556 ¿"klaYter 9reenhams `Readings caufe theyhaue not a knowledge oftheword,or elfe leaning totheir reafon,giuetoo mueh tonaturall caufes, orlallly-becaufethey hauenot a daily growing in the word. For that maywell be the fenfe ofthis place,7houdof6make metogrowe in knowledge. Hereisalfocommended vntovs theteachingofthelpiritby. the mmiftcrieofthettword. Forotherwifewemay often "reade theferiptnres,andyet beignorantin Gods indgcmerts, innotafcribing every iudgemenc to his peculiar office. Forwhenwe heare of an heretike, wefay, what is hean heretike ? I maruetiehe is become filcha'one, I knew him anhonelt man, I neuer knew any euillby him :yetthe wordofGod telleth vs,that force mens (lines goebeforetojudgement, and fomemens comeafter, and that it is come tohimeither for want of workes orfor foine fecret finne. Itfölloweth. Verfa o;. Howfweetearethypromifesvntomymouth! yea,,fweeter thenhone vnto try mouth. YN,pleMid- X `] Ehaue heard in the ninth portion, that vntill weeput ourwhole felicitiein the tieinsbeword. V V word,we fhall not profit. That which here is calledpromifes, I takerather for iudgments,partly becanie in the proper tonguethe word is left out, and partlybecaufe he hadvfed this word judgements inthe verfe immediately going before. But 'Mine will fay, how can the judgements of God befweete, which are fo troublefome, fearefulland Brie- uous?Ianfwere thatthe godlyhauenogreaterioy,then when they feelseither the mercies of God accomplifhed towardsthem, that fcare him, orhis judgements (hewedvponthe reprobates. Vitomymouth. That is,I take as greasepleafure in talking, conferring,and perfwading thy judgements, asmy mouth, crthe inouth ofany that (meth honie, is delighted there_ with.So he faithport.a.verf.6. I baneWasgreatdelight in thewayofthy tefiimonies,aiinall mannerofriches. Themeaningthenoftheverfèis,whcnIfeele,OLord,filcheffeisofthy promifesinmy retie, and in others that feare thee, and filch fruites of thyvengeance on themtlsat delpifetiice, I linde great comfort in thy word. TheProphetbauidfoundethis fiveetnesby experience in himlelfe, and thereforefpake byproofe. Whydoe not wefeele 3tieaset to be the like comfort? becaufewe vfe not thefame ureanes, wefinde not the like effeás. For if carefully vied- wecould fee ourenemiesput tattlewallby theword,then fhould our knowledge exceede the knowledge ofothers: ifwe feltthe allurements of theworld, the inticements of the flefh, and the motions of the diuell, bittervnto vs ; then fhould we raft this fiveetneffe. Wherefore beforewe snake confcience to vfe themeanes ofgood, and to auoyde theoc- caliionsofeuill,wecannotprofit. Thus wehaue Ihewedhowtise iudgemeatsofGod may be fweete, that is, onto them, that reioyce either to fee thepromifes ofGod performed to the penitent, or his wrath fulfilledin the impenitent. This delight made theProphet out of the abundanceof his heart to fpeake joyfully of them, port.o.6. withmy lips haue! declared all the to dgementt ofthy mouth: And becaufe they teftifie noGnall loueto a thing, which for affeetionto it will rifeat midnight, headdeth port.8.6. Atmidnightwi/llrife "Agood note » togiue thanker vnto thee, becaufeof thyrighteous judgements. This is thena true note, that a ofour (aoeta man bath delight inGods word,iffromthe abundanceof hisheart, hismouth can fpeake the word. »ofst, and when the Wordof God dwelleth foplentifully in him, that he can fpeake it in "wifcdome. Againe,ifwe haue fuch an earne& and natural( delight being wearie,to refrelh our feines wish fables-; what a dulneffe jsit in vs, that we cannotfinde asgreat comfortin the word ofGod? Wherefore we are to examineour owne hearts, thatbowfoeuér webane been delighted beforeto heare vaine and friuolous tales;fo from henceforth we maypleafe our felues in truehiftories in theword.For though other may be corrupt with flatterings, yet there hiftoriesare trtte,and free from alraflentation,bccaufe they regifferaswet the fns of the Kings and their kinrcds, as their vertues. Neither canwe ever-foundethe prophet, vntilfrom theexperience ofour owne felues,we can proclajme forth theexamples both of Gods promifes,andofhis iudgments.We fhetved that the caufewhywefelt not lash profit, asthe roan ofGod did in the word, was, becaufewe vfednot the like paints; wevfefewer meanes, thereforeour,loue is the lelfe to the truth; we auoyde not fomany occafions of
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