246 eJLetter conjolatorie that are reuealecl,arefor vs and ótirpolteritie after175 for cuei, as iLlo.fis faith. What diet' 'r bath the Lord reucaled concerning Offelea ion? Firlt, the knit of Godwicnellethvnto ourfpiritsthat weare the children ofGod:then it.ceachethvs to cry Abbe Father,and fir_ 3 reth vp in vs thófegroningsthat cannot bee exprefl'ed. Fromthefe let vsdefcendenta faithitfelfe: the voycewhereof,if it be not fuppreffed by the grienoufneflè of tempta- tion,foundeth cheerefully vetovs, that wee arebeloved ofGod,redeemed by Chrif) and 4 f ellowheireswithhint ofhisfatherskingdome, Ifherealfotheencanehauedarkenedour, [o3.31. fentes and obfcuredMir light,:weemuffofneceflitie withmb,relieueOur felues from the , a fruits ofour faith tThefewharthey are bath alreadiebennelaid. Ifneceffitiedoefocotn- pell vs, wee-muff flievnto thetimes that arepakand referreour feluesveto the reftimo- niesof the faithful!minifterspf God : who as they are for their wifcdotne and manifold experience better able to fudge ofour ofare than our fettles ;- fo haue. theypo ver and au- thoritic fromGod todecide thecontroueríc betweene vs andouronensie, and topleade 6 our caufeagainft him. Alfowherethe enemie from our prefent trouble and tonnent of rninde,feeketh todriúevsveto defpayre, weare to vfeagainft himhis ówneweapons -: for amongffmany tetlimoniesof oureftateingrace andfauourwithGod,there is none more euidentand fenfrble,thanis that confliét whichwe findeand feele inour 'clues ofthefpirit againft the flefli,offaith againft vnbehefe, ofa fanólited minde againit that partthatis f vnregenerated : and finally, of thenew creatureagainft the old man,'andofChritt hint- felfe invs,againft thepower ofSatan. If hereplie that thisis not fo,but thecontrarié ; we may anfwere,that albeit there have beenmany tnnes,whereiti wehad a 'tore prcfentand 'nightie handof the Lordupon vs;yet eueu now Satan himfelfecannot denic,butwehate finneand lonerighteoufnes : that wee lourGodand(toour power)obey his will,and.flie the bakes and occafions of mill: whereof ifthere wereforthe prefent nomanifeft and apparant effef s, (as yet by thegraceofGod thereare) notwirhftanding the onely affe- ¿lion and delire ofthe heart, ehirfting-and longing afterGods kingdomeandbts righte- oufres,are firíñcient arguments oftheworke ofgrace begun in vs, which fhall fo long be continued by the good hand ofour heauenlyfather, vnnll itbe confcimmatedandperfe- Phil.a.t;.r Eted inthelife to come. Porifit beGod(aa the Apoftlefaith)thatgiueth both thewill and the deed :he that bathgiuen vs to déftreto obey his will, will alfo enable vs vetothe do- ingof thefame. Andfeeing theworke offilnEtifieation c'tific beginnechin theheart,andthence floweth into ourwhole life,wenothingdoebt,butGod,whobath givenvs ioy in the holy Ghoft,andthereby.atoue vetohim andvetohis law,will further confirmeandtfrengchen vs,thae we may beveífels ofhonour unto hisname, and glorifie the Gofpe!lofourprofef- ion withfinites agreeableand accordingthereunto. Yea the thoughts,tneditations,and delres oftlieheart,are deeds beforeGod,andprincipali parts of that obedience whichhe required' at ourhands. And therefore if the faithfullman fhoald be takenaway bydeath before behath done anyof theoutwardworks ofthe law; yet fhouldnot his faithbe with - out fruits,ínthat beingfanitified inthe inwardman,he dotsnow infoule and fpiritferue the Lord,and defireth abilitie and oportunitie in aól to doe hiswill, and to honour his Luks3.çz. name; asappeared in that penitent malefathor that dyed with our Sauioar Cisrift. AnotherMing' am to admonifhyou of, thatyoubee not as the covetous .thenofthe Theeliieled world,tvho fo gapeupon that they further delire,as-.they.coifider not, but ratherforget eeefciece like thatwhich they alreadie haue, and hauingmuchindeede, in their opinionhaue nothing: theenrouetons and to allpurpofcs and i;fes doatwell wantthat which theyhaile,as that whichthey haue not. So it oftentimes happeneth tothe deare children ofGod,that whiled they Tooke and breatheafter that which they haue not yet attained unto, they forget and neglea that whichthey haue received,and vfe it notto their comfort and reieycing, as otherwifethey fhould. This ouerreaching and importunitieoftheirs, Satanabufeth againft thein,from theopinion of hauingnothing,. to blind their eyesnot to fee theprefent grace andgood- Pbil 3 u nes of God towardsthem. It is true that the Apollle faith, that in the caerle of godltnes andreligion,we maynot thinkwehaste attained thegoale,orare coneunto theend ofour race: but,forgetting that which isbehind vs, and endeuouringveto thatwhich is before, mutt contend(as toamark)vnto therewardofÿmoll highcalling ofGod inChrittIefus. But
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