These examples are useful for you to consider, that you might know and fear the Lord, and the want of this is the cause of this remissness and looseness in our profession, and that we do not so consider our ways. Saint Paul was an holy man, and one that stood in near terms with Jesus Christ, yet feared exceedingly, 2 Cor. 5. We knowing the terror of the Lord persuade men; And Job that was very exact in his life, which appears by the 31. Chap. which Chapter is nothing else but an expression of the manner of his carriage, which was very exact, verse 23. he gives this as a reason, the punishments of the Lord were a terror to me, and so in the 2. verse the reason why he would not give liberty to his eyes to look on a Maid, was for that he considered, what portion then shall I have with the Almighty? and this fear of the Lord is needful at this time, when God hath discovered himself to be angry with the Land, which is not only for the gross sins of wicked men, but the sins of the Saints also; It is your coldness, remissness and laxitude. I have two grounds for it, first in the Revel. 2. because Ephesus was fallen from her first love, therefore he would remove her Candlestick, that is, the whole Church among them, carry them into Captivity, for I cannot see by the Candlestick how only the Ministry should be meant; and so in the Rev. 3. because Laodicea was neither hot nor cold; therefore will I spue them out of my mouth, God would endure them no longer, and therefore you that think your estates the best, even you have had a hand in this plague, you think that other mens sins, the sins of wicked ⟨p. 12⟩men are the cause of it, but God he knoweth, that they cannot pray and have no life in them, as you have; and though-their sins also be a cause, and a main cause, as appears by the Amorites, whose sins when full, God punished; yet I say they are yours also: And therefore, when there is an evident sign, that God hath a controversy with a Kingdom and the Churches, and a sign of his wrath is proclaimed from heaven, then every man must do something; now fear the Lord, be zealous, repent and do your first works, begin now to mend your pace to heaven: and yet would only there were a want of zeal among you, yea is it not in disgrace, is not a zealous man hooted at, as an Owl among us?
These examples are usefull for you to consider, that you might know and feare the Lord, and the want of this is the cause of this remissnesse and loosnesse in our profession, and that we doe not so consider our waies. Saint Paul was an holy man, and one that stood in neere termes with Iesus Christ, yet feared exceedingly, 2 Cor. 5. Wee knowing the terrour of the Lord perswade men; And Iob that was very exact in his life, which appeares by the 31. Chap. which Chapter is nothing else but an expression of the manner of his carriage, which was very exact, verse 23. he gives this as a reason, the punishments of the Lord were a terrour to me, and so in the 2. verse the reason why he would not give liberty to his eys to looke on a Maid, was for that hee considered, what portion then shall I have with the Almighty? and this feare of the Lord is needfull at this time, when God hath discovered himselfe to be angry with the Land, which is not onely for the grosse sinnes of wicked men, but the sinnes of the Saints also; It is your coldnesse, remissenesse and laxitude. I have two grounds for it, first in the Revel. 2. because Ephesus was fallen from her first love, therefore he would remove her Candlesticke, that is, the whole Church among them, carry them into Captivity, for I cannot see by the Candlesticke how only the Ministery should be ment; and so in the Rev. 3. because Laodicea was neither hot nor cold; therefore will I spue them out of my mouth, God would endure them no longer, and therefore you that thinke your estates the best, even you have had a hand in this plague, you thinke that other mens sinnes, the sinnes of wicked ⟨p. 12⟩men are the cause of it, but God he knoweth, that they cannot pray and have no life in them, as you have; and though-their sinnes also be a cause, and a maine cause, as appeares by the Amorites, whose sinnes when full, God punished; yet I say they are yours also: And therefore, when there is an evident signe, that God hath a controversie with a Kingdome and the Churches, and a signe of his wrath is proclamed from heaven, then every man must doe something; now feare the Lord, be zealous, repent and doe your first workes, begin now to mend your pace to heaven: and yet would onely there were a want of zeale among you, yea is it not in disgrace, is not a zealous man hooted at, as an Owle among us?
