boo en/la .Sfer Greenhorns Readings Ifinde that after Efayhad propheciedalongetime, the LordGod who would notlaue hisname blafphemed, teeing no amendment in his people comes with a greater mairllie, and bids the prophet Efa.6. tocell them that theyfbouldheare, butnot vnderfimod,they f outd plainlyfee, butnotpereeiese e hecommattndeth himmoreouer, to make theirheartsfar,to make their eereo beanie, and tofinetheir eyes, leag theyJlouldfeewiththeir eyes, hears with their tares and vederffandwith theirhearts: And becaufe they would not make the word of God the favour of lifeveto life, it should beends theses the fallout of deathvoto death. As this is fpecially meant ofthe vngodiy: yetfurely thegodly efcaped not but by repentance. It is the wifedoeneof God to vfe all meanes,and thento vie dellru&ionwhen hisword will not ferue.We may becomforted euen at this day,tha t the Lord yet giuetha lcatterissgofhis people, and giueth vs tome good minitters and magiftrates: but ifwe confider of the Lords long fufferingof vs, of the peace, abundance and many other graces bellowed on vs, and yet lo Mall amendment ; we troll for the remnants fake, diat the general!iudge- ment of God (hall not as yet come vpon vs. Yet this fore laying shouldmakevs afraide,ifis .timefor thee Lord, tope to thine band, &c. This may be much for thecomfortof Godschii- dren and for the dslcosnfort ofthe svicked. Verl az7. Therefore lone l thy commaundements abouegoldyea,above mof1finegold. Arke here the fpirit of theman of God. Doewe not feethat this is a common rate, Afngaler the leilèreligion is eiteemed, the leffe it is ofthe molt regarded ; the greater the cor- grareto[etae ruptionofusannersis, the greater is the follie: then this is a rare bleding of God, when ,anther religion is in ever place hated, euen then to loue religion when manners are cuer 's isrnJtcom- g Y P` a ; Y manly de,, , fid. v. herecorrupted, euen then tobe of good conuerlatiou. When inour cure then we lee fo many kindesofreligion, aspapiftrie,thefeft ofthe Iefuites,thefanlike ofloue, Anabaptefts and loch like, k is a fngular graceof God, to be eitablifhed in the lone of true religion: Whenwe looke into then manners, whether we turnevs to magiftrates orlubie(s, sue Mall neitherfrde zealous gouernment norfastbfull obedience. Ifwe hued inaheauen among Angels, orin a paradife with Saints, and would defile our fclues wide fsnne, we were worthieto be calf out of Paradife with Adam, andout acheChurchwith Cain. But toliue with Noah vprigbtly, and to walke before God with him, when all hells bath cor- rupted his wayes ; or to hue iulilrevithLot in themiddeft offilthie Sodomites; or tokeepe a pure religion orworffisip of God with Eliah, when not one can be found that bathnot bowed to B.aal;or to hue in keeping judgement and iuilice with Dauid,where are iómany opprellorsofthetruths to isaue in this care an heart vpright both inreligion and manners, oh confiderthis to bean efpeçiail worke ofgrace. This we may alas fee both bynatural and ciuilreafon:we fee the snore general and con- tagious a difeale is,tbe greater care we vfeto watch ouer our healtb;and the greater mercie of Godwe count it if we benot infected with the reff : and (hall we not iudge the fame in fpiritual andmore heauenly matters,tbatthemore hot fingroweth tobe,and like tootter- run all,fhallwe notgrow the more zealous of the faluationof ourfoules,andthinke it the rarergrace, of God, ifwe being fsebiebt to the common fns,are preferued fromthem ? In ciuill matters doewe not fee,tbatnowdeceite inbuying and felling,vnfaithfulneffe in bar- gaining is fogreat,euery man is circusnfpeato difcerne it dealings,eueryman alsnoff is be- comea lawyer,noman is ignorantof thecommon fhifts oftheworld ; yet this makethnot men thereforeto giueouer their deedes,butthey make their deedesmore fore: neither doth deceitful'dealingkeepe them themorefrom markets and faires,but men are inure careful' in their bargayning.Doewe louethe Church then,though there be fo i sany corruptions of religion,andfo manycorruptions dimmers? Letvs bemore afraideof ourfelues,&more careful ofthe word,andheedie in our liues,thenwe havebeen:let vsliften to the word,be- forethe Lord Isath feared vpthe prophecie, leali the wickedpreuaile, & tisecolt man make himfelfe a pray. Now is the time to repent,it may be that the Lordwill mitigate his fudge- ments,when they fal,and evil makehis pumflsnsentparticular and eafier.For thenwe truly fearetbe publikemdgsnents ofGod,whenwe fearethecaule oftheminour lelues,when We tarric
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