Thefecond reafon, taken fromGods benefits. Ephel. a.4. 61 z Preferuatiues tokeepevsfrom the infeEtion sfFnn,e. not his louirig friends or faithfüll feruants,bu.t oppofed ene- tnies and rebellious traytors,who had renounced his feruice. and ycelded our feaues as flaues to Satan rcadie to doe his will. Seeing therefore our goodGod bath fo dearely loucd vs, whowere altogether vnworthiehis loue, and moti wor- -_ thie ofhis angerand heauie iudgemcnts, Owhy fliould not this flame ofhis loue towards vs,kindle fotne fparkles efloue towards him againe,who is inhimfelfe the chiefe goodnes, and to vs moil kindeand gratious?Ifforour fakes,who were his abieaenemies, heehath not fparcd his ovine fonnebut gaue him to die forvs; fhould we not. for his fake, ,who is our.chiefefl friend, be as willing topart withour finnes,and tokill and crucifie all, our carnali corruptions ? Neither cati weebyanyother meanes fo cleerely Phewour loue to God, asby hating finne, which aboue all things in the world is anon haeful andodious .vnto-hitn,and theonely caufe which rnaketh him abhorre euen his excellent creatures, fo that thoughhe loued them as beinghis ovine workes, yet he de- tef+ed thembeingdefiled withthe filthie (potsof finne; yea fo odious is finite vnto our righteous Cod, that he couldnot chufe but punifh it in his dearely beloucd fonne, who bare our tranfgreilions,andfuflained our perlons; andwhen there was no other way to fubdue the power of finne, he gaue it a mortali wound, euen through the bodie ofourblefl'edSaui- our, and deliveredhim tobe crucified, that by this meanes he might alto kill and crucifieour corruptions. Seeing there.. fore finne is mot} odious anddeteflable in the eyes of God, we cannot better Phew our loue towards him,which his loue towards vs hath fowell deferued, than by hating and flying that whichhe fo much abhorreth. Secondly, let vs call toour remembrance his innumerable benefits,. which are the vndoubted figies ofhis loue to- wardsvs.Firf} bee hathele&edvs vnto eternall life that wee . Mould be holy.Seeing therfore he hath made fpeciall choice ofvs amongf many who are reie6ted, therefore let vs ex- ceed others in a holycareofferuing him,andauoiding thole things which aredifpleafng in hisfight; hee alto hath"crea- tedvs to the end we fhouldworthip and ferne himour Lord and .:
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