The Vexation of the Spirit. promiíes beguile, and threatnings. deterre unffable and earthly minds ? Let the Dive' tell one man , All this will I give thee , if thou wilt fpeake in a caufe to pervert judgement, how quickly will men create fúbtiltiec , and coi.ne evafions to rob a man and his houfe, even a man and his inheritance ? Let him fay to another , I will doe whatfoever thou fayll unto mce , if thou wilt difhcmble thy confcience, divide thy heart, comply with both fides,, keepe downe the power of godlineffe , perfecute zeale, let up will- worfhip and fuperf+itions , how quickly í}1a11 fuch a mans religion bee difguifed , and Gncerity, if it were pof ble, put to fhamc ? If to another, thou fhalt by fuch a time purchaíè fuch a Lordfhip,buy out fuch a neigh - bour, fwallow up fuch aprodigall, if thou enhauncethy rents , enlarge thy fines., fet unreafonable rates upon thy Farmes , how quickly will men grinde the faces of the poore, and purchafe ungodly poffeffions with the blood of their Tenants? If to another, beware oflaying open thy conrience, ofbeing too faithful' in thy Calling, too fcrupulous in thy oflïce, left thou purchafe the dif-fa- your of the World , left the times cloud over thee, and frowne upon thee, left thou beefcourged with perfecuted names, and make thy felfe obnoxious to (pies and cen- lures, how will men bee ready. to Hart backe, to fhrinke from their wonted forwardneffe , to abate their former zeale,. to couple in with , and connive at the corruptions of the age ;. in one Word to tremble when Ephraim fpeakes, and not to tremble when God fpeakcs ? So hard is it when the heart is wedded to earthly things , and they are gotten into a mans bofome , to beare the aifau'ts of any temptation. Laf}ly, this comes from the jufi and fecret wrath of Cod , giving men over to the deceitfulneffe offinne , and to the hardneffe of their owne hearts , to bcleeve the lies and allurements of Sathan , bccaufe they rejected the counfell.ofGod, and the love of his truth before. In die influences 105 z Tiieî.2. g. zz
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