434 try again; as if they,would have the maHery of God: As che , King of Jfrad would adventure the other fifty after -two fifdes were defiroyed, 2 King.I. •pbar~oh wcmld hard.en his heart after many plagues: Balaamwould (mite his Afs three times, Numb. 2l.25. and after that be would build Altar upon Altar to curfe If– r~tel. z. When men feek b¥ carnal policies to mal<e voyd Goos promifes or threarnings: God had faid, I will cut off~habspo-– fterity; to avoyd this, he falleth a begetting of children; h€ had feventy children, that were all brought up in f~vcenty firong Cities, yet all behead_ed by {ehu. Herod, that he mtght make furework ofChrifi,killed all the childrencf Bethlehem, and forne fay 'hisown fan nurred there; ·whereupon Augu{h~s faid, Me/ius eft Herod-is poreus ej[e quam filim, 'tis better tobe Herods[wine tren his[on. and yet Chrifi was kept fafe. Prov. 1I. 3o. There is no Wifdom: nor underftanding, nor counfelt~g.tinjf the Lord: He 1:1Ceth 111a1:1y words to fi1ew, that all the exquifitenefs and choycenefs ofparts will not be able to manage the contefi againll Providence. 3· When men croifed by Providence feek happinefs elCewhere by unlawful aCls and means ; as violence, cozenage, excorcioll, deceit; as it Sa· can could make them more profperous then Gcd: fee1 if chcfemen donpt goback in their efiates .1 if their families, which they{eek t6 raife by fuch means, be not nuned. The old world would build a Tower, as if there were mqre fecurity in aTewer then a Promife, Gen. I I. 4· Many devices rhere are in mlns heart to compafs their ends, but they are all blafied and marked with the curfeof Provi· dence. 4, Whmyou fay I -will, without Gods leave; fee E"'oJ. I 5·9· [am.4. 3. Such confident purpofes and prefumptions as are· Bot fubjetled to Godspleafure, are fddom.profperous. 5· By re– iterated endeavors againfi the Church; fee ljdli. 8. 9, to. They are am hrok.fn in pieces, though they jo_yn force to policy, combine tbemfelves in Leagues mofl holy, and renew their aiflulrs wic'h an anited firength; therefore the Prophet r<~peate~h it fo often, Ye · foalllu bruk,sn in pieces,;e jhall,&c. o/Jforvat; 6, '6· From th_at thecaufeye ..uk..,not.J That is, ask not Gods leave in humble and holy pray~r: The Note is, That 'ti~ not good to en– gage in any undertaking W thoutprapr-. In prayer you.ask Gods leave, . and iliewyour.adion-is nota conteilwithhim: Thefami~ lies that call not u~nGcids Name, mufr;needsbecurfea ; ·in .the~r a~ions they do as it wear fay they will :be happy without O,od.,, -- We:
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