CHAP. 3.4. c.4Commerttarie vim) the 626 greffienof the remnant of his heritage; but to walke friendly and famili- arly withmen : not onely the worthies of the former world; fuch as E- noch,who walkedwith God : Mofes with whomhe talked face to face as a man with his friend : Abraham with whom he imparted his fecret codnfelis : Iaacob with whom he wraffled familiarly: but euenvetoour felues, whome he hath pleatednot onely to admit vnto eternal! faluati_ on inhis fonne, but bath in the mean time reuealed vnto vs his fecret thoughts ; tent out his fpirit to accompany, comfort, quicken, raife, andenlighten vs,and his word to rule and dire&vs, and in the minilfe- ry ofit euen ffriueth with vs that he may leaue vs.a blellìng behind him. It was his great familiaritie that he fhouldPhew Mofes the land of Ca_ naan beforehis death : but he hash (hewed vs a farreoff,that euerlaffing ref( and receptacleofall theIfrael ofGod. And Paul himfelfe was not more beholding to this goodneffç, whenhe was taken vp into the third heauen,then we are in halting fomanyhigh myfferies reuealedvnto vs, and fo many great thingsput intoour hands by faith &hope, which we cannot vtter with our tongues, nor yet with our hearts conceiue: and (hall our hearts be barren in the meditation, and our mouthes mute and dumbe at fuch a goodnes as this is ? 4. To imitate this goódneffe of God,whofenature and image we muff put on daily: we muff grow bet- ter by it,we muff be led to loue himmore for his goodnes; and a (name it were that this bountifulneffeofGod (hould not leadvs unto repen- tance. Befides,noneare partakers of it,but fuch as beingborrowers be- t come feruants vnto the lender : for although the Lord be boundieffe in all bountifulnes, yet is henot fo regardles inconferring it , as that he looketh not for anfuer of loue for loue; and ifhe bekinde to the vnkind what is itelfe, but theheaping of coales on the heads of thofe who are in fitting to deffruétion: for any man then thus to reafon, God is full of goodneffe,and abundant in mercie, and therefore I will doe as I lit};it is the abufingofhis patience, and the treafurìng wrath againffthe day of wrath. Let fuch know, that as with the vpright he will bevprighr, to bringon théall his promifedgoodnes, fo with the frowardhe wil deale as frowardly:and that there is not a more feuere plague abiding the re- probate,then tohaue all thegoodneffe of God turned to his euill and hurt by his owue finne; towhome let mercy be (hewed , yet in the land ofvprightneffe he will doe wickedly : let the Gofpel be preached , it 2.cor,2.15. is the fsusur ofdeath, yea let Chriff himfelfe be offered, the greateff gift ofloue that euer was giuen , hee will bebut a rocke of offence, and a fore to humble at. s. In regard ofothers, we muff learne to com- municate our goodnes tuen to the helping and winningof them that as yet arenot called; foaltomuff this bountifulneffeofour Matter , with- hold
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=