on the 119. Pfalme. 575 than men,and their fül%ringis bldckifhnes,and not patience : or elfethey areeffeminate and womanifh, tohowls and crieout in theirpains, and to dye with curling and ban- ning andall kinde ofrayling. Thus they dealt; This experience bauewe feeneofboth, euen within ourdaies. Ifyou comparethem together when they are bothof them in profperitie,and ifyou then confider their liues,you (hall alfo feethat there is great difference.For thechildrenof God,whileft theyloue the word,the Sacramenfs,and difciplinc,theycannot long lieand continue inany fin : for the wordwill rebuke them,the Sacraments will admoniihthem, anddifcipline will alto helpeto bringthem from it. HeBoth not onely fpeake of corruption in do&crine, butalfo in manners : as in query commandement, wecannot loue thegood,but we muft alío hate the contrarie : as in tuft, adulterie,&c.aslofepb hatedhis Ivliftres, when her once perceiued that the wasvncleane. Then whilelt men are giuen tovanitie on the Sabboth, they louenot the Sabboth : for if theydid,theywould either take heedsoffuch ; or if they fell into them, theywould reco- uerthernfelues. Thenwee cannot louethe Sabboth, vnleffewee delight init, and hatethe contrarie. Then ifwee will crie whether wee loue the word, let vs trio if by thehatred of naughtines in vs, and this if wee fede, wee may beecomforted,for Godwillworke by this. The word frgnifieth(thoughts)and is a metaphor from thecrookedboughs ofa tree,and fignifieth, that as thetrees haue their boughs fpread abroad crookedly, fo doe thoughts growout of men.Andhis meaning is,thathehated theeouerthwart thoughts. Therefore helaboured notonelyfor the outward hatred,but euen theimaginations that are contra- rie thereto,ás the thoughtsof idolatrie,tncleannes,&c.andto thick all hebiddeth bactell, .thathemaylouethelaw. This is a good thing for vs r fqrthough wee comenot to idola- trie,murder,adulterie,&c.yet the euillthoughts come intoourminder; and theft we mutt not futfcr tobefetled,but at thefirf wemutt hate them,anddriue them out. Thoùghts arenotfree,therfore neither is it enoughto louein fhew,but we muff altoloue in thought: for ifwe fauour them,wemay by littleand little be carriedaway. For hereof it commeth thacmen arebroughtto reuenge,andothereuils,becaufè they makenot con- fcienceof thethoughts. Thuswe fee that menhaue thoughts of herefie,anger,&c.andyet they arenot atdefiance,and therefore theyfall intothe finne. Hereof men fall into adul- terie,become enemies to God, his minifler, and religion! for whitc(t theymake no con- fcienceof thethoughts,theyfall into thefrnnes. It is true then, thatwe muff fiat fight a- gainft reafon, whenwee willfight againft finne, as aman fighteth notagainft fwearing, becaufenot againft anger; andnot againft anger,becaufenot againft reafon. Vertr.x 4.Thouart my refugeandIhield,andDraft in thyword. BEeaufe theProphet couldnot perfwade himielfe ofany otherfafetie, than of the Cafe- gard whichhe had vnder theLord,he fheweththat folong as hoe put.Iristruth in Gods promifes,hefeared nothing. AndPurely this ought to be theprincipalithingamongCirri- flians,tolookefor nonemher defence than thatwhich is to bee lookedfor out ofthe pro- milesofGod. For what is the caufe,why whenweeare indaunger,inpouertie,in any di- ftrefle,wee haue fomany by-paths,and can inuent vnlawfullmeanerand fhifcsfo for our deliuerance,but only becaufe theLord andhisword is not ourrefugeand our fhield? For ifwe wereonce perfwaded,that Godwere ourcower to defendvs,and our fhieldto toner vs,we fhouldbeflayed. Ifeve then call on God in ourneeds, wemutt know,tlrat Pfal. 3 3 verf. x 8.Theeye of the Lord is vponthem, thatfearehim, andopon themthat truflin hismer- cies. And that PCal. t4)-J t 8. Hewillfulfill the delre ofthem, thatfearehim, het altowill hears their crie,andwillface them.And ourcaufe being good, We needenot to doubt of him: for he hackpromifed co beour fhield and buckler. So our Sauiour Chrift being tempted ofebriß :temp Sarhan,toturne the (tones intobread, wasmooed by him todiltruft Gods prouideoce : "rations. What (faith hoe)doelt thouthinke, that ifthouwert theSonneofGod,thou lhouldeft beMatth.4. left rn luchwants? make Come flrifc therefore for thyfelfe. But Cheitt knowingGod tobe . the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=