20 'thoughts : Chrifi: had taught the Apofiles a great many comforts , ·and then he promifeth, 1Qhn 14. 26. The c.mforter fo~~,/l come, '!1 btLp.vn~a and he jha/l bring all things to your remembrt~~.nce which I fo~llfay toyou; that's the proper office of. the Comf~rter, to come in with powerfull and feafonable thoughts, to the rebefof the foui: The ApoRle aforibeth t~eir f"inti~g toforgetting the con•. f•lation ,Heb. I 2. 5~ nay,qbrerve It generally throeghout theWord, our frrength in duties or affiielions is made to lye in our d.illinet and atlual thoughts:Wouldwe mortifie corruptionstTis done by a pre· fent aeling of the thoughts, or by fpiritual difcourfe; ·therefore the Apofilefaith, Rom.6.6. Knowing thu-,that our old m11n u crucified With him: fo,Would we bear afflictions chearfully? See Heb.ro•34• · Ye took• .it joyfully, k,_nowing thatyou haueabetter and more endu. ring[ub{fance: And Rem. 5-3- Knowing that tribul~ttionwork.fth · experience. And fo in many other places ofScripture we find, that the Spirit hdpeth us by awakening and fl:irting up proper thoughts ·and difcourfes in the mind, 3· Thofe thoughts which u[ually b€· get patience are fuch as thefe ; I. That evils do not come by chaRCe, or the meer fury of Infiruments, but from God : So holy Job, The Arrows of tiJe Almighty are Within me,Job6-4 Mark the Arrowsofthe01mighty, though Satan had a great hand in them; as you may fee, /ob 2. 7· Gods Arrows, though lhot out oi Satans Bow. And then, 2. That where we fee any thing ofGod., we owe nothing but reverence .and fubmiffion ; for he is too {lrong to be rejifled, too juft to be que(liorfed, and too good to be[u.fpected. But more of this in the fifth Chapter. o!Jjer1:1at. 2· 2. Fr~m that [J>o~lp.tor the try.alJ The Ufe and Ordination of , perfecution to the people ofGod u tryat,; God maketh ufe of the Pro~atio imw worfi Infirurnents,as fine gold is cafl: into the fire,the mofi devour– ~~t!~t_ ·n?fir.e ingElement;i;mocmry is befi tryed by iniquity.But why doth God tJ• zmqutttU N c h' r k fh · : r. · b · h c. ' -veftra. Tertul. tryus? ot 10r ts own 1a e, or eIS o_mnt; czent; at e1t er I.ror in Apol, our fakes, thlt we may know our felves; in tryals we difcern the jirJcerityofgrace, and-the we.:~fz.n~fs and livC!inefs ofit, and [o are lefsfl:range!rs .to our own hearts: Sincerity is difcovered; a:guild– edpotfoeard may Chine till it cometh to fcouring : in trying times God beateth the furnace fo hot, that drofs is quite wafted ; every interefl: is croffed, ~nd thenhirelingsbecome c:hi'I.Hg~lings: There– fore that wemay know our ftncerity, God ufeth fevere ways of tryal ~ ~ol!_letimes _ we difcover our ownwea~efs ~ We find that Mar. l l ; · . · ·. · - -·- -· faith
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=