mat werldlingsdot invaine ?regimeo fGodr tóue. 130, ourmindes againa euery one ofthem.The firíl andprincipat caufe ofour fáluation isGods eternall loue and immutable: hoodwil,wherewithhehath loued-hiscreatures frombefore: the foundations ofthe worldwere laid ; thewhich loue and, goodwill inhimfelfe didmoue him to ele& them to falua- tion, whom-he fo louedwithout any deferts i-n themfelues for howcould theydeferue any thing-at Gods hand .before . they were? or what good could the Lord forefee in them,. but that.which-inhis eternall,counfaile hee purpofed to be-- flow and impart vnto them? Firíltherefore wewill fpeake ofthole temptationswhich- ratant temp concerne the loue ofGod,towards vs whichare oftwo forts mho: whereb, the firíl leading vs tovaine prefumption and carnali fecuri- ca g p p car»all men tie ; the other,, to horror and defjeration. For if Satan fee- !batthey are menliuing in carnali fecuritie, frozen in thedreggesoftheir beloaedof God. (tines, fo-as in truth there is no ligne that theyare.beloued ofGod;he will perfxade them-thatthey arehighlyinhisfa courand loue, and therefore though they runne.on in their wickedcourfesi yet they lhall be fatted...Doell thou not per- ceiue (will he fay) that God dearely loueth thee ? Why,con_ fader that hee hath made thee one ofhis chiefefl creatures,:_ whereas otherwifeheewould hauemade thee atoadeor fer fhpent ; he hathal folike a tender father preferued and nouri-- ed thee from thyinfancie,andwhich is more, he hath fent his dearelybeloued fonne to diefor thce,andheehath made choice of thee amongfl many others tobe a member ofhis,- Church, where thou inioyefl the preaching;of theGofpell,.., and thevie ofthe Sacranients, to the end thou maiflbe afiu-- redofthy faluationw :ithout all queflionordoubting. Neuer.: therefore take carcioible thyfelfe concerning- thyfal-- uatiou,vfenot fuck firielr.es d precifenes oflife, but take thypleaficre,and followthofekenghtes which-theLord hath- bellowed vpon thee aspledges his lout; for thou art not nowaflaue buta fonne,and therefore maifl more freelyfol- low thine.ownedefre;andvfe thy libertie: call awayall fer- uile fearer which maketh thee take fuchgaines in ofng all meanes whereby thoumaifl be allured offaluation ; for thou ártaffi redoftheprincipall,namelyofGods loue, and there-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=