Fenner - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.A1 F37 1657

(a_ji Freat? e of the 1Affedions. ping ms do they divife my hurt, Pfal, 41, 7. What a company of devices bath the glu:tou to latisfie his palate ? the revengeful perfon to fatisfie his wrath ? the covetous pc,rfon to (crape himfelfe maintenance ? its endleffe to recount what innumerable devices men have to compaffe sueton. C. 27. what their heart does affe&. Phalasris devifeth new torments ; Nero de- vifeth new cruelties ; Sardanapalus propounds a reward by a Cryer to him that could devife out newpleafure ; the wicked Lawyer and treuble- fome Parifhioner devifeth new giillets and put-cafes to fetch over his poor neighbour, the proud Miniondevifeth new paintings of the face, new wafhings of the body, new curlings of the haire, new deckings of their neck, new {angledattires, and the like ; the covetous deceiver devifeth new coufenages, new cony-catchiugs, polings, rackings, gullings, &c. the Ufurer new ufuries, new covenants and reaches. It were long to re- hearfe what devifes are in men to fulfill their unruly affc&ions. Thefe wretches are abhorredof the Lord. Salomon fayes there be fix, yea E- ven things, which the Lord hates and abhorres, Prov, 6, 16. And in the next verfe fave one, he fayes that a heart that devifes ricked imagi- nations is one of them. TheLord numbers thefe men among the dam- ned crew of the Heathen, inventors ofevil thing , Rom, i, 3o. Wo na- .uiprteruf-to them that devife iniquity, fayes the Prophet cJllicha x.. r. Now fee tatamala,alia.th wofull condition ; who ever thou art, whole affe&ions are carnal, excogirant.sa- thy devices are all carnal, thou doeft not devife how thou mayeft belt ft. 7hesderet, fcrvc Almighty God, how thouma eft belt overcome fnne how thou alü in locum.mayeft belt glorifieChrift. Which of us does fet his head a work every day, höw he may belt pray, and belt repent, and beft Beare, and belt do every good duty ? alas there is little fuch deviling among us , be- caufe our affe&ions Elandnot this way. If our affections were let upon God, we would be ftudyingand contriving how to pdrge all our families, how to propagate the glory of God in theParifh, how to exhorr,and re- prove,and provoke one another to godlinefíe. A liberal man devifeth l;berall things, ¡fa. 3%. 8. hedevifes how hemay relieve Gods poor Saints ; how he way let the poor on worke, how hemay help forward the Gofpel with his purfez_it he can finde how: an humble man devifeth humble things, a peaceable man devifeth peaceable things, a holy man devifeth holy things: if our afteEtions were fet right, we would all lay our heads to- gether how the Parish may belt be reformed, how our fcandalous hou- les gäy belt be removed, how the Word that we heare from Sabbath to Sabbath, may bell be put in pra&ice among us : thus it would bc, if our affe6tions were (et upon God. But becaufeour affe&ions are nor fet fo, hence it comes to paffe our devices are carnal. The

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