and care of, hie People under Temptation. 277 profit more ; I confeffe I am veryunfruitful, and therefore I will labour to be more fruitful : Eat (Satan) I will not now at this time determine about my Condition; for it may be a time oftemptation : hereafter, at anothertime, I will come and determine about my Condition , and I will look after fignes ; but now at this time, it may be a time of temptation, and therefore I will forbear to winde, anddraw up a conclufion, but leane my felf upon God, and reft upon God at this time. Thirdly, Sometimes Satan does labour to weaken the 3. Affurance of Gods people, the faith of Affnrance, to make that to fail, By telling of them, that they haveno faith at all, becaufe they have no particular faith, no particular promife; for, faies Satan thus : faith and Wavering, faith and Doubtingdo not agree; He that beleeveth doubteth not : but now, you pray anddoubt, you beleeve and wa- ver , ye have no particular word for what you beleeve, therefore ye have no particular faith, fo no faith atall and therefore your Affurance is naught. HowPould we wardof this blow ? gzseil . In this cafe now, let a poor beleever fay Two or Three I Alin,. things unto his own foul. Firft, Tell thy foul this : Though it pleafes Cod forne- times to giveout a particular word unto his people, a par- ticular promife, in the time ofAffliEtion, or Defertion (e- fpecially) or temptation ; yet the Lorddoes not therefore giveout a particularpromife, that a man may meafare his condition thereby; (there's a mifiake) but the Lord does therefore giveout aparticular word or promife, touphold the foul in thecondition : nottomeafureout his condition by it, but to uphold him ; and therefore, though I have not a particular word, orpromife, I will not conclude a- gainft my faith for this. Again, Tell thineown foul, That though it pleafes the 2. Lord togive out a particular word or promife fometimes ; yet alwaies he does not. Hezelqahhad a particular word for his recovery; but the threechildren hadnot a particu- f f lar
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