Chap. 3· the Epijlle to the (jalatians. VVhen Paulfa~th, verf.3, Eeganntyeinrhe A 1~iri.:, &c. he reacllcth a dmine mllrutl::ion, rha< true oodlmeff< and Re!rgion !lands in rhe fptrit,thar is,. tl~ graceofchc heart, or in the exercifes ofrhe tnm!r man, whether we re– fpettrhe be"inoing,rhe middle,orthe accom 4 anger fpuevs out. Yong men mufl herebeaduerrifedas they grow in yeares and !lature, f<> to grow vp in good rhings,that both the6r!l beginning,and the after proceedings may be 10 the fpirit. Thus did Chrifl increafe 10 grace, as he in· creafed in flature. 1 piWrmcnr thereof. The /:ingJ daughter;, all gl~rioHJ wirhin.PCai.45.1 j.Trlle worfhtppm worfhtp q.din rhe(p:rir.Ioh.i:zs. Rom. 1.U: He isa lt-w,thatit a lerP notWlthour,but mthmthefp'– rjt,inth~cirusmcijionofthehMrt, Ram. 1..29. GodS femicc and kjngd~me.ftandt in iufJice, peaa ofr;on/cimct,and ioy in theho!J Ghojf,Rom. 'i'7· Htthatir in(hrifl mufl not know him in anycarnaiJrcfpeCh, but be a newcreatur:. :.Cor.s. r7.Gal.6.17. Baprifmeis nor the wa– fl>ingot rhe fpots ofthe flelh, but the promife that agood confciencc makes to God.By this doctrincwe[eerhe fault.of the world, whrch LaClly,aged pcrfons that hauebegun in the fpirit, mu(tlooke th.e they grow vp in the graces of the fpirit more then others, that rhey may end in tbefpirit. It isfaidofthean• gel! of Thyarira,that hiJlone,fernice,•nd l1fffkJ, weremfle •t the14fl,ihent~t the(ir/1 , Reu. z. 19. Thefame fhould be faid of all aged perfons. They which are planted in the houfeofGod, 6ringforthfruit m rheiroldage.Pfal.91.16, It is B rhecommendation of the old man, that by rcafon ofhis manifold cxperience,hc knowes the Farh<r more then others.r.Ioh.Z.14. ltis the praifc ofAn.a,that the continually fcrued God1n fafimg andprayer bceing 8o. yeares old. When the outward man decaies, rhein– ward man lbould be renewed. I fpcake althio the rather, becaufeaged pcrfons are much wanrrng in this duty. For none commonly arefo ignorant in the things of God asthey : they begin in thefpirit, but the affections of their hearts v(ually end in the loue of this prcfent word. Bur they mull be warned, that as they goe before others in age, [o mull for rhe mof! part placerh religion in ceremo. niall performance of Come outward durios. The lewvfed to cometo Godwith facrifi"cs, and to draw neere to him with his lippe, his heart bceing farce from God. The P•pi!l harh t~rned the Apo(!o!Jke, and Carholike rel1gion, into aamalfe of ceremonies~ bor– rowed p.trtly from the Ie1ves,and partly from rhcGenriles. And the multttudc amongvs, place their rc:ligion, in cornming to the Church, in outlvard bcaring)in rcceiuing the Sacrament, infomekind offormall prayinG. T hefc things may not be condemned,butthc power and hfc of religion lies not in thefe C things. Wherefore we rnu!lnot fiandvpon outward and painted fhewes: but looke what thou arr berweene God,and thyfelfe;thatonthey alfo excecdc in the graces of the fpirir, VVe vfe to fay of chrldrcn, Godm.<k$ them ~oodold"""'and it is well faid faid. An old man istobe regarded: burfpecially, a good olde man, who is more to be refpected rhentwen– tic of younger yeares. Now aged perfons when they grow in age, and notin the fpirit theylofe their honour, for age u acrown< J gloriewhen it iJfou~din theW4J of right~oufneffe, Prou, 16, 3'- Let them therefore pray wtth . 'Dttuid, For(ak! men9t)O L?rtl~in mine old 11ge. Pfa1.7l -9· ly arr thou in religion. Thou praiefl in rhe Church: but thou maill deceiue rheworld in rhrs. Tell me, doll thou prayathome? doll rhnu pray in thineowne hearrvnro God, by rhe(pirirofpraier? then thou praiefl indeedc. Ifthou canfl approoue thy heart vnto God for any act ofreligion, then iris done indeed, els nor.Remember this. Furthermore, Paulhereteacheth that our after-proceedings in religion, mu(l beanfwe– rable to our fir{! beginning• in thcfpirit.And hence we may be aduertifed of many thicgs. FrrCl here we mufl take notice of the follyo Popi(h religion.For it beginnes in Gods rner– cy,and the meritofChrifl:: and it ends in our meritsandfarisfatl:ions. Secondly, we muff rake noriccofrhc common fin ofour times. For in the practiCe of our religion we arc dc– ceiucd. VVe are uor now that which we haue beene rwcnticor rhirtieyeares agoe.For now we [cccl)c world aboundnvith Arherfls, Epi. curcs,libertines,worldlings, newters, that are of no religion: and (undry that hauehcreto– forc flwved (ome fe>rwardnelfe,beginro faul- . rer,and £!agger, and to looke an other way. This is not w beginne and end in rhe fpirir, Durroendrnrhc Ae1l1. \>Ve arc bctnue <oa. mend ~his fa.ulr, lcfl if our former zeale be r,urncd toprefem Juke-warmne!Tr,God mhis 4· Hau•y•f,.ffmdfomai1JibingJin vaine?if fo P~it !u eu~n inv4ine. The inrcrrogarion,~aue;e?is as much asve haue, Becou(cthe qucll10n in this placecoun. teruailes a fpecch attirmariue.And thewords carrie thisftnfc : Ye baueprofelfed rhe GofD pel,andyc haue fuffered many affirctions for thefame: burnow haueye reuolted from the Gofpel, and rhcreforcall your formerfutfe– ring¥ are void,or in vaine. Thewords[<fihry6e invaine] area limitati– on or qualification of that which was [aid be– fore:and they carry rhisfcnfe,Wheras I haue faid rharyour fuffcrings are in vaine, Ifpeake it not limply, butwirh fume hope ofyourre– penrancc: which iffr be, then that which would be invaine,Orall not be in vainc. In this verfc, Paul (ets downe a fecond reafon,ro proouc thepropofirion of hrs 6r!l argume?t j on this manner: 1( yereceiucd rhc fprrtt by my dodrine, then is my do– Chine rrue, and ye fooles in reuoltina from u.For by this meaoes the rhings wh1~h you luffered
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