184 Fslfe Signa ofdrace. SECT. III. fo, but providentially it (hall be fo, uandog, divitiaglamor adpagan, faith eflu- fiin; Godgiveth wealth to men. asSaul did Michal his daughter in wife to David, nocout of love, but to be a fluteunto him, let their table become a lime to them. Asthe immoderate length of Abfàloms hair was an occafion to hang him, tobe his death, fo the overflowingof mercies and comforts are fometimes the inflruments of mens deftru&ion : Do not thou therefore boaftand growlof- ty by that which cometh from wrath and will end in wrath. Thy fat pallures are only to fat thee the morefor hell; Do not bear thy head high, becaufe thou haft more abundance, wealth, greatneffethen others. The higher the trees are, the nea- rer to thunder and lightning. Oh what a differencedid Dives in hell linde from himfelf faring delicioufly every dayl R. 2, Secondly, Therefore may not outwardplenty andmercies be made a ftgn of our Riches and Beadclime, btcaufe they have alwaies in corrupt hearts corrupt andfnfYl operations : protperiey do which we will take notice uf, that fo you whohave what your hearts can with, wicked men tsar:.- may knowyou have not what your hearts ought to with. r. Asa, Outwardcomforts in the plentyof them are ape to beget pride and lofci- nelle of heart, fo as todefpife and contemn chofe that are under them : Hence 'Paul bids Timothy charge the rich men of this world, that they be nothigh min- ded, but fear ; charge them as if entreaties and milde perlwafions would nor do them anygood, but charge them, and then that they benot high.minded ; all out- ward comforts are apt like ripe fruit to breed fome worms, cfpecially that of prideand infolencyof heart: Mark therefore whether the blefifngs chou haft make theebold, fecure, lofty. Thou beginner(to care for no body, to fear nothing :.Alas, Godharts not done thefe great things to thee out of love to thee, for they have unkindely, and finfull influencesupon thee. 2. a.Ifthefe outward mercies deadden thy heart to the things of God, or the exetcifeof thofe meansof grace Godbath appointed ; Oh thou haft caute then to tremble in theencreafe of them. We fee Mat.s 3. that the cares of this world,and ceitfulneffeof rictseo,dideat like a Cancer into the heart ofthofe hearers that came neareft togodlineffe. They werenext to the good, but theft thorns fpringing upchoak the good feed; fo the Apoftlefaith, That fome made Jbipwrack of their faith andconfcience, betau/ of their inordinate love to theworld; Divitia a divi- dendo, faith one if they divide theheart between God and them, if they, diftrad in praier, induties, all thy profeflion of religion, is more withering and langui(h- ing, finer God bath done thus mercifullyto thee; think thouhaft little cacle to Demo any confidence from hence ; he did cleave to this world, fome chink be tctally apoflatized, others that he did wonderfully abate in his former zeal, that heforfookPaalio his Pilgrimages and Travels for theGolpel,andbetook him- fell to fomemore profitable way : which foever it was, we feehow quickly fuch wormsas theft maydevour the fairclt gourds. Thou therefore that faift, God bath bleffed me thus much from nothing, God bathgiven me a great encreafe; Tell me true, Hach God bleffed thee in thy love to God, in the exercife of holy duties ? doft thou pray better ? are thy family.duties more vigorous and zealous ? Oh is is an ill fymptome togrow up more into theworld anddown more towards hell. Thou bleffelt God thou arc come from nothing to a great citate, and thou trembleft not to think that thy flourifhing hopes of grace are now come to no- thing. Oh therefore cakeheed how you boati your [elves in that which God ab- horrerh: Hach theencreafeof mercies been the decreafe of duties? Is the flow- ingof wealth theebbing of holineffe ? Then thou haft nocaufe to be confident, butrather to fear and tremble. Though duties and the meansof grace, be wings to elevate thee to heaven, yet if theft outward blefiings are a clog or mill-ftone about the neck to preffe thee down, the latter will quickly juftle out the former. 3. 3.. Then can outward abundance be no comfortable tign, when the means to get it and the way to Irefetve it are.unlawfull, and fuch as the Scripture con- demneth:
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