Greenham - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .G82 1601

Quench nottheJjirit. rcafon is vnreafonable, nay,that it is hurtfull vnto vs,a greatenemie to faith, and a great r3 a g a n patroneofinfidelicie and vnbeleefe. When itcornmed, toour affe&ions,it turned) them xe faiß vpfidedowne,it turned, ourmirth into mourning,ourpleafure into painfulnes,andour greateft delight into moltbitter griefe. If itdoe proceede further, and comeonce tothe aro4ehe irit heart,and to the ftomacke and couragethat isin vs,then it cuttëthvs tothe quicke, then xreoueth t ee- cloth it at once caft vs down in hurnrhtieunder the hand ofGod : forwhile weehad to re uet deale withmen,wewere asRoute asany,and would notftartfor thebelt. We hadreafon tofay for our felues, and courageto defendour felues againil all them thatdid deale kith vs : but now the fpiritdraweth vsinto the prefenceof God,it lettethvs fee that we haue to doe with God,andthat our ftrength is weaknes inrefpe&ofhim.Then doth ourheart be- gin tofaile vs, then doewee lay our handson our mouthes, and darenot anfwere : nay, then doe wee quickly take vp ourcroflè, becaufe theLord himfelfe bath done it. Behold herehow the(pint workette, behold how finne is corre&ed : and who fo canbeholdhere this in himfelfe, may affuredly fay, thatthe fpiritof God is in him, that it is not in vaine within hirn,nay,tlrat it is mightie and liuelyin operationin his heart.' Thethird note andeffebt is, the bringing on forward of this worke veto iuftiñcation: rhea.note. for when the fpirithashbrought vs thus farre,then doth it beginto open vntovs adoore vnto the graceandfauour ofGod ` it dothput into our mimics, that there is mercie with How the #irit God,and therefore ftirreth vs vp tofèeke mercieat his hands : afterward, it Both let tCheadct oosto vs fee how Chrilt, fuffered,to takeaway the finnesacheworld, that in the righteoufnes P151.530.4. ofChrift,wee may looke to be iuftified beforeGod. And this itcloth notlet vs feeonely, butdoth effe&uallyworkea Cureperfwafionofit inourhearts, and confirmeth the fame r uoar w by two notable effeéhs. Thefirft is,a ioy moltvnfpeakeable and glorious, wherewith our meat:o bur hearts muftneedes bewholy takenvp and rauifhed,whenwee feeour felues by the righ- teoufnes ofChrift, of the freemercieand graceofGod, redeemedfrom death, definered aom.g. r. from hell,andfreedfrom thefearfull condemnation ofthe wicked.Thelècond is the peace Phil.q. ;,45 ofconfcience : which indeedpaffetlr all vnderftanding. Whilefinne,and the guilt offinite remained, therewas no peace,nor reft,nor quietnes tobefound,but feare within 'terrors without,and troubles oneueryfide : but when finne is oncenailed to the croffe ofChrift, when the guilt of fiinne is taken out ofourconfciences, and the punifhmentthereoffarre reinoued,thenmuff needesenfue great peace r forour accufers darenot proceede againft vs,our finuesare forgiuen vs,and God is at onewith vs : and forthis,we haue the warrant and teftimonieof thefpirit.Can flefhand blood perfwade vs ofit ? can any creature affure vsbowGod is affe&edtowardsvs ? no doubtlefle.And therefore where this ioyand peace is,theremuff needes bethe hoheGhoft,the author and worker ofthe fame.For asno man knoweth what is inman,bnt thefpirit of manwhich is in him : fonone knoweththewill r.Cor.:.r4.r; ofGod, but the fpiritofGod, and therefore it is the fpirit of God that muff certifieour heartsand fpirits of thefame. And hereoftherecloth arifethat ,whichwet as the fourthnote, when wee findeitin 7./rote. our felues :to wit, the lifeand ninrblenesthat is invsto doe good r for when a smart dotir findefauour fromGod, fortheforgiuenes offinnes,then the lone of God conftraineth him,that ioy whichbeconceiueth inforceth him,andputteth life intohim,for the perfor- mance ofthole things,whieh are pleafrngvntoGod;thenbee beginnette tofinde hnnfelfe Readines to notonely reclaimed fromeuill,but alfoappliedand framed to thatwhich is good ; then is his vnderftandinginlightened,to fee into the myfteries ofgodlinetle, and into thatgreat workeofhisredemption, and intowhatfoeuer concerned, the fauioghealthofhisfoule c tiren ishis iudgernent reformed,and teee is madeable to fudge betweenefalfe religion and true,betweene theworkes ofthe flefh,andofthe fpirit, betweene that which is good, and that which isstill anddifpleafrng in the fightofGod.Then arehisaffections in fomegood meafure altered,hisdeire rs fet,not vpon earthly,but vponheauenly things ; his ioyes are Godlyanger. not in theearth,but inthe heauens ; his anger is waftedand fpent, notvponhis ownepri- vatetaufe and quarrels, but vponhis owne funes, and vpon whatfoeuer hindreththe glorieofhis God.This is the lifeofGodin him ; thus he liuedr that bath receiued ;1? iric) , r$ and thushe leadeth hislife continually : forthey thathaue receiuedthe fpirit, h are ledby b foms.r. F 3 the

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=