-- ------~~~--~--=· -,=-=---~~~---__..;'---.;.___:_:_~--= the2.Chap.ojthe<J.Zewl. ,vr•f. Jo.- i-- I I cannot kill rhc: mcmb'crs ~her!!Of:but onely cafl: }[ downc two chjngs i Firfi, that the ~ffiiftfons.of thzm imq prifon: he C:lnl<lOt imprifon dtCi1tall; 1 Gods Church & people arQ for a cenaine,timc but lomc onc!y: ncU.r~r can he kccpc them ~11 dc£rced of Gbd,j which cannot bee changed ~· pri(On a!'.V:tics,but for a fhort time. SecOndly, lengthened, or !honencd..Panicu!ar·proofcs' by his prquidcncc he wrncth all that they doe, hereot'we hauc in Scripture. So God foretold to the good ofthe Clwrch:the deuill offiicreth Abrah~m, Thatthc affiiclion• of hiS people the Church fen: theddtniCtion and d:unnatiori fhould he 410. yenru: which time they were of their fo4)cs; buc God tutneth ir vnto their a~fliG.lt'd, cfpcciJlly in Egypt: but at the fame good, to 1l1a~c rhcir faith nranife~, and tdpre111gllt .,., hen tho!( yearcs were dpircd, rh~y uent many linnes in rhcr11. Tbde things we \\'ere led out ofEgypt, &.their aftltC.tions cc:~.: fi10L~Id often rhinkc of, and bldfc Gods name tCd, Exod.tz.46. And the 7o. yc:tres (apti"ui.::· for eber, tillt by his propidcncc he doth matler· tic \Nere well kno\X•ne Vntti Danieltobc deter-' Sarhan~po\\'Cr and tll:l·liec:':md fo difpofc ofall mined of the Lord: And thdcfore hce an;le'd aClions of the 'NICked, that they tende to the him(clfc with p:lticnce during that time, aod good of his Church. This mull al(o t6lh vSto prayed odt for dehucrance, vmHlitfl10uld bG:6 renounce our fducs,and to p•H ali our uutl and ! . c>:p.ircd. confidence 111 ChriH: hip p:-oujdence, making B The cdnlidcratiotthereof n)ufitnoouevs to' chat our comfon, our £hy and protet1ion in all arme our felues with patience \\I hen God fl1all difhcffc. . fend afHiEt-ion, becaufc we cannOt dciiuer Out Agai.nc, whereas the ende of ::tffliCtions in fclues before the tim: which god hath appoinGods Church is the triall of failh, 3nd other ted:for the continuance ofOur'affiichons is- ftt graccs,hencc we ara raught many things.-Fidl, dowce by'God, :and Cannot bechanged by vs. to labour to hauc in our hearts the power of Secondly, here C..hrift fl1cwerh, thatrhe affli::. godhnetfe in, true f.1irh an.d vnf~i1~ed repenC!ions of his Church are but fora fhort tin1e:&: ranee; and not content our fclucs with the thcrcf~re PAul ~ dllcdt th~rn mrnn:enh:mie., in forme and 01t:w thereof 111 a n~ke:J profCffio11 regard of the etCrnall weight of:glotie·.which ondy. For we 111uit be caft into the fieric triall !hall be Jeucaled at the tnd O'f:this lifc,·a·nd ne- . of affliCtions; to fee what is in out hearts. In uer hauc ende. Which is a fin gular ground: of the day of uiall, D1ewcs will not feruc the comfort vnw the <hildc of God in any <!i.; turnc,nor fbnd vs inll-cod. Trialls and affiiCl:ifhcffe; · - : oris ...vill confumc them, as the fire dorh droffc Thus wee fee the p'artsof'thisp.ropheG.e;· yet and fi:ubble. Sc:condly, t0 be ioyfull and glad,. C in the words there: is afurther rhing tntcnd~d ,- when the Lords; will is to call vs to fuffer for for curry word comaincth a rrafon to cotnforr his fake:bc~aufc this is a meansto make known thi< Church:as firlHrom dTe caufe-Ofthclr per..: good graces in our hearts. lam. t. 2. B~tthren, fc:cution,which is the: deuill;andthc:refote they cqunt it exaocdi,.ggreat ioy, when ye fall into dimull'not fc:arc, forifhe ca{hhem.into prifon ;" ucrsaffii!lions,~owingthat the triA/l ofyottrfaith their Cafe is good, he is Gods encmic., and fo bringethfor-th patience. the Lord is on their fide, who then can bte a.: V. Argument. The timcofthcir continugatnfitb,emtodoet~emhurt? Secondly, nO~ ance in affiH~lion is for tenne dam. Bywhith all your whole Church, but onely fome ( fai1h fomc vnder!land a long ,;,.: aCfotding V11[0 Chri!l) mufl be affiicled. Thirdly, Sat·han cane that which la{ob faith to Laban ; Thou haft not·kill you J but onely ea~ you into prifgn, chaHg6d mJ wages tenne times,th;u is ,often. And Founhly, his imprifonmenr !hall not tend tO fo the Ifracliccs are f1id to Gnnc, ~unnct'imcsayour damnatio~,but make for the trial ofyour· gi.fin/1 the L(wd:that is,many timi!S: but this exgr~Cc. And lallly, it is but for a 01ert time, In poGtion wiilnot fo fitly Hand in this placo: for all wb.ICh you ma.y fee the poWer of {}-eds'p'io~· . Chrill in~cndcch to comfort this Church. But uidencc' ouefruling ·your cncmte·;·and·rlih-Jing what cemfon could thi!l be, to fay they fhould hU rngcvnto youtfahtation; and thCrtforc ta'k<! be (o leng in affliCtion? Others expound tcnnt coni'fOrt and cournge vmo yoqr foules,!ayafidt d-iu to be """' J.am. And fo the wordda~1 .D , all feare and oil dread,a'ndkc~p faith, and good is femctimc vfcd to betoken ye3rcs: for in'the confcience to the end, • · Scripture there be ycarcs of daics, as v.elJ as The third part ofthistounfcll,is a moll ~Iefyc:Ircs ofwcekes. But though this cxpofition fed precept , comainit1g mofl. hcatJe-nly admay well ftand V\'ith the words, yet none can uice: Burhou faithfHll11nto dtJath , ttnd I Wtll fhcw by true rccord,Thnt this Church was afgiu( th(e th(Cro'Wnt of !if~. Gods feruams are t1iC\:ecl onely for tenne yearcs, and no longer. called f.1ithfllll , in rcg;trd of their fidditi·e · Therefore a third cxpofition is this, That by whi-cli they owe to God, and that is in two retenne dttuJ is meant fome Ihort fpacc of time: fpcCls: I. Eu<!ry mcinber ofChrifi is baptized,· & fo Ivnder!land thispl>ec , becaufe it is mofl wherein God for his part promifeth Chrift, .futab\e to all circum(b.nccs.For here Chnll inl\'ith life (:uerla{ling: and the _partie baptiv!·d tcndcth to comfort thisChurch,v ...·hich is moll promifcth.vmoGod againe, that he will dcnic fitly done, by foretelling a lhort time of their himfdfe,and call hiinfclfc wholly vpon·God in I ;tfTiidion, ' life and death, and kccpc faith and a good con- ~thi~ cir:urnflance of ~h.ne; Chrill fcttelh jCiencc. V/hich promi(c is ca;lccl the ftipu~a-\ -------~------~----~~~~--------------~--~---------~----~--------'~'·~·~----~ 2 Numb.t4.
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