Greenham - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .G82 1601

i8 Cjraue Counfelt 3 rather for ourowneprofit,than forGods glorie. The thirdpropertieis,ta continuein it. E.. uerymanby nature can wake fora while, fo hee may know acertaine and definitiue time ofhis waiting : but to offerour obediencein waiting,andnot know forhow long or how littlewee (hall waite,this is thefaintingof the foule : for ifit were determined to vshow many daies,ormoneths,orhoureswe fhould waite,thehope oftheprofit drawingnecee, and ofa terme drawing out,would fuftaine vs : but to kaue all moments, and conditions tothe Lord, andto bee in a continuall feruiceand expef}ation, this is hard for flefh and blood. Wemuf rearne toamendthisfault,by cöuidering how iuftly the Lordmay fúfpend his anfwere,and helping ofvs,forthat our fins are not fuflìcientlybcwailed,er ourfaith 4 is notfufficiently parified,or hisgracesnot fufficientlywroughtinvs. Thefourth and laft propertie is,to continue.waiting witha linde ofvehemencie,keepingvs fromfaultring or fain- ting in our hope,though itbe long ere our Cute be anfwered,orourdanger be helped.To be vehement a while,or Ieffe importunate long,is littleworth: buttohaueour affeb}ions hot,and for agood thing,and not to flákethe heatein long continuanceof time,-and not to bemade remiffe or dead in the fineof ourdefires, thoughno appearance dour deli- uerance appeare,is hardindeede.Andhere to weetewith an obieition,we fayvehemencie arguethfaith,and vehemencie'bewraieth wantof faith. Faithwhen no deferringof our defiredoth breake the power ofour zeale : want of faith whenwithout all hope,wee are greedie and rauenoustohaue our requcft,or elfewecart all off. Humilitie. t MAny deceiuethemfelues with abareopinionofhumilitie : therefore this may be atrue triall of humilitie,ifwewillinglyfuller ourfelues to be taughtof our infe- riours : and ifwe canpatientlyabide our trines Labe admonifhed ofour faults. t Heathen men were humbled by theirdreaines,weeare not .humbled by the word : they thatwill notprofit by Godsiudgements in others,(hallferlethem themfelues. Wee haveno datum to Godsmercieofferedin theGofpell,vntill webehuinbied byhis threat.. pingsin the law. 3 Wee muff be like children inthreethings chiefly:fin's, like little babes. Secondly, r like innocents. Thirdly,like themthat aregrowing from childhood. Firl},babes are ne- k;thssrb" tierquiet,except_the pap be in their mouth;orelfe hauinglate beenat it, they are well like little chi!- fed : foought we (tilltodefire to he at the foodeofour foules, and to findevnqutetnes in dien. s. our foules,ifwebe long fromit. Secondly,weanedchildren, though theyarenot without r.Pet.s.1. natural) corruption; yet this corruption doth rather thew it felfebyimitation,tbanby aftion : and ifthey doe any, euill,it is rather.violent than permanent: Thus fhouldwebe, notmaking anoccupation offinne,but preoccupatedoffine ; not forecaffingpatternes of finne,butbending ourmindes howwe maynot finne weare violently drawnthere- ;. unto by another,rather than voluntarily commitit our felues. Thirdly, they that =row , outofchildhood,doethingsbefeeming manhood rather thanchildifhnes : fo, though ba- biftthings both in life and dob}rine becomevs being babes, yethauingpafourchild- hood,theLord lookes for more manly ripenes both in knowledge andin bolines of life, simile. though our perfea age be not confuissenated before the refurrrthion. As littlechildren, whetherin teachablenestogood,orreformablenes from finne,are either wonnebya faire word,oralluredby a triflingbenefit,orawed bya checke,orfeared by a frowning looke, or filledby Peeing another beatenbeforethem,or citequietedby therod:fo ifwe bechil- dren,eitherthepromilès ofGod muffaffebt vs, or themercies ofGodmuff allure vs,or histhreatnings in hisword mutt awevs, or hisangeie countenancemuff feare vs, or his correö}ingofothersinuf} humble vs; or elfe the correl}ions ofGod vponour felues,muf pullvs downe : butas thole childrenareofniof liberal)and ingenious nature,tvho arera- ther alluredwith fairewords,than driuentodutiewith the rod ; fo they aremotgracióus, which aremot broken with the confcienceof their vnkindnes, more prouoked by the promifesof God,than by all the curies,thundrings and threatnings of the law :but they thatareaffeb}ed with neither,degenerate asyetfrom the affeb}ions of children. Hypotrifre: .

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