comfortable walking with God. 235 Connoorae*,.........710seMOVIt IMMINIOMICIIM711117:11113 rifme, flied many, andmany a gracious fhowreof moft hea- venly, piercing, fweetefl eloquence upon a finfull Nation, and rebellious people, which were fruitleffely fpilt ag water upon the ground, or loft asupon thehard& flint. His many hea- venly foule-fearching Sermons, which breathednothing but fpirit and life ; yet to them hardned in their finnes, and ha- ting to be reformed, were but as an idle and empty breath ; vanifhing into nothing, and fcattered in the ayre. TheLord lab 3° (as he faith) made ht:Jmouth like a fharpe [word, and hanfilg a chofin(haft ; and yet that two-edged fword was full often blunted upon their hardeft hearts ; and his keene arrowes difcharged by a skilfull hand, rebounded from their flinty bofomes, as fhafts fhot againft a flone- wall. Which made the Seraphical' Orator cry out : I have laboured in vaine, I vertu havefpent my firengthfir nought, and in vaine. A courfe of extraordinary feverity and terrour, was taken with theTy- rant 'Pharaoh. he was not onely chaftifed with rods, but even fcourged withScorpions; and yet all the plagues of Egypt were fo farre from taming, and taking downe his proud heart ; that every particular plague added unto it a feverall iron finew ; fo farre they were from foftning it, that they feared it more. No material! weight can morecrufh the heart of a man into pieces , thenbraying in a morter : and yet faith Salomon, Though thoufhouldefi bray a fide, an old obflinate firmer, in a morter'among wheate with a pi:file : yet wit/ no hisfoolifbnece, his wilful! cruelty in killing his ovine foule and Bedlam madneffe, in exchanging a little tranfitory plea- lure, with endleffe paine, depart from him. Troy. 27. za. Nowwhat an horrible hardneffe, and hellifh (lone is that., whichno minifteryor mifery, nay, nor miracles, See Exod. 10 . 27. 1 King.1 3.33. 2 King.' .11.10b.18.1z . nor mercies,, Ifai.26.1 o, canpoffibly mollifie Here now fhould I have pairedout of this point, did I not conceive, that of all the waightieft civil! affaires incident to humane-deliberation, there is none more materiall, impor- tant, or ofgreater confequence, either for extrerneftoutward vexation, andhearts-griefe ; or extraordinary fweet content- men;,
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