. oft the ll9. Pfalme, 571_ dealtwith all : and thereforeto re(lraine theheadftrong affection ofreuenge,.itwas very needfull thathe fhould pray feruently. For we fee that when Naha! dealt churli(hlyand vncurtcoully with him, becaufe hewanted ibis helpeof prayertoleepevnderhis affeEti- on, therefore he ftraightwaies fvare hewould kill him, and would hauedonc fo, hadnot ilb :Sailflayed him,and pacified hiswrath :whereas atother tunes, whenSaul dealt iniu- rioutly with him, and the Lord might feeine tohaueglumhiminto Dauids hand, yet he- auk hehadprepared hisheart byprayer,he abfteinedfrom rcuenge,and committed ven- geance to the Lord. This then mightbeafecond reafon to mouehim co pray. Thirdly, when he lawall meaner taken away, that hemuft vie no meanerof hisowne, neitheryet reuenge himfelfe : then would thediuell bebulk todriue him ro dctpaireof hclpe and fafecie: therefore great neede he hadtopray thatthe lanterneof theword might light him againft the darkenes ofdefpaire. Asman cannotbeare toomuch profperitie, focan he notheart toomuch adüerfitie:and nor onelyextreme profperitie and aduerfitie; but cum fome little afurthon, orprotpe.. ritie, will caufe ourcorruption to breake our. We are thento accufeour (elves of vnbe- leefe,that doebreake out in littlethings, morethen this man in his great troubles. And to remediethis, wemutt fer this andfuch examplesbeforevs, toftrengthen vs,that aa'God helped others,fo he willhelpe vs. IfGoddealt fowiththem,that had not fuch fpirituall promifesaswe, norfo cleare light titheGofpellaswe and they fomany wayesplealed God, andwehaue lomany wayes finned ; and theyhad foplentiful¡ promifesof his life,and we hauefppirituall; thenwemutt not thinketo escapetroubles,but muff correEtour womanith affeaion. t. Thy teJIimoniet bane I takenas an heritage fortrier : fortbey are the soy ofmine heart. PTI-lis is theamplifyingof thefirft verle. This is atrue figne that he ¡tined theword, be- 1 caufe he ¡oued it as well in trouble as inprofperitie. This is a rare figneof faith : for manyare likejobswife,who in trouble forgatthe commandementsand faced from them : but the contrariewas in lob. We (hall not thenhaue a lure trial¡ of ourfaith, beforeourtroublestrievs, yeaand fore troubles, that our foule is in our hand. But if inthe gwatelt we can laythe Lord is our (trength,our faith isItrong: but iflittle troubles makevs faile,ourftrength is weake.There- fore we muft meditate ofthefe things before they come, that we may Rand whenthey come. Ifthis man in trouble forlookenot Gods word,how ought weto bea(hamed, that inprofperitie cannot(land ftedfaft ? yea we mayfare hisiudgements becaufethat, teeing, we be led away with vanitie now, when trouble commethwe fhall fall away. For the continuanceof fume doth either brawne the hearts, or workefore gricfe to them that haue it. Then muff we looke rothe benefits wehaue receiued : for they are not otherwife good then theyare fanétified by theword, prayer, &c. and then wee feeke the glorie of God, and theprofit ofour brethren. Hefirftproteftethhis loue to theword, in that hemaketlt it his inheritance, which heproueth becaufe'his heart is let on it : for where the heart is, there is his treafure. Byteftimenies is ment the couenant betweeneGod, andhispeople; wherein hebindetlt himlelfe to them, andthem tohim. Some thinke that the excellencieofthe word is here fee out by many names : butwemuft looketothe proprietieofeuery word ; asbefore by iudgements,fo by thisword teflimonies, is ment theremnant : notthecommaundemcnts, becaufe they cannot beour inheritance, for they cannot comfort vs, becaufe we cannot fulfill them, but faile in them; and cannot therefore take comfort, but. it is radiera killing letter. It is theGofpellthat bringethpeace and comfort. Thelaw whenit is taken generally, containeth all the word ; particularly, the commaundements: to the word generally both lawand Gofpell : but particularly, thepromifes: as Rom.'o. So likewife by the telimonles, when they are oppofed to the law, isment thepromifes of the cone- Çcc . rant,:
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=