A treatise of the divine promises in five bookes : in the first, a generall description of their nature, kinds, excellency, right use, properties, and the persons to whom they belong : in the foure last, a declaration of the covenant it selfe .../ by Edvvard Legh ...

3. Particular falls through frailty.

Comforts in regard of slips and frailties.

1. GOD will uphold his and keepe them from falling.

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keepe them from the evill, Joh. 17.20. The LORD is faithfull, who shall stablish you and keepe you from evill, 2 Thess. 3.3. That your whole soule and body may be preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. Faith∣full is hee that calleth you, who ••lso will doe it, 1 Thess. 5.23, 24. GOD watcheth over his peo∣ple to defend them from sinne, 2 Tim. 4 17, 18. Rom. 7.24, 25. Psa. 73.23, 24. Ier. 32.39, 40. His mercy holdeth up the godly, when they say their foot slippeth, Psal. 94.18. He will be their confidence, and shall keepe their foot from being taken, Pro. 3.26. He will keepe the feete of his Saints, 1 Sam. 2.9. And guide their feete into the way of peace,

Luke 1.79. And thine eare shall heare a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walke yee in it, when yee turne to the right hand and when yee turne to the left, Esay 30.21.

The childe of GOD hath a promise of preservation from the sinne unpardonable, 1 Iohn 5.18.

2. Comforts to those that doe fall through infirmity.

But of this I have spoken al∣ready, when I treated of the dai∣ly and generall Infirmities of Christians, therefore I will (tan∣quam can••s ad Nilum) runne over it hastily.

GODS people after re∣lapse into some old, or fall into some new sinne, when their heart is smitten for it, may comfort themselves with such precious places as these, 1 Ioh. 2.1. Luke 17.4. 1 Sam. 12.20, 22. 1 Iohn 1.9.

From this last place, a reverend

Divine collects this comfort. If wee see our unworthinesse, and with broken hearts acknowledge it, GOD is faithfull and iust to forgive it, be it never so great.

Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet returne againe to mee saith the LORD, Ier. 3.1.

3. The LORD will restore them, and raise them up againe by repentance.* 1.1 The LORD will heale thy backesliding, if thou take unto thee words to confesse thy falling away, Hosea 14.2, 3, 4. There is healing in the wings of the Sonne of righteousnesse, and you shall grow up as the calves of the stall, Mal. 4.2. The LORD up∣holdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that are bowed downe, Psal. 145.14. Behold I will bring it health and cure,* 1.2 and I will cure them, and will reveale unto them the abundance of peace and truth, Ier. 32.6.

Hee speakes Ezek. 34.16. of the time of the Gospell when

CHRIST should bee the Shepheard, and shewes the Co∣venant that he will make with those that are his, if any thing be lost (saith he) if a Sheepe lose it selfe, this is my Covenant, I will finde it. If it be driven away by any violence of temptation, I will bring it backe againe. If there be a breach made into their hearts by any occasion through sinne and lust, I will heale them and binde them up.

GODS Covenant is to make us faithfull in his Covenant: the actions of faith and repentance are ours; but the power of doing them, GODS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Returne yee 〈…〉〈…〉 and I will heale you•• b••cke∣sl••din••s. Ier. 3.2•• See 12, 13, 1••. verses.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 103 3.