foranOgled confience. when they give one deepe fiohand away,and paf aouer Gods heauieindignation as ouer burning coales. So that whileft the Lordin prolperitie affoordeth large peniwordts of his loue vitro them,theydally with hisMaieftie,andmake a fportofhis mercy. All which nu- perfeétions may be better correbted,ifin our deepeft reftwith a teuerent and¡nimble feare ofGods iudgements, tve did waitefor thedaya our trial!, and prepareour {Clues to the Lordsvifitations, as theywho by the writingof their owne confcience,doe acknowledge themfelues by iufttíeleto betofterers dieted: forthe feeling of Gods merde muft come frotn thefight ofour miferie by finne -; which beingpardoned, we fhall foone haue our in- firmities healed. Wherefore let vsfirlt learnt to cleanfeour foulesfrom finne, and then to fuftaine theCoresof our bodie. Sureit is, that ifwehaue fufferedourhearts tobe harro- wed withtherakeofGods iudgements (as occafionfrom the Lordbath beengiucn) that we arebecome foftand well exercifed to thefeare of God : we {hall come tothe feeling of The e o our finnes,thefenfewhereof,ifitbringas it wereali eliu ckeneffetothebody,andacorfeyto oustnesg ñ thefoule, it is an vndoubted earneft ofour regeneration, and happyarewe ifwe fndeour oarnos ofoea feluesfo difeafed and troubled with our fames.True it is,that we canhardly (being in the regeseratro r, skirmifit and agonie) stakeanydifferencebetweenethe rhotions toany euili,andthe con- fensvnto thefame : foroftentimestuill motionsdoe fopoffelfethe foulesofGodschildren, finckingdowne fo deeplyindict], that though they weepe,pray, and meditate (whichbe theTaft meanesand remedies to cafeand cure them)thoughthey feelethem with irkefome- neffeand loathfomenefe, as wefeele fickenefft in ourbodies : yetthofe motions will be continually inthem without diminilhing; thedelight onelyexcepted. Wherefore for our Note, comfort herein,we arenot tomartyrourfelueswith difquietnes ofmiede, becaufe we ay,: fope4ered and thronged with wicked motions andaffaults, but rather let vs quiet our felues, andnot fufferout felues to behindered withficknelíe eitherof bodie or mind : by meanswhereofwefhould becometnorevnprofitableto our felues and the wholeChurch ofGod.Forthegodly fhallnot be fo freed from finne,butthat they {hall be abuttedwith euill motions, fufpicrons, delufons,vainefantaftes and imaginations; the body offinne !hallneuerbefrom vsfo longasweliue. FortheScum thereof is almoft continuallyboy- Tite frothof ling and wallopping in vs, .fomingout fuels filthy froth andftinkingfauor intoour minds, finne¡tithe re. that it is not onlydeteftableto the tninde regenerate and renewedby the fpirit'of God, generate, butalit, it would snakeabafhed thevery naturali man, to lookeinto fo loathfomea ltie of finne,and linkeholeofiniquitic.Yea itmaketh vs often to quaile, and if itwere poffable, it would corrupt the very parte regenerate. For !nighty is thepower, and'ragingis the Itrength offinne : Neither for allthis muffwe ceafeto'fotrowfor our finnes,nor defpaire onthe other fide,althoughourforrow be butfinal For ifwe beforrowfuli for the hardnes ofouthearts, ifwe canbegrieved for that weare no more grieaed for our finnes,ifwe can but f gt and grovebecaufe we feeleour iniquities ; it is fomuch a greatercomfortveto vs, as it is a greater teftimonie that ourheartsarenot altogetherhardened : fo that if we feele forrow ìndeede,although vieweepenot, Yetwe may gather comfort,confidering that this forum isforfinnewith a limeand hunger after righteoufnes:yea ifour aflàults be diftruft, pride, arrogancie, ambition, coule,eoncupifcence, asnote as the firein the furnace all our dayes, and though Sathanlaiethout oylein great meafure andout ofineafure, that it is the wonderful' tnerc ofrtheLord thatwe Rand ; and though ourprayers be dull and full ofwearifomenefte,ifthe ¡bitting and ltrainiug of our felues togoodnelte be fo hard, that we knownotwhetherwe ltriuefor feast ofpuntihment orfor loue offo gooda Father: yet To fide that if we feele this in our felues, that wewho'd faine louethe Lord, andbe better, andbeing evevvould wearied and tyred with our fsnnes,Iong gladly toenioythe peace of righteoufnes, and de- fame loaethe firetopleafe God in a fit4leobedience offaith; then let vs comfort our felues ;there is no lard. time too lateto repent in. For hecotnmeth quickly to Clirîft (although in thehoure of death) that commetti wiliingly,and ina defier ofa better life: howloener finneandSalton atthat time would efpeciállyperfwade him. Forasthehumming Bee hauingloft her icing inanother, dotti ltill iïotwtthftandingmake a fearefúll and grtetiousnoyfe by her often Sinne and Sa- bazzingaboutvshutisnothingabletohurtvs: fofinneanddeath,liauinglofttheirflingsthe basoit an Chrift lefus,doenot ceafe ataff,euen inthe heightiffthe parching,heate ofour confcien- cyix. ces, 1:43
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