The end and aimeof Gods feuetitie the fecondSundayinLent. Ser. i6. towards fomc,isto preferue others. 249 longings,it is this Feare ; as bathbeen alreadie prooued inthat our former dif- courfe, treatingof the richmans being inHell. Godhath fo feuerely punifhed fomefines, that inmans feeming he mightbe thought to haue gone alittle roo farre, and tohaueexceeded therein; as in that of t 4naniarand Saphirs,andmanyothers, which (as Tertullian hath vene well obferued) were as fomany Proclamations pafted vp on the principali pofts of the Citie, toaduife the people what his diuine Iuftice meant to doe hereafter in the like kindofdeliéts.And tothisendGod would that thofe his primary execu- tions ofhis Iuftice fhould remaineas a perpetual) memorial) to pofteririe : As that ofthe Angelis, againft our pride ; that of Sodome,againftour lawleffe tufts ; that ofCaine, againftour enuie ; that ofZenacharib, againftour arrogancie ; that fireof Godswrath which confümed thofe that called for Quailes, againft our Gluttonie ; that of the Ifraelites early riling vp to gather Manna againft our floathfulneffe ; that puniflnnent occafionedby thegolden Calfe,againft ourIdo- latrie : So that It is Feare that keepes the Vineyard f fe. This is that hedgewhere- with it is compaffed ; this that ftrongwall ofdefence ; and this, thefureft ob- feruance oftheLaw. It is faid inDeutronomie, Si cuflodierir Pr eceptamea, 1pfa cu- flodient te, If thou(halt keepemy Commandements, they (hall keepe thee. And in Ec- clefaaflictre, Si/nisiieris, Jèruabunt te.Achior chiefe Captaine to the formes of4m- mon, notified this truth toHolofernes ; Ifthis people haue kept theLaws Sc corn- mandements of their God, let myLordpaffe by, left their Lord defend them, and their Godbee for them and weebecome a reproch to all the World : For afireyour felfe,as long as they fhallferue bim,he will ferueas aWall vnto them. Where it is to be noted, Thatas in a Wall there muff not beanybreach, be- caufe thereby Cities commonly come tobeloft ; fo likewifemutt there notbee anybreach in the obferuance of the Law : for the transgreffion ofone Com- mandement will ferne tocondemne thee, as well as of the whole Decalogue ; and the failing in onevenue is the failing in all. Thyhellie itas an heape ofWheat compafdabout with Lillies : Thedangers arenumberleffe that threaten thisheape of wheat in the threfhing floore ; Creditors, Theeues, Beafts, Birds and Pif- mires : Butfar more innumber are thofedangers that threaten ourSoule ; thofe vertues whichare to (land round about her,muftguardand defendher; Circun- date Syon,6- compleaimini eam. Et Sete citcumdedit eam. Andhe rompaedit about with ahedge . Hee had no fooner plantedhis Vine- yard, but he compalfed it about withanHedge : To fhew vnto vs, That whena manbath once fetledhinfelfe, hishoufe,his wife, hischildren, and his familie, he ought prefently to compafleit in with aWal ; whichWal muff be,theFeare of God, and the keepingof his Lawes. It mull belike Salomon bed, whichhad threefcore ftrong men round about it,of thevaliant menoflfraell, fuchas could handle the Sword,and were expert inwarre; euerieone hauing his fword vpon his thigh, fortheFearebynight, Propter tintorer notturnos. Admonifhing vs to keepe goodwatch andward ; fo many,and fofecret aretholeperills that attend vs, that wi boutthe proreétionof God andhis Angels,we !hall hardlybe able todefend our felues. Saint Paul fayes ofhimfelfe, Gratia Dei,flanidquodfum, By thegrace ofGod Iam that r am. Whereunto Saint eiAugufline hathadded,Gra- tiaDei,nonfumidquodnon/ m, BythegraceofGodfamnotthatwhich Iamnot. By thegrace of God, thyhoule and thy lands may continueto thee and thypofte- ritie tudith S.21. God=crab not a prece. muleobedi. ence. eant.y.a. The fiveof the Lord a ¡ironsdefence eant.;.y.
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