Book IV. S N THIEVES. Money, &c. anJ thereby oft– times undo, and uuerly ruin their Neighbors, depriving them of all thole good Things they had in Polfcffion, or the Promife of en– joymg, &c. A T H I E F. PARALLEL: all good Things in his Polfellion, before the Fall, viz. Union, and Communion with God, perfect Righteoufnefs, &c. He was the Heir of the vVorld, Eden in an efpecial Manner, "ith all the Riches, Glory, and Delights thereof, were his, &c. No– thing was denied him, fave the eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; bur by Sin and the Devil he was robbed and deceived of all, and brought to utter Heggary: And fince, God hath been pleafed in a gracious Manner through the Lord Jefus Chrifl:, t<l invefr Believers with much fpiritual Riches, and Righteoufnefs; again thefe Enemies O:rive to rob and deceive them of all the iecund Time : But to fpeak more particularly, the Things which they endeavor to deprive the S:ms and Daughters of, are thefe: Firli; Of their precious Time, by telling them that it is too foon, too early ro mind riie Concern of their Souls; like as thofe in Haggai, O:rove to cieceive the People, The 'lime is not come, &c. 1. Sin and Saran perluade Men, that Time is not fo fwifc nor uncertain, but that they fhall have Time and Days enough hereafter, whereas on a fudden, Time's Hour-Glats is out, and they are cue down in a Moment. 2. By frifling the Senfes of poor Sinners, infomuch that they cannot j ud;;c of their Time; they are fo taken with other Things, lenfual Things, that they know not what Time of the Day it is, they think it is a long while to Night, when a.las their Sun is almo!l: fet. 3· By hiding fro111 Men the great Perils and Uangers of the Times they live in, they are fo blinded by thefe Thieves, that they fee not into what a P1t they are a falling. ... By pcrfuading them, that a great deal of Work may be done in a very fhort Time, that the Work of Repentance may be done upon a Sick-bed, or when old Age .comes. 5· And then at anorl-rer wh-ile, when they have fpent much of their Days iTJ Pleafure and Vanity, this Enemy perfuades them it is now too late, and the Time of their Vintation is pafr, &c. Secondly; Thefe Thieves frrive to rob Men of the Opportunitv of Time, I mean thJie preciJus Sermons, Seaions of Grace, and holy Sabbaths, God is pleafed to a/ford rhem; by fecret Craft, thefe Enemies blind the Eyes of Men after luch a Manner, that rhey pn::fer their worldly Advanragesand Profir, in their Shops and Callings, above the Kiches and glorious llleffings of the Word and Ordinances of God, they prefer Earth before Heaven, Gold abo"e Grace, the Good of the Body above the Good of the Soul; if the Enemy cannot keep Men from attending tipon the \Vord, then he en– deavo s eo fill tht>ir Minds wirh other Things, caufing them robe fo negligem in hear– ing of the Word preached, ~hat it profits them nothing; or if they Owuld hear with Anention, ytt this Advtrfary .caufes them to reil: f,nisfit.:d wid1 a bare: hearing, and' thereby deceive rheir Souls. Thirdly; Sin and Satan rob; or deprive Men of Union, and Communion with God/ and of the true Grace of God, by which this Union an<t Comrnun'on \vith God, and Chri(t i'i atrained ; perfuading rhem common Grace is faving Grace, t~nd kgal Con– -verfion is evangelical Converfion, and outward Rerormariorl [rue Regeneration, &c. Founhly; Sin and Satan rob l\1en of P.eace, not only of Peace w1th God~ bur alfo of the true Peace of Confcience. Fifthly; They fl:rive to rob Men of rheir precious and immortal Souls. Sixthly ; They rob, and endeavor to rob and deceive Men of the Crown of Life. Lal\ly; In a Word, thefe Enemies (bive to rob and cheat Men and \Vomen of all ,the litving Benefit of Chrilt crucified, endeavoring to make his bleffed Death wholly inefFectual tO their Souls. IT. Thieves manv times take and lead poor Tra~ellers out of the King's High-way, .imo fome By-place, and then bmd them Hand and Foot, as \veil as take away their T rcafttr.e. 11. So Sin and Satan, lead Sinners out of the true Way of Go l, inro by and untrodden Path• of Sin and 1doLurv, and in a barbarou.:; Manner bind them with u:ud liond5 : 1-Ience Chrifl: is iaid to deliver them that were bound, !fa. lxi. 1. The Apoltle Paul fpeaking to i>imon the Sorcerer, faicl, I pe>·ceh·e thou art itJ the Gall of Bitiemefl, and in the Bond of Iniquity, Acts viii. 23· There are three Bonds that thefe fpiritual Thieves hind Sinners with; ( 1.) The Bond of Ignorance. ( 1..) The Bond of Unbe– lief. (3.) The Bond of a hard Heart. _ 3 Ill. So
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