358 How fbould a Chráj7ian behave kinglet"' Serm. 15. Rea f. 3 NOR/.4: . the World flealsaway our hearts from God, gives fo few opportunities for the exercife oldie life of faith,and fuch advantages to a life of fenfe, wears off the fenfe of our depend ance on God and need thereof; fo that when we are put to it by afflition, we are ready to miicarry ere we can recover our weapon, or hold. Faith is our cordial pfd. 27. I 3. now if it be not at hand (as in health when we have no need of its it ufe to be) we may faint ere we recover the ufe of it, 3. It arifeth from the thortnefs and dimnefs of our Spiritual Eviden- ces; our Evidences you know are great matters in point deflate, and livelyhood, and in affliction we are put to prove them ; at which time if they be either not clear or nut at hand, we are at a great lofs, and plunge ; a good man makes always confcience of malting hI calling and elcEtion fure, but he is efpecially put upon this work in atfliaion, then he confiders, then fearches more than in his ordinary courfe. Af flic`lions are as fharp, fearching winter- weather will fearch whether your houfe be tight or no;thofe garments,walls and windows that will ferve in fummer of profperity,will be found defedtive in winter of ad- verfity; then how Rands the cafe between God and rne,what ground of my confidence,what evidence that am in Chrift, &c. though the leaft degree of Faith will fave the houle from falling, yet 'twill be a poor cold uncomfortable dwelling in winter unlefs you mend the cracks, and flaws to defend you againfl driving pierceing winds and Rorms. 4. It arifeth as it did here, from the remembrance of fome fin un- mortified,and therefore it may be for ought we know unpardoned.Af flietion puts upon the remembrance of fin with more circumfiances and aggravations, and to more purpofe than ordinarily, even the bell (which make molt confcience hereof) attend to it in time of freedom, yob 36.8,9,10. If they be bound in fetters, and held in the cords of afi- (tien, then he fhews them their work, and their tranfgrefJons wherein they have exceeded, i King. 17. 18. Dolt thou come to call my fin to remem- brance in flaying (aíffli&ing me with the lofs of) my Ion. In flormy change of weather , when clouds gather black over us, and it begins to drop; then we feel it in our bones, what bruifes or aches we have gotten. When a man is arrefted by one Creditor all his debts come in upon him. Even fo when a man is arrefted with licknefs or fome other outward diftre£s,then come in upon him , the debts, wherein he is bound over unto the Divine Law; when all is well with us, we can eafily call theft debts on the fcore of Chrift, but now 'tis hot work. Afllietion is the glafs of fin, and the opening, ajd áwákeoing,the Cqt cienee to (cc it, ago OeL1FC comes the Trouble P17911.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=