The Burning of London, Part 4 · Discourse 18
DISCOURSE XVIII. Of the ſhortneſs of Temporal Afflictions.
THough afflictions be not ſweet in themſelves, yet it is one comfort, they are but ſhort: And how can the troubles of this life be otherwiſe than ſhort, when this life it ſelf is not long? Paul exhorting Chriſtians to weep as if they wept not, 1 Cor. 7.29. promiſeth this, Brethren the time is ſhort, v. 28. and to ſhew the exceeding ſhortneſs of it, he calls it a moment, 2 Cor. 4.17. Our affliction which is but for a moment. Perſons under affliction are apt to think the time long: as thoſe that are in great pain, be it but for a day, or a piece of a day. In the morning they cry, Would to God it were evening, Deut. 28.67 and in the evening, would to God it were morning. They are ready to exp…ſt…late with the Sun, ſaying, why ſtay the wheels of his chariot ſo long, though he be as a mighty giant that runs a race. They would make morning and evening meet (if they knew how) and have it night ſo ſoon as it is day, and day again ſo ſoon as it is night. But is time long becauſe men think it ſo? is a Summer-day ſhort, becauſe they that ſpend it in pleaſure think it is night quickly, and wiſh it were twice ſo long? ſhall we ſay the time is long, when God ſaith it is ſhort? Let God be true, and ever man a liar. We our ſelves ſhall ſay the ſame thing, if we compare time with eternity, as the Apoſtle did when he ſaid, Our affliction which is but for a moment, is not worthy to be compared with the eternal weight of glory. A thouſand years with God (becauſe eternal) are but as one day, or as a watch in the night: what then is fourſcore years which few exceed, yea few arrive to? There are eternal ſufferings, how long are they? and how ſhort are theſe if compared with them? If our miſeries may end with our lives, we ſhall have no cauſe to complain they have been long. God hath made our daies as a ſpan, and our years are as nothing before him. Why ſhould we think that we are long deprived of thoſe things that we could not have long enjoyed? Do not perſons that have the world at will bemoan themſelves to think how ſoon their ſouls will be required of them, and then whoſe all theſe things will be? Had the City been ſtanding, had trade been flouriſhing, had waters of a full cup been wrung out to you, and had God given you a leaſe of all that mercy during life, how ſoon would that life expire? how ſoon muſt you be gathered to your fathers, and go the way of all fleſh? how cloſe doth eternity follow you at the heeles? how ſuddenly will it ſwallow you up? They that had but a little time to come in their leaſes, and no hopes of renewing them, count not their loſs ſo great. Thou haſt but a little time to come in thy life, which is without hope of being renewed, and therefore what great matter is it that thou haſt loſt? within a few years they that have great eſtates yet left, will enjoy no more of them than thou doſt of thine, which the fire hath conſumed. Is it an eternity of …pineſs that thou believeſt to be reſerved for thee; wait but a little while, and thou wilt be in poſſeſſion of it, and then thou wilt have no more need of thoſe things.
O Lord, I ſhall not preſume to ask how many daies, or moneths, or years, my ſufferings muſt laſt, or whether all the reſidue of my life: only be pleaſed to ſay, that they ſhall be but temporal; then ſhall I thankfully acknowledge that the ſufferings of Time are mercifully ſhort, if compared with the joyes of eternity.