Of Eldlion. 337 A mrlkiflg m perfee!; in oppofition unto our imperfection in this Life: A~ flabtijhitJg, in !lead of unfettlement, and aptnefs to change; ( as in rh is Chap. ··'' J Life:) Allrengthning us with a Glorious pow.r; In refpeCl: of thofe weak- ~ neiTes W6 are here obnoxious unto. Thus much for clearing rbe fecond Particular i That thefe words do concern our Stare after this World: Which I have l;>een rhe larger in, ,beoaulp, if 00 t he contrary hand , we fhould limit thefe Promifes only ro what God doth ·in rh is Life, there would be this objedion, which I have not known othcrwife how to folve, tha(l by what harh been now afferted: For it might b~ faia if thcfe Promifes be to relieve us againfl fufferings; · ~c. ancUs 'ti>'be)>erforrr'Jed only in rhis Life, and performed'afterwe hrlve fuffered.\'a .wliile; How •is it that Perfecutions, and ourward Sufl'erings continue, and.abide upon rhe Righ· tenus, even unto deatl1? And cncreafe perhaps .niote, arl~ more~ Yea , · and jt~Jferi1zgs from Sr~tm1, and Tempt~tiotu to fin, ·~onrinue fo' l~ng; ·and lharp, unto fome , even :. throughout therr ltve• ? And· 1f fo, how doth God per– form rhefe his Prorilife'S? If ( as the Apoflle fays) th<y hr~ve hope 011/y, for reluf itJ thu Life?. Hence therefore I was enforced, out of tendernefs to any that are in fuch a cafe, ro rhe end of their lives to entertain, and rake in, that orher Opinion mentioned , That they fhall be accomplifh'J in rhe orher World to the urmofl; .though in. t~is World r,he performance o( tho\D is fo flender; yer with a 'fure, and fafe carrying on the Soul through them all, to an Overcomi11g at leaf!, by continuing fo as their faith fail not, "Which C ilrifr in his Speech to P<ter prayed for: And to continue Fairh and Obedi· .ence , though with·fame conflids and prevailings at rimes o( Temptations, 'is yet by Chrifl himfelf interpreted to be ail Overcomi11g when it con.timics to the End. 1 But , my fpecial delign upon thefe four words, Is to open; and apply them, as reliefs againflrhe Temptations of our Souls, whi!JI ·.wt are i11 {hu. Life; without any further infi!hng on their Accomplilhment in n,aven: W~ich is an univerfal and general refervefor all Souls; bur-particularly of- rhofe; 'upon whom aconttnuance of their 'l:'emptarions in·rhi• Life;..with any.exrref\lity, !hall happen, to abide to the lafl of their dajs; that however then; amends . and repairs will be made for all: -I therefore hav-e limited this riext piofecuri• on , unto Soul Temptatio11s whi!fl we-!!jre inthuWor/d. , . .. And indeed, even thofc Interpreters who'reflrain th~ Sllff'erings fntended . . by Peter, in the former verfes, unto Perfuutions; yet are fain to tal<e in the ~vc~/~~~~~1 ' Temptations, and fpirirual Infirmities of Mens Souls, which rhey are inci· <Om'd ·uji-d10 dent to in rheir undergoing Perfecurions; and often in fee king ro efcape tlii;m:"fmrnJ._ rur~tAnd ro under!land rhefe to be Promifes , for fupplies , and fuppotls ag'1ll'nfr ~~~"~~l;fl~;c fuch failures , and incidencies: And rhefe are of far greater .dang~r and-~am· .•nd fully of i– mage, rhan barely the outward Perfecurions themfelves, fimply confi.d!red :':!.;., 11 ,u'<L•· So as the comfort in thefe Promifes, mufl ·be under!\ood chiefly ro·tefpeCI;-rbe pid,;n•t•;• In– Evils which Mens Souls are obnoxious unto, orher Interpreters, reading. with '"P'"'fiio~s the Vulgar Latin, bur thr~e words, in fleadof four; ( tbe.Yulgar Latin ~m-· ~{.;:~_,.;.,.;. ttng the two mtddle words mto one word, as all one:) Would have. ~h~m m- ,;., '(f'-·q,id tended directly for our overcoming our .Three.Enemi~s in this Life,TI)~,{f:or/q'; ';;!~';~;J:,.;,. the Ftejh, and the 'Devz!; m refped oF rhetr temprtng us to (in : Or.her§, ro ,,,., 'f;p>/111<– be three fevera-1 Salves or Remedies· for r.he three Eminent powets;·Of ;our nlmiwt~-fi<' Souls; as they are vidated, and cor;upred: As namely; The Undcr~.and- ~1f:':s.~;J!a;:· ing, Will, and P:ilioos: Others to di!\inguilh rhem, appi.Y rilem {, v~rolly; "', · ' one to the Lujls of the Ey•, rhe orher to the L11jls of-the Ftejh, the other, .•,. to the prid< of Life: As John, harh fummed rhem up: I conlefs l)tke not . rhefe rheir difcriminarions of them ; yet this I make ufe. of , r)Jat t,hcy, .agtCe }'_;~t~ with meinrhis;rhat rhey refped our Souls, and the corruption; ,and'cvilpf' ,., ll themandTemptatibns incident ro them: And I would nor confine rhem .unto the " , mifchiefs incident to Mens Souls , by reafon of, or from outward per(ef,lltions only: But I would exrend rhem unto all forrs of Soul Temprari.ons ~>ljatf"!'ver; .. one·a-s well·~ another, fuitably unto the Interpretations I have, anp il)al!rgive :·· ., '· •'' That b:y fufferings,Temprarions ofall forts are robe int~nded b.y..rhv\pojlle _,,.,, " " • Xx 'CHAP
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