Perkins - BX9315 P465 1597

in this life: 39 1efus Chrifl , muff fide continually the finart and bitterns of their owne fnnes. The fecond, all men muti take heeds, let when theyaretouched for their linnes,they befnare theirowneconfciences : forifthefòrrowebee foam- what otter fharpe,they (hall fee themfelues euenbrought to the gates ofhell, and tofeenethe pangsofdeath. And whena man is in this perplexitie,he all finde it a moilhardmattertobe freedfrom it, without the m arueilouspower andfirengthofChrifl lefus,who only isable to helpehim and comfort him : yea manywhen they are onceplunged in this ditlreffe and anguifh offoule, fhallneuer efcape it,asmayappeare inCaine,Saul,Achitophel,fudas, &now of latein Iohn Hoffineitter a Monke,andLatomus, who for the (paceofcer- taine daiesneuerleft crying that he was damned, becaufe that hehad wilfully perfecuted the Gofpell ofChrifl, and fo hee ended his life. Therefóre mof$ worthie is Paulscounfellfor the moderatingofthis forrowe : g Itás frfjicient z,Cor.s; g (faith he) v ttothe izcefluous man that hee zras rebukedofmany,fothat noW 67, eontrariwifeye ought rather tofregi.=sehim andcomfort him,lefl he fhouldbee fwallorved vp of ouermuch heauisres. And further heegiuethanother reafon, which followeth,lef Sathanf>ouldcircumueacit vs:for we are notignorant of bis `enterprife.r. And indeede common experienceflieweth the fatale, that *or pall- when any man ismoil weakc, thenSathanmoll of all beflirreth himfelfe to cies. workehis confufion. The third is,thatall menwhich are humbled haue not like meafureof fbrrowe,butfome more,fotne leffe. Job felt thehandofGod 3 in exceeding great meafure, when hee crycd, h O that my griefe rver-e well h Iob.6.3> weied,andmymi f ries were laydtegether in%the bedlam- for it would bee now heartier thanthefandofthelea: thereforemy wordsare nary f allowed vp,for thearrowesof tb: .Almightieare inme,and the venomethereoflothdrinks vp myfyirit,ondnccterrors ofGod fghta,ainj7me. The fame did Ezechias when onhis death- bed bee fayd,; Hebrake allmy bones Iike aLyon, andls/çeacram i Eray.38 orafeallow, fit did[chatter; Idid rrsourre like. adome, &c. Contrariwife, the 13.14. theefevpon theCroffe,and Lydia in her conuerfìon neuer felt anyfuchmea- fure ofgreiere:for it isfayd ofher,that God k opened her heart tobee attentive k Aft,t6.14 to that whichPaule jak,e,and prefentlyafter (he intertained Paule and Silas cheeref,lly in her houfe,which the could not haue done iffhe had beenpref-. fed downe with any great meafure of forrowe : neither are any to difike thetnfelues, becaufe theyare not fo much humbled as they fee fomeothers: forGod ingreat wifedorne giueth toeuery onewhichare to bee fined, that which is conuenient for their ellate. And it is often feene in a feliered fore, that thecorruption is let outas well with the pricking ofa frallpinac,as with the widelanceofa Rarer. XIï. The fourth thingin true humiliation is anholydefperation : which is whéa 4.Goo dem man is wholyout ofall hope euerto attaine faluatió by any flrengtlaor good- fpaire! nesof hisowne: fpeaking & thinking morevilyof himfelfthan any other can ilo ; &heartily acknowledging himfelftohauedeferutdnotone.only,but eu tenne

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