Luk.t 207. § . Sec7. 3 . Coil ations forjrrchas comp(aineof their iryrperfe- Ctlo%lT in hear- ing the vvord. 494 Confolationí,agóllnft hardwire ofheart. mortification oftheir old corruptions, nor any refbrmatiota atall oftheir former uînfull hues, and therefore they think-e that they heare the word of God without any profit, nay that the more they heart it, the more wicked and rebelli- ous theyare ; and that for this caule, it were much better not toheare the worde at all,for as much as it will but aggra- uate their finnes and increafe their condemnation, forhee that 4nol''ethhip mater;r willanddog., it not, (lia16ebeatenwith ntanygriper. But -let not fuch Poore mourning foules depriue them- felues ofthat true comfort which ofright belongeth to them: and to this end let them know ftrf}, that this is a vfuall corn-- plaint ofthofe childrenofGodwhich profit moil in hearing ofthe word, though in truth they doe therein deceiue them- felues;for in complaining that theyprofit not,they fhew they profit. For whereas men naturally blinded with felfeloue and carnall fecuritie, neuer difcerne any filch want and cor- ruption in themfelues, and therefore though they profit no- thing by hearing the word of God, yet it neuer troubles therm, nay they imagine that it is fuflîcient to prefent their bodies into Gods aufemblies, and to heare Gods word with their outward cares, though they vnderf}and it nor,nor re- taine it inmemorie, nor.bring forth any fruits thereof; tilde humbled foules by thehearing of the word are freed from this felfe loue andcarnal fecuritie, and haue the blind eyes oftheir vnderf}andinos opened, fo as they fee their faultes and corruptions, andhaue their hard hearts foftened, fo as they are grieued and difolcafed with them,and their willsal- fo are in forme goodmeafure fanaified, fo that they earnell- lydelire to be freed from their corruptions, and toheare the word ofGod with more profit; whereby it appeareth that though they cannot profit fo much as they defire,yet they haue made a goodprogreffe, and the Lerci inhis good time will perfed that good werke which lice hath begun in them; and the fame fpirit ofGodwhich hathwrought in them this delire ofprofiting by hearing the word, will alfo accomplifh it,and fo open their dull cares and foften their hard harts that they fhall profit, and rcape manifold fruits of the feede of . the
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