A Golden Chain

¹This comes to pass, because the Lord very often in and by one contrary works another. Clay and spittle tempered together in reason should put out a mans eyes: but Christ used it as a means to give sight to the blind. Water in reason should put out fire: but Elijah when he would show that Jehovah was the true God, pours water on his sacrifice, and fills a trench therewith to make the sacrifice burn. The like appeareth in the work of grace to salvation. A man that hath lived in security, by Gods goodness hath his eyes opened to see his sins and his heart touched to feel the huge and loathsome burden of them, and therefore to bewail his wretched estate, with bitterness of heart. Hereupon he presently thinks that God will make him a firebrand of hell: whereas indeed the Lord is now about to work, and frame in his heart sanctification and sound repentance never to be repented of. The man which hath had some good persuasions of Gods favour in Christ, comes afterward upon many occasions to be troubled and to be overwhelmed with distrustfulness & grievous doubtings of his salvation, so as he judgeth himself to have been but an hypocrite in former times, and for the time present a cast-away. But indeed hereby the Lord exerciseth, fashioneth, and increaseth his weak faith. In one word, mark this point, That the graces of God peculiar to the elect, are begun, increased, and made manifest in or by their contraries.

¹This comes to passe, because the Lord very often in and by one contrarie works another. Clay and spittle tempered togither in reason should put out a mans eies: but Christ vsed it as a meanes to giue sight to the blinde. Water in reason should put out fire: but Elias when he would shew that Iehoua was the true God, poures water on his sacrifice, and fils a trench therewith to make the sacrifice burne. The like appeareth in the worke of grace to saluation. A man that hath liued in securitie, by Gods goodnes hath his eyes opened to see his sinnes and his heart touched to feele the huge and loathsome burden of thē, and therefore to bewaile his wretched estate, with bitternes of heart. Hereupon he presently thinkes that God will make him a firebrand of hell: whereas indeede the Lord is now about to worke, and frame in his heart sanctification and sound repentance neuer to be repented of. The man which hath had some good perswasions of Gods fauour in Christ, comes afterward vpon many occasions to be troubled and to be ouerwhelmed with distrustfulnes & grieuous doubtings of his saluation, so as he iudgeth himselfe to haue beene but an hypocrite in former times, and for the time present a cast-away. But indeed hereby the Lord exerciseth, fashioneth, and increaseth his weake faith. In one word, marke this point, That the graces of God peculiar to the elect, are begunne, increased, and made manifest in or by their contraries.