For our better encouragement in these sad times, and to help our trust 1in God the more, we should often call to mind the former experiences, which either our selves or others have had of Gods goodness, and make use of the same for our spiritual good; Our Fathers trusted in thee, (saith the head of 2the Church) and were not confounded; Gods truth and goodness is unchangeable, he never leaves those that trust in him; so likewise in our own experiences, 3we should take notice of Gods dealing• with us in sundry kinds, how many ways he hath refreshed us, and how good we have found him in our worst times; After we have once tried him and his truth, we may safely trust him; God will stand upon his credit, he never failed any yet, and he will not begin to break with us; If his nature and his word, and his former dealing hath been sure and square, why should our ⟨p. 313⟩hearts be wavering? thy word (saith the Psalmist) is very pure (or tried) therefore 4thy servant loveth it; the word of God is as silver tried in the furnace, purified seven times; It is good therefore to observe and lay up Gods dealings; Experience is nothing else, but a multiplied remembrance of former blessings, which will help to multiply our faith; tried truth and tried faith unto it, sweetly agree and answer one another; It were a course much tending to the quickening of the faith of Christians, if they would communicate one to 5another their mutual experiences; this hath formerly been the custom of Gods people. Come and hear all ye that 6•re God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul; And David urgeth this as a reason to God for deliverance, 7that then the righteous would compass him about, as rejoicing in the experience of Gods goodness to him; The want of this makes us upon any new trial to call Gods care and love into question, as if he had never formerly been good unto us; whereas every ⟨p. 314⟩experiment of Gods love should refresh our faith upon any fresh onset; God is so good to his children even in this world, that he trains them up by daily renewed experiences of his fatherly care; for besides those many promises of good things to come, he gives us some evidence and taste of what we believe here; that by that which we feel we might be strengthened in that we look for, that so in both (1. sense of what we feel, and 2.
For our better incouragement in these sad times, and to helpe our trust 1in God the more, we should often call to minde the former experiences, which either our selves or others have had of Gods goodnesse, and make use of the same for our spirituall good; Our Fathers trusted in thee, (saith the head of 2the Church) and were not confounded; Gods truth and goodnesse is unchangeable, he never leaves those that trust in him; so likewise in our owne experiences, 3we should take notice of Gods dealing• with us in sundry kindes, how many wayes he hath refreshed us, and how good we have found him in our worst times; After wee have once tryed him and his truth, we may safely trust him; God will stand upon his credit, he never failed any yet, and he will not begin to breake with us; If his nature and his word, and his former dealing hath beene sure and square, why should our ⟨p. 313⟩hearts be wavering? thy word (saith the Psalmist) is very pure (or tryed) therefore 4thy servant loveth it; the word of God is as silver tryed in the furnace, purified seven times; It is good therefore to observe and lay up Gods dealings; Experience is nothing else, but a multiplyed remembrance of former blessings, which will help to multiply our faith; tryed truth and tryed faith unto it, sweetly agree and answer one another; It were a course much tending to the quickning of the faith of Christians, if they would communicate one to 5another their mutuall experiences; this hath formerly beene the custome of Gods people. Come and heare all ye that 6•re God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soule; And David urgeth this as a reason to God for deliverance, 7that then the righteous would compasse him about, as rejoycing in the experience of Gods goodnesse to him; The want of this makes us upon any new tryall to call Gods care and love into question, as if hee had never formerly beene good unto us; whereas every ⟨p. 314⟩
- 110. By calling to mind former experiences of Gods love.10. By calling to minde former experiences of Gods love.
- 2Psal. 22. 4.
- 3Psal. 9. 10.
- 4Psal. 119. 140. Psal. 12. 6.
- 5Christians should communicate their experiences.Christians should cō municate their experiences.
- 6Psal. 66. 19
- 7Ps. 142. 7.
