3 2 General!directionsfor a thing to havegrace, another to cede grace. One thing the life of faith, another the life offence. 3. Not to difgrace thy owne grates, by calling thine eye toodejectedly upon other Chrinians perfe6tions and prece- dencies. Let it not fare with thee in this cafe, as it doth with onegazing too much upon the Sunne ; who looking down. wards again; can fee junnothing, whereas before he cleare- ly difcerned all colours about him. Looke upon them for imitation and quickning , not for fiavifh dejection and felfe- blinding. 4. To acknowledge andexpea , that heavenly graces, as Faith, &c. while they inhabite thefe earthly houfes, ebbe and flow, waxeand wane, faint and flourifh ; by reafon of the combate betweene the flefh and the Spirit. So that ifa man fhould tell mee ; that beebath ever prayed alike, with- out temptation, or dampes, without any fenfe at any timeof deadneffe or fpirituall diftempers ; that bee bath ever belee- ved alike, without thole doubts and Couples, that faintneffe and feare, of which moll Chriftians Co much complaine ; durfi confidently reply, that thenhee never either prayed ac- aLuna iPfa ceptably, or beleeved lovingly. The Fathers a fitly referable propheticis ora- cubs fpecies ec- the Efate of the Church to the variable condition of the clefia figuratur, ivi°C)ne which fometimes lbines more glorioufly, foe- cam primum re- turgcns in men- times not fo It is fo alfo with every truemember thereof; limas reparatur e in refpeaofthe exercife ofgrace , comfort in holy duties, ztates , tene.ris podis abrcondi- fenfe ofGods favour, fpirituall feeling. tur paulanunque 5 To beleeve the Spirit ofTruth, theWord ofGod and cornea faa com- piens, vel P regio- voice ofChrift, before the father of lies, didates ofnaturall ne yens, souds ari b f di fol- ftruft, and fuggeftions offlefh and blood. ToWhich, me - Bore fulgoris irr.- thinks, thou fhouldeft bee eafilyperfwaded , and then all the Epift. tib.5.EF0,31. milts of thy fpirituall miferies would beequickly difperfed. It is a mighty worke, ifnot agreat miracle , toget any loft- neffe at all, or true remorfe for finne, into the heart ofa man ; it is naturally fo ftony and impatient ofgriefe ; and the de- vil' fuch a ftirrer againft it, fo that the moft are meere ftran- gers unto it.; yet for all that-, when this penitent furrow is once
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