I 36 That ye may be able toRand long ago palled between God and him, though fometisnes even theie are ofgreat ufe. As God can make a firmer poffeffe the fins of his youth, as if they were newly acted to his tertour in his old age ; fo God can prefent the comforts and evidences which of old the Saint received, with tholevery thoughts hehad then of them, as if they were frcfh and new. 2, And therefore fecondly ; Ifyet be haunts thee with the feares of thy fpiritual eftate, ply thee to the throne ofgrace, and beg a new copy of thy old evidence, which thou haft loft. The O- riginal is in the Pardon-Office in Heaven, whereof Chrift is Mafter ; if thou beeft a Saint thy name is upon record in that Court ; make thy moane toGod, heare what newes fromHea- ven, rather then Ellen to the tales which are brought by thine e- nemie from hell . Did fuch reafon fell,: with Satan, and pray o ver their feares more to God, they might fooner be refolved. Can you expect truth from a liar, and comfort from an enemy ? Did he ever prophefie well ofbelievers ? Was not lob the Devils- ] hypocrite, whom God vouch't for a non.fuch in holineffe, and prov'd him fo at laft ? If he knew thou wert a Saint, would 'he tell thee lb ? ifanhypocrite, he would be as loath thou fhouldeft know it; turn thy back therefore on him, and go to thy God: fears nor, but fooner or later he will give his hand again to thy Certificate. But look thou doeft not rafhly paffe a cenfure on thy felf, becaufea fatisfaciory anfwer is not prefently Bent at thy defire ; the Meffenger may flay long, and bring good newes-at laft. Thirdly, fhun battel with thine enemy while thou art in a fitterpofture i and that thou mayeft draw into thy trenches, and make an honourable retreat into thofe faftneffes and ftrengths, which Chfift bath provided for his tick and wounded fouldiers. Now there are two places of advantage Auto which deferred fouls may retire ; the Name ofGod, and the abfolute Promifes of the Gofpel ; thefe I may call the faire Havens, which are thenchiefly of ufe, when the florme is fo great that the fhip cannot live at lea. 0, faith Satan, doeft thou hope to fee God? none but the pure in heart null be bleft with that vilion.Thinklt thou to have comfort ? that is the portion of the Mourners in fpirit. Now, foule, though thou canft not fay (in the hurry of 'temptation) thou art the pure and the Mourner in fpirit, yet then
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