As an Instance of Spiritual Plagues, The Oracles of God, have often told us, That Some Sins, are not only Consequents, but also Punishments of others. To this purpose, we have that famous passage, in Isa. 6.10. where, the people who had sinfully Stopped their Ears, and Shut their Eyes, have this Judgment passed upon them for it; Make the heart of this people Fat, & make their Ears Heavy, and Shut their Eyes. The whole Jewish Nation, have now for many Ages, been a Flaming Monument of such Plagues, and Fulfilment of the Prophecy that predicted them: God hath for this Cause given them up to a vile Unbelief: they are Shut up in Unbelief, as in the Utter Darkness of a Prison, because they have to criminally Refused the Lord Messiah; and in that Prison of Unbelief, must they Lie punished, until the Times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. The Wrath of Heaven, does not Now commonly with such Visible Strokes from Heaven, cut off them that have provoked it, as perhaps it commonly did, when the Lord more visibly Exhibited Himself, as a King among His People, in the Mosaic Pedagogy. But Spiritual Plagues, and such Derelictions, and such Dispensations, as more immediately affect the Spirits of men, with a Confirmed ⟨p. 9⟩State of Sin, are those that are now Scattered like Brimstone on mens Habitations. And yet such Plagues also were of Old ••flicted, as well as Now. Hence we read, in Psal. 81.11, 12. My people would not Hearken to my voice; so I gave them up, unto their own Hearts Lust, and they walked in their own counsels. This was to punish mens former Sins, by giving them up to further Sins; even all the other Sins, that their own Hearts Lust would incline them unto. Hence we read, in Psal. 95.10, 11. It is a people that Err in their Heart, and have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not Enter into my Rest. This was to punish mens first Refusal of Entering into Rest, by giving them up, unto One Sin after another, which might bring Desolation upon them. Hence we read, in Hos. 4.17 Ephraim is joined unto Idols: And now, What shall be done to Idolatrous Ephraim? Enemies ▪ Devour him▪ Famines, Consume him! Thunders, Batter him▪ No; A worse Thing than all of This, Let him alone. But then, I am sure, Sin and Hell, won't Let him alone.
As an Instance of Spiritual Plagues, The Oracles of God, have often told us, That Some Sins, are not only Consequents, but also Punishments of others. To this purpose, we have that famous passage, in Isa. 6.10. where, the people who had sinfully Stopt their Ears, and Shut their Eyes, have this Judgment passed upon them for it; Make the heart of this people Fat, & make their Ears Heavy, and Shut their Eyes. The whole Jewish Nation, have now for many Ages, been a Flaming Monument of such Plagues, and Fulfilment of the Prophecy that praedicted them: God hath for this Cause given them up to a vile Unbelief: they are Shut up in Unbelief, as in the Utter Darkness of a Prison, because they have to criminally Refused the Lord Messiah; and in that Prison of Unbelief, must they Ly punished, until the Times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. The Wrath of Heaven, does not Now commonly with such Visible Strokes from Heaven, cut off them that have provoked it, as perhaps it commonly did, when the Lord more visibly Exhibited Himself, as a King among His People, in the Mosaic Paedogogy. But Spiritual Plagues, and such Derelictions, and such Dispensations, as more immediately affect the Spirits of men, with a Confirmed ⟨p. 9⟩State of Sin, are those that are now Scattered like Brimstone on mens Habitations. And yet such Plagues also were of Old ••flicted, as well as Now. Hence we read, in Psal. 81.11, 12. My people would not Hearken to my voice; so I gave them up, unto their own Hearts Lust, and they walked in their own counsels. This was to punish mens former Sins, by giving them up to further Sins; even all the other Sins, that their own Hearts Lust would incline them unto. Hence we read, in Psal. 95.10, 11. It is a people that Err in their Heart, and have not known my wayes: Unto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not Enter into my Rest. This was to punish mens first Refusal of Entring into Rest, by giving them up, unto One Sin after another, which might bring Desolation upon them. Hence we read, in Hos. 4.17 Ephraim is joyned unto Idols: And now, What shall be done to Idolatrous Ephraim? Enemies ▪ Devour him▪ Famines, Consume him! Thunders, Batter him▪ No; A worse Thing than all of This, Let him alone. But then, I am sure, Sin and Hell, won't Let him alone.
