EptflieetS. Paul toMu. CHAP.423. des, qualities,andpra&ifes, although they retained (till the fhape and place ofmen. Like Nebuchadnezzar , who was nor changed into the fhapeofabead (as Tomehaue thought)although God could haue done that;buthisvnderdanding together with his kingdomewas taken from ' him, and hedriven frommen , ate graf, at the bea /s did , till hit vnder- sanding (he faith not his fhape) war refioredhim. Hence haue fome o- ther of the heathens lighted acandle at noone day, and runne into mar- kets, and throngs of men to fecke a man : as though it werea rare thing euen in a number ofmen, to finde one deferuing the name of a man; whereby doubtleffe the Lord would cad the dongue of the Gentiles in their owne faces,and that by chemfelues , as here he did by Epimeni- des. Vfe. Seeing the light ofnature and grace confpire in the illudrating of this truth,we mud be more ready toembrace it &make our bell vfe ofit, as the truth not ofa vaine man, but ofthe true God. Who among vs wouldnot bemooued, anddifdaine to be called byany man a bead, an aííò, an owle,a dog, &c. andyet haue we occalioned the Lord thus to repute and account ofvs , and are not mooned : for how few ofvs can Phew our fclues men ? what a number ofinen and Chridians in profe(lì- on, hearing the word, and receiving the Sacraments,are as theboricand mulewithout dndertlanding? that is,not onely ignorant, but incorrigi- ble perfons,neither fptir nor bridle auaileth them to amendement. Such as theProphet complaineth of, whom when the Lord had fundry wayes called them to amendement, he hearkned and heard , but no man Paid, what bane I done? euerie one turned to the race as the horfe to the batten: yea as horfes that haue cad their rider, menkicke and fpurneagaind the Lord , andhis gracious admonitions, as Pharaoh wbo is the Lord ?and other whiled the Lords (harpe bit is in their mouths,they bite it inwith much difcontentment, but as vnruly afterward as euer before. How many deafe addersareeuerywhere, which refufe to heare the voice of the charmer?fomePaying in their hearts,fome with their mouthes,as the hardened Iewes to letemie , Theword of the.Lord in thy month wewill not heare. What a number offwine are abroad , rooting vp, and treading vnder feere holy things, contemningthe word, Sacraments , miniderie, difcipline; wallowing intheir filthie lulls ofvncleannes,drunk cnes,for- nication, pridr,riot, carthlines, eueryone according to his owne appe- tite ?andnot a fewe hypocrites,who not fincerely vodertaking the pro- fefliion ofthe truth,returne to their owns wont,asa.fwine after wafhing to the wallowing. What a number of dogges without conlcience,and Chame commit all manner of filthineffe,euen in the day light;and yet in- ceffantlybarking and bawling with Shemei,againfl good men, &good 25! $Odin DUn433 Diogen13, Icr8.}6. Eao$34. Icr.43a. ,.peeua. things?
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