Bolton - Houston-Packer Collection BX9339.B65 A2 1641

80 Chap.;.; V:rfe6. Di/rourfe oftrue happineffe. us for amendment, and weare not bettered, but rather work andworfe ; wemay affure our (elves we yet want á gracious marke,and effe.d ofthepower oftrue godlineffe; and marke what willbe theendboth ofus and our whole land ; it can be noother then that of his owne people. And thus he dealt with them byhis judgements, even as aPhyfician withhis. patient. A Phyfcian,while there is any hope ofrecovery in hispatient; he ufeth the benefit ofall the rules ofArt, :11 va- riety ofineanes, prefcribing diet, letting blood, miniflring pils andpotions; but whenbee once perceives thenatur.=ll heate tobe fo decayed, and ftrength of nature fpent, that his Phylickwill workenomore good upon him, but rather batten his ruine then his recovery ; hee then leaves him to thepangsofdeath, and diflolution of foule and body. Even fo deales Godwith his people, while there is any hope of repentance, bee vitas them byall kinde of cafligations, all mannerofpunithments : But when all fenfe ofReligion, all . hateofzeale,and lifeofgrace, have fo utterly forfaken the heartsofmen; that they are rather broken then bowed, ra- ther hardened then humbled byhis Judgements ; hee gives- them over to their owne juít confiuion. Hee leaves them fi- nally (never more to be entreated) to lamentations, mour- nings, and woe; to the feare,to thepit, and to the hare : to the Lyon, the Wolfe, and the Leopard. Thou haft fri-kn them (faith Jeremy) but they have notforroaned: thou haft con- fumed them, but they have refuufd to receive correc`lion : they havemade theirfaces- harder then a f one, and have refufed to return. Wherefore a- Lyon out of theforref JhaVlay them, and _ aWolfe oft!): li : WilderneJfeAalldeftroy tham: a Leopardizli Watch over their Cities, everyone that goeth out thence, fha!l 6e torn in,pieces, 6ecaufè their tresf ïaffes are many, and their rele.?iom areencreafd. Thiscourfc ofGods proceeding in his judge- ments,wemay fee molt cleerely in the 4. of Amos. He lull gave themcleanneffe ofteeth in all their Cities, and fcarce- neffeofbread in all their places; arid yet theyreturned not unto him : He withheld the rainefrom th em, when there were yet three monedas to the harveft; fo that two. or three- Cities;

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