The child's portion

USE, I. Here we see one Reason why many of the Children of God bear all the changes of the life with so much quietness and tranquillity; it lies here, because they have grounded expectations of future glory. The Men of the World wonder at them; yea, scoff and flout, and take them for mad Men, to feed their fancies and hopes with unseen things, and therefore (in their opinion) the greatest uncertainties. Truly, if the hopes of the Children of God were grounded in opinion, and depended upon mere contingencies, I cannot see how their life should not be the most perplexed sorrowful and miserable of all men; for if, after they have left all for Christ, it were yet a thing dubitable whether they should ever see and enjoy him in glory, they have indeed nothing left them to lean the weight of their confidence upon: But this is ⟨p. 86⟩their felicity in the midst of all turns, that still their main interest in eternity is secured: And this indeed is the very thing which declares them to be the only happy Men: All other Men live by mere opinion, these only are the men of knowledge: Other men know not certainly what it is that they labour for, nor what shall be the event of all their pains and cares; but these men know that their labour is not in vain, and that there will be a good end of all their troubles and pains. As to the things of this life, and with respect to subordinate ends, the Children of God labour under equal uncertainties with other men; Eccl. 9. begin: All things fall out alike to all. And vers. 11. Time and chance happeneth to them all. They are not sure to prosper in their Estates, to enjoy health, and long life, and ease in this World: But as to their last end, and the concurrent tendency of all means to it, here they have good security, and this makes them patient in tribulation, quiet under sorest afflictions: Thus we find Paul argues himself into patience and cheerfulness, 2 Cor. 4.17, 18, & 5.

USE, I. Here we see one Reason why many of the Children of God bear all the changes of the life with so much quietness and tranquillity; it lyes here, because they have grounded expectations of future glory. The Men of the World wonder at them; yea, scoff and flout, and take them for mad Men, to feed their fancyes and hopes with unseen things, and therefore (in their opinion) the greatest uncerteintyes. Truly, if the hopes of the Children of God were grounded in opinion, and depended upon meer contingencyes, I cannot see how their life should not be the most perplexed sorrowful and miserable of all men; for if, after they have left all for Christ, it were yet a thing dubitable whether they should ever see and enjoy him in glory, they have indeed nothing left them to lean the weight of their confidence upon: But this is