As a good man may receive many mercies, and yet not observe (at present) how, or from whom he receives them, so he may be under angry visitations or dispensations in great extremity, and ⟨p. 130⟩not mind the dealing of God with him in it, nor what he intendeth by it; yea, he may complain of the burden, and cry out under the pressure, yet not know it at that time for his own good, for his humbling or purging. The Prophet saith concerning Ephraim, (Hos. 7.9.) Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: That is, Enemies have swallowed up, or taken away that wealth, those riches, they have subdued those Armies, those Forces, which he looked upon, and boasted of, as his strength; they have broken him quite with Wars & Invasions, yet Ephraim knew it not: and not only so, but as it followeth, Yea, Grey hairs are here and there upon him; that is, he hath many Symptoms or Signs or ruin and destruction, yet he knoweth it not. Grief of heart for great changes in our Estate, change the hair; many grow grey with sorrow. So that, when 'tis said grey hairs are upon him, 'tis an allusion taken from the Body Natural to the Body Politic; for as when the natural Body of a man hath grey hairs appearing, or (as Solomon allegorizeth, Eccl. 12.5.) when the Almond Tree flourisheth, it is an argument that old Age and infirmities are coming upon him (Grey hairs tell us that Death and the Grave are not far off, they signify some decay of nature.) Now as the natural Body hath its grey hairs, so a Politic Body, the body of a State hath its grey hairs too; that is, something may come upon a State, which showeth that it is declining and waxing old, that it is ready to break, and go to the Grave. I shall not stay to enquire what are the grey hairs of a Nation; I only bring that Scripture, to prove that many are insensible of the hand of God; he visiteth in his anger, yet man, possibly a good man, knoweth it not, as Ephraim knew not of his grey hairs.
As a good man may receive many mercies, and yet not observe (at present) how, or from whom he receives them, so he may be under angry visitations or dispensations in great extremity, and ⟨p. 130⟩not mind the dealing of God with him in it, nor what he intendeth by it; yea, he may complain of the burthen, and cry out under the pressure, yet not know it at that time for his own good, for his humbling or purging. The Prophet saith concerning Ephraim, (Hos. 7.9.) Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: That is, Enemies have swallowed up, or taken away that wealth, those riches, they have subdued those Armies, those Forces, which he looked upon, and boasted of, as his streng•h; they have broken him quite with Warrs & Invasions, yet Ephraim knew it not: and not only so, but as it followeth, Yea, Gray hairs are here and there upon him; that is, he hath many Symptomes or Signs or ruine and destruction, yet he knoweth it not. Grief of heart for great changes in our Estate, change the hair; many grow gray with sorrow. So that, when 'tis said gray hairs are upon him, 'tis an allusion taken from the Body Natural to the Body Politick; for as when the natural Body of a man hath gray hairs appearing, or (as Solomon allegorizeth, Eccl. 12.5.) when the Almond Tree flourisheth, it is an argument that old Age and infirmities are coming upon him (Gray hairs tell us that Death and the Grave are not farr off, they signifie some decay of nature.) Now as the natural Body hath its gray hairs, so a Politick Body, the body of a State hath its gray hairs too; that is, somthing may come upon a State, which sheweth that it is declining and waxing old, that it is ready to break, and go to the Grave. I shall not stay to enquire what are the gray hairs of a Nation; I only bring that Scripture, to prove that many are insensible of the hand of God; he visiteth in his anger, yet man, possibly a good man, knoweth it not, as Ephraim knew not of his gray hairs.
