194 Chap. 38. an Expofition upon the Book,of o s. Vert. 23. Fourthly ,. Cod will charge themwith hardnefs of heart and impenitency who humble not themfelves when he fights againfl themwith thefe weapons.. Every judiciary flower of hail , though it break not our hénds, yet it fhould breakour hearts. That hail which Both any hurt to the works of our hands , fhould workgood upon our hearts. And therefore the Lord complained when his hail-hones left no more fign or imprelfion uponhis peoples hearts than they did upon a rock or ftone ( Hag. 2. t7.) I (mote you with blo fling andwith mildew , and with hail, tr. all your labours , yetye turned net tome, faith the Lord. This Scripture reached' us two ufeful leflons , Firft , When God fmites any thing that isours, or belongs to us , he finites us. If our fields or gardens be fmitten, we are fmicten. Secondly , God expeas we fhould , and even wonders, if we do not turnuponfuch fmttings. He looks upon themas hardned Goners , who melt not by every afïliive fall of hail from hea- ven.. They are even refolved CO be bad , who mind not being good or better , when evils fall uponeither them or theirs. Fifthly, liafien to makepeace with god when he gives Aver and ali- rums of war. God had no fooner faid to Ifrael ( Amos 4 a z.) Therefore, (chat is, becaufe thouhaft not taken the alarum by former judge- ment, therefore) thuswill I do untothee, O Ifrael (that is, Twill bring fome forer judgement upon thee than anyof chore already brought) but he adds , andbecaufeIwill do thisunto thee (unlefs prevented by fpeedy repencance)prepareto meet thy Ged,O Ifrael. Asif God had (aid,. Confider (as Chriff advileth on another occafion, Luke 14.3 r.) whether thou art able with thy ten thoufand to meet thewith my twenty thoufand (all the power of man is not onely lets by half , as ten thoufand to twenty thou - fand , but indeed nothing at all to the power of God) and ifnot, as I know, thou art nor, then I counfel thee , while I anely cell thee.
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