enable us to glorify God by a becoming temper and conduct
under trials, and by a suitable improvement of providential
dispensations; and it will be our best plea, or most prevalent
argument.

We may meet with discouragements--God may seem deaf to our cries--to
delay his mercy; but if we "pray and faint not," he will not always
say to us, nay. He will hear and help us. For his own name's sake he
will do it.

When the woman of Canaan asked mercy for her daughter, no
encouragement was given to her first petition--the reply seemed harsh
--"It is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs."
But she persevered, and her faith, and fervor prevailed. "Be it unto
thee even as thou wilt." The same will be the answer to every humble
suppliant for spiritual mercies, and for divine supports, who
perseveres in his addresses at the throne of grace.

Respecting temporal matters, we know not what to pray for as we ought
--know not what is best for us. Afflictions may be mercies. They
often are so. Some have blessed God for them here; more will probably
do it hereafter. That they do not usually denote want of love in God,
is manifest from the declarations of his word--"Whom the Lord loveth
he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure
chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons--if ye are without
chastisement, then are ye bastards and not sons." Those were
determined sinners, given over to reprobation, of whom God said, "Why
should ye be stricken any more! Ye will revolt more and more."

When afflictions serve to purge away sin--to "purify and make white,"
they are changed into mercies. Instead of complaining, we have reason
to bless God for them. This hath often happened. Afflictions arrest
the attention--lead to consideration, and reclaim from error. "Before
I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep thy word."

Prosperity hath often a different effect. To the wicked it is
frequently fatal in its consequences; here they have their good
things, and they rest in them, forgetful of God, and the other world
which they must soon enter, to receive according to their works.
Neither do the people of God always escape injury when they attain the
things they here desire. The prosperity we covet is more dangerous
than the adversity we dread. Few can bear prosperity--few remain long
uncorrupted in a prosperous state. A state so difficult and dangerous
is seldom long the state of the righteous. It