Though it be a fault over common for men to pick a quarrel with the present times for being worse than those that went before, reproved by the Wise Man, Eccles. 7. 10. When men have more reason to fall out with themselves for making the times so bad; yet it is certain that the all wise Providence of an holy God brings many changes over the World, and his People in it. There are times when the Churches have rest, are edified, and multiplied: and there are times when iniquity abounds, and Persecution ariseth, and Gods People are scattered. What these times are into which we are now fallen is obvious to him that will not shut his eyes It is the happiness of the true fearers of God, that he hath provided them consolations strong enough to hold up their heads above water when the waves rise ⟨image 3⟩highest, and the raging billows make the greatest noise. When the Earth and all in it will afford us no comfort, then heaven can. And as it is our wisdom to be laying up treasures beyond Death and the Grave, out of the reach of time and change, so it is our interest to be strengthening our faith, and corroborating our hope by such things as all the malice of Men and Devils cannot pluck away from us. The time is coming when every mans foundation shall be tried, he only that is built upon the Rock shall then stand. To be able in an evil day to sit still with an undaunted courage and calm serenity upon our spirit, is a great felicity: The only way to do this is to be able to trust in the Lord, and with all grounded confidence to rely upon his Power, goodness, and fidelity: This is no common thing, but the privilege only of a few, and those such whom God (having set his Love upon them in Christ) hath taken to be his possession, and listed in the number of his Children. To be of this number is to be happy indeed: to know our selves so, is a beam of light so full of refreshment, that nothing but heaven and glory can afford any more satisfying. Could we draw all the water out of this Well, it would make us ⟨image 3⟩to think our selves in Heaven before we come there. But the Well is deep, and our line too short, and bucket too shallow, whence they are but sips and small draughts we here obtain. Some of these you may possibly find in the ensuing discourse, And had my skill answered my desires, and the excellency of the subject, they had been far larger and more refreshing:
THough it be a fault over common for men to pick a quarrel with the present times for being worse than those that went before, reproved by the Wise Man, Eccles. 7. 10. When men have more reason to fall out with themselves for making the times so bad; yet it is certain that the al wise Providence of an holy God brings many changes over the World, and his People in it. There are times when the Churches have rest, are edified, and multiplied: and there are times when iniquity abounds, and Persecution ariseth, and Gods People are scattered. What these times are into which we are now fallen is obvious to him that will not shut his eyes It is the happiness of the true fearers of God, that he hath provided them consolations strong enough to hold up their heads above water when the waves rise ⟨image 3⟩highest, and the raging billows make the greatest noise. When the Earth and all in it will afford us no comfort, then heaven can. And as it is our wisdom to be laying up treasures beyond Death and the Grave, out of the reach of time and change, so it is our interest to be strengthening our faith, and corroborating our hope by such things as all the malice of Men and Devils cannot pluck away from us. The time is coming when every mans foundation shall be tryed, he only that is built upon the Rock shall then stand. To be able in an evil day to sit still with an undaunted courage and calm serenity upon our spirit, is a great felicity: The only way to do this is to be able to trust in the Lord, and with all grounded confidence to rely upon his Power, goodness, and fidelity: This is no common thing, but the priviledge only of a few, and those such whom God (having set his Love upon them in Christ) hath taken to be his possession, and listed in the number of his Children. To be of this number is to be happy indeed: to know our selves so, is a beam of light so full of refreshment, that nothing but heaven and glory can afford any more satisfying. Could we draw all the water out of this Well, it would make us ⟨image 3⟩to think our selves in Heaven before we come there. But the Well is deep, and our line too short, and bucket too shallow, whence they are but sips and small draughts we here obtain. Some of these you may possibly find in the ensuing discourse, And had my skill answered my desires, and the excellency of the subject, they had been far larger and more refreshing:
