CHAPolo . ~po~ ~he .'-if.~flle![_I.~_ M B !.· _ ----------------------~---- VEitS.I8. by this charaCler, Men \},'iihou~ hope; I Thef~4·13· I remember when our 'Saviour fpt'aketh againfi carking ~nd anxioufnefs,about olltward fupports, he cliffwaHech thus ; T ak.e no ·t bought whatye jha/l eat, or, whlltJC foal! dri1fk,_, Of Whllt yefo~tl!JfUt on, for aft~r thefe thingsfeel{.the.Gentilis, Mat.6. 3r, 3~· Implying fuch folici-_ tude eo be only exctifahle i.n Heathens,who had ;no fure Prip~iples ; but yon tha_t ~now Providence, arid checare,of~n heavtrily Father, ·ilioald not be -thus aqxiops; ·~risJrue, ··the 'Heathens had :fome fenfe ofaDeity, they had 'To ,Yvc~;ov_it; ~~~; fome knowledg of the Nature ofGod,Rom.I:zo. but the Apofile faith in tpe next Verfe, . That they were 7J~in ~ J'Jd.M~Ia-p.ol~, in their if!'JaginatiqJ~s·,, th,at is, 'in their pratlical inferences and difcourfes ' :when they came to 'reprefent God as an Objetl of Trufi,and tp (o.rm pratlical thoughts and 'apprehenfiuns of his Majeity,there they we're vain_ and foolilh; but now in the Gofpel G~d is rep~efented as afit Objed .ofTrufr, oand ·therefore the 'folerrm_and·' purefi pa,rt pfC,hriUian W or{JJ;p is· Faith; and 'cis judicioufly ol>fervedby Lu'ther,ld agit ~ota Scrip.. tura ut credamus deum ej[e ·mifericordcm, 'Tis t~e defign of _the whole Scripture to bring the Soqi tO. a· fieady belief and trufi ; therefore the Pfalmi!l:~ when he fpeaketh of Gods different Adrni· nifirations in the World, and in the Church, when he cometh to his Adminiflrations in the Church; he faith; 7>fal.9J.;. The.Trfti– monies ofthe Lordarefure: God deals with us upon Jure Prin·: ciples, though he_bath difcover~d himfelf to theWorld only in', Iooft attribute~. . · · . . . . · 2.For (~tving mercies; and indeed thats the tryal ofall Religions;· that is befi which giveth the SouJ a fure hope of Salvation: !er. 6. 16. God biddeth them, Stand u_pon the ways, ~tndfee, and ask. for the good old way, ~ndWalk therein, ~tnd 1e jha!lfind reff fo.r · your Souls: Intimating, they lhouldchoofe that for thebefi Reli- . gioh w~ich y~eldeth n1pll, peac(of con[cience. Now thete are three thmgs that tro.uble the Soul, oilrdifflflnce from God,oor dread · ofangry ]u{licc, anda def}air of retaining comfort with a fcnfo of .4ut;: ; apd therefore er~ th~ co,nfcience can have any folid reiJ: and~qUtet, there?lufi be three m~tches mage,threecouplesbrought toget~er-, qod and ·Ma~, tH:f!ice ftnd.Mcrcy, Comfort and Duty ; alh~tlfem~~munually ·e~brace and kt(s eaeh o,th~t.-: . . I. ·God and?Wan muff be hrought together: Some of the wife ije~thens· placed.happinefs in the neareft accefs and approach to . V God
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