I Pet, s. 7· let himcallJot theEiders of the Churc:h, and let them pr~~y ot tr him : - - ant! tLc f74)lr of f aith jha/1 Jaw the fi,k.._, and the Lord jhall raife him 11p: ln this cafe God may fometimcs, yet cloth not alwayes performc prom1fc accordmg to the letter, though a man may be truly qualified wtth the cond1t1ons fpecificd 10 that Promifc , toties quotw, again and againe. It only intends thus much; That God may~ and fo mctimcs \\'ill favc the ·fick, and raife him up at the Churches prayers, but he wtll not ever do fo. l\:ow as God cloth not alwaycs perform, fo neither arc we abfolutcly, or in>allibly, or lmiverfally to conclude: The Promife is not univerfal, but indefinite, and accordingly our Conclufions lhould not be un1verfal, but indefinite: we fl10uld indeed, becaufc of the Promife, adventure our fclvcs upon God in fuch a tondition, not knowing but in his outward difpenfations he may make it-good to us, yet with fubmiffion·to his plea– fure, if othcrwife he difpofe ofus: And as this is all we mufl: do, fo this is ail we can fay, or conclude in fuch a cafe as this is. 2. Bewttrc how we uceivc comfort in an tvil dayfrom our own or others E xperience;, No quell:ion comfort is the iffue of bleffccl Experiences whicharife from Gods love or good– nefs; but how far I may take comfort IS a quefl:10n: and concernt,ng the latitude of the comfort of E xperiences we had need to enter a Caveat; For--- I. If thou art not a Saint , thou canll: not take comfort from a Saints Expcrinrl'fs, there IS no ll:rcngth in this Argument; God did thus once tohis,own ,-h,ldm..,m.d ti1crrfure he will do thw to me that am a childe efthe Devil. You cannot thus argue amongfl: men, fuch afather gave his children a Pwtzon,thcrefore he willgave mine r~ Pwtivn ; there is no rcafon for it. 2. If thou beeft a Saint, one_rhatfeares the Lord, yetthou canll: not llrctch fnch Experiences, as were, I. Miraculous: Or 2. Such as the fcrvants of God hove had upon particular engagements: Or 3. Any other E x[ criencc in refpcc:t of circum– fiances, to build11p tomfor\.to thy felfe from the hope o the like : as, fuppofe thou wert condemned by pcrfecutors to a Den of Lyons, or to a fiery furnace, here thoti hafl: Daniels and the three childrens E xperie1;cc to comfort thee , but thou canfl not comfort thy fdf thus: Or, fuppofe thou art fick.._ um o the drath, and a PhyGtian or a Prophet tells thee, flt thy houfe in order for thou Jbalt dye and mt live ; here thou ha1r Hezckjahs E.vperience to comfort thee, to whom a particular promife was made; but thou canfl not comfort thy felf thus: Or, fuppofe at fuch a time thou wafl: in affiid ion, and thou criedll: unto the Lord, and within fo many dayes he delivered thee, or in fuch a manner he delivered thee; Here is an Expcritncc offuch and fuch circumllanccs to comfort thee, but thou canll: not comfort thy fclfc thus ; The reafon is plaine, l:e:aufe God is no where tyed to circumll:ances; God liath feveral wife ends why he cl divers one Chriflian this way, another that way; why fomc of his Saints have but an hom-e, otbers a year of templltion,fome but a nights darkneffe, others many nights lyeamong./1 the pots. In what manner then may I draw comfort from thefe bleffed E xperiences? I anfwer thus, and thus tar.--- 1, Thou mayll: from thefc Experiences gather this knowledge, ·that in fuch 'Or tnt like ll:raits God taketll care for his people , God will-not give thee up to an affiidion; and fur this thou hall g•neral promifes, He carcthfor)'Ot<. 2. Thou mayell: from thefe !'-xperiences Iearne this for thy comfort, that God \~ill do good .for his fervants m an evtl day ; h1s care fhall not be an 1dle car< ; he wdl not onely call: a providential eye upon them, but he will do good unto them, ail thingsjluiJ Work_togerhtr f or the good ofthem that love God. 3· Thou mayefl: from t!iefe Experiences take this comfort to thy felf, that the [;Ulle God that before hath fhewed thee, or others mercy in delivering thee, or them out of• tryal of affiiCtion, will ~lfo one wa~ or other deliver thee? ?r them out of affiidion, or from the evil of affiiCtion,either by hfe or by death,and th1s 1s all we can fay,or conclude in this cafe. ' 2. The Directory-rules may be thefe. ~ .. . . r. Let us communicate our own Expmences to the good of others. DtHnd mh" deliverances invites others to have reconrfe Qnto him. Bring myfoul out ofprifon, that 1may praife thy Name, then jhatl rhe righttotM compajfe m~ about when thott f~alt dealfoun· tif~<Jiy with me. Conceal not within our bofomes thofe thmgs,the co~nmumcatmg w~crcof may tend to publicke profit ; furely invere a courfe much tending to the qutck nmg of the faith of all, if we would impart to one another our mucual Expmmccs. 2. Let
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=