A55752:250
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...
London: printed by J.T., 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The fifth sign whereby you shall know whether your judgements are rectified is this: examine whether you are 1in the times of trial, as you are in these times; so you are either strong or weak, and so God esteems of you; for God esteems a man strong, as he is in the times of trial; Thus he approved of Abraham, for Abraham in the time of ⟨p. 77⟩trial was strong, and Paul in the time of trial was strong, and therefore God set a price upon them: that is he prized them at a high rate. Abraham is his friend, and Paul is his chosen vessel; and not only when the temptation is past, but when the temptation is present. Then see your strength whether you have strength to Master particular corruptions: if in this time you start aside, you have flaws and much weakness in you: That is you are like a broken bow, that will serve for show as well as the best, but when a man comes to draw it, then it breaks; so some men seem to be strong in Christ till they are tried; but when they are drawn up, then they break; That is, they have no strength to withstand sin: And therefore it is that God many times sends temptations and afflictions to try men; That is to see what is in them; whether they be such as they seem or not: not that he knows not before; but because by his trial others may know what they are, And here God makes a difference in trials, some are tried by small, others by great trials, partly because Hypocrites may be known, and partly because he may stir up the godly to get more strength, As also warn them not to depend on their own strength: therefore in the Isai 40 last: 2of strong they became weak. That is he that thought himself to be strong in his own apprehension is weak, and thus much for the third means.
The fifth sign whereby you shall know whether your judgements are rectified is this: examine whether you are 1in the times of tryal, as you are in these times; so you are either strong or weak, and so God esteems of you; for God esteems a man strong, as he is in the times of trial; Thus he approved of Abraham, for Abraham in the time of ⟨p. 77⟩