Greenham - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .G82 1601

68 The thirdSermon. madeEfeutnoft troublefome, and Me.ob morecomfortable unto him. Abfalomand Ad.- .iahbrought vp likecockneies, becamecorofues toDaaaidsheart ; Salomonmore rah-ái- tied ofGod,leflè fet byof Dataid, was his ioy, hiscrown, Ins fucceflbur in hiskingdome. Terentsfoay. This difeafe is fohereditarieto many parents,louing theirchildrenin the /kill ratherthen the fpirit,that the holyGho isfaine to call vpon theknrnorevehemently, to teacb,to in. ftruot,and to correbt,as knowing howeafily naturewouldcookzealein this kindeofdu. tie.Indeede manywill:fet by their wiues,childrenand kiosfolke,iftheybe thrifcie,hketo becomegood husbands;wittfe and polittke: or iftheybefilch as for theirgifts can bring famereuenueto their ftocke,or affoord fome profit voto them,howdeepe inners foeuer they beagainft God,thatmaketh no matter,it little grieueth them : whereby they bewray their great corruption, that they neither are zealous in truth or Gods glorie, norlouers arightoftheir children,becaufe they can be fharpe enough in reprehenfion, ifthey fade but a little in thriftines,and yet are coldenough inAdmonition if they fade neuer fotouch in godhnelfe. Well,let theft flefhly zealous men lay to their heartthe blindaffection of Heli,who being the deare childofGodwas feuerelypunifhedof theLord, for that he was not zealoufly affeéted to punifh Timm againft God inhis deere children : but bided are they thatcan forget their owne caufe,and euenwith ieopardie ofnature candefend the quarrell of God,ltenceforth labouring tóknow no man aftertheflefh, but to endeuour f irituallybyfaithto ,feeandknowChriftIefus,fo as no outward league doebleere and dazell our eyes, as thatwee fhould not efpie finne in the neereft kindred tocorre& it : or that wefhould net dtfcerne vertue inthe greatelt aliens to reuerence it. Callingoff then thisvaileofíefhly loue,wce muff labour to loue moltwherethe imageof God appeareth moft,and thereThewour affectionsinlelfe meafure,where finnemaybeas a marke where- byGodreftrainethourloue,euen tothem wherenature may fooneft deceiuevs. Nowwhereasmany haue great courage torebukefuels as either cannot gainfay them, or gainfaying them cannot preuaile againft them, here commeth another propertieof 7Hee.ruleof zeale to be fpokenof, and that is, that itfeareth not theface of themightie, neither is it ,eale dilinaied at theloekesof the proudeand theloftie. Such a couragewasin ¿eb,who betides that-hemade the yong menafhamedof theirlibertie and afraidof hisgrauitie,madeeuen Iob.ag.8,y. thePrincesalfoto flay theirmike,and to lay their hands on their tnouthes. Andyet here we muffbeware oftheir haftiezeale,who will not fficke to charge the childrenofGod to bewithout zeale, if prefently and abruptly they rulli not into an open reprehenfon of men that aremightiein authontte,as though no regard ofplace,time and perfons wereto; be had :whichopinion manyby weaknes of judgementdefending,fndeneitherfruite in others,norcomfort in theirowne confciences,when they doeadmonish in thatprefump tuous manner : for that hunting afterferuentnes without thefpiritof sneeknes, and ca- ningoffall confideration ofa godly oportunitie,they rather exafperatethan humble the partiesadmonifhed, and they thetnfcluesrather departwith confufion and fhame, for fuchpofing on without warrant ofwifedome, andnot according to knowledge, then, with comfort ofheart forany dudedone. Neither am I here ignorant how great daunger of trouble ofmíndc commethto many, in that they being fo curious obferuersand wai- ters Of oportunitie,doeforCome cafeof the flelh,vnderthe cloakeof this wifedome,alto- gether kaueof thatgodly dude. Wherefore aswe affirme that wifedomeand louemixed together,doe deeply enter into the molt prefraétand prodigious fpirits:foweemi(like their fearefull delayof dude,who hailinga meane occafion offered them fromthe Lord, doe not earneflly purfue the quarrell'of.tfieLord,and earneftly rebuke finne though in fome higher perfonages. The 9.rule. Out ofthis may iflùe anotherfruite ofrightzeale,namely,whenwearezealous in their zealous in de- behalfewho can neuer recompencevs agatne:for flefh and blood willeafily admit to re fence ofthe bukethe injuries, and reuenge the oppreffionsvfed to men of credit and abditie, becaufe paare. it isawariewifedometo patronagethem infeller things, who can beour patrons again ingreaterthings. Thuslabdeliuered the poore thatcried,the fatherleffeandhimthat had none tohelpe him, hewas theeyes to theblinde, thefoote to the at wholehands no hope ofrewardwas tobe looked for.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=