11,10Wiliiiii.111111111111. 154 1 The Spirituall-aCtings ofFaith Dog. Ira. 6z iz 1 of all the children of Abraham to truff in God. And thirdly , That no difficulty canflandbeforefaith; true, faving , juflifying faith carries the foule through all difficul- ties , difcottragements , and naturall impoffibilities to 7efu4 6hrifi. I begin with the firfl at this time. when God intends to fulfill his promife by giving any fpeciall bleffing to the children ofAbraham,to beleevers,he does firft put the ,(entente ofdeathupon it , and upon all the means that do lead unto it.. A promife of a great feed like the flarres of heaven, and the land upon the fea-fhore, is given to Abraham; but before it is fulfilled , Abrahams body is dead , and Sarah, wombe dead ; the fentence of death put upon the mercy , and the means that do lead unto it ; and herein Abraham is held forth for our example, it was written not for his fake atone, ( at the 23, verfe ) but for us alto, to whom it (hall be im- puted ( at the 24. verfe ) And as thus it fell out with Abra- ham, fo it falls out with all the children of Abraham, with all beleevers , when God intends togive any fpeciall or great mercy by fulfilling his promife, he does firft of all write down the fentence of death upon the mercy, and upon the means that do tend unto it. The Saints and Peopleof God , they are called the Re- deemed of the. Lord, not onely becaufe they are redeemed from hell and from wrath , but becaufe that they have their mercies and bleffings in a way ofRedemption ; there is a line of that great mercy of Redemption that runnes through all the mercies which they have;theyhave Health redeemed out of the handof Sieknefe, they have Liberty redeemed out of the hand of Straitnefe,theyhave Peace redeemed out of the hand of Name , they have Afurance redeemed out of the hand of Doubtini andVnbeliefe, theyhave Mercy redeemed out of the hand of "'finery, they have yoyes and. Comforts redeemed out of the hand of. Griefe . they are the redeemed of. the Lord , whatfoever great i4ercy or Biding they have, they have it in a way of Redemption; Thus it was with
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