5. The keeping in our eye the eternal rest and weight of glory in the other world, 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen." This will balance the crook in your lot, be it what it will; while they who have no well-grounded hope of salvation, will find the crook in their lot in this world such a weight, as they have nothing to counterbalance it; but the hope of eternal rest may bear up under all the toil and trouble met with here.

Exhortation 3. Let us then set ourselves rightly to bear the crook in our lot, while God sees meet to continue it. What we cannot mend, let us bear christianly, and not fight against God, and so kick against the pricks. So let us bear it,

1. Patiently, without fuming and fretting, or murmuring, James, v. 7. Psal. xxxvii. 7. Though we lose our comfort in the creature, through the crook in our lot, let us not lose the possession of ourselves. Luke xxi. 19. The crook in our ļot makes us like one who has but a scanty fire to warm at: but impatience under it scatters it, so as to set the house on fire about us, and expose us to danger. Prov. xxv. 28. "He that hath no rule over his own spirit, is like a city that is broken down, and without walls."

2. With Christian fortitude, without sinking under discouragement-"nor faint when thou art rebuked of him." Heb. xii. 5. Satan's work is by

the crook, either to bend or break people's spirits, and oftentimes by bending to break them: our work is to carry evenly under it, steering a middle course, guarding against splitting on the rocks on

either hand.

Our happiness lies not in any earthly comfort, nor will the want of any of them render us miserable. Heb. iii. 17, 18. So that we are resolutely to hold on our way with a holy contempt, and regardlessness of hardships, Job. xvii. 9. "The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger."

Quest. "When may any one be reckoned to fall under sinking discouragement from the crook in his lot?"

Ans. When it prevails so far as to unfit for the duties, either of our particular or Christian calling. We may be sure it has carried us beyond the bounds of moderate grief, when it unfits us for the common affairs of life, which the Lord calls us to manage. 1 Cor. vii. 24. Or for the duties of religion, hindering them altogether. 1 Pet. iii. 7. "That your prayers be not hindered," (Greek, cut off, or cut up, like a tree from the roots,) or making one quite hopeless in them. Mal. ii. 13.

3. Let us bear it profitably, so as we may gain some advantage thereby. Psal. cxix. 71. "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." There is an advantage to be made thereby, Rom. v. 3-5. And it is certainly an ill-managed crook in our lot, when we get not some spiritual good of it. Heb. xii. 11.

The crook is a kind of spiritual medicine; and as it is lost physic that purges away no ill humours, in vain are its unpleasantness to the taste and its gripings endured; so it is a lost crook, and ill is the bitterness of it borne if we are not bettered by it. Isa. xxvii. 9. "By this, therefore, shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit,

to take away his sin."

Motives to press this exhortation.

Motive 1. There will be no evening of it while God sees meet to continue it. Let us behave under it as we will, and make what sallies we please in the case, it will continue immoveable, as fixed with bands of iron and brass. Job. xxiii. 13, 14. "But he is of one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doth. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me; and many such things are with him." Is it not wisdom then to make the best we may of what we cannot mend? Make a virtue then of necessity. What is not to be cured must be endured, and should, with a Christian resignation.

Motive 2. An awkward carriage under it notably increases the pain of it. What makes the yoke gall our necks, but that we struggle so much against it, and cannot let it set at ease on us. Jer. xxxi. 18 How often are we, in that case, like men dashing their heads against a rock to remove it! The rock stands unmoved, but they are wounded, and lose exceedingly by their struggle. Impatience under the crook lays an over-weight on the burden, and

makes it heavier, while withal it weakens us, and makes us less able to bear it.

Motive 3. The crook in thy lot is the special trial God has chosen for thee to take thy measure by. 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. It is God's fire, whereby he tries what metal men are of; heaven's touchstone for discovering true and counterfeit Christians. They may bear, and go through several trials, whom the crook in the lot will discover to be naught, because, by no means they can bear that. Mark. x. 21, 22. Think then with thyself under it; now, here the trial of my state turns; I must, by this, be proved either sincere, or a hypocrite; for, can any be a cordial subject of Christ, without being able to submit his lot to him? Do not all who sincerely come to Christ, put a blank in his hand? Acts. ix. 6. Psal. xlvii. 4. And does he not tell us, that without that disposition we are not his disciples? Luke xiv. 26. "If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Perhaps you find you can submit to any thing but that; but will not that but mar all; Mark x. 21, 22. Did ever any hear of a sincere closing with Christ with a reserve or exception of one thing, wherein they behooved to be their own lords?

Quest."Is that disposition then a qualification necessarily pre-required to our believing: and if so, where must we have it? Can we work it out of our natural powers?"

Ans. No, it is not so; but it necessarily accom

panies and goes alone with believing, flowing from the same saving illumination in the knowledge of Christ, whereby the soul is brought to believe on him. Hereby the soul sees him an able Saviour, and so trusts on him for salvation; the rightful Lord and infinitely wise Ruler, and so submits the lot to him. Matt. xiii. 45, 46. The soul taking him for a Saviour, takes him also for a head and ruler. It is Christ's giving himself to us, and our receiving him, that causes us to quit other things to and for him, as it is the light that dispels the darkness.

Case. "Alas! I cannot get my heart freely to submit my lot to him in that point."

in

Ans. 1. That submission will not be carried on any without a struggle; the old man will never submit to it, and when the new man of grace is submitting to it, the old man will still be rebelling, Gal. v. 17. "For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary, the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would ;" but are ye sincerely desirous and habitually aiming to submit to it? From the ungracious struggle against the crook, turn away to the struggle with your own heart to bring it to submit, believing the promise and using the means for it, being grieved from the heart with yourselves, that you cannot submit to it. This is submitting of your lot, in the favourable construction of the gospel. Rom. vii. 17-20; 2 Cor. viii. 12. If you had your choice, would you rather have your heart brought to submit to the