Verf. io. the Epiflle to the Romans. 44 9 proofe hereof, is from Deuteron. 28.28, 29. where God threatneth the difobe- dient to his Law, to (mite them with blindneffe and with affonifhment of heart,that plaine and eafie and familiar matters fhould be as hard and obfcure unto them, as the Sunne is darkefome to him that lacketh his fight. Example of t his judgement, we have firft in Pha- raoh, who having difobeyed Gods warnings, bidding him let the people goe; and after many and moft fharpe plagues, having hardned his heart againfi Gods known will, was thicken juflly of G O D with fuch a fpirituall madneffe, as he was not able to per- ceive it to be a finfull and hurtful' thing unto him, to keep the children of Ifrael hill in his land ; but after he had let them goe, he would needs obflinately follow them unto the red Sea, which was the deftru&ion of him and his peo- ple. Likewife, the Pharifees had their mindes fo darkned of God, as they would not difcerne any finne or dan- ger, in putting to death Jefus, though they had often felt that he had done them no hurt at all,but much good,and in their prefencehad many wayes, and manifeftly witneffed (by his', life, do- ¿trine, patience, miracles) both the in- nocency of his manhood; and the truth ofhis Godhead. A certain fhadow of this judgment, we havefet forth in the Sodomites, Gener 19. r r. who being Emit with blindneffe, did in the day light even grope after the dore of Lot hishqufe. If we do account it a very great evil' to have the eyes of our body put out then to be deprived of the light ofunderffanding, muff be a more heavier judgement and calamity,by how much the foule is more excellent then the body, and the benefit of inward underfianding, is greater and more ne- cefiary then the profit of an outward and flefhiy eÿe. T t M. How may Cbriffiansedi, &e them. (elver iy the knowledge and meditation of this doeirine ? S r L. Fiat, in refpe& of themfelves, it mutt flirre them up unto thankfuI- neffe, tobleffe GO D for clearing their eye - fight by the Stick of Wifedonie. Alfo to pray unto God for the continù' ance and increafe of it, and to be de- livered from the judgement of a blind heart. Laftly, that to this end they endeavour alwayes to glorifie God by their knowledge, by turning it into pra&ife and a &ions. Now in refpe& of others, to take comparifon to fuck as are under this judgement, For if we will pity poor blinde men which can- not fee their way, and Idiòt s or fools which lack the Life of natural l reafon: much more we ought to grieve for fuch as have loft the ufe of fpirituall under- ¡landing, not being able to fee the way unto falvation : and take it for a furety, that he hath a very flinty heart that cannot mourne for fuch, or at leali be grieved , for that his heart is fo hard. T t M. What was the third punifhment? S r t.1 The bowing of their backes or Joints, wherein there is another Metaphor, tranflating that to the foule and the et/ate of the Jews which is pro- per to the body, the ftrength whereof doth chiefly confift in the backe or loynes, the bowing whereof importeth as much as the weakning or diminifhing of this bodily flrength : by all which is fignified unto us, that the malicious Jews for the contempt of Chrift and his Gofpel,fhould lofe their whole flrength bah fpirituall lacking all indeavour to do that which is good; and temporal', having their ivil authority and govern- ment taken from them. This judgement began to be execu- ted upon them before the birth of Chrift, when Alauflus Cejar was Em- perour of Rome; and afterwards .was more thoroughly inflicted, when th Emperonr Titus took the City, burnt the Temple, brake down theirwalles, put the people to the (word, and laid all wafte, fo as there was not any more face or forme of a Common wealth amotigffthem, being utterly voide of all Lawes and Regiment, and being made vaffalls and vagabonds upon the face of the earth, and fo have re- mained now fifteen hundred yeares ( qa and
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