478 An Expofition upon effe, going on in evill with contempt of God and his Word. make by the meditation of this Do- n &ine? S r L. Firft, it muli ferve to prove filch as are too leyere, or cruell rather, grievoufly punifhing without any de- fert at all, as 7efabel,who flew innocent Nabotb , Herod who beheaded John 8aptift, the Jewes who killed Chrift, the Apoltles, and Stephen, &c. the Papifts who burned the godly for confefflon of their faith, and conflancy in it. Second- ly, fuch as punifh for a fault, but are more feuere then the fault merits, ufing utmofi rigour, whereas pain would be infliEted with moderation : many Pa- rents, Mailers, and Rulers, are overfeen in fit-etching the (mart beyond the barme. Thirdly, them who doe jullifie great offenders whom they ought to condemn : they which thus proceed,are unlike the mofl righteousGod,who ashe will not deftroy the good with the bad, fo he will not let the tranfgreffors goe free, nor hold them innocent, Exod. 34. 7. Let ail fuch repent and flie to Chrift for pardon. Secondly, it ferves to exhort all Rulers, as they delire to tread in the,fleps of God (the loft Judge of all the world) fo they look earneft- ly to it, to draw out the (word againft filch as do ill, Rom. 53. 2, 3. remem- bring Fly his lenity,and what end it had yet fo, as they never exceed to extreame and fait punifhments, (fuch as be ex- communication in the Church,death in the common - wealth, difinheriting in a family) but as Chirurgions doe pro- ceed to cut off a member (as an arme or leg) when there is no other remedy, and all other means be unavaileable; fo thefe capitali and ¿grievons pains would not be infli &ed and laid on men, but when the great good of the weale pub - like, and uncurable naughtineffe of the delinquents do require it. This is to be juft as God is juft for quality ; for no creature can be fo for equality, an endeavour to cime as neere him as we may, is all we are to doe. Laflly,an ad- monition we have, as cce would not drinke of the dregs of his wrath, and feel his bitter fevericy,to be very care - full not to drinke in finne with greedi- Chap. DIALOGUE XIX. Vertes 23, 24. And they all; if they abide not 'till in unb e- lee fe (hallbcgraffed in, for God is able to gra ffe them in again. For if thou waft cue out of the Olive tree, which wilde by na- ture, &c. TIMOTstaUs. How doth Paul proceed? S r L. Now he addeth a ne w argument, to beat down the pride of the beleeving Romans, and to teach them humility. It is taken from the hope of the Jewes reparation, whole re- ftoring to Chrift ( how defperate and forlorne their cafe may teem to bc,) he proveth to be poffible in verf.23.alfo to be probable and very likely, vest. 24. T Vpou what condition is it f of fible, and ly what reafon is it confirmed to be fo ? S t L. By a reafon taken from the power of God,who by his Almightinefs is able to engraffthetn into the Church . on this condition, that they did not re- main in their unbelief. As the Gentiles, if they fall from their faith, may be cut off, fo the Jew, may be planted in, and recover their dignity of being Gods people, if they did not (}ill continue unbeleevers and contemners of the grace ofChrift. Whereofitdoth not follow, that to do fo, in their own liberty,but it mull come fromGod,who worketh both the will and deed. T r M. What are we to learn from the fe conditional/words, [if they abide not in un- beleef ?] é t L. Firft, the fin of unbelief, (in the obllinate refuting of Chriff and his grace offered fo kindly and freely) was the true caufe why the Jews were call out from being Gods people; which ihewes what an horrible fin unbelief is, of which a certain Divine hath truly written,ihat it is the grand - witchwhich worketh all evill and mifchief both to the body and foul of men in this life, and M. Per- kins.
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