OfCodliiiefe. Of Codsfreegrace. whenGod andCafar haueparted companies,it maybePeen how many thoufands go after Cfar,& bow fcarcefeuen follow the Lcircle. And ifwhen God needeth,hisglory needeth; when lusglorieneedetli ,hisChurch needeth :it is fure, that rather then the ChurchMould need,Cfarmuf}tarieandgiueplace. It is better that Cfr íhould wantan auditor than Chrillan inheritour:if Church &common-wealth wantat once,itisbetter the Cotmuon -, wealth ihouldtvant,tianChrilt f sould-be left deitituteof feruants. Let' vstherefore wait onChrifl,not only a mileortwoout ofthe townc;buteven to theriuers OfBabel:and not only fo far,as we can withthe Capernaites conceiue Chrift with reafon,buteuen to the re- fifting withblood,not Chrilt as a King,but as Chriftto the bar,wemull not with Pmerfol. low alongto fee,wbatwil become ofhim,but hard at theheels to the bar ofiudgment, and to beare his croffe withSimon alfoifneedfo be,euen through the laneofreproches ,though we fee manypillars to fal away and to become flat Apoftataes,through the rankoffalle o- pinions,dc though iniquity fo get the vpper hand,that therefeemeth no religion to be left. r 3 Then we maybe raid towalke afteraril},when as it is laid lob 13 .we haue troden hisfootileps,whê our Repshand as Cheiil his Reps, thatis,when our paces hand as Chrilt Howwemnfh hispaces andnot contrary to Cbrift,but agreeing withChrih't in we! doing. Titebefe ligne fcl.",chrtf.. for ourgouernment isto haue Chriif & hisword in oureyes. But fòme throughthe bleared fight of their confciencesare afraid,that Chritt.ihouldTooke behind,and fee themfor go- ing backsvarii,yea if theydo but dreameof him , if they ice but Paul or fòme good man, they areafraid. But if wehale thepeace and tedlimonie ofa good conicience,wcwil defire thatChrittwould efpie vs out,as he did Nathaniel, and othersof his Saints. 14 There be force notable ntarkes, wherebywee llrall knots,whether our trattell beto certaine heauenonceil. Firff, though a man befoclofe, that be will not open the way,whitherjiee eertokaovv is urpofedto trauell, et a than ihall efpiehis mtentb markin whither lire fendethhis "vvbether . P, 1 Y P y g vve iourncy carriage : if our carriage followthe flelh,totheHells we goe; if it follow thefpirite , to the " toheaaett fpirite ittvill carievs, Galat.6. If a manwill conceale his intent, yet onemay difcerneitby " orno. Ins inquiring of this way orthat way. If heaske, howhe maygoetoCanaan , and which is theway through thewildernes,ít is an argument he isgoing tothe promifedland.Third=. 2 ly, thoughhewould keepe his iourneyneuerfo pniuily,yet lie isbewrayed, if whena man Simile. fpeakes againft hisCountrie, anddifpraffetü thePrinceor people thereof,, liebegin to be " grieued, and take offence atie. So if when awn difgraceGodhis word,fpeakeeuill of the " wayof the Lord,reproch InsSaints, we findeour felues mooued and notable to containe our felues from reprehenfion, itis atoken, we aregoing to heauen ward.. Seeing vve 15 Oh thatmen would feareand follow theLord :well,followwe muff one way or o- muff foüovv ther. If wee will notfollow the Shepheardto the fold, weemuff follow the Butcherto the chriJi vve had fhambles. If ive suit go to thefhambles rather then to the fold, weareheath indeed,and as better fol- the cafeis with vs,worfe thenbaits. But men here haue gotten an old diftinetion , They kv, to10104- fay they willone day feeke the Lorde, that is, when they arenot able to turne theirfcketion thantodr, bones ontheir beds, but Peeing theyoffertheir old finewesto the Lord,hewill leaue them, Simile and they 317 Rall feeke, but they fballnot finde. CHAP. 32. Of Gods free Grace, miliceand Mercie, andhold me may trieour loueto God. Od(faith theApof}le)isaconfumingflre,Heb.t -.29. Fireand water aremerci- leffe,whoihalquenchhim,whenlieburneth?Thereisnothingiocoldaslead,and nothing fofcaldíng,ifitbeheated :there isnothingfobluntasyron ;ifitbefharp- Simile_ ned,nothíng fo fharp:there is 'nothing fo calmeas the fea,in a boillerousweather nothing simile. fo temper}uous:nothmgfomercifull asGod,and ifhebe prouoked, nothing fo terrible to Simile. finners. And ifhismercy were fuen times more then it is, I knowandam lure,that beeis ptouoked.Wel,as the Lord evil halte hispower knowen in creating the world,andIsis wif- domingouernaig, andhis truethm hisword, and hismercie in redeeming mankinde, fo Ee 3 recel arily
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