An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

Ephraim and Israel shall fall in their iniquity.

¹In their iniquity.] The Hebrew [Ba] signifies for, as well as in: fall for their iniquity, as well as in their iniquity. But to Expos. 1 keep to the word, They shall fall in their iniquity. Surely they Expos. 2 fall hard who fall in their iniquity, they fall so as to break their bones, yea oft times their necks.

1. 1[Greek or Hebrew]〈non-Latin alphabet〉

Use. My brethren, these are falling times, let us labour to remove our iniquities beforehand, and then if we fall we shall fall soft and not hard. If we fall in our iniquities we shall fall hard; but if our iniquities be removed by faith and repentance, though we should fall in these times, yet we shall fall into the bosom of our Father and into the arms of Jesus Christ. How much better is it seeing that men are like to fall, ⟨p. 399⟩to take such a course before their fall cometh, that when they do fall they may fall soft, fall into the bosom of their Father and into the arms of Jesus Christ, and not fall in their iniquity; And if we fall thus, if our fall be not in our iniquity, but in the cause of God, and rather for our grace than for our iniquity, then we may be of more use in our fall than we were in our standing. As it is with the Corn,¹