1m.t6.;. 1111.I0I.6. J ail). i God in this behalfe:iffroward perfons be abomination to him, let them not be in et+imation withvs:ifhe loth them,as we doe fnakes,and toads,& all kind offerpeüts,let vs not loue them as deleaable things,whercin men rcioyce & take plcafure :but let vile men be vile in our eyes,and let fuch as feare the Lord be re- garded-ofvs.Far be it from vs that we fhould grace and coun- tenance thofe whomGod clothproclaime to be odious &abo- minable :that we fhould a%ciate our felues and be found coin - panions with thofe whofe fight is offenfue vntò him, that we fhould receiue them into our íeruice,which refute to enter into Gods:&God reieð them as altogether vnfit for his family. But wel is it with our foules,wh6 we can truly faywith the Pro- phet. Almydelight is in the Saints,andin t ,hemwhichareexcellent. Mine ties?hall be to the faithfull in the land, that theymay dwell with rise:he that walketh in apert way,he(hallferneme. Terror for thofe obtlinatc wicked perfos which trutl: that by aiffe ílanding to their tacklings,they (hall grow into credit and goodaccount with the world,as inded their fucceffe is very oft anfwerable to their expe6tation.But what gaine they by getting mans fauour andGods difpleafure? whenbafencs and folly did finilevpon them for a moment, and glory and wifedome doe frowne on them for euer?Itwas the cafe ofthe Scribes and Pha- rifes,they iut+ifie themfelues beforemen,all did praife them;but though they were fo highly effect-fled among men, yet they were abomination in the fight ofGod:our Saucour told them fo in their prime and full bloí{fome,but they little thought it to bee true.But what is become ofall their faluationsand t tles,& prai- les now ? hathnot the Lord Pent a bla1c vpon them and caufed their glory to wither away?is not all their excellency turned in- to contempt,andtheir names made aby-wordofreproachin all Churches. Confolation to vprig,ht heartedmen, how poore focuer they be,& how bafelyfoeuer the.v<<orld thinketh ofthem,itis enough -for the that theLord taketh plcafurein ther.WhéAhafhueroJh hadbut once graced Mordecai,al the city quickly tooknoticed it,& he was prefently great,notwithlandinghewas a captiue& a condemned man,& ofa nationthat was euery where defpifed and I
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