Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Ao Worldly wifdome is to he contemned. too wife to depend vpon him, they become fo foolifh as to oppofe again(} him : fo the Apofile faith, that the wifdonteof Rom.8.7. the flesh to emnitieagainJ3 god; and the Lord complaincth of EfaY 47.50. Baby! on, that her wifdome and knowledge castled her to rebel!; and to fay in her heart 1 am and there is none elfe. And confe- quently, this carnali andworldly wifdome bringeth deflru- diion : for when in pride ofheart they oppofe againfi God, then he allo oppofeth againll them, and their rebellion ter - neth to their own ruine :yea he turneth their ovine wifdome to their deftruölion, and intangleth them in their ovine wi- lie fnares, which they haue laid for others. So it is Paid, that r.Cor.3.59. God caec/.seth th rnij'è in their once craftineb,and after he bath Pfal.7.tg.r6. dggeda pie, hecatefeth him to fall into ithimfelfe , and maketh his mifehiefe to returnevpon his owne head. And thus was Jero- boam infhared in thole nets oflubtilty which hhnfelfe made; for fearing left the people by going to the Temple at Ierufa- lem, and conuerfrng with their brethren, the men of luda, might beperfwaded to leaue him, and to reunite themfelues to thekingdotne of Dauid;hepolitikely deuifed to (lay them .Kings r z, z6, from this reuolt,by ereaing golden calues in his owne coun- 27. zs. trey, that in them the people might worfhip God,and face a labour in going further; but as the Spirit of God obferueth, This thing tanned to finite veto the houle of lereboam, euen to roote it out, and deliroy it from the face of the earth. And Xing' 53.34. thelike might be Paid ofSaul, Achitophel, Haman and many others. And though thefe wife worldlings could with their fubtile policies elcape this deflru f ion in this life, yet it will fitrely ouertake them in the life to come,and call them head- long into the pit of perdition for as the Apofllefaith, the Rom .8.6. wsdonaeofthe ßejh.carefeth death : that is, not onely thefirfl death, wherebythey die unto rightcoufnes and all goodnes, but allo the lecond death, whereby dying they fhall neuer die, but hue todie that dying life, or !suing death, in thole iutollerable and euerlafting torments ofhell fire. 4.Sell.zI. Seeing therefore thisworldlyand carnallwifedomeisfo That we are to euill and wicked in itfelfe; and the caufe of fo many euils cheemne world- vnto vs ; let vs not enuie worldlings this their happineífe ie labour a. and wherein they fo much boaft and glorie; butlearne to con - temor _