fity, but of the great weight and usefulness of a speedy and hearty refolution of ferving God in all respects. But give me leave to tell you, that you seem not fufficiently to have attended to what I have faid, concerning the deliberation required, in order to a prudent and truly religious resolution.

Timoth. This kind admonition is an addition to your other favours; and fo I take it; tho' I am to acquaint you, Theophilus, that I am not now to begin this confideration, but have already applied myfelf to it over and over, only that I have not been fo ftrictly obfervant of all my good refolutions, as I hope I shall be henceforward, by the grace of God enabling me.

Theoph. May the good God ftrengthen and affist all your good purposes, to his own glory, and the falvation of your precious and immortal foul! But we have trefpaffed too far upon Anchithanes, and it is high time now that we leave him to take his reft.

Anchith. I return you a thousand thanks, dear Theophilus, for this obliging entertainment, and beg as much more of it, as your occafions will permit. It is both delightful and profitable, and for which I fhall be always indebted to you.

Theoph. Dear Anchithanes, I heartily with you a good night, humbly befeeching Almighty God, that I may find your health re-established when I fee you next; which, God willing, fhall be very fpeedily. Timoth. I pray God fend you a good night, and better health, if it be his bleffed will.

The End of the First VISIT.

The

The Second VISIT..

Of Patience under Sickness, and other Afflictions.

Theoph. Have not heard of Anchithanes fince Tuesday, I and will therefore go, and make him a vifit, and fee how he is. But who are those I obferve coming this way? I fee now they are two very good neighbours and friends. I will fpeak to them first; perhaps they may give me fome account of him. My good friends, I am glad to meet you, and I hope yourfelves and your families are all well.

Eufebius. I thank you, Sir, for your inquiry; bleffed be God, we are all well, and at your fervice. But have you heard the news of our good friend Anchithanes?

Theoph. I faw him fome days fince; and thought him in no dangerous condition and I have heard, fince that, he was better; but for these two or three days laft paft, I have heard nothing of him: for which reafon, I was going now to fee how he is.

Eufeb. If

you to him.

you will give us leave, we will wait upon

Theoph. With all my heart, gentlemen.

Eufeb. I pray God we may find him better than I expect. For our friend here, Philogeiton, brings but an uncomfortable account of him.

Theoph. Have you feen him to-day, Sir?

Philogeiton. No, Sir; but I met his fervant, who told me, he was in a high fever, and exceeding uneafy.

Theoph. I am very forry to hear it. And, if you please, we will lofe no time.

Eufeb. We are ready to attend you, Sir, as foon as you please.

Philog. With all my heart, Sir.

Theoph. See yonder! his windows are all fhut; which is but a bad fign, and makes me fear your information is too true.

Philog. I doubt you will find it fo.

Theoph. The door I fee is open, and perhaps you may not know the way; and therefore, that we may spend no time in ceremony, if you will excufe me, I will lead you in to him. But hark! what melancholick doleful noise is that I hear?

Eufeb. It is Anchithanes bemoaning himself.

Theoph. I perceive now it is his voice. He feems to be desperately ill, the Lord help him! I cannot but greatly commiferate his painful condition. Yet that which grieves me more, is to hear fo good a Man, thus fadly difcompofed, thus uneafy and impatient under the burden Almighty God has thought fit to lay upon him. But why do we forbear to go in, and try to comfort him under his pains? Let us not ftay: And may the Father of mercies, and God of all confolations, of his infinite mercy, go with us, to bless and profper our well-meant endeavours!

Philog. Amen.

Amen.

Eufeb. Here his fervant comes, who will tell us, whether we can go in now.

Theoph. We are forry to hear your mafter make fuch fad complaint.

Servant. He is very fick at prefent; but we hope the violence of his fit abates, and that he will be eafier in a while. Will you please, gentlemen, to walk up to him?

Eufeb. We came for that purpose.

Serv. He's this way.

Anchith. (a) Wo is me, my mother, that thou haft borne me! Alas! (b) Why died I not in the birth? Why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly? Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breafts that 1 fhould fuck? For now had I lain fill, and been quiet; I fhould have flept, then had I been at reft. Oh! the grave, (a) Jer. xv. 10. (6) Job ii. 11, 12, 13.

the

the grave, the place of quietness and ease! (c) There the wicked ceafe from troubling, and there the weary are at reft: there the prisoners reft together, they hear not the voice of the oppreffor. The small and great are there; and the fervant is free from his mafter. Wherefore is light given to him that is in mifery, and life unto the bitter in foul? which long for death, but it cometh not, and dig for it, more than for hid treasures: which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave. You all fee my woful difconfolate ftate; and I am quite tired and spent with it. (d) My fighing comes before 1 eat; and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

Theoph. My dear friend, why fo impatient? No doubt your difeafe is heavy upon you; yet you ought to remember by whom it is fent, and what intire refignation you owe to his will, and what ready fubmiffion all his determinations require at your hands. It was God that gave you your life and breath, and all the good things you ever enjoy'd; and he may recal them whenfoever he pleases. He may put an end to your life this very moment. Or if he chufe rather to prolong your days, he may cause you to pass them in forrow and anguish; and you, however, have no just cause of complaint, by reafon of fuch his difpenfation towards you. We are come here to inquire after your health, and do you the best service in our power. But give me leave to tell you, we are troubled to find you in fuch diforder; not fo much because of the fick nefs God has been pleased to vifit you with, tho' this be matter of no fmall grief to us, as because you are fo unable to bear it. It would far better become you, to rest satisfied, that a wife and good God will lay nothing upon you, but for wife and good ends; and that (e) all things you do or may fuffer, fball work together for your good, if you truly love and fear him. (f) He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. And nothing can ever befal you, but he knows how to turn it to your advantage. (c) Job iii. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. (d) Ver. 24. (e) Rom. viii. (ƒ) Lam. iii. 33.

28.

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Anchith.

Anchith. Welcome, my good friends. It is very kindly done of you to vifit a poor fick wretch, as you fee I am. I am very unfit company for you, my ficknefs is fo fevere upon me. And, ob, that the end of my life were come! I am overwhelm'd with pain. All my comfort is gone; and my joy is turn'd into fighs and groans, and perpetual complaints.

Eufeb. Remember, Anchithanes, that you are a Chriftian, and it is God who fends your fickness; and you are therefore nearly concern'd to bear all that he lays upon you, with a perfect fubmiffion to his most holy will.

Anchith. I own my fault, and fhall endeavour to amend it; but really my fickness is fuch as flesh and blood cannot tell how to bear, though I do ftruggle all I can.

Eufeb. Flesh and blood, perhaps, cannot bear it; but reafon and understanding may, and religion must bear it, without fretting and difcontent; confidering from whom it comes, and for what ends it may be inflicted.

Theoph. To murmur, and be diffatisfied at God's dealing with you, is fo quite wrong, that nothing can be more undutiful, or more unbecoming the relation you ftand in to Almighty God, nor any thing more clearly against your own intereft, both temporal and eternal. Patience and fubmiffion to the divine will, even under our greatest preffures and calamities, is a neceffary christian virtue, and fuch as we all make profeffion of. And every deviation from it is not only a violation of the laws of our religion, but it argues a great distrust of God's goodness, and is, befides, a wrong to ourselves. (g) I was dumb, fays the Pfalmift, and opened not my mouth, because it was thy doing. And, (b) Wo unto him, faith the prophet Ifaiah, who ftriveth with his Maker ; Shall the clay fay to him that fashioned it, What makeft thou! (i) Wherefore doth the living man complain, fays the pro(g) Pfal. xxxix. 9. (b) Ifa. xlv. 9. (i) Lament.

111. 39.

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