C AP.3. levelation oftheApñcalypfe. 12 inhope ere it came, allour Countrey,lives and goods ; but how no., tably was it deceived (O our good and graciousGod) being difcom...4,24 fited, wrecked , and fcattered up and down through all Seas , and vain gl'o- thatwithout any labour of ours at all ? It came out againft us one gtor ous way, but it fled (even wayes from before us. This is thy prayfe alone, Laodiai (0 mot poWerfull Governour) to whom the winds and waves,yea the hearts and handsof wicked men, more untameable then thofe, will they, nill they, are made obedient. Why do yee not confider this, (0 Kings) why do yes not learn to be wife ye that rule the World ? Whar,w ill ye fight any longeragainf the Prince of thecreatures to your own deftru&ion ? If ye will needs go on thus madly , to rage like Gyants againft him, we will in the mean time fhroud our felves under his wings, by whole proteétion alone,we (hall ft and free from danger, amidit all your hoftile affaults and treacheries. And thus much for this threefoldproperty,wherein Chri(foffereth himfelfc to be feen, inflate as it were, in this ourEnglifh Laodice.i, namely,in his confrancy inpromi fng , his truthandfidelity in teaching , and then his invincible per in defending of ur. 15 I knout thy Works, that thouart neither cold nor hot. In decla- ring thegreatnefle of the finne of this Church, hee maketh mention of nogood thing it hath, wherein he dealeth otherwifewith it,theu with the former Churches. Ofwhich therewas not any fo paft hope, and forfaken ofGod, nonot Pergamus,or Sardis, that it was without any thingprayfe-worthy in it.. But theevil! of this Church, as if it could endure no forring,and focietywith any good, heareth nothing but reproofe , and the Church is not heartned againf Gods threats with this, thatChrift approveth of fouiegoodneífeinher. Not but that there were many feverall men,whofe faithfulneffe and diligence the Holy Ghofl acknowledged (for it could notbe, but that where Chrift is afaithful!, and true witneffe , there (' hould be force that Ihould do God excellent fervice) but he refpeFteth the common form, andoutwardfafhion of the Church; fuch I mean as it is , not fo much throughits onedefault,as by means ofthe faulty government of the Angels that be in it, which is fo indeed ordered, that whofoe. ver lookethupon it with eyes that be matches, and indifferent, it may feem to him, and that worthily; to be void of all vernie whatfoever. It is an horrible evil!, that doth as it were fay unto all goodneffe; what have I to doe with thee ; get thee hence farre enough from mee. And though wee may well conjec4ureby this kind of filence,- which the Holy Ghoft here ufeth , how.4efpe.rate the,difeafe of
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