Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133 .D76 C551 1608 v.1

SSiritnall afiglion.t no infallible fignefo fGodr hatred. I eft then will theydifguife their fatherlie affeSlion vnder thevi- zardofwrath and hcauie difpleafure;they banifhout oftheir countenance all fgoes ofloue,and aflume terrible looks and bitter frownes ; yea theywill fometimes thruíl them out of doores, and reie& thema while, leauing them to fhift for .themfelues, and to endure all miferie. And whence procee- dethall this ?' furelynot from hatred,but from loue and ten- dercare which they haue ouer them for their good. And this maketh themvfe thebridle of correéion, to re(lraine them from running intoall licencioufneíle ; this caufeth them to pretend wrath in the countenance, that they be not by their leaudneffe forced to entertaine it into their hearts; this mo- ueth them tomica them for a time, that they may reclaime and retaine them for eúer.Neither doth our heauenlyFather, who is infinite in loue, deale otherwife withhis difobedient children ; hee vfeth but hisword ifhis wordwill fuff5ce;hee boeth no further then gentle chaflifement if that be enough; ut ifhee fharply fcourge vs, yeaifhee looke vpon vswith a frowningcountenance,andPhewnothinginoutward appea- rancehut his wrath andhcauie difpleafure; ifhe feeme to re- ieavs fora time,and toOnevs ouer to be tormented by Sa- tan : yet vndoubtedlyali this proceedeth fromhis loue and thatfatherlie care hee hathouer vs, for our euerladinggood and faluation ; hee feekethnot our deflruaion, but amend- ment ; he frowneth onvsfora time, that bee may lookegra- ciouflieonvs for euer;he feemeth to reiec`i vs forawhile,that like the prodigall fonnewe mayreturne againc,and be recei- ued intohiseuerlafling loue and fauour. Secondly ,theLord feudeth afflietions tomortifie invs the §.Sea.4. old man,the flefhand vnregenerate part:now theflefh is not Thalirituall onelyinourbodie, but all() in our foule and euery part and °fttions tend facultie thereof,and therefore the Lord doth not atfli& the to°"r ortifi- bodie alonewith outward calamities,but euen the foulealto catuno with griefe ofminde and horrour ofconfcience, with the waight offinne and fenfe of his wrath, to theendthat our corruptions both in bodie and foulemay bee mortified, the oldmanwith the lulls thereofcrucified, and in the end fullre abolifhed.And thereforedoth the Lordb:eake our hard and icrcm.44. M f;onie

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