13% A 1Zeyelettion ofthe Appcalypfe. C A r. 3. Luke- Churchwhich the Apoftles founded, was of all other moll perfet`f, warm and that is is not tobe perfected with the inventionsof thofe that vai>Ag1e- .come after, but that all other are to be examined and fquared by the Laodicca Rule thereof; According to that folemn fpeechofthe Councell of ofNice. r . Let ancient *ernes have thepreheminence : And that of 7ertull. cont. Prax. Sec, Whatfoever it fiir5 that is true, andWhatfoever is latter, that isfalfe. Neither is it to be doubted , but that Paul taught Timothy moilfully , HoW he ought toconverfe in the Hoaefe or God, r. Tiny. 3. 15. What, be all thofe precepts now worne out of requeft and date with age ? Shall time the Miftreffeof things, teach us better andfuret things, to which, thofe things we had from the Apoftles mutt give place? Certainly the Church is like Adam, belt, and moti entire in her firit Originali, the further it goeth on from that, the more corrupt matter it gathereth , unleffe God do force- times beyond the order ofnature, make light to thine out of dark- neffe,as now for a good while he hath done in this latt age of the World. That ffrfl Churchwas the garden of Eden, as we ¡hewed, Chap. 2. 7. That which fucceded in the ages following, being compa- red to it, is but a vaft and barren wildernef e. We mutt not mea- , lure the perfection of a Church, by the multitude of Profeffours, or by the great eftateof riches and earthly honours, but by the integri- tie ofGods inflitution,andby the abundance ofheavenly gifts. Let it therefore beenough for us to commend, andhave in cftimation our own huniane inventions, but let us not tread under foot theSacred Truth ofGod, in comparifon of them. eArnd thou k eowefl not that thou. art Wretched, &c. The other caufe of the evill is, the ignorance ofhis oWn mifery ; For the profpe- rityof the world blindeth the minde, that a man cannot behold in what (Cate he ftandeth.Therefore Both the HolyG14 in many words explain this mifery of the Angelr,becaufe in fodeep anddead a fleep,a alight kinde ofupbraiding himwith it, could not make any fenfible imprelTion. He maketh five degrees ofit, ofwhich the twe_firft, are as it werecertain common affections and accidents of the difeafe; the three latter,declare thevery kinde andnatureofit.For the three- fold remedyof Gold, Garments, and Eyefalve, in the verefe follow- ing, fneweth that the difeafe confifteth chiefly in thefe three. The ac- cidents are referred, either to his oWnfeeling, or to other mens com- miferation : in refpe t ofthat, the Angel is Wretched; in regard ofthis, ,hismiferahle, or, as the word giveth, pitifull, or , one that is in a pi- . rllu/icare, Thzaman is counted wretched,who is worne,and forlorne with
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