God can brook this in none, but as he forsook his Temple in Zion, when it became a den of thieves, so he will take out his ornaments where with he graced the temple of the soul, when we set up the Dagon of this world in it; and withdraw his riches, as from a divorced Spouse, running after other lovers. Whiles Adam served God, God served him; he provides for him a […] a companion, and sustentation. We read of nothing, that God did six days together (and his works were not small nor few) but work for Adam; as if he had been hired to labour for him: Is it not strange that such a child should rebel to such a father? Let none think, his fault was small, in eating an apple, or that his punishment weighed heavier then his trespass. His sin was so much the greater, because against a God(and) so good unto him. The more gloriously the Sun and Summer have apparelled a tree, the more we admire the blazing; when God hath planted a soul in his own holy ground, watered it with those sacred, purifying dues of his graces, shone on it with the radiant beams of his soul reviving mercies, spent much (& opera & olei) both of care and cost upon it; and hath his expectation required, abused with a mere flourish of seaves; with either (anequam, ornequic quam fructus) none or evil fruits; there goes out a curse, Never fruit grow on thee more. When God hath put his grace into our unworthy vessels, how abusive is it, to empty our selves of that precious liquor, and swell our spirits with the poison of hell? How just is it with him to take away, what he gave, Luke 8.1 and to put a consumption into our vital parts? Hence (without wonder) our judgement rusts, like a never drawn sword: our knowledge looseth the relish, like the ⟨p. 27⟩Jews putrefied Manna. Our faith dissolves as a cloud, our zeal trembles, as if held with a palsy; our love freezeth the harder, as water that once was warm. Our repentance turns to ice, & our hope to snow: which the heat of affliction melts to water, not to be gathered up; the image of death is upon all our religion.
God can brooke this in none, but as hee forsooke his Temple in Sion, when it became a denne of theeues, so he will take out his ornaments where with he graced the temple of the soule, when we set vp the Dagon of this world in it; and withdraw his riches, as from a diuorced Spouse, running after other louers. Whiles Adam serued God, God serued him; he prouides for him a 〈…〉 a companion, and sustentation. We read of nothing, that God did sixe dayes together (and his works were not small nor few) but work for Adam; as if hee had beene hired to labour for him: Is it not strange that such a childe should rebell to such a father? Let none thinke, his fault was small, in eating an apple, or that his punishment waighed heauier then his trespasse. His sinne was so much the greater, because against a God(and) so good vnto him. The more gloriously the Sunne and Summer haue apparrelled a tree, the more wee admire the blazing; when God hath planted a soule in his owne holy ground, watered it with those sacred, purifying dewes of his graces, shone on it with the radiant beames of his soule reuiuing mercies, spent much (& opera & olei) both of care and cost vpon it; and hath his expectation required, abused with a meere flourish of seaues; with eyther (anequam, ornequic quam fructus) none or euill fruites; there goes out a curse, Neuer fruit grow on thee more. When God hath put his grace into our vnworthy vessels, how abusiue is it, to empty our selues of that precious liquor, and swell our spirites with the poyson of hell? How iust is it with him to take away, what hee gaue, Luke 8.1 and to put a consumption into our vitall parts? Hence (without wonder) our iudgement rusts, like a neuer drawne sword: our knowledge looseth the rellish, like the ⟨p. 27⟩Iewes putrified Manna. Our faith dissolues as a cloud, our zeale trembles, as if held with a palsie; our loue freezeth the harder, as water that once was warme. Our repentance turns to yce, & our hope to snow: which the heat of affliction melts to water, not to be gathered vp; the image of death is vpon all our religion.
- 1Luke. 8.18.
