batter downe our Faith, and how he may be refilled. 189 goingunder Gods hand intheCe, they (hail learne experi- ence to wade through greater afterwards ; andyet in the midi} ofthem,to have hope that they {hall not be afhamed. Say their former courfe of life paft bath not anfwe- red that fincerity the Lord rrequireth ; what then ? Are they therefore reprobates ? No , but it argues want of faith ? Not fo; but place for further increafeoffaith , and the fruits thereof: Thofe whom the Lord hath chofen to bee his worfhippers , and hath redeemed and confecrated holy tohimfelfe ; they be his plants , and engraffe d Olive- branches inhis Sonne ; who take not their fullperfec}ion at once, but ( according to thenature ofplants) require daily watering anddrell'ing , whereby by degrees they at- raine in the end a full filaturein Chrift. In Scripture wee have example of weake beleevers as well as offfrong. As the Holy Ghof} bath remembred the faith ofAbraham, who beleeved abovehope, under hope : fo bath it recor- ded the faith of Nicodemus , in knowledge Pimple and weake, in profeffion and pra&ice timorous and fearefull. In oneand the fame perfonwe fhall finde different degrees of faith at divers times ; at one time like a graineofMu- t}ard-feed, at another time likea grogne Oake ; now like afmoaking fnuff'e, but Toone after burf}ingout into abright flame. Theftrongef} faith ofany Saint mentioned inScrip- ture is imperfect, affailed with temptations, mixed with manifolddoubtings. For theywere tbbje co innumerable infirmities, which arenot fpecif6edintheBookeofGod ; neither was it fit that it fhouldbee a regil}er oftheir/mani- fold temptations, frailties, and falls. But outofthofe things which are recorded , we mayperceive , theywere (haken withaffaults,over-takenwith corruptions,trippedand foiled fometimesbythepolicie ofS:atanAll which is fet upon the file for ouradmonititon and confolation.So that aChriflian may not account himfelfe voidofgrace, becaufe bee is not perfec`k in faith, knowledge , and love : but he is wifely to confider the fecretworkeofGods Spirit and grace,and take comfort of the fnallef} gum and drop of this heavenly Mark.9. z4. John3:r. Numb zO.1r,I2. PIal. zz.i.& 77.7,8. Rom. r54.
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