on the ii9.PJalme. ftant,thineit the kingdome,the power, and theglorieforeoer:thy hand is not thorened more thanit hathbeen,thy word neuer couldbeaccufed,onely lee vs fay,Lordincreafeoarfaith: let vs fay, Lord giuevs the like faith of chyferuanes, and wee fhall haue like graceswith them,though not info large meafurcas they had. Verf. i 4r . I amfmálland difpifed:het doe 'norforgetthe precept,. HIs meaningbriefly is this : Lord,feeingthyword is fopure,Ihunk for it owne caufes though nothing come withall ; ifthou wilt bellow any thing elfe of thy feruant, I thankethee; ifnot,I loueit (till; yea though I fhouldfuller difcredit for it, I amcontent. For I louethy word, bccaufeic is apureword, and worthie tobe loued, with what croffe foeuer it beaccompanied. As thecommon prouerbe is ; Truetbmay beblamed( buttrueth can neuer be filmed, and iniquitie may be couered fora time, but yetiniquitie one day !hall be difcouered. Ie cannotbe denied,thac it is a fingular bleffìng,which is Paidofour SauiourChrilt,to grow in favourwith God and man, and to belolled of both, asit is reportedof Samuel. becaufe as it is, Ecclef.7.3. A good name is better thana good oyntnient,andProu.a2.i.isto be chofen abone great riclies,and louingfauour is abone filuer, andabouegold : neither can there corneamoregrievous crofft to a liberal! nature and ltout perfon, than want of it. Howbeit, to (earthout the caufe ofdifcredit, wce muff alwaies enter into it,whetherour confcience telbeth vs that wee loWer aswell doers,nocas ill doers. For cuco theveryHea- then faid,that amans confcience is as a theaterin the world. Whereforeif weePuffer dif- creditstifflybecaufe offinne,icis tobe lamented : but whenwehaue faith inGodspromi- fes,anda goodconfcienceflowingfrom our faith,though we neuerfomuch bedifcreditcd, it is aGnall thing. Great is the loue of our felues, and great is the care which weehaueto maintaire ourcredit. For many willbe content to hazard theirhues, whichcannot be contentto endanger their good name. For ifa man linebereft ofhis goodna ne,hehadal- moltas line bet bereft ofhis life. And thereforeHeretikes, astheFamilie of loue,giue in precept,thatthey fhouldrather dye,than fuller the creditof their feltto fall.And nomar- ueile: for they fee no better life, neither doe they feeleany true comfort of God in their prolperitie,neithercan theytruly call vpon him intheir trouble. Thus wefeehow aname is efteemed in the world: This then is a true argumentofzeale,mien whenwee hedefpifed and fuller difcredit, till tobearegood affedtionto theword. Formanyare lively and quicke, while(, theyare contented and well pleafed,and whileft things haue that fucceffe which they lookefor, whowhen they fuffer difcredit,are vtterly calf downe. Wefee here themanofGod iscontent toloft hiscredit,foGod benot difhonored,and is readie to buy glorie tothe nameof Godwith the Joffeofhis owne name. For hee relteth inthis,that thoughhe may bemifdeecned,andoftheworld ill insiged of,yethe hurls awar- rant in hisconfciencefrom the Lord,chat hewilldepofefor him; andhowfoeuerfor a time he bearetli thercprochasan milldoer, yetthe Lord will one day draw out his righteous dealing, and make it knowne toall men. Wherefore theProphet faitli,Pfal.37. Fret not thyfelfe, becaufe of thewicked men, neitherbe enaioasfor the mill doerr,¢c. And then liead- deth,verf.5.Commit thrwayvets the Lord,and,ruff in him, andhefhall bring it top( , 6. And he!hall bring forth thy righteotrfnesasa light,andthy iadgement ar the nooneday.As ifhe fhould fay,waive (till on theLord, and poflèfle thy foule in patience,the Lord in time willput a- way the clowdie mitts of ill reports, andwill caufe thy rightcoufnesone day to throe as brightly as theSonne in themidday. Ifwefhould confider the difcredit ofNoah, how hewasaccounted as a gazingflock to the oldworld ; ifwee fhould thinke howEnoch was delpifed inhis time, or howLot was dufcreditedamong the Sodomites, or whatcontemptEliahfuffered amongthe Idolaters in theage wherein hee liued,witli many other holymen, wee would thinkeit wonderful!. Nay, ifwee would butconfider but howthis manof GodDania fufferedreproch,con- tempt and difcredit, weeMouldmuch marueile. Firft,when heehad theraeeff gifts ofaell 635
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