448 An Expofition upon Chap.n. D Elrine. Vfe. God and all men : their wealth or whatfoever may make for their welfare, being made their fnare to intangle them,whiles they are banifhed in tundry countreys,, and cruelly flain for their riches fake. T i i.Whdt is our DOEtrine to be learned from thin ftrft punifhment ? S s L. That unto wicked men which are Gods enemies, the moll dear and precious things are made the means of their own deftru&ion ; howfoever they lift up their horns, and exalt their heads on high, and flourifh like a green Bay tree,and feem to be rooted in pro - fpenity, as though they (hould never be removed, yet it is certain, that what- foever is given for their benefit, (hall be converted to their bane and mifery.The reafon hereof is, becaufe they do abufe Gods gifts by pride, wan ton neffe, riot, and exceffe : or elfe by covetoufneffe and ufury, cruelty and oppreflion. Hence it is, that God in his judgement will at lengthdeftroythem, and bring them to fudden and horribledetolation; as it happened to thefe Jewes, and to Balthazar in Daniel,to the rich man in the Gofpell : and to Ceefar, Emperour of Rome, who was (lain in the Senate, where (his Table) his glory was: and to Abfafom, who was hung up in his locks wherein he delighted, as a man doth in his table and dainties. T 1 M. What profit is to be muds of this point ? S i L. It teacheth the forcible poy- fon offinne, when it is continued in, changing the nature ofthings, making that hurtful) which is healthful) in it felf ; as the Gofpell to be a favour of death, the Sacraments` a judgement, t Cor. it. 24. Chrift a rock of offence, t Pet. 2.7. A Table, . place of fafety and fectrity,nf mirth and friendfhip,to be a fnarc and trap:and an óccafion of ruine. Sccr ndlv,it teacheth alto the condition of fucif as live in the fervice of finne, without tinning toGod,to be moll un- happy : to whom all things, not fins and afl li&ions only, but Gods gifts and bleflings alfo,fhall be turned unto their evils both temporali and- eternal'. Thirdly, it ferveth as a bridle to re- flrain the children of God from fret- ting and repining at the great welfare of the ungodly livers. If]erenty, f ob and- David repined and grieved at the pro - fperity of tanners, let others fear a fall, where filch Saints fo thong did ftum- hle. SeePfa.3y.i,z,3, &c.Let God alone with them, and be not troubled about them. Fourthly,it makes much for the confolation of the godly, to whom not only things defircable and good, but even hard, unhappy, bitter, and deadly things, fhall turn and become whol- fome and good ; asfickneffe, weakue iè, poverty,imprifonment,banifhmcut, in- famy, and death, &c. All things fhall work together for good to inch as love God, Rom.8.a8. The reafon is, be- caufe Chritt by his Croffe,hath fan&ifi- ed the crofi-es of the faithful', and pro- nounced them bleffed which mourn and fufier, Mats. therefore Chrift by death was brought to his refurre &ion and glory, fo his Apof}les and other profeffors by moil cruel' martyrdoms, have had their faith tryed as gold in the furnace, and hath been tranflated to eternall bliffe and glory in heaven.Laft- ly,it warneth all men to pray God ear - neftly to bleffe his benefits unto them, that as they are good in themfelves, fo they may prove good to the poffef- fors of them. T t M. Comenow to the fecond puetifh- ment, and tell us what it ír S i L. The blindenetfe of under(tan- ding in heavenly things, [ Let their eyes bedarkened.1 This is a fpeech borrow- ed from the body,and applyed unto the minde, which is (as it were) the eye unto the foul. The darkning of this eye,fignifies the taking away of under- (landing from the Jewes, making them wideffeand blockifh, that they might fee no more in the matters of God, and of falvation, then a blinde man can fee at noon day in worldly matters. T i M. What is the Doefrine which doth arife now out of thefe words thus opened? S i L. To be deprived of the ufe of underfianding in things pertaining to God, is a dreadful) judgement: The proof potüine.
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