The child's portion

2. By their Prayers and Intercession for a sinful and provoking People: They do often by prayers and earnest supplications stay God's hand; they stand between him and his People, that he can do nothing to them: God had ruined Israel in the Wilderness for their sins had not Moses stood between and pleaded for them, Psal. 106.23. Therefore he said he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath. But when such are taken away; it often falls out that there is none left to intercede, and so way is made to their ruin.

2. By their Prayers and Intercession for a sinful and provoking People: They do often by prayers and earnest supplications stay God's hand; they stand between him and his People, that he can do nothing to them: God had ruined Israel in the Wilderness for their sins had not Moses stood between and pleaded for them, Psal. 106.23. Therefore he said he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath. But when such are taken away; it often falls out that there is none left to intercede, and so way is made to their ruine.

2. If we consider what usually follows upon the taking away of the Righteous, which tends to hasten a Peoples misery, viz. Usually upon this Religion goes to decay, Sin takes the advantage to reign without any rebuke or check, and men begin to grow impudent, when there are none left to reform them, nor any to avert the sore indignation of God from them. When Joshua, and that good Generation that went with him into Canaan were dead, then arose a new Generation that knew not the Lord, & what ⟨p. 153⟩followed but Apostasy, and Calamity. See▪