A CALL TO 6. You also fetch your own destruction from all the providences and works of God. When you think of his eternal fore-knowledge and decrees, it is to harden you in your sin, or possess your minds with quarrelling thoughts, as if his decrees might spare you the labour of repentance and a holy life, or else were the cause of sin and death. If he afflict you, you repine; if he prosper you, you the more forget him, and are the more backward to the thoughts of the life to come. If the wicked prosper, you forget the end that will set all reckonings straight, and are ready to think it is as good to be wicked as godly; and thus you draw your death from all. 7. And the like you do from all the creatures and mercies of God to you. He giveth them to you as the tokens of his love and furniture filr his service, and you turn them against him, to the pleasing of your flesh. You eat and drink to please your appetite, and not for the glory of God, and to enable you to perform his work. Your elothes vou abuse to pride; your riches draw your hearts from heaven, Phil. iii. 18; your honours and applause puff you up; ifyou have health and strength, it makes you more secm:e, and forget your end. Yea, other men's mercies are abused by you to your hurt. If you see their honours and dignity, you are_provoked to envy them; if you see their riches, you are ready to covet them; if you look upon heauty, ' you are stirred up to lust; and it is well if godliness he not an eye-sore to you. 8. The very gifts that God bestoweth on you, and the ordinances of grace which he hath instituted for his church, you turn to sin. If you have better parts than others, you grow proud and self-conceited; if you have hut common gifts, you take them for special grace. You take the hare hearing of your duty for so good a work, as if it would excuse you for not obeying it. Your prayers are turned into -~in, because you " regard iniquity in your
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