Heart Humiliation, Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
Prov. 27. 1.
Boaſt not thy ſelf of to morrow, for thou knoweſt not what a day may bring forth.
AS man is naturally given to Boaſting and Gloriation in ſomething (for the Heart cannot want ſome Object to reſt upon and take complacency into, it is framed with ſuch a capacity of employing other things) ſo there is a ſtrong inclination in man towards the time to come, he hath an Immortal appetite, and an appetite of Immortality; and therefore his deſires uſually ſtretch farther then the preſent Ho…. And the more Knowledge he hath above other Creatures, the more Providence he hath and foreſight of the time to come. And ſo he often anticipats future things, by preſent Joy and Rejoycing in them, as he accelerats in a manner by his earneſt deſires and endeavours after them: Now if the Soul of man were in the Primitive Integrity, and had as clear and pearcing an Eye of Underſtanding as once it had, this Providence of the Soul would reach to the furtheſt period in Time; that is, to Eternity, which is the only juſt meaſure of the endurance of any Immortal Spirit. But ſince the Eye of mans Underſtanding is darkneſſe, and his Soul diſordered, he cannot ſee afar off, nor ſo clearly, by far: He is now as you ſay Sand-blind, can ſee nothing at ſuch a diſtance, as beyond the bounds of Time, can ſee nothing but at hand, to morrow, this is the narrow Sphere of poor mans comprehenſion; All he can attain unto, is to be provident for the preſent Time: I call it all preſent, even that which is to come of our Time; becauſe in regard of Eternity it hath no part, it hath no flux or ſucceſſion, it is ſo ſoon cut off as a moment, as the twinckling of an Eye: And ſo though a man could ſee the end of it, it is but a ſhort and dim ſight, it is as if a man could only behold that which is almoſt contiguous with his Eye. Theſe then are the two great ruines and decayes of the Nature of man; He is degenerated from God to created things, and ſeeks his Joy and Reſt in them, in which there is nothing but the contrair; that is, vexation. And then he is fallen from apprehenſion of Eternity, and the poor Soul is confined within the narrow bounds of time; So that now all his Providence, is to lay up ſome periſhing things for ſome few revolutions of the Sun, for ſome few morrows, after which, though an endleſſe morrow enſue, yet he perceives it not, and provides not for it; And all his Glorying and Boaſting is only upon ſome preſumptuous confidence, and ungrounded aſſurance of the ſtability of theſe things for the time to come; which the Wiſe Man finding much folly in, he leaves us this Counſel, Boaſt not thy ſelf of to morrow, with a moſt pungent reaſon, taken partly from the inſtability and inconſtancy of all theſe outward things, in which men fancy an Eternity of Joy, and partly from the Ignorance we have of the future events, For thou knoweſt not what a day may bring forth.
This Boaſting is an evil ſo predominant among men, that I know not any more univerſal in its Dominion, or more hurtful to us, or diſpleaſing to God. If it could be ſo emboweled unto you, as that you might truely diſcern the many monſtrous conceptions of Atheiſm and Irreligion that are in it, it were worth the while. But I ſhall not digreſſe upon the general head, I had rather keep within the limits of the Text. Self-boaſting you ſee, is that which is here condemned, and the very Name is almoſt enough to condemn the Nature of it. But there is another particular added to reſtrict that, Of to morrow. Of all Boaſtings the moſt irrational and groundleſſe is that which ariſes from preſumption of future things, which are ſo uncertain both in themſelves and to us.
It is worth the obſervation, that whatever be the immediat and particular matter and occaſion of mens Gloriation, yet Self is the great and ultimat Object of it: It is Self that men Glory into, whatſoever created thing be the reaſon or occaſion of it. Boaſt not thy ſelf of to-morrow. Here we might ſtand and take a look of the crookedneſſe and perverſneſſe of mans Spirit, ſince his departure from God; Self-love and Pride were the firſt poyſon that the malice of Satan dropped into mans Nature, and this is ſo ſtrong and peſtilent, that it hath ſpread through the whole of mankind, and the whole in every man. Every one is infected, and all in every one. What are all the diſordered affections in men, but ſo many Streams from this Fountain? And from theſe do mens Affections flow next: So that there is nothing left uncorrupted, and free of this abominable and vile ingredient; All flowing from Self and returning to it again, which is both ſacrilegious and unnatural. There is heinous Sacriledge in it, the ſpoyling of the Glorious Divine Majeſty, of his Indubitable Prerogative and Incommunicable Right of all the Glory and Honour of his Creature: There is no uſurpation like this, for the Worm that crawls on the Footſtool, to creep up to the Throne, and as it were to King it there, to Deifie and Adore it ſelf, and gather in all the Tribute of Praiſe and Glory and Love, that is only due to the Lord God Almighty, and invert and unpropriat theſe to our ſelves; which is, as if the Axe ſhould boaſt it ſelf, as if it were no Iron, or the Staff, as if it were no Timber. Hence it is, that of all evils in mans Nature, God hath the moſt perfect Antipathy, and direct Oppoſition againſt Pride and Self-love, becauſe it is Sacriledge and Idolatry in the higheſt manner, it ſtriks at the Soveraignty and Honour of Gods Name▪ which is dear to him as himſelf, it ſets up a vile Idol in the choiceſt Temple of God, that is in the Heart: And this is the Abomination of Deſolation: Other evils ſtrike againſt his Holy Will: But this peculiarly points at the very Nature and Beeing of the moſt High God, and ſo it is with Child of Blaſphemy, Atheiſm is the very heart and life of it. And then it is moſt unnatural, and ſo monſtrous and deformed. For, conſider all the Creation, though every one of them have particular Inclinations towards their own proper ends, and ſo a Happineſſe ſuitable to their own Nature; yet how diverſe, how contrary ſoever they be, there is no ſelfiſhneſſe in them; They all concurre and conſpire to the good of the whole, and the mutual help of each other. If once that Poyſon ſhould infect the Material World, which hath ſpoyled the Spiritual, let once ſuch a ſelfiſh diſpoſition or inclination poſſeſſe any part of the World, and preſently the Order, Harmony, Beauty, Pleaſure and Profite of the whole World ſhould be Interrupted, Defaced and Deſtroyed. Let the Sun be ſuppoſed to boaſt it ſelf of its Light and Influence, and ſo diſdain to impart it to the lower World, and all would run into confuſion. Again I deſire you but to take a view of this Humour in anothers Perſon; (For we are more ready to ſee others evils then our own) and how deformed is it? So vile is ſelf-ſeeking and ſelf-boaſting, that all men loath it in others, and hide it from others: It diſgraces all Actions, how beautiful ſoever; It is the very bane of Humane Society, that which looſes all the Linkes of it, and makes them croſſe and thwart one another.
But, alas, how much more eaſie is it, to paint out ſuch an evil in a deformed Viſage, then to diſcern it in our ſelves? And how many will hate it in the Picture, who love and entertain it in their own perſons, ſuch deceitfulneſſe is intermingled with moſt deſperat wickedneſſe. I verily believe that is the predominant of every man good and bad, except in as far as it is mortified by Grace. O! the turnings and windings of the Heart upon it ſelf, in all the moſt apparently direct Motions towards God and the good of men? What ſerpentine and crooked Circumgyrations, and reflections are there in the Soul of man, when the outward Action and Expreſſion ſeems moſt regular, and directed towards Gods Glory and others Edification? Whoever of you have any acquaintance with your own Spirits, cannot but know this, and be aſhamed and confounded at the very thought of it. Self-boaſting; Self-complacency, selfſeeking, all thoſe being of Kin one to another, are inſinuated into your beſt Notions, and in fect them with more Atheiſm before God, then the ſtrongeſt pious Affection can inſtill of goodneſſe into them. How often will mens Actions and Expreſſions be outwa…ly cloathed with a habit of Condeſcendency and Self-denyal? And many may declaim with ſuch Zeal and Vehemency againſt this evil, and yet Latet anguis: The Serpent is in the boſome, and his venome may be diffuſed into the Heart, and the poyſon of Self-ſeeking and Self-boaſting, may run thorow the Veines of humble like Carriage and Paſſionate Diſcourſes for Self-denyal. Oh that we could above all things, eſtabliſh that Fundamental Principle of Chriſtianity in our Hearts, even as we would be his Diſciples, truely and ſincerely, and not in outward reſemblance, to deny our ſelves, to renounce our ſelves and our luſts, to make a whole Reſignation of our Love, Will, Glory and all to him, in whom to be loſt, it is only truely to find our ſelves.
But though man have this ſtrange Self-idolizing Humour, and a Self-glorying Diſpoſition, yet he is ſo poor and beggarly a Creature, that he hath not ſufficient matter within himſelf, to give complacency to his Heart; therefore he muſt borrow from all external things; And when there is any kind of Propriety in, or Title to them, then he Glories in himſelf for them, as if they were truely in himſelf. We are Creatures by Nature moſt indigent, yet moſt proud, which is unnatural. No man is ſatisfied within himſelf (except the Good man, Prov. 14. 14.) but he goes abroad to ſeek it at the Door of every Creature; And when there are ſome Plumes or Feathers borrowed from other Birds, like that fooliſh Bird in the Fable, we begin to raiſe our Criſts and boaſt our ſelves, as if we had all theſe of our own, and were beholden to none. But as things that are truely our own, will not be ſufficient to feed this Flame of Gloriation, without the acceſſion of outward things: So preſent things and the preſent time will not afford Aliment enough or Fewel for this Humour, without the addition of the morrow.
Boaſt not thy ſelf of to morrow. No mans preſent poſſeſſion ſatisfies him, without the addition of hope and expectation for the future. And herein the poverty of mans Spirit appears, and the emptineſſe of all things we enjoy here, that our preſent Revenue, as it were, will not content the Heart: The preſent Poſſeſſion fills not up the Vacuities of the Heart, without the ſupply of our imaginations, by taking ſo much in upon the head of the morrow, to ſpeak ſo: As one Prodigal and Riotous Waſter, who cannot be ſerved with his yearly incomes, but takes ſo much on upon his Eſtate, upon the next years income, before it come, begines to ſpend upon it, before it come it ſelf, and then when it comes it cannot ſuffice it ſelf; So the inſatiable and indigent Heart of man cannot ſubſiſt and feed its Joy in Complacency upon the whole World, it it were preſently in its poſſeſſion, without ſome acceſſion of hopes and expectations for the time to come. Therefore the Soul, as it were, Anticipats and Foreſtals the morrow, and borrows ſo much preſent Joy and Boaſting upon the head of it, which when it comes it ſelf, perhaps it will not fill the hand of the Reaper, let be pay for that Debt of Gloriation that was taken on upon its name, or compenſe the expectation was in it. See Job. 11. 18, 20. and 8. 13. Hope is like a mans houſe to him, but to many it is no better then a Spidders Web, We have then a clear Demonſtration of the madneſſe and folly of men, who hang ſo much upon things without, and ſuffer themſelves to be Moulded and Modelled in their Affections, according to the variety of external Accidents; Frſt of all, conſider the independence of all things upon us and our choice, there is nothing more unreaſonable, then to ſtirre our paſſions upon that which falls not under our deliberation, as the moſt part of things to come are: What ſhall be to morrow, what ſhall come of my Eſtate, of my places, what event my Projects and Deſignes ſhall have, this is not in my hand; Theſe depends upon other mens Wills, Purpoſes and Actions, which are not in my power; And therefore, either to Boaſt or Glory upon that which depends upon the concurrance of ſo many Cauſes Unſubordinat to me, or to be vexed and diſquieted upon the fore Apprehenſion of that which is not in my hand to prevent, it is not only Irreligious, as contrary to our Saviouts Command, Matth. 6. But unreaſonable alſo, as that which even Nature condemns: Take not thought for to morrow, and ſo by conſequent, Boaſt not of to morrow. And there's one Argument from the vanity of ſuch Affections, Thou canſt not make one hair black, nor add one cubit to thy ſtature, &c. To what purpoſe then, are either theſe Vexations or Gloriations, which cannot prevent evil, nor procure good? Why ſhould our Affections depend upon others Motions? This makes a man the greateſt Slave and Captive, ſo that he hath not the Dominion and Power of himſelf. But the vanity of ſuch. Affections is the more increaſed, if we conſider that Supreme Eternal Will, by which all theſe things are Determined; And therefore, it is in vain for Creatures to make themſelves more miſerable, or put themſelves in a Fools Paradiſe, which will produce more miſery after wards, and that for theſe things, which are bound up in that fatal Chain of his eternal purpoſe. Then in the next place, the folly of men appears from the inconſtancy of theſe things; there is ſuch an infinite variety of the Accidents of Providence, that it is folly for a man to preſume to boaſt of any thing, or take Complacency in it, becauſe many things fall between the Cup and the Lip, the Chalice and the Chin as the proverb is. There is nothing certain, but that all things are uncertain, that all things are ſubject to perpetual Motion, Revolution and Change; To day a City; to morrow a Heap. And there is nothing between a great City and a Heap but one day; Nothing between a Man and no Man but one hour: Our Life is ſubject to infinite Caſualities: It may receive the Fatal Stroak from the meaneſt thing, and moſt unexpected; it is a Buble flotting upon the Water; For this World is a wattery Element, in continual Motion with Storms, and in theſe, ſo many poor dying Creatures riſe up, and ſwime and float a while, and are toſſed up and down by the Wind and Vave, and the leaſt puff of Wind, or drop of Rain ſends it back to its own Element: We are a Vapour appearing for a very little time, a Creature of no ſolidity, a Dream, a Shadow and appearance of ſomething; And this Dream, or Apparition is but for a little t…me, and then it evaniſheth, not ſo much into nothing, for it was little diſtant from nothing before, but it diſappears rather. All humane Affairs are like the Spaiks of a Wheel, in ſuch a continual Circumgyration, as a Captive King who was drawing Seſoſtris Chariot, ſaid, when he was looking often behind him, the King of Aegypt Seſoſtris demanded, for what end did he look ſo often about him; Sayes he, I am looking to the Wheel, muſing upon the Viciſſitudes and Permutations of it, how the higheſt parts are inſtantly loweſt; And this word repreſſed the Kings vain Glory. Now in this conſtant Wheeling of outward things, which is the Soul, that enjoyes true quiet and peace? Even that Soul, that is fixed, as it were in the Center, upon God, that hath its abode in him: Though the parts without be in a continual violent Motion, yet the Center of the Wheel is at much peace, is not vioiently turned, but gently complyes to the changes of the other. And then conſider the madneſſe of this, Thou knoweſt not, &c. There are two Reaſons in the things themſelves, Inconſtancy, and Independency on us; But this is al… preſſing as any, our ignorance of them: They are wholly in the dark to us, as it were, in the lower parts of the Earth. As there is no more in our power, but the preſent hour, for to yeſter-day we are dead already, for it is paſt and cannot return, it is as it were buried in the Grave of Oblivion: And to morrow, we are not yet born, for it is not come to the Light, and we know not if ever it will come; So there is no more in our knowledge, but the preſent hour. The time paſt, though we remember it, yet it is without our practical knowledge, it admits of no Reformation by it: And the time to come, it is not born to us, and its all one as if we were not born to it. And indeed in the Lords diſpoſing of all Affairs under the Sun, after this Method, there is infinite Wiſdom and Goodneſſe both, though at the firſt view, men would think it better, that all things went on after an uniform manner; And that men knew what were to befal them; Yet I ſay, God hath herein provided for his own Glory and the Good of men: His own Glory, while he hath reſerved to himſelf, the abſolute Dominion, and perfect knowledge of his Works, and exerciſes them in ſo great variety, that they may be ſeen to proceed from him; And for our good, for what place were there for the exerciſe of many Chriſtian Vertues and Graces, if it were not ſo? What place for Patience, if there were no croſſe Diſpenſations? what place for Moderation, if there were no Proſperity? I… there were not ſuch Variety and Viciſſitude, how ſhould the evenneſſe and conſtancy of the Spirit be known? Where ſhould Contentment and Tranquillity of Mind have place? For it is a Calme in a Storm properly, not a Calm in a Calm, that is no Vertue. If the ſeveral Accidents of Providence were foreſeen by us, what a marvelous Perturbation and diſorder would it make in our Duty? Who would do his Duty out of Conſcience to Gods Command, to commit Events to him? Now there is the tryal of Obedience, to make us go by a way we know not, and Reſigne our ſelves to All-ſeeing Providence, whoſe Eyes run too and fro throughout the earth. Therefore, that no Grace may want matter and occaſion of exerciſe, that no Vertue may die out, for want of Fewel, or ruſt for lack of Exerciſe, God hath thus Ordered and Diſpoſed the World. There is no Condition, no Poſture of Affairs, in which he hath not left a fair Opportunity, for the exerciſing of ſome Grace: Hath he ſhut up and precluded the Acting of one or many through Affliction, then ſurely he hath opened a wide Door, and given large matter for Self denyal, Humility, Patience, Moderation; And theſe are als precious, as any that look faireſt. In a word, I think the very Frame and Method of the diſpoſing of this Material World, ſpeaks aloud to this purpoſe. You ſee, when you look below, there is nothing ſeen but the outſide of the Earth, the very Surface of it only appears, and there your ſight is terminated; But look above, and there is no termination, no bounding of the Sight, there are infinite ſpaces, all are Tranſparant and Clear without and within. Now what may this repreſent unto us: One ſayes, it ſhews us that our Affections ſhould be ſet upon things above, and not on things below, ſeeing below there is nothing but an outward appearance and Surface of things, the Glory and Beauty of the Earth is but skin deep; But Heavenly things are alike throughout, all Tranſparent, nothing to ſet bounds to the Affections, they are infinite, and you may enlarge infinitly towards them. I add this other Conſideration, that God hath made all things in Time, Dark and Opake, like the Earth: look to them, you ſee only the outſide of them, the preſent hour, and what is beyond it, you know no more then you ſee, the Bowels of the Earth. But Eternity is both Tranſparent and Conſpicuous throughout, and infinite too. Therefore God hath made us blind to the one, that we ſhould not ſet our heart, nor terminat our eyes upon any thing here; But he hath opened and ſpread Eternity before us in the Scriptures, ſo that you may read and underſtand your Fortune, your everlaſting Eſtate in it. He hath ſhut up Temporal things and Sealed them, and wills us to live implicitly, and give him the Truſt of them without anxious foreſight; But Eternity he hath unvailed and opened unto us. Certain it is, that no man till he be fully poſſeſſed of God, who is an All-ſufficient Good, Pſal. 4. Can find any ſatisfaction, in any preſent Enjoyment without the addition of ſome hope for the future. Great things without it will not content; for what is it all to a man, if he have no aſſurance for the time to come, and mean things with it, will content: Great things with little hope and expectation, fill with more Vexation inſtead of Joy, and the greater they be, this is the more increaſed. Again, mean and low things, with great hopes and large expectations will give more ſatisfaction. Therefore, all mankind have a look toward the morrow, and labour to ſupply their preſent defects and wants with hope or confidence of that. I would exhort you who would indeed have ſolid matter of Gloriation, and would not be befooled into a golden Dream of vain expectations of vain things, that ye would labour to fill up the Vacuities of preſent things, with that great Hope, the Hope of Salvation, which will be as an Helmet to keep your head ſafe in all difficulties, 1 Pet. 1. 3. Heb. 6. 18, 19. Rom. 5. 5. It is true, other mens expectations of Gain and Credit, and ſuch things; Do in ſome meaſure, abait the torment and pain of preſent wants and indigencies: But certain it is, that ſuch hope is not ſo Soveraign a Cordial to the heart, as to expell all grief, but leaves much vexation within: But then alſo, the frequent diſappointment of ſuch projects and deſigns of Gain, Honour and Pleaſure, and the extreme unanſwerableneſſe of theſe to the Deſires and Hopes of the Soul, even when attained, muſts needs breed infinite more anxiety and vexation in the Spirit, then the hope of them could give of ſatisfaction; Yea, the more the expectation was, it cannot chooſe, but the greater ſhame and confuſion muſt be. Therefore, if you would have your Souls truely eſtabliſhed, and not hanging upon the morrow uncertainly, as the moſt part of men are, get a look beyond the morrow, unto that everlaſting Day of Eternity, that hath no morrow after it; And ſee what foundation you can lay up for that time to come, as Paul bids Timothy counſel the Rich Men in the World, who thought their Riches and Revenues, their Offices and Dignities, a Foundation and VVell-ſpring of Contentment to them and their Children, and are ready to ſay with that man in the Parable, Soul take thy reſt, thou haſt enough laid up for many years. Charge them, (ſayes he,) &c. 1 Tim. 6. 16, 17, 18, 19. O! a Charge worthy to be engraven on the Tables of our hearts; worthy to be written on the Ports of all Cities, and the Gates of all Palaces. You would all have a Foundation of laſting Joy, ſayes he; But why ſeek you laſting Joy in fadeing things? And certain Joy in uncertain Riches, and ſolid Contentment in empty things, and not rather in the Living God, who is the inexhauſted Spring of all Good things? Therefore, if you would truely boaſt of to Morrow, or ſing a ſolide Requiem to your own hearts; There is another Treaſure to be laid up in ſtore againſt the time to come; The Time only worthy to be called Time, that is Eternity; And that is, ſtudy to do good, and be rich in good Works, in VVorks of Piety, of Mercy, of Equity, of Sobriety. This is a better Foundation for the Time to come; Or rather receive and embrace the Promiſe of eternal Life, made to ſuch, that free and gracious promiſe of Life in the Goſpel; And ſo you may ſupply all the wants and indigencies of your preſent enjoyments, with the precious hope of eternal Life which cannot make aſhamed. But what is the way that the moſt part of men take to mitigate and ſweeten their preſent hardſhips? Even like that of the fools in the Parable, Luke 12. They either have ſomething laid up for many years, or elſe their projects and deſignes reach to many years: The truth is, they have more pleaſure in the expectation of ſuch things, nor in the real poſſeſſion, but that pleaſure is but imaginary either. How many thoughts and deſignes are continually turning in the heart of man, how to be rich, how to get greater gain, or more credit: Men build Caſtles in the Air, and fancy to themſelves, as it were, new VVorlds of meer poſſible beings, and in ſuch an imployment of the heart, there is ſome poor deceiving of preſent ſorrows, but at length they recurre with greater violence. Every man makes Romanſes for himſelf, pretty fancies of his own Fortune, as if he had the diſpoſing of it himſelf; He ſits down, as it were, and writes an Almanack and Prognoſtication in his own ſecret thoughts, and deſignes his own Proſperity, Gain and Advantage, and Pleaſures or Joyes; And when we have thus ranked our Hopes and Expectations, then we begin to take complacency in them, and boaſt our ſelves in the confidence of them, as if there were not a Supream Lord who gives a Law to our Affairs, als immediatly, as to the VVinds and Raines.
Now that you may know the folly of this, Conſider the Reaſon which is ſubjoyned, For thou knoweſt not what a day may bring forth. There is a concurrence of inconſtancy in all things, and ignorance in us, which might be ſufficient to check our folly of confident and preſumptuous expectation from them, and gloriation in them: So that whether we look about us to the things themſelves, or within us to our ſelves, all things proclaim the folly and madneſſe of that which the heart of man is ſet upon. And this double conſideration the Apoſtle James oppoſes to the vain hopes and confident undertakings of men, Chap. 4. 13. &c, Which place is a perfect Commentary upon this Text: He brings in an inſtance of the reſolutions and purpoſes of rich men, for the compaſſing of Gain by Merchandiſe, whereby you may underſtand all the ſeveral deſignes and plots of men, that are contrived and ordered, and laid down in the hearts of men, either for more Gain, or more Glory, or more Pleaſure and Eaſe. Now the Grand Evil that is here reproved, is not ſimply mens Care and Diligence in uſeing Lawful means for their accomodation in this life, or yet their Wiſe and Prudent foreſight in ordering of their Affairs for attaining that end, for both theſe are frequently recommended and commended by the VViſe Man, Prov. 6. 6. and 24. 27. But here is the great Iniquity, that men in all theſe contrivings and actings, carry themſelves as if they were abſolute Independents, without conſideration of the Soveraign Univerſal Dominion of God. No man almoſt reflects upon that Glorious Being, which alone hath the Negative and Definitive Sentence in all the Motions and Affairs of the ſons of men, or conſiders, that it is not in man that walks, to direct his paths, that when all our thoughts and deſigns are Marſhalled and Ordered, and the compleateſt preparation made for reaching our intended ends, that yet the way of man is not in himſelf; That all theſe things are under a higher and more abſolute Dominion of the moſt High God. VVhoſe heart doth that often ſound unto? A mans heart deviſeth his way, but the Lord directs his ſteps: And ſo is not bound by any rule to conform his Executions to our Intentions; For he works all according to the Counſel of his own VVill and not ours; And therefore no wonder that the product of our Actions do not anſwer our intentions and devices, becauſe the Supream Rule and Meaſure of them is above our Power and without our Knowledge. And therefore, though there were never ſo many devices in the heart of man, never ſo wiſely or lawfully Contrived and Ordered; Though the Mine be never ſo well prepared, and all ready for the fireing of it: Yet the Counſel of the Lord, that ſhall ſtand, Prov. 19. 21. & 16, 9. That higher determination may blow up our beſt conſultations or drown them, for mans goings is of the Lord, how then can a man underſtand his Paths, Prov. 20. 24. And yet the moſt part of men in all theſe things loſſe the remembrance of this fatal and invincible Subordination to God, and propoſe their own Affairs and Actions, as if themſelves were to diſpoſe of them; And when their own reſolutions and projects ſeem probable, they begin to pleaſe themſelves in them, in the fore-thought of what they will do, or what they may have or enjoy to morrow afterward: There is a preſent ſecret Complacency and Gloriation, without any ſerious reminding the abſolute dependence of all things upon the VVill of God, and their independence upon our Counſels, without fore-caſting and often ruminating upon the perpetual fluctuation and conſtant inconſtancy of humane Affairs, but as if we were the Supream Moderators in Heaven and Earth, ſo we Act and Tranſact our own buſineſſe in a deep forgetfulneſſe of him who ſits in Heaven and laughs at all our Projects and Practices. And therefore, the Holy Ghoſt would have this ſecret but ſerious thought to ſeaſon all our other Purpoſes and Conſultations, If the Lord will, &c. Whereas we ought to ſay and think this, it is ſcarce minded: And then we know not what ſhal be to Morrow, for our Life it ſelf is a Vapour. Herein is a ſtrong Argument, you lay your deſignes for to Morrow, for a Year, for many Years, and yet ye know not, if ye ſhall be to Morrow. How many mens Projects are caſt beyond that time that is meaſured out in Gods Counſel: And what a ridiculous thing muſt that be to him, if it be not done with ſubmiſſive and humble dependence on him. In a word, Time is with Child of innumerable things, conceived by the Eternal Counſel of God; Infinite and inconceiveably Various are theſe Conceptions which the Womb of Time ſhall at length bring forth to Light; Every Day, every Hour, every Minute is travelling in pain, as it were, and is delivered of ſome one Birth or another, and no Creature can open its Womb ſooner, or ſhut it longer then the appointed and prefixed Seaſon; There is no miſcarying as to him whoſe Decrees do properly conceive them, t…ough to us they ſeem often Abortive. Now joyn unto this to make the Alluſion full, as long as they are carried in the Womb of Time, they are hid from all the World; The Womb is a dark Lodging, and no Underſtanding nor Eye can pierce into it, to tell what is in it, till it break forth; And therefore, Children born are ſaid to come to the Light: for till then, they are to us in a Cloud of darkneſſe, that we cannot tell what they are; So then; every Day, every Hour, every Moment is about to bring forth that which all the World is ignorant of, till they ſee it; And Oh that then they underſtood it. We know not whether the Morrows or next Hours Birth may be a proportioned Child, or a Monſter, whether it will anſwer the Figure and Mould that is in our mind, or be miſhapen and deformed to our Senſe. Mans deſires and deſignes may be ſaid to conceive, for they form an inward Image and Idea within themſelves, to which they labour to make the Product and Birth of Time conformable; And when it anſwers our preconceived form, then we rejoyce as for a Man-child. But for the moſt part it is a Monſter as to our Conception, it is an Aberration from our Rule; It is either mutilate and defective of what we deſire, or ſuperfluous or deformed, which turns our expectation into vexation, and our boaſting into lamentation. But the truth is, Time brings forth no Monſters as to the Lords Decrees, which are the only juſt meaſures of all things: It may be ſaid of every thing under the Sun, as David ſpeaks of himſelf in the Womb; My ſubſtance was not hid from thee, when I was made in ſecret and curiouſly formed in the loweſt parts of the Earth, &c. Pſal. 139. 15. His Eyes ſee all their ſubſtance: Yet being imperfect and in his everlaſting Book all their Members are written; The Portraicture of every thing is drawn there to the Life, and theſe in continuance are faſhioned, juſt as they were written and drawn, and ſo they exactly correſpond to his pre-conception of them, whatever deformity they may have as to us, yet they are perfect Works and beautiful to him.