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

714 Ohie?l ons takenfrom tefitmonies ofScripture,anfi,ered', ledge ofthe great myfleriesofChriflianreligion, fo as they can difcourfe of them in ordinarie talke, yea and become Preachers and teachers thereofunto others; as appeareth in theexample ofludar, Demar, Iulian and many others. And thusdoth the Apoflle expound himfelfe, Heb. ío.26. Ifwee Heb. io.26, frnne willinglyafter wehaue receiored theknowledge ofthe truth, there rernainethnomorefacrificeforfumes. So likewife by ta- Wl,at ismeant fling of the heauenly gift of the wordofGod, and ofthe by tatting the powersofthe world tocome, we are tovnderfland Tome ge_ beauenlygift, nerall approbationofthefe things in the iudgement,vvhich inclineth alto the affe&lion to likeofand todefire them ; but yet feuered from a refolute purpofe to compaffe and inioy them. And this alto is common vnto hypocrites; for as the Merchant beingabout to buya parcell of wines, doth talle ofthem,and thereupon dothapprooue them as good,like of anddefire them; &yet whenhe knoweth what a deare price hee mull giue for them, chufeth rather to Ieaue them vn_ boughtand togoe his way : fo the hypocrite hearing what excellent things are prepared for Gods faithfull ones,doth like anddefire them, but yet howfoeuer hee liketh the talle and rellifhof them, yet when he knoweth that vvhofoeuer will buy them, mull deny himfelfe and his worldly lufis,for. fake the worldand the vanities therof,mortifie the flefh, and takevphis croffe and follow Chrifl,he leaueth themas being too deare, andrather will haue none ofthem, thenhee will come tofo higha price. And fuch are thofe temporizing hy- pocrites which our Sauiour defcribeth in theparable, Luke Luk.8,s;. 8.13. But they thatare on theflans, are they which when they haue heard, receiue the wordwith ioy, but they haue no rootes, whichfor a while Geleeue, Gut in the time o ftentatio, gee away. Such an one was Baalam, who perceiving the bleffings vvhichwere referued for the righteous, defired to die their death.that hemight inioy them,but yet would not liue their life,nor toobtain affurance ofthcfe ioyes, leaue his cone- toufneffe and impietie. So the young man in the Gofpell Math. zo.zr. defired to attaine vnto eternall life, and camevnto Chrifl to be inflruéled in the meanes whereby he might come vnto afhurance thereof ;but when heheard thathemull fell all hee had,

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