difficulties of it are so great, that no other power is able to subdue them.
Vse 1. This may serve to refute those, that will have our salvation to depend upon the frailty of our will: they deny that God doth powerfully worke in us to salvation, when notwithstanding the Scripture doth expressely affirme it. Eph. 1. 19. & 3. 16. 20. 2. For comfort; for when wee have such a Keeper as is omnipotent, wee have no cause to feare that any thing present or to come should ever frustrate our hope, or deprive us of our expected salvation. 3. To exhort us, to depend upon that power of God by true faith, as it is in the text. Doct. 8. These spirituall blessings of God, should never bee mentioned or thought upon by us, without a pious desire to blesse God for them.
This is gathered from that word Blessed. So Eph. 1.3.12 2 Cor. 1.3. Vse. This may serve to reprove that sluggishnesse and Lukewarmnesse of ours, which is oftentimes so great, that wee are no otherwise affected when we speak, heare, or thinke of these things, then when we are talking of common things: yea, we are scarce so much moved, as we use to be then, when we speak of any worldly profit, which doth delight us.
Verse 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoyce: though now for a season (if need be) ye are in heavinesse through manifold temptations.
7 That the triall of your faith, being much more precious then of Gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might bee found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Iesus Christ.
8. Whom having not seene, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet beleeving ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your Soules.
Grace is here set forth by the effect and adjunct thereof,
which he makes to consist in the greatest joy, in those
words, wherein ye rejoyce. Now this joy is amplified by those
