Owen - BS1450 130st 093 1669

3 9q. Con(iderations ofour own Condition Pfal, t 30. 2. Put this is not all, We are not only fuch fnzters, as to ren- der thefe difpenfations of God evident/y holy, thefe Judgements of his riç-kteeus, but alto to manifeft, that they are accompanied with unfeal<able patience, mercy and Grace. To inflance in one particular. Is it the burning of our boutés, the fpoiling of our Goods, the ruine of our antes alone that our fins have de- fetved ? if God had made the temporary tire on earth, to have been unto us a way ofenrrance into the Eternal fire of hl), we had not had whereof righteoutly to complain. May we not thtn fee a mixture of nnfpeakable patience, grace and mercy in everydtfpentàtion ? and (hall we then repine againf} it ? Is it not better advice,,go and fin no more,left a worfe thing befall thee for a inner out of hell not to ref in the will of God, not to humble himfelf under his mighty hand, is to make himfelf guilty of the efpecial fin of hell. Other fins defcrve it, but repining againfi God is principally; yea only committed in it. The Church comes to a bleffed quieting refolution in this cafe, Micah. 7.9. I will bear the inditnatian of the Lord, becaufe I have fnned againft him ; bear it quietly, patiently, and fubmit under his hand therein. 3. Confider that of our felves we are not able to make aright judgement of what is good for its ; what evil unto us, or what tends moil directly unto our chiefs(} end, Pfalna 39.6. furely man walketh in a¡vain thew ; io`7F.3 in an Image full of faltè reprefentations of things in the midi} of vain appearances that he knows not what to choofe, or do aright, and therefore fpends the molt of his time aid f}rength about things that are of no ufe or purpofeunto him ; Surely tbq are difquieted in vain. And hereof he gives one efpecial Inf}ance, he heapetb up riches, andAneweth not whoPali gather ; which is but one Ex- ampleof the manifold fruflrations that men meet withal! in the wholecoutfe of their-lives, as not knowing what is good for them. We all ptofi fs to aym atone chief and principal end, namely the enjoyment of God in Chrift, as our eternal re- ward ; and in order thereunto to be carryed on in the ufe of The means -of faith and obedience, tending to that end. Now if this be fo, the fuitablenefs, or unfuitablenefs of all other things being good or evil unto us, is to meafitred by their tendency

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