[ontemplations. Lis.Vll. full.That which in the firf\ world betrayed the fonnesof God, hath now infnarcd A I Gods peoplc;lt had he<n happy for Ifrael if Ba!aJm had ufed any charms butthefe. As it is the ufc ofGod to fetch glory to himfelfour ofthe worf\aClions ofSatan,fo it is the guife ofrhatevill one(through the juf\ permiflion ofthe Almighty 1ro rJi[e advantage to himfelfe from the fJiref\ pieces ofrhe workmanfi1ip of God: No one meanes harh fo much inriched hell, as beautiful! faces. All Idols are abominable;but this of Baal-Peor was,befidesrhe fuperllitiQn ofit, beallly;Netther d1d Baal ever put on a form offo much flume,asrhis ;yet very Ifraelires aredrawne to adore it. When luf\ bath blinded the eyes, it carries a man whither it !ills; even beyond all diffo::rencrsofJin. A man beforred with filthy defires, is fit for any villany. Sin is no le!fe crafty then Satan himfelfe; give him bur roomc in the eye, and B he will foone be po!felfed ofbodyandfoule. Thefc Ifraelites firll faw the laces of the[eMoahitu and Midianitts,then they zrew to like their prefence, from thence to takeplcafure in their feafts : From their boords they are drawne to rheir beds, from thm bedsto thm Idols,1nd now they are joyned ro Baa/.Peor, and feparated from God Bod1ly fornication is the way to fpirituall: Ifwe have made Idolsoffleth,itis jufl to begiven up to Idols ofwood andftones.Ifwehavenor grace to refill the beginnings of fin,where !hall we lhy! !four foot llip into the mouth ofhell, it is a miradero fi:op ere we come to the bottome. Well might God be angry,tofeehis peoplegoea whoring in this double fornication ; r.either cloth he fmorher his wrarh,bur himfelfe llrikes with his plague,ansl bids Mojts ftrike with the fwotd.Heftrikes thebody,and bids Mofir llrikerhe head. c It had been as eafie f<;>r him to plaguethe Rulers,as thevulgar:and one would think thefe thould be more properly referved for his immediate hand; bur thefe he leaves to the fword of{lumane authority, that )le might win awe to his own ordinances. As the fins ofgreat men are exemplary,fo are their punifl1ments.Norping procures fo muchcredit togovernmem,as llriCl and impartial! executions ofgreat and noble offenders.Thofe whom their fins have imbafed,deferve no favour in!he P!Jnifi1mer. As God knows no honour, no royalty in matter offin, no more may his Deputies. Contrarily,connivence at the outrages ofrhemighty, curs the ftnews ofany State; neither doth any thing make good laws more contemptible, then themaking diffi:. rence ofoffenders; that fmall facrileges thould be punifl1ed, when great ones ride in triumph. Ifgood ordinarions turn once to Spiders webs, which are broken tl1o- D row by the bigger Flies,no hand will feare to fweep themdown. God was angry; <.Moftr and all good Ifraelires ~rieved;the heads hanged up;the people plagued:yet behold,one ofthe Prirn:es ofUrael fe:us nor to brave God and his Miniflers,in that fin which he f<es fo grievoully revenged in others.! can never wonder enough at the impudence ofthis Ifraelire. Here is fornication, an odious crime,and thatofan !fradire,whofe name challenges holinefs;yea,ofaPrince oflfrael,whofepraClice is a rule to inferio";&thatwith a woman ofMidian,withwho even a challeconrra6l had bin unlawful!; &that with contempt ofallgovernment; and rhat in the faceof NoJir and all Jfrae\;and that in a time ofmourning, and judg. ment for that fame oflence. Thafe that have once pall'ed the bounds of modefty, foone grow fl1amele!fe in their fins. Whiles fin hides it felf in corners, there is yer E hope; for,where there is flmne,rhere is a poflibility ofgrace;but when once it dare looke upon the Sun,and fend chalengesro authori1y, the cafe is defpeme, and ripe for judgement.This great Simeonite thought he might fin by priviledge; He goes, as ifhe faid, Who dares control! me! His nobility bath raifed him above the reach ofcorreClion. Commonly,rhe fins ofthe mighty are not without prefumprion!and therefore their vengeance is no lelfe then their fecurity; and their punifl1menr 1S fo I much greater,as theirconceit ofimpunity is greater. All Ifrael f:tw this bold lewd- ) r nelleof.<:imn,but their hearts and eyes werc_f<o full ofgnef,thatthey had not room enough for md•gnat!On. Phme.u·!ookt on wtth the re{\, but wuh other alfcCl10ns. When he faw this defiance bidden to God, and this infulrarion upon the forrow of his people,that whiles they were wringing their hands,a proud mifcreanr durll outface
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