Till the Deuill be gone out of vs,pogoodcan enter in. Sonday inLent. Ser.i8. í: 3 awhile in darkeneffe. TheSunne is thevniuerfall caufe of the light ; but ifa manwill Phut vp his doores and his windówesdole, it ishis owne fault ifhee abide in darkeneffe. God is the vniuerfall caufeof the fpirituall light of our Soules; but ifany one (hall defpife this Light,hevfeth to leaue him in thedarke. And hence was it, that thefe three inconueniences did befall this man; to wit, Deafeneffe,Blindneffe,and Dumbneffe,which was oneofthe greatenrigoursof h is luftice. Efay faith, 1Taws&Lordfittingupon a high Throne 5 like a ludge that fits in ftate, the houfehill of fmoke,andthe Seraphins of fire, publishhis furie, and the fentof their finneswhich had gone vp intohis nofthrils. Thofe twoSe- raphins that covered Gods face, are a reprefentation ofhiswrath; Though when the timeof punifhing is come, Godvfeth to open his eyes : but now the Seraphins couer hiseyes, in token that hewould ftrike thisman withblindneffe. And therefore it is Paid , That the foundationof the Temple did flake. Then anon afterfollowed the punthment ; Exceca carpopulihuius,&aurados aggrava. Other Interpreters vfethe Imperatiue, vttering this sentence in a commanding kindof voyce ; Excacetur corpopuli huius, &c. Let the heart ofeh;speople bee made blind,andtheireares dull. Cum ejecijjetD.emonium,locutres efl mutus. When the Deuill mesgone out, the Dumhe f ake . The Deuill was firft tobe dri- uenout, before theDumbecould fpeake.Firft, Thedo re or thewindow isto be opened, that the light may come in : First, youmuff turne the cocke ofthe Con- duit; orplucke out the ftopple , before the water can gufhout. The penitent man mutt firft cast theDeuill out ofhisbofome, before heecan make any good Confeffion : First,the Preachermuff cast him out of his heart , before beecan preach any foundDoétrine. What confeffion can aSinner make, while the Deuill dwells in his foule ± Whatforrow or feelingcan hee haueofhis former faults :' What purpofe ofamendment for the future r What acknowledgement of the heinoufneffe ofhis crimes t' What flame, orwhat feareofoffending. Anciently mendidconfeffe themfelues only vntoGod,towhom euery fecret of the heart was fo open,that mans thought andintention was fufficient; withthe penitent,his condemninghimfelfeby his ownmouth.Yetnotwithftanding,Eze- chias Paid, twill recount allmyyearn in thebitterneffeofmyfeule. And Dar id,vínni meificut aranameditabuntur; With thatcare andmelancholia wherewith thefpi- dersweaue their webs, drawing euery thred out of their ownebowells ; fowill I meditate on theyeares of my life, drawing out thredsof' forrowand repen- tancefor euerie fault that I (hall commit,from the bottomeof myheart.Ifthou canftbe contentto imployall thy fences forthe goodofthybodie, ¬ do the likefor thy foule, thoudoofttherein wrong thy foule,heauen,andGod. Thou weeppeft and waileft fortheloffe of thefe earthlygoods,but fhedit not ateare for the Joffeofthofe rich treafuresofheauen.Two thingsarc inioynedthe penitent; The one,a full and inrire Confeflïon. The other,aaridexamination oftheir owne confcience. And thatfo ftrift as may befit fo greatand waightya bufinefl'e as is the falua- tionof the Soule ; and thenmay theDumbe fpeake andthe Preacher preach. For if the Deuill be frill pulling himby the fleeue,whatgood cropcanhe ren- der vnto God,of his Hearers ! What light can hee giueto his Auditorie, who is himfelfe poffeffedby the Princeof Darknes ! Open thou my lips,ó Lord,& I Thal set forththy praife;dothou pardon me myfins,& I Thal fincerely preachthy I Word.The Scribes & Pharifees,whowere tnachers,but notdoersof the Law, Bb 3 Ieremie E¡ay s. Two things required in euerytrue pe. nitenr.
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