by the roughness of the waters. In the sea of afflictions God will make his people stand like a rock; they shall be immoveable, and invincible; and the more the waves of afflictions beat upon them, the better they shall be, the more they shall thrive in grace and godliness. Now, how should this engage Christians to be mute and silent under all their troubles and trials in this world, considering that they shall all work for their good? God chastises our carcases, to heal our consciences; he afflicts our bodies, to save our souls; he gives us gall and wormwood here, that the pleasures that be at his right hand may be the more sweet hereafter; here he lays us upon a bed of thorns, that we may look and long more for that easy bed of down (his bosom) in heaven.

As there is a curse wrapt up in the best things he gives the wicked; so there is a blessing wrapt up in the worst things he brings upon his own. As there is a curse wrapt up in a wicked man's health, so there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly man's sickness. As there is a curse wrapt up in a wicked man's strength, so there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly man's weakness. As there is a curse wrapt up in a wicked man's wealth, so there is a bles sing wrapt up in a godly man's wants. As there is a curse wrapt up in a wicked man's honour, so there is a blessing wrapt up in a godly man's reproach. As there is a curse wrapt up in all a wicked man's mercies, so there is a blessing wrapt up in all a godly man's crosses, losses, and changes; and why

then should he not sit mute and silent before the Lord? But,

"

3. Consider, that a holy silence is that excellent, precious grace, that lends a hand of support to every grace. Silence is the keeper of all other virtues; it lends a hand to faith, a hand to hope, a hand to love, a hand to humility, a hand to self-denial, &c. A holy silence hath its influences upon all other graces that be in the soul; it causes the rose-buds of grace to blossom and bud forth. Silence is a grace that keeps a man gracious in all conditions; in every condition silence is a Christian's right hand; in prosperity, it bears the soul up under all the envy, malice hatred, and censures of the world; in adversity, it bears the soul up under all the neglect, scorn, and contempt that a Christian meets with in the world; it makes every bitter sweet, every burden light, and every yoke easy. And this the very Heathen seemed to intimate, in pla cing the image of Angeronia, with the mouth bound, upon the altar of Volupia; to shew, that silence under sufferings was the ready way to attain true comfort, and make every bitter sweet. No man honours God, nor no man justifies God at so high a rate, as he who lays his hand upon his mouth, when the rod of God is upon his back. But,

4. To move you to silence under your sorest and your sharpest trials, consider, that you have deserved greater and heavier afflictions than those you are under. Hath God taken away one mercy? Thou hast deserved to be stript of all. Hath he taken away the delight

of thine eyes? He might have taken away the delight of thy soul. Art thou under outward wants? Thou hast deserved to be under outward and inward together. Art thou cast upon a sick-bed? Thou hast deserved a bed in hell. Art thou under this ache and that pain? Thou hast deserved to be under all aches and pains at once. Hath God chastised thee with whips? Thou hast deserved to be chastised with scorpions. Art thou fallen from the highest pinnacle of honour, to be the scorn and contempt of men? Thou hast deserved to be scorned and contemned by God and angels. Art thou under a severe whiping? Thou hast deserved an utter damning. Ah Christians! let but your eyes be fixed upon your demerits, and your hands will be quickly upon your mouths. Whatever is less than a final separation from God, whatever is less. than hell, is mercy; and therefore you have cause to be silent under the smartest dealings of God with you. But,

5. Consider, a quiet silent spirit is of great esteem with God; God sets the greatest value upon persons of a quiet spirit, 1 Pet. iii. 4. "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible; even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." A quiet spirit is a spark of the divine nature: it is a ray, a beam of glory: it is a heaven-born spirit. No man is born with a holy silence in his heart, as he is born with a tongue in his mouth. This is a flower of paradise, it is a precious gem that

God makes very great reckoning of. A quiet spirit speaks a man most like to God, it capacitates a man for communion with God, it renders a man most serviceable to God, and it obliges a man to most accurate walking with God. A meek and quiet spirit is an incorruptible ornament, much more valuable than gold. (1.) There is a natural quietness, which proceeds from a good temper and constitution of body.

(2.) There is a moral quietness, which proceeds from good education and breeding, which flows from good injunctions, instructions, and examples.

(3.) There is an artificial quietness; some have an art to imprison their passions, and to lay a law of restraint upon their anger and wrath, when they are all in a flame within: as you may see in Cain, Esau, Absalom, and Joab, who for a time cast a close cloak over their malice, when their hearts were set on fire of hell. So Domitian would seem to love them best, whom he willed least should live.

(4.) There is a gracious quietness, which is of the Spirit's infusion, Gal. v. 22-25. Now this quietness of spirit, this spiritual frame of heart, is of great price in the sight of God. God values it above the world: and therefore who would not covet it more than the world, yea, more than life itself? Certainly, the great God sets a great price upon nothing but that which is of an invaluable price. What stretching, struggling, and striving is there for those things that the great

ones of the earth do highly prize! Ah, what stretching of wits, interests, and consciences is there this day, to gain and hold up that which justice will cast down! How much better would it be, if all persons would in good earnest struggle and strive, even as for life, after a quiet and silent spirit, which the great and glorious God sets so great a price upon! This is a pearl of greatest price; and happy is he that purchases it, though it were with the loss of all. But,

6. Consider that if you sit not silent and quiet under your greatest troubles and your sorest trials, you will be found fighters against your own prayers. How often have you prayed that the will of God may be done; yea, that it may be done on the earth, as the angels (those glistering courtiers, those princes of glory) do it now in heaven? When troubles and afflictions, come upon you, the will of God is done, his will is accomplished: why then should you fret, fling, and fume, and not rather quietly lie down in his will, whose will is a perfect will, a just and righteous will, a wise will, an over-ruling will, an infinite will, a sovereign will, a holy will, an immutable will, an uncontrollable will, an omnipotent will, and an eternal will? Certainly, you will but add affliction to affliction, by fighting against your own prayers, and by fretting and vexing yourselves when the will of God is done. It is sad to see a man fight against his friends; it is sadder to see him fight against his relations; it is sad