34- The Minoritie ofthe Saint'. motion, andneuer thinkes uponrefing,vntill he come to the goals, andhave got the reward. The Fiji'. Thiscondemheth thecommon fecuritieofthefe times : themoll are ftron lyperfwaded,that they hauereligion,and knowledge, and zealeynough, and con- tent themfelues with their little imagined portion ofgood things, as though there wereno more tobe required. Weeome fromweeketoweeke ,fromfabbath to fabbath,to the hearing ofthe word,and to otherholy exercifes ofreligion, but wetland (fillat oneftay,as ignorant, aslittleknowledge, as little feeling, as little louero good things,aslittle confcience as in times pall. Alas what a wofull thing is this; confider of itbya fimilitude : fuppofe amother,carefully curling the fruit ofher wombe,and gluing the bell attendance that theecan deuife, yet the childe groweth nothing, neither inftrength nor length, nor fatneHi; but 1ú11conti- nueth after, a yeareor swoonnurfing, in thatpoore eftare , that it is notable tobe put out of the clouts, or to take any fnf enance Cauingmilke : what will bee the mothersconceit infuch a cafe ? Surelyas it willbe a gricfe toher and make the teases many times to comefrom her,for very fprrowofheart : fo fhewill thinke and fay', that doubtlelfethe childe is ina Confumption, neither can it continue long: and all the neighbourswill wonder tobehold ir,asa thing vnnaturall,and feldomefrene, So in this cafe, when the Lord (hall(cede vswith thewhole[ome nailkeofhis Weed, and glueittovsin due feafon; ifwe11i11flandat one, not thrì_ ring inknowledge , nor increafing in loneand good affeftion towards religion, butfiill (hewing our (Clues dull and heauy, and lumpifh toany good feruice, what (thinke we)fhall the Lordsopinion beofvs? molt bee not needes thinke there isnohope ofany Cpirituall life invs ? Andwill he noralloat hale, in his iuflice, gluevs ouer to our owneCenfelefneffe? yes undoubtedly. Therefore, I pray let vs remembertomake itour care,herein tobee like Children, tobee euergrow- ing. As it would grieue vs to fee our children at home not to profper, Co let it grieve vs, when weedoe not feeleour felues within vs to encreafe in god- lineffe. The 5. doll. The fife thing in which we mutt belike Children, is, the imitationofour hea- uenlyFather. This I prooue outof theApolileu words, BeyefollowersefGad . eu pEph.g.e. dove childrenP:that ls,ar, childrenfor themoft part, beeingof the famecorillitu- tion ofbodie,and difpofitionofminde that theirfathers are : and havingKeene brought vp in beholding their mannersoflife, doe more or leffe tread in their flops, and as they refemble them in feature of body, fo are in many things like them in behauiour. Earn fo(fainh the Apoflle)doeyou, who profeffeyour frIses to be the children of God , Ilseyour eyes whollyvpon the Lord, asupon the onelyperfe& patterne, making his a&ionsprefrdents andexamples for imita- tion, fo farre forth as they may be followedby vs. Andthischild-like imitation cannot but be in all which are the Lords. Pail faith,thatall theeleâ arepredelli- q Romaz9, note to be made like togheimage ofChrif{9: Now Chrift is the ingrayedforme ofhis rHeb.r.;. Fathers perfen r.And therefore it istCure thing, that where there isno likeneffe to Chrift , no imitation, there is noadoption : aman cannot allure himfelfe tobe. longto God, if he want this caretobean imitatorand followerofChrift IeCus. Now toname all particulars ofimitation, were too long for thisexercife. The (Onlineofall iscomprehended inoneword,As hewhichbathcalledyou is holy,febe ft,pee ye holy inallmanner ofcenierfarionr: this is the chiclepoint ofimitation ,vnderitall othersare comprehended," and the i ubilaoceofhis holinelßeltandsinthefctwo things : the loathing and ,derefatignoffiune, and thelose sudembraciegsad (hiring for thepra&ile offuchholydutiesas theLord requireth inhisword. üfe The vfeofthis is,antaexhortall thole which defiretobefaued,to labourlike obedientchsldren, toimitatethe bolinesof their heau'enlyFather, Coto reprooue tInks. B9. ,thehonditionofthe times.It wasatrue laying ofChrift to the Iewes,' Ifwe were a Veafeqq. Abrahamschildrengonwolddo the workerufAbrabemr& after=,y, ore ífyoirfarher, :be
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