Rutherford - HP BS2575 .4 R975 1743

2.6 The Triat and SERM. 4 that the Devil had fuch a Dominion over her Daughter; yet the Text cleareth, That Jhe was a jufiified Perf(m, ~s her Inft:ancy ?~Praying, Adormg, and great Fatth, even yrevatlmg over Chrift under fad Trials, do manireftly evidence: And w; fee the Reafons thar,the Scripture alledgeth, 1.That the Gotrl ofprecious Faith, and the upright Metal. therein, may be [e,en, I Pet 1. 7· AffitCl:ion~ are the Servants and Purfevants of the accuftng Law, fent out to ca.ufe us lay hold, by Faith, on Peace made, and Pardon purchafed in Chrift. The hot Furnace ii the Work-houfe of Chrift; in that Fire he taketh away the Scum, the Drofs, the Refufe of , the true Metal, that Faith may be found unto Praife and Honour, and Glory at the Appearance of .'le- , Jus ChrNl. 2.. Afflictions dr1ve us to feek God, they being God's Firemen, 'and his hired Labourers, fent to break the Clods, and to plough Chrift's Land, tnat he may iow Heaven tht>re; but Chrift muft bring new Barth to the Soil. In Profperity we come to God, but in a common Way, as the grave Man came to the Theatre, only that he might go out again; but in Trouble, the Saints do more than come; they ma]fe a friendly Vifit when they come: Alfo the ·Prayers of the Saints in Profperity, are but Summer Prayers, flow, lazy, and al'as! too formal: In Trouble, they rain out Prayers, or ca_ft them out in oonnatural Violence, as a Fountain ' doth caft out ,Waters: Both thefe are in one well expre!fed by the Prophet, Jfa. 26. I 9· Lorrl, itt Cf'roubtethey have vifiterl thce;they pour a Prayer when th)' chajtning Hamt is on rbem, f/atabutus ~xpoundeth ( hfaJmnrl J a Murmuring, or Pr;tyer which Trouble poureth out. The Chatrlee Paraphrafe turneth it jitentimn, Silence, becaufe the · Con-

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=