0 the tt9.`Jalme. .613, Gods fpirit. What isthe caufe,why wehauea general likingofdte word,and ',ethanenota pates titularmiflikingof our defects ? euen becaufe we hauenot theparticular guidingand goueme- ment of GodsSpirit. Marke here , the Prophetprayeth'not the Lord todireft him, eitherby fanta(licall revelati- ons, whereof heretikes dreamefo much, norbyvaine fuperliicions,which blinde thePapills,nor by ciuill policies , wherein wicked worldlings fo abound , but onely by his word. Neither in. truth is thereany thing thatcan purifie ourhearts,orcleanfeouraffeelions, but only the word; which alto is vnfruitfull,vnleffe the Lordguidevs. For it is an hard thing toget intothe way,but it isharder beingonce in the way, tocontinuein it andhatdefl ofall, when wee'are outof the way,tocome in¡againe. Forfeeingthe way tobe to ftrist , that fometimes wegoon this hand, andfometimes onchat, it isa graceof graces,either tobe kept in theway, orbeingout, quick- ly tobebrought in again. Andlet none iniquitie havedominionotter me,r c. Iniquitie, aswe taught before, bathdomi- nionouer them , where it breakethout without controllement , and in whom it bearetha Tway The dom:sw with delight,to the hinderanceof Gods glory , to the breaking the peace of their owne con. ßJGone fciences,and to themill exampleof others. He prayethnotwe fee, tobe without finne, forthathee knewhe could notbe in this life; but that finnemight not rule and raignein him. No motedothoursauioatChria teach vs to pray, that we might bewithout finne,but thatOar finesmight be forgiuen ; not that wee fhouldbe Rom.6.ra. voidof all temptations, (forof alltemptations, not tobe tempted is thegreatefl)but not to beo- uercomeof temptationsnot tobe freedPornall finnes,but that Sachan theauthorofeuil might Nottobe toxin nor preuaileagainllvs. Wherefore the Prophet faith, Hal. a9.13. Keepe thy firuantfrompee- red. foemptaousfmnes, let themnot raigneotter me: Wherehe meaneth, Letnot theerrorswhich are fo rifeinme,grow tooprefumptuous;but giue thy feruantgraceto efpyand forefèe them,which agreed) with hislènfein this place: Lord,though 1 fee thisheape ofcorruption is(fill in me,and lurketh 1111 in my bodie, and is buried inmy flefh;yak; itnot breake outto thy difhonour, or to thegriefe ofmine owneConte. Nowaswe ate indeed to beware of the great Ieeurit:e and earelefnelfeofmany profeffours inour time, fo mull wee beware of the prefumptuousprided'. heretikes. For ifeyther Gods commandement orpromifes hadpermittedhim topray for afull Herefikes, deliucrance from finnc,,then he hadbeen remilfeor flacke in fodoing , he (hould haue(hewed bimfelfenot to havebeleetted thepromife of God,but difobedient tohisLaw,and to haueflat- tered himfelfe in his frnne,and tohave had tome loue-likinethereof. Seeing then the fcriptures ofGod allow this kinde ofprayer, that feeingwe knownot the manifolderrorsof this life,we might crane that we breakenot intoprefumptions : no maruaile though thefantafticall heretikesbeblowne fohigh, that they imagine.they can. notfrnne.IfAdam inhisperfeltion and in paradifefinned agaínll theLord ; ifNáahwho anhundred yeares continued a iuft man, fell in the Arke; ifMofes themeekeft man in the Numb.ao. earthwas ouercomeby impatience ; if Dauidaman after Gods owne heart in his latter dayesbegan tonumber hispeople if Esechiah a good ruler of the Lordspeople, in time ,s did breakeout tovaineglonein (hewingof his treal'ure;ifthat peerelesKing fefiah,who in ,s allthings was wontto aske counfell of the Lord, did not askecounfell, at what time he was to fightagainftthe KingofEgypt though fine did neuer raigne in thole,nor haddo- ,, minion ouer any ofthem, and yet after abundance of Gods graceswhich they had recei- ued finnetooke Isolde on then:: then what an hellifh prideofheretikes is that todreame óftech perfection ? Andagaine,herewe mull beware of thecontrarie extremitie that we giur not our felues tomuch libertie. vor, though forGods children, whichthrough infir- mitieshaue Ilided, thisisa comfort, yetfor them that giue the bridell to fin, to leade them as it Meth, it isnothing appertayning. For it is caller to flip with Godschildren, then when we haue(lipped to recouer ourfelues with them againc; it is caller to fall, thento rifeagainwith them ; and many haue their finnes, which haue neithertheir repentance, nor,the remif ionof finnes with them. It isfaidEzech.18.14. If the righteous turne his righteoufnes, andcommit iniquitie, anddoth according to all the abominations, that the tuckeddoe :¡Mahe ¡iue ?alttherighteoufnefe that he bathdonefinal! not 6ementioned, but inhis tranfgreffionthathebathcommittedandin hisfmne,that hebarb finned, inthem'hall be die. We Ggg muff
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=