3. Because they will not hearken to the voice of lesser afflictions; when Gods word is not heard, he speaks by his Rod; when his Rod is not heard, he shoots with his arrows & strikes with his sword; and if lesser afflictions be not minded, then God speaks by more dreadful awakening judgments: as the sins of men do precede the judgments of God: so usually lesser judgments do precede greater judgments; and as there are degrees and steps which men usually do make before they arrive to a great height in sin, Nemo repentè fit turpissimus: so there are degrees and steps which God usually doth take, in inflicting his judgments for sin. Look into one place for all, which shows how God doth proceed from less to greater judgments, Lev. 26. from the 15. v. to the 40th. when his statutes are despised and Covenant broken, first he threateneth to send upon them consumption, and a burning ague, then he threateneth ⟨p. 22⟩that they shall fall before their enemies; and if they will not hearken to his voice in these judgments, he threateneth to punish them seven times more for their sins; and to make the Heavens as Iron; and the Earth as brass; and send a dearth amongst them. And if they will not yet hearken, he threateneth to send wild beasts, which should devour their children and Cattle. And if they would not be reformed by these things, but still would walk contrary unto him, he threateneth to walk contrary unto them, and to punish them yet seven times more for their sins: he threateneth to bring a sword upon them to avenge the quarrel of his Covenant; and when they should be gathered together in their Cities, to send the Pestilence amongst them; and hereunto to add the Famine. And if they would not yet hearken unto God, but still walk contrary unto him, he threateneth that he will walk contrary unto them in fury▪ and make them eat the flesh of their Sons and their Daughters, and lay wast their Cities, and make their Sanctuaries a desolation; and upon them that are left alive he threateneth to send such faintness of heart, that they should flee at the sound of a shaken leaf, and fall when none pursued them; and that they should pine away in their iniquities in the Land of their enemies. Thus God proceeds by steps and degrees in the execution of his fierce anger upon a rebellious People, when God speaks by ordinary diseases and is not heard, then sometimes he sends a Plague;
3. Because they will not hearken to the voice of lesser afflictions; when Gods word is not heard, he speaks by his Rod; when his Rod is not heard, he shoots with his arrowes & strikes with his sword; and if lesser afflictions be not minded, then God speaks by more dreadful awakening judgments: as the sins of men do precede the judgments of God: so usually lesser judgments do precede greater judgments; and as there are degrees and steps which men usually do make before they arrive to a great heighth in sin, Nemo repentè fit turpissimus: so there are degrees and steps which God usually doth take, in inflicting his judgments for sin. Look into one place for all, which shews how God doth proceed from less to greater judgments, Lev. 26. from the 15. v. to the 40th. when his statutes are despised and Covenant broken, first he threatneth to send upon them consumption, and a burning ague, then he threatneth ⟨p. 22⟩that they shall fall before their enemies; and if they will not hearken to his voice in these judgments, he threatneth to punish them seven times more for their sins; and to make the Heavens as Iron; and the Earth as brass; and send a dearth amongst them. And if they will not yet hearken, he threatneth to send wild beasts, which should devour their children and Cattel. And if they would not be reformed by these things, but still would walk contrary unto him, he threatneth to walk contrary unto them, and to punish them yet seven times more for their sins: he threatneth to bring a sword upon them to avenge the quarrel of his Covenant; and when they should be gathered together in their Cities, to send the Pestilence amongst them; and hereunto to adde the Famine. And if they would not yet hearken unto God, but still walk contrary unto him, he threatneth that he will walk contrary unto them in fury▪ and make them eat the flesh of their Sons and their Daughters, and lay wast their Cities, and make their Sanctuaries a desolation; and upon them that are left alive he threatneth to send such faintness of heart, that they should flee at the sound of a shaken leaf, and fall when none pursued them; and that they should pine away in their iniquities in the Land of their enemies. Thus God proceeds by steps and degrees in the execution of his fierce anger upon a rebellious People, when God speaks by ordinary diseases and is not heard, then sometimes he sends a Plague;
