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providence towards them: they continued their provocations in the face of the most awful threatenings, and when on the brink of ruin. And juft fo it is with the generation in these lands at this day.

Lafily, When there is no reafon from them to top procedure against them, God out of his fovereign mercy may yet put a stop to it. So he did with Ifrael in Egypt, Ezek. xx. 8. 9. But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man caft away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they for fake the idols of Egypt: then I faid, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. But I wrought for my name's fake, that it fbould not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whofe fight I made my felf known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt. And many a time on the deliverances of his people, and on ours in particular, may that be written, Ezek. xxxvi. 32. Not for your fakes do I this, faith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Ifrael.

II. I fhall fhew how mercy interpofeth for the relief of fuch a people, when on the brink of ruin.

1. By putting off the execution of threatenings against them, when they seem to be come to the very point of execution. Thus the barren fig tree, when the fentence was paffed on it, Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? Luke xiii. 7. was, by the interpofition of mercy, fpared another year; and the old world was spared feven days after the expiring of the hundred and twenty years. How many times have the clouds been black above our heads, ready to shower down, and yet the ftorm has blown by? By moderating the ftroke when it has come on, that it has not gone to the extremity that might have been feared, If. xxvii. 8. In meafure when it booteth forth, thou wilt debate with it; he stayeth his rough

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wind in the day of the east-wind. The deftroying axe being threatened, mercy has prevailed to hold with the pruning-knife; and God has lightly afflicted, when justly he might have made his ftrokes heavy to a pitch.

Lastly, By putting a ftop even to the course of leffer ftrokes, when he might have carried them on to the making of a full end, Jer. v. 10. Go ye up up-. on her walls, and deftroy, but make not a full end: take away her battlements, for they are not the Lord's. He returns and does them good, after he has done them evil. Having pinched them a while, in mercy he relieves them, looses their bands, and lays meat again before them.

III. I fhall give the reafons why mercy thus interpofeth for the relief of fuch a people on the brink

of ruin.

1. Because of a mourning and serious remnant that may be among them, endeavouring to keep their garments clean, as God would have fpared Sodom, if there had been but ten righteous perfons found in. it, Gen. xviii. 32. In public calamities they readily bear their fhare, and the Lord himself has a fympathy with them in their afflictions, as he had with Ifrael, If. lxiii. 9. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his prefence faved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. And

therefore he extends mercy to the community where in they are. And he has a regard to their prayers and fupplications in that cafe; Exod. xxxii. 10. Now therefore let me alone, fays the Lord to Mofes, that my wrath may wax hot against them.

2. Because of the infolence wherewith their enemies would carry themfelves, both towards God and them, if God fhould give up with them. Many a time the church is more obliged for prefervation to the infolent temper of her enemies, than to th

fhould fuit our fpirits to the difpenfations of the day, not feeking great things.

1. Awake out of your golden dreams of worldly eafe, and lay your account with tribulation and trial, If. xxxii. 9. 10. Rife up, ye women that are at ease, hear my voice, ye careless daughters, give car unto my fpeech. Many days and years fhall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering fhall not come. There is a difpofition in all to dote this way, and build caftles in the air that will never be inhabited. It is fo with carnal men, who are often finging of peace, when deftruction is at the door; as was the cafe with the rich man in the gospel, Luke xii. 19. 20. I will fay to my foul, Soul, thou haft much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry. But God faid unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whofe fhall those things be which thou haft provi ded? And even good men are apt to fall into fuch doting; Job xxix. 18. Then I faid, I shall die in my ́neft, and I shall multiply my days as the fand. And it is evident from the cafe of the difciples on the mount of transfiguration, who faid, Lord, it is good for us to be here, Matth. xvii. 4. What was their fate? Peter was crucified, James was flain, John was banifhed into a defolate ifland, though he afterwards died in peace. If ye mind for heaven, at all times, ye fhall meet with tribulation, John xvi. ult. Though ye hold the broad way, it is like in this time ye will meet with tribulation.

2. Set not your hearts upon the world's wealth, the filver and gold, the corn and cattle; for ye may foon find them like a fandy brae, that will flide away with you: but if ye be weaned, and make God and his promises the stay of your heart, ye will be able to ftand in the evil day, Hab. iii. 17. Let Chrift be your all, and then blow what wind it will, all yours fhall be fafe.

3. Seek nothing, lefs, nor more, in any way inconfiftent

confiftent with justice or charity to your neighbour. Do not dare to drive on your own intereft in any unjuft way. Diveft not yourselves of mercy and charity to others, in pursuing your own intereft, without any bowels of compaffion. It is very ordinary in a time of public calamity, for one to build up himself on the ruins of another. For that fort of work already, God is contending, and will not overtook it; If. xxxiii. 1. Wo to thee that fpoileft, and thou waft not fpoiled; and dealeft treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee: when thou shalt ceafe to fpoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou fbalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee. James ii. 13. For he fball have judgement without mercy, that hath fhewed

no mercy.

4. Be content with, and thankful for the little that ye have, and take God's fecurity for what ye want. For he hath faid, I will never leave thee, nor forfake thee, Heb. xiii. 5. He that has taken fome from you, might justly have taken all; and whatever he has taken from you, he might have taken your forfeited life when he took it. Therefore acknowledge ye are his debtors, and let not your croffes and trials make you overlook mercies.

5. Sit quietly under your cloud, be it thinner or thicker, till the Lord be pleased to make it clear, and bring you forth to the light, Micah vii. 9. Whatever yoke the Lord lays on you, bear it tamely: and it will not gall your neck, be it never fo heavy. Say as David, Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother: my foul is even as a weaned child, Pfal. cxxxi. 2.

Laftly, Seek the things that are moft neceffary for yourselves, and in them ye will not be disappointed; Luke x. ult. One thing is needful. And Mary hath chofen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. It is to ftir up hereunto, that God denies men great things of this world.; for it is hard to have

providence towards them: they continued their provocations in the face of the moft awful threatenings, and when on the brink of ruin. And juft fo it is with the generation in these lands at this day.

Lastly, When there is no reafon from them to ftop procedure against them, God out of his fovereign mercy may yet put a ftop to it. So he did with Ifrael in Egypt, Ezek. xx. 8. 9. But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man caft away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they for fake the idols of Egypt: then I faid, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. But I wrought for my name's fake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whofe fight I made my self known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt. And many a time on the deliverances of his people, and on ours in particular, may that be written, Ezek. xxxvi. 32. Not for your fakes do I this, faith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Ifrael.

II. I fhall fhew how mercy interpofeth for the relief of fuch a people, when on the brink of ruin.

1. By putting off the execution of threatenings against them, when they feem to be come to the very \point of execution. Thus the barren fig tree, when the fentence was paffed on it, Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? Luke xiii. 7. was, by the interpofition of mercy, fpared another year; and the old world was fpared feven days after the expiring of the hundred and twenty years. How many times have the clouds been black above our heads, ready to shower down, and yet the ftorm has blown by?

2. By moderating the ftroke when it has come on, that it has not gone to the extremity that might have been feared, If. xxvii. 8. In meafure when it booteth forth, thou wilt debate with it; he stayeth his rough

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