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

Comforti againftourfloeprogrcffeißfanc7ifcation. 639 perfivadedofthisfame thing; that bee that bath begun thisgood Phi1,1,6. Yorke invswillperforme it vntillthe, dayof lefus Chrffl, Phil. 1.6. We are toallure our felues with theProphetEtauid, that the Lord will fulfill they holy deßres of thofe that feare him, Pta,. t Pfal.'45.z9.Wee are vndoubtedly tobeleeue that the Lord 4319. willnot /ufer vs to be tempted aborre our power, but will givea Cor, good i/fae with the temptation, i .Cor. t o.13. Wee are not to imagine, that he will breake this brufed reed, nor quench this .1 inokingflaxe,feeing he bath promifed the contrarie, Mat.' 2. i'1atth,12.ao. 20. And though this little graine of muliardfeed for a time lie hidden in the earth, and when it fprouteth vp,fpringeth fo llowly that wee cannot fenfibly difcerne the growing thereof; yet inGods good time being «atred with thedew ofhis holy fpirit, it will become one of the greatefl trees in the Lords garden. For feting the Lord hath given vs this grace, not tobe wantingin thevfe ofall good meanes, we maymoil certainely afhure our felues that the Lord for his r L Ia ; part will not bewanting, in gluinghis bleiling and granting the aflìfiance of his holy fpirit, which hee hathpromifed to thofe that delire it. Secondly, let vs confider that thefe finali beginnings of§3e8.3- grace and firfl fruitesofthe fpirit, are moll vndoubted fgnes ThadéldsgP i that he dwelleth in vs : now wherefoeuer he dwelleth, hee vs thin the fan&ifiethhis owne lodging, and is not idle til he haue ef- end per fa this felled this vibrke which he hath vndertaken and begun. worke. Though therefore this worke, in regarde of thy flowpro- ceedings feeme hard,yea, euen impofíìble, yet confider, that that which is impoflMe toman,is poffible toGod : though thou feel+manie difficultiesand mightie oppofitions by thy powerfull enemies, yet let not this difcourage thee, feting the Lord who is with thee is almightie,and therefore able to repell the violence ofall oppofers, and to make the moll Matth.I /.3o. heauie and pinching yoke, light and calk. Though in thy EPh,6.io. (elfe thou art moll weake and feeble, yet thou artflrosg in Pb'1'4'I thepowerofGods miht, andenabled to doe all things through thehelpe of(bra tbhich f?rengtheneth thee. Thirdly, let vsconfider, that as the Lord bathdecreed our, §, Set 4. faluation, and promifed vntovs eternall life : fohebath allo as

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=