inl`eontribing 'ir n',1 a emption 321 were the giftsofGod ; but afferted that Wifdom and Chap. r 7, Vertue, the fpecial perfeEtions of the Humane Nature, y-v Were the effeas oftheir own indunry. Impious folly ! tobelieve that we owe thegreaten benefits toour feives, and the leffer only to God. Thus they robbed him of theHonour of his molt precious Gifts. So nrongly did the poifonof the old Serpent, breathed forth in thofe words, 7'efhall be a God, that infested the firfi Man,nill work in his Poflerity. Were they Angels inperfection, yet the proud relenting on their excellencies would in- ftantly turnthem into Devils. And as theyboaned of Vertue, fo ofHappinefs as intirely depending upon themfelves. They afcribe to their Wife-man an abfo- lute Empire over all things, they raife him above the Clouds, what-ever may difquiet or diforder ; they ex- empt him from all Paffions, and make him ever equal to himfelf ; that he isnever furprifed with accidents ; that 'tis not in the power ofpains or troubles to draw a figh or tear from him;that he defpifes allthat the World can give or take, and is contented with pure and naked Vertue : in ihort,they put the Crown uponhis Head,by attributing all to the power of his own Spirit. Thus they contradicted the Rights ofHeaven. Their impie- Deus non vin ty was fo bold that they put no difference between God C1L f:piencem felicitate, eti_ and their Wife -Perfon,but this,that God was an immor- amfrvincir tal Wife Perfon, and a Wife-Man was a mortalGod. etate: Se,rec. Nay, that he had this advantage, (fence 'tisgreat art to comprize many things in a little fpace,) to enjoy as much Happinefs inan age, as Jupiter in his eternity. Andwhich is the higher excels of' Pride and Blafphe- Eft aliquid my, they preferred the wretched imperfectVertue and quo Sapiens ece D Happinefs of their Wife-Man,before the infinite and un- uantm,ille nature beneficio, non fuo eft Sapiens, Magna res eft, habere imbecillicatem hominis, Sc fecuricatem Dei. Fe_rte fortiter, hoc eft quo Deum antecedatis, elle extra patientiam malorum eft, vos fupraparienti- am, Senec. ... change-
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