Taylor - Houston-Packer Collection BS2755 .T394 1619

CHAP. IX. ito 1 Right reforma. lion of others beginnethat* maus fella. t...1Cotnmentarievpen the Doar. t. He:that tnuR reforme others abroad, rnufì firR beginne at heme. For as true loue beginneth at home , and then difperfetb it felfe abroad, fo true religion reformetb at homefir(i:and eonfcionable refor- mationbeginnerata mans owne heart. The tenour of the tos.P:alme f}teweth, that Dauid cornming to his kingdome, I. reformeth his per- fon: a. his Court and familie: 3. his counuie. The fame courfe tooke Io(hua, Iandmyhoatfe: and Heller, landmy meider. And indeed found refot motion cannot corre& inanother what it felfe cheri(heth , neither can teach another, and it Celle abide vntsught. As if it he a zealous re.. formation, proceedingfrom pure Seale; it hateth diforder moll of all in the owne bafome : it leffe (pares finne in the owne heart ,then in the bode ; and lefie in the houle then abroad ; and the nearer this ferpent approachc h,themore is it feared and fled from.Well knew theApatite, that he that cannot abide reformation in himfelfe, can -never endure it in another; andhe that fufireth vanitie, prophannes,irreiigion, and difor- der in his houle, he can neuer hate thefe in the house and Church of God : and therefore maketh it a fufficient caufeto debarre fuch a ooc from theMinitery. 2 a. How dangerousa thingit is for a man vnreformed in himfelfe, or family,to takevpon him in publike the reformation of other, we fee in I Mofesh imfelfe,Exod.1..24. whom as he was goingdowne into Egypt tobe the guide and deliuerer of the Church, the Lord met in the way to haue flaine him: and the reafon was, becaufehis fonne Eliazer was not circumcifed,and fo his owne houle was vnreformed. Whence we may gather,how indignely the Lord taketh it,that any man fhould come ro gouerne his houfé,that goucrnethnot his owne.IfMofes himfelfe be to plant circumcifion among the people,nmch moremull alibis ownmales . be circumcifed : and this mull be done, or he than die for it, before euer he come wherehe mull ferne the Church ofGod. Bgin net with V. 1. Let euety manknow the due fea(onof this weightie dulie: trrhtaotriht;a endthat is, when he bath done with himfelfe. For then he (hall better thy Alfa. I fee themore in another; he (hall the better difcerne the danger, and dii- couerthe (hilts offinne : hefhall more patiently and pitifully dcale a. gainll it; he (hall more watchfully preuent it ; he (hall more zealoufly purge it:whichnot beeing firlî done,many haue fwet in redreffing their wines,chiidren,feruants faults,altogether fruitlefly,becaufe they neuer in earneR dealt againil their owne. Private menwould faine fee publike reformation ofdiforders%and who canblame them?) but theymull be- ginne, by giuing religion a roome its their owne houtes,and hearts,elfe fnall theyneuerfee that they definetheir eies may bchold.Whoever law whole Churches or countries reformed on the fi:ddaine? No: this is a wotke

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