Hieron - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.H54 S4 1624

`thenoritieof Saints. o t Cot 4. igngmaiidonífer, be children faith theApoffle o, Children generally,are without ao. fpleene, neitherindeedebecaufeofage, doetheyknowwhatitistohate ,ortobe malicious. We fee littleones many tinmesvpon their childifh occaftons, tocon. tend andfall outeachwithother; but it is a very eafie mattet to reconcile them, they cannot tell what belongs to maintaining ofaquarrell,or to the devilingand plottingofrevenge.Thereforewell laid Paa/,inmalieiee[nej be children: I would have you haue as little difpo(ition to malice and difcord, as little children haue. p Ifa.t,g. To thisthe Scripture accords in many places. There was an ancient prophecie P touching the hateoldie Church vnder Chrift: in itisforetotd, thatthe mem. hersofthe Church fhould break'their fwordet intomattocks, and their ffieare, into ftthea. Swords& fpeares are the inflruments(weknow)of war : and mattocks and fiches ofhusbandry. So that the meaningacheholy Ghoft is, that whereas men naturally are inclinable tocontention, debate,quarrelling,reuenging, &c. when they are oncefeafonedwithreligion, and brought to theknowledge ofGod by thepreaching of the Gofpell,they fhall be cleanaltered, and ¡hall become more fociable and peaceable, careful] tobetake themfelues to fuck courses, in which they maybe profitable into themfelues,without thehurt ofof hers. To thefare gIlii .6. efftft is that in the fame Propher,wherc he faith,9 that in thekingdom ofChrift, eheWolfeJbaßdwell with the Lambe, the Leopard Withthe Kid, &c. his meaning is, that that cruell and vmuly,and fauage difpofition,which is inman,by nature,fhall . beealtogether reformed and fubdued by the power and efficacy of the Grifpeli. Our Sasiour fettethdowse Lone tobe the badge of hisDifciples, BytbieAdd aB r leh.rl.gç. menknow that yen aremy Difeipler,ifye ham ¡eneone toanother'. Among the work, fGal r.zx. oftheflefh,(the doerswhereof,Jhalrmt inherit the kindoin.ofGod': 'Pantreekoneth Versezo, rp hatred,debate, contention': andamong thefruitsof theSpirit,loae,peaee,fong,fp Rom,rz.aq. erin , ooelne e, 'sti'n't "', a Verfe r8; f gg Jfg Ma ry of thefe exhortationswe teade,Dearely belor«d; yEphef.4.3 L. anrngenotyour feints, brusineplace moo wrath*. ¡fie be pope bane prate with ail men z. Letallbitterner,anaanger,& wrath,Cyc. bepat awayfrom lox Y. By all which places (to which many mighteafily be added) it appeareth tobe the doEtrineof the Scripture, that entryChriffian fhould inpeaceablentffe, and freedome from malicioufneffe, beas a chaldr. rho/ Ífhewhich would be faued, mult labour tobe like a childeinfíriuingagain({ malice, what(hall then becomeof thofe, whole hearts are fraughted and tlufEd withrancor and poilon againft their brethren, continuallymanifflisg thefame, in the bitrerneffeoftheir fpeeches, the curfedneffeoftheir language, and the vio- lenceof theircourfes, all tending to the hurt and difgrace,and vexation ofchore againftwhom they haueconceived adiflike?Let all fueh learne ro frare this (ear- n Reuet.3.7. full fentence ofourSaniouriwho bath theOyesof heauen in his powet.,and bath herebound it with a folemneproteflation, Verily Ifay,crj.e. the fameSpirit ofhis fpeaketh in `Panl,and biddeth vs, aseoi:terning malieienfmfe tobe children. How canteen euerTooke of hope tobee faued,whole confciences doe tell them, that their ftomacks are filledwith malice,and that they haue vowed reuenge,and that they hold theft theirvile purpofes fo fall, that they hadrather negleft their dune to God, andabifainefrom the LordsTable, then breake off theirvncharitable coutfesagainit others? Chrift bath fpoken it, and iris inhispower romake it good,thathe which laboureth not, tobe as free from malice, asa little cbiid,faalf neuer haueplace in the kingdome ofGod. ';,Dorf. The third thingwherein we muff frameonefeluesto be like childrenor infants, inreceiuing thofe thingswhichappertaine to the kingdomeofGod, is, Mire af- ter thefpirituall food ofour foule : Seehow this is prooued. As new bernebabes dtPttz.a, defire thefnorere milkeofthe word'. The SpiritofGod (peaking by Peter, would hauevs tobee fo affefted tothe wordofGod, asnew borne infants are ro their .mothersmilite. How is that? A little infant,cuen by thediftm@ ofnature,alm off aafoone asit isborn,feeketh that nourifhment,it is not tongwet without it,when nothing'

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