Enemy to all morality : Faith : Prayer : Obedience. It is fe/fifhnef/ that blemifheth Judges, and Juftices and Of- ficers with the Rains of partiality, avarice and injuftice : It is this that difturbeth the peace of nations ; that will not let Princes Rule for God , and confequently overthrows their thrones : that will not let fubjefts Obey them in the Lord, but lets in wars and miferies upon them : that fets the Nations to- gether by the ears, and fo centinueth them : yea it is felf that will not let neighbours live together in Peace : that provoketh people to difobey their Teachers, andTeachers to be man-plea- fers, and neglect the people that will not let Mailers and Servants , Parents and Children , Husband and Wife , live peaceably and lovingly one with other ; It is the common make-bate and troubler of the world. Nay it is felf that caufeth moil of the new opinions and praClifes in Religion: that fets up Popery, and moil other leas; and caufeth the Pallors to contend for fuperiority to the trou- blingof the Church after all the plainprohibitions of Chrift. In a word, felfiflanefs is the grand enemy of God and man theDifeafe ofDepraved lapfed nature : the very heart of Ori- ginal fin, and the old man ; the root of all the Iniquity in the world :thebreach of every Commandment of the Law ; the enemy of every Article of faith, and every Petition in the Lords Prayer ; and by that time we have added the reit of its deformity, you will fee whether it be not the very Image of the Devil ; as the Love of God and our neighbour which is its contrary, is the image of God. But now on the contrary fide Self-denial compiyeth with all DivineRevelations, and difpofeth the foul to all holy Re- quells, and to thecobfervation of every Command of God. It humbly floopeth to the mysteries of Faith, which others proudly quarrel with in the dark. It makesa man fay, 0 what am / that ifhoald jet my wit againfl the Lord, and make my Rea- fon the Totichloneof his troth, and think, to CoMprehend his judgements that are incornprehenlible I Itcaufeth a man to fit as a little child, at the feet of Chrift to learn his will, and fay, SpeakLord,for thy fervant heareth. It filenceth the carpings of an unfatisfiedunderftanding, and limiteth the enquiries of a bufie, prying, prefumptuous wit ; and fubdueth the contra- P p 3 ditlions 293
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