Vpr. tbo 8th Chapter to the R ®M AN S. a- How can you exile& Gods afliftance? You banith i from you. I. LI S E, Is Comfort to the children ofgod 5 for the Lord is not a fpeetatov pn cf our troubles, but an helper in our Conflits: We are ft forth as a pee -acre to god, Ten;; and Angels, I Cor. 4 9. Therefore we Ihould fee how we acquit our (elves: but Outotn fort is, that he is the ftrength of our fopls, that we are ingaged in his Caufe, and, by hia power And ftrength. God will not defert us, or deny to fupport us, unlefs we give hits caufe by our negligence and grievous fins; no, if yqu wait upon hiip, ftrength will be renewed to you, Ifa. 46. 3 t. They that wait on the Lard (hall npt fxíet, bet renew their firers th ; in our weaknefs he makerh his flrength and power to appear, and can iriäbla his fervants to do and endure any thing, rather thanquit is caufe; they flab haïe, new fupply of ftrength, when they feed.' to be clean fpent ; And overcome all dilhicultieà in the way to Heaven, 2 ti S E, is direction: Ta aferibe our handing to the fpirit. We are weak creatures or our felves, able to do nothing, but through the fpirit of thrift, all things, Phi!. 4:13, That is, go through all conditions ; we owe all that we are, and all that we do to the holy fpirit ; We live by his prefence, under( and by his light, aEt by his power, fuffer by the courage he infpireth into us. We are ingrateful to the Lily fpirit, if we ,, that t4 our felves as authors, whereof we are fcarce fervants and Minifters. Fan( ineire humbly .acknowledges, I Cor. 15. 19. But by the grace pf Golf am what 1 am. 3. LI S E, Is Exhortation. Lei Lis not faint under our troubles : There arc mtmtiy con fiderat tons. 1. Sinners are not difcouraged by every inconvenience occaftpned by their lirs, but can deny themfelves for their Innts fake. And (hall we be difcouraged in God (crake ? E- very leffer inconvenience that befalleth us in the way of our duty, is taken notice of but the great evils of fin are not regarded. When you fee fin's Martyrs walk about Thu, ftreets, or carried to their Execution, it fbould be a flame to Chti(tiaps: Some whofa flelh is mangled by their fin, impoverifhed by their fin, brought to publick titanic by their fin, die for their fin; and are we fó weak when we fuffer for Chris ? Others have born far heavier burdens, and yet do not fink under them The Lord Chrift, Heb. 12. 3. endured theContradiûion of inners, and many of his precious ferva, re Heb. II. 35. They accepted not deliverance, looking for q better refurreelion. They might upon certain conditions, have been free from their cruel pains and Tortures í But there conditions were contrary to the law of God, therefore would not by indsreft means get off' their trouble ; now (hall We praife their Courage, and not imitate it ? That is to be Chriflians in fpeculation. 3. God promifeth to moderate the afl!Qions, and fweeten the bittertiefs of them, left we fhould faint, Ica. 57. 16. I will not be wroth for ever, and contend always 5 for fo t,ht fpirit (horrid faint, and the foul which I have made. God bath great confederation of maw: infirmity and weaknefs, and how unable they are to hold out under long and grievous troubles; Therefore he.Qayeth his hand, will not utterly dilhcarten and dilcourage his people. A good man will not overburden his beau( , if you be fatisfied in the wif`' dom and faithfulnefs of Gods providential Government, you have no reafon to faint, but keep up your dependance upon hits. 4. When reafon is tired, faith Amid fupply its place, and we fhould hope againfi hope, Korn. 4. s8 Faith can fetch water not only out of the Fountain; butout of the hock when other helps fail, then is a time for God Co work. 5. Give vent to the ardour of your defires in prayer, Lobe 18. I..Chrifl taught risen to pray always, and not to faint. Keep up the fuit, and it will come to an hearingday ere it be long, Jonah 2.7. When my foul fainted within me, I remembred the Lord, and no prayer came unto thee into thy holy.temple. When our infirmity cometh to a degreeof then 'tis a time to beearneftly dealing with God. 6. What will you get by your fainting, but the creature for God ? Heb. 3. t z. Take heed, bretht en. leg there be in any of you, an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. Murmuring for Prayer, Lam. 3. 39, 40.-Wherefore doh a living man complain, q man for toe punrfbisent of his fns? let us fearcb and try Or ways, and turn to the I,ord. Lin. lawful ['lifts for duty, Jfa. 28. 15. For we have m ®de lies our refuge , and under m1,4;4 have we hid our felves. This ïs overmuch ]pitta, will you chufe God for your enemy ,ro efcape the enmity of man? and perdition for filiation ? Hcb. s.o, 89 .Gut 4e no of theev
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=