Hieron - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.H54 S4 1624

The Chrillianr Iournl. > credit amongst men,hee midt gather together all thegracious promifesofMercy in Chrill, all experimental) tefttmonies of .Mods loue unto himfelfe; that fo hee may haue comfort inthe midde(l ofthe (harpeftof Sathans encounters. This hee mutt doe that wouk(goeon in the narrowway that leadeth to life. To reprooue the fecure negligence of many profeflòrs ofreligonnow adaies, /7é that never make any prouiton for the hard(hip they are like to meetewith , W they will be Chrift Dìfciples: and to by that meaner meeting vnexpeetedly with the difgraces and iniuries ofthe worid,with the fharpeneffeofaffli&ions,with the bufftings ofSatan,of all which they had littlethought before;repent them- felues ofthe courfe they areentred into, and fail away onto their woontedcold- neffe.. They are like an vnaduifed traueller,that beginning his journey is a faire. morning , and fuppofng that the weather will not alter leauethhis furniture behind,by which he fhould be Ibeltredagainftafforme ,andthen afterwardthe windes blowing , and the temper riliing, is driven to rename backe , and fo to lode his labour, or elfe to takeCame couert,fuch asupon the fuddaine he can metre with, wherethough hefinde tome little comfort fora time, yet the forme encreafing, heis driuen thence alfo:fo is it with many profelfors,when the times feeme to laughupon religion, and the entertaining itBoth not asyet hazard a- ny thing which flefb andblood affe&s,theyare very forward,but when a forme comeswhich they looked not for,the worldoppofesit felfe, pleafuremutt beefe- qseffred, profit muff be negle&ed, credit milli behazarded; then they are found to fall backe,not beingprovided tobare itout,and fo make their laft daics worfe then their fires. Let this then among the refbe borneaway;namely,that lie that would proceede lathe wayofgodlinelle,mnl'i thinkeopon thedifcouragements !recital' meete with,and mull therefore hardenhimfelfe againft them,that what foeuer happen, he may finifhhis touriewith ioy,and mayfo run,that in the end he may be lure toobtain. The fail thing which mnft accompany our purpofeofgoingon, is an often calling the cootie pall toan account,to fee whether it be right andfreightyea or no: he who iourneieth ina way which heis not acquainted with,it is wifedome for hi n'euer and anone,tobec mindful) ofthe dire&ionswhich weregiuen him , and to rememberthemarks whichwere told hiss,the turnings and the by-paths which hee was warnedof,to theend that by thinking hereupon , ifhe finde he is right,he may proceede withcomfortifhebedeceiued ,he may returnequickely before lire hauewandered too farre,anderredouermireh. Soit mull bee in this way: l haue confrdered mymays( faithDassid) and turnedmyfeeteonto thy teflimo- nies(k). You ice Douido faihion what it was, often to viewhis ownecourfes, to kPrat.tt9Ss fearchand to try his waies,tofee how he kept his feetein thepathof Godscom- mandemenrs,andwhere he perceived himfelfe tohave beene millaken, (trait bee returned andendeuou redto come backe quickely : I turnedmyfeete onto thyLeft i- manieet in the next verl:_headdes, I madehall andprolongednor(I). When the fame l Ve, io, 7)amid & exhorted:mento examine their heart open theirbed M;what doth es Plìl,},q, he ,mean, but that euery man, whenhe is alone by himfelfe, fhould retire his thoughts, Ihould looke backe into the daypafl,tofee what treehath done, and how he hash demeaned himfnife Ithat fohe may tecouerhimfelfe for his often flipsby repentance, and renne his vow of keepingan euen cootie in the way of life. Faul bids wefhould not letthe Suunegoe doene -upon ourwenth(n)t thencea eEph,q,xóe generali rule may bedrawne,that no flnne fhouldbefuffered to lodgeall night with vs; anaccount fhouldbe takenofour falls,andwee fhould prefently labour to recoser. The Scripture fpeakingofthe careoflob is oftering facrilicefor hin children,tñinking that in many things they mightouerfhoote themfeluesin their banquetting, addeth this clank, Thue did Iob euery day (e) : Hee thatwas thus oIob.r.gè dailycamfull about hischildren, courfes,what washe (thmke we) for his owne. This point will dsleouer as much carelefnes as any ofthe former,for whois a- r'fs mongft

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