human body is liable; and yet, in all probability, the one half hath not been told. How should it, when the least defect in any one of the almost imperceptible and innumerable tubes and fibres would give rise to some new disorder? But, passing these, only think a moment on the more common diseases with which we are daily conversant. Go to one house: there you see a person bound hand and foot in the gout, totally incapable of exercise or enjoyment. Go to an

other: there you see a person sweating, trembling, groaning, under the exquisite, the almost agonizing tortures of the stone: perpetually changing places and postures, to try for a moment's ease. Here you meet a poor emaciated object, a mere ani mated skeleton, that hath been for months wasting in a consumption: there lies another, bursting in a dropsy, or almost strangled with an asthma. Tired with fruitless attempts to get a little relief all the day, they rejoice in the approach of night, and say, My bed shall comfort me: but, alas, there too they are" filled with tossings to and fro to the dawning of the day:" so that in the morning they Would God it were evening; and in the evening, Would God it were morning. And the few that escape those acute diseases, find the com mon infirmities of old age more than they can well bear. Who can wonder, then, that such " groan, being burthened," and long to be "unclothed," or rather clothed upon with their house which is from heaven."

say,

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2. Worldly business and disappointments.

Sometimes their situation in life is such as requires great and constant application: they have this thing, and that thing, and a thousand things, to do;, and one engagement follows another so quickly, that they have hardly time for religion of refreshment. This hath been the grief and burthen of many of the Lord's people; and you may often hear them, when their spirits are quite exhausted with continual bustling, cry, "O that I had wings like a dove! then would I fly away, and be at rest." It is tiresome enough to be in such a perpetual hurry when matters go on prosperously, and every

thing succeeds to their wishes: but very often they "toil all night, and catch nothing"-work hard to no purpose: with great expense and trouble rear a gourd, and, just as they are beginning to enjoy its grateful shade, a worm eats the root, and it withers in a night: "riches make to themselves wings, and fly away:" friends drop off; the world grows ill-natured; and those from whom they had the greatest expectations, prove broken reeds.

I do not say that these troubles, or those under the former head, are peculiar to the people of God; all things come alike to all; good and bad, all have their infirmities, hurries, and disappointments. But this I may venture to say, that the people of God are more exposed than any others to the world's censures and ill-will. The experience of so many ages hath now made it an axiom in Christianity, that "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution." Drunkenness, uncleanness, profaneness-any, the most flagrant immorality shall pass unchecked;→ but let a man appear a public advocate for Christ, and scruple to conform to the world in all the fashionable follies and vices of the times, and he is almost sure to be pointed at, sneered at, struck at, and loaded with all the infamy, pains, and penal ties, which their malice can invent, and their power inflict. But, without the scourge of persecution, there are troubles enough felt, or feared, to make the people of God weary of the world, and join heartily in the exclamation of the Psalmist: "Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, and dwell in the tents of Kedar !"

3. Spiritual conflicts.

And these are troubles which the world knows nothing of. They see a person in full health, and easy circumstances, and wonder what can make him unhappy. If he attempt to tell them of a "law in his members warring against the law of his mind," or "the plague of his own heart," or "the fiery darts of the wicked one;" it is all whims, and nonsense, which, thank God! they were never troubled with. So they may talk, in the blindness and gaiety of their hearts. But, Christians, you can witness, from experience, to the reality and bitterness of such inward conflicts; and that no outward calamity-not the greatest loss you ever: met with in business, not the death of the nearest and dearest friend you had in the world, not the most painful disorder of body-the worst of them all, was nothing to the anguish you felt when the Lord wrote bitter things against you, and made you to possess the iniquities of your youth. Ther Christian life is often called a warfare; and the professors of religion, if they would approve themselves "good soldiers of Jesus Christ," must "endure hardness." Their strength and courage will be often tried; "for we wrestle not only with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places." They had need be always sober and vigilant; for "their adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, continually goeth about seeking whom he may devour." He hath devices, which no Christian should be ignorant of; and fiery darts, against which nothing but the shield of faith, and the breast-plate of righteous ness, can defend. And his assaults are so fierce and frequent, that they are obliged, as it were, to

lie always upon their arms: to work, as the Jews did in rebuilding the temple, with their trowel in one hand and a sword in the other. This must be tiresome; and yet this is not the worst: they have an enemy within their own breast, from which they have more to fear than from any foreign enemy whatever. Many a painful struggle have they had with a hard heart, a slothful heart, a stubborn heart, an unbelieving heart, a "heart deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:" and being obliged to keep it "with all diligence," it is no wonder if, at length, tired out with such constant watching and frequent encounters, they cry out with earnestness, "Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death."

4. Laborious services.

Christians are not only soldiers, but servants: they must not only fight the Lord's battles, but do the Lord's work. Dangers will not excuse from duty when they have got the better of any temptation, they may rejoice, but they must not be idle. Their work is never done: there are duties to God, and duties to man; duties of their common calling, and duties of religion; and when one duty is over, there is another waiting for them; so that a Christian can never find time to say to his soul, "Soul, take thine ease." Now, though their heart is in their work, and they delight to do the will of God, yet they cannot hold out always: if the spirit be willing, the flesh is weak:-they long to " go up to the house of the Lord;" where they have spent some of the happiest hours of their lives, but they cannot walk so far; they long to retire into their