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APPLICATION.
VVHat excellent Christians should we be, were we but as provident and thoughtful for our souls? 'tis doubt∣less a singular point of Christan wisdom, to foresee a day of spiritual straits and necessities, and during the day of grace to make provision for it. This great Gospel truth is excel∣lently shadowed forth in this natural Observation, which I shall branch out into these seven particulars.
[ 1] Husbandmen know there is a change, and vicissitude of seasons and weather; though it be pleasant Summer weather now, yet Winter will tread upon the heel of Summer; frosts, Snows, and great falls of rain must be expected. This alternate course of seasons in nature is setled by a firm Law of the God of nature, to the end of the world. Gen. 8. 22. Whilst the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night, shall not cease.
And Christians know, that there are changes in the right hand of the most High, in referrence to their spiritual seasons. If there be a Spring time of the Gospel, there will also be an Autmn; if a day of prosperity, it will set in a night of adver∣sity; for God hath set the one over aginst the other, Eccles. 7. 14. In heaven there is a day of everlasting serenity, in hell a night of perfect and endless horror and darkness; on earth, light and darkness take their turns, prosperity and adversity, even to souls as well as bodies, succeed each other. If there be a Gospel day, a day of grace now current, it will have its period and determination, Gen. 3. 6.
[ 2] Common prudence and experience enables the Husband∣man, in the midst of Summer, to foresee a Winter, and pro∣vide for it before he feel it; yea natural instinct teaches this to the very birds of the air, and beasts of the field.
And spiritual wisdome should teach Christians to exercise their foreseeing faculties, and not suffer them to feel evil be∣fore they fear it. But O the stupifying nature of sin! Though the Stork in the heavens knows her appointed time, and the Turtle, Crane and Swallow the time of their com∣ing,