166 Chapo13s Of Obedience , and the rontrariásthereio. Coma . them, but are as fo many fpeakeis to us. The Heavens declare the glory ofGod Pfal., 9.1 and the Firmament fheweth his handy-work. One day tell,eth another , and one 2. nightcertilieth another. There is neither Speech, nor Langucge, but their voices 3° are heard among them. No Nation but may underftand that God fpeaks to them by there works. 2. The other two fpeakers which gainfay what God fpeaks, are theWorld, and Our Selves ; here we mull abaudirq to what God Pays , contrary to what the john tç rs World lays to us, and to what we fpeak to our felves. r. For the World it ha- Gen,s.zz. ted Chrift , and fo it is like to fpeak no good of him , or his ways : now as Enochwalked with God , fo nmft we; for God -and the World cannot walk to gether. Amos 3.3. Can twogo together, faith the Prophet , unlefs they beagreed ? The World can- not walk with Chrit , becaufe it hateth him ; Enoch therefore forfook the coin- pany ofthe.World , and chore to walk with God alone , and fo was tranflated ; fo tut we, whatfoever evil Counfel we hear, whether from prophane Men, or o- thers , ifthey be gainfaycrs, if they do sblogni, we muff obaudire, hear God a- r ling z:.r2;gainft them. TheKing had a Michaiedo to fpeak thetruth to him from God, fo had he a Zedek .ih, who fpake againit it : fo when we preach the troth , thereare o- thers which preachplacentia, that will tell Men idpodvolantfanlgamell, that what- foever they like is the belt, that will loofe, let others bind as fart as theycan; there we mufftake heed of hearkening to,we muff not frame our felves to the World, Jcr.44.t7. whether to the old World, as they that would burn Incenfe to the Qneenof Heaven, becaufe they and their Fathers had done fo before ; or to, this prefent World, as the r Sam. 8.1°' People who would needs have a King, before Gods time; becaufe they would be likeother Nations. 2. The other fpeaker , that doth obloqui, fpeak againft what God Pays, isonr felves; for we areat as great odds with God as the World is. The wifdomof Ron. 8.7. the flefh is enmity with God; there is in usa delire to follow our own fpirit, and, Fre`h 13.3. as the Wife-man faith , every way of a d,an is right inhis own eyes : and this way Prov.2.1.2, .r5.rt. we are not to follow , but God fpeaks clean contrary to this , ReveRevertant:. quifgtte.a: er via fua , return ye every Man fromhis own way , for that's a wrong way : we have Gen.6.p. Gods own Teftimony, that Mansthoughts are nought, and exceeding nought; and therefore weare like to find little good by this oblocutor. There thoughts and 1uß3 a Peta.r I. do militari es+aa 4.ate war againft theSoul ; and aboveall, it is a great punifhmettt from God, to give Men up to follow their own Lulls. The yfraelites lulled for Quails PCa1.78.9. which God gave them, but withal his wrath fell upon them ; and when they refuted PCat. 8r.ts. tohear hisvoice,in his anger he gave them up to their own defres. This is the punifh- ment for thegreateft offenders. The Heathen Idolators were punifh'd, by being given up to follow their own lulls. It is a great punilhment to bedelivered over to Röm.t,sq Sathan; yet thismay be for onesgood , that the Soul maybe faved, as t Cor. 5 5. But to bedelivered up to the defires of our own heartsis far greater, z Cor. z. 8. Therefore Afofes when God appointed him anoffice very plaufible, and dcfrrablc by Men, to be a Magiltrate; he being fufpicious of himfelf, left his heart which did not obloqui, fhould beguile him , denied it four times; and would not take it upon him , till God was very angry : for true obedience bath nothing defits , of its own,, but muss dealieno, all from another , it is acontinual gainfayer of it fell. 3. Somewill joyn there two together; theywill hear God , and then call acon- ference , and hear what fiefs andblood can fay ; and they will fit Judges between Gal.r.t6, both. This was sot Saint Pants pradtife , when God calledhim toPreach , he con. faked not with flefh andblood. Our affedions are like Lyme, hotteftwhen they fhould becoldeft, as in Water, and a contra, we are fufpicious andawìry, when we. come to hear God , though we ought to be then moil fecurc , as ifhe wereperfona male Jidei, onenot to be trailed; we fear molt , when we need not fear, we are afraid in hearing the Minißer of God , and marvelous careful inexaminingall ciri. cumflances, when they exhort to any thing that agrees not with our worldly in.- tercßs, left haply we fhould be reduced : but in hearing the World,and our own hearts , where molt peril is , we aremoo fecure and carelefs. Hence it is that we yield partial obedience toGod,only in what we like,or inwhat croffes not our carnal ends
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