upon the Epiflle 6f JAM 11 s. VIRS.l. N11ture or Grace: ~ris a charaCter of abad fpirit; Luk.,.. I 8. z. That fie neither feared God, nor regarded man. Thefe two Refiraims God bath laid upon us; his own fear to prt:ferve Religion, and the £hame of the world to preferve humane Societies : Now fome men are moved with neither. Twas acharad:er. of the Jews in their · depravation, 1 Thej.2. I 5. They pleafe noi God, and are contrary to all men; they agree with none but themftlves: So tlfew1me 'cis · faid, 2. The f. 3. 2. Vnre~tfonable men, t/;at have Hot faith; neither grace,nor good-n11.ture, nor f~ith, nor reafon. So Lnfla;atim faith of Lucian, Nec diis nee hominibm pepercit, he fpared neicher God nor man : Covetoufnefs maketh men of fucb an harlh and fowr difpofition; cowards God 'c'is Idolatry, it robberh him of one of .the flowers of hi.s Crown, the rrufi of che crearure; and ·cis the bane of humane Societies: Why are men~ hearts befotted with chat which is even the reproach and defamation of rr.eir natures '? 4• Thilt luft 'Wilt put men not on/7 upen difooneft endea'<Jors,but OGforvat. 4· Nni~:wful means, to acco111flifh their ends; kilfing, and warring, and fi§ltting~&c. Bad means will futt well enough wirhbafe ends ; they refolve to have ir, rem, q~tocunque moda rem; any means will ferve the turn, fo they may facisfie their thirfi of gain ; I T im. 6·9· 'ThtJ that "Will be rieh, fall i11to temptatirms and afoare: Prov.28. . _ zo. He that hAjfet.h to be rich, foal/ not be i'f!nocent. y If God YFldlere, fl will not enrich them Satan fhall· and what they cannot get by nequev fi•peros:. , , . &~ h~nrft lt~Gour, they make up by the decutful bag. Learn then, what aTyrant lufi is ; ifGod doth nor blefs us, ic makeeh us go to the Devil: And again know, that that is rank lull which pmteth you upon difhondl: means. 5. From that [Ye luft, and have not; and again, ye ~ill ttnd Obferv~tt.) . emulate,andhave not; ·and again,ye fight andWar,and have not.] Th~t do Wick,sd men 'What they can,'When Godfettethagainft them, _tlmr endeavors q.refruflrate• .Let them try all ways, yet fl:ill they are difappointed: P[a/.33.18. He mt~k,!th the d~ices of the "'ick.: ed to be of none e{feff. God wtll not let his creatures to be too har.d for him in all firifes, he will avercome, ami have the beH: ofit, ·' Rom.3-4- Bur When doth God Jet himfelfto fr11ftrllte the endeafors of the creature ~ · I anfwer, When the creature fetteth it[elf tofruftrate hi& Cotm{els and Intents: that may be done feveral ways. I. When we will do things in defpight of Providence ~ ~hey are difappointed once and twice in an evil way, yet they will · · Kkk - try
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