Greenham - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .G82 1601

on theTf9.Tfaline. 655 in their kind,then thechildrenofGod , and themanofGodhad fuchenemies , as in fubtilties werew ifer,in force tironger,and morevaliant then he;which madehim enforce hisprayer to the Lord,that hee would bee his toweragainfi their affaults,and hisaduocate againffall their po. tides. Thus we feehetru(fethnottotheequitieofhisowncaufe ,buttotheLord:wherebywerttay,, gathct,that the caufewhyour oppreffours preuaileoft againfi vs, is, becaufewee trutt toomuch in ourowpewits,attdkaue toofare opon oarowneinuentions ,oppofrngfubtilcieto fubtiltie,,, Note. oneeuili deuife toanother, matching and maintaining politic by polccie, and not commit our caufe to theLord. Wherefore in fuchacafe, we areto pray to the Lord , to put o ifedome into our mouthes, thatwe maybe taught what to fpeake , and lirength intoour hands , that wee may knowhow to light. Q5 ckenme according'to thyword whetherthe Prophet defireth tobequicknedcorporallieor fpirimanic; whetherfor that he wascradle tobe (wallowed vp of his aduerfaries, or for that bee needed fone inwardcomfort,or whetherit wereforboth,it is notgreatlic material!;but I thinke wemay fately take it in bothfenfs. For ifhe were quickned in the(pirit,hee knew that the other comfort would followafter: So thatif we vnderliand it fpirimally, heeprayeththat by faith and quickninggracehe mightbe encouraged togoe on forward, and that he might nomore faint hereafter then he haddoneheretofore.Without which gracefupportingand renewing him , hee' was like to quaileveder theburden. Thus we fee Gods children are oftenat deathsdote Inbodia and foule,and therefore had needtopray to be quickned. In that he addethaccordingto thymorel heegiueth vs towit,tharillour help isin the wordof God,and thatall other helps which proceed notfrom the word and promile ofGod in the end become vaine. Although thisdoekine feemech atthe fidi to bea common thing , yet the onelie caufe why we fo often faint under the crofle, isbecaufewe forget Godspromifcs, or els wecan- not beleeue that the truth of themparticularlie belonged) vnto vs. And this is that that nraketh theveriechildren ofGod,fooften tofragger,thewant wherofis great. Suppofeye, faith ourSaui- uiourChrill,that the Sonneofman when he rommethfhallfinde faith on the earth? whereby bee noteth whatan hardthing itis,to hauetrue fatth,which fo is fixed in God, asneuertheleffe there isno laith,butin his word. Vale t 55. Saltationisfarm fromthewicked,becaufehey fee!enot thy/haves. HE faide in theportiongoingbefore,they arefarrefrom thy law: here hefaith, they feeke not thyfFatutes: in whichwordshe exprcffèth his meaningmoreplainrly. In theforwn: mace hefatth,chey were farrefrom the law:herehcconfeifeth they fought it not stall. His meaning of thisverfe is thus much: I feetheir manners arewicked, l know theycannot prolper in them , for thou art thelodge ofthe world,thereforetheyhaveno intereli to faluation.And why?there is no coherencebetweeenewickednes and faluation. If INC were in truthperfwadedofthis se would not folic infinne. For if we did (incite beleeuethat faluation pertained: to none,butto themthat keepeacme faith,and therewith labour to ioynea goodconfctence,how dura wee be fo bold I- dolaters,fo prophanefwcarers,fovnrtuerent breakers of theSabbath? If blafphemous mouthes were throughbe perfwaded ofchis,would theynot trembleand quake,that nowmocke& fcoffe at the miniilerie,andminiftersofthe word ? we fee then how pearcingwotdesthefe are . They that depart fromCod,bygoingcowifards; they that got farte fromhiswordbychaunginghis holy Sabboth,w hick is as aday of Medicine for the foule,intoan hurtfall day, the Lord willalfo depart from them,tlte Lord willbe fatrefromtheirfaluation. All fumes wherein men lie&con- tinue,put them farcefrom faluarion. Butwho then !hall be faued?men they that labour forfaith and a goodcoufcience. Who then (hallbedamned? they that arefarce from faith , and feekenot Gods law. As this doóìrinc isto theterrour ofthe wicked,foit maketh for the comfortof the godlie.We fee the vngodlie proue eerie couragious,and thriueeerie notablie in theirfin,not being preftntly pupilhod,becaufefuch is ourcorruption, thatvutillwetafdefomeoutward fmact, wee become hardned. This declaretlr,inthat weabfieinefrom frn,onlie forpunilhments fake,andwe would fume atriot ware therenopuniflilpg,chat wearcbut Hypocrites,and fuch fromwhom faluacion Kkk is

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