Exerc f .r ofreligion, 299 becaufe the Lordwould fbew that he referueth apower beyond means. Although lie efla= blifhed all things in a mutuall cootie,yet he brought fortheuery thing withoutmeans fo thelight wascreated the FA day,theSunne thefourth day. Men teeing their'corne not togrow,crie for raine,but heathsand fruits grew beforerain. True it is that we looke for things ordinarily now by meanes, but they beganwithout means:as Godmaking man atthe firt'e without feede,nowwill increafe themby feede, his bleffing being with his ordi nance,and not elfe. Butbehold a furtherthing, God worked) not onely by meanes and without meanes,but alfo contrary to all meanes. Chrift when bee would reftore fight to theblind man,doth it withthat means which(we thinke)would put out a manseyes,and blind the fight ofhim that can fee : wherebyhee fheweth that men contrary things obey meapiJb mi- him.Eliabi.Kin . tomake utted%fahintothem.Suchisthepower g4 gyp. P eisa thecon- ofourGod, who bringech light outofdarknes,which is thedeftru&ion ofthelight. iuringofhoty As naturallmen vfeGods creaturesto ilirrevp a naturall comfort fo fpirituall men watervv :ib mull efe fpirituallmeans for fpirituallcomfort.For allthings whichhaue a fingular good bet is r6dica- vfe,may haue a fingular abufe : wherefore weemutt vfe fan&ified things with fan&ified Pfe the eserci+ hearts,leaftabufng fiche things,webegiuenonertoavaineminde. f, ofreexeree . 6 When the Lordwill haue a thingcome topaffe,hee will altograunt themeanes : fo fir when the Lord willmakehispeople gracious, bee will giue themgoodMinifters and wife cumfort,&c. Magiltrates,and fomake them to be fearedof-their enemies. Againe, whenthe Lordwill notfor oJleata,! make a people odious, he will powre contempt uponPrinces, and take wifedome away 0J0i>6.` from theMtnilters. Wherewe feewhat neede wee hauetoprayfor our MiniftersandMa- gifkrates. Againe, weefee thatifweewould begraciousand in favourwith any,wee mutt looke that we haue fuch things in vsas mayprocure their faucur : as when that Timathie wasexhorted tobewithout blame,hisvertues were rehearfed . For thegracesofGocttnuft only makevsgracious : but ifwehaue notreceiued them,no mulewhy we fhould begra- cious. 7 What promife foeuerwe haue ofGod,wemuffwholy ref¡ on thatwithout diftrnft : andyet mutt wevfe the lawfull meaneswhich hebath appoynted,lealt wetempt him. 8 We muîthearnenottò tcinptGod,fór it is notof faith toomit any meanes,that mayTe temptGod helpe vsout of daunger,yecmutt weeauplie our meanes toGod, and not put our trait in is negteGing- them,but in God : which weemay trie by this, ifourhearts beas carefltll,to ferlethe for- the vfe el giuenes of finnes,to hearethe word,to vieprayer,Sacraments,and admonition, as weebe meant, tobedeliuered from our troubles,then havewe atefticnonieofa found heart:but ifwebe careleurof thefe,andyet introublewill leavenomeanesvnattempted,thenwee maywell iudge that our heart is more let on earthly thanheauenly things, andwee be asyet more carnall thanfpirituall. 9 Ifwee baue lawful! meanestoget ourliningwee muff vfe them ; ifweedoe,and yet want,wemutt fkilldepend onGod. Ltkewife in fickneflewhenwe may vfe the Phifition it iswell : but ifhecannot behad,or ifweecannot recouer health byhis meanes, thenmutt wenot def Gyre,butdependvpontheLord.Sowhenthe Lord giuethvs his word,wemay notlooke for reuelations,but vfe it whilewe haueit: but ifthe wordbe taken away, then maywebewellallured, thathewillvfefornemeanstoinftru&vs.Sonotdefpayringwhen we haue not the meanes, and aicribing ail honour to GodwhPn wee haue them (asMofei ". taughtthe Ifraelites) wee thanbe more readieto glorifiehis in ourfuffering, beingwell allured that thushe dealer withvs,that hemay more fpeedilyand richly crowne our f uffe- rings. And thusdoth ourSauiour Chat reafon with Peter,when hedrew his ¡word to de-- fendChríft beingbut a private man,faying,Cánnot my father fend legionsof Angelsfor my defence? asifbee faid,vfe no vnlawfnllmeanesto defendme: fortfmy father would thatIfhouldbedeliueredfromthefe,hewòuldallofendlawful!tneanestobringthefame to pane : but teeing bee depriueth meof all meanes, and lothnot storke extraordinarily formy defence,it is his pleafure that I byfufferingfhould work your deliuerance: where- foreIam contented fotodoe. In likemanner did thethree children anfwere the King : tgeodmed' The Lordcandeliteervs,yetifhe willnot, wewillfesf feraccordtngtohispleaftere. Ifwe couldex- estoeosga:ni1 èrcitc our lanes well in thisandlike good medications,wee might be kept by Godsgrace impatiencic. from
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