"Inclinthe rowerofhis might, 45 and do his work worft that deferves heft at thy hands, and is all. this nothing ? Surely, Chriftian, thine eyes are held as much as. Hagar;, or elle thou wouldeft fce the fireamings forth of di- vine grace in this frame of thy heart; Purely others will think. God hath done a mighty work in thy foule What harder and more againft the haute, then to bring our proud hearts to take flume for that, whereof they naturally boaft and glory ? And is it. nothing for thee to tread on the veryneck of thy duties,anci count them matter of thy humiliation and abating, which others make the matter of their confidence and felf. rejoycing ? Good (lore of vertue bath gone from Chrift, to dry this iffue of pride in thy, heart, which fometimes in gracious- ones runs through and- . through their duties, that it is Peen or may be by thofe that have keffe grace then themfelves. Secondly, Chriftian, candidly interpret Gods dealings, with. thee. Suppofe it be as thou fayelt, thou 'haft pleaded the pro- mile, and waited on the means, and yet findeft no ftrength from all thefe receits, either in thy,grace orcomfort, now take heed of. charging God foolithly, as if God were not what he promifeth, this were to give that to Satan which he is all this while gaping for It is more becoming the dutiful difpofitiorr of a childe, when he bath not prefently what he writes for to his father, to- lay, my father is wifer then I, his vi.rifdomwill prompt him, what and when to fend to me; and h.s fatherly affections to me his childe, will neither fuller him to deny any thing that is good, or flip the time that is feafonable. Chriftian, thy heavenly Father. bath gracious ends that hold his hand at prefent, or elfe thou. hada ere this-heard from him.' Firft, God may deny further degrees of ftrength to put thee- on the exercife of that thou haft more carefully. As a mother cloth by her childe, that is learning to go, the fets it down, and, flands fome diftancefrom it, and bids it come to her, the childe feels its legs weak, and cries for the mothers help, but the mo- ther fleps back on purpofe, that the childe tbould put forth all:: its little ftrength in making after her: When a poor foul comes . and prayes againft fuch a fin, God Teems to ftep back and (land at a diftance ; the temptation increafeth, and no vifible fuccour appears, -on purpofe that the Chriftian, though weak, thould ptercife that-ftrength hebath. Indeed we (hall finds-, the fenfe 3., ogI
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=