ZEPH. l.1,2>3· 149 --------------------------~--------------------------~~ And belides, the Motive the Prophet ufeth before and after, makes for this Interpretation, which is theonly Motive l will ufe to quicken you to this Duty at this time, ver.12thof this fotmer, the firfl: Chapter, I wrllJerrrch .7ertt{llem with Crwdks; and how is that? I w ill prmrfb, (!)c. for Judgments are God's Blood-hounds, which in the end find Sins and Sinners out; as in P(ai.I 10 1 I'· B ruzk.tho" the a>·m of the wicked, Jeekfor his Iniquity titt tho11 find 1/0llf, that is till tbere be none of fins left 1111pumjbt; and therefore fays the Prophet, to p;event God's fearch, Searc/;) 'Ottr}elves ; as .JudgeJ'Ott>' fi!lves,C!Jc. . Firfl:, Into natJonal fins, for he fpeaks to them as a N.<tto7t, 0, N.1tto1t 1101 to be dejired; let liS fearch I fay ,for if we leave any of Rachels Idols hid in the fl raw, . any of Achm/s Garments in the flu t; which we would conceal; God will come andJearch with Candles, but he w.II find them out. V avidenquired of God whai national fin brought the Famine and it was found Saul'soppreffing the Gi– beouites 2 Sam. 21, 1. and defperate mufl the condition of that Nation and Peo– ple'be which though they themfelves declare their fins M Sodom, and their Plagu~-fores run and fefl:er and lliflk in the noflrils of God and good men, yet as thoje that have the P /ague t hey cannot endure a Scourge, no, not to have the':' toucht with the tendere!l and difcrcte!l hand. And he that would make too di– ligent an i11qt~ijitro11 may fear to be brought into one himfelf; much more mu!t that Nation be near de!lru<'.l:ion and drawing home, when the fatal and deadly fins of it are skin'd and braled(!Jgbtly, as by the flattering Prophets of Old, till there be 110 hralittg, as the Spirit elfewhere fpeaks. For this of ours, to fearch into whofe Sores and confefs them, it is that we are gathered together this day; though !t be true of us as well in regard of fou as ptmi/hmmts, what I fay fpake of l11s m the days ofHezekwh, from tbefoie of the foot to the crow11 of the headit ufniJ of wo:mds a/Jd 6mfes rmd p11trz{yi11g Sores; The whole head isjick a11dthe heart ujai11t. Yet fearch; I intend not into the Difl:empers of the head and nerves of the Rulers and Magi(lrates that give motion to the whole Body; 'tis not for this Af· fembly, And Secondly, Indee.d fearch I need not into the olltward Sores ofgro_[Jerfins, which break out in the Body of the People,they are all vifible enough, to every man's view and Confcience. ' But the inward corruption of the Bloodand Spirits; that is, of Religi01t and Worjbip of God, which is the caufe of all thofe other Di!lempers. Thefe I ra· ther defire you to make enquiry of. Firfl, Becaufe it more properly belongs to this Auditory to fearch into ir, whci are as the Livrr ,md HMrt the Fou11tam a11d Cij/eYIJ of both; (for the Prief/s lips are to prr(erve k11owledge, a11d the People to take the L aw at their mouths; M ,1!.2.7.) and from us efpecially have all thofe Veins and Arteries their original which carry and difperfe all the corrupt Blood and Spirits through the whole Bo· dy of the Nation. And Secondly, Alfo becaufe it is the corruption therein which our Prophet doth fir!\ and principally and in a manner point out, in this Chapter rhe fir(\ from the 41h. ver. to the 7th. and fo warrants me to apply what is found like to it, to this Nation as the obje<'.l: of their fearch; as the caufe why God did 110t dejire thrm, and the caufeof ruine threatned. For indeed Thirdly, Nothing makes Clui!t to loath a Church that once recei· ved pure Religio11 rmdwrdeji!edfrom him, (as Jefus fpeaks,) M pure ,Blood a11d Spirits, then corruption herein, as you may fee by thofe 7· Epi!lles of his writ fince he went to Heaven, Revel. 2, and 3· Chap. for this is the corruption ofthe Vitals, for the life lies in the Blood, and if it be re!tored and then kept pure, outward Blains will foon fhale off. Let us then view the flate of Religion and God's Woril1ip which this our Pro· phet found in .Jttdr:h, and take we his difcovery or dire<'.l:ion for us to fearch ours. Fir!\, Flat and plain Idolaters ex profejJo, we find unpurged out of that !late; for whtch GodW!llflrrtch hu ha11d at the ittba6ita/Jts to cllt off them, w,ho before wtrt 11ot cut}bort, ver. 4· Which
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