· , I 122 'Th~ .Doc?rim of th~ J~1ifery of li1an'Jnaturt~{ State apflied~ UsE l. Of ir:formation. Is our !late by ;;ature a ./late fij 'l.Vrath ? ' Then, . · r. Surely we are not born innocent, Thefe chains. of wrath,, which by nature are upon us, fpeak us tl) be borQ cr'imitJals, The [waddling-bands wherewith imfants ar~ bonnd iJand and foot, as foon ,as they are born, may put ns in mind of the cords of wrath, with which they are held' prifoners, as .children of wrath • . . 2. Vvh<lt defperate madnefs is it, for finners to go on in their fioful courfe ? vVhat is it but to heap coals o-f fire on thine own head, to lay mo're and more fuel to the. fire of wrath, to treafur~ up unto lhjfe/fqvrath againfl the day of rJJrath, Rom. ii. )· Thou mayfl: perijh, when his wratq is. l<ind/ed but a !:'tit~, Pf;d. ii. 12. Why wilt tho.u increafe it yet more? Thou art already bound with [qch cords of death, as wiH not be ea!i!y loofed ; what need is there of more ? Stand, care1efs finner, and confider this. : 3· Thou ];)aft' no reafoo to complain, as long as thou 'art out of hell. J.{fherefore d?th a living man complain ? Lam~ iii. 39· If one who h_as forfeited his life, be banifued his native cduntry, and expofed to rnany hardfuips; he may well bear all patiently, feei'!g his life is fpared. Do ye mur· mur, ' for that ye ate under pain of ficknefs ? Nay, blef~ God ye are not there where the worm never dieth. Dofl: thou grudge that thou art not in fo good a condition in the ·world, as fome of t~y neighbours are ? Be thankful rathei·, that ye arc not in the cafe of the damned. Is thy fubftance ~g~me from thee .? \Vondet that the fire of God's .wrath hath not confumed thyfelf. Ki(s the rod, 0 Goner, and ackn~·ledge mercy; for qod punt1Jeth tu . ltfi t.6an our iJ:iquiti::s' deferve, Ezra ix. 1 3.• ' ' 4· Here is a memorand.um, both for poor and rich. (I.) The poOl'ell: that _go fro:n door to door, and hath no.t one .penny Left them by their parents, were born to an inheri– tance. Their fi rfc f.ather Adam left them children of wrath ; and co;1ti.nuing in their natnral ll:ate, they canngt mifs qf it ; for thiJ iJ f he jJ?rti:m of a <wicked_ manfrom ~qd, and · t:~Sc h'::ritage ai)plinted to bilJ!, b)' G:;d, job xx. 29. /.;.~he- , r:Ltge
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