Queffions,and Cafes of Conscience Chap. 4Z is and all other the enemies of our falvation, the more clearly Godswifdom fhineth forth in flren,thening this weak part and enabling it to (land in the day of battel Yea, in cauGng it to obtaina full and finals viCory, putting all its mighty eneii ies to flight. This moved the Lord to fuller the prick in the flefhi`to mole(} Taal, Cor. rz, g. that his grace might be perfe&ed in the Apofiles weak- nefhe, z. God is more glorifiedwhen aswe, feeing the flrength of our naturali cor- ruptions, and our frailty, and the many infirmities of our fpirituall part , are moved hereby to attribute all the glory, and praife ofour falvation to the alone mercy of God , both in the refpe& of the beginning , and perfeftìng thereof , andutterly denying our own felves, and all our righteoufneffe, do wholly rely upon the perfect righteoufnefs of Chrifl : whereas if therewere in us perfeét fan- etification , we fhould hardly acknowledge the Lord to be all in all in our falva- tion. 3. The wifdom and power of God is more manifefled, and glorified , whenas heBoth hisgreat works by contrary means , and caufes, which in theirown nature would rather hinder them : therefore he will have usblind, that we may fee; and foolifti,that weemay be wife, &c. He will giveblefíedneife to us , who have fo manywants, and corruptions, yea make our imperfeetions to ferve as means for the encreafingofour happinefiie, this doth exceedingly magnifiehis power , and wifdom. 4. We are hereby made more thankful] to the Lord , and more chearfull in feting forth his praife , when notwith(landing ourwants and imperfe&ions, we are f upported, and faved, then ifhe fhould at firfl endue us with all perfe&ion : For the more we have found the want of Gods benefits, themore we-prize them, and fo are the more thankful for them. So it was'-with St. Paul, when through the violenceof the flefh , he had been led captive to fist, Rom. ?. 24, aç. how doth he break forth into thankfulneffe. I thank God through lifers Chrifl my Lord. r í. Hereby we more glorifie God when wee areaffured byour growth in grace , bywhich we are enabled to refill the fiefh, and the lufls thereof, that they are the freegifts of God, and that he beginneth , encreafeth , and conti- -nueth them in us , whereas otherwife we would think them to be force natural} faculties, and abilities, and not given us ofGod. Qua}. How is this confiifl profitable for ourgood ? Anfix. i. Becaufe its a notable means to train us up in humility, which is a' grace mot/ acceptableunto God : and this is done when we fee , and confider what a miferablefpoile fin bath made ofall thofe graces, and excellent endow-, means which we hadby Creation :,how it bath poifoned, and corrupted all the powers, and partsof foul andbody : how it bathmade us unfit for any good , and prone to all evil} ; which corruption doch in a great meafure remaine in us after, regeneration , darkning our underflandings , defiling our consciences ; pervert- ing out, wills, hardening our hearts, &c. fo that ifwe were not continually al- filled by the fpecial. grace of God, we fhould eafily be foiled in the con- _ flid},and made a prey to our malicious enemies, t Cor.4.-y. z, Its moil effeôluall to work in us felf-dcniall, without which we cannot be, Chrifis Difciples. For when we plainly difcern that there is nothing in our felves to ref} upon for the fatisfyingof Gods office, this will make us fileto Chrift, to hunger and thirft after his perfebt Righteoufnefs,, and fo it will make us wholly torelye upon him for juflification, and falvation. 3; weare hereby moved to abhor fin whichGod fóhates , and thg vyith the greater deteflation , when as by our own experience, we finde and feel, the poi- fon ofit working inourfelves, and to bewaile, and forfake it with more earneft endeavours, whenwe fee what miferable effeetsit produceth , and what curled fruits it brings forth in us, 4.We
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