Four useful discourses viz. ... /Four usefull discourses viz. ... /

Ninthly, It is the Lord, and He is able to bring good out of the greatest evils, to bring light out of darkness; yea, to bring the greatest good out of the greatest evils. I verily believe, that many of the People of God have found it so, That the greatest Blessings that ever they have had since they were born, have been Ushered in by the greatest Afflictions. Certainly, as the Lord would not suffer sin in the World, were it not for His Infinite Power, to bring about Good from the sins of men; so neither would He suffer Afflictions in the World to His Saints, but that He knows He hath Power enough to bring good to them, even out of their greatest Afflictions. It is the Lord, that hath this Power. One would be loath to trust ones self with one in any Danger, that cannot tell how to bring him out again: You would be loath to see your Child held over the Water by another little Child, or over a Fire; but if a strong Man hath your Child in his Arms, and holds it over the Water, and you know him to be your loving Friend, it troubles you not at all: Why? Because you know he hath strength enough to keep your Child from the Danger. Why, It's the Lord, that though He holds his Children over Fire or Water, and brings them into Fear and Afflictions; yet He hath Power enough not only to preserve them, but to bring a great deal of Good out of all, and therefore let Him do what seemeth Him good.

Tenthly, It is the Lord, therefore submit to Him, for His Counsel must stand, and His Work must go on, there's no striving with the Almighty: Are we greater ⟨p. 85⟩than He? No: Instead of striving, let there be submitting and yielding.

Eleventhly, Yea, and further, It is the Lord, and therefore He is worthy that His Designs should be brought about, though we should be ruined: There is such infinite Excellency in this God (as I say) He is worthy to have his own Designs brought about, and his own Will fulfilled, though it be to our Ruins: Doth God think man so excellent a Creature, as that He shall give thousands of other Creatures for to help him, with the loss of their own Lives? And shall not we think the Lord to be Infinitely worthy, if He have use of our Lives, or Liberties, or Names, or any thing; that He should not have all, to bring about his Designs withal? O, he is worthy, and therefore let Him do what seemeth Him good. If so be he will raise up any building of his in our ruins, we should be willing to be serviceable to God in it; we should be willing to lie down and let all that we have go, that may be any way serviceable to God in his designs; for the Lord is worthy.