The mouth of Gaal, Judges
9:38, and the boasts of Peter, were great and high before the trial
came; but when that came, they found themselves to fall far short of
the courage they thought they had. We also, before the temptation
comes, think we can walk upon the sea; but when the winds blow, we
feel ourselves begin to sink. Hence such a time is rightly said to
be a time to try us, or to find out what we are; and is there no
good in this? Is it not this that rightly rectifies our judgment
about ourselves, that makes us to know ourselves, that tends to cut
off those superfluous sprigs of pride and self-concitedness,
wherewith we are subject to be overcome? Is not such a day the day
that bends us, humbles us, and that makes us bow before God for our
faults committed in our prosperity? And yet doth it yield no good
unto us? We could not live without such turnings of the hand of God
upon us.
Thine own doubts and mistrusts about what God will do and about
whither thou shalt go, when thou for him hast suffered awhile he can
resolve, yea, dissolve, crush, and bring to nothing. He can make
fear flee far away, and place heavenly confidence in its room. He
can bring invisible and eternal things to the eye of thy soul, and
make thee see THAT, in those things in which thine enemies shall see
nothing, that thou shalt count worth the loss of ten thousand lives
to enjoy.
Pages:
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327