Of Irrtchceaft ,vo're.r,and)lnheleefe. fufion. For thoughweeare given to flatter, andprefumeofour felues that being twice or thrice fpared,we darefinne againe,yet weemutt know thatthe Lordwill recompence his long tarrying with wrath. so Ifany man makeno confcience to walkvprightly,I will not free him frompouertie, from ficknes,fromheretic t for aswell can andwilltheLord the mindas thebody. rr Pbar4nh fcorningGods people and isis melfengers, theLord turned it to abiding, Againflfcdr. and it may teach vs not to mocke thechildren ofGod, and againe to brace patiently the sers. pra&ifesoffcorners,as DaviddidShona : and fo fhailit beturned intoa blearingvntovs. Pharaoh couldmock and contemne God in hisprofperitie,but hecould not withltand the plagues when they cam,butwasmoft fearefull: and this isthe coutè of allthe wicked,to contemneGod in profperute,and tobe moltfearefull in any trouble. r The promifes of Godmutt betovs, asadouble firing to ourbow, as Jacob ceafed Addetbefe nottowreftl, though his thighwas broiled vntillhehad the biefíing ;fo wemuff notfaint dd,eteiess intemptation,though we behumbledvntill wehauevi&orie. We mutt not defpaireof the fo rtelii ter vi&oriein temptation becaufeof ourftriuing, albeitwehaueTome infirmities, but rather ofremptatroa. wemuffreioyce inour wìll,and in Godhisgrace, wherebywehauedefire to goetoGod, z Weneed notgoefarte from our feluesfor monftroas temptations. 3 It isill haltingbefore a cripple, when onehath been exercifed with manytemptas. tions he candifcerne others. q Sathan by temptations maketha man forget mirth, and cafteth a milt beforehis xot, eyes that hecannot difcerne, andcorritpteth his tafte that heecannot iud eofineates. A certaineman labouringgrieuouilyofa great fscknes in bodie: yet the pallionsof hismind were fuch, that lice was fencelefle of the Paine of his bodie. Again, the Lord afterward changing his mourning into reioycing, gaue him fuchabounding comforts of hisfpirit, that asbefore throughextreme angntfh ofhis fpirit; fonow through moil wonderful! ;, paffions of heauenlytoyes,and affuranceof his finespardoned, he felt no outward paint.,, ofhis bodie,though dangeroutly it was of heaed. 445 CHAT'. 72. OfVVitchcraft,rooive ,andvnbeleefe. Itches and wizardscan do nothing,as appeareth in thatwizard Pabiam,Num.23. whofaith,thatGodmuff firft bedifpleafed,or euer hecould preuaile againft 11. rae! by his witchcraft : therefore muff wenot feekefor helpe orthem, they haue not powerto hurt norto helpevs. ForGod is almightie,and he mutt helpe thee;therefore turneto him by faithand repentance, and doe not !lie to them. Meanes may flay Gods children foratim,thatthey looke not toGod,nor to theirfinne : yet ifthe punifhment be longvpon them,thenthey lift vp theireyes vnto God, Pfal.3o. a As when a man brought intothe gayl, conveying himout by bribing the gay lour, simile, purchafeth tohimfeifegreater punithmen,ifafter he betaken,yet fuing to the prince for pardon,getteth it and fcapetheleerely s fo ifaminbehealed bya witchor wizard,wh ichis vnlawfull, he deferueth a greatereuill, if theLord vifithim.: wherefore let fuch fpeedily the coreof repent: but ifwebe healed bythe Loed,andthemeanes lie hath ordained,then weefreely efcape andmaybe thankfulL 3 Thewifemen of Egypt couldnot doe as Mofes and Aaron in the final' creatures, wherewefhaltnot,that witchescannot hur,further than the Lordwill, as thediuels pa- ces are alto limited,and theycannot hurt,when,nor where they will,but asthe Lord is pleafed,asBalaam confetfed. And Ahabwas not deceiued, before the Lord gane thefpirit ieau,that fo the hypoerifre ofmen, whichreceive notthe truth-in loue, maybe deteeîed, yea the Lordmay affli&hischildren for atime hereby, for to let themfee their vnbeleefe, and to flaytheir faith. 4 Manynotknowing their owne infirmities, rafhiy vow, and promife liberally, as Varner. CZq whores
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