God's soveraignty displayed from Job 9. 12. : Behold he taketh away, who can hinder him? &c., or, A discourse shewing, that God doth, and may take away from his creatures what hee pleaseth, as to the matter what, the place where, the time when, the means and manner how, and the reasons thereof : with an application of the whole, to the distressed citizens of London, whose houses and goods were lately consumed by the fire : an excitation of them to look to the procuring causes of this fiery tryal, the ends that God aims at in it, with directions how to behave themselves under their losses / by William Gearing ...

CHAP. XI.

IF God hath taken all away from [ V] you, then content your selves with Gods promises; if thou hast an inte∣rest in the Promises, thou hast enough: Answer all wicked worldlings as Esau did Jacob, I have enough, I have e∣nough my Brother; so say thou, I have a heavenly Mansion in the promise, which is more worth than my earthly house which is consumed; I have hea∣ven in the promise, which is more worth than a thousand worlds in present pos∣session: Eternal glory is better than

fading honour, eternal delights are bet∣ter than momentany pleasures, eternal habitations are better than our Clay∣tabernacles; what if I have lost my goods, in heaven there is a more en∣during substance, worth more than all present enjoyments? What if the world be a Wilderness, so long as I have Ca∣naan in the promise? and thither I am going. Oh how good is it for Christi∣ans to store up promises afore-hand, and to let the Word of God dwell richly in our hearts, especially the pro∣mises, which are the quintessence of the word: we use to say of a rich man, he is worth God knows what; this may we say truly of him who is rich in promi∣ses, we are subject to variety of estates and conditions here; no mans Moun∣tain is so strong, but it may be remo∣ved. Now as the Astronomers say, there is no herb growing on the earth, but hath its star in heaven from which it receiveth sweet influences; so there is no estate or condition, wherein a Chri∣stian possibly may be in this life, but there is a promise to it in the holy word of God, from which he may re∣ceive sweet influences by faith. And considering that all Promises are yea

and Amen in Christ; under all your los∣ses and afflictions labour wisely to ap∣ply them, depend on Christ in them; he will faithfully perform all and every promise in due time to thee, for faith∣ful is the Promiser: urge him with his promises, produce to him his hand and seal, Lord thou hast promised this or that good thing, oh make it good, be it to thy servant according to thy word: that soul may walk on thorns, on tempestuous Seas, whose feet are shod with the Promises; he may walk in the very valley of the shadow of death, who hath the staff of a promise in his hand: he may fear no ill, but ex∣pect all grace, glory, and every good thing, who hath a promise from Christ.