Sibbes - Houston-Packer Collection BX9339.S5 B6 1641

The W~Itchmen)&c. becaufe it il an immortall feed caR into the fonle by an immortal! G{)d,_rhe :Father tJjEternity. z. Anmher deceit is, That we judgeofour felves by fence and feeling,and not by faith. '1he wftfchmen that wtiJt ahottf the (ity jotmd me ~tnd[moteme,andtooke away my vaileftomme. Here thepoore Church3ft er the lc:ttingdown of her own exercife in her defertion,now fers out fome outward ill dealing !he met with, and that from thofe that lhould have beenher greatefi comforters/Thewatchmen that went ttbout the city found me, they woundedme~ the keepers ofthe w,ds tookeaway my vaile.fromme. Thus we fee how trouble followes trouble) onedepthc4ls upon another : Inward de{ertion and outw11rd ajjltffion goe many times together. The troubles ofthe Church many times are like Jobs mdfenger~, thty come faft one upcn another; becaufe God meanes to perftd the worke of Grace in their hearts·, all this is for theirgood. 'ThefoarpertheWintertbe better theSpring.Learne hence firft of all therefore in geoerall, 'That it iJ noe4fle thing te he afoundchriftian. Wefeeherewhent}leChurch had b<~:trothed \her felfe to Chxifr, and entertained him into per \ garden) thereafter fhe fa~s into a fiate of fecurity and fleep, whence Chnfi labours to rouze her up; then fheufet'h him unkindly, after which he jwithdraweshimfelfe, even fo farre that her heart 1 /ttyl'esher ; then (as if this w:er<; not enough)rhe , watchmentha.t thould have looked to her, theJ fmiteher,wound her,, and takean'ttJ herv4yle. See · T 4 hcre 277 SER.XI. I uJging of our (elver ~ (£nfi andfeeling. 0/?[trv. .. .,·,

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