356 The Countérfitofïndrerevt=Grace. g a C T.VIi 4. Fourthly, Aisboughmoored/ light hash attributed unto god, a Government in thisWorid,puniJ6ing theWicked, andabfolvingtherightesu,, yet the, have done :bid With many doubtingt, and muchweakneffe, often fpeaking of Fortune and Chance, Which they thought moderatedevery thing in the World. That God hatha revenge. full eye upon(inners, fee how the Barbarian,did acknowlcdge,Aílr 28. For when Pau/'nad a Viperfaffned onhis hand, they concluded after this manner, No doubt tbùman it a murderer, when» thoughbe bathefcapedthe Sea,yet vengeance infersnot to live. And fo 'ora: Mariners, when they were in extream danger of Shtpwtack, they thought it was; beaniefome hainous Offender was among them, with whom God was angry. Thus it was implanted in them, that there was a God whodid behold and take nonceofwicked men, and would accordingly,bring them tojudg- ment. Though they were thus at fometiures, yet at other times they fake muchof a goddelf_ Fortune, towhom they gave the reins of the government of the Wo, Id and therefore the Emperors had a golden Ball, which was Fortune, that was kept fucceffively, as if the keeping of that would preferve their Empire : and they facrificed to Form en Vifco e, Fortune Bird limed, that (he might not leave them; but make them always profperous. Now thiscorrupt opinion, that Chance ordered all things; could not burfinite our all true fear of God, and obedience co him. 5, Laflly, Tbeir Religionwas nothing het Super fition, their't ,,;:.a was1`.041u0,1., a GofulLard wicked fear, after a flavifh manner about God, Godwould be woe- fhipped,as aFather, in a Filiali fear,7obn 4. rot like a Tyrant, after a flavifh man- ner: As fome Heathens facrihced to the Devils, Ve nenoceant, That they Jhould notburethttn. The Prophet 7errmiah, Cbapoo. excellently defcribech this fax petifition, Learn not the Way of tñeiFdeathen, nor be difmaycdat the SignsofHea- ven., fir theengagers of the people-arevain,' We have many Heatheoilh fears fill among us, as the meeting of anHare, the fallingof Salt,cre. all which were cu Homesamong Pagan?, .yet among ignorant peopleretained with a fupetfficious fear. I T The fecond thine ú theirnatarall horsefly and righteoufnefe, which was indeed Natural hone- the chieftil flower in their Garden, wherein they feemed intheir greatefl glory. Se. fly not Grace, vertu the Emperordidmolk admire thatrule, which fie Paid he learned fromChri. ffians, That which thou Wouldefinot have none to thy Pelf, doe not to another. An excellent particular rule in all commerce between man and man: And although.. manyofthem did walk up to thisrule, yet this natural righteoufnefs wasnot grace, bccaufethe end cf all their aftions was not the glory of God, and the falvation of- their fouls, but either vain.glory, or at bell anti, the publick good,orcomfort and cafe intheirConfcienees, whichoddadswoulddifquiet: and therefore as the lightof the Moonand the Stars is not able todilpell the night, but the light of the Sun onely t fo neither is the power of nature able cocelifie thatcrookedneffe and perverlencffe which is in all our wayes; its the proper work of Grace onely to doe that : And the like we may fay of all their affirmsof frugality, .temperance, and fobriety ; thele all, like their adsof righteoufneffe, had but humane ends; the aim they (hot ar, was farlower than heaven; and therefore were not grace, becaulethat loth lift us up to God, aiming at, and beholding his Glory in all that we doe. But becaufe the next thing I (hall fpeak of, is, their morali verrues, a flep higher than thofenaturali Diéfatesremaining in us , and am there to thew their infulñciency, I full dehlk, and come to the Ufe, which is of Exami.; nation. V/c. Isit fo,that Heathens have done thusgloriou(ly, though their glorybe mach flay- ned? then try, whether we be not outflripped by them, or no: Doe not they ferve their falle gods more than we the true ? Becaufe we are Chrilbans, is there- fore all Paganilrn banifhed from us ? No, for there are theft Heathenifh things among us; Firft, prophane and flupid ignorance : How many people wer(hip theyknownotwhatabelieve theyknow not what? having minds as blind about
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