30 Chap. 35. an Expof tion upon the &'okof Jos. Verf. i s. not mind he dealing of God with him in it,nor what he intendeth by it ; yea, he may complain of the burthen, and cry out under the pretfure, yet not knew is at that time for his own good, for his humbling or purging. The Prophet faith concerning Ephraim, ( Hof. 7.9. ) Strangers havedevoured hisffrengtb, andbe know- ethic not: That is, Enemies have fwallowed up, or taken away that wealth, chore riches, they have fubdued chore Armies, thole Forces, which he looked upon, and boafled of, as hisftrength ; they have broken him quitewithWarrs& Invafions, yet Ephraim knew it not : and not only fo, but as it followeth, Tea, gray hairs are here and there upon him ; that is, he bath many Symp- tomes or Signs of ruine and detlruCìion, yet be knoweth it not Grief of heart for great changes in our Efface, change thehair ; many grow gray with forrow. So that, when 'cis faid gray hairs are upon him, cis anallufion taken from the Body Natural to the BodyPolitick for as when the natural Body of a man bath gray hairs appearing, or (as Solomon allegorizeth, Eccl. i a. ç.) when the Almond 7"reefourijhetb, it is an argument that old Age and infirmities are coming upon him ( Gray hairs tell us that Death and theGrave are not farr off, they liignifie fomedecay of nature.) Now as the natural Body bath its gray hairs, fo a Politick Body, the body of a State hash its gray hairs too ; that is, fornthing may comeupon aScare, which fheweth that it is declining and waxing old, that it is ready tobreak, and go to the Grave. I flail not flay toenquire what are the grayhairs of a Nation ; I only bring that Scripture, to prove that many are infenlble of thehand of God ; he vifiteth to bis anger, yet man, poffibiy a good man, tknowetb it nor, as Ephraim knew not of his gray hairs. But did not Ephraim kno.v his afflidlion ? or didnot Sah know his ? what is it to know, or who may be faid toknow an affii- lion ? I anfwer, they only know their a ;'t lions, or that God is vific- ing in hisanger, Firfl, who labour to find out thecaufe of Gods vifitation. If we feel the ffli&inghandof God uponus, and enquire nor, whence is this ? why is it fo ? what bath moved or provoked the Lord to this wanner of proceeding with us ? If, I fay, we makenotfuch enquiries, we are vifited in anger,and know it not. And therefore in that cafe, the Prophet 7ermay exhorts theafflicîed, captivated
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