15 8 Chap. r. An Expofttionupon the Book ofJ ©B. Verf. 15. vouring the flefh and bones ofthoufands amongfl us. Where the Sword cones it will devour ; war is a grist judgement, one of Gods fore judgments, the forefl of all Gods outward judgments. David choofeth the Peflilence rather then the Sword ; the Pefli= lence isa devourer, but the Sword is a greater devourer. And though the Prophet Jeremiah in his'Lamentations makes Famine a forer judgment then the Sword ( cap .4.9.)7hey that beflainwith the Savo rd,are'better then they tbát be [lain with hunger ; yet the Sword is in this worfe then Famine,becaufe ufually it is the caufe ofFamine. TheSword cutsofffood,the fupport of mans life, as well as the life ofman. While the Sword is making it felffat, it bath Famine in the.belly of it. We need not go to Jeremiah or jofephus for the proofof this, in Jerufalem's Babylonianor Roman defolations : SadGermany, bleeding Ireland, are:near woful witnefïes and fpeaacles of it at this day.The Sword bathopen'd a way for Famine to enter both, and which of the two hath eaten moll flefh, is hard to determine. Let us cry earnefily to God that the mouth of the Sword may be flopped, or continued open on IT to devour thofe who would de- vour the man that is more righteous then they ; let us pray that bloodmay be fpared, or none but corrupt blood fpilt. Spare thy people,O Lord; It is (I contefs) one of the faddefl .prognothcks in my obfervation againli this Nation : That God hitherto hath made littledifference. Our Sword bath not yet been taught from Heaven to diflinguifhof men. Precious blood hath 'been drawn ; &men whole very hairs were all numbred( that is,highly priz'd) by God, have been numbred among the flaiu. It muft.fatistie us that the will ofGod¶s fo. The anower which Davidgave looks tnefi'engerisgood fetling counfel now (2 Sam. r I. 25 .) Let not this thingdifpleafe thee (he fpeaks this after the fall of noble Vriah )for theSword (not by accident,but decree, not cafually, but providentially) devourethfo andJuch (as the Hebrew ele- gance hath it) one aswell asanother, fo we tranflate. It is mercy, we are not all confumed by this eater,as in the Text ye may read all the fervantsofJob were,cxcepting one, only onegot out of the mouth of the Sword,it eat up all faving one, and he was faved, that by the report ofthis detirudive Sword he might deflroy job himfel£ And
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