upon the Epiflle of J A M 1 s. peranee, z P.et. I ·5. otherwife what will it avail you? Ochers are .ignorant of God in their mind~,. and you deny him iYJ your live~; others queftion the truth of Rd1gJon, and youdeny the power of Jt. Bdides, it ferveth to che<:k Oighting thoughts of a plain truth ; we are apt to fay, I k,pow thu enough already; eh hut do I praEli{c it ? .Is not thu fl new hint from God to convince me of mJ negligence·? Surely God Jeeth l do 11ot live up to this k.!wwledg; therefore tle , fame truth, this _com.mon truth, is returned to my mind,&c. 2. Sins of kz;owledg are mofi dangerom: They are more fins Obferv. z. then others,as having more of malice and contempt in them : There is more contempt both of the Law ofGod, a9d of Gods kindnefs ; fee Mat.t 1.20. 'Tis afign you love fin as fin; for when you know what it is, you adyenture upon it. BeGdes, !ins againft knowledg hav€ more of the marks ofGods vengeance upon them: In che Re- ·probate they are punifued with great defpair and horror of Confci– ence; fee Prov.s. I i ,I 2,J3,I4. Or wich hardnefs of heart: Irqn oft heated and oft quenched groweth the harder:·ris jufr withGod to punifh 'contempt of light with obduracy. Or with madnefs a– gainft the truth: The mofi moral Heathens were the foreft Perfe– cutors, as Severm, Antoninm,&c. This is fenfiblyand clearly difcemed in Apoftates, b who are carried on with moH: wilful malice bAp.o{l~t-t funt againfi the Truths which they once profeffed; Ho[.;. 2. The Re- tn:/ .nfores volters are profannd to maize jlaughterf: Forw01rd Profef{ors turn uz or .nu. vio./ent Perfecutou; they would fain quench the light !hining in their own bofoms. Alexander.once a Difciple, but he madefbipwracfzofthcfaith, 1 Tim. 1: ~o. c and he is the man that muG: fet cSee Grotitl4 on the multitude againfl 'Paul; ACf. 19. 33· The Jews drew out ia Afr.t9.H .Alexander; and he beck!nedwith the hand. The fame man is intended; for he dwelt at EpP.Jefm,as we learn by both the Epiftles to T_imothy : Now the Jews fet him up as the fittdl: .Accufer ofPaul; he knew his Doctrine, and he mufi appear to turn all the blame of the upro~r.upon the Chrifiians. Once more we read of this Alex– ander as a defperate enemy of the Truth, 2 Tim.4.14· Certainly the rage and malice of fuch men is the greater, becaufe of the abundance of . t~eir Light which they have ~renounced. No Vinegar fo tart ~as that wl)ich i~ made of the fwceteft wine : Prov. 28-4- Thq thatforfa~e the Lflw,praife the lVick!d; that is, do not only commit fin,but approve it in others: Still they are the moO: violent ~nd f0rwardmen. Sometimes God giveth them up to fottifimefs ; fee Vua Rom. .-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=