no helpe in himselfe is carried with restlesse desire to have supplie from another with some hope which a little raiseth him out of himselfe to Christ though hee dareth not claime any present interest of mercy This sparke of hope being opposed by doubtings and feares rising from Corruption maketh him as smoaking flax so that both these together A bruised reed and smoaking flax make up the state of a poore distressed man such an one our Saviour Christ termeth Poore in spirit Math. 5. who seeth a want withall seeth himselfe indebted to divine Iustice no meanes of ◅uppie frō himselfe or the Creature and thereupon mournes and upon some hope of mercy from the promise exāples of those that have obtained mercy is stirred up to hunger thirst after it This bruising is required before conuersion that so the spirit may make way for it selfe into the heart by levelling all proud high thoughts and that wee may understand our selves to be what indeed we are by nature we love to wander from our selves and to be strangers at home till GOD bruiseth us by one Crosse or other and then wee bethinke our selves and come home to our selves with the Prodigall A marvellous hard thing it is to bring a dull and a shifting heart to cry with feeling for mercy Our hearts like malefactors untill they be beaten from all shifts never cry for the mercy of the Iudge Againe this bruising maketh us set a high price upon CHRIST the Gospell is the Gospell indeed then then the fig-leaves of morality will doe us no good and it maketh us more thankefull and from thankefulnesse more fruitfull in our lives For what maketh many so cold and barren but that bruising for sinne never indeered Gods Grace unto them Likewise this dealing of God doth establish us the more in his wayes having had knockes and bruisings in our owne wayes This is the cause oft of relapses apostasies because men never smarted for sinne at the first they were not long enough under the lash of the Law Hence this inferiour work of the Spirit in bringing downe high thoughts is necessary before conversion And for the most part the Holy Spirit to further the worke of conviction ioyneth some afflictiō which sanctified hath a healing purging power Nay after Conversion wee neede bruising that reedes may know themselves to be reedes not Oakes Even Reedes need bruising by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature and to let us see that we live by mercy and that weaker Christians may not be too much discouraged when they see stronger shaken and bruised Thus Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly This Reed til he met with this bruise had more wind in him then pith Though all forsake thee I will not c. The people of God cannot be without these examples The Heroicall deeds of those great worthies comfort the Church not so much as their falls and bruises doe Thus David was bruised until he came to a free confession without guile of spirit nay his sorrowes did rise in his owne feeling unto the exquisite paine of breaking of bones Psalm 51. Thus Hezekiah complaines that God had broken his bones as a Lion Thus the Chosen vessell S. Paul needed the messenger of Satan to buffet him lest hee should bee lifted up above measure Hence wee learne that wee must not passe too harsh judgment upon our selves or others when God doth exercise us with bruising upon bruising There must bee a conformitie to our head Christ who was bruised for us that wee may know how much wee are bound unto him Profane spirits ignorant of Gods wayes in bringing his children to Heaven censure broken hearted Christians for desperate persons when as GOD is about a gratious good worke with them It is no easie matter to bring a man from Nature to Grace and from Grace to Glory so unyeelding and untractable are our hearts The second point is That Christ will not breake the bruised Reed Physitians though they put their Patients to much paine yet they will not destroy nature but raise it up by degrees Surgeons will launce and cut but not dismember A mother that hath a sicke and froward Child will not therfore cast it away and shall there bee more mercy in the streame then in the spring shall wee thinke there is more mercy in our selves then in GOD who planteth the affection of mercy in us But for further declaration of Christs mercy to all bruised Reedes Consider the comfortable relations hee hath taken upon him of Husband Shepherd Brother c. which hee will discharge to the utmost for shall others by his grace fulfill what hee calleth them unto and not he that out of his love hath taken upon him these relations so throughly founded upon his fathers assignement and his owne voluntary undertaking Consider his borrowed Names from the mildest Creatures as Lambe Henne c. to shew his tender care Consider his very name Iesus a Saviour givē him by GOD himselfe Consider his Office answerable to his name which is that he should heale the broken hearted Esay 61. 1. At his Baptisme the Holy Ghost sate on him in the shape of a Dove to shew that he should be a Dove-like gentle Mediator See the gracious manner of executing his Offices as a Prophet he came with blessing in his mouth Blessed be the poore in spirit c. and invited those to come to him whose hearts suggested most exceptions against themselves Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden how did his boweis yearne when hee saw the people as sheepe without a Sheepherd he never turned any backe againe that came unto him though some went away of themselves Hee came to dye as a Priest for his enemies In the dayes of his flesh hee dictated a forme of prayer unto his Disciples and put Petitions unto GOD into their mouthes and his Spirit to intercede in their hearts and now makes intercession in heaven for weake Christians standing betweene Gods anger and them and shed teares for those that shed his blood so he is a meeke King he will admit mourners into his presence a King of poore and afflicted persons as hee hath beames of Majesty so hee hath bowels of mercies compassion A Prince of peace Why was hee tempted but that hee might succour those that are tempted What mercy may we not expect from so gracious a Mediatour that tooke our nature vpon him that hee might bee gracious hee is a Phisitian good at all diseases especially at the binding up of a broken heart that hee might heale our soules with a plaster of his owne blood and by that death save us which we were the procurers of our selves by our owne sinnes and hath he not the same bowels in heaven Saul Saul why persecutest thou me cryed the Head in heaven when the foot
given for that use to shew us the best way and to guide in the particular passages of life if otherwise it is but commoÌ„ light given onely for the good of others Some have light of Knowledge yet follow not that light but are guided by carnall reason and policie such as the Prophet speakes of All you that kindle 〈◊〉 fire walke in the light of your owne fire and in the sparkes that you have kindled but this you shall have of mine hand yee shall lye downe in sorrow GOD delights to confound carnall wisedome as enmitie to him and robbing him of his prerogative who is God onely wise We must therefore walke by his â—…ight and not the blaze of our owne fire God must light our candle Psal. 18. 28 or else we are like to abide in darknesse Those sparkes that are not kindled from heaven are not strong enough to keepe us from â—…ying downe in sorrow though they make a greater blaze and shew then the light from above as mad men doe greater things then sober but by 〈◊〉 false strength so the excesse of these mens ioy ariseth from a false light The candle of the wicked shal â—…e put out The light that some mâ—… have it is like lightning which after a sudden flaâ—… leaveth theÌ„ more in darknesse They can love thâ—… light as it shines but hatâ—… it as it discovers and directs A little holy lighâ—… will inable to keepe thâ—… word and not to betray Religion deny Christs name as CHRIST speaketh of the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 8. Fourthly where thiâ—… fire is it will sever thingâ—… of divers natures shew a difference betweenâ—… things as gold and drosse It will sever betweene flesh and spirit and shew this is of Nature this of Grace All is not ill in a bad action or good in a good action There is gold in oare which God and his Spirit in us can distinguish A carnall mans hart is like a dungeon wherein is nothing to be seene but horrour and confusion this light maketh us judicious and humble upon clearer sight of Gods puritie and our owne uncleannes and maketh us able to discerne of the worke of the Spirit in another Fiftly so farre as a man is spirituall so far is light delightfull unto him as willing to see any thing amisse that he may reform and any further service discovered that hee may performe because he truly hateth ill and loveth good if hee goeth against light discovered hee will soone bee reclaimed because light hath a friendly party within him Whereupon at a little sight of his errour hee is soone counsellable as David in his intendment to kill Nabal and blesseth God afterwards when hee is stopped in an ill way In a carnal man the light breakes in upon him but he labours to shut the passages hee hath no delight to â—…ome to the light It is impossible before the spirit of grace hath subdued the hart but that it should sin against the light either by resisting of it or keeping it prisoner under base lusts burying it as it were in the earth or perverting of it and so making it an agent and factour for the flesh in searching out arguments to plead for it or abusing that little measure of light they have to keep out a greater higher and more heavenly light and so at length make that light they have a misleading guide to utter darknesse And the reason is that it hath no friend within the soule is in a contrary frame and light alwayes hindreth that sinfull peace that men are willing to speake to themselves whence we see it oft inrage men the more as the Sunne in the Spring breedeth aguiâ—…h distempers because it stirreth humours and doth not wast them There is nothing in the world more unquiet than the heart of a wicked man that sitteth under meanes of knowledge untill like a thiefe hee hath put out the candle that he may sinne with the lesse check Spirituall light is distinct it seeth spirituall good with application to our selves but common light is confused and le ts sin lye quiet Where fire is in any degree it will fight against the contrary matterâ—… GOD hath put irreconciliable hatred betweene light and darknesse at first so betweene good and ill flesh and spirit Grace will never joyne with sinne no more than fire with water Fire will mingle with no contrary but preserveth its owne purity and is never corrupted as other Elements are Therefore those that plead and plot for liberties of the flesh shew themselves strangers from the life of God Vpon this strife gracious men oft coÌ„plaine that they have no grace but they contradict themselves in their complaints as if a man that seeth should complaine he cannot see or complain that he is asleepe when the very complaint springing from a displeasure against sinne sheweth that there is something in him opposite to sinne Can a dead man complaine Some things though bad in themselves yet discover good as smoake discovers some fire Breaking out in the body shews strength of Nature Some infirmities discover more good than some seeming beautifull actions excesse of passion in opposing evil though not to bee justified yet sheweth a better spirit than a calme temper when there is just cause of being moved Better it is that the water should runne something muddily than not at all Iob had more grace in his distempers thaÌ„ his friends in their seeming wise cariage Actions soiled with some weaknesses are more accepted than complementall performances Fire where it is in the least measure is in some degree active so the least measure of grace is working as springing from the Spirit of GOD which from the working nature of it is compared to fire Nay in sinnes when there seemeth nothing active but corruption yet there is a contrarie principle which breaks the force of sinne so that it is not out of measure sinfull as in those that are carnall Fire maketh metalls pliable and malliable so doth Grace where it is begunne it worketh the heart to bee plyable and ready for all good impressions Vntractable spirits shew that they are not so much as smoaking flax Fire turneth all as much as it can to fire so grace maketh a gracious use even of naturall and civill things doth spiritualize them what another man doth onely civilly a gracious man will doe holily Sparkes by nature flye upwards so the spirit of Grace carrieth the soule Heaven-ward and setteth before us holy and heavenly aimes as it was kindled from heaven so it caries us back to heaven The part followeth the whole Fire mounteth upward so every spark to its owne element Where the aime and bent of the soule is God-wards there is grace though opposed The least measure of it is holy desires springing from faith and love for we cannot desire any thing which we doe not beleeve first to be and the desire of it issues from
is eyther from false principles or ignorance or mindlesnesse or unbeleefe of true By inconsideration and weaknesse of assent Eve lost her hold at first It is good therefore to store up true principles in our harts and to refresh them often that in vertue of them our affections and actions may be more vigorous When Iudgement is fortified evill findes no entrance but good things have a side within us to entertaine them Whilest true convincing light continueth wee will not doe the least ill of sinne for the greatest ill of punishment In vaine is the â—…et spread in the eyes of that which hath wings Whilest the soule is kept aloft there is little danger of snares below we lose our high estimation of things before wee can be drawne to any sinne And because knowledge and affection mutually helpe one another it is good to keepe up our affections of love and delight by all sweet inducements divine incouragements for what the heart liketh best the minde studyeth most Those that can bring their hearts to delight in Christ know most of his wayes Wisedome loveth them that love her Love is the best entertainer of truth and when it is not entertained in the love of it being so lovely as it is it leaveth the heart and will stay no longer It hath beene a prevailing way to beginne by with-drawing the love to corrupt the Iudgement because as we love so wee use to judge and therefore it is hard to be affectionate and wise in earthly things but in heavenly things where there hath been a right information of the judgement before the more our affections grow the better and clearer our judgement s will be because our affections though strong can never rise high enough to the excellencie of the things Wee see in the Martyrs when the sweet doctrine of Christ had once gotten their hearts it could not be gotten out againe by all the torments the wit of crueltie could devise If Christ hath once possessed the affections there is no dispossessing of him again A fire in the heart overcommeth all fires without 3 Wisedome likewise teacheth us wherein our weaknesse lyeth and our enemies strength wherby a jealous feare is stirred up in us whereby we are preserved For out of this godly jealousie wee keepe those provocations which are active and working from that which is passive catching in us as we keep fire from powder They that will hinder the generation of noysome creatures will hinder the conception first by keeping male and female asunder This jealousie wil be much furthered by observing strictly what hath helped or hindered a gratious teÌ„per in us and it will make us take heed that wee consult not with flesh and blood in our selves or others How else can wee thinke that Christ will lead us out to victorie when we take counsell of his and our enemies 4 Christ maketh us likewise carefull to attend all meanes whereby fresh thoughts and affections may be stirred up and preserved in us Christ so honoureth the use of meanes and the care he putteth into us that hee ascribeth both preservation and victory unto our care of keeping our selves Hee that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe but not by himselfe but by the Lord in dependance on him in the use of meanes We are no longer safe then wife to present our selves to all good advantages of acquaintance c. By going out of Gods walkes we goe out of his government and so lose our frame and finde our selves over-spread quickly with a coÌ„tráry disposition When wee draw neere to Christ in his ordinances he drawes neere to us 5 Keepe grace in exercise it is not sleepy habits but Gracein exercise that preserveth us Whilest the soule is in some civill or sacred imployment corruptions within us are much suppressed and Sathans passages stopped and the spirit hath a way open to inlargeâ—… it selfe in us and likewise the guard of Angells then most neerly attend us which course often prevailes more against our spirituall enemies then direct oppo sition It stands upon Christs honor to maintaine those that are in his worke Sixthly in all directioÌ„s we must look up to Christ the quickning spirit and resolve in his strength though wee are exhorted to cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart yet we must pray with David Lord for ever keepe it in the thoughts of our hearts and prepare our hearts unto thee our hearts are of themselves very loose and unsetled Lord unite our hearts unto thee to feare thy name or else without him our best purposes will fall to the ground It is a pleasing request out of love to GOD to beg such a frame of soule from him wherein hee may take delight and therefore in the use of all the meanes wee must send up our desires and complaints to heaven to him for strength and help and then we may bee sure that he will bring forth judgment into victory Lastly it furthers the state of the soule to know what frame it should bee in that so wee may order our soules accordingly we should alwayes bee fit for communion with GOD and bee heavenly minded in earthly busines and be willing to be taken off from them to redeem time for better things we should bee ready at all times to depart hence and to live in such a condition as we would be content to dye in wee should have hearts prepared for every good duty open to all good occasions and shut to al temptations keeping our watch and being alwayes ready armed so farre as we come short of these things so farre wee have just cause to be humbled and yet presse forward that wee may gaine more upon our selves and make these things more familiar and lovely unto us and when wee finde our soules any wayes falling downewards it is best to raise them up presently by some waking meditatioÌ„s as of the presence of God of the strict reckoning we are to make of the infinite love of GOD in CHRIST and the fruits of it of the excellency of a Christians calling of the short and uncertaine time of this life how little good all those things that steale away our hearts will doe us ere long and how it shall bee for ever with us thereafter as we spend this little time well or ill c. the more we give way for such consideratioÌ„s to sink into our hearts the more we shall rise neerer to that state of soule which wee shall enjoy in Heaven When wee grow regardlesse of keeping our soules then GOD recovers our taste of good things again by sharpe crosses thus David Salomon Sampson c. were recovered it is much easier kept then recovered But notwithstanding my striving I seeme to stand at a stay Grace as the seed in the Parable growes we know not how yet at length when GOD seeth fittest wee shall see that all our indeavour hath not
prevaile against CHRIST or those that relye upon his power therefore his study is how to keepe us in our selves and in the creature but we must cary alwayes in our minds that that which is begun in self-confidence will end in shame The manner of Christs bringing forth judgement to victory is by letting us see a necessity of dependance upon him hence proceed those spirituall desertions wherein he often leaveth us to our selves both in regard of grace and comfort that we may know the Spring-head of these to be out of our selves Hence it is that in the Mount that is in extremities God is most seen Hence it is that we are saved by the grace of faith that carieth us out of our selves to relye upon another and that faith worketh best alone when it hath least outward support Hence it is that wee often faile in lesser conflicts and stand out in greater because in lesse we rest more in our selves in greater wee fly to the rock of our salvation which is higher then we Hence likewise it is that wee are stronger after foyles because hidden corruption undiscerned before is now discovered and thence wee are brought to make use of mercy pardoning and power supporting One maine ground of this dispensation is that wee should know it is Christ that giveth both the will and the deed and that as a voluntary worker according to his owne good pleasure And therefore we should workout our salvation in a jealous feare and trembling lost by unreverent and presumptuous walking wee give him cause to suspend his gracious influence and to leave us to the darknesse of our owne heart Those that are under CHRISTS governmēt have the spirit of Revelation whereby they see and feel a divine power sweetly strongly inabling thē for to preserve faith when they feele the contrary hope in a state hopelesse and love to GOD under signes of his displeasure and heavenly mindedness in the midst of worldly affaires alluremets drawing a contrary way they feel a power preserving patience nay joy in the midst of causes of mourning inward peace in the midst of assaults To make so little grace so victorious over so great a masse of corruption this requireth a spirit more then humane this is as to preserve fire in the sea and a part of heaven even as it were in hell Here wee know where to have this power and to whom to returne the praise of it And it is our happinesse that it is so safely hid in CHRIST for us in one so neere unto GOD and us Since the fall GOD will not trust us with our owne salvation but it is both purchased and kept by CHRIST for us we for it through faith wrought by the power of GOD and laying hold of the same which power is gloriously set forth by Saint Paul I to be a great power 2 an exceeding power 3 a working and a mighty power 4 such a power as was wrought in raising Christ from the dead That grace which is but a perswasive offer and in our pleasure to receive or refuse is not that grace which brings us to heaven but Gods people feel a powerfull work of the Spirit not onely revealing unto us our misery and deliverance through Christ but emptying us of our selves as being redeemed from our selves and infusing new life into us and after strengthning us and quickning of us when we droop and hang the wing and never leaving us till perfect conquest The fift conclusion is that this prevailing Government shall not bee without fighting there can be no victory where there is no combate in Esay it is said hee shall bring judgment in truth here it is said he shall send forth judgment into victory The word send forth hath a stronger sense in the originall to send forth with force to shew that where his government is in truth it will be opposed untill he getteth the upper hand Nothing is so opposed as CHRIST and his government both with in us and without us And within us most in our first conversion though corruptiō prevailes not so farre as to make voyd the powerfull worke of grace yet there is not onely a possibility of opposing but a proannesse to oppose and not onely a proanness but an actuall withstanding the working of CHRISTS Spirit and that in every action but yet no prevailing resistance so far as to make void the worke of grace but corruption in the issue yeelds to grace There is much adoc to bring CHRIST into the heart and to settle a Tribunall for him to judge there there is an army of lusts mutiny against him The utmost strength of most mens indeavours and parts is to keepe CHRIST from ruling in the soule the flesh still laboureth to maintaine its owne regency and therefore it cryes downe the credit of whatsoever crosseth it as Gods blessed ordinances c. and highly prizeth any thing though never so dead and empty if it give way to the liberty of the flesh And no marvaile if the spirituall government of CHRIST be so opposed 1 because it is governmēt that limits the course of the will and casteth a bridle upon its wanderings every thing naturally resists what opposeth it so corrupt will labours to beare downe all Lawes and counteth it a generous thing not to be awed and an argument of a low spirit to feare any even GOD himselfe untill unavoydable danger seizeth on men and then those that feared least out of danger feare most in danger as we see in Balthazar 2 It is spiritual government and therefore the lesse will flesh indure it Christs government bringeth the very thoughts desires which are the most immediate and free issue of the soule into obedience though a man were of so composed a cariage that his whole life were free from outward offensive breaches yet with Christ to bee carnally or worldly mindeded is death he looketh on a worldly mind with greater detestation then any one particular offence But Christs Spirit is in those who are in some degree earthly minded True it is but not as an allower and maintainer but as an opposer subduer and in the end as a Conquerour Carnall men would faine bring Christ and the flesh together and could bee content with some reservation to submit to Christ but Christ will be no underling to any base affection and therfore where there is allowance of our selves in any sinsull lust it is a signe the Keyes were never given up to Christ to rule us 3 Because it is judgement and men love not to be judged and censured Now Christ in his truth arraigneth them giveth sentence against them and bindeth them over to the latter judgement of the great day And therefore they take upon them to judge that truth that must judge them but truth will bee too good for them Man hath a day now which Saint Paul calls mans day
thing it wil be of more use and comfort then al this world which passeth away comes to nothing Yea let us be thankfull sor that promised and assured victory which we may relie on without presumption as Saint Paul doth Thankes bee to GOD that hath given us victorie in Iesu Christ. See a slame in a spark a tree in a seed see great things in little beginnings Looke not so much to the beginning as to the perfection and so we shall bee in some degree joyfull in our selves and thankfull unto Christ. And let all this that hath beene spoken allure those that are not yet in state of grace to come under CHRISTS sweet and victorious government for though wee shall have much opposition yet if we strive hee will helpe us if we faile he wil cherish us if wee bee guided by him we shall overcome If we overcome wee are sure to be crowned And for the presēt state of the Church we see now how forlorne it is yet let us comfort our selves that CHRISTS cause shall prevaile Christ will rule till he hath made his enemies his footstoole not onely to trample up on but to helpe him up to mount higher in glory Babylon shall fall for strong is the Lord who hath condemned her Rev. 18. 8. Christs judgement not onely in his children but also against his enemies shall be victorious for hee is King of Kings and Lord of Lords GOD will not suffer Antichrist and his supports to revell and ruffle in the Church as they doe If we looke to the present state of the Church of CHRIST it is as Daniel in the midst of Lyons as a Lilly amongst thornes As a ship not onely tossed but almost covered with waves It is so low that the enemies thinke they have buried CHRIST in regard of his Gospel in the grave and there they thinke to keepe him from rising but CHRIST as he rose in his person so hee will roule away all stones rise again in his church how little support hath the Church and cause of CHRIST at this day how strong a conspiracie is against it The spirit of Antichrist is now lifted up and marcheth furiously things seeme to hang on a small and invisible thread But our comfort is that CHRIST liveth and raigneth and standeth on Mount Sion in defence of them that stand for him and when States and Kingdomes shall dash one against another CHRIST will have care of his owne Children and cause seeing there is nothing else in the world that he much esteemeth At this very time the delivery of his Church and the ruine of his enemies is in working we see not things in motion till CHRIST hath done his worke and then wee shall see that the Lord raigneth CHRIST and his Church when they are at the lowest are neerest rising his enemies at the highest are neerest a downefall The Iewes are not yet come in under CHRISTS banner but GOD that hath perswaded Iaphet to come into the Tents of Shem will perswade Shem to come into the Tents of Iaphet The fulnesse of the Gentiles is not yet come in but CHRIST that hath the utmost parts of the earth given him for his possession will gather all the sheepe his Father hath given him into one fold that there may bee one sheepfold and one shepheard The faithfull Iewes rejoyced to thinke of the calling of the Gentiles and why should not we joy to thinke of the calling of the Iewes The Gospels course hath hitherto been as that of the Sun from East to West and so in GODS time may proceed yet further West No creature can hinder the course of the Sun nor stop the influence of heaven nor hinder the blowing of the winde much lesse hinder the prevailing power of divine truth untill CHRIST hath brought all under one head and then he will present all to his Father these are they thou hast given unto me these are they that have taken mee for their Lord and King that have suffered with mee My will is that they bee where I am and raigne with mee And then hee will deliver up the Kingdome even to his Father and put downe all other rule and authority and power Let us then bring our hearts to holy resolutions and set our selves upon that which is good and against that which is ill in our selves or others according to our callings upon this incouragement that CHRISTS grace and power shall goe along with us What had become of that great worke of Reformation of Religion in the latter Spring of the Gospel if men had not beene armed with invincible courage to out-stride all lets upon this faith that the cause was CHRISTS and that he would not be wanting to his owne cause Luther ingenuosly confessed that he caried matters often inconsiderately and with mixture of passion but upon acknowledgement GOD tooke not advantage of his errors but the cause being GODS and his aymes being holy to promote the truth and being a mighty man in prayer and strong in faith GOD by him kindled that fire which all the world shall never bee able to quench According to our faith so is our incouragement to all duties therefore let us strengthen faith that it may strengthen all other graces This very beliefe that faith shall bee victorious is a meanes to make it so indeed Beleeve it therefore that though it bee often as smoaking flax yet it shall preuaile If it prevaile with GOD himselfe in tryalls shall it not prevaile over all other opposition Let us waite a while and we shall see the salvation of the Lord. The Lord reveale himselfe more and more unto us in the face of his Sonne Iesus CHRIST and magnifie the power of his grace in cherishing those beginnings of grace in the middest of our corruptions and sanctifie the consideration of our owne infirmities to humble us and of his tender mercy to incourage us And perswade us that since he hath taken us into the covenant of grace hee will not cast us off for those corruptions which as they grieve his Spirit so they make us vile in our owne eyes And because Sathan labours to obscure the glory◅ of his mercy and hinder our comfort by discouragements The Lord adde this to the rest of his mercies that since he is so gracious to those that yeeld to his goverment we may make the right use of this grace and not lose any portion of comfort that is layd up for us in CHRIST And hee vouchsafe to let the prevailing power of his Spirit in us bee an evidence of the truth of grace begun and a pledge of finall victory at that time when he will be all in all in all his for all eternity Amen FINIS Heb. 10. 7. 1 Th. s. 5 14 Hosea 2. 24. Rev. 22. 17. M◅ 11. 28 Esay 53. 1. 1 Ioh. 3. 23. Ioh. 16. 9. 2 Cor. 3. 20. Es. 5. 8. Hos. 11. 9. Eph. 3. 18. Es. 57.