Chap. 29. e,/in Expofstiox upon.the Book, of Jo s, Verf. 2, 4a7' flrióly for the next day coming, or largely for all time to come; every day bath its birch, it brings forth fomewhat or other ; time is not barren, it travelleth to bring forth the Lords decrees. As eats up anddevours all things, fo time puts out or brings forth all things. But no man knowetbwhat to morrow will bring fortb,wbe- tber good or evil, though moft pleafe themfelves with the hopes, yea andmake boaft ofmanygoodmorrows. Men know what themfelves plot and purpofe to bring forth, but what to morrow will bring forth the wifeft man alive knoweth not. The next day isnot fo neer this in time, nit maybe remote and far from in its produecs and igues. God may quickly fend fuch i change both in refpeet of our publick andperfonal comforts, as fhall make us fay, O that it werewith sae as in the months paft. The things of the world ebbe and flow, move and turn from one condition to another ; they gee forward and backward, up and down ; now we have them, and anon they are flipt out of our hands. Spiritual things are fubje& to changesalto ; though grace cannot be loft, yet it maybe abated, and you may come to fay, O that I could find my faith *Citing as in timespall. And as changes are incident toour graces,fo much more to the meanesof grace ; many a good foul bath faid, O that I had fuch a Minillry, fuch food, for my foul as in the Months pafLOrdinances and Churches are changea- ble, Chril} can remove our candleflick, and when weare in the darkwe with for light ; Owhat (hall we do, the light is gone, theword is gone, the Minil{ry isgone, truth tò thepublicati- on and proteb ion ofit) is gone, alts gone, when (hall we fee a return ? it is good to be fenlible of the want ofmercies , but 'cis better tomake agood ufe of prefent mercies, therefore, improve the price which is in your hand,and be thankful. The beg ofmen may foots have caufe to fay (as jot) about all thefe things ; O it were with me as in the Months paft, As in the ¿ayeswhen God preferved me. The fame thing is here intendedby ¿ayes as before byMonths: TheMonths pall were a time of profperity, and fowere the days of his prefervation. And as here he exprefly repeats adefcripti- on of his former l}ate,fo here is animplicit repetitionof his with, which Chews his earneftneffe for the thing, 0 that it were with me as in the days when Godpreferved me, that is, when God I l i a kept
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