TheEpit le to theReader. greatefh body offcflJ , their finne against God brings a csrfe on them that oppofe God, and though they may pro- Jper- fir afeatn, for the tryall orcafigattonof 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 thefallof the Midianites,. Goliah,Abfolom,Zera the ,thiopian, the KingofAf firia, andinfrniteothers. 2. Confider, how they who for fafety forfake Chriff, Jer. =q.;: and betake themfelves unto an armeoffiefh, 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 arepier- ,J ud. 9 ced andgoared, inflead ofbeing 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 thusfaith the Lord, Curfcdbe the man that ttufleth in man, and makcth, 3er=7 ?6 fiefh hisarme, 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 ufreally neareft untoutter ruine. 3. Confiderhow they who goefrom Chrif' and unite themfelves to the profane and difafflked,multitude for piety, doe engage themfelves in a common quarrell againft
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