31.2 The ir'iatforme' ofObedience. 'aRom.saç Spirit ofGod . Lookehow they were wont tohue in the feruice ofinis anddi.. bTit. 3.;: uenpleafuretb , in the vanityoftheir aeind <, bringing forth no fruits but the vn_ Ephef.4.ry,,fruitfagworket ofdarkenef/ed, fo they hue fiilI, they :nineevery one to their race,as dEphsd-'1' thehorerufbetbtothebattelle, asthou hChriffianitpwerenothin but a tide, efer,g,6. f g nothi g and it were enough to laluationrto bee abletoname Chrtfllejira.,Whereunto may I liken thisgeneration?They are like vnto certaine galley-pots,and pain. red boxes,flandingvpon the outfideofApothecaries fhops,onwhich(to draw cudomers)are written thenamesof fuchand filchfpices and confe&ions:butif you looke into them,you (hall findnothing in them, but dull, or cob-webs,or walle andvnprofitablepapers;fuch are they,by theirprofelfion they haue(as it were)written vpon them, holinestotheLord:hutlookfurther into them,behold andmarke themin their callings andconuerfation, what truth, faithful. nes,what mercy,what bowelsofcompaffion,whatmeekneffe,whathumility, what peaceablenes, whatwithdrawingtheir deifies from theworld,maybee foundamongd them;alas,youThal feelittle that is anfwerable totheoutward fhew.It may be trulyPaid ofthem,as it wasofthe ChurchofSareli; Theyhaue fltcu.;.r. anatnethattheytiste,bettheyartdead; theyarefaidtobeChriflians,buttofpeake of anytrue goodneffe,of anyoetifeofgrace,ofany quicknelfeofReligion, they are men ftarkedead, vtterlyquailed; andeven now ready to bee cal? offas a ;, Sob. rs,C branch %,and tobeeleft as fuellfot thatvngaenchcablefier '. Letall hollow and h M,0,943 fruitleffe profel urs thiuke vpon this : In the dayof Chrifl it is not a name Uan.4,zq. and a profeffon tttat(hall excufevs;ifwehanenotbrakonof our oldfinneri,but lyedill dead and groueling in them, bee our opinionnowand conceit whatit {PfaLSn.f will,GodwillpliekevtoutofhisTabernacle,androotasoseofthelandefthelissingk; tPIA toó.. andwee (hall neuerfee thefelicity ofbis chofex t. Learneaurmilitudefrom out- ward things. An husbandman or mailer of an orchard, howbeit bee may Beare with thenakednmffe ofa. tree, in the winter feafon, hoping that yet there remaineth forcelife in theroote, which inconuenienttime will Phew it felfe; yet when the Spring is come, and the Sanne breakethforth in his drength, cherilhing the creatureson earth, and drawing out the heate which is hid in theroutes , into curry branch,, ifyet then it temaincthbarren,{hewing no buds, nor gluing no hopeof fruit, bee beginneth to bee cleaneout of con. ceit with it,and refolueth, thatit {hall trouble the groundno longer,but (hall make wood for the fier; Even fo the Lord, who (asChriflfaith) isthegrand. /skimsr. Husbandman., of hisChurch, though heernightfeeme in afort tobeareWith vs in the dales ofour former ignorance , when wehad little or nomeases to drawvs on , but were eues liketrees ina hungryfoyle, having neither Sunne to warmevs, nor (flowers torefrefbvs yet now,the Spring,being come, the light Of knowledge (pining cleerely unto vs , and theLord watering vs from heauenwith thefweet deawes ofhismoll blrffedWord , if yetweecontinue inour wonted barreunefle,hviehout any buds ofgrace, withoutany fruits of holineffe, howcanwee thinke thatthe Lordlhould poffiblyforbearevs, how fhould wee efcape theAxe ofhis Iuflice tobee hewen downe , andprepared for the fier? Againe, tovrge it yetfurther : IF the husbandman come the firflyeere looking for finite , andfindenothiug but leanes, hee may perhaps impute it to the vnfeafonablenefieof the yeere, or to the want of dreffing; and fo, bedowiñg more coil, may linein'hope for the next yeere, or the third yeere t but if his expe&arion bee anfwered with leaues onelÿ; or, ifthere bee fomepoore fruit , it bee, when it is tided, foure andvnfinorie, bee ii Coo much the moredifcontented with himfelfe , that bee bath Co long forborne ir, neither (ball any man perfwade him any longer to endure ir. So theLord our God , viewing and beholdingvs here , which cometo this place, although yet hitherto-the greased part of vs havebrought fourth nothing
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