Chap. 22. An Expalitiran upon the Booke of fo B. Veri. i i. 9 eth us, That, There is an unavaydablefequellbetween finne and furrow. Looke upon finne in its owne nature, and fo the fe- queflis unavoydable, fin is bigge with forrow ; as affliftion burdens the finner, fo finne is burdened with afidion. Sinne bath all forts ofaftlition in its botrells; and we may fay of all the evills that afflid us, they are ear jinxes. Sinne is formal- ly the tranigrefiìon ofthe Law, and finne is virtually the pu nifhment of tranfgrefíors. Many (Igrant) arc affi &ed for tryall oftheir graces (as bath been fhewed before) but grace had never been thus tryed ifman had not finned. Sinne is the remote catsfe ofall afidions, and it is the next or immediate procuring carafe of moti affix&ions. Would any man avoyde the fnare, let him feare to finne; would he avoyd feare, let him feare to doe evils ; would he keep out ofdarknefTe,andnot be co vered with abundance ofwaters, let him take heed he drink not iniquity like water, let him have no fellowfhip with the unfruit- ful! workes ofdarkneffe. God tells the firmer plainly what por- tion he is toexpel ; Say woe to the wicked, it Jhall be ill with bins ; for the rewardof bss bandsAd begiven bin, (Ifa. 33. i a . ) Wemay as well hope to avoyd burning when we run into the fire,or dirtying when we run into the mire,as to efcape fmarting whenwe run into fin. Yet more diflinctly, we may confider all thole evills com- prehended under thole words in the Text, Snares, darkneffe,&c. eyther in reference to wicked men, or to the Saints. Snares and darknes upon the wicked , are the iffues of divine wrath. hile these fat; difpenlstions are lent out and meete with Saints, they are the iffues ofdivine love. For though a godly man may provoke God to anger, and finde by many evidences that God (as to his adings) is angry with him, yet as to his perfon healwaycs loves him.And therefore (as a wicked mans Table is made his fnare, fo) he is affured that his fnare fluell be made to him a Table, tha6kis darkneffe (hall worke light, his evills good to him, HeiisalPoallured that the Lord will deli- ver him out of these Mares, and cut the coards of the wicked. ( TJ'al. 129. 4. ) That he will deliver him from feare, from darkn fie, and bring him up out of the abundance ofwaters which cover him, as David(peaks (Tfal. 36.2.) For this ( that is because thou arc fo gracious) Jba!t every one that iegcdly pray ® 2 toile
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=