Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133 .D76 C551 1608 v.1

Holt tieChrifmienbeingfoiledn,9' be raifed. 13 1. gainfl vs; and the greater our weaknes is,the fitteroccafion (hall theLordhaue offfhewinghis omnipotentpower ingi- uing vs vi& &orie. But ifhaving bewraied thine infirmities, and gotten a fforrordare ; folle in the fpirituall confliel,thouprefently be difcouraged aid defpaire,, anddefpaire ofviC6orie,furely it is a manifell fi.gne that thou I "in uer diddea truf 'too little in Gods Alliance, and too much in oardrffdnm thine owne firength, which becaufeithath failed, thouhall in God,and call awayall hope :and the greater thy horror anddefpaire fefe-confi is which followeth thy fall, the greaterwas thy felfe- confi- donee, .dence,and the leffe thyaffiance inGod. For he that altoge- ther:relieìh upon theLords aflìaance,and wholly diflrutleth hisowne fhength,whenhe falleth in the time oftemptation, is notmuch a onifhed with anygreat wéder,knowing that through hisowns infirmi tieand weakenes,hec is moll apt to fall whenGod leaueth him tohimfelfc ; neither is he vtterly difcouraged& ouerwhelmed with defpaire, as though now therewere nomeans to (land in the fpirituall combate, and to obtaine viilorie ; but hating and with a peaceable and quiet forrowmourning fèr hisGnne,becaufe therebyhe hath difhonoredhisGod,& offended his diuine maieflie,he doth not abatehis hope; but with le%confidence inhimfelfeand more confidence in God, lice revues the fight again1 his fpirituall enemies,with vndaüted courage; knowing that the Lord in whom hetrufethand wholly relieth will neuer faile him. And thereforelet vs no morerefl inourfelues, ifeuer we would enjoy the peace ofconfcience, or would haue any affuranceof the Lords ailîtlance; for he will be all inall,nei- ther can hee abide any (haring in theglorie ofthe vielorie : and therefore fo long as wee trufl in our owne flrength, and fight withour owrie forces, hee will withdrawhis helpe, till ouroften fallesand foiles haue taught vsto knowour owne infirmities andcorruptions,that fo 4iefpairingwholly incur owne flrength, wee may peaceably refl upon his almightie powcr,andpromifedafl'iflance. Lathy, let thofe who are trulie humbled in regard of 4.Seéi.i2. thofe foileswhich they reeeiue in the fpiritual confliC},com- Thelafi echo* fort themfelues by the experience ofGods loue, care, and larwn,tacice y p K 4 good-'rem the ex-

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