Life eternalLife eternall

Then, if thou wouldest have constancy in any thing, thou must look up to God. Every creature is mutable; it is so for unchangeable, as constancy is communicated to it from the unchangeable God.

Then, if thou wouldest have constancie in any thing, thou must looke up to God. Every creature is mutable; it is so for unchangeable, as constancie is communicated to it from the unchangeable God.

Consider this for matter of grace. When thou hast got any good desires, or good purposes, at any time, remember that the being of them comes from God. Hence it comes to pass, that good purposes oft-times do come to nothing, and like sparks go out again; because we remember not that they are from God; we think that if we have good purposes to day, if we be spiritually minded to day, we shall be so tomorrow; and thus you deceive your selves, you must consider that the being of them comes from God: that place is remarkable, 1 Chron. 29.18. when David had rejoiced that the people had offered willingly,¹ he prays that GOD would keep it in the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts: If we would thus hang upon him, and depend on him, when the Spirit hath breathed in us at any time, when we have any sparks of truth, and are warmed with any holy affections, if we would give him the glory of this, that he gives a being, if we would make this prayer that David doth, you would find it a means to make you more equal, and more even in grace. And what I say of this, I say of all other things. It is the fault of us all, we are subject to the which is said of wicked men, Isai. 56.12.² Come ye (say they) I will fetch wine, and we will fill our selves with strong ⟨p. 118⟩