I flesp. numlrin,g of the people ; and St~mpjon after hehad done great fervices for the Church, at length fbamefully betrayes his ftrength;and he that had ruled others,fubmits to be.ruledbyabafe firum• pet.Ion,u for not through repenting for his running from his calling, fals after to quarrell with God himfelfe. It is the heft therefore todeale tbroughly with our hearts, elfe ttdhunfubdued will owe us agreater iliame,& we 1ball difhonor ourewne beginnings. Yet this isthecomfort, that thiswill occafion deepe1· humility and ha. tred offinne in thofe that are Gods, and afafier cleavingto God than ever before, as we fee in the Chureh here:afterwards grace will have the betterat lafl:. 3·- We may obferve the ingenuity of the Chur~h in laying open her owne fiate. It is the . difpofiticn 'of Gods people to be ingenuous in opening their ftate t0God, as inDAvia,Nehemi- .4hs.Ez,rA,&C. The reafon is thus : · I. By a free and full confeflion we give God the honour ofhis wifedome in kn0wing of our owncondition {ecret and open, we give him the I honour of mercy that will not take advantage 1 againft us, the honour of power and authority . over us,ifhe lhould fhew his ftrength againft t'ls. \ Weyeeld unto him the glory of a11 his chiefe ! prerogatives:whereupon Iofbuahmaveth '-.Aehan · to afree confcffion,My fon,giveglory toGod. z. We 1h~me Satan, who firfl: tak~s away1 ihame offtnmng, and then takes away fhamefor 1 G fio, , s.,. - 1 . , SER. Ill. 0/Jferv.~. =-=--============---~ - ~~~-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=