16o 5. 6. FalleSigns ofGrace. S E e T. III. about this fin. The rageofa man is Peen in his jealoufie, if wronged therein, he can leaft bear it. And thus God defcribeth himfelf about fuperftítious worship. That which thouwith a great deal ofcomfort and fatisfaflion delighteitin is an ,abomination unto God. Thy lies in thy trade, thy curtain fins do not fo offend God, as thy Church fins, thofe fuperftitions thòu art aecing there. a. It is a fin againft the firfl and fecondCommandment; yea if our worship be not doneas Godbath appointed it, it is (as you heard) done to Devils ; and hence it is that ofall fins Goddid molt remarkably punifh the lfraelites with captivity and(word, for defiling andcorrupting his worship. How then can that be a plea for thee, which will be the.greateft plea againft thee ? Of all blindneffe, it is molt terri- ble to take your crimfonfins for your fervice to God , and to place Religion in that which is the greateft irreligion. 5. That Which it afadcurfe and fruit of former fins, that can be little comfort to any man that rightly confidererh of things. Thuswe fay, it's an abfurd thingto be proudof cloattis, for inthat thou needefl cloath ing,it's an argument thou art fal- len from integrity and innocency : But in this matter, the curieof God is more wonderful upon thee, for all thatadmiration and applaufe offalfe worship is in- flifted upon thee as a punilhment, becaufe thou haft not received the truth in the love of it. That Antichri(tian fpirit in Popery, whence is it? to believea lie for truth ; to take idolatry for Religion, is it notbecaufe men are given up tobelieve a lie? becaufethey lovednot the truth. And thus our Prophet 7/aiah fromwhom, our Teat is *Hedged, fpeaks oftheblindnefs God had given thefe idolatrous Jews up unto, that they cannot underftand nor, know the mmdeofGod : As therefore you have Gods judgements upon fome to be delivered up to carnali groffe fins, which they cannot leave ; fo there are alto force given up to fpiritual delufions and fuperftitions. 6. ?here ofadmen are inawo un a ee ate (rotwithffaading theirfecurity) be- caufe they are in a moll abfolute contrariety andind,fpof:tion for receiving ofChrifi in Whom only ourfouls have refl. Publicans and Harlots went to Heaven before the Pharifees, why fo? becaufe the former were fooner convincedof their fin, their undoneeltate, and fo more willingly flyingunto Chrift. Come unro me yether la- borer, and l willgiveyou rife, But when dowe ever hear of fuch pharifaical fpi- titsburdened with fin? when do fuch feel theweight and load of it, defining to be refrefhed ? Thefullflomarkloatheth the honey-comb. AndGod fillerh the hungry With goodthings, but therich he fends emptyaway. As in Gods providence we fee hecommonly helpsnot, till all the oil in the crufe be (pent, till all outward helps fail. And Chrift when he was upon the earth,cured not thofe difeafes, which for themoft part couldbe healed by Phyficians ; to it is inthe work of Justification, the righteoufneffe ofChrift is not revealed, but to thofe that are naked, poor and miferable in their own feeling. Life. Of Information, Why ofallmen thofe are fa hardly recovered out of their %oyes unto Chrift, Who accufiono themfelves tofalfe wortbi , why they are fo bitter unto thepowerful wales ofgodlinefs, why they make Inch out-cries when fuck fupeeftitiOns are takenaway: all this arifeth from that felf-fulneís and felf.righte- oufnefi they perfwade themfelves of,by buch religious praaices. Howunacquain- ted are buch with the heavyweight of fin, if they were, bow infufficient would they fee their planters for theirwounds ? They would call themmiferable com- forters, and throw themaway. When do you fee any of thefe lying like the manof7ericho,Woanded andhalf defining oil to be pouredin his Wounds : there- forelet fuckbe awakened from that defperate condition they are in ; let them feethey run in vain, they worship invain , they ferve God in vain. Let them tollere & legere, take up the Scriptures, and reade thofe many places that fpeak 'gainft filch corrupt worship. SsIMO!.
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