Again,3 when thou hast gotten an answer, perhaps, after thou hast gotten thine answers, ⟨p. 122⟩thou must wait long before the thing it self be given thee: Therefore consider if thou be content to wait for it: for that is the property of faith, to be willing to wait, as David often repeats it, I waited upon the Lord. You know, Abraham, how GOD tried him that way, when he made him a promise of a seed, of a Son, you know how long he waited for the performance. So Isaac, he waited long, before he had those two sons, Jacob and Esau. So GOD will put thee to it to wait, it may be, for matter of justification; that is, he will not show himself, he will not speak peace unto thee, he will not give thee a good look; but yet he gives thee a secret strength that thou shalt wait, thou shalt not give over, thou shalt stay till he speak pe•ce; that is, till […] comfortable assurance, till thou have the full testimony of the Spirit, as thou hast a secret testimony at the first working of faith. And so for matter of sanctification; It may be, GOD will suffer some strong lust to wrestle with thee, to contend with thee, as he suffered in Paul, he will put thee to wait, before he will give thee victory over it. If thy faith be good now, thou wilt consider that he hath sworn, he hath made an absolute promise, that he will give the Holy Ghost to those that are in Christ, that no sin shall overcome them, or have dominion over them. If once thou come under grace, if thou have faith, ⟨p. 123⟩thou wilt never give over, but wilt be content to wait, and to continue still striving and wrestling with it, thou wilt never lay down the wasters, as a man that is overcome, as a man that is discouraged, as a man that is weary of the fight.
Againe,3 when thou hast gotten an answer, perhaps, after thou hast gotten thine answers, ⟨p. 122⟩thou must waite long before the thing it selfe be giuen thee: Therefore consider if thou be content to waite for it: for that is the property of faith, to be willing to waite, as Dauid often repeates it, I waited vpon the Lord. You know, Abraham, how GOD tryed him that way, when hee made him a promise of a seede, of a Sonne, you know how long he waited for the performance. So Isaac, he waited long, before hee had those two sonnes, Iacob and Esau. So GOD will put thee to it to waite, it may be, for matter of justification; that is, he will not shew himselfe, he will not speake peace vnto thee, he will not giue thee a good looke; but yet he giues thee a secret strength that thou shalt waite, thou shalt not giue ouer, thou shalt stay till hee speake pe•ce; that is, till 〈…〉 comfortable assurance, till thou haue the full testimony of the Spirit, as thou hast a secret testimony at the first working of faith. And so for matter of sanctification; It may be, GOD will suffer some strong lust to wrestle with thee, to contend with thee, as hee suffered in Paul, he will put thee to waite, before he will giue thee victory ouer it. If thy faith bee good now, thou wilt consider that hee hath sworne, hee hath made an absolute promise, that he will giue the Holy Ghost to those that are in Christ, that no sinne shall ouercome them, or haue dominion ouer them. If once thou come vnder grace, if thou haue faith, ⟨p. 123⟩thou wilt neuer giue ouer, but wilt be content to waite, and to continue still striuing and wrestling with it, thou wilt neuer lay downe the wasters, as a man that is ouercome, as a man that is discouraged, as a man that is wearie of the fight.
- 3To be content to wait.To be content to waite.
