for an oflilledmindp. 45 gracioufly'receiue himthat bee may behold hisface withioy, andhe reftorethveto man Ins righteoufnes.Inwhichwords there are manyexcellentthings tobenoted for thecom- fort of thole thatare affliéted. Thefirft is,that theanguilhed foule findingno comfort at home and in herfelfe,by reafonoftheftrength of temptation,muft feeke refute abroad at thehands ofthole whomGod bath appoynted tosnake glad theforrowfull mfnde, and to ginereftvnto the weariedand diftrefledconfcience. Wherein you mutt confiderwith all thankfulnefle,how great tnercre the Lord hath (hewed veto you: for I doe perfwade my felfe,as before? Isaac faid,thatfinte the timeofyourafflic}íon,there bathnot beenal:nolI one,that bath any fpecialgift in that kinde,wboby conference,writing,or otherwife,hath not bellowed fomepartof his trauailevnto your comfort. Lcould myfelfe naine agreat numberbefidesthole aboue mentioned,but your fclfecan remember many more, Now thetefümonie of fómany faithfullferuants ofChrift witnefiing the grace andgoodneffe ofGod towardsyou,mui beeasthevoyceofGodbimfelfe ,whoisnot.asmanthatlree should lie,oras the formeof man that bee fhould repent,oralter that which hebath once certified. And iflob doeacknowledge,that the comfort ofone faithful! witnes on thebe- haifeofGod,is enough to theereaing and cheeringoftheheamefl minde,.vhat can Satan fayunto theteftimonie, not of two or threewitnefles whichthelaw onelyrequireth, but unto theteftimoric oftwo or threefcore,thenseaneft and weakeft whereof íhouldbeable to asfwcrcinyour belialfe voto allthat the enemieis able toobie&againft you. The fe.. cond thingInote,is that ehefehaue notcomevow. you byerror or bychance, but by fpe- cial addreffe of Godsprouidence,as fent fromthe throneof graceto bindvp your wound, and tominifter comfortvnto your confcience.The third,thatthefefpeake nottheir owne 3 words,norofthemfclues,butare thefaithfull interpreters ofthe willof not indeede imuiediasly from himlelfe, but 'by viewingand elteemingof the workeofGod, and the fruits of hisgrace in thole that are his. The fourth, thatas theydeclarevnto the afflicted, 4 that fauourofGod towards thé,which themfeluesare notablefortheprelhnt to difcerne, fo theycommendtheus by prayervetothe Lord,who bath promifedto heart and to grant their requells. The fift,that for comfort in this cafe, weemint paffe out ofour felues,in S Whom there is nothing-that may cafeour griefe, and cart our eyeand cogitationonly vp- onChsift,in whomall fulnes offaluation doth dwell, confidering that this is one ofdie meaneswhereby Satandoth moltdiftrelle and anguish the afflieled foules, that lice hol- deth themin thecogitation of theirlinnes and tranfgreflions againft God,and fullreth themnot to fee that length, breadth, height,and depth, and to know that loueofChrift Eph448. thatpalfeth allknowledge,that they might befilledw tell all the fulnes ofGod. The lint, 6 that theLord both mercifully bleffeth the labours ofhis feruants in comforting his chil- dren,and alfo graciously heareth their prayers and fupplications made in theirbehalte vntohis Maieftie. Andthe lalt, that God in hisgood time eredleth thewindes ofthe of fliehed, andopeneth their mouthes topraife his name and to prateft his goodnes, that bee bath broughtagaine theirfoulefrointhepit, andbath fhined vpon them with the light of life. Which cffeet ofthegrace of God, be,aufe you bane both feene in others, andfelt in your felfemany times,you hauegreat taufeto hopeandexpect the returneof his comfor- tinghand in due feafon,whoalfo (hall once determine tildeconfiiétingdaies,and let vs in .r8. . Apoc> that peacewhichThanneuer be interrupted,audwherein all teares (hall be wiped away from our facesfor euer. Themaliceofthe enemie, during thislife, bath no endnormeafiweat áll,and therefore wemay iuftly feareall extreinitieofattempt agaiuft vs: but we mutt Ihrengthenour felues in him,who canandwill enable vs vetoall things. The Taft and molt grieuousaffault ofSatan againllthe afNiéled is, that hercalleth into Againf rbe doubttheirelection. Forthat faluation is onclyof theeledt,bee laboureth by all meanes doubtride! to flake this ground andpillarofcomfort, and ifit bepoffible to fubuerc andouerthrow ítwn. the fame: It behoouethvs hereto take heedhowweecarrie ourfelues, as inthat tempta- tionwhich ofallothers ismofl dif$cultanddangerous. Firft therefore, weemutt beware of that gulfe wherein the enemie hopeth todeuoure vs,ehatweeenter notintothe ferret and hiddencounfell of God. Forthe fecrets ofthe Lord are for himfclfe;.but therisings Deut.sa.ap. Y 3 that
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