78 The ufl eJl-2ans Funeral. tz. This may be perceivedby the parallel betwixt the wife and the harlot : any wives (though hertin they cannot be defended) knowing their husbands obliged in confciersceto ldve them by vertuebf their folemn promise made beforeGod 'and the congregation at their marriage;are therefore the lets carefulrbftudycompliance to their husbands déGres ; theyknow their husbands; if wronging them, wrong themfelve$ therein ; and prefuming themfelves to defervelove as dueunto them for their honefty and loyalty of affe&ions, are the Ids foliicitous' to tait, that which they count their ownalready. Whilfi the harlot confcious to her felf ofher ufur- patiòn, that shehath no lawful rightto the embraces of her paramour; tunes her fell to the criticalnefs of all complacency to humourhim in all his delires. And thus alwayes tholeMen whole caufe have the weakeft foundation in piety, getteth the firongefi buttrefs in policy to fupportit. 13, Lafily, the righteous man,by the principles ofhis profeffion, is tiedup, and' con- fined only to the useof fuck means for his prefervation, as are cchfonant to Gods will, conformable to his word ; preferring rather to die many times, than to fave himfelf once byunwarrantable wayes.Propoundedunto him a proje& for his fafety, t King. S. I. and as Solomon promifed favour to eAdonijab, fo long as he/heaedhimfelf atorthy, otherwife if r3It edriefs weiefound in him, he fhouidPurely die ; So our righteous man only accepts and embriceth fuch plots to fecttre himfelf thereby,' as acquit themfelves honefl and honotirable:such as appear otherwife,hc prefently di'lpatches with detcfiation,deftroying the very motionand mention thcreof,from entring into his heart. On the other frde,the wicked man is left at large,allowing himfelf liber.. ty and latitude, to do any thing in hisown defance,making a confiant practiceóf a- ing evil,thatgoodmay come ofit. r Yea,we may obferve inall ages, that wickedmen make boldwi't$Religion; and thole who count thepraaice.of piety a burden, find the pretnndinathereof an ad- vantage ; and therefore be the matter they mannage never föbad (if poffible) they will intitle it to be gods caufe. Much wasthe fubíiance ift'thevery shadow ofSaint Peter, which made the people fo deftrous thereofas he pairedby the fireets. And the very umbrage ofRcligionbath afoveraign Venue in it. No better cordial fora dying caufe, than to over- shadow it with the pretence that it is Godi caufe ; for firfi, this is the way to make and keep a good and strong party r lilo fooner the watch-word is given out; ForGodscáJe;butinftantly GAn, Beböld a troop cometh ofmany honefi,butigntiratit mán,wlsoprefs to belifted in fopiousad employment. } There maybe kill'd,butcannot be conquer'd ; for till theirjudgine:its be otherwife informed,they willtriumph in beingovercome,as confident,the deeper their wounds got inGocfs caufe gape in their bodies, the wider the gatesof heaven fiend open tó receive their fouls. Befides, the pretendingtheir caufe is Gods caufe,will in aman- ner, legitimate the barefimeans, inpurfuance andprofecution thereof ; for, though it be againii Gods word, to do evil that goadmay come thereof, yet this old error will hardlybebeaten' out of the headsand hearts ofmany men, that crooked ways are made diced, by beingdireéiedtoafiraight end; and the lufireofabright cauft will refleâ a seeming light on very deeds of darknef, ufed in tendency thereun_ to. Is. This bathbeen an ancient firatagemof the worfi men (great Politicians) to take piety in their way, to theadvancingof their defences. ThusRabfhakeh pretended a Commiffion from God, for all the wickednefi he committed, and complements z King. it. as. blafplíemy, Am 1 now come up without the Lord , againff this place to deffroyit the Lordfaid tome; go up againft thisplace toJeffrey ir. ThePriefts ofBell were butbunglers,whichcould notfieal themeat oftheir Idol,but theymuff be difcovered by theprint oftheirfootfieps. Men are grown more cunning thieves now allays; firft they willput on thefhooes ofhim they intend to rob, and then flea!, that fo their treadings may tell no tales to theirdifadvantage ; They will not Ihride a pace, nor go a step, nor fiir a foot, brit all for Gods easel?, all for the goodand glory of God. ThusChrifi himfelfwas raved from his cradle to his croft ; Herodwho foughtto killhim, pretended to worshiphim, and yudoskiffed him who betrayed him. By
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