V Howfar n Repr bare iIII.I. The reprobate mayhumblehimfelie for fome fins w hich he hatli commit-. ted, andmaydeclare thisby failing and teares. WhenEliah reprooued Ahab forhis ldolatrie,and threatnedhirn from theLord,it is Bide, that whenhe had I heard thefewordcs,xhe renthie eloathes;andpantfacfZeloath vponhint, and f s- 27'29 f ed,andTrentfoftryiratokenofmoa ruing:& thishumiliation flayed Godswrath fora time XV. He may confeífehis firmes euenhis particular finsbefore men but this is only then,whenhis foule is tormented for them,and can findno cafe. For then heflickethnotto utter hisfecrete filthinef e to the hearing ofall men , and to the open fhaniingofhimfelfe.4VhenGod fmoteall that was in the fields ofE- gyptwithhayle , thenPharao fent,& called forMofes and Aaron,and faidvn- tothem, Y Ihate norwfinned,t he Lordisrighteomi, bra fandmss)' people are rPic- y Exo.9.%7 ksd:re/ye vetothe Lord(for it is,ynough) thatthere benomore mííhty thaw- Numb. az. dcrs,efrc. So Iudas,whenhe faw that Chrifl wascondemned,and felt anhell in 34 hisconfcience,brake cut,andfaid, Ihavefinned inbetraying the innocent blood. And the experience of thefe dayes giueth fearfUll examples for the proofeof thispoint. XVI. Hebath often a defire tobe like thechildren ofGod inhappineffe, and to be faued : not beeaufehe bathany loue tothe kingdomofGod, but becaufe he is afraide ofhell.As Balaam ouerpreffedwith a feare ofGods iudgmcnt,pray- z Num,z . eel thus: z Oh that anyfoule mi ht die the deathofthe righteota4;andtbat tray lag r0 end 'night be ltke XVII. Thewicked in theirclifireiie may praytoGod, and God mayheare their prayers,and graunt them their rcquefl,a as the Ifraelites wickedly murmuring againíl G'od,defired fleíh itithe wilderneffe: Godheard their crie, and rained N um. g, CZtsailes among thetn.But Godheareththe wicked after onefort, & them that I feare him after another : them that fearehim,he granteth theirrecluefts ofloue and mercy : to theother ofindignation and anger. b As may appeare in the If- b Num I r raelites , whowhen they were in eating of their (Wiles , and the meat was îags.ït35 within their teeth , God in his anger stroke themwith afore plague. And (which is more flrangethen this)Godbath performed that whichhe bathpro- Era j, In ifed to the vnbeleeuers,though they refufed toaske it at his han-des,euen then when they were particularly commanded : C ofthis thingwehaue a worthie example in king Achas,who vtterlierefufed to haue a tigne ofhis deliuerance, and theconfufion ofhisenetnics,whenGodofferedit to him, andyet theLord delivered him. XVIII. The reprobatemay goe furtherin the profeffionofreligion, and mayTeem for atitne tobvplanted in theChurch: for heclothbelecue thepromifesofGod Lade
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=