Phi. Neighbour, take a good hart ⟨p. 379⟩unto you, and you shall shortly see the wonderful working of God.1 For behold, he that keepeth Israel, doth nether slumber nor sleep. The Lord him self is your keeper, the Lord is your defence, the lord shall preserve you from all evil: yea, the Lord shall keep your soul. For as he casteth down, so lifteth he up again. As he killeth: so he quickeneth.2 As he now for a little time suffereth Satan to disquiet you, for the exercise, probation, and trial of your faith: so likewise will he deliver you out of this agony, & give you again a joyful, merry, and quiet conscience. For the nature and property of God is to wound:3 before he healeth, to throw down: before he lifteth up, to kill: before he quickeneth, to condemn: before he saveth. Therefore fear not. For the lord dealeth none otherwise with ⟨p. 380⟩you, than he doeth with his other saints. This your trouble he will turn to ease, and this your sorrow will he turn to joy, as he saith in the Gospel,4 verily verily I say unto you: ye shall weep & lament: but contrariwise the world shall rejoice. Ye shall sorrow, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she traveleth hath sorrow, because her hour is come, but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your hearts shall rejoice and your joy shall no man take away from you. In this your heavy conflict God seemeth to have withdrawn the glorious beams of his fatherly grace from you, but he will straightways lighten his godly countenance upon you, and ⟨p. 381⟩work such joys in your heart, through his holy spirit, as heretofore you felt never the like. And this your joy, shall never be taken from you. Therefore whatsoever satan that old cankered enemy of mankind goeth about to persuade you,5 believe him not, but resist him with strong faith, ever remembering that he is both a liar and a murderer. You are a member of that congregation,6 which is built upon the rock Christ,7 against whom the gates of hell, shall not prevail.
Phi. Neighbour, take a good hart ⟨p. 379⟩vnto you, and you shall shortly see the wonderfull working of God.1 For behold, he that kepeth Israell, doth nether slomber nor slepe. The Lord him self is your keper, the Lord is your defence, the lord shall preserue you from all euill: yea, the Lord shal kepe your soule. For as he casteth down, so lifteth he vp againe. As he killeth: so he quickeneth.2 As he nowe for a little tyme suffreth Sathan to disquiet you, for the exercise, probation, and triall of your faythe: so likewyse will he deliuer you oute of this agonie, & geue you againe a ioyfull, mery, and quiet conscience. For the nature and property of God is to woūd:3 before he healeth, to throwe downe: before he lifteth vp, to kyll: before he quickneth, to condemne: before he saueth. Therfore feare not. For the lord dealeth none otherwise with ⟨p. 380⟩you, than he doeth with his other saincts. This your trouble he wil turn to ease, and this your sorowe wyl he turne to ioy, as he sayth in the Gospell,4 verely verely I saye vnto you: ye shal wepe & lament: but contrariwise the worlde shall reioyse. Ye shall sorowe, but your sorow shall be turned into ioye. A woman when she traueleth hath sorow, because her houre is come, but assone as she is deliuered of ye childe, she remembreth no more ye anguishe for ioy that a mā is born into the world. And ye now therefore haue sorow, but I wil see you againe, and your heartes shal reioyse and your ioye shall no man take away from you. In this your heauy cōflict God semeth to haue withdrawn the glorious beames of his fatherly grace frō you, but he will straightways lighten his godly countenaūce vpon you, and ⟨p. 381⟩worke suche ioyes in your heart, through his holy spirit, as heretofore you felt neuer the lyke. And this your ioy, shall neuer be taken from you. Therefore whatsoeuer sathan that old canckred ennemy of mankinde goeth about to perswade you,5 beleue hym not, but resiste him with strong faith, euer remembring that he is both a lier and a murtherer. You are a member of that congregation,
- 1Psal. cxvi.
- 2ii. Cor. i.
- 3The property of God in his elect.The propertie of God in his elect.
- 4John. xvi.Iohn. xvi.
- 5i. Pet. v.
- 6John. viii.Iohn. viii.
- 7Math. xvi.
