186 The Spirituall-aaings offaith faile ; oriely a failing of meanes to fupply your appetite and your lull, but not a failing of barley loave-meaner ; whether there be not aiwayes that meanes left by God. In the third place, But fuppofe that all meanes faile deed, and lie dead before you ; now Faith is a meanes to a meanes ( marke ) nowFaith is a meanes to Faith , Faith. hath, a commiiTion from God to put life into that meaner that lies dead before yon ' Faith bath a power from God to make that a ?manes which was none before. PoorSoule, thou quaking and (leaking at a diftance & layeft,Ohl no meanes but contrary meanes : Come up to that contrary meanes , come up to it in a way of beleeving , and thy very coming up to that which thou look.fl upon as contrary,. through thy faith will be made a meanes to thee. When the ApollleTeter was in prifon,theAngel comes tohim,ftrikes off his chaines,and bids him go out prelently; Teter does not fay thus, what fhould I ftirre for?Lord,Sir,there is an iron gate to go through , thereare fo many guardes of Souldiers topaffe through ; Peter does not fay fo, but riles in a way of be- leeving, comes to the iron gate in Faith, and when he comes at it , the iron gate doth open: And fo it will bewith you; indeed if you come unto that which feemes a contrarymeans, in anaturall way , the iron gate 'till continues fhut ; but Oh I if youwould Life your Faith-, come up unto that which you look upon as the molt contrary, in the wayof beleeving,faith hath filch a power from God , to put life into that meanes. that lies dead before you. And in the fourth place:confider thisfor your further incou- ragement : that look what way God isufed to walk in to wards, you , the fame way you may boldly exped him in Does the Lord Life to walke towards thee in a way ofpreverp- tingmercy ?" You may boldlyexped him in that way. Does the Lord walke towards you in an extraordinary way 1' (as in thefe times he hath towards us, though an unworthy peo- ple :) I fay, doesthe Lord walke towards you in an extraor- dinary way ? Hath he done fo heretofore ?. You mayexped him in that way, Now I appeale top9o, you thatare the pea. pie.
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