sometimes I have thought one thing, and sometimes another; that is,
why God should suffer it so to be. At last I have thought of this:
How if the God, whose ways are past finding out, should suffer it so
to be now, that he might make of some of them the more glorious
saints hereafter. I know sin is of the devil, but it cannot work in
the world without permission: and if it happens to be as I have
thought, it will not be the first time that God the Lord hath caught
Satan in his own design. For my part, I believe that the time is at
hand, that we shall see better saints in the world than has been seen
in it this many a day. And this vileness, that at present does so
much swallow up our youth, is one cause of my thinking so: for out
of them, for from among them, when God sets to his hand, as of old,
you shall see what penitent ones, what trembling ones, and what
admirers of grace, will be found to profess the gospel to the glory
of God by Christ.

Alas! we are a company of worn-out Christians, our moon is in the
wane; we are much more black than white, more dark than light; we
shine but a little; grace in the most of us is decayed. But I say,
when they of these debauched ones that are to be saved shall be
brought in, when these that look more like devils than men shall be
converted to Christ (and I believe several of them will), then will
Christ be exalted, grace adored, the word prized, Zion's path better
trodden, and men in the pursuit of their own salvation, to the
amazement of them that are left behind.

Just before Christ came into the flesh, the world was degenerated as
it is now: the generality of the men in Jerusalem, were become
either high and famous for hypocrisy, or filthy base in their lives.
The devil also was broke loose in a hideous manner, and had taken