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The
Epit
le
to
the
Reader.
g
reatefh
body
of
fcflJ
,
their
finne
against
God
brings
a
csrfe
on
them
that
oppofe
God,
and
though
they may
pro
-
Jper-
fir
a
feat
n,
for
the
tryall
orcaf
igatton
of
Gods
chrl.
*Elm.,
!;drew,
yet at length
like the
*
rod
in
the
fathers band
they
are
burnt
or broken.
God
at
length
refolvcs
even
unto
nothing,
all
the
powers
which
exalt
themfelves
a-
gain
Heaven,
as
is
rnanife
f
in
the
fall
of
the
Midianites,.
Goliah,Abfolom,Zera
the
,thiopian,
the
King
of
Af
firia,
andinfrniteothers.
2.
Confider,
how
they
who
for
fafety forfake
Chriff,
Jer.
=q.
;:
and
betake
themfelves
unto
an arme
of
fiefh,
Have no
o-
ther
but a
withered
reed to
!cane
on, no other
then
afindy
Foundation to build
upon.
They
go like
the
children
in
the
Prophet
with their
veffels
to empty
pits,
and
returne
afhamed,
they
limiter
themfelves
with
they
men of
Shechem
under
a
bramble,
where
they
are
pier-
,J
ud.
9
ced
and
goared,
inflead
of
being
fhadowed
their
ima-
l
ginary
way
and
rueanes
of
fiepportation,
turnes
to
their
reali
lhame
and ruine
:
all
worldly powers
to
them
that
de'ert
the
Lord lefus,
prove
not
onely
vaine
hel-
pers,
hut
mifrable
defiroyers
:
for
thus
faith
the
Lord,
Curfcdbe
the
man
that
ttufleth
in
man,
and
makcth,
3er=7 ?6
fiefh
his
arme,
and
whole heart deparreth from the
Lord,
for he
fhall
be
like
the heath
in
the
defarr,
and (hall
not
fee
when goòd
cornreth,
but
fliall
inhe-
rit
the parched places
in
the
wilderneffe
in
a
fait land,
and
not inhabited.
Wken a
people
have
moll
ofman for
them,
and
leaJh
of
God
with
them,. then are
Ithey
u
freally
neareft unto
utter
ruine.
3. Confider
how
they who
goe
from
Chrif'
and
unite
themfelves
to
the profane
and
difaff
lked,multitude
for
piety,
doe engage
themfelves
in
a
common
quarrell
againft