on the 1T9. `Palme. 639 fwaded thattheword weretruth,how durft they hue foprofane, fuchfwearers, fahmur- derers,fuch adulterers,fuch theeues,and inch(launderers?Sothat wemutt needes confeffe thattheword for doth ine preferueth vs from herefies,&for life faueth vsfrommanycor- ruptions. Wcmuf'c then labour that the word mayhaue a credit in our confcienccs,that wemaynot onely confeffeGodtobe true, mercifull, liftand righteous, which curry of- fcourings of theworldmay doe, but letvs belecue, thatall thistruth, mercie, iufticeand righteoufnelfe, is fiifflciently fet downin theword, which word theLord hath ferdowne for vs tobcleeue and coobey. Verfe143. Troubleand anguijbare come opon mee: yetare thycommaandements myde. light. SEehere is a further thing. The fenfethenofthe wordsis this. Seeing thy righteoufneffe is conftant,and thereis one conftant ruleof it ;therefore, where befidesmy contem- ningIferlealfo trouble, Idoe not onelynot forget thy word, but alfo much delight init. Seeararegift in theman ofGod : for this isa fingulargift of God, not onelyin anguifh to beheauily troubled, but alfo tobe comforted; not to doe good heauily, but todurit cheerefully. In that hevfeth as it werea doubling of the word troubleandforrom, hefheweth his griefe to be the greater. Itis an hardematter nottoforget God in trouble, but a fargrea- ter matter then to liane a delightand a pleafure inthe word:yetfo it is that ifwecan come here the one, we fluff alto come nerre the other. Here is our ftrength, ifwee forget not theword, and nonrifh not vnbcleefe, byand;delight will comeafter ; becaufe it is the mercie of the Lord inwardlyto recompence that, which outwardly hee detraéteth fromvs. Thyword ismydelight,or my delight is inThyword.This is the famethat theApoftlerepor- teth ofhimfelfe, Rom.7.22. I delight inthe lamofGod concerning mineinner man.The wayto come tothis,is tofight againft vnbeleefe,and to belecue the word is molt pureand holie.It is a fingular comfort to vs,though ourmicìdebe troubled, when wefhould doegood ; yet todoe it,fithafter we hauedone it,itleaueth a pleafure behinde it:.contrariwife howfwcet focuer finne is in committing,thepleafure will depart,but the(zingof fin remaineth'with vs (till. Andfinely it isagreat quickningto a man when heedoth doe well. True it is that this quickningcommethfrom the peaceofconfcirnccaBut when wecannot only reioyce in the forgiuenes of fines, but feelealpeciallcomfort arifewhenweedoe well, this isa double quickning. For what can bemore comfortable,then to befruitfullin goodworkes in timeof trouble? When did.taith,loue,patience, conftancie ,meekenes, &boldnes,More aboundantly flourifhin the Church then introuble? In profperitiewe defer&delay from day today, from to morrow to next daytodoe well; but when thehandof the Lord is vponvs, it fettethvs forward to theworke..This then mulI mitigateourgriefe in timeof trouble,andmake vs jealousofour profperitie,becaufe we arefuller oftheexercice ofwel- doingin troublethenotherwife . Betides a preacher maybetter periwadegood things in timeoftrouble,tlen inprofperity.Well,asit is a generallrule inall things,that a goodbe- ginningis as goodashalfe done.. Co asit is in allgodlines,likewife is it in thispart of godli- nes.What is thecaufe,why mencannot come tothis ioy rntrouble,eurnbecaufe in theee- rie entrance ofit,they ftraightforget the word,and fo theyeyther defpajre,or vfe vnlasyfol meanes. This is a thing needefull tobe confideredof. For if a man be in trouble, and bath nothing to ouermatch it,then his trouble will ouergnell him. Forwhydoe men introuble lay violenthandson themfelues,butbecaufe they havenothingin their minds tocomfort them,and therefore they fall todefperate meanes?WhereforeGodschildren fhouldToone defpaire,wercit not,thsttheyfelt comfort in therensiflionof frnnes, and ftaythemlèlues ona gódlie fecuritie inGodhis promifes andprouidence,and inanholy courage tobede- lighted inweldoing.Forthe godlie,whofe onlie ftayesin trouble,are faith and a good-con- fcience, arebrought bytheir afllifhiontoa fight of their fin,to adcfre tohaue them par- doned,toa feeling of Godhis mercie in hearmgtheir prayers, to anhatredof their fioues. Iii a Thus
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