Sibbes - Houston-Packer Collection BX9318.S45 L5 1638

(-Brills Poiertyfer uts. free a man, he will free him frorrtall miferies;if he advanceanian,he will advance him to Heaven; ifhe will punitha man, he will punifhhim to hell; his wrath fljall feite on him for ever ; what hee doth, he will do like a God; the grace of Chrift, it is a powerfull rich grace. Therefore let us examine our felves,am I in the favourofGod and of Çhrift :'if I be, furely it is arich favour, it tends to thebelt riches, he became poore tomake me rich. Where is my faith, my love, my hope, my contentation, my patience and victoryover temptations and luftse Is it a dead fa- vour e Am I in the favour of Chrift, and finde no fruits of it e Certainly it is but an illufion, there- fore as yet I amnot in the compaf e of Chrills fa- vour. Therefore I muff wait in the ufe ofmeanes, and humbling my felfe, hegives grace to the hs m- ble. And with a fenfe of our fpirituall poverty, let us pray to God to thine on us in Chrift, that wee may finde the fruit of his love inriching us with grace. Oh that my faith, and hope, andgrace, were more I Oh, let this evidence that I am in thy favour, by the fruits ofit, that 1 may finde thofe riches that thou haft procured by thy poverty. And letus not reft till we finde the fruits of this grace(though not alwayin the comfort yet)inthe ftrength andability, that wee mayperforme, in fomemeafure, what is required. Though we have not muchofthe comfort that wedefire, yet ifwe have ftrength,we have that that isbetter. It is bet- ter to have grace then comfort here: God referves that for 'another world. But let us alwayes !Doke Dd 3 for 5? How to know we are in Gods favour.

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