Veri. 2 . Reafonr. the Epite to the R ótrrans. and in the world to come. For it thut- teth the hands of Gods bounty, that he cannot give good things; as it is writ- ten in the Golpell,that Chrift could not do any great work becaufe of their un- beleet, Mat. 13. 58. Alto it openeth the hand of his Jultice and draweth down even erernall vengeance as well as tcm- pórall ; as it is laid afore, vor. 20. Be etude ofunbeleef they are broken off, and Revel. 21.8. which mull taufe men to hate this fin,as they abhorre a witch or a Serpent, and to thrive againft the fame as againíh death, hell, and dcflru &i- on. Secondly,we learn that though the Jews being very grievous offenders, as alto very tore and very long plagued; yet their convcrfion is not to be deep. i red of; fo they returne, repent and be- leeve, they may be Paved, though through nnbeltefe they crucified the Lord oflifè.And withal! we are taught generally, that we ought not to raft a- way hope, either ofour own, cr of the falvation of other, ( howfoever great tranfgrcffors, and of a great time and ilanding in fin ,) fo we do not abide gill in our iniquity. The reafons here- ofbe, firth, becaufe Gods mercies, and Chriffs merits,do far exceed mens tref- paffes, for they be abfolutely infinite, to be not our finnes. Secondly, God bath promifed grace and falvation to Inch as returne to him, without excep- tion,either of the kinde of fin, or of the number, or of the time, but at what time foever, as the Prophet Ezekiel fpeaketh, Chap. 18. Allo, O houfe of Ifrael returne and thouJhalt live, Eze. 18. 20. Repent that your /nne- -s may be done away, Ails 3. 19. Laflly, if the Jews were the greatefh of- fenders that ever were, (for they killed that jufl one, and defired a mu rtherer to be given them) are not left without hope, fo they return : what good hope may other conceive whole fins are not I comparable to the Jewes, if they will repent ofthat is paft,and henceforth live godlily. T r M, What ufe to be made of this know - ledge? S t L. It confines the Novatians and other like Heretickes, who 'denyed re- pentance unto filch as after bapcilme did tall into any grofs crime,though it we: e of fear or other infirmities. Secondly, it ferveth to teach and inftru& us tou- ching the largeneffe of Gods kindneffe and love, that it is citcecding rich and deep, even as a bottomletfe lèa, being indeed without eh her bottom or banks. And thirdly, it giveth comfort awing finali defpair, to [itch as are out of heart with conceit and horror of their finnes, becaufè they may be many and manifold being alto moll ugly ; or for that they have long lived in them ; whereas these Jews atter abiding in their infidelity now a.thoufand years and a halle, yet are railed up to a comfortable hope. Laftly, hereii an admonition CO frith as have either committed forne great no- torious fin, and doe live in ignorance, unbeleef, íecurity,hypocrifie, profanefe, wordlyneffe, &c. that they make haft to repent and get out of their fin, (as a man would with (peed leap out of a quagmire, or out of a deep dungeon, or hot furnace) for it is not the ólthinefs of their fin that (hall be able to condemne them, fo they do -not abide in it. Sinne damneth a man when it is abiden in and lived in without remorfe or hatred a- gainfl ¡it, or efchewing occafions, and purpofe of amendment:but Itch as turne unto the Lord with all their heart, (hall not die in their fins : the mouth of the Lord hath Paid it. T i M. But it feemeth unpeffible that ever theunbeleeving pryer fbouldbegraffed in and reftored to Chriff and hit Church :for how can they leave their infirmity, no more then an Ethiopian can change his ekinne, era Leopard f is (pots ? or how can they give to themfelves faith, no more then an evill tree can again make it felfe good, or a bow broken off gra it [aft into the tree, no more can unbeleevers convert themfelver and become faithful! one, ? S t L. It is true, yet that which is unpoffible both to our (elves and others, it is poflible with God. God that by his own power could make the world ofnothing by his word, which could divide the feaand niakeic Eland by his power as a wall, and lay the court-se of the 479 Solution.
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