promises of God in Christ when thou art in any straight or temptation as wel for thy present provision and preservation in this life as for thy salvation in the life to come abstaining from the use of any unlawfull or unwarrantable practices Gen. 22.8 And Abraham said My son God will provide himselfe a Lambe for a burnt offering so they went both of them together Exod. 14.13 And Moses said unto the people Feare ye not stand still and see the salvation of the Lord what he will shew to you to day for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day yee shall see them againe no more for ever Mar. XI If thou canst find in thy heart that thou dost love God sincerely although thou couldst never love him but that hee loved thee first Joh. 21.17 And hee said unto him the third time Simon son of Jonas lovest thou mee Peter was grieved because hee said unto him the third time Lovest thou me And hee said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee 1 Joh. 4.19 Wee love him because hee first loved us Rom. 5.5 And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us Mar. XII If thou canst heartily love good Christians and others that have helped thee on to heaven and on the contrarie doest hate and avoid wicked and dissolute men but most of all such as withdraw others from the faith or by scandalous lives have caused the faith to bee blasphemed and evill spoken of 1 Joh 3.14 Wee know wee have passed from death to life because wee love the brethren Mat. 10.41 He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward and hee that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward Rom. 16.4 Who for my life laid down their own necks unto whom not only I give thanks but also all the Churches of the Gentiles Gal. 4.14 And my temptation which was in my flesh you despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus Ps 15.4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but hee honoureth them that fear the Lord. 1 Tim. 3.3 Without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good Mar. XIII The fight between the flesh and the spirit Rom. 7.23 But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing mee into captivity to the law of sinne which is in my members Gal. 5.17 For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot doe the things you would Mar. XIV If wee long for the appearing of Christ Revel 22.20 He which testifies these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen even so come Lord Jesus 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for mee a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give mee at that day and not to mee onely but unto them also that love his appearing Mar. XV. If thou makest conscience of secret sinnes which none eye sees as a hard heart a secure proud heart if thou lookest not so much to the matter of good duties as to the manner if they bee done in truth and sincerity also if thou dost apply both the promises and the threatnings to thee in the Word of God and lovest and admirest grace more in others then in thy selfe and hatest sin in all but most in thy selfe Thou mayest take comfort from these if thou canst doe them in a holy manner namely 1. With uprightnesse of heart 2. With continuance 3. With daily growth in the practice of them And to this end two things must be practised 1. Use often to examine and try and search thy heart and all thy actions 2. Take an often account of thy life concerning thy progresse in the course of godlinesse for want of this examination many live and die hypocrites and know it not but suppose their case is good 1 Chro. 29.17 I know also my God that thou tryest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightnesse as for me in the uprightnesse of mine heart I have offered all these things 1 Joh. 3.18 My little children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth Rev. 2.19 I know thy workes and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last bee more then the first 2 Tim. 3.7 Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Psal 119.59 I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate upon these things give thy selfe wholly to them that thy profiting may appeare to all Gal. 1.14 And profited in the Jewes religion above many my equals in mine owne nation being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my Fathers Heb. 5.12 For when for the time yee ought to be teachers yee have need that one teach you againe which bee the first principles of the oracles of God and are become such as have need of milke and not of strong meat Mar. XVI If thou dost desire to keepe no corruption or if thy endeavours bee constant in the use of all meanes against every corruption Mar. XVII If thou desirest Christ for his holinesse-sake which if thou dost then thou wilt take all that comes with holinesse whether it bee shame or disgrace or persecution c. FINIS
freed from the guilt of sinne in justification from the slavery of sin in sanctification In Act. 8. when Peter was in the towne streets he perceived hee was not in a dreame but it was a thing reall so it is with thy soule Canst thou finde that God hath knockt off thy fetters then thou mayst know this is a realitie not a dreame of grace If Peter had dreamed he had been out of prison and had been fettered in the morning hee would have knowne hee had been in a dreame so thou hast dreamed that God hath renewed thee Are thy fetters of sin on thee then it was but a dream indeed and when thou awakest by death thou shalt see thy selfe bound up in chaines of darknesse Psalm 45.17 All the sonnes of God are Princes all Gods servants are free-men 1 Cor. 7.22 If thou art Christs thou art a free man to be carried uncontrollably to good though sinne and Sathan conspire against thee they shall never overcome thee but thou shalt still be victorious Qu. But what shall we say of many that seeme holy whose sinnes clogge thim heavily Where was Saint Pauls freedome when hee was led captive as hee speakes of himselfe Of the captivity of sin in the godly An. A man may be led captive and yet be free too This freedome in captivity appeares in three things 1. Though many times by the violence of Occasions the Saints are surprized yet they have hearts to approve of the good they cannot do This is that Saint Iames speaks of Chap. 1. ult If a man saith he hath Religion and sweareth and rayleth against Gods truth hee deceives himselfe but this is pure religion to keep a mans selfe unspotted Looke as it is with a City besieged when it is taken the enemies make those that are in the city sweare to their King if now a man resolves to take his death rather then the oath he keepes himselfe unspotted from treason So Sathan by long siege transports the heart unto the commission of evill yet the soule keepes it selfe untainted when it chuses the good it cannot do Deut. 22.25 if an adulterer offer a rape to a Virgin the sinne is his that forced her it lies not on the party forced so Sathan in a sort forceth the soule to the commission of evill if therefore thine heart beare it as a burthen the fault is Sathans and not thine 2. Yet the soule takes part with the word against both the temptations that would inveigle it the corruptions that would foyle it As it approveth all good so it joynes sides with the word against all evill Rom. 7.15 I doe the thing that I hate The spirit lusteth against the flesh the heart is resolved to die in the quarrell though it cannot prevaile as it would yet it will fight as it can 2 Cor. 13.8 I can doe nothing against the truth 3 The soule gets the upper hand of evill David was never adulterous more Peter never denied his master more the soule not onely reformes infirmities outwardly but subdues the distempers inwardly 1 Ioh. 5 18. Hee keepes himselfe that the evill one touch him not Rom. 8.2 The law of the Spirit sets a man free from the law of sin and of death Sathan saith Thou mayst be full of malice and spleen the law of meeknesse saith I will not bee full of spleen so also the law of humility takes off the law of pride Pro. 28.13 Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinne shall finde mercy the same phrase is used Gen. 2. The wife shall forsake father and mother The woman forsakes First the place and company Secondly the authority of father and mother Thirdly shee is not to perform what service they will require but what her husband requires so the soule must forsake the house of sin If thou wert married to Christ thou wouldst loathe the place and abhorre the society of those that goe down into hell themselves and lead others with them I say if a man were married to Christ hee would not bee under the authority of corruption but being delivered from the bondage of sinne will utterly forsake it To get liberty labour for holinesse Use 3. The third Use is of exhortation The former truth should force every soule to imploy the best of his endeavours to gaine this holinesse Will any man be a free man let him be an holy man Bee sure of the one and thou canst not misse of the other and where the one is not the other cannot bee Liberty should bee like a load-stone to draw us to it Nature hateth slavery then if we would bee freed from it let us get holinesse Experience teaches that the poor bird will beat her selfe to death rather then be kept in a Cage What poor shifts men in captivitie take to bee freed from those that are hard taskemasters over them our often Briefes shew Wee are all captives taken by the policy of Satan Let us make a gathering out of the stock of the prayers of Gods servants and let thine owne prayer bee Oh guide and direct mee how to get power against my corruptions How carefull are men to purchase the liberty of a Corporation and how highly doe they account of it when they have it In Acts 22.23 Saint Paul saith he purchased to be a free man of Rome with a great summe What slavish hearts have wee then when we may be incorporated into the body of Christ and will stick for a little Goe and sell that you have what ever it cost you that you may bee free men in Christianitie Christ saith Joh. 8.32 If you continue in my words you shall be free To continue in Gods word is to submit to the authority of the truth for if we doe thus we are free Rev. 6.2 And I saw and behold a white horse c. The white horse there is the truth It is called a white horse because of the purity of it and it prevailes wheresoever it comes Would you be free then let the Word prevaile in you Is it not every mans desire that when the strength of corruption and the violence of persecution presse in upon him then to be conquerour of all Labour then to get this image of God and you shall be above all things but God and be carried on incontrollably in a good course §. 7. NOw wee proceed to the image of God in the affections of Adam as love joy Of Gods image in the affections delight sorrow feare which are seated in the sensitive soule for all sensitive creatures have them The poore creature feares the whip and the creature againe sports and delights it selfe Now these Adam had and in these was the image of God Qu. What was the image of God in the affections of Adam Ans It appeared in that serviceable subjection What it is sweet agreement and submission which they did yeeld unto holy will and right reason The Understanding directed what should bee done the
what is true and tells the heart You must not doe thus or thus the will saith I must have another verdict so that the root of liberty is mainely in the will Deut. 30.19 I have set life and death before you chuse life c. That is the blessings are many if you obey the curses are many if you disobey therefore chuse the good way Act. 5.4 Was it not in thy power c as if he should say It was in thy choice to have given or not to have given I adde that the will of Adam could chuse any good whether naturall morall or heavenly the two former remaines in us but Adam was further enabled to chuse holy things There was no command but hee was able to obey nor no truth but hee was able to chuse Good is the food of the will Adam was able to disgest any good with full content and herein mainely consists liberty for a man to chuse that which is good It is no liberty for a man to be carried on headily to evill Men esteeme none so free as they that chuse what they list I will chuse bad as well as good saith one I will profane an holy-day as well as sanctifie it but this is not free-will to be hurried on to evill In 2. Pet. 2.19 the false Apostles would give a man free liberty to doe any thing and yet goe to heaven as the Text saith 2 Pet. 2.19 promising liberty when tâ—â—y themselves are the servants of sinne There is no such slavery under heaven as to be slave to sinne but for a man to have a soveraigne uncontrolled power to be carried to that which is good truely and spiritually this is liberty The Angels of heaven are most free in the performance of their duty they are so confirmed that they cannot love evill nay God himselfe wills good most freely There are no bounds to his will and yet he cannot but will good therefore when wee are able to will good most freely wee are most free He is a free man that is able to follow good beyond persecutions and temptations The other description of liberty is a very false one 3. Without any impediment Of impediments in chusing good This is a great blessing to be able to embrace good without any hinderance Nothing could crosse Adam in his course A man may binde anothers hands but he cannot command the will There was this speciall priviledge in Adams will that nothing could thwart him Now this appeares in foure things 1. There was no weaknesse in him to disable him there was no good to be done beyond the depth of his understanding and reach of his will Psal 73.16 David had that feeblenesse of understanding that it was too difficult for him to observe the difference of Gods providence but this was not in Adam 2. There was no stirre of corruption that could oppose him corruption is like a backe-byas that hinders our course The Saints of God finde alwayes some stirrings of corruption still opposing them in duty but it was not so in Adam Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit This every Saint of God findes for when he would be humble then pride stirres c. it was otherwise with Adam 3. There was no strength of corruption that might foile him but our corruptions prevaile over us Rom. 7.23 I see another law leading mee captive unto the law of sinne Mans proud heart makes him vent wrathfull words and foyles him but Adam had no power of corruption to foyle him As it is with a ship well trimmed if winde and tide serve it goes on amain so Adams heart was full of holinesse which carried him forward to good amaine he had sea-roome to inlarge himselfe in the choice of good 4. There was nothing without to stop Adam in what he would The Divell might offer a temptation to Adam but he could offer no compulsion he might see if he could perswade him but he could not force him When the serpent spoke with Eve if she had resisted him he would have gone from her For Adam had the soveraigne dominion over the creatures the Divell only usurpt it Adam had nothing within nothing without to hinder him The fourth thing in the description is that it was after a mutable manner The meaning is Adam was able as to chuse any good which God had revealed and performe it so to entertaine any evill and commit it It was with Adams liberty as with a paire of scales that are equall if you put more into the one then the other you will easily make the one sinke and the other rise so Adam was in an even poize he might be carried to good if hee would exercise that power he had and he might turne himselfe towards evill if hee would abuse that liberty he had For the opening of this two questions may be scanned Quest 1. What was the ground of the manner of this choice of good and evill in Adam Ans It lay in the nature of Adam and flowed from that mutability which was in the nature of Adam who was a reasonable creature Though nothing could force Adam to turne from a good course yet there was a mutability joyned with his liberty that he might turne himselfe from God Solomon having discoursed of the deceit of a woman supposing it demanded whence it came He answereth Eccl. 7. ult I know that God made man upright but he sought out inventions inventions were of his owne devising not of Gods ordering Nothing in the world could compell man to doe it but hee sought out crooked wayes This was intended in the two Sacraments that Adam had Gen. 2.9 the Lord set two trees in the garden first the tree of life to intimate that as verily as he saw that tree so verily if he loved God hee should live for ever and secondly the tree of knowledge of good and evill to wit if hee did eat of that fruit hee should know what it was to have the image of God and what to bee deprived of it These two Sacraments intimated that God had set life and death before Adam hee might chuse the one and refuse the other Our Sacraments signifie not so Baptism signifies our implanting into Christ the Lords Supper signifies our growth in Christ but in the Sacraments of Adam the one shewed a possibility he had to live the other the possibility he had to dye This mutability was no part of the liberty of Adam for it destroyed his liberty but it was a quality that did accompany the condition of Adam Gen. 1.1 Darknesse was upon the face of the deepe The text doth not say God created darknesse but it did accompany the creature naturally so did this mutability accompany Adam Immutability belongs to God onely and therefore Job saith he found no stedfastnesse in his Angels mutability therefore belongs to the creature as a creature Quest But how did this stand with the perfection of Adams nature An.
the body Of Gods image in the body Ans I answer two waies 1. Negatively Wherein it stood not The image of God did not consist in the body of man so as to bee in the flesh and bloud bones and sinewes and the reason is double 1. Because if the image of God consisted in these then other creatures should have the image of God but other creatures though thus qualified have not the image of God but only Adam 2. God is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 and consequently Body implies rather an opposition There is no proportion betwixt a Spirit and a Body Luk. 24.38 A Spirit hath not flesh and bones This is against the plea of the Papists that make the image of God the Father like an old man the reason they give is because man had the image of God and therefore wee may resemble God by him I answer If flesh and bloud bee not the image of God then there is no ground to resemble God thereby Isa 40.14 To whom will yee liken mee To frame an image of God is to commit a great sin Quest Where was then the image of God in the bodie Answ In that framablenesse In what it was whereby it was moved by the reason will and affections and so did expresse the vertues of them A mercifull heart doth expresse it selfe in a bountifull hand So David Psal 45.1 Psal 45.1 My tongue is the Pen of a ready writer his heart indited it and then his tongue did speak it Quest Wherein doth this framablenesse appear Ans In two things 1. The framablenesse of the body to act the service that wisedome and holinesse required The parts were not stiffe not stubborne nor weary but in a readinesse to act what wisedome required But wee finde it otherwise in us St. Paul himselfe complained that hee was clogged with it When a man is distempered either sicke or weak there is a wearinesse in holy duties The body is then like a darke shop in which a good workman may cut his fingers When the body is full of noysome humours it is but an ill shoppe for the soule to work in but this was not in Adam 2. There was a fitnesse in each part for its taske The eye was fit to see the tongue to talke c. So that it is observed by Galen though hee were an heathen yet considering the frame of the body he fell in admiration of it so that hee professed that it was not possible for a naturall cause to bring forth such an effect Rom. 16.8 Yeeld not your members instruments to unrighteousnesse He calls the members instruments The Devill oftentimes tunes the tongue and hee seeth out of an adulterous eie yea his malice vents it selfe in an unruly tongue Looke againe in the 19. verse and there it 's said a mans members should be servants to holinesse tooles or instruments that should bee under the power of God In a tool there is both the metall and the making as in a saw or axe so there is in the parts of the body which are tooles serviceable to wisedome and the power of holinesse that they may work their works thereby An hand is a toole whereby the mercifull heart may deale mercifully Wee say in such a case Here is a gracious tongue a chast eye c. so the hand is the Almoner of a mercifull heart so that this image of God in the body is wide from that of the Papists Q. What 's the reason of this A. This Because it was not only requisite that God should instampe his image inwardly but that is should bee exprest outwardly that others might see it and glorifie God in heaven Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine among men that they may see your good works and glorifie your heavenly Father 1 Pet. 2.9 Shew forth the vertue of him that hath called you out of darknesse Hereby is Gods honour promoted Eph. 2.9 We are the workmanship of God created unto good works When men see anothers excellent workmanship they say This man was a skilfull workman So Gods workmanship is seen in you when another reviles and you are patient to beare When hee is impatient and utters words of reproach the wicked stand by and say I marvell how you can suffer it This is rare workmanship to them When the wicked challenge godly men and say What do they more then other men The answer is They feare an oath their soule abhorres the least sinne goe thou and do so they are willing to heare a reproofe doe thou likewise But when a wretched man comes to lye on his death-bed ready to go out of the world aske him then what hee thinkes of the Saints oh sayes hee that I might dye their death Thus wee see it is requisite the image of God should bee in their bodies Murther an hainous sin Use 1. This Use is for instruction Hence wee observe the hainousnesse of the sin of murther as being that which defaces the image of God after a vile manner What greater evill can there bee He that clips the Kings coyne is a traitour but if a man maimes the body of a Prince every man thinkes no punishment is enough for him That creature for the creation of which there was a consultation that creature upon whom the image of God was imprinted on whom all the works of the Trinity were expressed of the Father in Creation of the Sonne in Redemption of the Spirit in Sanctification which was the master-piece of Gods workmanship to blemish that image and overthrow the workmanship of God therein what sinne more hainous It is therefore called a crying sinne as it was said to Cain Gen. 4.10 The bloud of thy brother cries up to heaven Murther calls for vengeance and will have no nay Gen. 9.6 Hee that sheds bloud by man shall his bloud be shed because God made him after his image therefore God pursueth the malefactor with unconceiveable horrour of heart The reason is not only because of the unnaturalnes of it though that bee great for Lions and Lions Tygers and Tygers will lie together but herein also appeares the vilenesse in that all the attributes of God are up in armes against a murtherer because they have all been wronged Drunkennesse wrongs sobriety adultery wrongs chastity these sinnes wrong particular graces only and a drunkard may honor God by sobriety as hee hath dishonoured him by drunkennesse but murther defaces the image of God never to bee recovered There was a gracious tongue but when it is murthered it will never speake more a wise head Grace in the heart appears in the body but now will never plot businesse more Use 2. Hence wee see the spreading nature of grace Wheresoever holinesse and righteousnesse is it will discover it selfe If it bee in the soule it will appeare also in the body It is with grace as David speakes of the Sunne Ps 19. wheresoever it comes it casts in its beams so it is with
Barge speedily to the haven if this streame be stopped or turned another way it will not bee able to carry a Boat because the strength of it runs into another channell so 't is with the streame of providence dammed up and turned another way by distrust Mat. 14.31 when Peter was to walke upon the water all the while he sank not his faith was sure but when a great wave came then hee began to faile the Lord cryes to him Oh thou of little faith not why dost thou sink but why dost thou doubt The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why art thou divided part of his heart looked to God by faith and so was supported part looked to the waves and feared the greatnesse of them and so was carried downe the streame as plucking himselfe from under the power and providence by which he should have beene supported Reason 3. Unbeliefe indisposeth and unfitteth a man and maketh him uncapable of that mercy he begs and God is willing to bestow Look as it is with a vessell turne the back-side of it to the spout and it will scatter all the water but hold now the hollow side and then it receives it so it is with the soule unbeliefe is the back part of the heart that spils all the mercy and goodnesse that God offers in the promise and will not suffer the least refreshing thereof to come to the heart Jer. 17.5.6 Cursed bee the man that trusts to the arme of flesh and departs from the living God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall be like a naked shrub for so the originall goes and shall never see when good comes Use 1. The first Use is of terrour to dash the comforts and to daunt the hearts of all unbeleeving sinners under the cope of heaven They have no faith they shall never they can never have any thing at the hands of God for their good His pains is to no purpose his labour is lost his prayers spilt like water on the ground without any profit whoever remains in the estate of unbeliefe let him pray God will never answer him let him seek God will never be found of him let him want and beg till his eyes sinke in his head and his tongue faulter in his mouth and his heart faile in him let him not thinke hee shall ever get any good that hee begs at the hands of God nay the Lord cannot give it unlesse he should deny his owne word alter his decree make a new covenant new Scriptures make a new way to bring a company of unbeleeving wretches to heaven which God will never doe Use 2. Gods people may by way of instruction here see what price they should set on faith and what use they may have of it Faith is not onely necessary for the attainment of eternall life and salvation but is necessary also in the whole course of our lives If you pray faith must helpe you if you seeke God faith must guide you if you fast and purpose to speede carry faith with you You have not more neede and use of your breathing then of your beleeving in a Christian course Use 3. Hence the poore servants of the Lord may take comfort to themselves and cheare up their hearts in the midst of all wants that might discourage in the midst of all miseries that doe any way annoy them Let them but pray in faith and they are sure to obtaine what they pray for for all those wants of theirs are sure to bee supplyed all their miseries are sure to bee removed Goe your way and be comforted you blessed spirits You complaine your mindes are blinde your abilities poore your corruptions great your hearts straight your desires weake be it so yet if your desires be of faith God will grant them if your prayers be of faith God will hear them and accept them Ob. Oh but my wants are many my necessities great and need a great deale of mercy to pardon such sins whereof I am guilty I lack a world of wisedome to direct mee in such straights into which I am cast and yet wretch that I am I am unworthy of what I aske and have abused all that I have received Ans Bee it granted yet what ever you bee what ever you lack it skils not be your person never so unworthy or your wants never so many aske but in faith God cannot but give it Such a man cannot but obtaine what he seeks and therefore may therein be comforted because he is sure to bee satisfied abundantly and never bee upbrayded in what he shall receive Use 4. Lastly Wee have here a ground of encouragement for to call in faith and to be confident to speed and to gaine audience whenever wee call and indeede who would not beg when he shall bee certaine to speede Have but faith in prayer and have whatever ye will at the hands of God in nothing doubt and in nothing miscarry Quest. But how may wee fence our hearts and help our selves against this wavering which we see hath been the bane of our hearts and the overthrow of our prayers Ans Wee must be warie and watchfull for which observe two Rules 1. We must be marvellous fearfull that we enter not into termes of contention with the truth and set up falsehoods by cavellings disputings against the promise as when we grow willing to deceive our selves and to invent subtill pleas how wee may object against the promise and defeat it of the proper powerfull work it would have upon our hearts and deprive our selves of the comfort we might have thereby It 's said Acts 11.2 They of the circumcision * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contended with him it is the same word that is used for * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wavering in the text when we by armies of carnall reasonings and cursed cavellings against the truth of the promise set up a company of surmises and jealousies in our soules to keep off and to stop the entrance of the promise into our hearts are apt to say as Nicodemus did unto our Saviour Joh. 3.9 How can these things be and with Sarah who laughed and said Gen. 18.13 Can Sarah have children in her old age 2. A man is said to waver when hee questions the promise though hee doe not dispute against it This we must be as wary of as of the other Act. 10.39 when the Lord had directed Peter in the vision that hee should not count the Gentiles uncleane he professes he came without gainesaying for when the Lord hath promised and the Word hath spoken wee ought not once to question it but conclude undeniably that it wil be Ps 23. Doubtlesse mercy and truth shall follow mee all the dayes of my life Isa 39. He hath said hee will doe it and not one jot nor one tittle of his Word shall faile which may bee a good ground to keepe our faith from failing and our prayers from