óq.o e.514éter CJreenbams *adings Thus if wecan rapport our faith inGods promifes,we(hall reioyce iii trouble. +When he: retikesfufferfortheirillufions, ándbeingtaughtofman,theyquicklie(hrinke: but when Sathandeluded] them with ftrange fantafres,they arereadieto f ùfferninth. Doeweknow that Heretikes will fufferfor theirillufions,&(hall not wemuch rather fufièr forthe truth? And yet wee feethe Lord maketh a diftin&ionbet4veene theirfuffrings and ourmartyr.- domes : For Chtihiansthrough faith can fingPfalines inthemidit of the flame, herettkes bytheirroring (hew they haueno fuch toy. It ftands therefore vpon vseuen nowto be jealous of ourprofperitie,and to bellowthe timewhich.we haue,in weldoing, and ftriue againftfinne. For we fhall breake the firft wall bythis, and focome with ioytotheother. Andas theword is a comfort in trouble;fo is ita bridle from finne in profperitie . For as it slothnot let vs fah in trouble,fo altoit bridled: vs from fin inprofperitte.Forto this end we read and heare theword,that inprofperitie it fhouldfubdue fin,and in aduerfi tieit fhould miniftercomfort, But what is the iudgement of God vpon them that know notthe words If theybe inhealth,they feekefornothing buvforplealitres, for profit,and forgain, anti thinkewhatfocuer theydoe tobelawfull ; yea admonifhamanof his couetoulnes by the word,yet will henot repent,vntill eythertheeues,or fire or Tomeother judgement of God vtterlie confurne them; buthewill obieft, why fhouldfoot getriches ?,why fhould Inot mainraine my gaine?Admoni(ha theefe athislibertieof histheft,& it preuaileth no more then if yee fhould tellhim a ftorie,vntill wofull experience teach bin the truth ofit by the prifonorby thehalter. There is no hope toany profittoperfwade the adulterer, vñtill Tome plague of God banewrought vpon him,So we lee,when fire is on our houses,when weemuff goe topri- fon,oryeeld to anyother calamitie,menwring their hands, teare their haire, & rent their clothes crying for woeto thentfelues,and rayingthey cannot litre,theywill not be feeneis the world,they are afhamcd to looke theirfriends in theface,andvvhy? becaufe theyhaue no feelingof the ioyes ofthe life to come,theyhaueno flay onGods prouidence,they feele no comfort in hispromifes;butthey curfe,theymoyle and pineaway with forrow. If vve feethen the great mercieofGod inflayingVs from finne in timeof profperitie,and inad- uerfrtie tellingvs, that bee dothnot puoilhvs inwrath, but in lone ; and asa father doth teach vs thecontempt ofthis world, the delireofthe world tocome, faith in luspromtifes, patience and repentancetlet vs renerently efteemethe word. Verfe144 Therighteouföuoftiny teflimonits iseuerlafling,grauntmee vnderflanding,and fhallliue. Nrcpeating thefameagaine,vvhicb hehadPaid before, theman ofGodhere vfeth tvvo vvordcs, theriggbteoufnesof thytefiimonies: vvhereas beforebee vied this onevvord: thy righteoufaes: fo thathemeanethhere nothing els,but the righteoufnes of God reuealedto vs inhis word. For theybe calledteflimonies,bothin refpeet that they be records of Gods louetowards vs,asalto they are teflimonials ofourobedience towards God. So thewords may bearethis fenfe: true it is Lord,that that part of thyword, wherein thou haftcomforted vs with thyprotnifes,iseuerlafling;and thatpart of thyword, wherein thouhaft let downe our duties,isalfo euerlafling. AndIfballline, i. What doemen delirebut life? that l may line therefore ingodliepleafure, Lord teach meso vnderi?and thy teflimonies. See, theman of God doth refi his life iìrthis vnderhlanding of the word. They then that are ignorant are dead in finne, Ephef a. They fitin thejhadory of death, Luke i. they arebound inthe chaises ofjinn, asPaule witnefleth of the widowes that linedelicately. Foras wecall hinta man ofdeath, on whom not the Iudge, but thelaw,or notthe lawbut thefact bathalreadie given iudgemene t fo theyare fubiebtto the fpiritualldeath,on whom notGodbutbis word, ornot the word, but the fume bathpronoun- ced guiltie. What is then life?furelie this was life,the eflate wherein Adam lined beforeheefell, his otherlifeafterward,which now is common to vs,is a death,and wee iii him areal)dead. For when there was no finne,there was no (haine: when therewas nofhame, there was no trouble, when no trouble,no death. Wherefore lianebringethinfhame,trouble, and death,. andbath left
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