confinable walking withCecl. 235 rifme, filed many,and many a gracious fhowre - ofmott hea- venly, piercing, fweeteft eloquence upon a finfull Nation,and rebellious people, whichwere fruitlefly fpilt as water upon theground, or loft, as upon the hardeft flint. Hismany hea- venly foule-íëarching Sermons, which breathednothingbut, fpirit and life ; yet to them hardened in their fìunes, and ha- ting to be reformed, were but as an idle and empty breath vanifhing intonathing,°and fcattered in theayre. TheLord aú749.2.' (as he faith) made his mouth a fharpe Jword, and hincfe!f a cbofen (haft; and yet that two-edged fword was full often blunted upon their hardeft-hearts ; and his keene arrowes difcharged by a. skillfull hand, rebounded from their flinty bofomes, as (hafts (hot againft a ftone-wall. Which made that Seraphieall Orator cry out; I have laboured in vaine, I vecfe 4. have fpen3 my fire zgtb for naught, and in vaine. A courfe of extraordinary feverity and rerrour, was taken with the Ty- rant Pharaoh, he was not onely, chaftifedwith rods, but even feourged with Scorpions ;and yet all the plagues of Egypt were fo farre from taming, and taking downe his proud heart ; that everyparticular plague added unto it .a feverall iron finew; fo farre they were from forming it, that they feared it more. Nomaterial! weight canmore crufh the heart ofa man into pieces, than brayingin a morter and yet faith Salomon, Though thou fbotsldeft bray a foole, an- old obftinate ftrtner, in a morter among wbeate- with- peflle : yet will not his ffhnef; his wilfull cruelty in killing his owne foule; and Sedlam madneffe, in exchanging,alittle tranfitory plea- lure, with endlefle paine, depart from bias. Prov. 27. 22. Now what an horrible hardncffe, and hellilh (tone is that, whichno minifleryor mifery, nay, nor miracles, See Emil. gó.27. r King.i3,33. 2King.i.rt. joh.18. 12. nor mercies, ., El- 26.io. can poffibly mollifie ? Here now fhould,I have pafíed out ofthispoint, did Inot conceive, that of all the waightieft civili affaires incident to humane deliberation, there is none more material], impor- tant, or ofgreater confequence, either forextremeft outward . vexation, andhearts-griefe;or extraordinary fweetecontent- ment,
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