Gurnall - BV4500 .G87 1655

66 Put on the whole Armour ofGod. for his bleffing. Didit thou eye Gods appointment in the means , thou wouldeft fay, Soul, if there come any good of thy prefent fervice, it muff drop from heaven, for it is Gods appointment, not mans : And can I profit whether God will or no ? or think to finde and bring away any foul-enriching treafure from his Ordinance without his leave ? had I not belt look up to him, by whole blefTing I live more then by my bread ? 2. Again, Secondly, it appears we look not at Gods appoint- ment, when we have low thoughts of the means, What is 7ot- clan that I fhould wafh in it ? what is this preaching that I fhould attend on it, where I heare nothing but I knew before ? what thefe beggarly elements of water, and bread, and wine ? Are not thefe the reafonings ofa foul that forgets who appoints thefe? Didft thou remember who commands, thou wouldeft riot que. Rion what the command is ; what though it be clay, let Chrift ufe it, and it Ihall open the eyes, though in it fell more like to put them out. Hadft thou thyeye on God, thou wouldeft fi- fence thy carnal reafon with this ; 'TisGod fends me to fuch a duty, whatfoever he faithunto me I will do it, though he fhould fend me (as Chrift thew) to draw wine out of pots fill'd with water. Thirdly, when a foule leaves off a duty, becaufe he bath not in it what he expected from it. 0, faith the foul, I fee it is in. vain to follow the means as I have done; !fill Satan foiles me. I will even give over. Doell thou remember, foule, 'cis Gods appointment ? furely then thou wouldeft perfevere in the midft of difcouragements. He that bids thee pray, bids thee pray with- out ceafing, He that bids thee hear, bids thee wait at the polls of wifdom : thouwouldeft reafon thus , God bath fet me on duty, and here Fie ftand, till God takes me offand bids me lea's e praying.. CHAP.

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