SSCT VI. of .Goad Works. 305 theevil ened anged!y deedsof mofi:irithe Chriflian world , fheweth that they'are in that old damnable conditioxaheywere born in, Ifweconfrder the general converfa- tion ofmoff men Whatdeeds of darkneffe, andof fin and Satan may be found in them ? That whichSalvia,, complained of the lives of Chriffians in his dales, may not we alto take up ? Prater paucifmas gsofdam, quidefl ali:damnia Was Chriftianornm, gleamfentina vitioram? Befedes avery Pro that fly fins and endeavour to keep themflvesunfjsotted from the world, What is the wholecompany of Chriffiaxs , bat a fink of allvices? You may fooner finde men reos malorum amniam, pant nonomnium, Tonmayfoonerfìndenien guiltyofall fins, thenoffome only, And Facilitumajaramtriminum, quern minorum, And loaner menguilty of thegreater crime,,tben of the leffe; yea, he addeth, almoff all the whole Church isbrought to filcha reproach and tcandal ofmanners, as in cunelopopulo Chrt fbiano gentle quoddam fanfütatie fit, mime egovitiafum , That in all the Chriflian Wórld itisakinde of holinefito be leffe vitiate. . Dothhenotfpeakasif-he lived in our times ? For except fome few in everyCongregation , which are like the Glean- ings to the harve(t ; are not peoplegenerally ignorant,prophane, ungodly,to that it is a kind of great holineffe to be lelfe wicked then others? His Oaths not fo dreadful , his malice notfo rancorous, hisdrunkenneffe not fo beafily : If men be leffewicked , we are apt .tojudge themvirtuousmen, fuch adeluge offin doth o- verflow : But oh the patience of Godwho beholds and teeth all this ingratitude, rebellion, and hoffility againff his Majefly, yet forbeareth to take prefent ven- geance. Now there are many arguments why you fhould take heed of theta evils works. Firlt, Thy evil deeds offin , brings Gods evilwork of punifhment. Ia there evil r. l7 in the City,or in the Land,faith thegodly Prophet, and I have not done it?tlmos 3.6, heed of Cril viz. anevil ofpunifhment :But why? Becaufe menhavefirff done their evil works. works. Thou that thinkeft Gods judgements ofPlague, Famine, and the devouring fword to be very grievous and evil ; Why dolt thou not confider thy evil waies , whichhave procured theft things ? Your iniquities with-hold good things from you. And theProphets arealwaies diligent in the midde(f of Gods judgements brought upona people, [fill to remember them of chafe iniquities, which have been like the vapours mounted up to the heavens, and afterwards congealed , fall down in terribleThunder and lightening : Oh therefore if thou findeft not God fo good to thee or the publick , as thoudefire(l, confider it is the evil of thywaies that brings allcalamities. Secondly, Therefore let thy life be freefrom all evil works, becaufe thy profefon of Chriftianity obligeth thee to it, How canan holy profefïìon, and`an unholy life ?° accord .together ? How can darknefs and light be reconciled? When God whom thouferveft is holy, Chriff by whole name thouare called is holy , theOr- dinances whereby thou drawefl nigh him are holy ; when all this is holy, How is thy converfation fo wicked and unholy ? For a prophaneman full of evil deeds, to pray, and hear, is as loathfom as forthe lowwallowing in itsmire , to tome and row; it felt ina pleafant garden. That place ii obfervable, 2 Tim. a. t g, where the Apofflehaving fpokenof fomewretchedApoffatesfrom the TruthofChrifl,he ad= deth , Nevertbelefs the foundation ofGod Ftandeth fare. As men who build glori- ous palaces lay a fuse foundation, fo Godbeing to build an eternal City, he layeth a deep and firm foundation. Now astheir cuffomwas to write fome (bort and fe- left;ententes upon their foundation floncs,as appeareth out of Zachary; fo faith he, God bath fet twoSentences upon his foundation :Theone is, TheLordknow- erb there that arehie, i. e. hewill efleetually preferve them from falling away. And the other is, Letevery one that nameeh thename of Chriy?, departflow iniquity. Ob- feeve this,This fentenceis one of thechoice ones that God will have infcribed : Let everyone that namesChriff,takeshisprofeffion onhim,dipart from iniquity. Take heedthen of being Thiffles in Chrigarden : ofbeing Tares in his wheat a This is
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=