verted them: They are wearied in the Multitude of their Counfels. For the Wisdom of this World, and of the Princes of this World, cometh to Nought. a. There is a way that feemeth right unto a Man; but the end thereof are the ways of Death. b. The Foolishness of Man perverteth his way and his Heart fretteth against the Lord. c. Where fhall Wisdom be found, and where is the place of Understanding? Man knoweth not the Price thereof; neither is it found in the Land of the Living. The Weakness and Infufficiency of Man. d. We are not fufficient, of our felves, to think any thing, as of our felves; but our fufficiency is of God. e. We have no Might, neither know we what to do, but our Eyes are upon thee, O Lord. We could have no Power at all, except it were given us from above. And we cannot go beyond the Commandment, or Permission, of the Lord; to do good or bad, less or more, of our own Mind. If. 47. 13.] 1 Cor. 2. 6. I (b) Prov. 19. 3. 1 a. It is God that worketh in us, both to will and to do, of his good Pleasure. Thou, Lord, haft wrought all our good Works in us. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that fheweth Mercy. Neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth. the increase. b. Which of us, by taking thought, can add one Cubit unto his Stature; or, can make one Hair white or black? c. There is no King faved by the multitude of an Host: And a mighty Man is not delivered by much Strength. d. Through God we shall do valiantly, but vain is the help of Man in Trouble. For what is our Strength, that we should hope ? e. The Wicked imagine mifchievous Devices, which they are not able to perform. Let them take Counsel together, and it shall come to Nought: Let them fpeak the word, and it fhall not stand. For God is with us. The Sinfulness of Man. a. By one Man Sin entred into the World; and by his Difobedience many were made Sin ners. b. God made Man upright; but they have fought out many Inventions. c. Our first Father hath finned, and our Teachers have tranfgreffed against the Lord ; and all Flesh hath corrupted his way upon the Earth. d. What is Man, that he should be clean? And he which is born of a Woman, that he fhould be Righteous? Behold he was shapen in Iniquity, and in Sin did his Mother conceive him; and the Imagination of Man's Heart is Evil from his Youth. e. We are a Seed of Evil-doers; who are rifen up in our Fathers ftead, an Increase of finful Men, to augment the fierce Anger of the Lord. f. We have finned against the Lord our God, we, and our Fathers, from our Youth even unto this Day; and we are all of us, by nature the children of wrath. a. The Children of Men are corrupt; they have done Abominable Works: There is none that doth good; they are all gone afide, they are alltogether become filthy; there is none that doth good, no not one. b. All we, like Sheep have gone aftray, we have turned every one to his own way: All have finned, and come fhort of the Glory of God; and, the Whole World lieth in Wickedness. c. If we say, that we have no Sin, we deceive our felves, and the Truth is not in us: For, there is none upright among Men; there is no Man, that finneth not; but, in many things we offend all; and, it is impoffible, but that Offences will come: Who then can fay, I have made my Heart clean;. I am pure from my Sin; When there is not a Juft Man upon Earth, that doth Good, and Sinneth not? d. The Scripture hath concluded all Men, both Jews and Gentiles under Sin; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the World may become guilty before God. For as many as are of the Works of the Law, are under the Curfe; for it is written, curfed is every one, that continueth not in all things, which are written in (a) Pf. 14. 2. 1. 3. (b) If. 53.6. Rom. 3. 23. (c) 1 Joh. 1. 8. Mic. 7. 1. Luk. 17. 1. Prov. 20. 9. Eccl. 7. 20. (d) Gal. 3. 22. Rom. 3. 9. 19. Gal. 3. 10. G 4 1 Joh. 5. 19. 1 Kin. 8. 46. Jam. 3. 2. the the Law, to do them; therefore, by the Deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be Juftified in the Sight of God. And now, for a long feafon, a great part of the Gentile World, hath been without the True God, and without a teaching Priest, and without Law; and these have had their Converfation in the Lufts of the Flesh,, fulfilling the Defires of the Flesh, and of the Mind, and walking according to the Course of this World. a. How abominable, and filthy is Man, whọ drinketh Iniquity like Water? b. The Heart of Man is deceitful, above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? c. Men love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are evil. d. Because sentence against an evil Work is not executed fpeedily; therefore, the Heart of the Sons of Men is fully fet in them, to do Evil. e. The Way of Man is froward, and strange, and the way of Peace have they not known. f. The Heart of the Sons of Men is full of Evil; and Madness is in their Heart, while they live, and after that they go to the Dead. Rom. 3. 20. 2 Chr. 15. 3.] Eph. 2. 3. 2. (a) Job 15. 16. (b) Jer. 17. 9. (d) Eccl. 8. 11. Rom. 3. 17. |