Ofgods prowlfe 377 . the rather alleagehim, becaufetliefathers tooke many'thinges out ofhim, and I fuppofe- there wasinhim fomethingaboue nature. One wrote votoMin to knowe,how bee might Senecas "m- know richeswere notthe chiefefelicitie, and that venuewas. Hee fens him worde, that mend'sion. whether verruewereorno, it was neuer doubtedbut.whether richeswere, it bath beena controuerfie,chufe that whichneuer came into concrouerfie: So whetherto do ourduties riot off, diligently,begood or no, it was neuer doubted, but whetherby anorber,orfoiuecinpes Mir herenauftset fettles it was doubtedof in the molt ignorant times. But this fabric difpunng,'as Paid beeEfe;,tfon' callethit, tail 1prouefoolifh, and thisfhiftingofthingsbydiftiniion,vnles they begrowl- IFhS; e,Sd dedon the wordof God. Außen held it wildom to acknowledgeafaultwherewas none: ües by xúti+ thewifeman faith, ¡marafraidberngPureof the truer h,I dread allmy doings this is the rea- totes. fon of theregenerateman. CHAP. 50. Of Gods promif.r,excéflencie and trueth of Godsibord,and howthe wickedabufe Scriptures. q , Tisa thingworthie the flooding on, toconfderhow theApoftiesout ofGod his 71*1' oqeof promife,deducearguments ofobedience,as amongmany,a.Cor.7,whétheLord cadougbtto a hauineproinded,thatwhether weabide in our lioufes, heewilldwell with vs, or eP eto obedi- whetherwe willgoeabroad , he will walke with vs,or if.woe be airlifted, flee will receiue vs: out of this promife theApoflle bringeth in a conclufaon, that weefhould therefore eleanfeour fettles. This would feemea ftrangeconfegnence, that feeingwe arecleanfed, weelhould cleanfeour Miles , for fouiehaue madeaadcane,contrary conclufion , laying, weearecleanfed,let vs defile our fettles, feeinggraee clothabound,let vs finne. r.Cor n.7. TheApoltlein the perfonof the godly, reafons thus::thetime is Ihort, let vs thereforevie this worlde,as thoughwe vied it not. The fameApolloout of the fame premiffes,in the perfon of thelicentiousliuer,frametha cleancontraryconclufion:as u.Corinth.chapa S. Tomorrowwe lhall die,therefore leevs cateand drinke, let vs viethe worlde, becaufewe haue it, let vs ftuffeour felues with pleafore, becaufeour time is not long. So runnes the tenour of their conclufions. Becaufe God bath'mercie enough in flore, and Chrifthis blood cleanfeth vs fromour finnes, therefore faytltthe carnall Gofpeller, leafs the blood of Chriftfhould wantmatter and mettall to workevpon,let vs wallowin finne, for Chrift bathblood enough to cleanfe vs_WelltheApoftle, I fay , reafons in acontrarymanner, Chrift bath wafhed vs, letvs not thereforedefileourfelues againe, and that whichis more ftrange,hededuceth feareout of the promife. Wherefore for our vfewe mull learne,whe- ther inreading and hearingthe promifes of God,the faine minde bein vs, which was in Paul,when flee Paid, and laid truely, that hehad theSpirite of God inhim, and flee that dresmes out thisconcimi fienof thepronmifeof God, We are rayfed,therefore wewill raife our fettles,let thatman knowe heeis not of the fainefpirite,timattlie Apoftie was. But hee that concludes onthe other manner : Wehaue promifes,letall goewhere it will, thatman mutt fufpefthisclimate, hermakesnotagoodconclufion. And as that, fo this is true, the natureof Godhispromifes,is not to bea plackardto finue,buta perfwafion, amotiue,an inducement to holinefle of life, and to thefeareofGod. So that theythat vfe thepromi- fes, as theydoe , rayingGod ismerciful!, Chrift diedforvs, The Lordewill forgiue vs, and fo duffle rhemfelues with promifes tillthey hauemade them a pillow for linne,theyabufe themfelues.True it is, that the fweetPfalmaft faith, Bahr 3x. Mercie is withGod. What? Not tomake boldwith fin,but to fearehii}í. Stgrda fophifters then fhew by their reafòn, of whatfpirit they are, and to whom theybelopg,that is ,to the diuell. For Peeingit is of the mercie ofGod,fle is becomea great aretieberandpublifhe4 ofGod hispromifes, andyee !hall not hauea promife, but he willallsage it, he is a greatenemie agamfl Mofes, anda- gaiuf} thole that vrge thelaw, calüngthemMofes hisMiniflers, andDoftors ofDelpaire, and all tothis end,tofowpromifesvnto vs,that wemight takenothought, but frill make Kk 3 this
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