Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v9

Chap. 30. An Expoftion upon the Boone of Jo a. Verf. 26r If the comingof trouble be looked for, it will not trouble us fo much when it comes. We may poiìibly prevent or hide our felves from expeéted evills, but to be fure we may be the better armad for them. Whereas they who doe not forefee them at all, feel: thmmolt. What perils, what poverty, what erode what fickneffe, what bile is there that we may not looke for ? Are not all there incident to our nature as we are men ? Are they not deferv.d by us as weare (inners ? yea as we are Saints, wee may Tooke for tryalls ; and if as Saints we looke not for them, we hardly know what it is to be a Saint. 'Tis our wifdome to waylay troubles in our thoughts, and perfonate the worft outward ettate f.oanetimes, while we enjoy the belt. They are not only wife m:n, but the be and choyfett Saints, who ufe their good dayes and things, as if they might everyday change to worfe, yea to the wort. To looke for evill fearefully is be- low faith, tu-. to looke for it preparingly, i; a very fpiritmtall a x- ercife of faith. To be upon the racke of expeáation, is to ante- date our forrowes ; but tobe upon thoughts of them, and fo to converfe with them, that (as the Apofle faith ) the fiery tryall may not be strange tous, this as it is our duty , though tryalls never come, fo it will be a great fupport to us when they come. It is finfull when wee are behind-hand in meditating what wee may fuffer, as well as when wee are behind-hand in confidering what weeought to doe. They undergoe tryalls with mort pati- ence, who are oftenedt minding a day ofTryall. And ufually they have unlooked for comforts , who are gracioufly looking for their Croffe. And though it be good to be full of holy faith, that our mercies lb all be continued, yet it is, as good to be full of a holy feare that our mercies may be changed. Happy are they wh.5 areat once believing for good ¿ayes, and preparing f,r them; yea happy alfo are they who are at once believing about evil ¿ayes, and preparingfor them. This was the frame and poffure of Righteous Nóahs fpirit, (Htb. i t .7.) Who by faith, being warned of Gad of things not fient 0.5 yet, moved with feare preyed red an r1rke to thefaving ofhis houfe, by the which he condemned the world. The old world would neither believe nor feare the coming of the Flood, and fo were drowned and fwallowed up' in it ., The dayes of Affli:`tion at once prevented and de themd

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