j 2 78 /· . rv1n expojition 17pon 1 1 i off from Chrifr,andbccome no Church: then A lhnd: That when m~n commitfinne, and lycJ ; may any one rflcmber ofthe Church be cut off therem: or when they decay in any gro.cc,thcn I and become no member.: But a whole Church h:lUe they mo_fi ncccffary eau re to rcpc~r, if inay be c.ut off, as here we fee, and therefore they w~uld cfcapc Gods fcarcfull iudgemrnts. may any one man. Anjrll. This reafon js not And fecmg o.ur .cfiate is like ro the !hteofthis good: there is great difference betwccnC' the Church, or clf~1worfc by much (for we lye in . llarc ofa whole Church, and of one man that finnc, and thereby caufc God to come rovs in is a true nkmbcr of Chrift. For a particular iudgcnu;nt) as we render our ov\'nc good both Church i's a mixt c,ompany of true profeOOu'rs in this'life, and.':&er drath, let vs tutne from ~nd difi"cmblcrs : like vnto afield "'''herein arc our_finncs aud rcpcm,encry man apart, cucry [ good curnc and tares; and Hkc vnro ab:trnc famtly arart,and the whole Church publickly: floorc, whcrin is wheat and ch:-dfe mingled tofor repentance ismolt n.ctd(ull, cls· would not gcthcr ;·and yet all arc reputed bdccucrs, beI d1c Lord hauc doubled this condition. cauicrhcyprofcffethcGofpdourwardly.Now V, 6. 'But thiJ thou ha(l, by rcafon of this mixturc,it may come topa!fe, th>t a particular viGblc Church may fall away, B that thou batefl the 'JPOrLes 0 and become no Church: either when the god... :J" ~ lyaretakenaway, and hypocrites and diffcmthff ~rico/aitans;, 'JPhich Ja/- blers made m:mifctl;or els wh~n rrue beleeuers r; h v '-. wax~ngfcw,arc not able tO maintainc the pubI 0 ate. . .·_ l-ike profdfion ofthe truth againfi the might Thefe words are a (ccond rea(on to prooue and multitude ofthe cncmics,wh:ch may daily that which was fct downe in the fccond verfe: cncrcafe.But the cafe is not fo with a particular namely, That thU Chnrch cou!dttot llbide them member ofChrilt, he cannotfinally fall away, that were euill. In the fccond vcr-fe this was as hath bin 01ewed at large, ver.4. And thus made manifcfi, by their difcouedc of the falfc much for the (econd parc-.of this rcafon. Apofiles;& here he proueth it by their affcclio The third part ofd1is rcafon, is the candidofhacred, towards the works of the Nicol'-i· on of both the former thrcatnings, in thcfc tans. Thcfe NicoJaitans were crrtainc herawords; Except thou ammd, tha·t is, I will come tickes in the primitiue·Churclu-h.arhci_d thcfc l in iudgcmcnt vmo thee, and :take my Gofpcl two opinions:Firfl,that adulteric an.d-fornicaJlfom thee, vnldfc thou prcucnt my comming cion were no finncs; Sccondly,that men might 1 by true repentance. communicate with the facrifices ofidolaters in \ Here note, that all the thrcatnings of the C their Idol! temples; and according_ro their O· I oldc and new TcO:amcm are conditionall: Iopinions were their praC.Hfcs. Theft hereticks j mu comtncth to Niniuc, and cricth,yet fortie (as it is thought} came ofone: Nicho!tU,one of ! dtt)'eJ 11r.dNiniuie jhaU hf dfjf-royed. He faid no . the fcauen deacons mentioned ACt 6. v.•ho \ more; but yet that thrcaming muft be: vnthough for a while~hee did faithfully difcharge der{lood'with this exccption,vn/effi'rhqrepent. his dutie outwardly; yet after f~ll away, and Why (will Come (ay) are the thrcatnings in became the head of this heretical! (cC!. Gods word propounded conditionally? Anfw, BHrthu thouh.ft, This Panicle, But, hath l Gods whole will and plcafure is one alone in it reference to the former vcrfc. As i.f hccthould (clfc: and yet it may be thus dillinguifhed, to (ay,Though this be thy fault, thanhou failell be partly feerc:t, and partly rcuca!cd. <!;ods fein thy firlllouc; yc:t for tl)is 1 commend thee, I cretwil is couChing dw(c things which he harh that thou hatell the works of t~c Njcolaitans, not made manife(t vnto men. His rcucalcd wil This praCt:ife ofChrHl di(coucrcth the .comisrouching thofe things which arc manifdlcd mon finne ofthi~ age: which is, ro fct .ou~ in in Scriprure,or do fal out euery day.No"'' gods their colours mens faults and iufirm.itfcs ,· to fecrct will is without condition; for as cuery D their greatefi difg.race: and yet by filenee and thing commcth to paffc,.fo God willed ir:whC obliuton to buric all their venues, ~-hich are good things come to paflc,thcm he willrrh fitll praife worthy. This ought not to be fo: wee p-ly:when cuil things fall out, themhepcnni~- nmfi follow ChriHs cxamplc,who wilh IUfl re- : tcth tobe done. And to make Gods fccret wtl proofe adioyncth due dcfcrucd praifc-; If our 1 conditionall, is,to bring Gods will vndcr the freind or our foe haue afault,}'vhcnwe arccal-. power of man,{!.nd to fubicEI: the Creator vnco led chcreumo, we may fpcake of it, and we the: ercature.But Gods rcuca.led "''ill is condimuft rcproouc them: but yet ,.,·ithall wccmufi tionall· becaufe it cont:tincth the matter ofm:is commend the good thipgs. thz.t be in them. faluati~n: and this manner of propounding it, Secondly, ChriH here rcachrthvs. That it is is a moll effceluall way to bring rhe fame to not fiJfficicnt to any mans good dlarc be(ore p:affe, for it kccpcth men more in :lwcfnli obeGod, that he hauc good things inhim; for th:lt dicnce,thcn if it were abfolute. aman may haue, and yet be in (bnge:rto bee v.rf.6, l --I Thev[r, I In this condition note two things, th::tt cut offfromChrifi. Saul had good things in Chri~ re.pc_arc::rh it nvicc,b~thin the beginning him 2.t tbc fir£! cmr::tncc intohii kingdome,bur of thJsrc:.!on, If 110 t; and 1 n rhc ende, E.t·cept what was he :lfrcnvnrd? Iehuwas ~cry 1.ealous ~. Kl":.:01 / _:!:~crCby he would giue vs to v·nderfat· God~ glorie in killing all rhe Idolatrous :j.JI• prei(b, ~
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