batter downeour Faith, andhowhe may be ref f ed. 173 like they had their winter whom a new Spring revived. In JCadedeareft It is true the Lordhath promifed, that Hell gates fhallne- children there may ver prevaile utterly to overthrow the faithof his chofen, be decayafgracsr. or anyother graceradically accompanying falvation : but toprefervecontinual) fenfibleexercifeofanygrace,he bath nowhere promifed. The graces ofGod doeebbeand flow inhis fervants (and that by the wife difpofition of God) left ifwee had attained facility in all things, wee fhould thinke that our owne, which is meerly his worke. Who amongft the faithfull doth alwayes heare with equallat- tention , reverence , chearefulnefï'e ? &c. or pray with like earneftneffe of defire , feelingofwants , affurancetobee heard, or fubmifiion to Gods will ? ordoeany thing at all times foasat fome? TheLordmany timeswithdrawes the ufe offomeparticular grace, that fomeother may in greater meafure fhewforth it fenfe in us. Joy and rejoicingin his mercy hewitholds , that he might bringto thepra&iceof humiliation. §.9. What if a Chriftian cannot finde , nonot after §.9. fearch and examination , any lively fenfe or feeling of p.Thly t ,d faith ; nay, hee cannot difcerne any faith at all inhimfelfe ? faith. Hereby theLordmay corre& our unthankfulnefhe for mer- Aemedy. cies formerly received, or that prefnmptuous licence we tooke toour felves infinning , or in queftioning with our felvesof his graces : All which things wee are heartily to confeflèand bewaile. But for the comfort of the diftref- we may aatcort.. fed, he is toknow that fometimes gracesmay lyehid, yea, dude :here i no andworke in refpec of our acknowledgment infenfibly. tt truth afa,betau a wecan- The feed offaithcannotbe loft , after it is once planted in not perceive and an honeft and goodheart by theholySpirit : but the fight -Pelee:, thereofmaybee hid fromonr knowledge, and the lively fun&ions thereof intermitted. Thechilde lives in themo- thers wombe, though it know not fo much. Life re- maims ina man fallen into a dead fvound , wherein beeis deprived for a timeof underftanding , reafon, memorie, fenfe , motion , and all apparent vitali funòtions. The tree lives in winter , though nipped withfrofts, and weather- beaten ,
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