The great duty of resignation to the divine will in afflictions enforced from the…

I shall now propound the Arguments that will clearly convince us of this Duty of Resignation; some of which are powerful to silence all rebellious Arguings, and suppress all the transports of the Passions; others to raise the drooping Spirits, and incline the Heart to a calm yielding, and complete subjection to the Divine Will.

I shall now propound the Arguments that will clearly convince us of this Duty of Resignation; some of which are powerful to silence all rebellious Arguings, and suppress all the transports of the Passions; others to raise the drooping Spirits, and incline the Heart to a calm yielding, and compleat subjection to the Divine Will.

The first Argument ariseth from God's Original Supreme Right in our Persons, and all things we enjoy. He is the Fountain of Being, and produced us out ⟨p. 29⟩the depth of our native nothing, and made us little lower than the Angels. He is the Author of all our Good, the just and true Proprietor of all his Benefits. From hence results his Sovereignty and Dominion over us, which is declared in his Law, and the dispensations of his Providence. His Law is the Rule of our Lives and Actions, his Governing Providence the Rule of our Sufferings and Passions. There is indispensably due, a free and full Obedience to his Commands, and an entire universal Resignation to the Orders of his Providence. The enjoyment of all our Blessings is from his pure Goodness, and rich Bounty, which requires our humble and affectionate Thankfulness; and his resumption of them should be entertained with ⟨p. 30⟩a Holy and a Patient Submission. He gives them freely, and may recall them at his Pleasure. In whatsoever instance his Will is declared, we must with Humility and Meekness submit; for he hath an equal Empire in disposing all things that are equally his own, and we are bound by an equal Obedience to acknowledge his Dominion. When Eli received the terrible message of the ruin of his Family; the final excision of it from the dignity of the Priesthood, he patiently submits: It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.