636 Chap. 31. ds Expsfi:ion :epos the 2ooke of J o a. Verf.3o. called to make knowne his mind to the Cons ofmen ; and in that capacity as they were not to feare any man, fo not to fpare any man ; They being charged at their own peril) to tell others what peril) they were in. And therefore theyboldly declared the curfe ofGod( oat their owne) again) thole whodeferved it. Thirdly I anfwer ; thefe curies proceeded not from a fpirit ofrevenge, or from any impulfe of wrath in the Prophets them- felves, but were fpvken, Tuft, to terrifie the wicked and leave monitory examples of the righteous judgementsof God before the eyes of all men. Secondly, to confirme and encourage the faithful), by letting them fee how fuddainely and how eafily, e- ven with a word of his mouth, God could deftroy their ftrongeft enemies, yea that they are already Naffed by, and withering un- der a curie. Thirdly, thofe curfes were denounced in a heat of zeale, for the glory of God, and the goodof the Church they had not the leaf heat of private revenge in them.When the Pro- phets and Apoll les breathed out curfes, like the fumes and flames of hell it felfe, againii finners, their minds were calme,ferene,and heavenly. Lafily, thofe curfes were pronounced ( not as carnal men curfe one another in a forme of paffion, but) byvertue óf their office and commifíion. As the civil Magiftrate gives fen- tence of death upon a malefator, who difturbes the publicke peace, "end offers violence to the life of his fellow citizens ; fo did the Prophets and holy menof God , pronounce the fentence of fome fearefull curfe upon the knowne and incorrigible enemies of God, andof his people. So then thole Scripture examples before mentioned, are no warrant or ground at all for any to belch out Curies againft the foule, fate, life, or perfon of another upon perfonal refpetts: yob protefted his innocency in this, towards his enemy, lhave not pilferedmy month tofin, by reifhing a coirfe to hieTnle. J B 31
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