1. In the Negative part, for what Christ doth not pray, Not that thou shouldest take them out of the world.
2. In the Affirmative part, That thou shouldest keep them from the evil of the world. For the Negative part, wherein you have,
1. Something implied, Not that thou shouldest take them out of the world: This implies, That God hath the disposal of our continuance in the world; else Christ would never address himself to his Father, that he would not take them out of the world; If so, then
1. Live constantly, Believer, above the slavish fear of Death. Times are not in thine Enemies hands, no, not in the Devils hands, but in Gods hands.
2. Be patient under the loss of thy dearest Relations: God hath taken them, who hath the disposal of our continuance.
3. Seek to God for a blessing on all those means, which at any time are prescribed or used for your preservation.
2. There's something mainly intended, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, and that this, That God will have his people oftentimes continue in the world, though they should meet with much trouble in the world. And if so, this should teach you, for ever, how to carry your selves in the midst of a sinful, wicked, rude, God-hating, Saint-persecuting World: that is,
1. Patiently to wait Gods leisure, you must stay his time.
2. Carry your selves Innocently, be sure you, in a salt Sea, like good fish, retain your freshness.
3 Carry your selves Wisely; you walk among Devils, Snares, &c. walk Wisely: And
4. Walk Serviceably, continue you must, but 'tis Gods time, how short you know not, therefore walk serviceably. For the Affirmative part; But I pray that thou shouldest keep them from the evil of the World. Wherein something Absolutely, and something Relatively: Take the ⟨image 167⟩words Absolutely: thence these four Notions, That thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
1. Sin is an eminent evil, the evil of evils.
2. That we are utterly unable to keep our selves. But,
3. God can keep his people, in, and from the evil of a sinful World.
4. That 'tis the Godly only that are kept from the evil that is in the World; but Relatively, especially, I pray, &c. No great matter of their sufferings, but their sins; that's the thing, let them be preserved from that: Thence observe, Preservation from sin, is a far greater mercy, than exemption from suffering: And so, then
1.
1. In the Negative part, for what Christ doth not pray, Not that thou shouldest take them out of the world.
2. In the Affirmative part, That thou shouldest keep them from the evil of the world. For the Negative part, wherein you have,
1. Something implyed, Not that thou shouldest take them out of the world: This implyes, That God hath the disposal of our continuance in the world; else Christ would never address himself to his Father, that he would not take them out of the world; If so, then
1. Live constantly, Believer, above the flavish fear of Death. Times are not in thine Enemies hands, no, not in the Devils hands, but in Gods hands.
2. Be patient under the loss of thy dearest Relations: God hath taken them, who hath the disposal of our continuance.
3. Seek to God for a blessing on all those means, which at any time are prescribed or used for your preservation.
2. There's something mainly intended, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, and tha't this, That God will have his people oftentimes continue in the world, though they should meet with much trouble in the world. And if so, this should teach you, for ever, how to carry your selves in the midst of a sinful, wicked, rude, God-hating, Saint-persecuting World: that is,
1. Patiently to wait Gods leisure, you must stay his time.
2. Carry your selves Innocently, be sure you, in a salt Sea, like good fish, retain your freshness.
3 Carry your selves Wisely; you walk among Devils, Snares, &c. walk Wisely: And
4. Walk Serviceably, continue you must, but 'tis Gods time, how short you know not, therefore walk serviceably. For the Affirmative part; But I pray that thou shouldest keep them from the evil of the World. Wherein something Absolutely, and something Relatively: Take the ⟨image 167⟩words Absolutely: thence these four Notions, That thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
1. Sin is an eminent evil, the evil of evils.
2. That we are utterly unable to keep our selves. But,
3. God can keep his people, in, and from the evil of a sinful World.
4. That 'tis the Godly onely that are kept from the evil that is in the World; but Relatively, especially, I pray, &c. No great matter of their sufferings, but their sins; that's the thing, let them be preserved from that: Thence observe, Preservation from sin, is a far greater mercy, than exemption from suffering: And so, then
1.
