Hieron - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.H54 S4 1624

Truths Purchafe. reachoral( exception. Such au onealtowas the proud Pharifie, who flood pta, dLukcs.xT. tingand telling Goda taleofhisowne good deedsd. Suchan one alto arc they e Mm% whom Chrift.callerh Righre ointhat raying, l camenot tocall the rlghtente, ;that is, menthat are foin their owne feeníing. And euen fuch the greateft part ofvs fPfal.ao;;. are at this day,lying to ourowne hearts, bleingf our felues,as Darridfpeaketh. So that it iseuen the hardeft matter in the world, toperfwadevs, or to beat it in- tovs, that ournaturan eflate, inregard oftheaboundance of in-bornecorrupti.. on,isfo lamentable,fowofull, and fodeepelytobe pittied, asindeed it is. And that maketh many cárnall men,euen towonder,whatPreachers doe meane,whcn they fpeake fo vehemently touching themiferyofmans nature, and the extreme danger in whichbee ftaudeth thereby. Hence alto it is that theoffers of Gods mercy in Chrift are fodifdainfully entertained, and focommonly reieted ; men not knowing their owne necefsity doe defpife the richesofGods bounty, and e- gfleb.so.tg, uentreadwiderfoot theSonneofGods. a The fecond branch of this Spirituel& Guile, is to extenuate and kilts thole finnes whichwecannotbutacknowledge. As namely, when the Word working vpontheconfcience, bath made a man, eùen in defpireof his owneheart, to confeffe himfelfe in Tome things guilty, then tofinde this hilft, that yet they are (mall andpetty offences, they are no hainous nor bloody finnes, and there- fore there is nofuck dangerin them, as that they fhouldaske fo fpeedy, and fo hi Sam.13. deeperepenrance. ThisfalfetrickewereadeSan/played 4. When hee had pre- ventedthe appointment ofSamuel for folemnefacrificing at Gilgal,(which how great a finne it was,the reproofe and punilhment *fitdoe declare)'yet Saul be- ing challenged forft,and not able todeny the fat, extenuated thematterin thde iVeetr a. termes,/ was bold,ryc.hewas contentto acknowledge ita little flip, butloath toyeeld it tobe amatterofthat hainoufneffe, that Samuel would make it tobe. And this is thevery conceit which menhaue ofmany Genesat this day,asofiea- fling,foolilh talking,vncleanefpeaking, fwearing, dalliance, wantonnefle, ga. wing,reuelling, Sabborhbreaking; which, though they be in their owne nature verygreat finnes,yet the outrage of thefeworft times, hath made themfocom- mon, that thr cornrnonneffehathmuch abated the vglineffeof them inmens o- pinon. And thereforewhenmen are dealt withfor anyof theft,or the like, and cannot but confeffe their owneguiltineffe, yet they will fay, Ihope thú lenojuch great offence, Ipray GodI neuerdoe Worfe,you neednot »wakefegreat a matteroffo fmall a trefpaJ,and1muff Godwillnot befáextremefer emutrifle. This is afecond branchofthis Guile, The third branch is a lying fhift which Sathan bath furnilhed manywithal!,' which isthir to thrullthemfelues in amongthe multitude, and tothinke by that means to efcapeaway vnefpied,or at the leaft,the leffeblamed. Soat this day,the fuperftitious and ceremonious peoplewhich place all religion inoutward obfer.. lances, dofhroud themfeluesvnder their forefathers,coyer the matterwith the nameofCuftome, addwiththepratife and exampleofthemultitude;they are content todoas othersdo, and therewith they hopeto beexcufed. Inlike fort, many taken in thecommon finneof this age, Imeane adultery, when they can- not but confelfeir, then this istheir plea,that theybe not the fill ; as though it were wifedome for them togoe tohell, becaufetheway thither isamuch tranci- led way,in whicha man fhallneuermitre much company. Vnder this kindeof Guile, may becomprehendedallfuch courfes, the Iawfulneffe whereof, mendoe ground only vponexampies,beingof fame mind formattersofgodlines,and religion, thaC6rs fai wouldfeemetobein Statematters vntoAbjalom. whomWs <t Sam.16, peoflo, aidalt the menoflfrael chof, hiswiá? be, andwit!,binswill ldwell &. Sofay ys they, Lookewhichway themeffgoe,nhatway willwegee. 4 The fourthbranchof Guile, is, the lettingof a tollerable name vpon agrolle finue,that foeither it maynot ba frene, or may notappeareinit Mlle likenefie. Thu

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