Greenham - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .G82 1601

forn afffiEledminde. 24.1 red untohisformer eftate,but afrogiuethdieattentiue readerto vnderflandáfecretwork ofthat grace ofCod ;fromthe remembranceof that which had been,infinuating anhope ofthatwhich Mould be,as theeuent it felfe.afcerward declared; which iffue ofhis troubles Blameswould haue vsdiligently to confider whenhe faith : rebase heardofthe fufferiirgs of[ob,and hare feene theendof Lord.Buc it fareth in this cafewith theaff]i&edfoulema- ny times,as it lothwith thole that greedily ftriue forthe goods of this world ; their affe- S;mïleë étíonsofhauingmoreisfoftroirg and cloth foviolently ponèffe and carrie them ,asitnot onelydepriueth themof thevieof thatthey haue, but altomaketh them forgetthe faine, andwhich is yet more,proteftagainft it,as iftheyhad it not atall. 5othe,humbled andal- flih}edfpirit,ouerborne for the time with prefent griefeand anguifh ofmimic, nor onely vfètli not thecomfortsit bath, and cannot prelèndy difcerne ; but alto caufeth anutter forgetfulnes of them,andwhich more is,protefteth againft them, as ifthey werenot : yea (aswefee 'often in lab) he fo complainethofthecontrary,as ifthe Lordhadnot onelY for- fakenhis feruant,buthadarmed himfelfe,and did fight againft him todeltroybins. Here therefore wemutt bridleand chaltice our imp tien rand murmuring fpirit : and remem- berthat of lob,fo farrecontrarie to theother, that tháúgh the LordJhoulddeffroyhim,yet he willrrufl inhim:Neither malt we fomuch vexe and vnquiee our hearts for thatwe wane,as aeGftence íá labourtomakevie ofthat wee haue : which though it, tèeme littleunto vs for theprefent, teinptetro i yetin truthis morethan Saban byall his forte is able tooaercome, as mayappeare vnto f th ` vsbythat endletlè refinance whichthe fpiritof God dwelling in vsmaketh againfthim. fa#b e~ grace. For hethat fo fighteth is not yet captiué : and her that l'candeth inface oftheencode, and endured, all his affaults, is notyet vanquilbed. Yea for that bee holdech out in fogreat vtieaknes of hisowne, againft fo ftrong and furious affaultsof the enemie ; it plainly ar- gueth,that he ftandeth by a greater ftrength thanhis owne ; by which, asbee is prefently preferucd thathe fallesnot into thehandof hisadùerfarie ; fo needehenot doubtthereby tobefinallydeliuered,and crownedwith vi&orie and triumph in defpite of Satan and all he is able toworke againfthim. But ifthcenemie, wholequardilingwith vs is endléfl,as RemEdie, is his maliceis vnfatiable, willnot thus Ieaue vsand giue vs reft, then (as I laid before) it is temptation. our belt & fafeftway,at once toend all difputationwith him. And wecannot betterfhake riihS,téno. mexcrc ban. lütnoff, than byexercifing our felursinprayer, reading,&meditation oftheword ofGod, ssxercfe and bydiligent walking in the workesand labours of ourcallings : for there is nogreater prayer,rea- oportunitie nor aduantagethat can begiren onto theaduerfarieithan ifher(hall finde vs ding. idleand vnoccupied. If themindebealreadiepoffelfedof, and occupied in good things,it murk es cannot foeafilybe tranfportedvisto thatwhich is euill : but if free finde the houle emptie efthy 4,14g and fit for him,lie then entreth withoutdifficultie. In thequeftion offaith weehauecom- fort alto from theworks and effe&s thereofin ourfelnes :Forasthe tree is knowneby the fruites;fo faithwanteth not herfinites whereby Ihrmay bedifcerned. Thefe areofdicers Faithpitted forts,forrow for.finne palt,hatred of euill,care and endeuour to anoideit both in generali by thefroúi. and particular,the loue ofGod and of hisrighteoufnelfe, delireand carewith labour and contentation topleafe him,bodi ingenerali and particular duties. And here againe wee banea lawfull and neceffarie recourirvoto thetime pan. Foralbeit weehaue nothing to Pfai.7y,5. gglorie in beforeGod,when thequeftionis ofthe caufe of ourfaluation 5 yet the eftèf s of tfie graceandfauourofGod towardsvs in the formerfruitesof our faith, mayyeeldvsno finall comfort in the time ofour heauines andofthe anguilla ofour fpirits: hereof it is that the Prophetin the Pralinesdoch fo often protefthis obedience vetoGod, and care to doe pfal.srq. hiscommandements: hereofit is thatlob,vntothe comforting ofhisdinreffed confcieneè, remembreth thecourfe ofhis former life,led in thefeareof Godand obedience Of righte- e,ufnes. For alchouáh wemaynot attributeany merit onto our workes,butmutt glue the Rom.3.zs. wholeglorieof ourfaluationonto Chrinalone ; yet our works dotwitnes for vs,thatwee are.the childrenofGod,becaufe weareguidedbyhisfpirit,anei as theAponte faith,ibough Róm.5to. the bodiebe deadinre,ell ofFinn,yet thefpirit is lifeforriohteoufneffe fsl e. Alfothe gracious cffeelsof (Thrift himtelfe dwelling inourhearts by faith, arelure and certaine teltuuonics that we atemembers ofhis bodieand doebelongvnto him, becaufeas branchesimplan- ted intohimwhich is thevine, weebring forth fruite according to thenature ofthe vine. rob.rs.z, Y If

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