: But Beloved, because I know many of you look overloaden with Ill Ufage, and feem eager for Redrefs, I muft exhort you to recollect your felves, and not be precipitant in your Motion And tho' you are extremely harrafs'd by the Malice of the Jews, by Heathens, and Hereticks, don't prefs for Revenge, refer your Grievances to God Almighty, and wait till Time prefents. Let us have patience, Wickedness wo'n't always be uppermoft: Things will be fet right at laff, and Condition proportion'd to Defert. Our Bleffed Saviour has affur'd us that when He comes His Reward Rev. xxii. is with Him, to give to every Man according to his Work. And when the Martyrs under the Altar cry'd aloud for Re- Ibid. vi, venge, they are bidden to reft for a little feafon, till their Fellow-fervants, and their Brethren, that should be kill'd as they were, fhould be fulfill'd. Our Bleffed Saviour, Who, at His First Coming, was filent under Contumelious Ufage, and made no return for what He fuffer'd, will appear in another manner at His Second: He'll then exert the Deity, open His Majefty, and exercise His Power: Then as the Pfalmift has foretold, His Right Hand Pl.xxxvii. will

t

will find out them that hate Him. His Enemies must fall under Justice, and feel the Weight of his Scepter. Then Innocence will shine out, and Injur'd Honour receive reparation: The Righteousness of His Servants be as clear as the Light, and their just Dealing as the Noon-day. But then we must wait God Almighty's Appointment. Let those who are uneafy confider, that our Saviour Himself has no amends made Him as yet, nor the Judge of the World receiv'd any fatisfaction. Our Blessed Lord Who is adored in Heaven, is contented not to be righted upon Earth. So much Patience and fo much Power is wonderfully gracious. Let us follow His Prefident, obferve His Commands, and wait His Appearance. For Servants to prefs for Reparation, before their Mafter has had it, is to be undutifully forward, and prepofterously indecent. Let us rather quietly fubmit to the Rule prefcrib'd; and carry our Patience to its juft length; that when that terrible Day of Vengeance comes up, we may not be fet on the Left Hand, and punished with the Wicked; but rang'd with those that fear God, and pass thro' the Tryal with Honour.

Of

Of Difcontent: In a Dialogue between Philotimus and Philalethes.fmid alend od 11 11QUI a bus

Good Mors

100D H. row: What made your Friend retire with fuch Hafte and Sur prize, at my coming? Before he spy'd me he feem'd to be fet in with you for fome time.

Philotimus. So I believe he might but your Appearing fent him off: Not that phe has a particular diflike at your Converfation ; but he's a Splenetick Man, and when the Fit is on him, he'll endure no Company but where his Fant ey is pretty strong, and he is throughly acquainted. oiralle of Philal. Where lyes the Seat of the Diftemper? In his Blood, or in his Poc ket? wee

003

Philor. What he may bring it to, I can't tell you, but at prefent, I think there is nothing amifs in his Confticu! tion. To be brief; he was bred to a Profitable Employment, understands his Bufinefs, and drudges at it: For all that he is not fo forward in his Fortune as many of his Neighbours, who fer up with lefs Money and Brains. 'Tis true, he is fomewhat ftrait-lac'd in his Deal

ing, and can't take the Latitude of a great many People: Now when he finds himself incumber'd with his Morals, and the poorer for being honeft, he is apt to take check at the Difcourage ment, and grow Melancholick upon the Contemplation.Cor

Philal. What's the Man angry because he can't put a trick upon himself, mafter his Understanding, and play the Knave with a good Confcience? Would he have the Benefit of Foul Practice without Blemish of Gharacter, confequent Remorse, or Dread of an After-reckoning? Is not this grafping at Impoffibilities? One must have a great deal of Infi delity, and a great deal of Luck with it too, to do all this Bufinefs.

Philot. That may be: But this is none of his cafe. However, Probity is no Armour of Proof: Accidents will reach in Honeft Man no less than his Neighbours. Now when People are thus paffive, when they travel in Bad Way and Bad Weather, you must not take it ill if they feem a little unpleas'd. Befides, confidering the Inftability of Humane Affairs, 'tis no difficult matter to Think away our Satisfaction. To be clear with you, Concern for the Future is an infe parable Attendant upon Mankind. To

be

be above Sollicitude is the fole Privilege of an All-fufficient Being: A Being that can command Conveniences, and fecure Events. Abfolute and Independent Eafe requires no lefs than Almighty Power.

Philal. I'm fo far of your mind, as to believe that where Strength is limitted, and Happiness precarious, Anxious Thoughts will crowd in I fay this will happen, unless the Mind is under the countenance of a foreign Support. To lye expos'd to Chance, and meet with Unconquerable Difficulties, muft awa ken the Cares of all Conscious Beings : In this Cafe, unless they are perfectly ftupid, Self-love will take the alarm and raife a Difquiet within them: And what Remedy is there for this Evil? None that I know of, but looking abroad for Help, and applying to a Protection they may fafely rely upon. An Indigent and Defective Nature, efpecially when ill manag'd, is the neceffary Cause of all thofe Paffions which perplex humane Life: For what's the Reafon of Defire or Fear, of Pity, of Anger, and the like? How comes it about the Mind is thus tofs'd and incumber'd? Why tis because our Power is not equal to our Will: 'Tis because we either want fomé