Ittht1&ingbyfaith.Faith endfeeiing. 305 might (asIoB faith) carieit on their foreheads. And Godiudgeth nowbyChrift, andbee ;isltlie Mediatour. 6 Faith teachethvsto iudge of things notaccordingto the (hew, but accordingto the end : for itfeeth what kinde of pleafurebringeth forrow, and what kinde of furrowbrin- geth ioy in theend. IfMofes hailing theword inEgypt but by traditions,yec hada deem lodgement of thingsbyfaith,how much oughtweto ftriue to this end , which haue the word cleerely reuealedvntovs. h)'perfecutioi itis the chiefeft grace offaith,tofullrdeath forthe' truth,ifneedere- quir : but ifwe cannotattaineto this, yet to forfake allthat wee -have, and to flierather than to communicate with the wicked Idolaters,and to dwell with falfeworlhrppers, yeclds a good talmionieof atrue faith.ForfoChrift and his Apoftlesdid,yet forcemay betterRiethan other. 8, Eucry faith is not a iullifyingfaith, but that which continueth in temptation, and Terfecxtion; bringethfuite inpatience.Whereforelet none ptcfumeonhisfaithtill hee fee it tried by temptation. 9 .Moles had a weake faith,, yetwas he carefull to be ltrengthened, and thereforefled tothe Lord for fiiccour : Somutt we in allour doings and troubles repayrevnto the Lord by prayers,fo that we come in reuerence,keeping meafure,willing tobe fatisfied,and tru- ftingtn thegrace whichthe Lordgiueth vs. to Byfaith we haue theright vfe ofGods bleffings,and by vnbeleefeweare depriued ofthebenefit ofthan, yea they are often turned to our hurt, ifwee obferue not therules thatGod bath giuen.Delrewe thento hauethe purevfeofGods bleflings let vs byfaith receive them,fet our hearts vpon God that gauethem,not feekingoorowne praifeiapply- ingthem to the benefitof ourbrethren. Ifwee hauethis tettimonre when.weewantthem, we thanbane joy because weevfedthem wellwhiles weehad them. But ifweebe inwant, and then rememberwehad thembefore,and our confciences tell vs that wee bane abufed them,this will depriue vs of allcomfort,and increafeour forrow. t The more familiarlyGod commetis sseereCs) thesnore weegoe from isim. It is the roles putt!, great mercieofGodto lee byfaith theinúvard and fpirituall blef ings of Gods ele&,and thefecret bier. by faith tofeethe fecretcurfe ofGod.inthe wicked. fnggándCar- r x' The forgetting of the worke of God, either in our feluesor inothers, is the decay mesA d fe Pf t Decayoffaith, IfGodwatch ouerbswhen we fleepe invnbeleef,much more willhe doeit when we wake in faith. - 14 Flee that beleeueth inmany meanes, will alto beleeue without*meanes : Gods Note, benefits areasvailes betweene himand vs. *Inaduerf,tie. ì, Thechildren ofGodmay askeofthe Lord their doubts,fo that they obferue:fiat, that weholdour fehieswithin the compafle of Godstruth, which wee muff doegenerally, thoughweecannot fee a particular thing byreafon. Secondly,that wee come toaske with 2iotebto, reuerenceandfeare.Thirdly,thatwedoe notfo muchdifpute withGod,aspowre out our fupplications before him, Fourthly,thatwee bee willing tobee refolued, and notwalling tocontinue in nor nourish adoubt in vs. Fiftly,neithermull we lookefor miracles,but be content thattie Lord willgiue vs by hisword the certaintieof hismolt holy will. 6 Thereare three things wherebyweemay know whether wee bein the right way or no, and they be precious and deere in the fight of them that have a care to pleafe God. The firft is their grolfe temptations : for many fulling to good talke,good education, r good compani,and thinking themfelues well retied, arecontent to rei inchele meanes, Three notesof andtrauaile not to fee their inward corruptions,and priuietemptations, which iftheybe Godsfauest, burthenfome unto vs,and snakevs (as it were) ficke to carrie them,it is a good token. The tecond thing is bymarking our affeaions, ifwee lone nothing fo much as thefauour ofGod, feare nothingfomuchas thelolfe of it,hauingfound it,ifwee carefullykeepe it; m and hailing loll it, if wee be neuer quiet till wee reamer it, being content to want all WZote. things to haue it,notflaying in the poffefliion of allthings if we wantit, this is agood Agee :for it is good to know theft= ofour affe lions, becauf, Tooke where willingly APaion, A d g they
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