'a 34 Chap. 18, e4 expofition upon the Rook of J o a. Verl.ai, words, infailing upon and repeating it againe and againe. It is queftioned by force, why his and their fpirits weredrawne forth fo frequently a nd unanimoufly to fpeake ofthis matter. I anfwer This might be firti toundeceive the simple, who are ready to call the wicked happy, becaufe oftheir prefent profperitie; Secondly, to conquer the urbaliefe ofmote who can karcely be perfwaded, that fin will be fo bitter in theend. Many hope to thrive by wickedneffe, and not a feware afraid they should. be undone by keeping dole to the waves ofholi- nes. Therefore theLord doth fo often thunder by the voyce of his fervants, and reveale his wrath from heaven against all un- righteoufnefe ; Therefore he bath caufed the penmen of the ho- ly Scriptures to write the evill of it (as it were) in letters of blood, and to give teftimony, that it bath fhed the bloodof thou- fands already , and will deftroy all eternally who turne not from it. Take this anfwer more fully in the following obfrvation. Theheart ofman it hardy brought to believe that god willindeed powre out wrath upon¡nfull men. As it is a hard thing to believe that God will powre out fo many bleffings on his owne people : fo to believe that God will powre out fo many vialls of mifery upon wicked men. Therefore as we heare of the promifes againe, and againe; and Godoft repeats his mercies to perfwade us that he will indeed performe what he bath fpoken : fo we heare threatnings againe and againe, to overcome the unbeliefe of wicked men, or to make all know this fad truth ; .rroe to the wicked, woe to the wic- ked. Ifthe heart were readie to receive this, it would not be fo often repeated. Few would take God at his word if he had fpóke this but once. God fpake to man in the Rate ofperfeft_i- on; In the day that thou eatefl thou,lhalt furely dye. No, faith the Devil!, and the Woman believes him , t flail not be fo.: the threatning was but once given, and it was not believed at al!. The heart of man Both hardly crofe . either with promifes or threatnings. Againe, God doth it to render wicked men more urexcufabie. If he had fpoken but once , if there hadbeen but one wgr;t of threatning against fin all the Bible over, fanners had been without exxufe; hut how "flag! their mouthes be stop. ped,
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