A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

3. He gives the Continuance of our Blessings, that we may keep what we have; for unless the Lord do daily support us, we cannot keep our Comforts for one day. How soon can God blast them? It's at his pleasure to do what he will with you: He gave Satan Power over Job •s Estate; Chap. 1. 12. Behold all that he hath is in thy Power. Our Life it is continued to us by the Indulgence of God, and by his providential Influence and Supportation. For as the Beams of the Sun are no longer continued in the Air than the Sun shineth; or, as the Wa•er retains the Impress and Stamp no longer than the Seal is kept on it; so when God takes off his providential Influence, all vanisheth into nothing. Thus he is said, Heb. 1. 3. To uphold all things by the Word of his Power: As a weighty thing is upheld in the Hand of a Man, when he looseneth his Hand all falls to the Ground: So it is said, Job 12. 10. In whose Hand is the Soul of every living Thing, and the Breath of all Mankind. God by his Almighty Grasp holdeth all things in his own Hands, and if he should but let loose his Hand, all would fall to nothing, and disappear; Job. 6. 9. For it is from the intimate Support and Influence of his Providence that we have our Lives. So our Comforts, ⟨p. 309⟩they are continued to us by God; alas, in themselves they are poor fugacious things! Haman was to day high in Honour, and to morrow high upon the Gallows. Riches make themselves Wings, and fly away as an Eagle towards Heaven: Prov. 23. 5. The Holy-Ghost seems there to compare Riches to a Flock of Birds, which pitcheth in a Man's Field to Night, but to Morrow they are gone: Who is the richer for a Flock of wild Fowls, because they pitch in his Field now? So all these outward things are so flying, that they are soon gone by many Accidents, unless he preserves them, and continues our Possession of them. For God he can give a Charge and Commission to the Fire, to the Fury of Men, one way or other to deprive us of these things. Behold, all he hath is in thy Hands: