16 Truths Pùrchafe. groin runes canbeiuffifyed, yet witha pretence and proteffation ofagood will and delire, andendeauour tobléare theeyes ofGod, and toCape vnpunifhedat thcday of reckoning.This is a dangerousfubtilty,becaufe it is an abufeofthe ri- chesof Godsmercy,and a turningof the fweetettproprietyofhisnature,into wantonnefle. The eight branchof this guile, is, amiflaking the natureof finne : as forex. ample : Some man having Come one grof1e finne reigning in him, which (per. haps)isalfo in the world takennotice of,aswhoredome ,opprefsion,fwearing,&ca thinketh withhimfelfe, that though thisbe indeed a foule fault, yetit is his one_ ly fault, and manytimes he thuscommuneth with bisowne heart : Trueit is (1 tanfeffe it) thereisfilch agrofe frnneWhich 1amguiltyof,and it maybe theworldteeth it, and it isfore blemigh anddif race ontome : but whatthen? I hope whenthey baud named that,ehey havenamedall: theycan( amfure)lay noother matter tomy charge, only this excepted: and I know noman&teeth withoutafanit,therefare Itrill Imaybe the better bornewithal'. This conceit arifeth (as I havePaid) vpon a miftaking of thenature of fine, menthinking, that fin maygo alone by it felfe without com. pany : as thougha man couldbe giuen toadultery onely,andtono other iniqui- ty; toopprefsion onely, and to noothervice : rodrunkenneffe onely, and tono ocherenormity. It is vnpofsible. Thefe groffe fineshaue many attendants,and it cannot be,that they lhould goe tingle. Sinne is thefickneffe of the foule. As therefore in thedileafesofthebody, we fee that euerymainegriete, as thefloue, gout,peftilence, &c.bathcertaine inferiourgriefes annexedtole; Co entrygrand finnehath otherpettyeuils toattend it,and to feed it (as it were)withoutwhich itcan neuercome to anygreat perfedtion. So that itis a plaineerrour, when a man perfwadeth himfelfe,This, or this, ismy onely lime, notconfidering what a troupe and train followethcuery foule and open euill. P The ninthbranch is,the drawingof a falle conclufion outof the Lords long fuffering. It is that which Davidmentioneth, when bee bringeth in God thus fpeaking tothewicked man: Theft things haft thoudone,and I heldmytongue,there. sPfal,50,11. fore thou thoeeghteff 1 was like thee'. AndSidemen, Recaufefentenceagain!l an end Werlke isnot executed ffeedily, therefore theheart ofthe childrenofmen, isfullylet cri bEed;B.rs. them to doeeuill It isin ordinary reafoning amongmany thus; Surely, if God were fo feuere, orCo deeply difpleafed withmy cuillcourfes, as itmay feemeby Come TextsofScripture, and as tomePreachers wouldperfwade, I doenotthink hewould fo long haueforborne me,and(which is more maruellous)that he would hase thus heapedoutwardrhingsvponme; therefore I fee sot tothecontrary, (Metre Ibeafraidof fhadowes, and terrified with words) butcher Imay con- tinue in myown: coutfe, and feeke mine ownefatisfaftion, as heretofore I haue beeneaccuftomed. ao The tenthbranch ofthis guile is, a hoping to fatisfie, and make amends for manyeuill courfesby Comefpeciall feruicesanddevotions, or by Come Ihewes Annut.Ehem. ofcharity. This isfirft, theguilefull conceit ofall Papitts; for fo are our Rhe- dr.:c.tt.kc.Ia mittsownewades, intheir notes,thatAlmesextinguifheth finne,redëemefinney makecicane,and Catisfiefor formeroffences, and are to bedone as a propitiati- on to Gad forformer euils Thefame is their Opinionoffailings, of penance, ofpilgrimage, and thelike. Secondly, this is theblinde imaginationofourfot- tilhignorant peopleat this day, who (for want ofbetter infrullion) arefrozen in thedreggesofPopery, and fuppofe thedue obferuationofCome folemne fe- fivals in the y:ere, as they corne is theircourfe, tobe a kinde ofrecompence for amultitude ofother defaults; and that ifthey bee precife in the keepingof there & thelike rituous traditions, then theyarevery religious. Thirdly, this is giro adeuice, by which many worldly mendeceiue themfelues, who having by rapine and extortion,by gaping over theheads ofthepoore, by treading vpon Chem and grinding their faces,and byother the likeviolent and indiregì courfes, raked 1 ®
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=