6 Daí2.6. Ephe(1ans, Chap. I. thatyoung Saint$,proutolddiuelr:It is a wonder that fuckhelhth ow set dare flye in the funthine of fo Chriflian a profeflion as is made a- mongft vs. This letteth vs fce what we mutt endeauour to euen that we pro- feffe. Wehate in ciuill matters, that any fhould take vpon him that he isnot teen in, we count it a groffe kinde of counterfeiting : Let vs take heedc of takingon vs to be members of Gods Church, and Saints, when wchaue no care to know God, and get our hearts cleanfed from allfilthy finfull corruptions that raigne in them:The rather let vs doe ir, for our pride,couetoufneffe, ìniuftice, drunken fenfualities,they are double iniquities, and make vs more abhomina- ble then Turkes, and heathens. Whether is it more odious for a finglo Maide,or married Wife, to live in vncleanneffe ?it is naught inboth, but moft lewd in the latter; the doth not onely defile her body, but violate her faith which the hath given to man and that ie fight of God: Thus forvs who profeffe our felues Saints,marri- ed to ffod;for vs to line in the luftsofour owne hearts, dothe:t, ceedeall Turkifh andheathenifh impiety; They are loofeand free (as I may fo fay) they haue not entred any couenant with the true God, in Chrift. We fee the vanitie of many, who thinke they are not tycd fo aridly as others, becaufe they make not fo forward profeffion: Warne themof anoath, ofwantondiffoluteneffe, they flip the collar with this, that they arenot ofthe precife brother-hood ; yea, they allow themfelues in that, for sehich they will be on the topofano- ther, becaufe theyprofeffe no fuch matter,as the other doth ; butthis is their groffe ignorance; Ask them whether they will be members of the Church ; theyanfwer, yea, Ifthou wilt be a member ofGods Church,thouprofeffeftthy felfe a Saint, and what profeflion I pray thee canbe more glorious ? 1nEpbefos.] This was a mother Citie, famous for Idolatry and Coniuring,as the 4flsof:be Apo/lles tali fie ; fo giuen to all riot, that it banished Yermodor, in no other confideration, but that bee was anhoneft lober man. This people werefo wicked, that heathens themfelues did deeme themfrom their mouth,worthytobe firangled; yet here God had his Church. Obferue then, thatin molt wicked places, God gathereth and. maintaineth his people: Thus when the world was fo wicked, that thepatience of God would Beare no longer ; the Lord hada Nob in it ; thus he had aMe/chi/deck in Canaan, a Lot in Sodome, a 106 in Vz, a Church in Pergamus, where the Deuill had his throne: where God hathhis Church,wee fay, the Deuill bath his Chap- pell : foon the contrary, wherethe Deuill hath hisCathedrajl, there God bathhis people. Lookeas innature,wefee apleafantrofeirow from amid¢ the thornes,anda molt beautiful! Lilie fpring'out of fumy waterith places. Looke as God in the darkncffe of the night makethbeautiful lights arife; fu here in thedarkeft places he will haue fome men who fltallthine as lights,in the midft of a peruerfe generation. This God doth firftin regard of himfelfe, that he may difplay his mighty power and .wifedome fo much more ciearely : Thus
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