on thett9.P%alme. our caufebegood, orwhetherin a goodcaufe wehaue vied gooddealing orno. If Gods childrenlooke thus into their confciences,itwill humble them: asfurely I did not well to him,Godfuffereth him todoe the liketomee againe , and meatethout vnto rnée the like meafurewith mine ownemeat-yeard. Where weemuff learne that Gods children neuer ¿cafe foearneflliewith their enemies,as with theirGod. And as this holdeth in fuperiours; fomutt weemarke this doarine inalltroubles with our inferiours cr equals. Now if our feruantsor our children doe not dealedutifullie with vs, weemuff enter intoourfelues on thisfort. Lord,I hauebrought vp theft fonncsorferuantsin thy nurtureand fare , I haue inftrdótedthem and prayedfor them,I hauevied all means whereby I might bringthem togood: yetfor alltlus,they deale ill withme,and inthis cafe wemuff knowehat Godwill heare ourprayers:Butifwehaue not doneour parts in cloathing,feeding,or teachingthé, or inpraying fortltem,it is the iudgcmcnt of God, inthat we haue notdonethe duties of godlieParents,andChriffian houfeholdersin making them thechildren of God, and fer- uantsof theLord: neyther canwee fay, Lord releafe mee inthis cafe. Wherefore loblaid, Chap.;r. a 3. that ifhedid contemnthejudgement of hisleruant,or of hismaide, when theydid thinke chemfelueseuillentreated byhim, what!ball doewhen Godftandethv ?and whenheJhallvifrtme,wbatJhaUlanfwere?He that made merttthewombe, bathhenot madehint, bathnot healonefalhionedvsin thewombe? Verle r at. Anfwereforthy fernant inthatwhichitgood,andletnot theprorate oppreffenee. ANfwere.i.be fuertieforme. Sothough his caufe was good,yet he thoughthimfelfe notfo wifeas toanfcvere hisenemies,nor foftrongas topreuaile againftthemin that which is good:heknew ÿGod wouldnotcake hispart in any eutllcaufe,which muff make vs,if weTooke forGod tobe ourhelp,toprouide that our caufe begood. His mind then is: if my caufeLdrdwere euill, I duritnot crane thy help, but it is good: therefore fpeakefor me.We therefore,ifouresule be ill,arerather to craneof God, tohaue'our fin pardoned, becaufctherighteousGod isnot a defender of anvflrighteouscaufe. Againe though' our caufebegood,wemuff nottherefore chinkethat we ourfelues cananl;vereit, becaufe the man ofGod fatth,Pore .zo.a.Pleademycaufeanddeliaerme tide: Lord put ananfwere in- tomymouth, takemy caufe into thineown hand, mine enemies are toowifeand ftrong formee. ThustheSaintsof God hauinggoodcaufes would not trail in them. What is thenthe caufe why often timesingoodcaufeswe preuaileno more? evenbecaufe wee would fhoulder them outwithour owne flrengtls,andfaynot,Lord putwifedomeintomymouth,Lord put a weapon intomy hand. Thenour good caufes mull neucrbe feveredfrom ourGod,for ocherwifewe Thal neuerhaue good iflseofthem. So wemuttbeware,that we makenot Goda reuengerofour af- fedtioos,butpraythat wemaybehameffedwith arighteouscaufe, and witharight handlingof itfrom God. True it is then,that introuble we maypray not tobeouercome, yet wee feethe manof God confeffed, how heebehaued himfelfewell inafiliohion , andashy the firethe gold is both tried good, and purgedfrom thedroffe;fothe Lordprooued inhim thegoldofhis graces,and (cou-. red himfrom corrupt affeéuions;heefcouredhim (misi theloucofthis world, tolitre vp inhim theloueofthe worldtocome:he fcoured him fromthe worksofthe flefh; and quickned in him theworks ofthefptrit;bee (linedvp hisgifts tofernGodsglorie,and (coined himfrom theta= ofhimfelfe. So byhisFatherlychaRiftments,the Lord quickueth vsin good things, anddeliue- rethvs from euill.So we haue heard allohow inourdefence we muttprayfor Gods graces, be- caufe forwantofwifedome and patiencewecannot anfwcreour ownecaufe. Foras in ourfuites at the law,we gee pleaders and pro6tors to fpeai a bons; fo wee mutt know thatin the court of beauen, beecannot pleadefor ourfelues,butmudopen our fuitesto Chrift, which muff pleade ie for vs. Now inthathefaith: Let not theproudeoppre(feme:he noteththattheywerefuch asdid flatter themfeluesforgraces receiued, asthough they fhould be controllersvetohim. Nomar- ueilethen,thoughwe reproch men,whenwe reproch Gods mercieandMaieiie. We maylearne here, that wee can neuerBealemercifullie with men, whichwill notBeale mercifuilie withour E ee z !Uses. S'91
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=