Folly of not cleaving to Chriff. are humane dotrines and obfervations, but an empty pit, a very fnuffe that gives no light,a barrenBramble that beares no fruit ? Man never more manifefis his foolifhneife, then in leaving ,the Lord Jefus. w Hath any Nation (faith the Lord) changed their gods, which are yet no gods? But my people bave chan- ged their glory for that which doth not profit. Be aflonzfbed, 0 ye heavens, at this, and be horrible afraid, be ye very defolate, faith the Lord ; for my people bans committed two great evils ; they bave for - f aken me, the Fountaine of living waters,and hewed them out ciflerns, broken ciflernes that can hold no water. Who is the Fountaine of "living waters but God and his Chrift ? What are the broken cifteraes but humane inventions, which have no water of life in them ? Who is cenfured in the Parable as a foule, but he that left the Rock and built upon the Sand ?, Who is the Rock but Chrift? What is the Sand but the vaine and idle obfervations of men ? And who fo foolifh as he that leaves the former, and builds his faith and falvation upon the lat- ter ? He is certainly, in Gods account, a man of no under - ftanding that leaves Chrift, in whom arehidden all the trea- fures of true wifdonte. In regard ofperilI : k is very dangerous to leave Chria and adhere to rotten do &rines and empty devices : It is dan- gerous to the Sheep to Ieave the Shepheard, and apply him- felfe to the Wolfe to the fick to leave the wife and faithful! Phyfician, and put himfelfe into his hands who is both ig- norant and deceitfull. What are the Teachers of corrupt do&rine,'but ,X Wolves in Sheeps cloathing, and y falf e Pryficians who beale the difeafe of the daughter of Gods people deceitfully : The men of Ifrael expofed themfelves to great danger when they left David their true King, and z followed Sheba that 61;ív the Trumpet of Rebellion. The man that leaves Chrifl,and follower them that blow theTrumpet of vain and idle,carnalland unfound do&cine, expofeth his foule to the danger of infection, fedu &ion and utter ruine. Unfound Do&rines are inífruments of great prejudice to their receivers, the bait by which Satan, like a Fowler, allures theni ; the (hare in which, 1like a Hunter, he entangles and takes them : The Prince ofdarktìeffe hath no C fuch u Ier.zxï,tz 13. 4. x Mat 7.1j. Y Ier.6. t4. 1,z Sam.zo.z omne quod non ediftcat audi- ences in pericu 1um vertittir aud, entum, Ie- rom.
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