Babington - Houston-Packer Collection BV4655 .B23 1615

3. Petition. ,vpon tbe Lardes Payer. 65 receiue k, and fufferit not onelywith contented but alto with gladfome hearts. And this is a chicle vfeofthis prayer, for truely it is a fmall thing in comparifon, beloued , during the time of prolperity and comfort, to fay, Thywill be done, ó To fay with Lord : But if in aduerfity when the world lowrcth , the ftorme arifeth, Princes content vndcr perfecute, and our owne hordes are diuided, our Fathers betraying vs, our chil- tbccrofie,ThY .dren forfaking vs, and our friends defyingv's for the caufe ofGod, ifwecanthen "rube donee fay both with content and ioy,Thywall bedone, this is a flrength anda grace ofGod aP`eat grace, aboue all treafure to be honored. Hit be noc fo high a matter, but loffe of goods by force occafion,loffe offriends want ofhealth, and weary times by bitter paine in bobie,orlfok.ing forrow in mind, yet i f w,e can herein fay itwith true Content and comfort, truely it is a meafure that noteth a child, ofheauen; and happie we. But ô hard hard, yet not fo hard, but God is able. Forbehold examplesbefore our eies : Olde Ell in the booke ofSamuel, when bee had receiued from the Lord ofheauen an heauy meffage by his young waiter little ismael, to wit, that the Lord would itidge hit houfe, and that the wicked- neffe thereof fhould not be purged with.fàctiñce nor offering, but vtterly de- ftroyed for euer : what faid hee, but cues what hccre wee pray for ourparts, wee may be able to fay in our aduerGty, Tis the L rd, let h:mdoe what /eemethhim Sam.3.8. good. That is, it is my GOD and my Lord, wherefore with me and mine let him doe his pleafure, for we are his. Sce therefore this giuen grace, whenthe Lord will ,though itbe hard. The like did David in his great extremity,when e.0fo- lomwas in the field againft him , and the Arke brought forth by the Prophets to be carried with him. Hesse the eAr4e of GO ,D ( faith hte) uitbe Cittyagaine: x 5am,rq.zç. ifIfallfináefäuowin the riesofthe Lord , hee will 6riw, mee aggaine, andihewmeeboth i6 at and the tabernacle thereof. But if hee th/a., /a, y I have no delight in thee, behold here am I, let him doe to mee as feemeth good in his ems, Therefore not impoffï ble wee fee, for the LORD to worke in whom hcc will , though to our vile corruption, a hard matter indeede , our Saviour Chriltin our flefh faid it wich a true content, 2etnot my wi/I, bat thy wi//be done, Father. And in vs can hee worke it by his pain- Mat,z6. full fpiritif it pleafehim. Good meanes to helpe vs are thefundry comfortable fpecches in the word concerning the Lords care ouer vs euer, and cfpecially when wee haue molt neede of him , by reáfon of any woe that we are wrapped in. Our times a re in the hand of the Lord, and he, not man !ball difp ofeofourdaies. Our haires are numbred, and our reares are put in his bottell. 4Vhat are the haires and teams to body and foule , and other matters of ours more waighty ? Hee ca- reth for the Rauens, Lions, and Birds of the ayre, how much more for vs ?Are wee not more worth than many fparrowes, ô wee of little faith? If the Dra- Apoc,tz, gonwoulddeuourvs, bee is able in a moment toglue vs wings toflie inter the wilderneffe, and to.efcapehim. If hee will nor, but a triall muft be had of vs, bear, and marke you , lift vp your hearts and reioyce with nace. Fadelis e?f Do- minas. The Lord ie Faithfull,asdwill not fufter vt to be tempted abone thwart. are able,hu t will cuen giue the iflue with the tentation thatwce may be able to beare it. O r fweete, 6 more than tweet, and the vnfpeakeable comfort of my frailflefh, and all More comfort fuchas I am. For let me doe my duety,fcare the Lord,and make much of his ]awes, ;n this promilc cut apeeces daily as bee will finable mee the cord of finne cleaue to that which thm can be is good, and abhorre that which is cuff, -with a tingle foule and heart, that bath erprelled, noholes, if this life calk any worldly woe, though Sathan and his friends en- uit at it. or if the L OR D pleafe, for any caufe to his maiefty knowne, to make any triall of me,fearenòt,mufe not, figh not,fhrinke not, my God hath giuen his word, as he i.sfaithftill, which euer was, and euer fhall be, there (hall no more be laid vpon mee , than he, he I fay that hath no meafure of might, will make me able to beare. Onely doe the thing that I ought in my life now, as neere as giuen grace A mill. weet inableth nice, and trufl to him for that day. Care away then my beloued, for the p croffc,euer in the power of the Lord let vs fay, and mince wee baue fuch a promife, g 3 lea

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=