306 Of feelingandofiu1iifyingbyfaith. 3 they rifeandrekthere is ournave tobe-feene. Thirdly,we maycomfort our felues give feare God) inprofperitie,as well as in aduerfitie, and loueGod in aduerfitieas well ash' profperitie. Foreuery man can feare himvnder thecrolf, as Pharaoh, SauhandBataan:, andeuery man canpraifeGod inabundance, as who praifed him snore than lobs wife in profperitie ? 17 As a mans defireto any thinggroweth or decreafeth ; fodoth hisendeuour and la- De/ire. bour for the incanes. Ifthydefire be ftrong, then fhall not light occafions withdraw thee' from the means, but ie muff beaviolent occafionand let, that shall ftop the paffgeof thine endeuour and feekingafter themeanes. This maybe a rule to meafure thy felfe by, and toexaminethyproceeding inChriftianitie. Ifthydelire to theword ofGod bee but weake,then is thycare and trauailebut ftnall : but ifthy delire be doubled , then itbe- comes loue,which puttethout ofvsavehement and carefulltrauaile ,andfeekingafter.it, and ofauoyding the contrariemeanes that maywithdraw theefrom it,or quench thy de- fire. Nonecanhunger but he that feeleth himfelfeemptie: no marnaile then ifhe haue nohunger,whnchfeeleth not his ownewants, feeing that feeling is thefountaineof bun- ger,asif our feelinghe of finne,then our-hungeris after righteoufnefteandbohneffé. For Tohunger af. the feelingoffinne is themother ofhunger afterrighteoufnefle.So that where hungeraf- ter righteouf- ter righteoufnedte is,theremuff bea lfo feelingoffnne,and where there is exceedinghun- nes.Matth.y. ger, there mutt be needes an exceeding feeling : and on the otherfide, where there is a finall and feeblehunger,there is afinall and feeble feeling,and it is vnpoflible tobe other- wife.For he thatfeeleth hisowne deadnes,wants,and impuntie in euerycommandement, it is vnpofhble, but thistouch of glorie and dread ofthebondageofGnne,thould breede andas it wereingenderin his minde anextreame hunger and delire of vprightnes,and Comfortto obedience in euerycommaundement. The childrenof God havethen tocomfortthem- Godr children [clues, in that they feele theirimpurenes of heart, and want of vprightnes ineuery com- infeeling their mandement,anddeadnes togoodnes. For this feareof bondageto (inneand Saban, and fecretcor-rap thisfeelin of our wants and impuritie is uicknes and lining; and this quicknes nons. f li g F q gi and life is by the(pirit ofChrift,andwhere the1pirttofChrift is,there is life or lining,and this iscalled regeneration and life euerlafting. Sfaithat ifwee weigh the differenceof the quickning that is properto theeleet, thaeinto fayfto hunger afterrighteoufnes,anddoe examine deeplyand weigh thatmore than:wee doe the feelingofour confuted eftaee,it is impoflìbiebutthat we Mouldfind great comfort inforrów,great light in darknes. Iknow indeedethereprobate or wicked arequickned inlatne fort by the fpiritofChrift, Butyet Note. theyta£Tenotofthisworkg ofhisfpirit,towit,ofinercieby loneofrighteoufner: but by thepower ofitdoe huefo,euen in feelingofGods eternalljudgement without mercie,liuing conti- nually in hatred ofrighteoufnes,and inbondage of finne and Sathan. 18 He that feareth hardnes of heart if he can but figli and groane, becaufe he feeleth his hardnes ofheart, it is fomuch comfort vnto him , as it is a teftimoniethat hisheart is nardnesof not altogether hardened : fo that if thou f eeleft forrow indeede, although thou weepeft heart. not,yet thoumaiff gather comfort,confsderingthat that forrow is for fin,with a loue and hunger after God : ifthy affàults be diftruft, pride,arrogancie,ambition, emsie, concu- pifcence as hotas thefire ofthe fornaceall theday long : and though Sathan layette on oyle ingreat meafure,andoutofallmeafure,that it isofthe wonderful ftrength and good- * Afweetecan- nesof the Lord that thonnandet}; and though thy prayersbe dull and full ofwearifom- fotanonfora rioabled nes,fothat fide andwaies alto to all oodnes be fo hardto thee, that thou canlfnot tell (fi sir. whether thouftriueft forfeire of puniflunent or loueof fo good a father : yetif thou fee- left thisin-thy felfe,that thouwanteft feare,and yetdefireftto lone theLordandto be bet- ter,beingwearied and tiredwith Gnne,anddefhreit topleafèGod in afimple obedienceof faith,tlien-comfort thy felfc. 19 Thefeeling offinnewithwearifomenes, asitwereaficknesinthebodie ,isanear- neff ofourregeneration.Gods.childrenare Often difeafed, and fore troubled, lis that they " cannot makeadifferencewhentheyare in thetk'rmifh andagony between themotion toany mill, "'and theconfentto thefame : For oftentimes euill motions doe fopolÍeffe themind ofGods " children, and doe as it were fa downe fo ftrongly in them, dint, though they weepe, pray
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