65q. OVIafterGreenhams Readings defend thine.euervntothe end: I know chat from thebeginning thou hafthated and punifhed fine, thou halt loucd and maintained righteous dealing; Lam perfwadedthat thy iudgements proue not trueonce or twice alone,but al wayes. Wefee,how needfullitistovs,forvstohaue knowledge throughly of the tellimoniesof the Lord. For this was an allitrcd knowledge ofthe manofGod. Ihaue laboured(faith theProphet) in effetì, toeftabliflt my knowledge ; where- by I mayknow, that hereafter, which Iknow now ; and that I mull know that now,which I muff know hereafter: yea, Ihaue taken great paynes toconfirme this knowledgeinme, not of late, butoflongecline. Thus wefee how themanofGod laboureth to fetchout manyargumentsto ftrengthenhim- felfein time of temptation; whereinwe allomull imitate him : For ifwee fhall (torevp great plentieof ieafons,ourenemies may puftaat vs and !hake vs,but they(hall neùerouerthrov v va. PORTION. 20. Verfe t5g. Beboldmineaf lielionsanddeliuerme, for .1hamnotforgotten thyLaw. s He felfe her manner. Hefáth,Porti ishere randmmilie,¡rearma kb I. not tomineopprefafr. The which in fenfe beingall one with theother, and leeing we haue deliveredthe doarineat large before , here is not much tobe fpoken. Onela weemay ob-. ferse his, heehere layette his miferie open, and vnfoldethhis elatebefore theLord. Behold sa (faith he) O Lord, thineBier arçvpon therighteous,thine caresareopen totheir prayers.Thou feel{ Nos. e, mycafe, let melee thygrace,that I may know fora trueth, thatthou lookeft on me. Thecaufe » then, why we oftentimesare nothelped, is,becaufewehide ourtroubles from the Lord. True itis, thattheLordfeehall, although we (hould hideall; neither needed'he the difplay' ingofour owne toiferies, but yet in all our troubleshe wouldhaue vs to open andacknowledge our griefevnto him,that hemight the better makeknowne to vs,hat he bathhelpe laid vp forvs. Wherefore weemull beware, leali at any time wee fmoother our elate, or feeke vnlawfull meanes,butin all things with prayer and fupplicationmakeour necelíïties knowne to the Lord. His reafon ioyned herewith is this: ForThane notforgotten thy Law : thatis, although O Lord: there is greatwant of obedience in lñe, andI cannot andhaue notesaólly keptthycemmande- ments; yet I am none of them thatcontemne thy Law; whereforeO Lord helpeme. Thus we fee 11ì1l that theman of God fuffered as a weldoer,teachingvs, that ifwe fuffer as ill-doers , the rodof correálion(hall not depart from vs, vntillin fortemcafore it hath wrought in vs repen- tance: but if wefuffr withhim aswel-doers, wee argumentand with this reafon delire theLord, that he vvould take hisovinecaufevvltichvicemaintaine,intohis ovine hand. And althoughhe vvas a finner, yvhichhere he doth not denie, and did forget many parti- cular points of the Lavv;yethe purpofethrather to Chevy , hovv he uvas no notoriousfin=, oe fuch a one as did foulyand grolfely forget he Law. Sohis meaning isthus much ineffebl : Al. though I haue offended,yet baudI notcall thy Lawbehindmy backe;I find andconfelfe,howof frailtie and infirmitie Ihaue offended, but not malitiot:.fly andob(iinarely. Wherefore although wecannot beiree from all ftnnçs yet wemisilbeware of prefumptuoua fnnes, and although weare weake;yet wemuffnot willingly andwittingly departfromhe law. : secretAmes. What then is the caufe,why oft it isfo longerewe be deltuered?-euen becaufewelie inionic fe- cretftnne. For we mull pleadeour caufeina rightplea, ifwe will plead withGod,fwefufferas weldoers,we may pray to the Lord fordefence : but if we fuller asenildoers , wee mulllabour to repent. Wherefore in all difcredit ,reproches and ignominies , weemutt labourto ivy in the tiuetbof our hearts : Ihavenor forgottenthyLaw, Verle 154.Pleademy caafeanddeliaermee,gaickenme according to thyword. THisagrceth an in the fecond place with the fecondverfeofthe 16. Port.wbereof we fpake before, Anfwerefor thyferment in theywhich itgood. The childrenofthis world are Wait is
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