A brief declaration of Jesus Christ, His peculiar love to beleevers, and how they may abide in it in a meditation on Ioh. 15. 1 to 10 / by Tho. Moore.

Vse II.

And this also may bee an information of the cause of soe much darknesse, and so many great, and smarting afflicti∣ones, that many believers in this life do fall into, namely, because they keepe not the commandements, which Christ hath put in their harts, which are the same the Father by his Spirit, through Christ hath given unto them, which had they attended too, their peace had beene as a river, and their righteousnesse as the waves of the Sea, Psal. 89; 30; 31; 32. Isa. 48; 18.

Soe that the cause of such smarting afflictiones on them, is not because they were unable to keepe the law of works, or came short thereof, through a necessity by that weaknesse, Psal. 103; 10; and 143; 2; Nor yet because they were u∣nable to walke suitable, and answerable to the Gospell, or law of grace, or fell short thereof, through a necessity by that weaknesse, Psal. 130; 3, 4. For God requires in this no more then hee hath sowne, Luk. 19.21.22. But in, and according to the Gospell, accepts of believers the will for the deed, and requires noe more, but according to what they have, and accepteth that even soe of them, Mat.

10.40; 42; 2 Cor. 8; 11; 12. But the cause of such affli∣ction is

I. Because they have not abiden, and walked in faith, and love, Soe as by the grace made knowne, and received, they in remembring his gracious word, and exercising faith, and love, and yerlding to the Spirit therein, in denying fleshly affectiones, and lusts, and soweing to the fruites and mo∣tiones of the Spirit might have done, Psal. 78; 5, 11, 41, 42, and 81, 6, 12, and 106, 12, 15. Gall. 5; and 6, 8.

II. And because moreover, when through forgetfulnesse, and temptationes they are found so to have sinned, and tur∣ned aside, they do not speedily owne the same, and in ack∣nowledgement of the grace of Christ, and their owne ill-re∣quiteals, turne to him, confessing their sins, and judging themselves, and seeking remission, and healing from God through Christ, and so not judging themselves, they are e∣ven therefore judged of the Lord in this world, that they may not be condemned with the world, 1 Ioh. 1; 7, 9, and 2, 1. Ier. 6; 15. 2 Cor. 12; 20, 21. 1 Cor. 11; 31, 32. And these two causes, meeting in one are the very cause of all smarting correctiones, which are not usually laid on any, til both these meete, unlesse in the first, there be wil fulnesse, and presumption, and then it containes both in one, as in Davids case, 2 Sam. 12. Psal. 19; 12, 13, and 32, 3, 4, and 33. And yet on harty confession, and turning, much release then also, and yet in all this I limmit not the Holy one, but shew what he hath declared to bee his usuall way, as for Iobs tryall, it was an unusual thing, and so such a probation, as God never excerciseth his with, but when he minds to give a double blessing in the issue, see Iob first and last, all which agree well with the promise heere, and al that is said before as the ground of this.