Page 35
Their table be a snare, a net.
It is proper and peculiar to reprobates and profane persons to stumble at Gods blessings,* 1.1 and to abuse and peruert them to their owne destruction. Titu. 1. ver. 15. et 16. Rom. 2, ver. 4. et 5. 2 Pet. 3.16. Amos 6. ve. 4.5.6.
Thus many abuse the doctrine of the law, making it a cause of iustification before God, thus they peruert the gospell to giue leaue and allowance to licentiousnesse and liberty, thus they abuse Gods goodnesse and patience to patronize them in their sinnes, and impenitency, thus they vse their riches to the oppressing of others, their meate and drinke to gluttony, drunkenesse and excesse▪ their apparell to ostentation and pride, the Scriptures to maintaine their errours and heresies, the holy Sab∣bothes to iornyings, idlenesse, sportes, vanities, ga∣ming, their wisdome and counsaile to intrappe and de∣ceiue, their might, fauour and authority to discounte∣nance and tread downe all Godlinesse and goodnesse and to aduance and countenance all impietie atheisme, pro∣fanes, and euill practisesse.
The reason hereof is, they want faith and purity of heart and affections, and therefore can vse and apply no∣thing well,* 1.2 their ill hearts and defiled consciences is like to an euill stomacke that turneth sweete meates into sower, and holesome vnto noisome.
Secondly, God is their enemy, and therefore all things (that be otherwise naturally and of themselues good) are by Gods curse, so many causes of their ruine.
Vse If wee would not drawe and pull Gods curse vpon vs through the mis-apply or abuse of his guiftes and bles∣sings temporall and spirituall, let vs see and search whe∣ther we bee true members of Christ, iustified by faith, and haue our hearts sanctified by GODS spirit, for vntill we be called and regenerate, all things are impure and vnholy vnto vs and wee can in no action please GOD. Rom. 14.23.
2 Vse. If we could with comfort & good conscience vse and partake of any of Gods creatures wee must by the