C A Pal. Aevelationofthe Apocalypfe. 3y7 the yeer,or elfe a little more diligently then that, once every moneth, but wherin a man muff dwell always like aWatch-man inhis watch- tower, left the enemy that doth lie in wait to dcftroy fouls inceffant-. 1y,{hould come upon them,while they are either abfent,or fall afleep. Befides the computation is changed for this end, that we might fee and acknowledge the fingular providence of God over his Saints, which is evermore at hand, both to deliver thee from evils, and to multiply good things upon them. After the fame manner, he held the Angel in hie hand,Chap.i.2o, And the `Pfalnsif fingeth fweetly, That he that keepeth I(rael doehnotfleep, Pfal, t 2 t . 4. To conclude, he Both hereby teach us,that the moneths are not to be numbred after a generall manner; but fo as every day in them is to be reckoned apart, as we have Chewed before. The Clothing Wherein theyflouldp rophefe,is Sackeloth;becaufe all the time that they f ould difcharge theirFunéfion,, they fhould be in a deformed and mournfull effate, firipped. of all. tkíei,r glorious and glittering fliew, clothed in like mariner forall theworld, as thofebe that go inblack, and mourn at Funerals ufually. But whence comethit,that they fhould be thus dolefully arayed,in that'>?riumphing time, that the Chnrch lived inunder Conflantine the Great'? Certainly, howfoevér the glory ofpeace, honours, digni- ties, andwealth.iiás great,, wherewith he did inrich and adorn the Churches, in moll magnificent manner yet as touching true piety, all began to wax orfe and worfe. The heaven departed allay under Dioclefan,by means of a horrible temp& of Perfecution, but it was nowmore corrupted through outward cafe and happineffe, then it was whcn the cruelf enemies fword was hacking upon the necks and backs of Chriftians, For now the fïmple and fineere purity ofthe Scriptures began to be more and morc.defiled, the meaning of them began not to be underffood, yea, tobe wreffed with Allegories, and abfurd expofitions -and any thing almoff to be fathered on them, whatfoever men lifted. Did not ,tlìe Arian Fal-lion, (which as we have heard, did infer` the third part of the Flouds and Fountains, with their Wormwood, Chap, 8. io, rr.) díriveto draw the Scrip- tures by force to (peak on their fide, and to broach their wicked opi- nions to the world with the authority thereof? So do all heretikes commonly for the moll part; but there was never before any Ma- giftrates to help fòrward their ungodly indeavour with their autho- rity in that manner, as was then and after that tobe feen. Frorthily indeed did the Scriptures put en Sackclothat that aime,when they were A a a a fo
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