~~ - The'Parableojt!Je - I men, rhar be bur kind and boumifttl ro rhem, you_may lead them inro any errors, catch them at your 1-!eafure Wtth a!liver hook, unnl rhey fee rhetr gun grows li~tle and refped leffe, and then they fall off. . 3· Their comfort for union ro rheChurch ofGo:l, I. ~overs their fin,and hides t[ from rhe eyes of rhe world. Theeve; walk \Vtthvut fufpmon in true mens compames,and rhus they ~ake the Houfe of Prayer. a Den of Theevu, and tbts is fo:ne comforr. For Hypocnres tf rhey can carry lt cleverly that none fea chouah God fee 'tis no mane~. It will ~or be t~oughr that a Member of a Ch~rch d~res do fuch a WJCkednef\e, yer fo tt ts fomenmes. 2. Comforts their confcience in rheir fin; me~ love ~heir_lufls, but w~at, no refpetl: ro Ordinances of Chrift? yes, and fo confaence ts qmet, and fin hves roo, Jer. 7· 3. Becaufe there i> much cornfore in Gods ?rdinances,and in atte~ding on God there,not only verbal,buuhe vilible_Gofpelts fweer, the Sacraments: hence t~ey JO~n rhem~elves as in 'fohns Mtmflry, You re;qced for a feafcn, nor only m Chrtft, but 111 communion of Saints , efpeci<~lly in dangerous rimes , chat a man fears the judgements of God wi!l co~e in.rh<;>fe places ~~~ere ever the~ live wirho.urrhem. And now rhey are qwet wnen·gor mr0 the Cmes of rhe LevHe;, from rne purfucr of blood. Rea[. 4• 4.· h1 regard of rhe Saints themfelves. ·I ~irG, There is_feen many t~mes a Divine Majefly and excellency in them, .· l whtch harh a drawmg verru~ wnh ~~, that many out of refpeet ~or~ar,clofewith them, as Gen. 26. 27, z8.God makes Balaam rofee Jfraelsglory m hts Tents and he cannot curfe (if he might have all the world) but mu!t blefs them. ' Secondly , There is much charity which thinks no evil , that where they fae evils, they cover them ; where there is but little !;OOd appear~ng, they hope rhere is more than they fee, the Kings Daughter being all glorious within. Thirdly, There is a fpirit of humility in them,to chink others that appear fair better than themfelves,until God difcovers rhem, efpecially if they ara yet unfetled. Fourthly, A [ pirit of defire to have all as near the Lord as they can, and though there be evils in them,yet they hope that will make them better. 5· FromtheLordhimfelf: whohath, .· Firfl, Referved this exaCt fepararion as one part of his own glory at his Second com.ing: Then he !hall feparate fheep and Gom. Secondly , Becaufe fome are very fervi.ceable to his Church, and fo to Chrilt, a~ Caput p~liticum, both_in re_g~rd of <;>uti'Vard _means of fubfiHance., and alfo with e?ifying gtfrs : hence m to nts Famlly he wtlllet rhe~ come, bemg fervancs, and hke Carriers chat carry anothers money and wealth eo htm , and then turns them out of doors. Thirdly, Becaufe of acertain real, yet not thorow work of the Lord , whereby he draws them ro fome fellowfuip with the Church, rhe Members , and _fome kind offellowfhip wirh his Son; yet it not being a chorow effeC}ual Almtght y drawing;they prove unfound, John 6. 6 5. Fourthly, That the Lord might manifeft the exceeding greatnefs of his wrath in fome, for Gods !ail: end in all me wicked is ro fh~ rhe greatnelfc; of ir, Rom.9. zl, 22. yet in fomemore than others: and hence ratferh rhem up 111 th~ Church to gre:tt eminency of profellion, and parts , and honour , that all ;he Samrs all{) may admire Gods Grace to themfelves the more, that when Two m the field, one fh.u!d be tak!n, ltllother left, that they l11ould fir in the fa!!le feats, and yet fome callei:l,others left, and of them that are called to leave many, and l_ove me,and that men of areat parts, and I a poor !imple one ro chufe fuch abafe thmg, eo c?nfound thewif:, the mighty. But as it's faid of Pharaoh, what meant all ch~mtucles? tU rhe humblings of hem? and yet he= wo~ld not let t?em go: F_ or ·thu _cast{e havt 1 rai(ed thee Hp, E:•:od. 9· 16. Ofall thiltthouhaft gtVenme (fatthChnfl) not one is l~/1 , but the Son ofPerdition , th~t the Scripture might be fulfilled. So here. SECT.
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