JICaueat, dadaComfort for ?3eleeuers. 617 Áf cordvfe is aptly followingvpon this. For as the unwearied deire ofSa- The z.Yj: tantodo mifchiefe,fhould prouokevsto watchfidneffifo totheendwe maybe themore forward to watch, and know the better howandinwhat fort to per- forme it, itismectwefhould take occafionbythisText ; andby thedoarine. gatheredfromit,toconfider a little ofthe,Diuels pra&ifs. It would requiteagreatdeale oftime tolay openalibis (tratagcros, neither will I ví.dcrtakethat, onelyI will fpeakeoffome ofthofe that arethemolt or- dinary. Thegnerall endofhis coueíhs with, and again{'t thcElcEì ofGod, is. the etcrna11deittuaionof their locks, Hewalksabomtfeeknpte demureP. Now'? 4 as his end in tempting is dclruaion, fohis meanes for the advancing of that cad, is to drawthem, ifit bepofsible,into oneofthefe two wofull extremities : prefumptron,ordefpaire; either to theonermnch confident, or elk tobe full of difnaft. That helabourethtoworke the childrenofofGod vntoprefumption, appearesby that which Algid confeff th against himfelfe, touching the vaine confidenceof his owneheart n,and byhis prayer, when he Eh hímf Pfa1.30.g. ifsto be fo 4 aflaulted; Keeptin fermantfromprefamptipeafines r. The prefumptions whichhe r c 1.19.13 laboureth to draw into,areofmany fhapes : as,fora man to thinks that forfpi- rituallthings he is inclinegoodenough, that hisknowledge, andfaith, ando- bedience are as they ought; that he may take liberty tohnnfelte tocommit now andthen filch orfilch finncs, orto ncglea fach and filch duties ofgodlines : that he is able to endureany thing forreligionsfake , thathis faith is fo ftrong that it cannotbefhaken, thaathimfelfeisfowell fenced thatno ill company , orthe likeordinary occafonsof will can milltadhirn.Thefeand the like,bethe ordi- nary fpecialties ofprefumption, bywhich he feeketh, as with fo many gins and fpringesto entrap Gods children.I may bee bold to fhy,that lirehadi littlefee- ling andexperience inreligion, that clothnot at times findthe truth hereof in his owne particular. Helpesto further this finneof prefhmption; the diuell finds out many : herwill tell a manofthemercy ofGod e which paliethby the weakenellésofhisferuants; and in themaccepts thewillfor the deed; ofthe graceofGods which aboundsaccording asfinne abounds ; ofthe certaintyof Gods decree, touching the faluationofhischofen, which nófinne is able to makevoid,ofthe faisofgood men,who committed great fines; andyet were pardoned;ofthe cuidencesofGods fauour, fuchashealth,peacc, plenty, which he will makea manbeleeuehe fhould not enioy, ifhiscourf were notpleafrng untoGod : yea, and in this cafc,he willmagnifie to a mans foule, hisgifts, and themany graceswhich Godhath beftowed, that hemay pride himfelfe here- in, and lift vp himfelfein his thoughts aboutthat which is fit : hewill extenuate and leff-n finne; andwhen it is in itowns natarevery haynoas, hewill yet per- fwade, that it is butfmall'and petty; euen a very trifle in comparifon. Varirtre offuchhelpes he finds,by which to put e vp withprefumption, tomakea man careleffein watching ouerhis owne heart, negligent intyinghimfife tothe straightpra&ifc ofgodlineff , bold ingiuing libertyand freedoms to his owne corruptions: Many affaultsthusraifed, and thus followed, the feruantsofGod doemete with in theircqurfes. Well, whenhe bath tried his hellifh skill this way, fad- denly (as hisfafhionis,to run from one extreameto another) heturneth about, and laboarethon the otherfide to plunge into defpaire. Hereher laboutethto terrifie andtoamafetheconfcienceofaChrithan, and put rt out ofall hope of being fined. Hee preffeth vpon himthat herhashno faith , that lies is none of GodsElea, that he is butanhypocrite, thatthere is in him notruthofrepcn tance, nolife ofgrace, nopower ofgodhneff , that there is no mercyfor hint with God;and thathefhallbeas certainly condemned ih hell , asifhe wereala ready there. ThusDeuidwasüfted, thus was hecbroughtto conclude ag-tinft lumihlfe, that ha .0 raftsui fromGodsfigli'. That there wasno truth inGodsYjfal ,3í.áz¡ Iíkk3 pronúfs
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