2. A judicial tradition to spiritual Judgments. Of all Judgments, none in this World are so dreadful as those that are spiritual; bodily Judgments touch the Flesh, but these the Spirit. When God would speak and wreak his anger against a person or people to the utmost; he doth it this way, by giving them up to their own wickedness. When he would strike Ephraim under the fifth Rib, and kill him at a blow, it is by this Judgment. Ephraim is joined to Idols, let him alone, Hos. 4.17. He is given to Idolatry, let him take his fill of it, and see what the end will be. He is fond of lies and vanities, and delights in prostituting himself to their embraces; Let him alone. Let none disturb him, or recall him; let no Mercy, no Misery, no ⟨p. 161⟩Means, no Ministry ever hinder him in the prosecution of his Lusts, or stop him in his course, much less be effectual for his Repentance and Amendment. In temporal Judgments, God acts the part of a Father, to whip his Child, that he may reclaim him for his Errors, and be fit to inherit his Estate. But in spiritual, God acts the part of a Judge, to deliver the Malefactor over to Execution. In the former, he prunes the Tree, that it may bring forth fruit, and so continue in his Garden to his joy and delight; but in the latter, he leaves the Tree as unsound and barren, to be cut down for the fire. Now sins of Omission cause God to deliver men up to these Judgments. God calls upon Israel to hear and obey him, they will not. But my People would not hearken to my Voice, Israel would none of me. What was the result of their refusal? So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own counsels, Psal. 81.11, 12. God doth not testify his anger for their contempt of him, by sending Plague, or Flames, or wild Beasts among them. He doth not say, Well, since they thus ⟨p. 162⟩slight my Authority, I will be avenged on them to purpose, I will give them up to the Sword, or Famine, or racking Diseases, or greedy devouring Lions, which would have been sad and grievous; but he executes on them a far more sad and grievous Judgment, when he saith, So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own counsels. God's leaving one Soul to one lust, is far worse than leaving him to all the Lions in the World.
2. A judicial tradition to spiritual Judgments. Of all Judgments, none in this World are so dreadful as those that are spiritual; bodily Judgments touch the Flesh, but these the Spirit. When God would speak and wreak his anger against a person or people to the utmost; he doth it this way, by giving them up to their own wickedness. When he would strike Ephraim under the fifth Rib, and kill him at a blow, it is by this Judgment. Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone, Hos. 4.17. He is given to Idolatry, let him take his fill of it, and see what the end will be. He is fond of lyes and vanities, and delights in prostituting himself to their embraces; Let him alone. Let none disturb him, or recall him; let no Mercy, no Misery, no ⟨p. 161⟩Means, no Ministry ever hinder him in the prosecution of his Lusts, or stop him in his course, much less be effectual for his Repentance and Amendment. In temporal Judgments, God acts the part of a Father, to whip his Child, that he may reclaim him for his Errors, and be fit to inherit his Estate. But in spiritual, God acts the part of a Judge, to deliver the Malefactor over to Execution. In the former, he prunes the Tree, that it may bring forth fruit, and so continue in his Garden to his joy and delight; but in the latter, he leaves the Tree as unsound and barren, to be cut down for the fire. Now sins of Omission cause God to deliver men up to these Judgments. God calls upon Israel to hear and obey him, they will not. But my People would not hearken to my Voice, Israel would none of me. What was the result of their refusal? So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own counsels, Psal. 81.11, 12. God doth not testifie his anger for their contempt of him, by sending Plague, or Flames, or wild Beasts among them. He doth not say, Well, since they thus ⟨p. 162⟩slight my Authority, I will be avenged on them to purpose, I will give them up to the Sword, or Famine, or racking Diseases, or greedy devouring Lions, which would have been sad and grievous; but he executes on them a far more sad and grievous Judgment, when he saith, So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own counsels. God's leaving one Soul to one lust, is far worse than leaving him to all the Lions in the World.
