Sermons preached

9. That God best knows what will do us good or hurt, and therefore we should refer it to him to dispose of us according to his own Pleasure. Certainly we should not want, if God saw it better for us to abound: for he is no niggard of his Blessings, but is good, and doth good. But it is not meet that Man should have the disposal of himself, or his own Condition and Affairs, or that God should accommodate his Providence to our carnal Interest, and Will. No, God's Will must always precede, and ours follow. We have a corrupt Will guided by a dark Understanding; and if the Blind lead the Lame, what can be expected but disorder and ruin? therefore our Wills must not lead and make the first choice, but God's. We must bring our Hearts throughly to yield to what God appointeth, and that our present Estate is best for us. How unmeet Judges are Flesh and Blood of what Condition is fit for us? We would be fed only with the Delicacies of Prosperity and Pleasure, but it is for our profit that we should be chastened, that we should be partakers of his Holiness. Heb. 12. 10, 11. What a strange Creature would Man be, if he were what he would wish himself to be? Vainly Proud, stupidly Careless, and neglectful of God and Heavenly things: therefore our best way is to be what God will have us to be. Not my Will, but thine be done. Mat. 26. 36.

9. That God best knows what will do us good or hurt, and therefore we should refer it to him to dispose of us according to his own Pleasure. Certainly we should not want, if God saw it better for us to abound: for he is no niggard of his Blessings, but is good, and doth good. But it is not meet that Man should have the disposal of himself, or his own Condition and Affairs, or that God should accommodate his Providence to our carnal Interest, and Will. No, God's Will must always precede, and ours follow. We have a corrupt Will guided by a dark Understanding; and if the Blind lead the Lame, what can be expected but disorder and ruine? therefore our Wills must not lead and make the first choice, but God's. We must bring our Hearts throughly to yeeld to what God appointeth, and that our present Estate is best for us. How unmeet Judges are Flesh and Blood of what Condition is fit for us? We would be fed only with the Delicacies of Prosperity and Pleasure, but it is for our profit that we should be chastened, that we should be partakers of his Holiness.