4o6 OfRepentance. 3 they (hall be called by Godsworkes:either of mercieoriullice inothers. Thirdly, ifthey profit not they Ihalt taffeof them in themfelues. Firft by finallmeafùre, feldomeanda hide time ; if they benot thus bettered,theyThal hauethem ingreater tncafiur,ofcnee and 4 longer. Fourthly, ifthey neither profilenot at all,firft or lafl,orbeever vncontrollcd and 'Offered to thtiue in their fin, theyare either much hardenedorelfe bollards. Gopsataotce 13 Let vs make muchof repentance,for itisnot inour power,b tic in the Lord who gi- uetb, when, towhom, and in what neafure it pleafethhim. I4 We can inarke what menarefpared, and fo flatter our felues; but wemarke nothow they repent, lealt we fhould difquieeburfèlues. 4f-ationr0- r Affli6ionsyeeldioyin time tacotne,whenby themwe are the more w'earieof fin, pea the tarts ofandmore careful' of repentance. miry. 16 It is good to be affliaed,that therebyWeinay bc brought triknow our finnesdike- lob.33,16. ,rife to know afflic}ionsbefore they come , that they donot otserwiseisnevs : And then is the nsinifterie of the Law neceffarie in the Church : for affli&ions' arebutappendices of thethreatnings,for they thatdefpifeGbds threatnings,care not forafflió}ion, andthey ne- uer come, but when Weeprofice not.bythe threatnings. Againe, thethreatnings doecer- rainelymoue and reach; butafflictions doethem vnccrtaincly,(this general doé}rinemay be feenein the whisk courlé ofthe Scripture)alfothat the promtfes are neucr miniftred be- fore webe throughlyhumbled. As inAdam, Noe,Abraham,Iofeph,Mofes,inmany, and in thechildren of Iiraell,llauidand others; fo chat repentance and faitharé ioyncd together, and repentanceproceedeth of godly forrow : if we bebold to comfort ourfelues aforewe be thus beatendows, our comfort is counterfaite, andwe do but deceive our flues, and The Ynercier of this ordinarie workingof Godis ioynedtvtth great equicie : for if wee be not thus hum- God tounboe, bled, ourconfciences touchedwith tite guilt of Itnise will flilllooke for punifhment. A- they a, edeare game, the merciesof Godare nester fo precious anddeare, ar when they light on a troniledcoe. godprelims. fierce. And thereforeEfay faith, That thefeete of them that bring gladtidings, arepleafant Eenot pd. to thofethathad beenlong in laptinitie. Efàv.52.7. As defepbknowing the policieof Sa- t.han, who in forrow feekèth to bringvsto delperanón , comforted hisbrethren : SoPaid would not haue theinceftuousperfon to be ourrwhehnedwith gelefe, and whenhee had made theCorinthians Carle,he doth comforte them againe. So Arehemiah, after that the people had wept, faíd, thisis not a day of mourning: So Efty vlèth fearcfullthreatnings, Efays3, yetafter is moltplentifull incomforts. As prefumptionmuft carefully be auoyded, that menmay bebrought throughlyto fceic therr finnes; to rnuft desperationalfo,leaft that Sa- than drawvs away for waneof feeling the merciesof God : and this is to cut the wordea- right, which all tnenmolt pray,that it maybe foundin theMinifters. It is not meant, that VetI, ç. lofeph wouldnothauehis brethren forrowfull at all : for why then vfed hee the meanes Whomye fold. thereunto before t but hee auoideth theextremities whereuntowee are readie to fail , and wouldnothaue them fooucrforrotvfull. He doth notvpbraidthem,for he liadfreelyfor- giuenthem, andwas clearefrom revenge , but lice uameth their Gene,that theyRill may hauefotne feeling of it, and fomolt wedoe. 17 Acertainewoman being concerted to Chriftianitie, by áciuill Iuftice, feeing him afterward llide from the faith, and thefáidlufticegoing aboutto corrupther, after hehad conuerted her : thee laid, Sir, Iheard you fpeake as the Lorde, and inhearingyoul heard you not fomuch your felfe,butI learnedofChrift byyou : I heardnot, I fay,you as man, but Iheard byyouthe Lorde our Godwhich is inuifible. Note. 18 It is nomore maruelfor a prophane perfon, to beas fenfeleffeingood things atthe beginning ofhis conuerfion , then for one bound and brought vpin a prifon tobergno- rantofthe thingsof the world. CHAP,
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