592, Mafier Crehhams `headings felues. Forour finnesmuff humblevsbefore God,before wewillbe humbled with man , other- wife we[há11 grow fo proude,that we (hall notbefarre from oppreffìon, Vetfe ta3.Mine eset hastefatted inwaiting for thyfaluatien,andfor thy sufipromife. Perfenerance. u Ereisa further thing that the man of God requireth, not looking to behelpedat the firtl ¡brunt, butneuer to leaue offhisfuteveto theveriefaylingof his eyes , according tothat of theApof1.1.Pet.3. t o. Ifante man long after life,&c.t [.Let him efchewoutlanddoegood,let hrm feek`epeace,andfollowafter it. So this man ofGod had long enduredtrouble ,which many will be contenthappilie to fuftainefor awhile; but ¡fir be any thing long , they fall from judgement and ¡office. We mu(i not thinke then to deale ill with them, that deale ill withvs; neyther mull we deale wellbutfor atime,becaufe we muffperfeuere. For when weflippe too much, weene- Ute fhew,thac weedid troche execute iudgement and iuftice. If the manof Godhere fo refilled the diuell and wicked men, which areas theinllruments of Sathan,breathing for our delirud lion; wemint alto fight again[;thë after his example, although hisfoulefainted,hiseyesfayled,hisffcfhparched,hisnaturallpowersmelted. This wee may al- fo fee, howtheSaintsofGodmournedintheirprayer. Away then with this common Eying, which proceedesfrom inconflancie: I have borne injurier lone, Thanetakenmuch at hi.r hand,:+y put vp maniewrongerfhould 'fiferhimfullto abufe me,and(etmy felfe bevndone? Sureliemen to the fayliug ofoureyes the Prophet fheweth vs,wemull maintainea goodcaufe,and feeing the Lordhash the inures ofallthings in hishand, and helpethdelpetatecafes, bee willvndoubtedlie helpvs,ifwe leaue not ourcafe. Thenwe fee, though he had deuouredmanyeuils, yet heexecu- ted judgement and iullice: fowemull fwallow vpmanie iniones, and yet neyther depart from the Lord,nor ceafefromour caufe. And though weewouldcry in our prayers, to be heard to thecloudes, and fend forth loado Prayer. (hrikes,though weecould 'areas a cannon gunne,yet what is it feafoneth our prayers; even the mourningofour hearts, thefaylingofour eyes, arid frisenwe praywish vulpeakenbie fighes, which cannot beexprefld.FortheybenotlDude,eloquent,andwellfetprayers,whichareac- ceptable to the Lord,but our flaying our felueson theLord, &our continuing in weldoing, and conflande in a our mainteyningof a goodcaufe to the vtmoff ; lo that a man might limner pull theeyesout of goaäcanfe. out heades,and the heartout ofourbodies ,ándbereauevsofour lises, then makevs leauerigh- teoufnes;andthough troubles fhall'come,we will Rill follow our caufe to the fay ling, doureyes, fayntingofour heares,and melting ofour powers. Herein then appeared the true venue of the faith of this man of God; becaube, whilefl no wickedndfe is offered, many will do well butafterMien snail with injuries, they executeneither iudgement noriuffice; lothar where this faithwanteth, thcre is no true lotie of iudgeriient and iufi¡ce: betideshere wee areto marke, that that is atrue prayer , which commeth fromthe true feeling, and deepefcnfeof hishears, andwithout this wellbet, long,and loude prayers prcuaile Feelingof not. Forfuch prayerscnieloude in the Lords estes, whichmake anoifewith the feeling ofour avants. wants, and when, though theycontinue to thefailing of oureyes,yetwemill roilnotGod. For manyeither pray coldly, or praying zealoufly , they become to dull , that theyceafe toput their rrulì in the Lord. So that thecorruption of our nature, is either not tofeeleour wants,orifwe feele them,to defpaire. Forthy tugpromife : Here wé feehow the Prophetprayethnotaccording tohis owne fanta- fie, but according to thewill ofGod reuealedin his word. When we delire anythingofGod, we muff do it according tohis prom ife. For whenwepray not according to thepromife of the Lord, we wait vponour ownefantafies,andfeeke afterour owne imaginations. Martybreakein their prayersinto beadle and rails conceits , whohauenot in the meant time the wordein their hearts; but they obtaine nothing: neither (hall we obtaine, if we be like affe&edinto them. Ye know, faithS.John, ye (hall obtaine, if ye askeaccording to the willof God. Andwhereas he faith,Iwaitedfor thyguffpromife, he fheweththat theLord is nomore libe- rall in promifing, then faithfull in perfourming : forif we wait for his promife, latelyhe will per- fourme it. Euery manwill peraduentureconk& thisto bea meth at thefirfl,but the Mlle fame thing being in this Plalme fooften repeated,bewrayeth our incredulitie and hardneffe of belcefe of
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