EpiflleofS. PadtoTina. CHAP.LI3 Lord need not fend fo farre at Cittim and Kedar to condemnevs,but(as 24E here) byour owne prouerbs as isy our ownemouthes might he iudge vs: what anumber of deuillifhprouerbs amon gfl vs bewray thevngod- lineffe of mens hearts : as, euery man for himfelfe , and God forvs all: and young Saintsold Deuils, ard, which is the worfl and moti general!, godlines is made but a by-word , and a note of reproach euery where veder the title of puriric and precifeneffe. 6. And yet if men were fo 6 wilfuli as to be blinde at all thefe, yet can they not ( as many flriue to doe) put out all natural' principles;but corn he light of naturali know- ledge and confcience will wrap then vnder condemnation : and they (hall not be able at the barre ofGods righteous judgement to plead not guiltie , for eueu their owne thoughts £hall accule them. 7. But the 7 greatefi condemnation ofall is, that the lightofgrace is come, and yet men loue datknes more then the light ;Inwhich regard it thall be eafier for Sodome then many peoples and townec profeffing the Gofpel ; nay Publicanes,and harlots (hall enter beforemany Chritlians;yea the Hea- then that neuer heard ofChritl, as Toone as thoufands baptized into,che nameofChrifl:becaufe they knew and did many things of the law, and not knowing thelaw, were a law to themfelues;butnumbers are formes. ofBelial,lawleffe pet fens that fcorneboth Law andGofpel whom the Lord will prouoke and judge by fuch a foolifh people as the Heathen were. Pitifull is it to fee the diforders of Chriflians, which would haue made the Heathens tohaue blufhed : if aman will not now fweare no fmalloathes,drinkc his fences away,fpend out his daies in idleneffe,and iollitic,in pride and riot, company and gaming , fuch a one is catliered out of all compay , he is a man fitter for a cloitler then the common Chriflians ofour age: the Heathens did not thus. Theirs were workes ofdatknes indeed,but both in themfclues,and the doers; but now they are become a&ions ofthe nooneday,which the Heathen would haue bin afhamed of at midnight. Which plainely prooueth that the light was - giuen and is, that many might become mote blind,more obflinate,more hard-hearted and impenitent againfl that great dayofiudgernent.Many, plead at that day, that they came toChurch, beam the word as o- thers did,and hued after it fo ueareas God would glue themgrace. But anfwer will be made them, that though hereby they came to a further knowledgeof God ; yet God neuer came to take knowledgeof them: for they defired not to know the wales of God but fhpt in, or were by . law, or for formeand fafhion forced to Church ; and then all their hea- ringbrought them fuch knowledg asnot only made themmore eacufe les,but liable to more firipes;but not to fuch aswas effenuall to preuaile againfltheirlufls,forthey(1i11detainedthetrnthisvnrighteonfnes ;thatis, ß°m.7.'8. refi tlea
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