Of`Patienceunder the ('rat. andacknowledge hisprouidence in that which is vpOn vs, itmanifefteth duefaith, it pre- feruethvs frommurmuring,and keepeth vsfrom quarrelling withmen : for ifwe confider thatit is the Lords work`, we¡hall neuerlèt our tellies againil him for ir: but ifwee paflè ; ouer his prouidence,then (hall weeavengeour feluespon men. Bat many menwill be content to iudgeand condemnethis fin in the Ifraelites,andneuer looke into themfelues The fannern/ . toTeethefame: but thinGnne is as rife nowas euerit was,and this nodoubt is a caufewhy thuagegrea- many cannot profit by the examples of the old Teftament, becaule they imaginegrofl'ely ter thanof el, oftbr Tunes of that people,andthinke that thereis no fuckgaffeGanes now,whereas in- der ages. deed` if the cafe wereduly confidered, the lame fione is grocer now than itwas then : for asmuds as themercies ofGodare moreplentifully vpon vs,and withgreater continuance than vpon them. 13 The childrendill-act did fo much as in them lay toprouoke Moresdiners times to murmuragainittheLord : yet weemay readehowheyeelded not, neither was atany time ouerconseexcept once,Numb.2o. Pfal. t o6.forwhich the Lrrdfaid,hee fhould not enter intothe landof p rcmifc;and Moferfoilndthe truththereof: for when hemuds d e fired the fame,the Lordwouldnot beentreated,butheMuff dye in themount: where-all men ruff learnt thatthey prai lènot the childrenofGod too much,tboughthey be ftrong andhaue rh Rrongefl receiued great gifts: for byMofe.sexample they may here fee that by filch violence of aa'fall. temptation theymay fall.Aud againe, all Gods children mutt take heedethat theyyeeld , not to temprations,when they areoffered : for though the occafionbeofanother, yet the _. caufe is inour felues,and weIhall be chalhfed for the fame ifwe doe yeeld.. And againe, wemull takeheed that we doe gluenooccafion tothe Magiftrate,or theMinifter tomur- mur,leafi theLord punifhing them,wee alto bedepriued.of thebenefit which wee ihoulü reeeiue by them. 385 CHAP. 52. OfPatienee e ,rider the Croy?. Here is adifferencebetweene Gods children and others: for Gods Patience, children hale the patience dint others doewart, though not at the firft, yetin continuance, though with lore infirmities fish, bccaufé they areperfwadedof forgiuenes of Ganes : and lecond iy, are Pureof their vocation by good works,wbich are the fruits offanéfification : thirdly,the knowledgeofGods prouidence,whichdifpoleth al things for our good : fourthly,becaule they looke for anotherlife, and when they faileofanyofthefe, then they begin toquaile :and thewicked, becaute they vtterly wantthefe,therefore they arealtogether confounded. a Patience is not fomuch in theoutward ltilnesof the hodie and Phew w the face, as plat62.t j. in the inwardquiecnesof diehart, and meeknesofthe fpirit.ThereforeDausd,Pfal.q..bid- ry{Yf.lek,e' ' dethvsexamineour felues vpdn our bedsandGelid: and Efai.30 the Lord 1 àitl yyour help` listGod e Jhallbeinfzlence andinpeace : and therefore DunidandJob beingin troubhe5faid theywssald lay theirbandson theirmouthes :forwhen a man cloth thuspolfeffe his foule inpatience, he is moltfitfor the mercies ofGod,znd then füall he receiuethegreatelfprofit by them. Foras Simile. in bodilydifeales to be quiet, is a greatcafe andbelpe : to is is in other troubleswhacfoe , . uer,and therefore mutt seeefpecially labour forit. 3 Manywill fay,thatGod is mightie,but they beleeueit not, asappeareth in that they areouer fearefull,when theybe in danger: whereas Gods childrenKanefome prefent Feeling thereof,andafterwardaremare /Irengthened.' So that ifwe cannotmuff in God in the want of all helps,wedoe not bcfeeue this power,if wedependnot on him,pray notpnto him,ftriue nottoobey him, webeleenenot this.For this eagle did the holymen write ofthe Power of God,which theyhauefelt,chataftertheymay be ftrengthened : and fomuff twee confider of Gods power, that wee in patience may looke for helpe fromGod in trouble, and in 1 profperitie,
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