Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v11

} Chap. 3.5. an Espefrtiono poxt t re Bosk, of ,J o s. Verf.t a .theta, as one that-tafteth theyoke of theirjawes , and I yetb them meat., the fat and the fweet, -the fineft of the wheat, and honey out of the Rock to feed a>pon; and, which is more than this, who have not only fed thembetter , but taught thembetter than the Ox or Afs ;-O ye Heavens,beaftönifhed at this ! Further,as in this Scripture the Load come-tea with,and reprovedhis people by the- beatts of the earth, fo he Both it in another by the fowls of the air , ( Pr. 8.6, 7-.) I (faith the Lord) hearkneel andheard , but they fpake not aright, &c. every one turned tohis court, (his finful course, or his coin fe in tin) as the Horfe rufheth into the battle ; that is, fiercely, fearletly,prefuttptuoufly,atonce fighting, at lealt forgettiig,both theirown danger, and my command. As the Lord thus rebukes the head- ltreng obltinacyand wilfulnefs of that people, by their likenefs to the Horfe ; fo inthe next verse he reproves their blindnefs and blockithnefr, by their unlikenefs to the Sto k, &c. Tea the Stork in the Heaven knoweth her ap- ioynted time, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and theSwallow ob- ferve the time oftheir coming , but my people know not thefudge- novas of the Lrrd. Then followeth, (v. 8.) Howdo ye fay , we are wife, and ti e Lawof the Lord it with tu; Locertainly in vaine -made he it , thepen oftheScribe is invaine As if he had faid; You have been taught, you have had the Law of the Lord, and you a-e ready toboat+ of it, as the Apolite obferved (Rom. a. z3.) but withwhat facecan ye cake it upon your felves tobe wifemen, or arrogate wifdotme to your felves, or fo much as own theLaw, when you are fo unready to pay that obedience which you owe to it. The Crane, the Turtle, and Swallow, the very fowls of Heaven, follow the light ofnature better than youhave done the light of Scripture and daily inftruí`tion. Thefe reafonlefscrea- tures,reafon with themlelves more rationally than you have done; They fay thus in themfelves, It isbelt fer us to change our quar- ters, and rake ourflight to fomemore benigne br milder region, for here the feafon grows fl-tarp, and the weather tempefluous, if we abide here we ftarve, we perifh wich cold and hunger : But you my people are fo fottifh, that you change neither your minds nor rnanners,you mend neither your wayes nor your works, what changes foever I bring upon you,or how much foever I vary any wayes and workings towards you, you apply not your felves tomy coitrfe and dealingswich you,butRill takeyour owncourt, fay

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