The deceitfiei.ne of mails heart. 87 ofthe do&rine of Kegeneration,Tadas was a forward and zealous Preacher : And yet at laft , Nicbodevms that was lafi, became firft 3 and ludas th t was firft became loft: when Pidas did treacherc ufly betray Chrift in the night, he did faithfully proffeffe him in the day; and when Pidas his great faith was turned into hellish defpaire , then he went and hung him - feife 3 then did Nicodemaes bis little Faith, become ftrong and bold, that he durft openly beg, and he- nourably bury the body of Jefus. Hee that runs o- ver eagerly at the firft beginning of his race,quick- ly_ runnel himfelfe out ofbreath, and cannot pof bly hold out. Untimely fruits, children that come before ;their time are unfhapen,and deformed chil- dren, and doe not live: So are the Temporaries, whole graces come out of the womb, before they have their juff conception, mifhapen and defor- med Chriftians, and fuch kind of graces quickly vanifh : It fareth with them as with children that are too timely witty and wife above their age,of whom wee fay, and experience ihewes as much, they are not long lived: when we fee a Chriftian,at the very firft dash break forth into zeale, above the age of his Chriftialitity, it is but an ill figne, a prefage of no durable foundneffe. The flattering of the Suns -rayes often drawes fcrth the bloffomes very early : but afterward come cold nips, and then all is mar- red, and it had been better they had not been fo forward. It is good then for Chriftians, that would not deceive themfelves, to take heed of the ftony grounds overforwardnes, in their firft beginnings to be wifely moderate ; when they are but children in C 4 Chrift Matth Iy. 3o. ohn 3.
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