. 2 97 THE DA, N· GER OF · pROSPERITY~ p R 0 V. I. 32. The Profperity of Fools /hall deftroy tbern. IN rhcfor~cr Vcrfes, the Divine Wifdom is introduc'd in a very elegant and pathetical manner, reclaiming M~n ~:om their tniferable Errors_, to partake of Light and Felicity. The Add.te.fs 1S d~tecl:ed to diem withUpbra~dings and Indignatio•_' at their Folly, and wlth tender Compaflion for thC!t ~um., _Ho•~ font, ye jimple ones will ye ltYiJe jimpliczty? and fools hate l:nowldge ? 1 hus tiS fa1d of our Sav1- , our, the Incarnate Wii~om- ~f Go~, That *he look'd on the Pharifeer Jbith anger, 6ein$ .. Mark 3· r. grieved at tbe hardnefi of thm hearts. We have alfo cxprcft, an earncl1 defire of tl1C1t Convcrfion, 1urnye at my Reproof. . And that is. fccondcd by a gracious Prom1fc, ! will pour out my Spirit upon you, to Illummate ana condu~ y_ou in the way of Li~c. Bu~ for their !lupid ob!linacy indefpifmgthe Counfel; and tejecl:ingtheReproofsofW!fdom, they are furpri zcd With utter De!lntcl:1on. This is defcribcd with that Tram of killing Citr:umilances, that are the rnof\: forc1ble ExCitatlons timely tO prevehr that Evil, wlud~ neg- .. leCled, will be rcmedilcfs : Becaufe I have called, andye refufed, I have flretchet! oift my Vn'f 2 4 , ~6. hand, and no Man regarded; I wi/1 a!fo laugh at your calamity, and mock w/;en your fear 'J-1, 'J-8, 29. cometh: Wben your fear cometh as a Whirlwind, when diflrefs and anguijh comet/; upon you, then Jhall tbey call on me, bllt I will not anjiver ; tbey Jhall feek me early, but tbey Jhall not jint! me' for that tbey bated knowledt,e, dnd dejpifed tbe fear of the Lord. In their di!l:refs they fupplicatc for Mercy; but as they were t:~n cliang'd, notWlthil:andmg all the gracious Calls of God to Repentance, fo h~ is not moved by all their mournfnllntrearics, and takes plcafurc in his Righteous Judgments upori them. Tllcir (i9al Ruin is refolvc<l into its proper Caufe; the wilful hardnefs of Sinners, and the abufe of thofe 1:fercics that fhbuld have rhclted them into a compliance with the Divine Giver of them. For .that they 1~:~/fo~~jeff.;• t~~~ ~i~n~tt!:ehfr.}p!~i~e:J t.o~:fo;;;~ejf;.;r tt;~turning away of th~ The Tide of Fool, is the ufual CharaCter of the S~nncr in the Language of Wifdcim; and 'tis With great rcafon and congruity attnbuted t'o him, in oppofitton to Prudence, the univerfa l Vertue and fupream DireCtor of Hum~me Life. For as by Prudence' a Man fO governs himfelf, and regulates his ACtions, as to avoid irilpertdent Evils, and to obtain that Good that is fuirable to his Neccflitics: So 'ils the c!fecl: of Folly, not to forefec Evils to prevent them, and ro neglect the Seafon of obtaining what is Good! And by how much the Good is more valuable and defirablc, and the Evil is more ,pernif~~~~s rf:~do~!~r'c ~~~~~"~jp~7cir;J~~;o~1~h~~~e ~~~1ti1~s ~~~7ufr\;p~l~a~~~jl~p~~de~:~~tl~v~f~ Impenitent Sinner. Profperiry comprehends all things in the order of Nature, that arc fo much admird ~~!t~~fi~~d~he ';b~~~;'ntt;r(c~i~~s,~h~0?,0~~~;Jjc~~ucl~~ 'ca~::/ti.{in~,~~1:~pti~~~ : Thefc Blcflings of God, abus'd and pcrvetrcd by the Folly of Men, are turn'd 111to \\'capons of Vnrightooufi>els, to offend God, and wound rheit Souls· to everlailing' Death. Rr • 1-h'e
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