536 t. lvlu/Eer ÿreenb4mi 'Readings forconfciencefake, and to yeeld obedience to Godswill; fo that this beleefe b'ringeth fortlspure obedienceto Gods will. Againe, beleefe inGods promifes is ftrengthened by obedience: as Peterfaith,Makeyour ele1?ion and callingfare bygoodworker. For when the Lord (hall Cecilia wehaue a care todoe hiswill,then will lice multiplie thegraces of his fpirit vpon vs,fothatwe (hall bebetter confirmedin hispromifes. If weewill not then be brought to doubt or defpayreofGodspromifes, when trouble andanguifh (hail come ; then let vslabour tobuild a good confciencevpon the word and commandements.And ifwe will not bedrawnaway with worldly pleafures, then let vs confider thole promi- feswhichGod hath madevnto vs.For when men begin todoubt ofGodspromifes,they begin allo to doubtof the commaundevents: andwhen mendoubt of thecommande- ments,they alto doubtofthepromifes : andwhen men doubt of both,then is finnea light matter vnto them. Forfaith inGods promifesbreedeth obedience, and obedience confir- niethfaith in thepromifes :therefore we muff labour forthem both,and pray for both. Verf:84. Howmanyare the claie, of thyferuant ?when wilt thou execute judgement onthem thatperfecute me? THis verle and the fecondverle,Phew that it is lawfull for Gods children tomake known theirinfirmities tohim,fo that they wake patiently for helpefrom him. For this onelydifpleafethhim, when wepleafe our felues inmoyling againftthem : otherwife when wecome in reuerence,itpleafethGod that wefhould lay out our infirmities before him. Thus Abraham andMarylaying outtheir infirmities,withmillikingof them,defired that they might knowhow the thingsMould come to paffe : but Sara and Zachariedid contrarie. This is a comfortablething,thatwhenweeare inany trouble,wee may layout our temptations tohim,fo that it be with croft inthe promifes,and millikmg of our infir- mities,with a longing afterGodsmeecie,in afeare ofhis Maieftie, and a delire to be hel- ped of oureuill and corruptinfirmitie. When. He hadbeen exercifed a long time,and nowbee prayeththat hee may be helped, heathhe through infirmitie put his handto euill. Manywill make theircomplaint, but it is too foone,euen before theyhaue been exercifed.But}ée muff be contented to be in long trouble,and wema et (poke for Gods helpe,acknowledgingit to be his greatgoodnes, c uan e, c u o longin trouble. Wilt thou execute. This is an ordinary prayer, not againftany certaine perlons, but ra- thergenerally againft Gods enemies,and their millcaufes.For the Lord execureth judge- ment vponhis children for theirconuerfion, as Paul,Aób.9.andvpon the wicked fortheir confufion. Hee prayeth againftthem thatbelonged not to God, and yet not fomuch a- gainft their perfons, as their euill caufes : and no otherwife against their perlons,than theyare ioynedwith the caufes. And thusmaywe doefor theconfufionofGods enemies; otherwife we cannot. Verf85.The preside hamdiggedpitsfor me,which isnot after thylaw. THis(hewed firft thatheprayed againft their coil!caufe : fccondly,that hefuffered vn- iuftiy: firft,becaufe hefuffered for the truth : fecondly, becaule he behauedhimfelfe godly inhis caufe, not vfing vnlawfull manes. And weemutt looke thatweehaue there things before wepraythis prayer : lrft,that ourcaufe begood : fecondly, that itbe right- ly handled : therefore heretikes andwicked men cannot make this prayer. Dauidwas long in thistrouble,and yet heprouokedthem not with euill words, but laboured to o- uercome their mill with goodnes,asPfal.3 3. So when wee doe them noeat,when wee haue laboured todoe diem good,and prayed, and failed for them inpatience and long fuffering; then, if it be againft Gods enemies and their mill caufes, wee may pray this prayer. Verf.86+
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