Rules for the discerning of the present times. Recommended to the people of God,…

3. These signs are capable of being discerned, not only the things themselves that are signs may be known, but under this consideration as they are so: i. e. there may be a discovery made of the thing signified by them. The very reason why God hath appointed them to be signs, is that men may so be instructed by them; and hereupon they would lose their end of being so, if they were not to be understood; nor yet would men come under blame from God for their not discerning of them, as they do, Text There are therefore such Rules given us in the word of God, as are for our discretion in this regard, and according unto which we may and ought to judge of the times; only if we would not mistake or fall short in our Judgment, and be led into error, we must be Critical, and take pains in the Application of these Rules.

3. These signs are capable of being discerned, not only the things themselves that are signs may be known, but under this consideration as they are so: i. e. there may be a discovery made of the thing signified by them. The very reason why God hath appointed them to be signs, is that men may so be instructed by them; and hereupon they would lose their end of being so, if they were not to be understood; nor yet would men come under blame from God for their not discerning of them, as they do, Text There are therefore such Rules given us in the word of God, as are for our discretion in this regard, and according unto which we may and ought to judge of the times; only if we would not mistake or fall short in our Judgment, and be led into errour, we must be Critical, and take pains in the Application of these Rules.

4. There are special Duties relating to these times as they are circumstanced. As the disposing of the times according to his Holy pleasure, is one part of the Government of the World by God; so, as they have any reference to mankind, they have a respect to his special Government, which always hath an eye to the Law of that Government, according unto which God manageth the affairs of this sort of beings, & for that reason there is a Moral consideration to be had of them, because they have a regard to the Rule of Relative Justice, which God hath Fixed: from which it follows, that there are Moral Duties to be particularly