Thursday, September 27, 2007

Puritan Wisdom

On I Peter 3:14 –

"A godly man is blessed, happy in whatever condition forever; He is happy not onely in prosperity, but even in sufferings, even in the very lowest abasement, nothing can make them miserable; having God and a good conscience, though they meet with affliction from God, or persecution from men (as here) they are happy: Imprison him, fetter him, let not creature come at him, put Lyons to him, &c. yet the heir of Heaven, a Kings son, &c. and how can he be miserable that hath the Comforter within? For the wicked, nothing can make them happy, let a wicked man have Samsons strength, Absoloms beauty, Ahasuerus wealth, Nebuchanezzers stately Babel, Dives his costly apparel, &c. yet he is miserable, he is under the curse of God, there’s but a flap between him and Hell: As Jonah was asleep whilest God was offended with him, the winds raged against him, the Whale was ready to swallow him, so do the wicked eat, sleep, and are jovial, while God is offended, Heaven is shut up against them, Hell gapes for them, and the Devil waits on them as his prey: Their security will end in a fearful wakening, they shall be snatched from their bodies of ease, and cast into everlasting torments."

– John Rogers, 463.

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