496 Confolatiaw egainfl hardwire ofheart. it feemeth quite 1o(l and periflied being fowne in fome grounds,andyet afterwards itbringeth forth not only a faire greene blade ofan outward profeífìon,'but altoa great in- creafe ofthe ripe fruityoftrue godlines.So alto the fick pati- ent taking foueraignephyficke,is notprefentlie cured,nay in lead offeeling any cafe thereby bee is made much more ficke in his ovine fente and feeling, and yet after thephyficke hath a while wrought i'vith him, and purged hint of fome fuperfluous and hurtfull humors hee findeth fome amend- ment, and fo by littleand littlehee is reflored to his former health ; and fo it is alCo with the fpirituall fickepatient, bee dothnot alwaies prefently findcafe and quiet peace of con- fcience, nay many times hee is tormented and vexed after hee bath receiued the fpiritual phyfickeofthe foule the word ofGod, more then euer in former times, but yet notwith- flanding in proceffe oftimewhen thisphyficke hatheffe6lu- alliewrought withhim, it purgeth him from his filthie cor- ruptions,and (lrengthenethhim in all grace andgodlineífe. And therefore thoughwe feele prefently no profitable fruits ofhearing let not this difcourage vs from hearing, nayra- ther,let it ferue as a (harpe fpurre to pricke vs forward to more diligence, and let vs ioyne therewith hartie prayer, defiring the Lord to water the feed ofhisword fowne inour hearts with the dewofhisholy fpirit, and then undoubted- lie the Lord in theend will heare vs, and to our exceeding comfort (hew vetovs theplentifull fruites ofallour labours. §.Sea. N. Thirdly,whereas theycomplaine that the moretheyheare tonfolations the greater are their finnes and rebellion againfl God, in this forf4cüas theymuch deceiue themfelues ; for the word of God doth complaine that not make them more finfull, but whereas heretofore they themorethey Geare,tfiliuedincarnalifecuritie and hardneffe ofheart, hauing their emore they abound in vndertiandings darkened, and their confciences feared foas feriae. theycould neither fee nor feele their fins, though they were manifold and grieuous, now the word of God made ef- fe&wall by the inward operationofhis holy fpirit, like aglo- rious light hauing difpelled the darkefoggie mills of igno- rance,and illuminated the eies of their vnderfandings, with the knowledge ofGods law,they better difcerne their finnei -and 1
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