z6o Theperfit `I'atterne ternali, thereforehe laboureth to ftealek away outof theheart, andbydraw- ing mens thoughts to Come other matter, tobring them by all meanes to for. get it.Now,as (peakingof the hidingof an earthly treafvre,I faid it (prang out of two things; firft,a feare to lore it: fecondly,a care toexamine it:fothisfpirituall bidog, fetcheth the beginning from the fame cures. Fu:fiofall , theWilde of God, hearing the do&rine of faluation livelyand powerfully difcouered by the preaching of the Gofpell, the (ifficiencie that is in Chrift tofautall belceuleg flanees, the riches ofGodsmercy in hirn thekindneffe and gracioufneffeOfhis promife to provoke all to comevarohiru; together withCome liking thathre bath of the do&rine, andfomefeeling of the°good that might returnvetohis ovine foule thereby, there it a feare !fo,left throughforce either negleet, or vn- worthineffe ofhis own; he fhoyjdmitreoffo excellent a commoditie , and cut himfelfe Ihortof fach a heavenly blefsing. To thisend, to make good this point, (which it notwithftanding is bygood experience fufficiently knowne to every true Chriftian) wemayalfeadge that fayingofthe Pfalate, O 1ord,ihere it mercy fYPsÍ. r ao. 4. with thee that px maief! befearedr t fo that euen the very mercyofGod caulhth the godly tofew , left they fhould any waydeprive themfeluesof fogracious a Godwile Eord is, by the report andreflimonyofhis word. Saint Taut (pea.' kingofthe forrow, which wan among the Corinthians, which hetearmesagodlr furrow, and eues the very motherof trae repentance, amongother fruitsthatit t r.Coc7.u, brought forth,reckoneth vpfeareyea,whatfeare (faithhe) bath it brought ?By which (tare,I fee not whareaterthingcan bemeant, then a certaine frightful) 'pafsion in the minde, fpringing out offomeconceit, that theymight by their owne folly that themfeluesout ofthe fauour of God, and dcbarre themfeluesof thecomfortable enioying ofhismercy. And itfeemestomer, thatthiswas the very thing,which the Apofle,knowing the behooufulneffeofit, perfwaded and exhorted the Hebrewesvnto. Lee vafearetberefore(faithhe)leßaran) time b)for- nHeb,;,r. tabeng thefromifeofeMring into hisreflanyefyoxfhoxldfeemetebedeprixed '. ikaif he had faid,; You fee what agracious promife the Lordmakes,whatcomfort will follow; . ettainingit: let vs therefore looksco it, that we cut notour Cela , uegle&, and fo come lhort of that reßwhich islet before vs. I may ad et 1 this the wordsofPaxl,which doe well agree withthismat- t Phil = ; t, ter,make anendofÿdxrDanefalnation withfeareand trembling'. The fernants of God 11111 ¡Jte¢irllerfight theyhaueof the riches of Chrift, and of thetreafare of the wörcikbennoreig their feare, leaf} by any meases they might nor enioy ir. This fore 'èatjfeth them to make mucheues of euery wordof comfort which the Scripture alfoards them;and tobe vnwilling to let anyofitfall to theground vnremembred. Earn ana mauthat bath oftrsded theLaw, and bydefert know. nth himfelfe to be the childe ofdeath, greedily layeth hold upon each word, which (cornering from him ,' inwhore power it iseither toraueordefroy him) may puthim intoany hnall hope ofefcaping; euery fyllable, nayeuery kiude lookc is dearc ontohim r fohe thatfinds hisowtremiferalale and wretched data through fins, whenhe heareth any thingof thegrace and mercyof God , cat. cheth at it with that cagerneffe, and lifteneth to it with that feruencieof defire, as ifhewere loth thatought lhould efcapehim; he layeth vp euery fpeech that carriethwith itanycomfort, and giueth it a dwelling even in the moR fecret y r.King. n. corners ofhis heart. Iremember what Iread its the Booke ofKings Y, that the KingofArom,being in the warre takenby theKingof ¡fro!, hisferuantscame in all humble and fubmiffe manner toaske pardon, with facke.cloth opon their bytes, sod ropes about their necken; now (faith the text)themen make diligent zVerfe3 ;. heedeiftheymitiiatchmythingofthekingoflfraelo :'andwhentheyheardhirn fay,Is heyet Zoe ? be is my brother: theymade haft andfaid,ebybrather Benbadad; they laidhold vpon thatword , becaufe it teemed to argueforce relenting and compf1ioap the King towatd their Malice. And fofarethitwithamatawhore heart
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