throughNaturall impoifidifitier., 159 is, Godspover , andGods faithfulnep, and his promife. That a mans comforts thereforemay not flide, but may be more fure, and fledfaft ; God takes this courfewith his peo- ple, putting a fentence ofdeathupon the mercy, and upon all the meanes that do lead unto it,before he gives it out unto the foule. I but you will fay, This fhakes the very foundation ofall my comfort : for if this be true, That whenGod intends any fpeciall mercy to the childrenof e4braham, he does fiat put the fentenceof deathupon it,and upon all themeanes that do leadunto it : then furely, I am none of the childrenof Abra- ham, I never had any fpeciall mercy yet given untome; I do not find that it hath been fo withme. No, what then? Becaufe your experience don't fpeake it, is it not therefore true ? Some would have the Sunne fet by their watch, and not their watch fet by the Sunne : fome meafure the truth of all the dot:trines that they heare by their owne experience , and if their owne experience fpeake them true, then they are true; otherwife not. But I fay, what then ? It may be thou art a man, or woman, that the Lord never gave out a promife to thee, not a pro- mife to thy foule : fome there are in prayer , that by the ftrength of their memory can reach in a promife; and when Art, and memory reaches in a promife intoprayer, the fen- tence of death, does not then paffe indeed : but when the Lord gives out a promife to the foule, then the fentence of death pall'es upon the bufineffe , upon the mercy , and upon the meanes that do lead unto it. I appeal unto all,the Saints here : Whether ever had ye any great mercy in all your life; but firft ofall, there was a fentence ofdeath paft upon it, and upon all the meanes that did leadunto it ? And therefore, though thou faieft , this fhakes the foundation of thy com- fort, truely , better a rotten foundation fhould be fbaken, then Rand. But you will fay , Is it fo with the saints in regardofall their Spirituall bleffings too ? Yes, When ever did the Lord give an Ordinance to his X people ObjeEt Anfir. weft. Nnfw.
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