. , of Reigning or Mafler Sinnes. .men! ot fuch a mortai creature, racher 'then ofan everfiyiog God? So the covetous, earthly man, Is not hi~ tnoney a god co.him, in which he.trufis, and from which he fe·tcheth I all his comforts? therefore it is called Idolatry, eH 3· 5. ,(;/aufum area cu_ftodit 1ovem, a! the Poet fa'id. So then,when• foever any man doch fo degenerate and become fo brutifh, as to'live and labour only toaccomplifh fucb a finne, thi-s man is maftered oy his finne, his finne is a god to him, as the A· pofile fpeaketh of forne, T h11t their belly wd-5 their god, Phil. · ~.19. Yet what ~»Ore ordinary then to fee fuch miferabl.e en• flaved perfons every where? You prty malefactors wheh you fee them go ~p and down with their chains and manacles, and · their Keepers attending them. but you cannot fee any pro– phane drunkard, adulterer, .covetous perfon, but you may cry out, There goerh a poor prifoner, there goeth a wretched captive. It was written upon the Tomb of a great Affyri.m Monan:h punifhed by God for his impieties, \1~ Ei(J!Ip;;v irm$11~ iSUJ, Looking upon me learn to be godly; fo do thou, be– holding many men, who all the day, all the year long live to the fatisfaction of fuch or fuch a lufi; takf heed oft he chains and iron fe~ters fin may put thee in. . We deferre other charaClers till the next : Learn from hence to take heed any finne do not prevail over thee. The Apofile Rom.6. fpeake~h of two contrary kingdoms, the one of firtne and Satan, the1 other of Chrift and righteoufnelfe. Now confider under_which thou art, ther~ can be no greater mifery to a godly heart, as you fee by paul, then to be ea pti- ', va[ed to finne, to do the finne thy heart and foul is againft : Ob then think, if the p~ople of lfrael when they were under •Phar11ohs temporal oppreffion, did fo grie\•e and groan under it, that they were even weuy of their lives; if when they were a fccond time carried into captivity, '[ertmiah in the name of all the people makes fuch bitter Lament fit ions, 'what then {bouldfi thou ,do when fin and Satan rule thee ·at their will? Do not fay, This isthe bond zge I would have, anq as · for Chrifts cords and bonds, let us l:>reak them afunder, for thou wilt finde this witl prove bicterileffe at lall:; be weary then of thy fetters, of thy pnfons ~. 9h pray and de[tre others, tO' 231. r
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=