CHAPTER XVIII.
Recommending devotion at three o’clock, called in scripture the ninth hour of the day. The subject of prayer at this hour may be resignation to the divine pleasure. The nature and duty of conformity to the will of God in all our actions and designs.
1. * THERE is nothing wise, or holy, or just, but the great will of God. This is as strictly true as that nothing is infinite and eternal but God.
* No beings therefore, whether in heaven or on earth, can be wise, or holy, or just, but so far as they conform to this will of God. It is conformity to this will, that gives virtue and perfection to the highest services of angels in heaven; and it is conformity to the same will, that makes the ordinary actions of men on earth become an acceptable service to God.
* The whole nature of virtue consists in conforming, and the whole nature of vice in declining from the will of God. All God’s creatures are created to fulfil his will; the sun and moon obey his will, by the necessity of their nature; angels conform to his will, by the perfection of their nature: if therefore you would shew yourself not to be a rebel and apostate from the order of the creation, you must act like beings both above and below you; it must be the great desire of your soul, that God’s will may be done by you on earth, as it is done in heaven. It must be the settled purpose of your heart, to will nothing, design nothing, do nothing, but so far as you have reason to believe, it is the will of God.
2. ’Tis as necessary to think thus of God and yourself, as to think that you have any dependance upon him. And it is as great a rebellion against God, to think that your will may ever differ from his, as to think that you have not received the power of willing from him.
You are therefore to consider yourself as a being, that has no other business in the world, but to be that which God requires you to be; to have no tempers, no rules, no designs of your own, but to fill some place, and act some part in strict conformity, and thankful resignation to the divine pleasure.
To think that you are your own, or at your own disposal, is as absurd as to think that you created yourself. It is as plain that you are thus God’s, that you thus belong to him, and are to act and suffer all in thankful resignation to his pleasure, as that in him you live, and move, and have your being.
3. * Resignation to the divine will, signifies a chearful approbation, and thankful acceptance of every thing that comes from God. It is not enough patiently to submit, but we must thankfully receive, and fully approve of every thing, that by the order of God’s providence, happens to us.