Hieron - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.H54 S4 1624

Iço the Bacheparer flebouah., truth. this is the fiat ore of thisde&vine: Ina word, thus :Go.ltci;l not fr,ally acquit the wicked; yet it may feenie now by the commoncourfe of the wençd , thatheBoth acquitthcmaherefore(uoboubt) thereisa time fet,whichwill come for the full and euident manifellationof his !Malec. Ili. The fecond vfe is to roote out ofmanymenshearts thatvaineconceipt, by e2. which they doe 1ceiuethcirownefoules, and it is titis t they frameveto then:. feluesa God all ofmercy and lenity,they thinke him robe onewhoat theirplea- . fure,and when theywill,is eafily intreated,and in one word,becaufe ftntenceagai ß d Ecel.8,11. their evillWarkre is norprefently execatsd, theirbeertearefullyfainthem to doe enft, It is the cocoon concept which men haue, that ifGoddid (ohate euill (esbee is Paid to doe) furely hewould not fo long forbeareto makeit tnanifeft. I ibould notthus enioy health, and riches,and credit,and the things which myheart dcfi- reth (faith thegodlelfeman ro hünfelfe) if theLord did toabhorremycourfes, as theyfay : Is' nothe the difpofer ofall things, doe not all things come topale according ro his prouidence, clothnot heglee riches, and weath, and honouran he pleaferh,and are not theft the rewards for thofe whomehe leueth? wherefore (faith the Atheill,and theman whowalketh after hisowneluls)they (hall all lay what they will,I willnever beleeue thatGod is fo firait & fo feuere,as iris epos.. red : thefe thingswould not be thus, ifthat were true : Therefore I will yet plcafe my lelfe inthewaits of mineowne heart, a lisle more wanronnes,atitle moreop. prefsion, a title moreexceffe cannot he dangerous, leo doubtbut Godwill (hew Me mercy at lalt,it fhall neuer be toolate for me toreturne. This is theprophase communingofeuillmenwith their ow nehearts, harping onely upon this hi ing , that God is mercyfull,and fo forget the ftrl&nes andfcuerity ofhis lttftice, Bur, O thou man, whothus ftrenthenefi thy heartand thy hand onto vngodlinesbe- caufe of the Lords long.ft:Wring , thoumuff know , (and vnkffe thou quickly cEph, a.4. looke onto it, thou Ihalt Purely feele it,) that as the Lord is rich inmercy e, toall t Dam4,4. whichbreake. oftheirfrnnesr by repentanceandbringforthfruits worthy amendment g Mud,.3.L of/ifet,fohe is terrible in iufticea ainftfuchas term biograce intoWantonnes a,& blud,r, beam themfelues bold upon the kindoeffe, to continuein aloofe and diffolute comic, choofingrather to line inthe manifeft breachof his will,thentoabridge themneluesof the teemingpleafrtresof iniquity, Thou that goeft on in an evil way, inwhat kindfoeuer,and basing thy confciencewrought opon by thepower of the word, dollyet gather heart onto thyfelfe outof the mercy ofGod,fuppo- fing that he will rollerate thee,tellme (I pray thee)doeftthou beleeue that God fpake thiswith his owne mouth, that he winner make the Wicked innocent? and if thou thinke(tthathefpaheit,doefi thoufuppofeittobeatruth ? and ifthouat. count it true,in what fenfedoeft thou couceiueir, or ofwhat kinde ofmen doeft thou take it to bemeant? who is he whom the Lordhath(as it were)vowed ne. uertodifcharge ? Thinke well ofit,what(euen in thy owne iudgement)thou con- ceiueft to be vnderdftood by wicked in this place. Ifthou fayweeare wickedby nature,arui that it is not the prat which can liue without afpon All this is true: But the word(wickd)cannot befo taken here; for then weeare all (hut out,and no hope offaluation fhouldremaine to any. Befrdes, they are notwicked inthe Lordsaccounts, who though they haue manyweaknelfes,yetftriue againft their owne corruptions. But if therebeeany truth in theScripture, by wickydhere is meant fuchan one as thouyet art; wholiueth in vngodlineffe,aodyetclothmake himfelfe beleeuethathef,allefcapeGodsiudgemeirt well enough ; who thinkes her mayglut himfelfewith the pleafuresof finne,withoutany finalldanger to his foule. This is theman,whom theLord neither will,nor canabfolue. Thou askeft me how I prooue this whichI haue laid ? I will alleadge tothee tworeftirnonies ofScripture to make'it good. The one is this:Snrely ggod willwound the bead ofhú i Pfa1,68, 2 r. ettemieoandthe hairy pateofhitnibuttnAeth inbitfins '.1-lowcanft thou heare,this and deleeue itto be true,&yet dareto walke on isthyfináes?Thou wilt fay,this is

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