TlJe Hatred of God m the Ungodly ,deteEled. 339 Tit. 6. fJireElivns a1,ainji ji11Jul Hatrel , wards God. "'verfati01l or Backwardllefs to. or Harced to ,./].. J' :J' men r ihall fpeak anon, y. I. THe lwred to G~d and b•clzwardn:fs to .hi< fervice, which is the chief part of this fin, is to be cured accord mg to the D1rtCbons m the hrfi Chapter, as a fiatc ofWlckednefs ts : and more I lha\1 fay anon, about the w,jhip ofGod: and Chap. 3• Direa. 11· containeth the cure alfo. Only hc:re l !hall add a few Dire[liom to aGod-hating Generation. 9· 2. Dired. J. The firjl thing )'OH have to do, i1 to difcovtr thi4 to be your fin: For you are eo~~ Dirtel. I• ~~~~~~~~-~~~~-~·~,~~ confefs that this is horrid wickednefs, where it is found, and well deferveth damnation: Take heed )efi rh; own confdlion judge thc:e. Remember then that it ~s not the ?are Name that we"?~ fpeak of: I know that Gods Name is mofi honoured, and the Dellllr name JS mofi harrd. Nor IS Jt every thing in God that is bated: None hateth his Mercifulnefi and Goo~nr[r as f~ch: Nor i_s it ever)' thing in the Dn•il that is lrrved: None love his hatred to man, nor h1s CIUchy m tormentmg men. But rbe Holinrfs ofGod, which is it that man mull receive rhe Image of, an,d be conformed to, is baud by the unboly: And the Devih tmbolineft, and friendfhip to rntns fin and fenfualiry is loved by the fenJ;~al ar.d unholy. And this hatred of God (and love of the Devil ) one would think you might calily perceive. 9· 3· I. In that you had rather God were not fo Juft and Holy; you had rather he had nevercom. manded you to beHo4J but left you to live as your flefh would have you: you had rather God were indifferent as to your tms, and would give you leave to follow your lulls. Such a God you would have: And aGod that will damn you unlefs you be Holy, and hate your fins and forfake them, you like not, you cannot <:.bide, but indeed do hate him. . 9· 4· 2· Therefore you wiU not Believe that God is fuch a holy fin-'hating God : Becaufe you would M•lunt ~cfci· not have him fo, you will not believe he is {Q ; and fo hate hU nature, while you believe that you re, quu. Jam love him; and love but an Idol of your unholy fantaGcs. Pfal. so· 21, 22· 1hefe things haft thou ~d~:fR~M,.: done, and I kept fi/en.:e: t.hott thoughtft that I waJ altogether [uch a one M thy [elf: bnt I wiU reprove g:. ,·, 1 : · thee, and frt them in order hrfure thy cyn: Now confider tbiJ ye tb.Jt forget God, left I tear you in piecn, and there be none to deliver. 9· 5· 3· Yott love llot the Holinrfs of tbe Word of God, which bcamh biJ Imagt : You love not thefe fiiiCl: and holy paffages in it, J,b. 3. 3, 5· Lu!;! I4· 26, 33. Matth. I 8. 3· Rom. 8. I 3. Col. 3• • 1, 2, 3,4. 2 Cor. 5· •7· with abundance more. You had rather have had a Scripture that would have left your ambition, covetoufnefs, lufi and appetite:: to their liberties; and that had faid norhing for the abfolute ncccffiry ofHolinefs; nor had condemned the ungodly. - 9· 6. 4· You love not the holiefi Minificrs or fervants of Chrifl, that moll powerfully preach his · ·\ holy Word, or that moll carefully, ffriouily and zealoufly obey it: your hearts Jife againll them, when thc::y bring in the Light, which tl1eweth that your deeds and you are evil, John 3· 1.9, 20. They are an eyc::-fore to you : your hearts rife not fo much againfl Whoremongers, Swearers, Lyars, Drunkards, Athcil\s or Jnfidcls, as againfi them. What fort of pcr[ons on rhe bee of the canh, are fo hated ~y- the ungodly in all Nations and of all degrees, and ufed by them fo cruelly, and pmfued by them lo Implacably, as the holiefl fervams o[ the Lord arc? ~· 7· 5· You love not to eaU upon God inferious fervwt [piritual pr.tycr,praifu andthank.fgiving: You are quickly weary of it : you had rather be at aPlay, or Gaming, or a Fc:all: your hearrs rife againfi holy Worfhip as a tedious irkfome thing. 9· 8. 6. You love not holy edifying difcoudc of God, and of heavenly thing•. Your hearts riG: againfi ir, and you hate and fcorn it, as if all ferious calk of God, were but hypocrifie, and God were to be baniChcd out of our difcourfc. 9· 9· 7· You cannot abide the fcrious frequent Thoughtt of God in fecrct ; but had rather fluff your minds with thoughts of your Horfe·s, or Hawks, or bravery, or honour, or pn.fermenrs, or fj:>orts, or cntenainmenrs, or bufinefs and labours in the world : So that one hour of a thoufand or ten lhoufand was never fprnt in fcrious delightful thoughts of God, his holy truths, or works or Kingdom. ' 9· IO· 8. You love not the bleffed day of Judgement, when Chrifi will come with his holy An– gels ro judge the world, to jufiifie his accufed and abufed Cervanrs, to be glrrified i1i hM Saint 1 and admired in (JU them tbat dobelieve~ 2 Theff. I· 8, 9, ro, I 1. And cm you be fo blind afler all this as not to fee I hat you are H A T ER S 0 F G 0 D ? ) §. Il• Direct. 2· Knpw God htttcr and thou canft ~tot hate him : cfpecially know the !u.zuty and D" [1 gloriotu exceUency ofthat Hl)/imfl and Juftice which thou IJatt{l. Should the Sun be darknc::d or diftre ' 2 • ·gra~ed, bec:mfc fore fyes cannot endure its light? Mull. Kings and Judgt!s be all corrupt, or change the1r Laws, and turn all men loofe to do what they l1fl, becau[c Malefad:ors and licentious men would have it fo? 9. 12. Direct 3. Know G,d and HJiinc[! aJ they are to thee thy[elf; and thtn thou wilt lznow them net only to be Beft forth«, at the Sren u to the world, and a!life •nd healtb it " thy body, butto bt thy
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=