cal Difcourfoftrue happint e. him oEf,andutterly cafhirehim fromhis hopes and cnds.lviofi miferable and fervile is their life, that thus forfake the ftrong toweroftheir faivation, and clafpe theirhandoffaith about the armeof fiefh.For they doe not onely bereave themfelves ofthat worthy freedomeof fririt,which an honeft Heathen would not exchange forhis life but alfo as theygrow into a habit offervitude and bafeengagements unto men ; fo they grow into a fiavery unto fin, and bondage unto thecorrup= tionsof the time. And the higher they rife into fwour with prophanegreatneff andpolicy,the deeper they finké into the , miferies ofbafeneffe and flattery, and the high difpleafure of Almighty God : and at length, if they attaine their ends, (for fometimes they die in the tedious profecution of fom.e undeferveddignity) they double their difcornforts, and:en- creafe their account. For commonly where thepurfuite and purchafe ofany honour and preferment bath beene bafe and indirect; there thedifcharge and execution is formal), vaine- glorious, andunconfionable, Thus you fee a fecondmethodof Satan, whereby he goes about tokill thefruits offaith;and tocaufe,ifnot anutter cef- làtion,yet much weaknes and interruptions in theoperations of grace. Many moe fuchdepths and proceedings hebath in As for example : Ifhe !metewith notorioufly wickedmen; as Drunkards, Swearers, uncleanperfons, and the like; he tempts them to Atheifine, a reprobate fenfe, contempt of Gods worfhip and fervice, and to thegreat off.nce. To defend their lewd andgraceleffe courfes ; to glory in their ffnnes, and in their f dexterityofmaking others drunke with the fame iniquity, He ffickles and ftrikes the bargainebetwixt them, and death and hell ; and enters (as it were) bond for theperformanceof the covenant. Hee tempts themto fcorning ; andby their fcoffings and railings, in fome fort, to the defpifing of the Spirit ofgracein the childrenoflight ; which isa foule frgne of a feared confcience, and a fearefull preparative to finne againft theHoly (Aloft. Thefe are Satans ftandard-bearers H4 ; 07
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