andgodly obferuatrons. 3t 4 Sinne isfuchacanker thatit fpreadech fecretly, andrhere;sfuçha chaineoflinnes, shines be lino that he thatyeeldeth to one, draweth on another ; grant a little one, andagreatonewill ked and they. follow : wherefore as itisgood wifedomenot onely to auoidethe plague, but to efthew nedoneina. ,euery littlerape that may feemeto Carrie the plague: foit is heauenly wifedomenotone- bee. Hebg.tat;. ly to auoidegroffe finnes, but all fuçh(helvesoffiunes, asmaydraw on the other. Andas simile. wecountit policíe, nottogoe asneere the riuers bankeas we can, left fuddenly or atvn- awareswefhouldflipin: fo it is fpirituallpolitic, not co goc coo neerefloue, kaí webe ouertakenof it before webe aware of it. q It is our corruption tobeIcrpuIous infinne inthebeginning : butwhen we areen. wed ina little,we runQuer head and cares. 6 This is aforeexperience, whether the (lanewhichbath oftenaffaded vs fhall getdo- The triallof minion ouer vs or not : dale ofnerwe aretempted, themorewearegrieued,the morewe ourfiarea- !trine again(t it, the more we labour forthe contrary vertue, we (hall fhortly be conque- gatnftayore roesouer it.But ifthe first conning.of wroughtfome griefe in vs,and theoften coin- speziali finne ming ofit makes our griefe the Idle, andcaufeth ys to ceafe tovfe the maanesofwithltan- ofrrem e. g ding it, and to becareleflé in the contrarievenue, then it were tobe feared that that finne in time fhould prcuaile against vs,and that we fhould getno vietorieouerit. 7 Though it is hard to Gnde ourour1peciall finnes, yet by often and diligentexami- To time one ning ofour felues, byearned- prayer that Godwouldreueale veto vsour fumes, by often Jpeziall frime. hearing and reading the word,by marking the moltcheckes ofour confciencesand repro_ chesofourcnemies,tvemight be led.totheneerelt fight thereof. 8 IfGods childrenare readie to flip ina moment howmuch more daungerous is the caste ofthewicked, whoare willingto' fall continually ? Iris wonderful! to fee a poore Hovvfinne (inner eeadie to foundand fall dead almoft ateueryfinnewhichaman would thinketobe feareothegod. nothingto feare him, or driuchim to thisfeare ; and yet when aduerfities, ftrange fudge, ly, morethen ments,perlecutions and death doe come,to beexceedingpatient, comfortable, courage- enternall erof. eus and valiant. Andagaine, it is ftrangetofee others, whomarueile thatmenwill fuffer fee. themfelues to be fearedwith Gnnes, and aske whatmen meaneto Randtrembling atthe Homy thegod. word ofGod : yet let ficknes conveyor the handof bevpon them, orlet deathscome !yandgodleffe towardsthem,they quake at thenaineofficknes ,deathorbell; and either the rouever differirztbeir fenfeles andblockifh,or elfe theybe in molt defperateeftace:yeaifGodbeginto recken fi re with them,euery countenance ofagodly man,cuery chirping ofa bird,and drawing neere ofthe leafkand weakeft-creaturetowards them,euery [haltingofakale, moiling ofafha- dow,euery noyfeofthe afire appaleth their courage, and maketh them molt fearefullco- wards.They fearemolt whenGods Judgementsareexecuted, which feareleaft when they aretbreatned : and they feare!tall whenGods judgementsare accomplifhed,which trem- blemoft when wrath is denounced. Wherforeifwe longfor courage, and 'oche còwardife, againft the coil' day, let vs labour for a good confcience, which breedeth true boldnes, and fiiefrom finite, which bringetha fpirit offearevpon vs, asdailyexperience mayteach ?Cote. vs.It is better to feare the euill to come,whenonely feare, and not euill isvpon vs,then to feare then, whenbefides the feare, theaffliétion it felfe is come, whichfo forely befetteth vs,thacwehauenolibertie or leauccobreathe for any comfort, or to hope for anydehiue- rance. 9 They that will hauea true faith in Chrift, mull beleeue inhim, that he is ourwife- dome,righteoufnes,fanbtification,and redemption.Arethen thy cogitationsconfounded ? Seeftthounoknowledge, not fomuch as ahiterall knowledge ofChrist, but allis doubt- fulnes,all is dulnes,allisdeadnes in thee, asthough thou neuer knewe(t,heardeft,readeff, or learnedit any thing? Nowknow and beleeue,thatwhatfoeuerknowledge,experienced True remedies power of vnderáandmg, was in Iefus Chrift, the fame ismade thine ; he is thineannoyn- againfE dead. ung,that willteach thee all. Haft thou knowledge,and yetthy life notbrought agreeablemefand girl= or proportionable to thyknowledge? Thou art troubled wich thyGnnes, thou feeler no goodnelfe, thou thinkeftthy felfe asaneuill tree voideofall goodfruite : now remember that as Chrill beingno tanner was made of Goda (inner, and punifhed ofGod asa firmer for thee: thou hailingno righteoufises, artmade through Christ righteous, andMalt be D 4 rewarded
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