z. Commánd. _ vpon the C ominandements. 39 euch let vs weigh and follow the counícl ofS4larnofl. And bake toourfeete,whenwee enter into the houfe of god beingmore roadie to hears, than to offer the flcrifice offoe/et , for Ecde,¢. they know not what they doe. . Lail of al wee are to confider th at reafons thatGod maketh lierc.The firft is drawne The real-chi' of his loue towards vs,yea of his exceeding great loue, which is eueu grown to a iea., thisCómman_ loufie. So deately,fo vehemently is his hart fet vponvs, yet not forany worthines in dement. vs,that ¡coke how grieuoufly a jealous man can take the misbehauioui of his firaying wife , eueu fo ill can the Lord abide that we fhould impart ourfelues to others betide him in obedience ,worfhip and loue. Now had we any feeling left withiüöurfides; and our hearts were not altogether fo hard trampled and beaten as they are, what a reafon were this for euer to keep vs knit unto the Lord ? Whydhould beeloue vs, why fhould hee care for vs , why fhould hee thinke ofvs, or euer oncevouchfafevs good,who of our felues cannot thinke a good thought? There is no caufe but in him- felfe.Yet loth he not anly loue vs,but is iealous ofvs. Howe then fhould this force O marke. vs to cieaue vnto him , to be onely his , and none but his for euerniore ? Is hoc ours andwill we not bee his againe f Would he only enioy vs , and will not wee bee tyed vnto him? Takeheedc.The greaterloue,the greaterhate,when vnkinde refufall is to reape his lull reward. The fecond reafonwhich the Lord heere vfeth is drawne < fthe punifhment that willlight vpon vs if we breake this commaundement. He willviere the finnes of the Fathers upon the childrenvntothe third and fourth generation and fore is that anger , the flame of whole punifhmentcalleth out finoake fo far, yet the meaningthereof is, as Ez^chicl wel fhowes,ifthe children do follow the fathers wit= Cap.iB. kédnes, and not otherwife. The third reafon of drawne of his mercy promifed heere eueu to thoufands of them that loue himand kecpchis Commandcmentes. O now that we would weigh thefe reafons well , and lay them deep vp in our harts. Truly if there be any portion.ofthe fpiritof life in vs, we fhould findetherp forcible rò giue vs a tafle of thewrath of God againfl idolatrie and approaching before himwith oat owne inuentions,what excufes,intents and reafons foeuer we thinke we haue for the fame , we fhoulde finde them ffrong to allure vs to the cheereful and diligent feeking ofche Lords wil our of his word, and the duetifull and confiant feruing of himaccor- ding to that rule. But whcn we will not weigh his promifed mercies, nor giue oitt heartesleaue to thinke of his threafned iudgements, but headlong invnfeclingnes runne on, and in blinde ignorance imagine, that our intents,ifthey bee goòd,muft needes flop Godsmouth, and make him contented with the breach of his wil , this, this is thepoyfon of the Whore of Babylon that infeçleth our Soules to eternal damna: Lion and wrath.O God and Father ofinercies,difperfe this diinneffe as may ¡land with thy good wil from the tiesofthy deceiued creatures , and yet once ere they die, let them fee their fins againfl this Cómandement, that in wrath they paflè not to greater iudgemenr, fo due and fo lure to all wilfull contemners ofthe light ofthy Word and Gofpell.Amen. Furthermorc,againe ifwe doe wcl,marke here the words of oar God wherewith he vttererh theft promifes and threatneth theft judgements , truly they afforde vnto vs two or three profitablenotes,and confiderations. Asfirfl, becaufe in our deuifes and worfhip of our owne will the bell we can fay,is that it commeth from a good meaning and intent, and therefore we thinke God cannot of his mercy refufe that which is well meant, and intended towardes him: I befeech you marke how the Lorde here ouerthroweth vtterly this defence,faying in expreffe words, that they bee haterspf him and fo led with the liking of their worfhip from the Lord and his true feruice,that when occafionferucth they bewray extreame hatred thereunto , perfecu. ting it with fire and fagot in the true profeffours thereof,O my Brethren ifGod repute me for an enemy;what can my pretended loue auaile me ? If he fay I hate him , how If Ifvvarii dare I (fil bewitched with my folly)thinke I loue him?Shallhis owne mouth tell me y from Gods that I hate him,and that he fo taketh all my dooings;and will I not belecue it? Itis not ,17:77,t, , pofsible to make vs feele our fault, &m fee our finne in this behalfe? Will we fill chal- him,iatrnde lenge the Lorde withour good intents andhonefl meanings , as we thinke , when what I ens D 2 yet
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