Chap. 4. AnEx a itiotl u on the Book of J O s. Vert 6, to his dodrinc, which brought fo many after him, lob 6. They liked a: miracle to feed them,more then aSermon to initruc them: And were afl dedwith the meat which endures to everlatliiag life, only in fabordination to the meat which perifheth.Howma- ny fay, at lcaft i,r their hearts,at this day,if I ca( my felt into fuch and fuch courfes of holinefs, (hall I not have credit and cuflom, good acquaintance and profitable correfpondence ? In many men their wickednefs is their confidence, that is, the very reafòn why they are fo wicked, is becaufe they are confident they (hall get by their wickednefs ; So thofe entifers laid to the young Ego Plum fa- man (Prov. r. t s.) Come let sir lay n'aie for blood, there was cerewluinut their wickednefs now at the twelfth verle, you (hall hnd, la coespulfsu e- geRarefed fdfli that the rife of their wickednefs was this confidence,me fhall dio ,tuflitis; find all precious. treafure, n'efhall fill our boufes withfpoil, Some nec ea re frur (I confefs) have fuch a fpirit of wickednefs,that they are wicked volebam pan furto appetehá, fed ipfofurle& peccate,Aug.l. 3 Gnfeff.c. t. r.5' Paulo poiI. .Eram grari+ maim, amavi defsílum xreuay non illud ad gmod deficie- bam. for wickednefs fake : and they love the very fin it fell, more then the ends of profit or pleafure, which may pobly follow the fin; but others ad the fin, out of confidence they fhull ad- vance themíclves by it: And fo there are many,fo refined in théir aymes and heigh;ned..in the wayes of holinels,that they arc holy for holinefs fake, and religious for religions fake ; yet there is a generation, whole religion is nothing but this confidence ; I will call in my lot with the godly, I will take their way, (hall I not fill my houfe with treafure,and raise an ellate by it ? The Apoflle fpeaks of fuch, (r Tim. 6. 5.) Men fxppofing that gain isgedlinefs, and they are godly only that they may gain by it. Whereas theywhefe hearts are perfed with God,love godlinefs, for Gods fake ; and they are holy, not out of confidence ofgaining by it, but out of a delight in afting of it ; there is a beauty, an excel - lency in holinefs which takes their hearts ; and they are above, not only thispoor confidence,to be enriched by it , but allo above that rich, that heavenly confidence, to be faired by it, to get Hea- ven by it. The fear of forne, who are above the former, is yet but quall to this confidence ; they fee there is no other way to be faved,,ogo to Heaven,but this. Now I fay, holinefs in the height and purity of it, keeps under the refped of Heaven it fell; it is fo much above thefe things below, that it is above thofc things above That is a fecond fenle. Thirdly, Thewords are underfloed by diversof the Hebrew writers, far a direct and simple affcrtion, and they give it thus. Will
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