Great chatrifements fhould slater be the fecond Sunday inLent: Ser.i6, inflieted withoutgreat ebnfideration. 267 doe a and takes councell withhimfelfe ; fignifying thereby vntovs , That great chaflifements require great confideration. ThePi ophet Efay threamingEdoni, faith, Hewillmeafùre itout with a Line,that he mayking it tonaught. Noman Both meafurea Building todestroy it ;the Ruleand the Square were ordainedfor to build. I anfwer,Amongft your Artificers herevpon earth,it paffeth fo as thou fayeft ; but hethat was that onely Artizan ofHeauen, dwelt longer vpon thede- stroyingofNiniuie, thanheewouldhauedone in building of it. Cogitauit Do- mintta *paremurumfrliaSyon,tetenditfuniculum ; The Lordhath determinedto de- ftrsy the wall of theDaughter ofSyon, hestretchedout a Line, he hathnot withdrawn his hand fromdeflroying. TheLordhada determinationto deftroy the chic of Ierufalem; but firft heeCooke amcafure thereof (aswee fay ) byline and by lei- fure.Ruperttts hath noted it, that hewas feuentie yeres about taking this meafure. Laftiyheaskes the queftion, What fhalltheLord of the Vineyarddoe ? becaufe todeftroyand to kill, is tobee vfedwhere noother meanes will ferue the turne. After that theyhad ill intreatedhis Seruants,cloned fome, & flameother-force, and laft ofall hisheire ;yet(euenafter all this)doth he feeketo makepeacewith them. In the twentieth ofDeutronomieGod bathcommanded,Thatwhen thou commeft neerevnto acitie to fightagainfl it,before thou (halt fetvpon the fame, thou (halt offerit peace. Abifhai befieging Abel,awoman cryed out therewith- in, Knowft thounot that they fpake in the old rirue,faying,They should firft aske peace of Abel r and henceit is faid,ui interogant,interogent in Abel.Why dooft thounot firft demand Sheba ofvs, &wee fhall deliuer Shebavp into thyhands r warepracipitme hereditatemDomini ? Whywilt thou defiroythe Lords Inheritance ? Chryfafornefaith,That Godsfendingalms topreach,Yetforty days,andNiniuie (hallbe defrayed; was noother but aproferingof peacevitro them. What(hallthe Lordofthe Vineyarddoe? All thefe, andother larger proffers, Godvfeth to make to Chriflendome in generall and to euery one of the Faithfull in particular. He hath planted a Church, hee bath warred it with his owne bloud,and that of the Apoflies and Martyrs ; he hath ploughed and tilled it, and fowne it withthe feed of his Doctrine ; he hath affoorded thee ftrange fanours,as riches, difcretion, beautie, the dainties ofthe of the Ayre, and of the Sea ;and all thefe haft thou madeas weapons to offen him, aid fa- ciet Dominic, Pinia ? It isnomeruaile, thatmany Christians are worfe now inpart, than thePhad- fees werethen;forinthe breftsofthePharifees thereWas no faithnor noknow- ledgeof Chrift,whichoccafronedtheir finesagainftChrift:butthe Chriftians beleeuing in him, andadoringhim, doe npifiicke to offendhim. ThePharifees would not receiueChrifl our Sauior &Redeemer, becaufe thentheymull haùe laidafide theircouetoufneffe, their ambition, their hypocrite, & diffrmulation; but they beeingfo proud aPeople WouIdnot admit offo humble a God. A poore King,and richVaffals, doe not fute welltogether ;but to beleeueinhim, andyet notto regardhim, this isa foule fault among Chriftians. Samaria being fubieâto the Affyrians, God font a fearefull fcourge amongft them, Lyons, which eueriewhereflew themand tore them in pieces. TheKing desiring to repaire this loffe, Pent Prieffs among them, to inftruet them inthe Law of that Land, andtoperfuade themtothe feareof God, andto teach them themanner ofthe Godof the Countries butthe.Textfaith, rheyfeared the Lard, but freed theirIdols withall Theyoffered their .VnderftandingtoGod, but theirWill vii- to 'dolls. The likekindofcourfea great part of.Chriftendome taketh ;they acknowledgea God,but adoreVice,andtheirFaith they thinkeflail feruethem Z a for tray 34. Godomits no 'neanesto him lk. Deut. 20.10. 2. *1.r.20. Many Chrifti cn:Zewr orfc Chrift, than =6 rha: 4.Kiagl17.33
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