Thirdly, This is matter of great comfort unto the godly,1 that in the midst of so many temptations, snares, impediments, amongst which we walk, not only the safety of our souls, and security of our eternal salvation; but even our present condition in this life, our conversion, our obedience, all our pious purposes of heart, all the progress we make in an holy conversation, do not depend upon the weakness and uncertainty of an humane will, but upon the infallible truth, the constant promise, the immutable purpose, the invincible power, the free love the absolute grate, the omnipotent wisdom and working of God, who doth whatsoever he pleaseth both in heaven and earth, and worketh all things by the counsel of his own will, I the Lord change not, therefore you sons of ⟨p. 92⟩Jacob are not consumed, Mal. 3.6. We poor and weak men change with every wind strong to day, and weak to morrow: fixed and resolute to day, shaken and staggering to morrow: running forward to day, and revolting as fast to morrow: no hold to be taken of our promises, no trust to be given to our Covenants. Like Peter on the water, we walk one step and we sink another. All our comfort is this, our strength and standing is not founded in our selves, but in the rock whereon we are built, and in the power of God, by which we are kept through faith unto salvation, out of whose hands none are able to pluck us; our very actions are wrought in us, and carried on unto their end by the power of Christ, who hath mercy, wisdom, and strength enough to rescue us, as from the power of hell and death, so from the danger of our own fickle and froward hearts. To see a man when he is half a mile from his enemy draw a sword to encounter him, or take up a stone to hit him, would be but a ridiculous spectacle: for what could he do with such weapons by his own strength at such a distance? But if he mount a canon, and point that level against the enemy, this we do not wonder at, though the distance be so great: because though the action be originally his, yet the effect of it proceedeth from the force of the materials and instruments which he useth, to wit, the powder, the bullet, the fire, the canon. It seemed absurd in the eye of the enemy for little David with a Shepherds bag and a sling to go against Goliath an armed Giant: and it produced in ⟨p. 93⟩his proud heart much disdain and insultation, 1 Sam.
Thirdly, This is matter of great comfort unto the godly,1 that in the midst of so many temptations, snares, impediments, amongst which we walk, not onely the s•fetie of our souls, and securitie of our eternall salvation; but even our present condition in this life, our conversion, our obedience, all our pious purposes of heart, all the progresse we make in an holy conversation, do not depend upon the weaknesse and uncertainty of an humane will, but upon the infallible truth, the constant p•omise, the immutable purpose, the invincible power, the free love the abs•lute grate, the omnipotent wisdome and working of God, who doth whatsoever he pleaseth both in heaven and earth, and worketh all things by the counsell of his own will, I the Lord change not, therefore you sonnes of ⟨p. 92⟩Jacob are not consumed, Mal. 3.6. We poore and weak men change with every winde strong to day, and weak to morrow: fixed and resolute to day, sh•ken and staggering to morrow: running forward to day, and revolting as fast to morrow: no hold to be taken of our promises, no trust to bee given to our Covenants. Like Peter on the water, we walk one step and we sink another. All our comfort is this, our strength and standing is not founded in our selves, but in the rock whereon we are built, and in the power of God, by which we are kept through faith unto salvation, out of whose hands none are able to pluck us; our verie actions are wrought in us, and carried on unto their end by the power of Christ, who hath mercy, wisedome, and strength enough to rescue us, as from the power of hell and death, so from the danger of our own fickle and froward hearts. To see a man when hee is halfe a mile from his enemie draw a sword to encounter him, or take up a stone to hit him, would be but a ridiculous spectacle: for what could he do with such weapons by his own strength at such a distance? But if he mount a canon, and point that levell against the enemie, this we do not wonder at, though the distance be so great: because though the action be originally his, yet the effect of it proceedeth from the force of the materials and instruments which he useth, to wit, the powder, the bullet, the fire, the canon. It seemed absurd in the eye of the enemy for little David with a Shepheards bagge and a sling to go against Goliah an armed Gyant: and it produced in ⟨p. 93⟩
- 1Sect. 13.
