Gurnall - BV4500 .G87 1655

I 4 2 That ye way be able tofiand fuch art houre of temptation ? If thou hail but half an eye, Chriftian, thou mayeft fee what Satan drives at : this is an en. fnaring queftion ; by the feare of future troubles he labours to bring thee into a negled of tbyprefent duty, and indifpofe thee alto for fuch a flare whenever it falls. If a manhath much bu- fineffe to do on the morrow, 'cis Irs witclom to difcharge his minde thereof, (when compofing to fleep) left the thoughts thereof break his refit, and make him the more unfit in the morn- : ing. The leffe refl the foule bath in God and his promife con- : cerning future events, the leffe ftrength it will finde to beare themwhen the pinch comes. When therefore thou art rnolefted with fuch feares, pacifie thy heart with thefe three plain Conclu- Firft, every event is the produer of Gods Providence, not a fparrow, much leffe a Saint falls to the ground by poverty, lick- neffe, perfecution, &c. but the hand of God is in it. Secondly, God bath put in caution be Will never leave thee, nor 1-Iel;i3,5 forfake thee. He that enables thee inone condition, will in an other. God learns his fervants their whole trade. Grace is an univerfal principle. At the fiat moment of thy fpiritual life fuffering grace was infufed as well as praying grace. Thirdly, God is wife to conceale the fuccours he intends in the feveral changes of thy life, that fo he may draw thy heart into an entire dependance on his faithful promife. Thus to try the mettal of Abraham( faith he let him go on, till his hand was ftretch't forth, and then he comes to his refcue. Chrift fends his difciples to lea, but ftayes behinde himfelf, on a deign to try ' their faith, and thew his love. Comfort thy fell therefore with this, though thou feeft not thy God in the way, yet thou (halt finde him in the end. Secondly, Satan perplexeth the tender confciences ofdoubting Chriftians with obfcure Scriptures, whole fenfe lies toodeep for their weak and diftempered judgements, readily to finde out, and with thefe he hampers poor limit's exceedingly; indeed as me- lancholy men delight in melancholy walks, fo doubting (oaks molt frequent fuch places of Scripture in their muting thoughts, enereale their doubts; how many have I known that have look't fo long on thole difficult places, Heb.6.7. Heb, lo. 26. (which paffe the uncterftanding: as a fwift ftream the eye, fo that.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=