Exception, Limitation, or Referve: For abfolute Dominion, in Conjunction with infinite Goodness and unlimited Perfection, is most justly intitled to abfolute unreserved Submiffion and Obedience. It ought to be the Language, not merely of our Lips, but of our Hearts, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Acts ix. 6. Here am I, let the Lord do to me as feemeth good unto him. 2 Sam, xv. 26. The Will of the Lord be done. Acts xxi. 14. It should be the Matter of our daily Prayer, that his Will may be done on Earth, as it is done in Heaven. We must do what we can that our obftinate Self-will may be fubdued, and that our Wills may be wholly regulated and determined by the good and holy Will of God, refolving to make it our fincere and conftant Endeavour to walk in Obedience to all his Commands, and to acquiefce in all his Appointments. This is a Temper of Mind highly reasonable, and fuited to the Relations between him and us, as he is our Maker and abfolute Proprietor, and we are his Creatures, his conftant. Dependents and Beneficiaries, and the Subjects of his moral Government. And how happy is it to have our Souls thus wrought into a fubmiffive obediential Frame, and our Wills refolved into the Divine! To refign our felves to the Conduct of the infinitely perfect Being, and embrace what the fupreme

Wisdom

Wisdom and Goodness feeth to be really beft and fitteft for us!

This leadeth me to add, that we are required in the Divine Law to exercise à firm Truft in God, and a fiducial Dependence upon him. To engage us to this is the Defign of thofe excellent Precepts, Wait upon the Lord, and he shall firengthen thine Heart; wait, I fay, on the Lord. Pf. xxvii. 14. Commit thy Way unto the Lord; truft alfo in him; and he fhall bring it to pass. Pf. xxxvii. 5. Caft thy Burden upon the Lord, and he fhall fuftain thee; he shall never Suffer the Righteous to be moved. Pf. lv. 22. Truft in the Lord with all thine Heart, and lean not unto thine own Understanding ; in all thy Ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy Paths. Prov. iii. 5, 6. We are required not to trust in uncertain Riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all Things to enjoy. 1 Tim. vi. 17. And to commit the Keeping of our Souls to him, in Well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 1 Pet. iv. 19. And furely the very Mention of thefe Duties of Religion is fufficient to fhew their Reasonableness and Excellency, and the great Advantage and Satisfaction which will arife from the Obfervation of them. If we were to contrive Laws for our own Benefit, they could not poffibly be better

M 4

fitted

fitted to promote our Happiness. What a Privilege is it to be allowed, and even commanded, to put our Trust in God, and to caft our Cares upon him, and, amidst all the Changes and Viciffitudes of this mortal Life, to make the Lord Jehovah our Stay and our Refuge! This is the beft, the most effectual Remedy against anxious Cares, defponding Fears, and fretting Difcontents! Happy thofe, above the reft of Mankind, who, firmly relying on God's all-fufficient Goodnefs, and on his most gracious Promifes, commit their Bodies and Souls, their Concernments for the Life that now is, and for that which is to come, into his Hands, being perfuaded that he will order all Things really for the best, and that all his Difpenfations are conducted by the fteady Rules of infinite Wisdom, Righteoufnefs, and Equity! What inward Peace and Pleasure do fuch Perfons enjoy, what a folid Contentment and Satisfaction of Mind, to which they are Strangers who live in the Neglect of thefe excellent Precepts! The Lord God is a Sun and Shield he will give Grace and Glory; no good Thing will be with-hold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord, of Hofts, bleed is the Man that trufteth in thee. Pf. lxxxiv. 11, 12.

Thus

Thus I have confidered thofe Affections and Difpofitions towards God, which are neceffarily included in true Godliness, and in which the Religion of the Heart doth eminently confift. And it plainly appears, that this Part of our Duty is not only perfectly agreeable to right Reason, but is manifeftly conducive to our own Happiness, and lays a folid Foundation for an inward Satisfaction and Delight. What further remaineth to be confidered, with Refpect to our living godly in this prefent World, must be referved for another Discourse,

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