78 Thefife Sermon. thegodlyortothewicked. And Erg wee Than fee how a hautie mindegoeth before de- Gen.;. ftruyeìion,by AdamandEwe our first parents, whofor that they could not content them- felues of all creatures of the earth tobee moft excellent : but throughan hautieafpiring Pxamplesof minde defiredto belike God the creator in heauen,were cart downe into amiferable e- pride;. ftate,and did foffer both in themfelues and theirpofteritiethe flame offo horribleGone. Gtn.tt.7 When themightie menof theearth willingtohauegotten the glorieof all ages to come, by force nobleenterprife,had in the prideoftheirhearts purpofed toereâa tower tohea- uen,and fo to haue been accounted fathers ofgreat renowne: TheLord meetethWith Exod. them,andwhere they lookedfor moilglorie,there he recompenceth Co arrogant attempts u' with moll confulion.At what time proudPharaoh thirfted moll for thedeftruftionof the Ifraelites,(promifrngveto himfelfe the triumphof fo great an ouerthrow)behold contra- rietohis hope,the triumph mofe glorioully wasreturned to Godspeople : but the terror Hefter.7. and fhame was rewarded toPharaoh and all his companie. That hautie minded Haman accounting ofnothing furerthen the executing ofMordecaie and thedeathof thelewes, through theiult judgementofGod washanged fhamefullyvpon thefamegallowes which Dan.'. he had prouidedforanother. Aggaine ,Nebucbadnez.zaraduancing himlelfeasa Monarch and peereleffe prince in hisglorious pallace, notlongafterhad the heart ofa beaft giuen him,and foratonehadhis portion amongthebeafts ofthe field. If weperufe thehiftories Amos.7. both of theKingsof lfraeland the Princes ofIuda,Wefhall fee how Amaziahrefuting to heare theProphets,profperednot : but continuing in that contempt, and fuffering him- felfe tobepuft vp in his owne pride, wasbrought to thegate ofdeftruetion. As alfo how x King.xo.xx. Achab growing in force difdaine after his viétorious conqueft,and nothing fearing the xg.x3 , time that was to come,euen in his deepeft policie receiued the fouleft foyle. To Ihutvp A&.u.:;. c sis matter,wee know that when Herod teemed to haueWonne the garland, and by a fo- lemneoration tohaue canedaway the praifeofGod,and not ofman ; becaufe he challen- ged thewhole glorie tohimfelfe,and robbed Godofhishonour,wasmolt fhamcfully dif- honoured,and fearefully devoured withliceconfuminghisbowels. Neither areweto ob- ferue this in thewicked alone,whowhen they looked for greateft glorie, had the greaten x.Chroas.zo fhame,but in the godly alfo,asAbraham,Afa,Hezekiab,Dauid,who when theywere aloft r xhumbled,were muff exalted,andwhen theythought themfeluesto bemoil exalted,were moll humbled. Afa notwithftandinghehad fomefeafón continued confantin the refor- mation ofreligion,fallingatthelength to reprehendthe Prophet and declining from his former humilitie,fell into ficknes,and inhis licknes duffing to thehelp ofmanmore then to the Lord,receiuedtire fentenceofdeath : and to face his foule bycutting offhisdaies, a.Chrosai itpleafed Godtovifrte him in the fiefh.Heze ahobtaining his health,and hauingrecei- 37 ued aglorious deliuerance from theboltofZenachárib, in that he rendered not theglans Vntbankeful- dueto the Lord,receruednot long after heause tidings,how boris he and iris Image fhould nos pun ed defcendcaptiuesintoBabel.Iof: ah thatholypaterneofgodly princes,not askingcounfell x.chro.;f. at the mouthof the Lordwhen flee fhould enter batten,was mercifullypunifhed in this .David. life,thathemight *apethe fearful! pun ifhinent of thewicked in the life to come. David thinking inhisprofperitie tobe buildedvpon an vnremoueable rocke,and to beas awal- ledcitie,fùfpe6ing nothing and beingout ofthe watch,hefell into agrieuous fin, where- Muth.is.r7. by the later part ofhis lifewas more reprochfull then glorious. The ApoftlePeterafcerhe wasexalted to the dignirieofa faithful' paftor,and for thenotable profeflionofhisfaith, waspronounced blelfed by the Lord Iefùs Chrift; beginning to leave too muchto his car- nali reafon and hisftrength, was called Satan, andnot knowingwhat corruptionwas in Mauh.zs. leis heart,whenhemolt magnified hisconftant louetotheLord lefus, hefell co denie him thrice,and thelaft dine to curiehimfelfe ifhewere theman. But to teamancient and for- mer examples,and to turnethe edge toour felues,wofoll experience, by diligent obferua- don of their ovine hartss,hath taughtmany,that afterforce fweet and plentifulmeafureof Godsmerciereceiued,they have waxed 1e11e careful! and ielousouer their ownaffeeLions, and fo for a time hauebin leftofthe Lord : whereby thoughnot tomefearfull deftruélion, yetfume grieuous fall bathenfuedvpon them.It is good thereforefor vs tokeepacareful! watch ouer ourfelues,and to fee whetherafterwehaue been refrehhed with fomefpeciali graces
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