Ver. 4,5. the. piffle to the Romanes. Interpre- tation. Inrtrußi 0115. TIM. What is meant bere by bountiful- ne ? S IL, The kindneffe whereby God is inclined to doe good even to all man- ner of men ; or a profitable and benefi- ciatl kindneffe. As in Luke 6.35. Ti M. Wbatio figntfiedby patience and long fuJerance? S I L. Patiente is that vertue whereby God forbeareth pnnifhment; and by longfufferanceis meant, that whereby God beareth a long time with the wic- ked;long keeping backe and refrayning his wrath before he punifh them; not - withftanding they hill goe on to heape finne unto finne. T I M. What is meant by theriches of hie bounty and patience? S 1 L. The plentiftdl and large aboun- dance of theft things according to the phrafes of Scripture; as rich grace for a_ boundant grace,and,dwell richly, that is,aboundantly,Col.3. to. Rom. 9. 13. Eph.1.7.& 2.5. Te M. What it it to elef if theft. things? S 1 L. To make no isle of them for a- mendment of life; for to fitffer a thing to lye by us without any ufe, argueth a negle& of it, that it is not efleemed. Ti M. What were the *us gathered from hence it S I L. Sundry, and in order thefe which follow : Firf}, that wee muff bee like to God in thefe properties : boun- tifull, patient, and long fufferiug, as he is, Col. 3.1 2. Secondly, that outward blef sings belong to the wicked, as well as to the good : For this raine falleth, and his Sunne fhineth upon the good and bad,Mat.g 45 Pfal.77. I . ;. Third- ly, that the godly are not co fret, when they fee the ungodly prosper : for it is a checking of Gods bounty and patience. Fourthly, that many are never the bet- ter for the benefits that God giveth them, but rather the worfe, being har- dened by kindneffe. Laffly, that it is a dangerous eftate to be free from croffes and full of wealth;for Inch Thal fall in- to impenitencie, and (iardneffe of heart. T t M. What would Paul havens to un- derfEand by that speech [not knowing ?] S 1 L. Therein he doth both upbraide 59 and refute the brutifhneffe and flupidi tie of these (inners, that whereas the blelfings ofGod,fo many, fo long con- tinued, fo great, ought to have even drawne and haled them unto fuels a kinde and bounteous giver ; fo blockifh and foolifh they were, as they were not only no whit furred therewith towards God,as theydid the more neglea, nay contemne him, and yet did promise to themfelves, impunity and fafety. This was feofeleffe and beafily ignorance and wickedneffe. Whence we learne, both how out of measure wicked mans heart is, being without Gods grace; how un- able to move it (elfe to God, though God reach out unto them the hand of his benignity : and alto in what peril- bouscondition they do live, which have llore of good things, and are without the fpirit of repentance:they are worfe then beads. T z M. In what fenfe it it Paid, that the bounty and l;indnef fe of God leadetb men to repentance? S t L. That Gods benefits inall rea- fon, should move men to amendment, and men are to make fuch an account, that Gods kindneffe inviteth them un- to repentance. When he giveth benefits, hee giveth meanes of repentance, but the grace of repentance hee beftoweth on his ele&. T 1 M. What lef fon war given here? S t L. That every good blelfing of God is as it were a Sermon of repen- tance : alfo,the more benefits we have, the more caufe we have to Iove and pleafe God by doing his will. T 1 M. What doe yee call an hard heart? S I L. Such a one, as will not be loft- ned and moved by benefits & inflru&i- ons; nor broken with threatnings and corre&ions, the which in Scripture is set forth by the fimilitude of a hone, Ezek. 11.19. Allo of an iron finew, and of a fat brawny heart, Pfal.1 19. which dufleth all the fenfes,and maketh them unfit to doe their Offices. Mans heart is naturally hard,but this hardneffe is en- creafed much by our owne perverfeneffe and obftinacy. Ti M. Ey what degree; doe men fall into The end ol Gods boud- ty. 8ighttïfÈ of Gods kindAetfd. Abate et Gods bounty at kindnctrë:
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