which Believers are to take notice of against their fears and troubles Our Father by these words Fear thou not for I am with thee engageth first his Word secondly his Power thirdly his Faithfulness and fourthly his Honour God hath laid all these and much more at stake as I may so express it for every Believer to the removing away fears 1. In his special presence his Word is engaged and this the Text holds forth being the Word of God though penned by this Gospel-Prophet Isaiah There is a twofold Word of God the internal and external but both are engaged against a Believers fears and dismayings The internal word is that voyce within us saying This is the way walk in it And this proceeds from the Eternal word of the Father even Jesus Christ himself for so he is called by that divine Evangelist Joh. 1. 1 2 3. And by this Word we have the Law of the Spirit of life freeing us from the Law of sin and death and this the Word of God engages and Jesus Christ by his Spirit makes good Rom. 8. 2. And then if freedom from sin and death who should once make doubt against fears and sorrowings And in the Scriptures how many gracious promises hath the Father given thee on purpose for thy consolation All the comforting promises all the upholding promises all the present promises all the prccious promises are for the support and comfort of every Child of God So that though no holy things must be cast to Dogs yet all the words of Consolation Comfort Joy and Peace they are all to be dealt forth unto a believing soul And therefore as our Saviours words do invite you so let them abide in you Joh. 14. 1. Let not your hearts be troubled Ye believe in God believe also in me For both agree in words of Consolation against all your fears and troubles 2. God by this special presence engageth not only his Word but his Power also and what will not a man of power do that will engage for a friend But what will not the powerful God accomplish for Jacob his friend In case of temptation he saith to Paul My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12. 9. And all power is in Grace though all Grace be not in power But both these are in this special presence of God engaging for a fearing Christian And I need go no further then the Text to make it appear that the Lord engageth his power to take off Believers fears Observe when God will set forth his power and greatness to the full he saith no more but thus I am that I am Exod. 3. 14. And thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel I am hath sent me unto you And thus he engageth himself in the Text for the believing soul Fear not I am Be not dismayed I am And as those expressions with thee and thy God do set forth Gods gracious relations so I am his infinite power but both opposing fears and dismayings 3. God by this his special presence engageth his Faithfulness he will assuredly perform the overcoming all thy fears Had the Lord given us but his word of promise it were enough to master fears considering all the words of grace were written for the Saints comfort and the Scripture saith Not one jot or tittle shall fail till all be fulfilled And the reason is because he is faithful that hath promised And let us take heed by our giving way to fears we make not Gods word of none effect for He is faithful that hath promised yea and he is round about us to effect it saying I am with thee fear not I am thy God that is a God in covenant and I will nor suffer thee to be tempted feared affrighted but as I am with thee so I will strengthen yea I will help yea I will uphold It remains only doubting soul that thou shouldst witness with the Saints Heb. 10. 23. that He is faithful that hath promised and doth engage all for thee Hold fast therefore thy profession without wavering for the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God a God that keepeth Covenant and that with thee against distrust and fears Deut. 7 9. 4. And lastly God engageth not only his word his power and his faithfulness against a Believers fears but his Honour is at stake for them and know Believer he will not suffer himself to be foil'd in this for he is very jealous of it whatsoever suffer his Honour shall not Isa 42. 8. I am the Lord that is my name and my honour will I not give to another But a Believers fears and distrusts carry this in the very front even to ecclipse the honour and glory of God but saith the Lord Fear not for I know the drift of all your dismayings if distrusts did only seek your hurt I would not suffer it 1 Col. 10. 14. God is faithful saith the Apostle and will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able Ah saith the soul but what is my ability I am like a broken reed recling to and fro by every wind of temptation Well grant it what if thou art God saith he is thy God and he is with thee and he will deliver thee from all thy fears thou shalt escape and thou shalt glorifie him Nay he saith his own honour will suffer if slavish fears be suffered For though thou art a doubting Christian yet thou art my Child and so many distrusting fears may quickly make up slavish fears which is a dishonour unto my grace which I have given thee and of which I have said it should be sufficient And come what will come my honour shall not suffer nor my grace be clouded Therefore fear thou not for I am with thee and my honour is engaged in this my presence and Fears shall not be master My honour will not I give to any other much less to fears and dismayings which are so much against my honour And thus much for demonstration of these words I am with thee I am thy God To which I have chiefly spoken as they are directed against a Believers fears and dismayings Give me leave now to call forth some of those usual Doubts and Dismayings that are so incident unto Gods children that so the Express by Gods special presence may be made good even not to fear not to be dismayed I shall not speak any thing of the rise of fears knowing that every experienced Christian knoweth that sin was and is the cause of all servile fears Only thus much the Text implies that such there are in Gods own children and these are they that must be removed that so comfort and consolation may be administred CHAP. VI. Endeavoring the removal of spiritual fears and Objections answered as to the nature of fears THere are many sorts of fears yet they all may be comprehended to be Spiritual or Temporal and these again may be Personal Family and National fears And though
that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you That is If God dwell in your hearts by faith all the current of your lives will be to dwell in him by love by hope and by obedience Thus Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth his Spirit into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Here is the Spirit of Donation and of Grace sent from the Spirit of Power and Glory God hath sent So Joel 2. 28 I will pour forth my Spirit on all flesh Here is the Spirits pouring forth the Spirit namely the fruits of the Spirit which are love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith c. which Spirit cooperateth in our hearts through which we have communion in our union I shall cast all that I have to speak at this time from these words into these three Considerations 1. How may a Believer and Christ be said to be one Spirit 2. What Evidences may I have that my soul and Christ are thus in union And then 3. What benefit and income have I by being united unto Christ For so the Text imports it by way of triumph benefit and blessing to that soul which is one Spirit with Christ And in all these three Considerations I am not to speak of the Maximum quod sic or the Minimum quod sic Not of the Degrees of believing knowing that the least grain of faith doth as truly unite to Christ as the Plerophoria faith of assurance though not so strongly First How may a believing soul and Christ be said to be one Spirit I shall demonstrate this in some few and brief particulars 1. This will appear in the life of Christ and the life of a Believer Take a Believer in his birth and progress in this world in his first and in his last and still you will find Christ and Believers walking hand in hand and heart in heart they do not only close together in the final close but through Christ their whole life is a harmony joying and joyning and rejoycing in one another True it is as Musitians may have in their Descant some sharp and flats some rests and pauses yet even they set out the harmony So a Believer may have some withdrawings of divine light Christ may seem to stand behind the wall and to be estranged but no sooner doth Christ call but straight saith the holy soul Draw me and I will run after thee Can. 1. 4. And if the Saint cries I am my Welbeloveds Christ saith presently She is his Can. 2. 16. Likewise as Christ and the soul have an union in life so have they also in death and suffering If they suffer he suffers if he suffers they suffer if Christ dies the Saints die yea count reckon your selves so saith Paul Rom. 6. 11. yet with this difference Christ dyeth for sin the Saints to sin Christus non filius fuit irae sub ira Christ was not a Son of wrath though under wrath But we were both and yet what we had done Christ counts himself had done and stands in our stead So that as Luther saith He was the greatest sinner in the world And he bids the Saints believe that all their sins were laid on him and that not only so but that his righteousness is made ours for so saith the Prophet He is the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23. 6. And if we be afflicted Christ is afflicted he having the same Isa 63. 9 spirit of sympathizing must needs have the same spirit in suffering Out of this sense if Christ be bound and led to Mount Calvary to suffer for his Saints saith the holy Soul I am not only ready to be bound but to die for the name of the Lord Jesus Act. 21. 13. 2. We are one Spirit with Christ by having communion and interest in all the precious graces of Christ This is the Saints testimony 1 Joh. 4. 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit which Spirit is the sweet fruit of all the graces dwelling in our hearts and by which we cry Abba Father And if you would know what this Spirit of Grace is the Apostle tels you in opposing it to the worlds envyings Gal. 5. 21 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Be not proud of this thy Spiritual income but be joyfull and be chearfull for against such there is no law Why no law against such Because Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4. So then if we rank up all these graces Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness c. these being one Spirit with Christ we by being in union with Christ have a communion with all the graces of Christ Thus Christ dwels in us by faith and we are in Christ by faith Christ dwels in us by love and we dwell in Christ by love only We love him because he loved us first So that though we be many members and have diversity of gifts and several operations yet but one spirit one body one hope of our calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Ephes 4. 4 5 6. Thirdly believers are one spirit with Christ in that they leave all other relations in coming to Christ If any thing oppose tribulation peril sword father mother friends a believer will through thick and thin cross or comforts good report or bad report through all to Christ How is man and wife one flesh by leaving all to be joyned to one another Matth. 19. 5. For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh Thus is it in the spiritual union between Christ and the soul they leave all for Christ And this is but that which Christ hath done for us for he left Glory Father House and Home Phil 2. 5 6 7. Let this minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant yea he was made in the likeness of men and humbled himself and became obedient unto death And what was all this for but that his Saints might be joyned unto him in spirit in righteousness in life in grace in glory Christ left all for us that we might have a union with him so we must leave all other relations and cleave unto Christ alone And therefore let us put the question unto conscience How many of us can part and leave all for Christ if we finde not this resolution within us but we have a cleaving to father and mother to this worlds comforts and enjoyments profess what we will for Christ yet so far
Amalekites at their heels biting and bawling out scorning and reproaching against them This hath been and will be your portion in life or in death But Saints and Travellers do not be dismayed but like the Traveller still journey on holding up your staffe though you never strike the Gen. 32. 9 10. Lord Iesus in both your hands of faith and patience for The Seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head and Christ will be unto his Travellers both in life and death advantage And thus much by way of trial whether we be strangers in the earth or not CHAP. V. Perswading souls to be sojourners and strangers 1. By way of Negation IF the Saints be strangers in the earth then be dehorted and perswaded from this worlds friendship Become strangers though it be your present detriment it is but yet a little while and you will be at home Though here you have many a weary step one stride over death and you are present with the Lord though here you have many a frown and momentary affliction yet then you shall have an everlasting favour and an everlasting Father and an everlasting fruition 1. In the Negative be dehorted not to imbrace this present world and that in three respects First in regard of the evil of it 1 Ioh. 2. 16. All that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life Here 's lust and lust and flesh and filth evil in all and all in evil The whole world lyeth in wickedness or in 1 John 5. 19. that wicked one which next unto the Devil is the corrupt Heart of man saith the Preacher in his book of the Creatures Eccles 3. 11. He hath set the world in their hearts Mans heart contains a world the Microcosmus in the Cosmus The little world Man in the great world Nature hath a world of evil and a world of pride Oh but for the Evil sake Christians be estranged and do not imbrace this present world it is a world of evil It is too too much it is in our hearts but it is too too woful if our hearts be in that Secondly in regard of the danger of it danger of this and danger of that but remark the danger as Ioh 1. 2. 15. The Father the love of the Father is not in you What 's that why estrangement from the Lord. Demas hath forsaken us saith the Apostle He speaks it bewailingly as sensible of the greatest danger in embracing the present world He was a stranger to the Faith a stranger to the Church a staggering to the Saints and to be feared a stranger to the Lord. And this danger comes by being an imbracer of the world O Professors Professors look to your footing and take heed of faltering take heed of being Demas in forsaking the Lord and clasping of the world forsaking the fountain and the stream God and his Ordinances and closing with broken cisterns this worlds Cruel courtesies that are Jer. 2. 13. no sooner in but out they are broken cisterns that can hold no water Hang about the worlds neck and kiss it and imbrace it never so much yet it will prove a Iudas to thee it will kiss thee again but it will kill thee at last And then thus forsaking Christ who can save thee Were it not a madness for a poor Seaman after he is lancht out into the deep that he upon some wandering thoughts should then go out of the ship into the midst of the Sea to go unto the shore might not all the Mariners think there was little hope of his life Truly the danger is greater unto every poor soul that is in the Church by profession and yet had rather yea like Demas doth go out unto the world for its embraces All the Mariners I mean the Saints in the ship the Church of Christ may cry out it is a thousand to one he is saved so great is the danger And then thirdly Do not be an imbracer of this world but be a stranger in regard of the certain uncertainty and the uncertain certainty There is no more hold of the world or the things thereof then on a fishes tail Life and goods and all the face of things are fading and perishing uncertain and slippery Our life is but a vapour and all pertaining to life is but meat that perisheth saith the Apostle Meat for the belly and the belly for meat but the Lord shall destroy both it and them 1 Cor. 6. 13. The best of all this worlds imbraces take the glory and comforts of them as Riches Honours gold and silver c. they are but as silver-knives that will cut as well as glitter wound as well as comfort aâ—ponds of sweet water wherein the body may bathe but the soul drown wherewith life is sweetned but not secured Comforts take wings and Man dies and where 's the world and where is he Non reminiscimur post mortem 2. If Gods people are strangers in the earth do not let us expect to be always standards on the earth Our houses with mending and patching and thatching serve many generations but yet in time down they will this great house of this World will also down and all the strong posts of it and in it must to the dust Now Christians should take up Iobs resolution Iob 14. 14. All my appointed time will I wait till my Expectabo donec veniat mutatio change comes or rather I shall expect my change coming Alluding to the Souldier that stands Sentinel expecting of relief as it were and so longs and listens and listens and longs but still waits knowing that his time is limited and his hour is certain So Christians must wait and pray and watch and pray for the stoutest must down to dust Therefore be ye wise and lean only upon the Rock and not on the reeds of this Earths fabrick Gods people must not be Atlas Supporters of the world but Sojourners not Standards in the earth but Strangers in the earth Labour therefore to be stablished in the Faith but look not to be stablished in the World We have no continuing Life no continuing Riches no continuing Comfort or comforts no continuing City house or home therefore let us be strangers expecting one to come where Christ sits at the right hand of God Every thing else is but as yesterday yea we and ours may be gone to morrow as this our Friend to day And happy is that soul whose Evidence is clear For we must not be long stayers nor standards but strangers that on Christ we may both stay and trust who is yesterday and to Heb. 13. 8. day and the same for ever 3. As positive to exhort you to be Strangers in the Earth take these three things and the Lord perswade our hearts into the truth of each according to his will First from former Example secondly from present Experience and thirdly from future Expectation CHAP. VI.
Containing positive perswasions for souls to be strangers and sojourners on the earth 1. From former example 2. From present experience 3. From future expectation 1. Be exhoted from former example Let former example of all the Saints take place in us that we may be like-minded as they were Abraham was so and Jacob was so With this staff saith he came I over this Jordan and so were all the Patriarchs David was one of the Lords worthies and Gen. 32. 10. though a King yet saith he in the Text I am a stranger and Psal 39. 12. I am a stranger and a sojourner as all my fathers were yea Christ himself was so although he was the King of Kings although he was the standard for all Saints yet he was not a stayer but a stranger in this world John 18. 36. Jesus answered my kingdom is not of this world if my Kingdom were of this world c And that Christians should be of the same minde not to be troubled at this worlds losses he tells his Disciples and as them so all believers John 14. 1 2 3. Let not your hearts be troubled I go to prepare a place for you yea in my fathers house are many Mansions and I will come again and fetch you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also What is the import of this but Christ owning of believers as strangers on the earth destitute and afar off from him his father crown and kingdom and to give them a word of comfort amidst this worlds discouragements he tells them that granting they were strangers yet poor hearts saith Christ be not troubled I will call for you and receive you that where I am ye may be there also 2. Be exhorted from present experience to be strangers on the earth This our deceased friend although a standard in his family yet you see but a stranger on the earth a traveller that is now gone to his home the body to the grave the spirit to God that gave it The Cedars are emblematical for greatness yet down they must as well as lesser shrubs But the Saints which are Gods myrtle trees amongst whom the Lord is said to walk and take repast amidst the Rev. 2. 1 golden Candlesticks which are his Church and people yet not onely the Cedars but the Myrtle trees must down it is appointed for all men once to dye yea the Saints Gods Myrtle trees must down as well as others this days experience teaches this our deceased friend was a standard a supporter to his family and a little pillar of his Countrey and Commonwealth witness those several places of trust and esteem he was often called unto so that his enemies being judges this may not be gainsaid Eccles 7. 1. That a good name is better then precious ointment and the day of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the day of birth Then the day of generation or childe hood saith the Hebrew hinting that it is better for a childe of God to be gone out of this world then to be begotten again to be cropt off then growing up with a new life in this world when a mans conversation is as becomes the Gospel how sweet is life how welcome is death such a soul may say and all we may say of such a soul Christ is unto thee in life or death advantage Present experience speaks much comfort unto us in this our friends departure he had a good name a conversation not criminal but godly a Myrtle tree standing to and for the truth as it is in Jesus witness his communications and actions in his life and precious brethings of his soul in death and yet friends experience tels us how this flower is cropt what a stranger he was in the earth yea his own body laboring under and in afflictions of his poor tabernacle of clay presents unto me with such a like prospect Methinks I see not onely this but every Christian going up and down the world in this tabernacle of clay with legs and arms like the poor prisoner with his fetters The poor prisoner is clog'd with irons goes in pain waits with patience carries the chain in his hand the iron on his legs and he steps this way and that way but still is straitned his legs are bound his arms pinioned and his heart careful for his deliverance even so is the Christian in this tabernacle of clay he moves up and down the earth like a poor prisoner laden with irons sin straitens him one way and the world another he hath a body of flesh and corruption wherein he is manicled as with fetters of iron with which being shakled he moves here and there still carrying the chain in his hand though fastned on his heels he expects his fetters to be taken off and his clogging cares to be broken and the prisoner the Saint to be relieved and released And you that finde your selves clogg'd and that thus carry your chain in your hand waiting for your deliverance hearkenâ—â— what Christ saith Zec. 9. 12. Turn ye to the strong hold ye prisoners of hope even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee who would be a lingering Saint having such a precious promise and such a gracious call Our friend and prisoner is gone unto his attainment experience at present tells you this And Christians what will you do would you have your Benjamin have a double portion then wait for your return Return O Shunamite return Return O poor soul the prisoner of hope turn from thy shakels and turn to thy Saviour Return unto thy rest Jesus Christ calls thee from this weak hold on earth to his strong hold in heaven You know 2 Pet. 1. 1. stayers are not returners but strangers are returners our friends are gone before let us hasten after like prisoners longing with like precious faith for the same precious experience of the Saints double portion both in grace and glory Thirdly and lastly be exhorted as from former example present experience so from future expectation thou expectest to dye you all know that is the Lords appointment Man must dye and after death the judgement Heb. 9. 27. but what is thy expectation are we like Paul he was a straitned stranger but his expectation and desire was to be with Christ yea he counts his present state a distress in regard of departing and to be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. I am in a strait saith he desiring to depart Ah but whether what is the Apostles expectation why he tells you it is to be with Christ Now what is yours dye you must but what is it you expect after death what company what place what being and possession speak your expectation as in the presence of the Lord Alas saith a poor soul what do you ask me can I tell what or where but I trust to be with Christ and confess that is best but surely I think
next foul one lowring the other serene yesterday rainy to day shineing and usually one or both is intermixt the morning fair the noon orecast one hour fair the next hour cloudy but always subject unto such like changes And what else is the consistency of mans life but two days of uncertainty a day of sickness and a day of health a day of poverty and a day of plenty a day of strength and a day of weakness a day of youth and a day of age this hour crowned the next crost our whole life is but a certain uncertain condition like the buckets to the well sometimes up and sometimes down sometimes full and sometimes empty one while whole and anon broken such are the vicissitudes and changes of the life of man in this present condition And the reason is that all things might appear to be of God and not of man The Lord casts all into contrarieties and works in them and by them take them in nature or grace to the silencing of the reason of man who would still be judging according to present events The world consists of heaven and earth the heavens have influence on the earth the earth bringing forth as to the heavens and this by dying and in dying living light and darkness is Gods order both flying yet following one another death and life is contrary so is flesh and spirit yet live in one another adversity is opposite and against prosperity yet in Gods order they make a harmony though to man they are contrary yet from him they are both alike He setteth one c. So likewise in spirituals he gives his work out upon the soul in reasons contrarieties The north wind Cant. 4. 16. and the south wind must blow together that his garden may flourish and the spices be fragrant Reason would think that the way should be something suitable to the home but this is the Lords method unto his dearest children that through straights and troubles temptations and tribulations they must inherit the promises and enter into the Kingdom of heaven But now albeit that all in this our present and temporal condition all is consistent in two days A day of prosperity and of adversity both these being set before which would we chuse I know if reason might make choice it would fix on prosperity and sense likewise without question would close with that But now what saith Religion and a gracious heart Saith Religion as to my present state Give me neither prosperity or adversity as extreams Give me neither poverty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Effigies statutum nor riches feed me with food convenient for me as to maintain my likeness Prov. 30. 8. But saith a gracious heart Considering my natural inclination if I must chuse I had rather pitch upon adversity for that will put me to consideration which prosperity seldom or never doth but rather into carnal security But may some say what a sad life then Obj. must you needs have Well but saith the godly heart let it be what it will rather then to forget God and be puft up this is my choyce And this is both their motto's and valuation Vanity of vanities all is vanity The second observation is from what man doth in the prosperous day he rejoyces in the day of prosperity he considers not as commanded but as from sense and reasons practice Observe That man keeps a measure according to Doct. present events If he counts changes prosperous then suitable thereunto he treads his joy but if contrary he takes up sorrow If things run thus and thus saith reason then I shall do so and so but if things fall thus then must I do thus and thus If such an interest be advanced that is suitable unto self or such opinions stand that are suitable to my interest then accordingly is my joy But if mine be opposed supprest and others to be advanced then on the contrary we measure out our sorrow and our grief keeping a proportion so much and so much prosperity so much and so much joy and contrary c. And the reason is because mans reason is annexed to sense rejoycing that is annexed unto prosperity grief unto distress but both by reasons rule according to their measure in occasions whether they be exterior or interior Learn hence a clear difference betwixt Faith and Reason Reason keepeth measure with every present joy or sorrow But true faith soars above either Divine faith it fixes on nothing but All sufficiency in distresses faith acts above staggerings and in temptations above though under struglings True faith is not frighted by the worlds distresses nor heightned by the worldâ— success but in either reason 's mov'd and bringet forth fleeting joy or worldly sorrow The third Observation is That all our earthly comforts and all our earthly crosses are but things that are made by him that made all things The Lord makes one against another and values them both alike in number weight and measure which are not to remain but to be removed All earthly Kingdoms Crowns and Comforts will be shaken as things that are made so also all earthly crosses will be shaken for that they are made that those things which cannot be shaken might remain Heb. 12. 27. And if this be so then here is a comfort and a cross 1. If all our earthly comforts enjoyments are but things that are made What a cross is this to the carnal covetous and voluptuous man All thy worldly joy profit and prosperity it is but made and shall not remain nay they must all shortly if not suddenly be removed Secondly Here is a comfort to the distressed and such as are in this worlds adversity do not be cast down at anothers prosperity or thy own poverty for thy poverty is but made and in a little while shall be removed The fourth and last observation is from the last clause in the Verse which hinteth out the scope and end why the Lord setteth prosperity and adversity in such anaequipollence and that is To silence mans reason in determining by present events He setteth one thing over against another that man should not finde out any thing after him Whence observe That it is a folly for man to judge or determine by the present evenâ—â— or changes of this world Whether it be of Persons Armies Victories States or Kingdoms it is a great folly Doct. in any to judge and determine by present prosperity or adversity for the creature to determine love or hatred by the present sense of things is a great folly take it Nationally or Personally for proof take Eccl. 9. 1 2. No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them all things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the clean and to the unclean So in the 10 Verse of this 7 Chapter Say not thou or judge not thou that the former days are better then the present for