498 The Life of Faith. obedient, more patient thanyou were before ? If you are fo, you cannot pof ably think that it bath been toyour lofs to be of lil`Ied : For no one that bath there graces can fo undervalue them, as to think that worldly profperity or cafe is better. But ifyou havenot fuchgain tofhew, what wonder ifyou are wea- ry of the medicinewhich healeth not ? and if, when you have made it do you nogood, you complain of ir, when it is your felves, that you thould complain of. Ifyou could fay, that be- foreyou wereafitted, youwent affray, but now you bave learnt and kept Gods precepts, you might then fay by experience, It is good for ms that I was afflu2ed, Pfal. r 19.67,7 r. And men are taught by natural felf-love, not to think ill'of that which doth that whichcloth them good, if by experience they know it. You will then confcfs that God invery faitbfulnefs afflielethyou, Pfal. r 19.75. Direr% 6. Remember that nothing can bemotifs which w done by God: For where there isperfedion of Power, and Wiff dom, and Goodnefs, no actions can be bad. And there is nothing doncby any of your alders, which isnot governed by the will of God,Antos g. 6. Shall there be evil ina City,and the Lord bath not d,ne it ? 2Chron. 10. 15. So the King hearkenednot to thepeople; for the cauje was of God, that the Lord might perform his Word. -------God who would not caufe the fin, is Paid to be the caufe of the event as a punifhment, becaufc he wifely permitted it for that end, Al's 2. 23. Him being delivered by the determinate counjel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and Hain. -- -Aó s 4. 28. 7kepeopleofIfraelwere gathered to do, whatfoever thy band and thy ceunfel determined before to be done : That is, he willed by his antecedent will, that Chrifi fhbuld be a facrifce for fin ; and he willed by his confequent will, (as a Judge and punither of mans fin) that the rebellious Jews thould be left to their mali- cious wills, toexecute it. And that God which moderatcth the wills and a Lions of the molt malicious men and Devils, will refirain them from violating anyofhis, promifes for his fcrvants good. Direct. 7. Alwaies keepbefore youreyes the example of a crucified Chrill,and ofall his holy Apollles andMartyrs which 1413 followed him,, Look f ifi to lejut the aatkor and jnifher of
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