Chap. t. ACommentarie vpon had for their parts forfaken God : but God had not forfaken thcm,bccaufe the Temple wasyet Handing , and the facrifices with theoutward worfhip,yet remained among them . In this regard,thcywere 11111 a reputed people ofGod . ,Againe , they are called a people ofGod, not ofthe bigger,but ofthe better part:and the better part wasa final remnant of them, that true - ly feared God,andbeiccued in the Meflias.Ofwhich fort,were Iofeph , Maric,Zacharie, Elizabeth, Simeon, Anna,loleph of Arimathia,Nicodemus.Againe,it may' be dcmanded,howethe Icwesbeefing fuch a people of God, fhould fall away to fo da- nable a religion.i4n/wer.Theyneither loued,nor obeyed the do- ftrinc ofMofes,and the Prophets:and therefore God in judg- ment left them to the blindeneffe oftheir ownc mindcs,and the hardnefle oftheir own hcarts.Ifai.6. The likemay beour cafe. Ifwe lout and obey not the Gofpel , more thenwehaue done, ourreligion may ende in ignorance ,fuperftition, andpro- phaneneffe,as theirs bath done. The fecond thing in Pauls example, is his conuerfation, whereby he hued andconucrfed according to his religion.The like fhould be in vs. For the prófeffion of the faith, and god- ly conuerfation are to got together. Phil. I. 27. Faith in the hart is a light,and workesarc the fhiningof this light. Math. $. 16.Chrif} bath redeemed them that beleeue from their vaine cemterfation. r.Tet. i. 18. Heeremanyofvs doe amiffe, dif- ioyn'ingfaith, and good life. And this fault is the greater , be- caulcit isan occafon toour aduerfarics to mifltke, and.rcicflk our religion. Pauls conuerfationhath two partes, his perfeduutionofthe church, and his profiting in hisreligion. Perfcquutioo properly is the at$hf1ingofthepeople ofgod for their faith and religion. In this weare not to follow Paul , but to doe the contrary, that is, by all manes to lecke the good ofthe church. After Gods glory immediatly, we arc to lecke the comming, and aduancement of the kingdome of God . Now this kingdome,is a certen eflate and condition of men, whereby they (land fubiefì to the word and fpirit ofGod.And this fubieetion to God, and Chrifl, is the propertie of them that be members of the churchofGod. All, both rich, and poore, conferred fomething (according to their abilitie) to the buildingofthe Temple, which figured the chutch of God . The i Io I5: 20 25 3 35'
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