The B.péke-parts of Iehoaigh. 177 fay this is adangerouscaC., and the tin ofthat man is exceeding Owns inthe fight ofGod, which hath fo longcleaned vnro him : yet for all chat, if we will yet . become newcreatures,and truely repent vsofour hues pafl, God is Strong, able topardon vs, ableto renuevs, able tobring vs out ofthe power ofSatan, outof the bondage and captiuityof fin. 'Paul fa thof the !ewes , that are now cet off, from Chrift throughvnbeliefe,and have fo continued inenmity again(' him,thefe' manyhundred yerres, if:hey abidenot Pillin vnbeliefe, theypallbegraffedins and what is hisreafon ? God is able tograffe them in again s : There Paulfetcheth an y Rem,,,,z3 argument from the ftrengthofGod., So in this cafethough itbe a fearefullthing to haue continued twenty, thirty, ormore yeeres inan chillcourft, yet ifat lait we (hall return, andleeke the Lord in humility, God is flrong toforgiue, flreng tolaan itpaired, nothis power rapat awayoar tranfgrefonsmaclosd%&tomake zIGy44an them, although they were red likcfcarier, yet to become act weoll'. Thirdly, that the Lord is af1rong God,it is ado&rine ofvery fpeciall and fingu- The3. Sfe. lar comfort,to all that £care him,& put theirtroll inhis mercy: becznfe it is au al- fürance tothem thatthey (hall neuer peril), and thatthe gates ofhell £hall neuer bee able topreuaíleagainft the leaf member of Chrift Iefus. The cleftof God are in this life mightily befet t itis (as l may fo fpeake) the principal!part of the diuelsbutines, todeuife how he mayhazard and entrap their Conies. when they looke into themfelues, they (hall feenomeanerof refiflance, but a readinelfe ra. they in theirowne nature to entertainevery bake which Satan layeth, and rti yeeld toeuery fin which he fhall perfwade;fo that they haue Tuft caufe,confidring theirowne weaknes,&comparing it with the power ofthe fpirituall aduerfary,to cry outas Edifha hisferuant did, whenhe lawan boll had compaffed the Citie,A. Leo,tebaefhallwe doe ?Bnt nowin rbi, cafe, the ulrnigth and power oftheirgood y'¡ÌçitjG,tt, God,isrhefare c fledfa¡t auraof the rolecMere is their cor,fort;tuca asElifha cidp a.i9 anfwered his feruant, Theythat be With us, ore m,re thea they thatbe retCh them a dx;(Gn;6,t6. And this vfe Chrift himfelfeteachethvstomake : For, fpeakingof the certainty ofthefaluationof Isis elc&he fpeaketh thus,/,gibe to mylheepe eternallife,and they fbaRsederperifh,neitherfhal anypincke them maofnay band:And what is hisreafon? It is grounded upon theJirengih & power,of God,MyfatherWhichgamethi me it greater thenall,& none is biete talg thf nut ofmyFathers har,d'. Thisis that which aUlm n$, Paid calleth thefoundation o f the Lordwhich remainethfare c Well may thedeuill n9 ftriueandbeftirrehimfelfe, and exerci(ethe vtmoflofhis hellíflr power , but itis fz.Ttmiaa9. all in vaine: thechoies ofGod areborne out by an high hand, and in defpight of Sathamarekept by thepowerofgod throughfaith ontofalaatien g. Naythe powerof act,r,ç. the deuill is in this cafe to yoked and oucrruled by the powerofGod, that as the bloody minded Haman,rhat thirlied after nothingfo much as the blood ofMar. dcai,was yetfotted by the kings commandement to be the chiefe in the gra- cing and honouring ofMordeiaih: evenfo Sathan likewife (whole mouth is euer h Eiher open to deuoure)is compelledto aduance and further the faluation ofGods peo- plm& is but(as it were)the rod in the hand ofGod,tochaffers & to humble them, and tobring them neerer vnto heauen. S.loha fpeakingofthedanger of falle tea- chets,by which many were mif ed,comforts thebeleeuers again[' them, and affu- reth them , that it was not pofsiblefor them finally tobe corruptedby them:and he groundethhis reafon epos Gods power greater ishe Which is inyea, thenbee which ismthe world ',that is,Cirri(t lefus dwelling inyou by his fpm,ismightier ¡rleh44, and flronger thenthe fpirit ofSathan , which fitter) in the tonguesof reducers, and therefore to yon,who arevpheld by hispower, there is no danger. Thus the doârine ofGodsfireugeh isa flore.houleofcomfortrò Gods feruants, be their wantsneucrfo great,be theirti tans ofcafe neuerfo (Mall or unlikely, beetheir hopes in regard of outward helper neuer Io(lender, thedifficulties, through which they mullpair neuer fomany yet here is their flay , Faitbfollií beWhich bathcalledvs,whichwill alto do ita.This wanthe groundofAbiwbamsfaith;he was k r,TheC ;.t3 R..3 fall,
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