on the I19. Pjalme, 5'51 profanfProteflants,who nowhaue feene.thxee Gouernments,which both areignorant inknow- Carnall Prote- ledge, and haue gotten manyplacards and curtaines for their groffefinites. his may teachvsPm". to fee intoGods judgement , who punifheth fo feuerelythe decay.of faith; as allo themerde of God towards them, that layvein their hearts, the meditation ; and in theirliues, the praálife, of that which they hale heard. I fee no morefearefull "tokens ofthedefolationsof ourtimes, Fearefuü to- then that menpromiingwhole worldsvnto themfelues, feeke fomuch for themfelues,that they ke a,niicer like neither delire Gods glorie,nor the Churchesprofit. A man maytalke with a great Reader, and there be Tomegood things in him , but talke with aloft readnot an exercifed minde, and you fltall find in him farce greater,and more excellent wifedome. Why thewifeft mr4. donot theold Proreftanrsgrow in knowledge,as they grow inage í butbecaufe theydo not vfe tomeditate. Manymenfeemed tohaue goodgifts, great knowledge anddexteritie ofwit,who now aredeflateand barrenof allthereheauenlygraces. What is the caufe?fureIthewantof faith, andof a goodconfcience , doth make vsfaile in many good things : orels the coulemay be Tome fecret finne notrepented of, why there is fuch (foreof ill,and huh barrenneffè ofgood things. So that the Lord flriketh manywith fuchfollie,that theywhich fometimes tattedof the good graces of God; arenowbecome dull heads. Anotherreafon, why oldmen donot growin knowledge, is,becaufe the more theyhaue,the more they dodeliire. Manyare fovaineand light, that a man (hall affoonebringanhoggefiom Ms haunt, as them from their delights : fo the Lord doth make themend their age andHein worldlinetfe, which fpendthehhues and youths inva. nitics. If we fee one giuen tovanitie,what faywe ? Oh,there is a wittieyon. man ! ifwe fee one róurh :enr in giuen toworldlineffe, what faywe?.Oh,there isa lolly thrilling fellow ! and thusforwant of a zanrr rum_ .fantlifiedwit, and fight, weremainefooles andvnthrifts infpirituall things. manly endsold Butit fiandeth with the righteous judgement of God,that theyfhould bedeputedof them- ago inprofane- derBaodingof heauenly things , which fo greedily turne all their wits to worldhneffe. On the note. . contrary, wherewe makeconfcience tomeditate, we grow from a finall graineofknowledge, to an whole field ofvnderfianding. For wefermanyvfiog their witsto worldlineffc,die in fol.. lie, becaufe the Lordrecornpenceththe vanitieof their youth with ignorancein their it.'e. So it isthe mercieofGod,to glue them comfort of confcience in their death, which hauehadtare of his word in their life. Now, we tie, becaufe tome men thinke to bafely of theword of God, how theProphet bath cípmmended it by theeffeóts, foundby experience to himfeltè. Againehefheweth, that this was notinhim , by any paniilar prerogatiueof Gods fpirit, (although the 1ptrie wrought wonderfully inhim) but that itcame by sling the meanes of the word, reachingvs that as he waswifer thenhisenemies becaufe in all perils he asked ccunfell " of the word: wiferthen his teachers, in that he retiednot in their vniueriall rules; but by medi- rc rationdid appropriate them tohim(elfe: and wifer thenthe Ancient, becaufehe learned as well f° to tineaccording torbeword,au to loue it: fo we allovfing the Iikc tucanes, luau find the like (.ore effeds,though not inlike meafure. By which effehhswelearnethat without theremeanes,we be. " come foolifh,doltifh andblockiih. The word of God then is fuch a trealsire, that if fitch no holy thingbe earl to(wine, I donot doubt butwe fhall feeour Godwill execute his heauie ven- geance and iiidgements. Wheteofnowcommethittopaffe, that awittie young man diethan old Poole, emptie ofGods graces ; whom their youthwerewell brought vpof their parents,(as [oh.ta vnder Iehoiada) whoanwhilefl they did looke into theirformer lifeand repent , fpake otiogend very effeéìually againtf finne, butin their age,haue not fomuch knowledge as before ? babe. (tame. cattle they continue not in the faith, and ina good confcience. Itwere better to preach to one that neverheardof lefus Chrifi,then to fuch-anold Proteftant,becaufe the one isthankefidl,the other is vnthankefal. Tell meO man,I Ipeake untothy confcience, when thineeie didfee into theword, when thineeáre did heareit, when thoudidi looke into thine owneconfcience,when thou felte(1 fweetneffe inGods promifes, when thou diddeft tremble with feare of Gods judge- menu,and diddefl delight in thewayes of the Lord,:Oh, howquiet wasthyconfeience ? what comfortdidfl thou find in thyminde ?Oh,how wholean heart was in thee ? And on thecontra- tie, when neither Godsprotmfes werefweete, nor his iudgementsfearefull, norhiswayes plea- font vnto thee, oh, how coldwas thy zealc?how weake wasthy confcience ?how feeblewas thy heart ingood things? We (hall feefame nowadayes, being butprivatemen ,fpeakewith grea- it ter knowledge anni conlcience,then the Preacher. Whymay a Preacher trend his breath, his ffrength,
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