 therefore, cannot communicate Happiness to a Being, who refuses to trust in his Goodness, or to repose upon his Power; where he is peculiarly favourable, and determines to take a faithless though beloved Creature to himself; he blesses him with all Sorts of Crosses and Disappointments. He breaks, under him, all the Props of Worldly Confidence. He snatches from him the Helps, on which his Hope had laid hold. That, in the Instant of sinking, he may finally compel him to catch at his Creator; and to throw himself on the Bosom, of that infinite Benevolence, which is desirous of receiving him to everlasting Rest.
Be pleased to reflect, my Love, how affectionately solicitous (if I may venture to say so) your Saviour has been to win you to himself. He has left you, by Turns, to the Confidence, of a Variety of the most promising Establishments. As first, in the Success of your own Talents, when they acquired you as much, weekly, as might subsist you, for a Year. Again, when you had all the Right, that Man could have, to rely on the Honour, and even the Interests of the Government, for whom you were so prosperously and profitably engaged. And again, in the Rencounter and Preservation of your Father, on whom Nature, and your own Merits had, further, given you an indefeisible Title, and Foundation for Dependence. But, you may remember, my
Hammy,
that your God caught all these, and all other the like Pillars, as suddenly from under you, as though they had been instantly changed to a Void. And yet, you did not appear, at those Times, to discern, that it was no other than your heavenly Father, and your heavenly Friend, who contrived, by such Crosses, to wean you from Impotence; and to woo and to win you, from your Courtship of a Cloud, to an Affiance with essential and infinite Beauty.
I am your loving, and humble Wife, my Husband. And this is your dear and promising Infant. But, what are we further to you? You neither made us, nor can you preserve us; nor are you obliged to provide for us, beyond your weak and finite Endeavours. Commit us then to him, in whom we have our Existence; and know that, should he permit this Innocent to suffer, and my Confidence in his Mercy to fail of Support; the Retribution is instantly, and infinitely in his Hands, and his Excess will even consist in the Overflowings of his Goodness.
