andgod& o feruations. Conference. I DEiirgdefiroustofpeaketotheprofitofothers, hefaid,thatheobferuedfuchafrlence inmen,as none could wellbreakeinto it,andoften fuch alibertie of fpecch,as none can take hold oftoturne itto good,heobferued thecaul offuchfilence,to be forme great griefe,orMine deepe meditation occupying the minde,or 'nine dead=of fpirit, or finite, A deadfileoee worldly fhame,or fo:ne delire to fpeake,and theLord flaying the £peech,or diecarclefnes inraeeringr. in themthat fhould heare it, in that they doe not delire it : Theremedie againít:this is ei ther in humilitie to aske Come queftion, or to fpcake fomevvliat, and notto giue lace to fucli deadnes. a In the moft abrupt and difordered£peeches ofinen, hethought God difpofedthem' forhis profic,and though prefentlyreafon could prompt no reafän,whythey flould (peak fo,yet long after it would : for hee was much affebhed with the faét of *at, who would 10fas not bemooed with the fpeech of wicked Pharaoh, but entringbattell was 1laine,: where- uponhe would fay,that noman wasfo good,but theLord would fometínie let him fall in- to fo:ne euill, for his further humbling; and no man focull!, but the Lord did conuey goodnes into himatfometimes,to makehis condemnation thegreater. Conffence affficled. r J, Certaine man fomeyeersaf$ided in confcience,faid,his continual! agonies were as greatas thepaines ofa man readietodye, and that bee felt fofinal, comfort in Gods countenance,that he wouldwillingly liaisefuffered his b odic to haue lined irr, bur- ning fire vnciltheappearingofCh'riff,fo hemight then be affured ofGods fauourtowards him,yeahis greateftcomfort was this,thatthough hefhould be in hell,yet hehoped eher- in ofGods favour to have histormentsmittigaeedwidrthem that fuller leaft.Inall Which Thegodlyáf- troubles notwithltanding no world ofreward,noterroroftyrannie,couldcaut him wil- lingly fiEted ro;iyci. to doe theleaft thin diflealin toGod, whomwhen the Lordreleafed hewould. `cp1e á,cro g íl g > d_(pleaG6d,' comfort hunlelfe in Chrilt,faying,thatthe diuell would take theaduantageof Isis.forrow, co snake himvnthankfull in good things. z We are either asaprince oras a peafant, either molt mightie aboneall princes, or cigoodconfei, ninth vile among the Tonnes of men. If all the Monarches in the world withftood vs, our mute F.ovv pro owne confciencecomfortingvs,wee ruled aboue a!hlf the vileftcalla!! in theworld rile fiable. againft vs our owneheart condemning vs,wefee:netobealoft miferableofall. Prou.15.15. 3 Hefayd, howfoeuermen might deale with outward matters,yet when griefes.and fancies grewin the miude and grreued it,notlringcould Cutely cure them, but only the word ofGod. 4 Hauing to (kalewith diners humbledconfciences,hewould millikethem thatwould not abide to tarrie the Lords leifiare, but they mull needes be helped atonce, mien byand by, as foone as theyheard him fpeake, or elfe they would then thinke farre worfe of hint than euer before,notwithlhanding the good report had, and the goodopinion conceiued ofhim : for befides that,hethatbeleeueth maketh not hafte. This is a comining rather asit Wereto a Magitiau(who, by an incantation of words,makesfìliiefoules looke for health) thanto themmifterofGod, whole words being mothAngelical! comfort not vntill,and The tree mho!, fomuch as it pleafeth the Lord togiuea blefíìngvnto them,which fometime heslothde- ?erofchei/t- nie,b ecaulewe come to themwith too great an opinion ofthen: as though theywere wife comfo t rhenor men,not ento fuelsas vungtheir ineanes, yet doe looke and flay for our comfort wholie fiekeha,2ely,as fromGodhimfelfe. zviaardrdoe. 5 Being asked how in theexamining ofour confcience for finne, we ¡Timid finde out rofadeout the fpcciall -G nne,he fayd,that couldnot foeve!1 be,done : for who dothvnderítand the er- ourfpecial fino. rots of his life ? but by oft examiningof our felues,by acquainting of ourfelues with our ns. o.vne efface, by carueft prayer that Godwould reuealevs the finne, by oft hearing and 3.4 reading theword,by markingthe moth checkes ofourconfciences, and reproches of our 54° enemies,we might beled to theneereth fight ofthem. 6 Vino one atHieled ininindebee gave this comfort : RrPc,ifyouhaueknowledge, be 13 3 thankful!
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