THE first Thing which we have now to be sensible of, is a Thing which we all cannot but •e sensible of. It may be said, Behold, All we ourselves have seen it. It is this▪ That in our Travel through' this World, unto a Better World, there are bitter Waters to be met withal. We are Travellers through a Wilderness, towards a Better Country, that is, an Heavenly. Certainly we meet with Occurrences enough, to convince us, That while we are in this present Evil World, we ⟨p. 4⟩are but in a Wilderness. Our Wants, our Fears, our loss about our Way, & Thousands of Difficulties which in our condition we meet withal, are the too lively Characters of a Wilderness. Yea, to this World, we may too aptly apply the Characters of the Arabian Wilderness where the Israelites laid their Carcasses; A land of pi•ts and of droughts and of fiery Flying Serpents. In this our Wilderness, we have a Thirst for many good Things. Our Thirsty Souls have their Appetites to be satisfied. But, alas, They are Bitter Waters, which we meet withal: Such Disappointments do our Thirsty Souls, relying upon Creatures, meet withal. In the old Records of the Church, we find a Godly Woman, among the Travellers through' the Wilderness of this World; who said, Ruth I. 20. Call me, Marah; Because the Almighty has greatly caused bitterness unto me. Truly, The bitter Waters of Marah, are so dispensed unto them who Travel through' the Wilderness, that the Travellers themselves claim the Name of Marah too. Our Wilderness will anon Terminate in a Pleasant Land. The Promised Land will be found a pleasant Land; verily, in that Land, there will be found Fullness of Joy, and Pleasures forevermore. The bitter Waters of the Wilderness are most Wisely as well as Justly ordered for us; To prepare us for the Land flowing ⟨p. 5⟩with milk and honey. But, if we will be Inquisitive, What is the True Spring of our bitter Waters? or, What lies at the Bottom of our Condition, to Embitter it. I remember, that in the Visions of the Apocalypse, we read, Rev. VIII 10. A great star•se upon the fountains of Waters; and the name of the star is called, Wormwood; and the third part of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the waters because they were made bitter. The bitter Servitude wherein to many Provinces of the Roman Empire were brought, when the Goths made their Descent from the North upon it, may be thus pointed out unto us.
THE first Thing which we have now to be sensible of, is a Thing which we all cannot but •e sensible of. It may be said, Behold, All we ourselves have seen it. It is this▪ That in our Travel thro' this World, unto a Better World, there are bitter Waters to be met withal. We are Travellers thro a Wilderness, towards a Better Country, that is, an Heavenly. Certainly we meet with Occurrences enough, to convince us, That while we are in this present Evil World, we ⟨p. 4⟩are but in a Wilderness. Our Wants, our Fears, our loss about our Way, & Thousands of Difficulties which in our condition we meet withal, are the too livel Characters of a Wilderness. Yea, to this World, we may too aptly apply the Characters of the Arabian Wilderness where the Israelites laid their Carcases; A land of pi•ts and of droughts and of fiery Flying Serpents. In this our Wilderness, we have a Thirst for many good Things. Our Thirsty Souls have their Appetites to be satisfied. But, alas, They are Bitter Waters, which we meet withal: Such Disappointments do our Thirsty Souls, relying upon Creatures, meet withal. In the old Records of the Church, we find a Godly Woman, among the Travellers thro' the Wilderness of this World; who said, Ruth I. 20. Call me, Marah; Because the Almighty has greatly caused bitterness unto me. Truly, The bitter Waters of Marah, are so dispensed unto them who Travel thro' the Wilderness, that the Travellers themselves claim the Name of Marah too. Our Wilderness will anon Terminate in a Pleasant Land. The Promis'd Land will be found a pleasant Land; verily, in that Land, there will be found Fulness of Joy, and Pleasures forevermore. The bitter Waters of the Wilderness are most W•sely as well as Justly ordered for us; To prepare us for the Land flowing ⟨p. 5⟩with milk and honey. But, if we will be Inquisitive, What is the True Spring of our bitter Waters? or, What lies at the Bottom of our Condition, to Embitter it. I remember, that in the Visions of the Apocalypse, we read, Rev. VIII 10. A great star•se upon the fountains of Waters; and the name of the star is called, Wormwood; and the third part of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the waters because they were made bitter. The bitter Servitude wherein to many Provinces of the Roman Empire were brought, when the Goths made their Descent from the North upon it, may be thus pointed out unto us.
