Oil REFORMATION Or MANNERS. and it shall he found no more. Perhaps Godmay be now, as it were, arguing the case, as with Ephraim and with Israel of old Hos. xi. 8. How shall i give thee up, London ? How shall I deliver thee, Westminster? how shall Imake thee as Admah, How shall I set thee as Zeboim ? ' Which were twin sisters of Sodom and Gomorrah, and involved in the same vengeance ; Gen. xiv. andxix. 24, 25. 0 that the heart of the Lord may be turned within him, and his repentings kindled together, that he may not execute the fierceness of his anger! Yet let not us say peace to ourselves, if unrestrained villainies abound amongst us : Why should England be so fond and partial to itself, as to believe that it should be privileged by heaven above all king- doms in all ages ? Why should we flatter ourselves that we only shall be indulged to sin with a high hand, and without punishment ? We hate the doctrine of indulgences, and yet we act as under the influence of such apersuasion. Shall the coun- tries around us drink of the cup of his indignation with various mixture, and we still be excused from tasting ? The Lord of hosts has many armies of judgment and desolation at hiscom- mand ; the variety of plagues on Egypt is not a thousandth part of his artillery, nor of the kinds of terrors that are treasured in his magazines ; he can draw his sword of pestilence, and give it thiscommission ; Go and slay a third part of men: he can send thesword of our enemies amongst us, who will neither spare nor pity ; he can let France in upon us like a flood, and Lewis the XIV. will be as zealous a servant ofthe Lord in suchwork, as Nebuchadnezzar was when God sent him to punish Jerusalem and the nations ; Jer. xxv. 9. When the French dragoons in- sult us, andour necks are put under the feetof our enemies, we may then perhaps remember and repent that we did not arise for the Lord against evil-doers, and treaddown thé enemies of his holiness. Or, if the thunders of God lie still' for a season, and his lightnings be not kindled ; if plagues and famines, and foreign armies be restrained from our coasts, and peace andplentydwell in our borders ; God has judgments of a severer kind to inflict upon us, though they are more silent and less affect our senses. He can give us up to the lusts of our ownheart, and send judicial blindness : He can consign us over to the power ofSatan, to our beloved lethargy and spiritual death : He can suffer the devil to sear our consciences, and to inspire us from hell to reprk all un- cleannesswith greediness Ephi iv. 19. , Our understandings may be sold into the hands of strong delusions, and the wisest ofus be left to believe a lie : or God may continue the messengers of his gospel in the midst of us, but give them a new commission, eve that which he gave to the prophet Isaiah for Israel, that a
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