~ llooK IV. ~ Of El~Clion. CHAP. XV. The atlual·performance of thofe Promifei of perfetling; ftabliiliing , fl:nmgthning, fettling us. 1he manner and means whereby G,od preferves m, and carries tu on to perfevere unto the end. Hi.r particular care over us, how expre!Jed in Scripture, by the vigilancy ofbi.r Eye in all our ways; by accompanying us continuaUy with hi.r Prefente ; by hi.r guarding us in Safety; by hi.r having us always in remembrance. What it i.r con– cerning us, that hi.r Care i.r moff eiCercifed about. His principal Care i.r of our Souls: How it i.r that he pre. fervu them in Life. I PET. V. Verf?s 7· and ro. compared. Cafling allyour care upon him, for he caret!> for you. But the God of all Grace, who bath called us iuto hi5 eternal Glo1y by Chrijf Jefus., after that ye have fttffered a while' mak..e you perfe[i' flabli)h 1 flrengthen, fettle you. WHEN I handled thofe words, The Godofall Graa, I fuewed how the p11rpojing Grace of God, (which rakes up th.e principal part of the meaning of that C!aufe) had before all worlds, ordrrfdand contrived all thiugs about us, both Temptations and Sins that fuould befall us after C~lling, and the Hfues out of them by Repentances and Returning• b~ck again unto God : And that all thefe were Jo fore-laid and difpofed, as all was thereby made Jure, as 'Davidexpre!Tcth it in his own Perfon for us all, A Co– ve~~ant ordered in all things andJure, 2 Sam. 2 ~; 5. Now then (as the Coun– terpane unto this) I am to fuew how after Calling, txewtive Grace, (the o· ther was the Legiflativt or 'Difpo[itive Grace) or as the feveoth Verh God's cari11g Grace doth according to his former purpofes laid, perform this all a– long. And unto the fuller nrrying on of this, I fuall call in the Suffrage of the feventh Vtr{e, Cafli~tg allyotlr care upon him, for he careth for ) 'Oil; as being in the General mofi fitly expreffive of this Point iu hand: For to a fieady eye that exactly obferveth the Series of one Speech after the other, the words of the feventh Verfe do pour forth their fiream into the Chanel 11fthe tenth Verfe, and both !\reams there meet in this one Scope, namely , to comfort Believers ogainfi all Temptations of fin, or from Satan,(!le. The Apofile firfi fending out that Promife there in the feventh Verfe, as in the fore-front ; and then follows this other in the tenth Verfe, as in the Rear and Conclufion. · , c.v~
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