344 A Sermon on Occafaon of a public Fall. SERM. having quite different defigns from thofe XIII. which God accomplifhes by them. Thus, 'the prophet Ifaiah gives us a very elegant de- fcription of providence over - ruling the coun- fels and meafures of the Alva' an king to fulfil the purpgfe of correc%ng a finful pe ople when the voluntary ative inftrument had no other views than to fatisfy his own ambition. * O Affyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the fiaf in their hand is mine indignation. I will fend him againli an hypocritical nation, and again!' the people ?II' my wrath will I give him á charge ; to take the fpoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the ftreets. Howbeit, he meaneth not Jo, neither doth his heart think fo ; but it is in his heart to cut f nations not a few. His intention was only to exalt his power, to enlarge his dominion, and to fatisfy his cruel thirft of blood ; but providence, whofe in- ftrument he was, had a quite different defign, which he never thought of, namely, to chaftife a rebellious and degenerate people for their iniquity. Many other declarations we have in fcripture to the fame effect, which reprefent God as calling for far diftant na- tions, and employing theirfwords in executing * Ifaiah x. 5, 7. his
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=