Spiritúal Perfection: S. When Divine Judgments are rent 'to corre& the ditfalute difnrders of the World , and Sinners Mould with ten- dernefs and trembling hear the Voice of the Rod, and who har appointed it, yet they proceed in their Wickednefs, as if Godwere not always Prefent to fee their Sins, nor Pure to hate them, nor Righ- teous to exaa a fevere Judgment for them, nor Powerful to infli& it ; this argues intolerable Pride and Obftinacyo God and Sinners are very unequal Ene- mies The effeEs of his Difpleafure fhould be received with obfequioufnefs, rot with obduration : Therefore the Apoffle puts that confounding 'Ouertion; Do you provoke the Lord to jealoufie, are you fironger than he ? Can you encounter with offended Omnipotence? To dcfpife his Anger is as provoking as to deípife his Love. 'Tis afonifhing, that Duft and Afhes fhould rife to fuch an incorrigible eighth of Pride, as to fly in the Face of God : Who ever hardned himfelfagainft him, and profbered ? All that are carelefs of God's defign to reform them by Affli- ftions, that feek for relief in diverting Bufinefs or Pleafures, provoke God to more fevere infliaions of his Anger But thofe furly proud Natures that are exafperated by Sufferings , and wreftle eith'the frongeft Storms, are in com- bination
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=