Taylor - Houston-Packer Collection BS2755 .T394 1619

C+tAP.3.3i 6z8 Pfal.tt.r. A Convene#crie upon the throwne downe from his habitation. Avile fruit of this fine appeared not longafter inCaine, who cafl downehis countenance vpon hisbro- ther, and flewe him, becaufehis workes were goodand acceptable, and his owne euill: thenbegun theperfecution ofthe Church, and hath con- tinued till this day . How this euuie and malice of vnconuertedhearts wrought againfl Chrifl himlelfe, the hiftorie maketh plaine: ThePharr fieswere euer carping at his gracious words,and glorious workes,and at the lafl,deliuered him for enuie tobe crucified. And how it is not idle at this dayagaina his members, experienceprooueth:Is it notthe common finne of this day, to flyle all the profçffionof religion vnder the title of hypocrifie or precifenes, or brand it withtheaffe&ationof a Saintifh puritie? How fuTioufly doe menbreath out all manner of indignities and contumelies againfl fuch asmorecarefully looke toward the wayes ofGod ? But alas, what hash the righteousdone; for what good worke do men lay fuch load on them ? why was Iofephhated of all his brethren, and fold and boughtamong them, what had he done? furelyhis carriage was fowife, fodutifull,and refpeóliue,thathis father could not but loue him about the ref+; and his life was a reali reprehenfion ofall the refl:fo is it the verie light which is hated, becaufe it checketh the darkeneffe of the world, which loueth herowne. But how do theftmen iniurie them- (clues mot+ofall ? what manner of men may werepute them, who the better any man is, the leite they can abide him ? Agoodman the more of Gods imagehe efpieth inanother, the more (ashe is bound) doth he loue andhonour him,Againo,whereaseuery man fhould imitate the bell examples, and fo walkc more cheerfully toheauen together : the malice ofthefe towards them will not fuffer them,either todogood vnto them, or take any good from them. Whichworkeofmalice is fo bold, as we may read it in mensforeheads,and heave it from their mouthes,that they will cake nogood, neither by the do&rine, nor by the life ofthat mini- tler,whofe light reprooueth their darkenes.But Ahabwhile he acknow- ledgeth MichaaProphet of God, will hate him notwithflanding, and therefore will receiue nodireékion from him: euen fo we want notfuch, ashearing the Preacher rebuke, and apply the word again (1 their parti- cular (*tones; no fooner commeth the finger to the bile,or the quick tou- ched, but the carnall heart beginneth to boyle, and faith, this man mea- neth me, he hach force (pite at me, hebath heard fomething of me, bee fpendeth Tome of his anger againfl me,I will hearehim no more:where as indeed it is the light of the word alone which ranfaketh their confçi- ences,&it is no other but the natural malice of thehart againfi the truth, and bringersof it, which hindereth the entrance of the word for the time preheat and tocome. By this meanes thorough Gods iull iudge- ment,,

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