on the t19.Plalme. 581 'his fteppes, nor fearing himfelfe, is molt ready to fall; fo we in this world, vnleffe we looke very circunfpealy toour felues,are ingreat danger offfidingdowne. Sofickle and fraile isthe world, that in eneryplace we may rake a fall; and asthey whichareonan high hilland fleepe, arein pe- ril of fallingdowne ; fo indie world, which bath fucha downefaf,vnldfe webe very warie,and Hay ourlelues onGods word,weare mollreadie coffippe. We may fee in former times, how theBeare Saintsof Godhaue fallenthrough fecuritie, and forwant of thisfearcofthcmfelues. Noabthongh aman preferuedfrom the-corruptions oldie old world,wasbeguiledof Sachan for prelitming inhis owne lirength. Lot alfo throughhiscor ruptionand Sathanspolicie, wasdeceiued not lufpeétinghimfelfe. When Damid had not this (care,but hoped that he was fore as he thought, Plàl.3o.he lhould neuerberemoued,hcfell fou- Iy,and let fo cleceitfull,thathe could not feehis fall in Mefpace ofan whole yeere. VVc fee then how hard a thing itis , to keepeon our conn ein this world, andthat it is the mightic power of God,as witneffethPeterin formerEpille,that we=kept inthe faith: VVeare not our own guardians, wearc notable to take thegouernmentof our felnes; nay , ourSauiour Chrid,faid, that if it were poffible,thevery Elealbould bedeceiued ; fogreat is thepower of the vvorld,the fubtiltieof the tfelh, and guilefuliselleof the diuell. But,becaufe theybee humble, they feare them l dues, they leeke the Lordbyprayer, and arede(irous to be efrablifhed in the promifes of God, they are as ((tong as Mount Syon , which cannot,beremoued; but remained: Por euer, Pfal. I e.t. Though thenwebe svcahe,yetourCbrill is dtoug,thoiighwe haue manyenemies, yet the Lord hails promifed to be dur flay again(: them ail. Lee vs know that perfeueranceis as Pcrfeeuernnee.- well thegift of God, asco comeat fide roGod. VVeknowwhata freegift of God it was,that we cametohim. Ele fosíhtvi, when we delired hirnnot; hefoundvs,when wefought himnot. VVe fee, how beforeourcalling, wedoledout eyes, and wouldnot fee him, weflops ourtares, and wouldnot hearehiro,we drewbacke andrefufed togotohim, &the Lordwasfaane todraw vs out;fo thatour beginning cameof God, who reformed our judgments, and renewed ouraf- feaions: now to be eltablifhed in feeing, hearing, and willingly drawing neerevntoGod, is his ondygiftalfo. Well, wemuftbeafraidof our films,and fufpedfout felues. For whyde we flip often into fuck grolleMules?why ate we caried 4way withourowne affefìions? whydo foma.. nygoodmotions die and penlhinvs ?but onelv becaufe of ourfecuritie , weare not careful'ro pieafeGod, we arenotafraid tooffendGod. VVell, if we fee that fecuritie hash beenthe caufe ofour woe,leevs labourtobecarefull,which is thecaufeof,our good : iffecuritie bath been the caufewe fearednot, let vsnow be careful,thatwe maybe afraid of our frailtie, and mill inGods word. Otherwife ifwe be quiet without. felues, and,yeeldtoprefumption,God w ill fi,ffer vs to fall. This isthe caufc, why one fins breakeontoften to,Gods difhonour,and to the Odeofour owoeconfciences, becaufe weedoe not more carefully Tooke co our thoughts, and watch ouer ourwords. Iris added in thisverle, that ¡maylime.So he faith,Portion r o.5.Let thy tendermerciescome Ingome,ehatl may lime. We fee here, that thechildrenof God thinkc they hauenoble, if they liuenot inGodslite.. For, if we thinke we ate aliue,becaufe we fee, fodothe bruit beads ifwe thinke we are alive,becaufe weeheart., fo do thecartell ; if wethinke wee arealine, becaufe wee care, drinke,orfleepe, fo do bealles ; if wethinke we hue , becaufe we do reafon andconferre, fodo the Heathen. The life ofGods children isthedeathoffume; for wherefnneisaline, there r. thatpart is deadvino God. Art thou then guten tomalice, to fwearing, tocoifing, to breaking of theSabboth,to adulterie,to filtbinefle, todealing, or(laundering : finely thenartthou dead, and if God fhould fake away thy life from thee whiled thou art in thiseffate,thy foule fhouldgo foonerto hell,then thy body to thegryue. We now fee,that Gods children,findingchemfelues dull and flow togood things, when theycannot cyther reioyce in thepromifes of God, orfinde their inward man delighted withthelaw of God, thinke themfelues tobe dead. TheProphets meaning isthis : Iam.euen as a troupe offlefh, I am like an image orlike an idoli ofGodschilde, I brace the faceof his childe,but lain as dead, and as arblocke, or a doctor or an idoll.Forasan idoli bath eyes and leech not; cares,and hearethnot; mouth and fpeakech not; feete and goechnot; cues fohaueI eyes, but Ifee nottheglorie ofmy God; I hauecares, but I heare not the word of God; I hauea mouth but I (hewnot forth theiudgements ofGod;l haue feete,but Iwalkenot in the late ofmy God.TbeiaoJliballline Ddd 3 by
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