on the i19.7?[alme. Ionsexcufes,thatit is hard to beg goodman, weeHiatt furche nestercometo fohigh adig-. nitie. We haue alts fhewed,that vnles we labourtodenieourfclues,we lhall neuer buckle our (clues after thegraces otGod. Vert toz.l banenot declinedfrom tbyiudgements,for thoudiddeff teaeb me. AS if hou he (timid fay: I hauefeene andobferuedy that whofoeuer did refraine frommill, they werewifer then their enemies,chey became more learned then their teachers,& prouedgrauer then theauncient; and that theywhich did not refraine weregreatly pu j. ote . flied, plagued , and trodendowne, and as thou halt p.unifhedfome, fowilc thouall.pu- ndh others: wherefore I haue not declined front thy iudgements. Was there euer towne,peopfe orperfon,w hïch truelle belerued in IefusChcilt,in whole lifeanddeathdid not appeare plentifully Gods mercies And contrartlie, how bane tilt vu- beleeuers bingiurn over to hardnes of heart, and a reprobateminde, many plagues, wars, Mid Other iudgeinents ofGod to them incident? OldeProteltants are now become ruflie, becaufetheymadeno account ofGods:word in theiryouth. Efau loft hisBirth-right, for ametre of po.trage; beefought it afterwards with reares, but could not imite ¡r, whole pro-. phanrnesgrew by pkalures. Welèe many wanton-mento come tofearefull ends, and6h tine adulteries,who beginning to condeinnethe word fell to Ipendiog, from fpending to rioting, fromriot toadultcrie,front that to theft, and from ftealingto death. If wee will obferuegodhe difcipline,wemuff firlt learne Gods doétrine : if wee willJeanie hïs iudge- ments,wetnuitlrarne his mercie.We attribute toomuch tofortune,to fatal/ dcltìnies, to charmings and filch like;but nothan doth Tooke vpto the handof God, whereinwe take his name in vaine,innotvfngaright his iudgements. Thomhaft tauohtme, that is, thou haft befides the minilteriall preaching, giucn twee an extraordinarieknowledgeofthyiudgements. Many know much, whonotwichllanding re betaught of cannot profit by Gods iudgcments.So.that the briefeand plaine meaning of theProphet, God, isthus muchineffe&,OLord I haue nochad this knowledgein and ofmy ink; but Ire- ceiued itof thyholy fpiric, it wasthy tnereie and thy grace,that made meknow city lodg- ment,. The man of God then dheweth vs in this verfe, that iswdid alwayes let the iudgements ofGod before him: what madehimthen locarefulito doe them ? the confidering ofchetn inhtsmind,the occupyinghis eyes to marke thetn,thevfingofhis cares toheart howGod performedhispronules tociteobedient,and executed his fearefullthreatnings on thewic- ked. Aching thanwhich nothing is worthie of greater meditation. Weheáre armwith our cares, but with little profit, the glorious promdes and wmtderfull vengeance of the Lord, what is commaunded, and what is forbidden: but when we confider, and fee before our eyes,hocv the Lordbathperformed these things, we are humbled from fin ne,and coot- The rennfidera. forted toobedicnce.This is st thatbreeds trial,proofe,and experience,to lee how the. Lord tiesofGodo hathinmercis dealt tvithAbrabam ,Ifaac,Jacob,lofepb, andDavidhisfaithfui ileruants,and tudgemenu: howlte bath plaguedthe Egyptians, theSodomites,the old world,& other ofhis enemies. Thy iudeementsof old° Lord, faith David, bagel conídered. We (hall neuer effeetuallie obferue citeiudgements of old,vnlellewe obferue theiudgements ofG od oflate. Forthey muff both ioynetogether,leaft that weeconfidering ofthem being olde, andnot oqnew, fhould thinke.theywere not,or at lealtthat weetelling on the iudgements ofGod execur ted De6 , not liftingvp our eyes to theiudgements of old,fhould afcribe them tocuill e,chaunce,and deftttie. Wemay then fee how they which vied the tneanesof good things ençtc*fi in them, and bow theythat refrainednot from suill, did (fidebackevntowickcdnefe. Wherefore that we may throughiy beperfwaded ofthe truthofthe Lord in things commanded, for; bidden,threatned, promíled, it is requilit toobferue theproofs ofu sera, fooft asGodgi- uethintloccafionthereof. For vntihh welooke on thefe risings, and lee Isis blrffiitgs astd his 'iudgements,weíhall neuer hauea care to doe goód, nor a confcienceto auoydeeui11, and tuagoucors¡ tolooke into them , is to looks into theglaffèofGodsword. Many denyprouidence, be- Bb m caufe 155
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=