192 / 504
CA
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23.4,6.
Opened; and inflances
drawen
from
thence.
136
fentation
of
thole
evills
to
the Souk,
and
the
vally
of
that
fhaddow
the
molt
dreadful
bottome
and
depth
ofthat
Reprefentation. This then the
Prophet
fuppofed,that
he may be
brought into
a
condition,wherein he
may be over-
whelmed with
fad apprehenfions
of
the
comeing
of
a
confluence
of
all man
-
ner
of
evills
upon him,
and
that
not for
a
fhort
feafon,
but he
may be ne-
ceffitated
to
walke
in them, which
denotes
a
ftate
of
fome continuance,
a con
fli&ing
with
molt
difmall evills and
in
their
owne
nature tending to
death,is
in the
fuppofall.
What
then
would he
do
if
he íliould be
brought
into
this
¿Fate?
Saith
he,even
in
that
condition,
in fuch
diftreffe, wherein I am to
my
owne,
and the
eyes
of
others,
hopeleffe, helpeleffe, gone
and loft,
Iwill
feare
none
evill.A
noble refolution,ifthere be
a
sufficient
bottome
&
foundation
for
it,
that
it
may
not beaccounted
rafhneffe &
groundleffe
confidence,
but
true
Spiritual) courage, and holy Refolution. Saith he, it
is
becaufe
the
Lord
is
with
me:
But alas
!
what
if
the Lord
fhould now forfake thee
in
this Condi-
tion,
and give thee up to
the
power
of
thine
enemies,
and
fufer
thee by
the
ftrength ofthy Temptations,
wherewith
thou
art
befet,
to
fall
utterly from
himc
Surely
then thou
wouldeft be fwallowed up for ever;
the
waters would
go
over thy Soule,and
thou
muff
for
ever
lye
downe
in
the
fhades
of
death.
Yea
but (faith
he,)
I have
an affurance
of
the
contrary,Goodnefè and
Mercy
final
follow
me
all
the
dayes
of
my
life.
But
this
is(fay
fome)a very defperate perfwafion.If thou
art lure that
Good -
nes,&
Mercy
(hall
follow
thee
all
thé
dayes
of
thy
life,then
live
as
thòu
pleafeft,as
loofly
as flefh
can defire,as wickedly
as
Sathan
can
prompt
thee
to:Certainely
this
perwafion
is fit
only
to
ingenerate
in
thee
an
high
contempt
of
humble
and
clofe
walkingwith God.
What other
,conclufion can'ft
thou
pally
make
of that
prefumption,
but
only
that,
I
may
then
do
what
I pleafe, what I
wills let the
flefh
tez4 itsfwing
in
all abominations,
it
matters
not,
Goodneffe
and
Mercy
(hall
follow
me.
Alas! faith
the
Pfzlmift, thefe
thoughts
never come
in
my
heart:
I
finde this
perfwalon through
the Grace
of
him
,in whom it
is,effe-
auall to
ingenerate
contrary
Refolutions.
This
is
that
which
lain
upon the
account
thereof, determined
on, I'will
dwell in the
hopfe
of
God
for
ever:
feeing
Goodneffè
and
Mercy
(hall
follow
nie,
I
will
dwell
in his
houfe; and
feeing
they
(hall
follow me all the
dayes
of
my
life,
I
will
dwell
in
his Houfe
for
ever.
ß: 9,
There
are then thefe two things
in
this laft verfe,
pregnant to the
purpofe
in hand.
r.
The
Pfalmift's affurance
of
the prefence
ofGod
with
him
for
ever,
and
that
in
kindneffe and
pardoning Mercy, upon the account
of
his
Promife un-
to
him;
Goodneffe
or
benignity (faith
he)
fhall
follow ms,
into
every Condition,
to
affift
me,
&
extricate
my
Solle,
even
out
of
the
vally,
of
the
fhadow
of
death.
A
conclufion
like
that
of
paid.
2
Tim. 4. 18. The
Lord(hall deliver
me
from
every
evil! word,
andwill
pref
erne me
unto his Heavenly Kingdome.
Having
(v. 17.)
given
teftimony
of
the
Prefence
of
God with
him in
his
great
tryall,when
he
was
brought
before
that
devouring monfter
Nero,
giving
him deliverance,
he
manifefteth
in
the
18.
v.
that the
Prefence
of
God
with
him
was
not
only
effe
&uall
for one
or
an
other
deliverance,
but
that
it willkeepe
him from
every
evillworhe,
not
only from
the
rafhneffe,
cruelty,
and oppref
lon
of
o-
thers,but alto
from
any fuch way
or
workes
ofhis
owne,
which fhould lay
a
barre
againft
his
injoyments of, and compleat prefervation
unto that
Hea-
venly Kingdome,
whereunto
he was
appointed,
What
reafon now can be imagined, why
other
Saints
of
God,
who
have
the
fame Promife
with David and
Paul
eftablifbed unto them
in
the
hand
of
2
cor.
.
so,
the fameMediator,being equally
taken into the
fame
Covenant
of
Mercy and
Peace