Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v6

Chap. 19. an êxpofstion upan the Book of J o B. Verf. t t. 219 wayes, at a Nation that did righteoufnefe, and forfooke not the Ordinances oftheir Cod ; So, we may defcribe the Lords outward difpenfations and providences of wrath to his ; He fmites them daily, and aflüfts them in all theit wayes, as a Nation that doth unrighteoufneffe, and bath utterly , forfaken the Ordinances of God. Thus he is faid to count them as enemies whenhe a &s towards them as we doe towards thof whom we indeed count our enemies, as was more at large flamed upon that place before- cited, Chap. 13. Further, take notice of thee two things. Firft , That God bath enemies ; Home are even fighters againft God himfelfe ; And thefe are of two forts. Era , Naturall enemies, or enemies by nature, and thus every man that is borne, is borne his enemy. ( Col. I.21. ) Being ene- mies in their mindes, b_y reafon ofwicked workes. Ail men are ene- mies, with all their hearts to God till he doth overcome and change their hearts. ( Ram. 5. 1 o.) while we wereyet enemies, Chrift dyedfor us ; thus all are enemies. Secondly, God bath enemies by praetife , fuch are all they who live and continue in finne , thefe upon the matter, pro- claime and maintaine warre againft God himfelfe. Sinne is not onely a turning from God, but a turning againft him. Thefe enemies are allo oftwo forts ; either fecret, or open. Molt are fubtle enemies to God going on clofely in wayes of finne, and keeping fecret correfpondence with the lulls of their owne hearts, and the temptations of Satan. Others are profeffed and open enemies to God , they even fend defiances to heaven, and will doe what they lift let God doe or fay what he pleafe. Such a one was mharoah, and fuch was .ulian, Each were they (L;ske 19. Ig.) who faid, We will not have this man reigne over asr : ofwhom Chrift faith, ( ver. f 27.) But thofe mine enemies that wouldnot have me to reigne over them, bring them forth and flay thembefore me. Againe , What he laid before , God lh defiroyed rae on every fide, andkindled his wrath againft me, is refolved into or wrapt up in this , He bath counted me as an enemy ; fo that, to be an enemy , is made the meafure , or the lignificationof the worfl effate imaginable. He that counts a man his enemy , (accord- ing to the ruleof nature ) counts the leali good too much for F f z him,

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