Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v7

16o Chap. 22. An expcfftion upon the ñe k f J O ii. Ver{ ¡7. whofoever doth not lee an empeinefl'e and infufficiency in himfelfe, and fo place his all in God, makes himfelfe a God. This is the way of wicked men, and this their way is their folly, (as the Pfalmitl fpeakes, Pfral, 49. a 3.) Though theirpcPerity approve their fayì,gs. Who but they ? they can maintaine their being, yea their well, being without God ; they can live and live happily whether he will or no. Sure- ly if they thought they were beholding to him either for beingor well-being, either for life,: or a happy life, they had never been heardfayirg to goddepartfrom see. And if this be a truth that they have raid fo; and lay fo (sill every day, we need not flay to prove this a truth, that they Phew their blind - neffe and foolifhnefre in laying fo. Is not he foolifh who would have the Sunne depart from him, which enlightens him ? or whowould have the Shield depart from him , which proteâs him ? or who bids the fountaine begone which gives him drinke ; God is all this to all men in force degree or other, and he promifeth himfelfe fuch in the highefl andbell degree to all fuch as walke uprightly, even to be their Sunne, their Shield, thei: fountaine, their fpring. Then, can folly it felfe utter morelfoolifhnefs then this, Tofay to God, depart from zu ? Further, how foolifh are they to refufe that, as ifit were a hurt to them, which Saints who have the true wifdome, have prayed for; and Dill doe pray for, as the grearea bleflìrg and priviledge, The prefence of Godwith them. How foolifh are they who aske and deli re that as a bleflìrg y hich God the onely wife God threatens as the toareft curie. ( ?gr. 6.8. ) Be inffrotledO 7erufaletn, 1, fi my foule depart from thee, 1,/ 1 make thee a Landdefoliate, not inhabited. Meer defolation is the confe- quent, yea the effeft of the Lords departure from a Land ; and when he ceafethin regard of his favourable prefence to inha. bit a Land, either none fnall inhabit it, or none (halt have a comfortable habitation in it. The Lord threatens this depar- cure as the laft and foarefl, or, as the femme of all his judge- ments and wicked men defire this, as if to be without God were the chiefe or fummeof their enjoyments. See another in- Dance of this folly; among all the threatnings of God agaidl finfull men, this is one of the greatelt, that he will take away his Gospel , and the light ofhis Word from them, yet this a wicked

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