. I ruin ExPOSITION ~his Treafores of Wrath. Pefiilence is here ( verf 8.) called Death, as it is like– ) • KT I. wife by the Chaldce Paraphrafe, and the Greek; and by the Fathers It _IS called ~Mortality as by us the Sickpefl. Now from the Year 240 after Chnft, It IS wonderf~l to read, what a Stage of Mifery and Blood the Empire was made, by reafon of all thefe Plagues raging at once. Civil Wars fo raged, that in the fpaceof 33Years, there were ten Emperorskill'd. Under Gal/tu and T'olujia– "us, Anno 2 50, the barbarous Nations came down upon the Empire and har– rowed it; and among them the Scythians, from whofe R.age, no place under the R.oman Jurifdiction was exempt; but almoft all Towns were by them depo– pulated: and this was followed by an extream Famine. When we had a breath– ing time from them, then came the greateft Plague of Peftilcncc, worfe than all the former, lays Dionyjius Alexandrinus, who lived in thofe Times. The greatefr Plague ( f.1ys Lypfus) that ever was read of in any Age, a Plague of fifteen Years continuance. And to add the Jafr hand for the makmg theMdery of thole Times cornpleat, God let loofe thirty Tyrants at once, who, as fo many wild Beafts, preyed upon, and made Havock of the Empire. Obferv. r. Vft. Now to come to fome Obfervations ; , I. Take notice, that after the going forth of the White Horfe, then go forth thefe other three. The Gofpel is always followed by terrible Judgments upon the World, for the contempt of it. You know what Peter fays, The time is come that 'judgment 11mji begin at the Hottjeof God, bur it will not reO: there, as he lilys. The Time of the Gofpel's preaching, was a Time of Judgment; which began with the Church, but afterthat, fell moft heavy upon the Empire, and upon the Heathens in it. So that as you look for Storms in Autumn, and Frofts in Winter; fo expefr Judgments where the Gofpel has been preached. For the Q))arrel of the Covenant muft be avenged and vindicated. If Men defpife it, Cod cannot hold his Hands. Wonder not therefore if God go over all the Churches in Judgments, as he bath done by Gmnany, Bohemia, &c. They had the Golpel firft, and fo the Cup of Tribulation firfr; but God will vilit the refl in their order, and it may be, that of Hol/,md ]aft, becaufe they have had the Golpel but a little while. Obferv. 2. H. Obfcrve, that God ufeth to rife higher and higher in his Judgmems. He began with Civil Wars, and they not working, be Cent Famine, which is worfe, and then War, as Lam.4. 9· and then he came upon them with the Pefrilence, – and all the other three at once. Which agrees with that in Levit. 26. 22. If you repent not, I will P"nifo JOlt feven times worfe. So in the Trumpets, the three !aft are the Woe Tr"mpcts. And fo in the Vials too, God will rife higher and higher, as here he does. Ohjef1. Ill. Obferve, That all Plagues have their Commiflion from God ; they go forth only when Chrifropeneth a Seal. Of the fecond it is faid, 'Power wa< gi– VCIZ him, and a Sword. And fo to the third, a Commiflion of R.eftraint was gi– ven, not to hurt the Oil and Wine. And to the fourth, only to k.ill the fourth part. They are therefore compared to Horfes fent forth, that are guided by Riders; God's Providence to direct them, and have their way chalked out, as the Egyptian Plagues had: Pfal. 78. 50. it is called, a Path made for his Anger chalk'd out where it !hould go, and into what Houfes. So, Jer. I 5· 2. Tho.fo that are for the Sword, to. the Sword ; and thofe that are for the Famine, to the Fa– mine, &c. Now iJ?- all thefe Circuits of God's Judgments, let us wait for his turmng towards us m Mercy. In the way of thy 'j~tdgmcnts have we waited for thee. And whereas it may.he objefred, That thefe are Plagues that were ever com– mon in the World, and in all Times as well as thefe. For Anfwer; Thefe Conliderations made thefe Plagues then more eminently tobe [et down. I. They
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