Page:A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion.djvu/123

Rh all the minute occurrences of life. But such persons do not consider, that an universal consists of things singular, and that an admission of the one necessarily implies the existence of the other also; that what appear a great and important event to man, is not such in the divine estimation, but that all occurrences in life, whether called great or small, are equal in his sight; that there is only one single fountain of life, which is the Lord, from whom we derive our being, our life, and all our powers of action; and consequently that nothing can possibly occur, without his superintending eye, and directing hand.

The divine providence regards for it's end, not that which is of transitory duration, and ceases to exist with man's life in the world, but that which remains to eternity, and thus has no termination. That which has no end, may be truly said to be; but that which has an end, even though it may endure for years, yea for ages, compared with eternity, is not, and therefore may be considered respectively as nothing. From this view of the subject then it may be plainly seen, that worldly eminence and opulence are not in themselves divine blessings, though man, from the pleasure they yield him, may so call them; because they soon pass away, and also become the occasion of seducing many, and of turning them from heaven: but that life eternal and it's felicity, together with all the things tending to promote such a state, are real blessings proceeding from the Lord; in agreement with which he saith in the Gospel, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust do corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also," Matt. vi. 19 to 21.