WHEN the Lord is about to accomplish any extraordinary dispensation among men, he often gives them those providential warnings which indicate its approach. By Christians, who have the direction of his word, those intimations of his sovereign designs ought to be carefully considered, and clearly understood.
It is recorded to the honor of the men of Issachar, that they, on a very trying occasion, 'had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do:' 1 Chron. 12:32. When the Redeemer dwelt among men, it is stated to the disgrace of the Jews, that though they could discern the face of the sky, they were not able to discern the signs of the times. A proper attention to those signs, therefore, is an important duty, and a just view of them, is a great spiritual attainment.
As God hath appointed many natural signs as premonitions of the approach of occurrences in nature, so he has established moral signs which no less clearly indicate to us, that some great spiritual change is at hand. When God exercises his condescension, by favoring us with those signs of his coming, it is most criminal to neglect or despise them, and most reasonable to observe and receive instruction from them.
It becomes us, therefore, with deep humility, to investigate those Divine operations, and to cry to him, by fervent prayer, that he may enlighten our minds in the knowledge of his ways.
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