s of purity, refinement, and
religion; but do not carry your delicacy and reserve to the extreme of
_prudery_, which is an unlovely trait of character, and which adds
nothing to the strength of virtue.

Your affectionate Brother.

LETTER XIX.

_Submission to the Will of God; Dependence upon Him for Temporal Things,
and Contentment under all Circumstances._

"Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content."--1 TIM.
6:8.

MY DEAR SISTER,

The secret of all true happiness lies in a cordial acquiescence in the
will of God in all things. It is

"Sweet to lie passive in his hand,
And know no will but his."

The great doctrine that God exercises a particular providence over every
event, is most precious to the heart of every Christian. It enables him
to see the hand of God, in directing all his affairs. Hence, the
exceeding sinfulness of a repining, discontented, and unhappy temper.
Indeed, it is difficult to reconcile the habitual indulgence of such a
disposition with the existence of grace in the heart. The very first
emotion of the new-born soul is _submission to the will of God._ Many
people lose sight of the hand of God in those little difficulties and
perplexities, which are of every day occurrence, and look only at second
causes. And so they often do in more important matters. When they are
injured or insulted by others, they murmur and complain, and give vent
to their indignation against the immediate causes of their distress;
forgetting that these are only the instruments which God employs for the
trial of their faith or the punishment of their sins. Thus, God
permitted Satan to try the faith of Job. Thus, he permitted Shimei to
curse David. But the answer of this godly man is worthy of being
imitated by all Christians under similar circumstances. "Let him curse,
because the Lord hath said unto him, curse David." Thus, also, the Lord
employed the envy of Joseph's brethren, to save the lives of all his
father's family. "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God
meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much
people alive." The principal reason why the histories of the Bible are
so much more instructive than other histories is, that the motives of
men and the secret agency of divine Providence are brought to light.
Hence, also, the reason why the events recorded in Scripture appear so
marvellous. If we could see how th