3 3 2. A Sermon on Occafion of a public Faß. ER M prefent Rate of the world will allow, all vices XIII are hurtful, fome more direly dcftru Live to "Y'''' civil fociety ; but though this refults from the reafon of things, and public calamities be the natural confequence of public crimes, this doth not hinder them tobeproperly called punifhments, fence the order whereby the calamity follows the guilt is eftablifhed by the voluntary appointment of a wife moral Ruler, who by the interpofition of his own provi- dence afcertains the event. It therefor well becomes us to afcribe the rife and fall, the increase and diminution of civil communities to the providence of God ; to account the former his bleßïngs, and the other his judg_ ments ; as in the ro7th pfalm, feveral fuch changes in the Rate of men are enumerated, and a divine agency acknowledged in reward- ing and punifhing them, fo that the conclu- fion is, whofò is wife and will obfèrve theft things, even they (hall underfland the loving - kindnef of the Lord. This leads me to the declaration in the text, which is the word of the Lord to Eze- kiel faying, When the land fznneth again!' me by trefpajing grievoufly, then I will flretch cut mine hand againfl it : indeed it is the great point upon which the general dqarinef of
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