ET! ST. IX ... I Y>'~ A dfcCI : your alfay in CJpri•n and A•g•fli•• is happy and j~fily •J:>plaudcd.All our Librarics,whom your diligent hand harh raofackt, ~r tbclt :ud, mluch ab~ndaoceof m•nufcripts,as all Europe would envy to fee '!let mooc !Land. A_fccr all this, tor that the moll fpightfullimputation to our Truth ts novelty, you offer ro deduce ~er J:><· degree from thofe primitive rimes,throughthe fuccdlions of all:~j:cs;and to brt~ mto the light of the world,many (as yet obfcurc) but n~lelfc cerwncand autbcnucall Patrons ina continuall line ofdefence. You have gtven prootc enough, that thefc arc no giorious vaums,but the zealous chalkogaofan able Champion.What want- ~ cth then~ Let me fayfory.ou: Not an hearr, noranhead,not anhands; but(whic~ I almol\ fcorn to namein fuch a caufc)a purfe. Ifrhis continue your hiodcrancc,it wtll · not be more our lolfe then lhame. Heare me~ little, ye rear a~d w~alchy : fi:atl'l God B loaded you with fo muchfubl\ance l ~od wtll you not end h1ma lmleofbiSOI'IPe! Shall your riot be fed with cxcdlc;whilcs Gods caufc lhall ftarvcJor waot1Shall our , advcrfaries fo infultingly our. bid us; and in the zealc ofour profufion laugh a.rour heartlelfc and cold niggardlinelfe! Shall heavenly trUth lie inthe duft for want ofa lirtle ftamped earth to raifc htr! How can you fo much any way honour God, yea yourfdves,defervc ofpollerity,pleafure the Chorch, & make you fo good friends bj your Mammon! Let not the next Age fay,that the had fo unkind prcdccelfors-&tch forth of your fuperfluous ftore, and call in your rich gifts inro.this treafuty of the Temple. The Lord and his Church have nred.For fOu,it angers me to fee how that flattering P•fftviRtu fm~thly intices >:Ou from u~ with g?lderr offers, ubtn the advantageofour neglclt;as 1fhe (meafuuogyour mmd by hts ownc)thou~ tan Omni• c d•h• would bring you withhimfelfeon your knees to worfi1ip the devi l, the beaft, the image ofboth:as ifwcwere not as able toencouragc,to reward defcrts.HathVcr. rue no Patrons on this fide the Alpts? Are thole hils onely the threlholds of honour~ I plead not, bccaufc I cannot feare you :But who fees not how muoilicendy our. Church fcattcreth hcnbountifull favours tipen lclfe merit! If your day be not yet comc,expcll it;God and theChurch owe you a bcnefit;iftheir ~aycnencbe long,it is furc. Only gocyou on withcourage, in thofe your high codcvours1 and in tbc mcane time,thinke it great recompenaeto havedcfcrv~d: ·' " ' D ToM'.E.A. E P . I X. A tlift••rft•f iui•g 6r fi•J in tketimt1fpeflilt11ce;wlmhtr l•wf•Dfor Minijltt."'P"P''· HOwmany hath a feduced confciencc led untimely to the grave! I fpcakc of this fad occafion ofPeftilencc. The Angcll ofGod follo1vcs you, and you doubt whether y~u !hall I! ye. Ifa.LionJc4' ofrbc forcft lhould purfuc you, youwould make no queft1on :yet could lienot oc it unfenr.What is the diffaencc~ Bothinflrum~ots~fdiyincttvenge;boththrcat<ndearh1 ono by fpillingthc blood, · the other by mfctt•~g Jt. Who knowcs whether he hath not appointed your Z•.r out of the hits of thiS dcftrullioo ~ You fay it is Gods vifitation. What cviil is not! E Ifwar have wafted the confines ofyour ~ounrr_y, you favc your rhroars by fli~: Why arc you more f~vourahlc to ~ods unmcdtatc fword ot' pcllilcoce! ~~ tofie, by Godslaw,_rcqur~es a feparauon; yet no mortall fteknellc. When yo fee boredLeper ~.~oclaJm_e hiS uoclcaon~lfc in t~c flrcet, will you embrace him for his lal:e that ha_rh neken h1m,or avoyd htmfor hiS fake that hath forbiddmyou! Ifyou honour hiS rod, mu~h more will you regard his precept. Ifyoumiflikc notme affii~ion I bccaufe ~c fends Jt, then l!'vc tbc life which you have ofhis fcoding;feaic the judgemeotWhiCh_he wrll fend, tfyou loveit not. He thlt bids us flee when we arc pcrfecu• red, hathncJthcr excepted Aogcll norman· wbctacr-foevor I fcarc oar guihinelfe if wilfullywe flee not.But wh!ther lhall we f!~c from God~fay yoa: where lhall !Ion: r both lindcand I<ad us ! whttbcr lhall not our deftinct:ollow us! Vainc men,wc·may runfromour home,not from ourgravc;D<atbisfub ,ourrimc is fetiwe £3Doot;God 'I' ill
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