7 We may read in Exodus 17. 7. that the Israelites through distrust, doubted whether God was among them, because they saw not such visible signs of Gods presence and favour as they would. With the like doubt our Saviour Christ was tempted by the devil, Luc. 4 who laboured to make him doubt, whether he were the Son of God, because he wanted some things which were needful for this life: whereby we may learn to know our own corruption, how ready we are to judge, as the Israelites did, because we s•e not such ordinary helps as we and other of Gods children have at sometimes had: but we are to correct this in ourselves, and on the contrary to think that God is amongst us, and with us, although we see some tokens of his anger. Thus do we reason in religion. Is this true religion, seeing1 there be so many diversities of judgments, such little godliness, it is like it is not, but rather we are to look for some other: so we reason in the common-wealth. Is this government good, which bringeth so great hurly burlies, and so great troubles: so in marriage, when contentions and temptations do arise, then they think they were not joined together by God: so in every kind of trouble, we judge of the presence and providence of God by our outward sense & feeling. This is the policy of the devil, to cause men either to sink down2 in despair, or else to be impatient, & at the least to murmur. But to prevent this, these are some remedies following. The first, that we look to the word, and when we see that religion3 hath always had troubles, and so shall have still, then shall we straightways see that our judgement is fleshly. Secondly, when we see that many of Gods children in the world, as Job 4and others had trouble in their marriage, and yet that it was of God, then shall we learn that our judgement is not according to the spirit. Then let us consider that the devil doth herein exercise policy to overthrow our marriage, & we shall be wary to avoid them. And if many have been in this state, & yet the Lord hath not left them, why should we yield to the temptation of Satan, who would persuade us that our case is worse? Thirdly, we must5 look to the former mercies of God, which we have felt.
7 We may reade in Exodus 17. 7. that the Israelites through distrust, doubted whether God was among them, because they saw not such visible signes of Gods presence and fauour as they would. With the like doubt our Sauiour Christ was tempted by the diuel, Luc. 4 who laboured to make him doubt, whether he were the Sonne of God, because he wanted some things which were needful for this life: wherby we may learne to know our own corruption, how ready we are to iudge, as the Israelits did, because we s•e not such ordinary helps as we and other of Gods children haue at sometimes had: but we are to correct this in ourselues, and on the contrarie to thinke that God is amongst vs, and with vs, although we see some tokens of his anger. Thus do we reason in religion. Is this true religion, seeing1 there be so many diuersities of iudgments, such little godlines, it is like it is not, but rather we are to looke for some other: so we reason in the common-wealth. Is this gouernment good, which bringeth so great hurly burlies, and so great troubles: so in mariage, when contentions and temptations do arise, then they thinke they were not ioyned together by God: so in euery kind of trouble, we iudge of the presence and prouidence of God by our outward sense & feeling. This is the policie of the diuel, to cause men either to sink downe2 in despaire, or else to be impatient, & at the least to murmur. But to preuent this, these are some remedies following. The first, that we looke to the word, and when we see that religion3 hath alwaies had troubles, and so shall haue still, then shall we straightwaies see that our iudgement is fleshly. Secondly, whē we see that many of Gods children in the world, as Iob 4and others had trouble in their mariage, and yet that it was of God, then shall we learne that our iudgement is not according to the spirit. Then let vs consider that the diuel doth herein exercise policie to ouerthrow our mariage, & we shal be wary to auoide them. And if many haue been in this state, & yet the Lord hath not left them, why should we yeeld to the temptation of Sathan, who would perswade vs that our case is worse? Thirdly, we must5 looke to the former mercies of God, which we haue felt.
- 1Corrupt reasons of blind men concerning religion.Corrupt reasons of blinde men concerning religion.
- 2Remedies.
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