r 108 General/ direaioms for a felves with evils paft, or fearing any to come ; but thorow their whole life enjoy entirely and with full fecurity, all con- tentments and pleafures incident to their natures, lave oncly when theyare pinched with fence of prefent paine. What a fhame then is it to Man, who being honoured with the ex cellency of an "underftanding, reafonable, and provident fpi- rit, whereby bee out- fhines all other creatures, like an An- gell upon earth, fbould by the abufe and mif-imployment thereof, make it a meanes unto himfelfe, to become more miferable in this refpe& thena brute beau} ? See KCY02. g. xi. Nowmanyand fweet are the places and promifes in Gods Booke, whichmay ferve as precious counter-poifons, and cordials, againft this carking venom; which haunts with too 'often infinuations, even the moft heavenly minde ; but eater continually like a Canker into the carnal! hearts They are filch as tilde I will never leave thee nor forfake thee, He brewer 13.5. Shouldeft thou fall into the fiery tryall, affured- ly thymerciful! God would either fupply thee with a fuper. natural! and extraordinary power and patience over that moft exquifitepaine ; or elfe,abate and leffen the rageof the flames for thy fake. All things worke: togetherfor good, to them that love God, Rom. 8.28. Sinne, in it ownenature, is the deadlieft and rankeft poyfon to the foule ; and in it felfe, the grea- telt evil! that is orcan be; yet Gods infinitePower and Wife- dome, which at firft drew light out ofdarkneffe, as a skilful Apothecarydeales with poyfon, fo orders and tempers it to his, that by accident it proves medicinable s much more cloth He turne to their good, croffes, difgraces, loffes of earthly things, poverty, want,life, death,any thing,every thing. God faithfull, who willnot fileryou to be tempted above thatyou are able ; but will with the temptation alto mak away to efcape, thatlemay be able to beare it, 1 Cor.i0.13. It is Gods Childs peculiar, in the cafe of affli6tions andall future troubles, to .cxpea fupportation in them, benefit by them deliverance cut of them. He that/pared not hisowne Sonne, how'haghee not with him al f ofieelygive uo all things, Rem. 8.32. If Iefus Chriftbe ours, it is infinitelyabfurd to feare flavifhly, either hurt
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=