foraneggfedmìnde. X43 Read thereofI amperpetually oppreffed with the horror of thewrath ofGod,iuft againft mefor myfinnes.It is true that the power and fenfeof faith is not alwaies alike in the childrenofGod : yet is it a falleand fophifìicallconclufion,fuggefted fromhim that is a lyar from the beginning,and the father of lying,tofay,we feele notfaith,therefore thereis no faith in vs. Formmany difeafes of the bathewe haueno fenceof life,and yet wee liue. TheSunne fhineth not in the night feafon, norwhen it is obfcured withcloìtdes : (hallwe simile. fay therefore that there is noSunne,or that ithath vtterly no operation?Admitalto (which yet may not beadmitted)thatthe Lordhad fora time vtcerly gmen vs ouer : canwee con- clude thereof,that hewill neuer agame bemerciful' vnto vs ? Nay,hee that found vswhen wee fought tiros not,will furely attune vntothe workewhichheehath begun, though he famed' for a while to haue forfaken it. There is fometime as it were aneclipfeof our ,,f eclipre of faith,and ache feelingof the graceof God towardsvs : but let vs affure our felues, that pith. as theSunne andMoone doe notperifh intheir eclipfcs, nor loofe their light for ever; fo in thiseclipfe whichhappened'fora timevntoour faith,and fenceofGods goodnefre,the fame fhall not perifh or lofehis vertue forruer : but flsalfin, goodtime be reltored, or ra- -t!*rquickened in vs againe,vnto ourfurther and snore affured comfort. This you Italic feene in manythe deare children ofGod, whofe heaumes hash beenekuowne onto you, that they haue not beeneforgotten for euer,but that theLord, whofeemed for a while to " frownevpon the', did in the end caufehis moltgracious and louing countenance to flanc " vpon them againe : you hauefeet it in your felfe, that there bads banean interchange- " able courfe of forrow and comfort, offaith and feare,and that the one bathcontinually " fucceeded theother, that thefamehand that humbledyou, did raifeyou vp againe ;- that " he thatinflicted the wound into your foule,appliedthereunto the molt fwcete and roue. " raigneremedieof his grace. So-ancient and fo experienced a fouldieras youare inthis fpirituallbattaile;fhouldnowbevaliant and firongvnto the combat: and thoughvitto- rie benotto behoped from theweakneffe of flefh,yet the experienceweehaue hadof the .goodnes ofGod in ourforme,¡ troubles, ought toaffare vs of the returneof his helping hand in allour-necefities. Shall I put youinminde of the graceof God towardsyou in your comfortingofothers,éuenchain/hen yourfelfe hauebeen in louse difcouragement If others haue receiued comfort from you, raife vp the fame comforts onto your felfe. Neither is there any caufeyou fhouldfeare, leaft the fpirit which inyou was able toerect and confirme others,fhouldnot beable to refrefhand comfortyour owne foule. In other thingswee loue our fèlues too much,anddoe weir onto our feluesrather than to others : but heremany times by the fraud anddeceit ofthe enemies weeare made cruel' vnto our t z temptátions owne bowels,and becomehis abufedinttruments totormentourfelues : Whowill puta boa, me fword into the hand of his aduerfarie to wound himfelfewithal'? And who will ftreng- rpirewithso: then his enemie thatis alreadie too ftrongfor him ? Yet this is ourfolly, that wewill con- tho,l agsisß fpire with Saban again(tour felues, and armehimwith weaponsvnto ourowne deltru- """M"". &ion. Saint PeterfaithRe: thedasell,bein ron'in atth.Wetnultnottherefore eeldours'peCf.9' f 81l %' f Y ,robs a. felues vncohistyranny, norcart away that weapon offaith by which alone weemay be Ephc(5. i5, able toouercome. But Iwill vrge thisargument nofurther. Iknow that the benefitsof this lifeare common for themolt part, both to therepro- !,e forrfroo bate and tothe ele&:yet both inthofe which arecommon, thereisa great andlargedif thistiwfi r ference,and there arefotne fo ungular ascarrie with them a ftronger tettimonie ofthe fa- uour ofGod,thanthat it maywithout impictiebe denied. In common benefits itholdeth, thatasrisingsmolt aduerfe are Yet turned vistoour good ; fo much snore the goodgifts andbleffings ofGoddocarrie with themateftimonie of his loue &fauour towardsvs.For as theLord fpeakech vntovs in the word and by Isis fpirit; fo his good & fatherly,proui. Rom.S.oL dancetowards vs, is not without voyce, but founded' aloudonto the declaration,of his loue. Butthere are (asr faid) fomebenefits fo fpeciall, that the vfeofthem is properonely vnto hischildren. Remember with me the liettime ofthis trouble anddifinayingofyour confcience5 and rememberwithal' howmany meanesthe Lord bath miniltred vnto you , for yourcomfort.What flail Ifayof thofewhom theLord bath put men into yourbo- lòme, the snoreneerer to applie his nercicvino you, MalterC. MatterB. Malter R.&c. Ya all
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