.. Epiflle DedicAtory ----~------------------~- whidl~he hath received for us:·hence as the . ?fal~ift faith,~e.rmi· pe, 1 _ ~ 3., 8 1(ed gifts f or me~, fo t~e l}poftle ~cnder~ 1t, ke gave gmfts unto E ph~fo4-S · men : as he recetves,fo he gtves, bemg fatthful tn all that ts committed to him. 4· By faith we feek God , and beg performance of his promi fes according to our need, do we want wifdome; meekneffe , parience;or any other grace? faith carries us by prayer unto the fountain , and in this way it waits and expects to receive the gt>ace we want. As the child ~y fucking the brell drawes forth milk for it's own nourifhment, and thereby it grows in firengtb, fo do \1'e by the prayer of faith fuck from C:hrift, and frotn the promife ofgrace, and by that meanes derive ftrength to our inner man to fulfill the covenant which we have made with God. 6. As faith ftreogthens us, fo if at any times by occa!ion or temptation we fail in our covenant-keeping , faith recovers us , and refiores us again to our former efiate; I do not fay the covenant can be broken betwixt God and us; we may offend God , and fail in the fervice ofGod, but till we refufe God, and leave God , and choofe another mafter, Lord , _and hnsband belldes God , there is no dilfolution of the covenant of grace: now thrs a true beleever cannot do; he may fall , and fall often , yet he doth not fall, but he rifes again; he may turne afide, but yet he returnes again into the way of the covenant. What a fweet point is this ? Chrifiians _! we may , and fometimes we do walk weakly inkeeping ofcovenant, our feet flip', and we ftep aGde out ofGods path , yet faith brings ns back again to God; it cafts fhame on our faces, that after all the grace fhewed us we fhould fo tll requite God: ' it reminds us of thofe promifes returne Zach I.~: . J , s . Sfnto me, and 1 will rerurne unto you. ---- Te have dQne alii . am.u.1.o1 thu wic'k$dneft, yet turne not afidt from following the Lord: ' 11 ' forth~ L~rd will not forfak§ his pdople for hu great Names [t~ ~e, becaufett hath pleafed the Lord to mrtk§ you his people . In the minding ofthefe and fuch other promifes faith doth encourage u~ tore:. · turneuntoGod, totakewordsuntoourfelves,and to plead the covenant ofhis g:ace towards us; this work of faith', brought Peter back to Chnft, whereas 'fud~tJ wanting this fai th lies down in defperate fotrow , never able to rife up , or to recover himfelf. ~kk 0
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=