VER.4. I''redeflination: ) dayofour vifitation,thoughwe fcorne it for the prefent,the good given us in others, is often ordained as an antecedent to our converfions,as whenGodBoth give us love in the tiesoftome goodman,flirrehim up to pray for us;Thus vluflinthinketh that Stevens prayer wasordainedof God,asa meane to worke Souls converfion. The evills we know be- fore our converfions,work to this end likewife:The Tailors affrightment God had ordained as a meanes to make him feek out himfelfe: So the ficknefTes whichwere upon many in the Gofpel,madethem feek outto Chrift:So the deformity whichbefalleth fome,the infirmities,the fearerand griefes ofmiede which follow them, though they know nor why , (as we fay)nor wherefore, are often difpofed as occafions oftheir greateft good, ofpreferving them from many fins:Nay, the fins they lived inbefore their calling , God maketh them occafionally worke to thisend;For,after our converfion, theymakeus more to love,as Mary; more humble and merciful , as Pauls perfecuting, more diligent in well doing, when we were in the flefh, Xom,6. Evenas theart ofthe Apothe- cary maketh Vipers into Treacls;fodothour God.Nowwhen God bath vifitedus, we prove thenbyexperience, thatourgood which hegiveth us in our felvesand others,whether it be fpirituallor temporall;yea,the evill we fuller, whether of finne orofpunnifhment, whether thepuni(h- meat come immediatelyfromGod , ormediately from the hands of men;thatall,'fay,are ordained tocarry ushome to the end, unto which he hathchofen us.In the good things we finde tohelpe us ,it ismoreap- pareat,then that we need to fpeakofit; ingood gifts which wicked men have, theyare often predeftinated for our good ; Evenas Carriers have money often,not for themfelves, but for thole to whom they aretent ; So men unfanûified have golden gifts, fometime for the fake ofothers, towhom they are Pent. Our finnes and evills wee fuftaine, God doth even ufethem as Phyficke to ourfoules, and he prepareth wickedmen often to doe that byhis children,which thofe ofthe skullerie doe by a veflell when it is foule, even to(tour them from theirruff : Even ashe predeftinatedhis Sonnes fufferings 3 fo oursalfo, whom he bathprede- Rinate, that we fhould be liketohis Sonne, as well in fufferingsas in glory. Saint Paulproveth, thatto thecalled,accordingto Gods purpofe oflife,all thingsdid worke together untogood; andhe proveth it hence, becaufeGod hadpredeflinated them. Now ifGods predeftination did not contrive every thing befalleth us to thisend, his proofe were un- fufficient. The Vfeof this is; Huh God ordained meanes by whichhis (hall Vfe r come unto theend,to whichthey arechofen,then how doe theyreafon, who willfay; Ifthey be predeftinate, then though they live never fo, they fhal be favedt God had given Paulthe life ofall in thefhip,yet when the fhipmen would have left them, Paultelleththem ;Ifthefemen bide not AaS::7.;. inthefhip,yecannot befaved;Godsdecreedoth flablifh means,notremove them;Thus we might refute mearein health,medicine in fickneffe,&fay, So long as Godhath appointedus tolive,we (hall live : The divell teacheth menin outward things wholly todiftruft God, and relye altogether on means;
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