22® Chap. 28. An Lxpofition upon the Boob of Jot;. Verf. 2. a nil Iunderfiand reafon. But (faith he) the Law is the 9rtintej fence ofreafon, andthat cloth not come under every mans cap. So fay L the Gofpel is reafon,but it is the bigheff reafon, and as the un-- derflanding of it comes under but a few mens caps, in comparifon of the huge multitudes and many millions of mankind, fo they ufually are furtheff from the underffanding of it, who priding themfelves in the underffanding of thofe things which lie furthea off and deepefi in nature, dcfpï'e he fimplicity,and (as they ap- prehend it) the fhallownefs of the wayes of grace. Fourthly, They that feemoil in worldly things, are ufually blinded by the Clod ofthis world (z Cor. 4. 4.) But of our rofpel be hid, it is bidto them that are loft, in wham the God of this world Bath blinded the eyes of them which belìve not, left the light of the glorious Gofpl of Chrift, who is the image of God, fhould Thine unto them. The God of this world is no other (in the Apofiles fence There intended) but the Devil. He doth not call him, the God of thé world, but the God of this world, namely, of that world, which as the Apofileplan defcribcs it, lyeth in wickednefs, or in that wickedone(( Joh.y. i 9.)For as he ufurpeth the foveraignty ofGod in commanding the wicked, fo they give him the honour of God înworfhipping him, either directlyor indircìly, and in obeying his commands. Novv,I fay, The God of this world, that is the De- vil, will hold men a candle,or clear their eye fight, while they are poreing after and working for the treafures of this world,Gold and Silver, whether under ground by diggingand mining, or a. bove ground by trading, buying, and felling ; to theft, J fay, the Devil will hold a candle, and help them on all he can ; but whenhe fees any looking after Chrifi,the truetreafure hid in the field, when heheares any counfelled and invited by Chriff, as the Church of Laodicea was, To buy ofhimGold tried in thefire, that they may be rich, (Rev. 3. 28.) then he beftirs himfelf all he canto throw the white and yellow dull of the earth,in their eyes, and utterly blind them, leaft theligbt ofthrglorious Gofpel fhould Thine unto them) or (nearer the Greek text) left the light of the Go/pal of the glory of Chrifi fhould irradiate them. The Sun cafteth his beams upon the blind, but they receive not the light of it nor doe they the light of the Gofpel,(though fhining.upon them) whom the God of this world hath blinded with the hopes and de- fires, with the poffeffions and enjoyments ofthis. World, So much from the General (cope of this conies''
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