Greenham - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .G82 1601

448 OfibeW"oydofClod, ofthe world : there is withhim novariablenes norfhadowofchange,but he abidetheuer thefame,uto(t likeunto hintlelfe : and lòdoth hisword,which is of thefamenature. Who- foeuer then (hall bring vnto vs any do ìrine not warrantedbyGods word,or contrarieto that which before bath been deliuered : yea, if he bringit in harderandmore darkefpee- ches,than theword ofGod is, or if bee delmer it more ftrangely or obicurely, andyet will bearevs inhand,andmake vs beleeue that he bath.cleerer reuelations, wemay then ivaly fufpeahim ofvntruth, and vtterly -refute him, further than by ccrtainegrounds and rea- fonsout ofGods word,heBothconfirme hisdo&rine. And as wemay rightly boldall the dot5crines of men accurfed,when they fpeakeor write any thing contrary to theholeloine word oftruth, or elfe doe adcteany thing thereto. Solikewife ifany (hall take away from the word ofGodone iot ortittle : wemay inthe feare ofGod,and in the zeale ofhis truth pronounce againft him that lenience, wherewith God in great wiledome hash cloledvp his holy Scriptures : TheLordwill takehispyartout ofthe book!' oflife, andout ofthe hohe citie, andout of'thofethingswbicis are writtenie thisbooke. Thezordofeú z ¡rho faith, the Spa itblowethwhere it lilteth, fo altoas much as it lilfteth, fometime zfeth veheníet breathing foftly like the cookayre,andfometnnelike thewhirle-Winde: for man is fullof fpeechertoliter wandring thoughts, and imaginations,efpecially,whenheheareth the word : but nothing airdell heart. ismore dangerousthan the yong manshart,whsch is inall places of the worldat once, if you fpeakenot what lie thinketh,he doth not attend,if he be not. attonifhed : and for this ro jeRbetIv,ike, caufedoth the holyGholt oftenoffer galling conceflions, and pinching permitiions, as Permifioeó Eccl. to. Godfeeinethin fuch fpeeches at the felttofauourftnne.Butas welift vpathing tdii, . hi h todritte it the harder,foGod vfeth fuchfpeechesto throw the' to eternal deftruóìion, obdq, g P Perobliquumtobreakethemtofit tars.YeawewouldthinkcheLorütobeaproßorofeuitl ,xfhefhould datum. not fornetitnes be very vehement. The bittereft kind ofdenial) is to bidvsgoe,yetfofaine would Godwork on ourhearts,that hevfeth fuch vehemencie. rVbYGály- r' It is as farce fromGodhis nature toderide any mán,asitisfor himtorepent:butout fethvebemen- fns irefogreat, thatifitwere porlible,weefhouldmake hmtafcoffer. But aswhen falna- eieoffpeech, tion is wrought in thehigheft ineafure,it is wrought ingreateft compaffion ; fo the.higheft sndhovvvve point of reuenge isderifton.We.know the nature ofGod isfull of pitie,and (vnlefl ,it be xuÿtmoderi, toverymill perfons)his fpecch es are full ofeompafion. Speake toypeople, faith he, bali- cals.6. And Efay.5.Wbathaste fnotdone that coulddoe to thee? And,Gh that neypeople would hamheard,Pfal.8 t. And when they would not hcare,he fpeaketh to the dumbecreatures: Heereheavenand earlh,Elay.r . And Chrift faith,O lertefalem,ler efalem,ec.Thcfearegood and royal) fpeeches,wbichare very fveete,and fweetnes it fella. Butwhen he fpeaketh to the detperate andwicked,-he changetlahis fpeechinto lharpnes,asMat.6.If light bedark- nes,,howgreat isthat darknes ? Iftbveins becomebitternes, how great is that bitternes? Euery thing,when itdegenerateth into his contrarie,becommeth molt contrary, as ofthe fweeceftwine is made the fowrelzvtneger, and that, which is coldett, when it is boyled,is t,' Altus Dei pro mockferuent, the fea calmelt, when it is moued, is moil raging. Augufline faith, that his omni iranet. laughter is moreto be feared than hisanger. Thatwhich he fpeaketh with laughter,let vs -Quod cumri' reade withwee in For God neuervfethluch fpeeches ofderifton,hpttherefohowethitn- tuloquitur,ru P g' legas cum lit- mediatly deftruóìion,Prou. t.z6.z7.Plàl.z. Hee will laugh themto fcornc, and thenwill &u. breakethem in peeces. Andbecaufe this is the laft warning before iudgement, whenwes finde the Lord fpeakingfovnto vs,itis asmuçh,asifhefhould fay : Now hearethe word, or neuer. Well diele fpeechesare vfedto wilful)(inners, as Micaíab fpeaketh tothe King, that would goe tobattaile, whatfoeuer cache of it, Goe to andprofper, Prou.a. Beraufe you hauenotheard anyword,nor profited bymy fermös,nor by my inward checks,nor come when I (hewedout my benefits,but refuted mycorrebtion,then commeth this: twillh ugh atyour deflrrrdoon. Ephraim will needes follow Idols, well let him faith God,Iofu.4. Pfala. Wewill not beyoked : andwill ye not?goe to,theLord inheaven will yokeyou. And a- gaine,fueli as drink iniquitie,till they have no vieofGodhisgifts in them, woe beto chi. 4 We mutt redeeme time euenfromour ordinarycallings,to reade the holyScriptures, 5 It is belt tonote thegeneral' vertue ofalas word, and not to vieexceptions,but vpnn particular and conftrainmgneceAìtie,, 6 It

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