A new-years-gift: containing serious reflections on time, and eternity. And some other subjects moral and divine. With an appendix concerning the first day of the year, how observed by the Jews, and may best be employed by a serious Christian.

SECT. IV.

Of the seeming Difference, between so ma∣ny Years Past, and the same number of Years to come.

WHen I look back on the preceed∣ing Years of my Life, how easi∣ly can I grasp them all at once? they are even as yesterday when 'tis past. But so many Years to come hath something great and vast, which fills my Thoughts, and affects my Mind, after another manner. Such is the difference between past In∣joyments, and the Expectation of future. Let me suppose the same term and dura∣tion of Years, and yet how different are my Apprehensions of what is past, and of what is yet to come! Things past by a re∣membrance of some remarkable Passages, when they happened, seem to be present with me: But not knowing what may happen in the same number of Years to come, I have nothing whereon to fix my Thoughts. Or the Reason of this Difference may rather be, that Men in this degenerate and necessitous State (with unsatisfied Desires reaching after Happiness, and sensible nothing present

can afford it, and knowing by Experi∣ence that nothing past could have done it) are eagerly desirous of Felicity; and because we know not but what is to come may procure it, we hope it will; which makes the Time seem long, by reason of our Expectation and Desire of Good. Whereas the foresight of Evil, and the Expectation of that, some years hence, makes the Time rather seem short, and near at hand: So many years to come, in the expectation and desire of Good, are long and tedious? such Hope deferred makes the heart sick, even tho' 'tis of that sort, as must needs fail our expectations.

Prepare me, Lord! for what thine un∣erring Counsel shall please to order, as to the remainder of my Time on Earth; and suffer me not to count upon a great number of Years to come, since this, for ought I know, may be my last: Neither let me expect Rest and Happiness in this World, which nothing Temporal can afford. This is not the state or season, wherein, by any promise of God, I am encouraged to hope it. And if fifty or threescore years to come, be thought so great a matter, and really is so, as to our stay on Earth; Oh! what apprehensions ought I to admit concerning an endless,

everlasting State! especially being as cer∣tain of the latter, after Death, as I am uncertain about the former; whether so many Years be yet to come before my Death. Let me not hereafter be so pre∣posterous in my Solicitude, Cares, and Fears, as to be anxious for to Morrow, and yet be thoughtless of Eternity.