The Deftruiliolì of the Ctirelef.r. 147 So it is alto in Nations and States. Seeic, in two particulars in the 17. Lnke. That ofthe old world ; That of Sodom and Gomorrah ; They wereeating and drinking, x$m general of andbuilding, andplanting;,and marrying, andgiving in marriage,till theflood came I3aduns and uponthe one, and fireand brimflone uponthe other, tillfudden deflrsf4ian cameupon states. bstl', according to my Texr. Luke t7, Yee [hall have 3erufalem in the famecafe,Their Prophets are flattering them and crying peace, peace, asferemy cells them, Chap. 6.I 4,rí, They [seal the hurt ofthe Iene. t4,tç, Daubter of my peopleJlrghtly, fling peace, peace, when there is no peace. ¡Yore they afhamed when theybad committed abomination? Nay, they werenot afhamed, neither couldthey blufhs therefore they (hallfall among men that fall at the time that I vilie them, they !hallbecafl down, faith theLord. Mark the Prophet's cry peace ; it had been well doneof the Prophets co cry peace to thofe Ifraelites, that in crut;t were at peace with God ; hut they cry peace co them, to whom there was no peace. What then? Did the people reform? Did thismake thole that before were tebelliousagainft God,come inand accept of theconditionsof peace,and forfake their fins,and turn to God ? Nofuch matter, nay though their fins were reprovedby fere- miab,and other faithful Prophets, Ter they werenot a¡hamed,wben theyhad commit- ted abomination, and theycould not Rath; they flood ir our, they remained in their impenitency. Well,whatof this? 7berefore( faith theLord) they (hallfallamong them thatfall,in thatday,at that time,they pi! bedeflroyed,they fhallbe call down, they thall ceafe to be a people; at leaft, they (hall ceafe to be menprevailing above otherpeople. In the firft of Zephaniah. verÇt x, ye have theLord laying there,thathe willvifst Zeph. t ;zz, ferufalem with figh:v,andfeartb it withCandler. What todo ? Tofind out themen chat arefrozënon their dreggs,that me fettledon, their Lees ; that fayintbeìr heart, the Lord will not dogood, neither wilt he do evil. Whywill the Lord vifit fe- rsefalem with lights, to find out thefe men ? He =erect, with the conceit, that fuch men as thefe have, they think ( as the Athiefts in rob) Tbatgod it circled in the clouds, and feeth not the thingsbelow, or as thole in this Prophetic of Zepbany, that faid,The Lordlier nat,seither cloth heregard. Why dothhenotfo ?Becaufehe wantslight. Well then (faiththe Lord)I willbring candles tofee with, and vificfe- rufalemwith lights: And whofoever hefpiesout amongft all the (inners in Ifrael, he will be fore tomeet with chofe that fay, The Lordfeesnot ; that are fettled on their dreggr,that fecure themfelves under falle perfwafions,they(hall not 'efcape his wrath; Gods gteaeft quarrel is againft thole men that flatter themfelves, as if God did not take noticeof their fins, hewill furely punilh thofe : It is for their fakes, why he will bringCandles to fearchferafalemwith. It was fo with Babylon, 144.9.7.8, 9. The Lord obferveth her boalling; I am Ifa,47,S,s, ( faith fhe) a Queen, Ifir as a Lady).(hall neither fee lofs of children nor ¡Yiddow= ' hood. Mark now what God fait ii,Herenow this; thou that art given to *glares, and dwelleficarelejly; both thefefhallcome upon thee/oft ofChildren, and iYiddow_ hood; all thy props; and all thy (laies (hall be taken from thee; yea, and that in one day,in a moment, when thou leall thinkeft of ir, fuddenly thou (halt be husband - lefs,andchildlefs. Nay, it is that which the Lord fpeaks of Romido Babylon in the t 8, Reve1.7. Rev rs y: She had heard of the pride and boafting of old Babylon, and the would fain be like it : lfear a Queen( faith (he too) andam do u'iddow, and !hall fee noforrow : She (lands''upon her outward pomp and glory, as worldly- minded men do ( fpeci- ally when they come to greatnefs and eminency.)' Well, what will the Lord do? Therefore ( veife 8,) !hall herplagues come in one day, Death, and Mourning, and Famine,and thelhall be utterlyburnt withfire, for_hang is the Lord God who judg- eeh her. Thou fail[ I lit as a Lady, I (hall lee no change. Well faith the Lord, it ¡hall be indeed a famous Church for fomething, even for fuch Judgments as (hall fall upon ir, above other places: There (hall be Famine, and Death, and burning : Yea, and it (hall be done, when all outward means that lhould bring this to pars, feem to fail, and when Babylon (hall Item to advance her felf like a Queen above all other Churches, when there is nothing but firength, and might i .. u 2 on
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