Confolattonsforfnch Ar doenotfeele theirfaith. 53 3 yeelding vnto him the whole glorie andpraife of their fai- uation. What therefore is to bee done in fuck a cafe ? furelie they arenot vtterlie tobee difcouraged, nor to fuffer them- felues toGnke into the guile ofdefperation ; but as the fenfe and feeling oftheir (+ate ought to humble them vilder Gods hand, and to mooue them to enter into adue examination ofthemfelues, and to a ferious repentance for their times, fo they mu(} take comfort vnto themfelues, and prop vp their declining faith,bycalling tomind former times where- in the Lord hath!hewed hismerciful' and gratious counte- nance vnto them, and wherein they, in token ofthankful- neffe haue glorified God, by their holineffe and righteouf- neffe oflife. Anexample whereofwee haue in the Prophet baurd, Pfal.77. whobeinggrieuouflyaffli &ed,couldnot re- PfaIm.:77. ceiue inhisfoule any true comfort; for howfoeuer hee did thrkevpon the Lord, yet bee Wasflill troubled, and though he prayed vnto him yet his (pirit rrar full ofanPuir7>. What helpe didhe then find in thishis prefent diftreffe ?' He telleth vs in the fifth verte : Then (faith he)Tconfidered thedaies ofold,and the.yeeres ofancient time ; I called to reme'rbrance my fong m the ¡iQht, namely,hisTongs ofthank fgiuing, wherebyhe had praifedGod forhis great benefits : andveri i I. i remembred theworkeso fthe Lord, certainelie I remembred thy wonders or old. So the holy man lob apprehending and conceiuing oflob 31. Godasofhis enemie,in refpeeì ofhis prefent fenfe and fee- ling,and beingmooued byhis friends to doubt ofhis graces, which hee had receiued,and to condemnehimfelfe for an hy- pocrite,comforteth himfelfe,and irengtheneth. his faith in themidde(}ofall thefe grieuous tentations,by calling to his remembrance,his finitesoffaith and works offan &ification, whichhe had difcerned inhimfelfe in former times,- as ap- peaeth, chap.3 i. Whofe example if the children ofGod in like difire(fe will-föllow, how miferable foeuer they are in their prefent fenfe and ,feeling, yet they may receiue veto themfelues comfort,becaufe Godsgifts and callingarewith- out repentance. Buthere Satan will further óbie& that weearenot onelie .sect2. withoutall fenfe andfeelingoffaith,but alto that we do fen- Mm 3 fibly
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