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They cause him to go Naked, and take away the Sheaf from the Hungry, who though they make. Oil within their Walls, and tread their Winepreffes, yet are forced to fuffer Thirst, Job 24. They will not give Water to the weary to drink, and they with-bold Bread from the hungry; They Send the Widows away empty, and break the Arms of the Fatherless. Whilft themselves are mighty and poffefs the Earth, Job 22. Their Seed is established in their fight, and their Houfes are Safe from fear, neither is the Rod of God upon them; They fend forth their little Ones like a Flock, and their Children dance; They take the Timbrel and Harp, and rejoice at the found of the Organ, Job 21. They are not in Trouble like other Folks, neither are they plagued like other Men Their Eyes ftand out with fatness, and they have more than Heart can wish; These are they that profper in the World, and thefe have Riches in abundance, Pfal. 73.

I

§ 2. THESE feem to me to be the Perfons This pointed at by the Holy Spirit, as eminent Branch of Sin more ly and peculiarly comprehended under this! Sparticular great Branch of Sin,The Luft of the Flesh. Now ly confiderthis Sin may be confidered divers ways; ed. I. In General; as it confifts in a perfect Oppofition to that Mortification and Abftinence, fo earnestly recommended both by the Examples and Precepts of our Bleffed Lord and all his faithful Followers, and, fo it expreffes a fixt Refolution, or rather a blind Impetus or Inclination to all forts of Pleasure, though never fo brutish, or oppofite to the Purity and Dignity of Human Nature, or the Will of God: And at the fame time (which is neceffarily implied)

a fixt

a fixt Aversion to all forts of Croffes and Sufferings, though never fo Salutary, or for never fo good Reafons, yea, though it were to gain an infinity of Happiness in Reversion; but, like the Beasts that perifh, the Man of Pleasure is affected with noMano thing but what can for the prefent gratifie the furious Appetites of the Animal Life, to which he is intimately wedded; that being the only Principle that is awakened in him, and in which he may be properly faid to be fwallowed up. II. It may be confidered in its feveral Branches, as it may be diverfified in the Gratification of each particular Senfe; fuch are the gratifying the Palate with delicious and luxurious Meats and Drinks, folely for the fake of Pleasure; the Ear with Jovial Songs or Diffolute Tunes, which can have no other. Effect, than to ftir up and footh the Animal Inclinations, &c. And fo of others, even those which are particularly and emphatically called The Lufts of the Flesh. III. It may be alfo confidered in its Effects and Confequences; fuch as are the strengthening our Self-Love, the great Root and Fountain of Iniquity in us, and the Deftruction of Chriftian Charity; inasmuch as this prompts a Man to all manner of Violence, in order to obtain whatsoever his Soul lufteth after; whether his Neighbour's Wife, Goods or Estate, if he can but do it fecurely from the Judgment of this World; and at the fame time hardens his Heart against the Afflictions of his needy Brother, whom he neglects and defpifes,

left

left it should disturb his Reft, or fower his Enjoyments; or because he is fure he fhall get nothing by him. Under this Head may also be comprehended that Sin of theirs, who being Strangers to the Life of Faith, believe that Man can live no other way than by Bread alone, notwithstanding what the Scriptures have told us, Deut. 8. 3. Matth. 4. 4. Luke 4. 4. that Man doth not live by Bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God; i. e. God can, notwithstanding the want of all external vifible Means of Subfiftence, fupernaturally provide for us, either by procuring for us neceffary Food, or fupporting us without; of both which we have frequent Inftances in the Holy Scriptures: Of this fort were the Ifraelites in the Wilderness, who murmured against God, for having brought them into the Wilderness, where he was not able to fupport them, Exod. 16. As alfo the unbelieving Lord, 2 Kings 7. And thofe Gentiles of whom our Saviour fpeaks, Matth. 6. who were perpetually carking and caring for their Subfiftence in this Life, without one Grain of Faith, to believe that God knew their Wants and Neceffities, and would infallibly fupply them, if they had but Faith to believe in him. But these latter feem not to be fo deeply immersed in the Luft of the Flesh as the other.

3. THIS feems to be the Portraiture That this of the grand Branch of Sin, which is at Sin does this Day fo very prevailing amongst Sorts and Degrees of Men, in fome

produce

all ufually In-this P ftance nifbmeste

ftance or other; infomuch that Lewdness and Debauchery triumph in the World, in fpight of all Oppofition; Charity is waxed. cold, yea frozen and dead; and vaft Multitudes are there in the World, whofe God Philip. 3. is their Belly, and who glory in their Shame ; and who (in the moft literal Senfe) mind nothing but earthly Things. And this is that 'Axes (that useless and unprofitable Temper, when Men live only to devour the good Things of the World, without doing any Good to themselves or their Neighbours;) which, as good Old Tobit tells his Son, Tobit the 4th and 13th, is the Mother of Famine: Which feems indeed to be the first Punishment for that Sin, viz. That God fhould punish the Abuse of his good Creatures, by taking them from us. And this is the Punishment which in divers Places of Scriptures he has denounced against this Sin. Thus God by the Prophet Hofea, Chap. 2. threatens the Jewish Nation for their Idolatries and Forgetfulness of him, who had given them Plenty and Increase of all good Things. Let her, fays he, Verfe 2. put away ber Whoredoms out of her fight, and her Adulteries from between her Breafts, left Iftrip her naked, and fet her as in the Day that he was born, and make her as a Wilderness, and fet her like a dry Land, and flay her with Thirst, V. 3. For she said, I will go after my Lovers, that give me my Bread and my Water, my Wool and my Flax, my Oil and my Drink. V.s. For fhe did not know that I gave her Corn, and Wine, and Oil, and multiplied her Silver and Gold V. 8. Therefore I will return and

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take

take away my Corn in the time thereof, and my Wine in the feafon thereof. V. 9. And I will deftroy her Vines and her Fig-trees, whereof she bath faid, Thefe are my Rewards, that my Lo vers have given me and I will make them a Foreft, and the Beasts of the Field fhall eat them. The fame Judgment is threatned, Chap. 4. for their want of Mercy and Truth. The Lord hath a Controversy with the Inhabitants of the Land, because there is no Truth, nor Mercy, nor Knowledge of God in the Land, V. I. By fwearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing Adultery, they break out, and Blood toucheth Blood, v. 3. Therefore shall the Land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein Shall languish, with the Beasts of the Field, and with the Fowls of Heaven, yea the Fishes of the Sea alfo fhall be taken away. Intimating the Deftruction of thofe Creatures, which are the common Food of Mankind; either for want of the Fruits of the Earth to nourifh them, or that thofe Fruits if they do grow, fhall be fo curfed as to lofe their nutritive Quality; which feems to be hinted, v. 10. For they fhall eat, and not have enough.

So alfo the Prophet Amos, in Chap. 4, 15, 6. reproves the Luxury and Uncharitablenefs of his Nation. Hear this Word, ye that opprefs the Poor, which crush the Needy, Chap. 4. V. I. I have given you cleanness of Teeth in all your Cities, and want of Bread in all your Places; yet have ye not returned unto me, faith the Lord, v.6. And I have also with bolden the Ram from you, V.7. So two or three Cities wandered to one City to drink Water, but

they