The truly blessed man

A. There hath been no small occasion of stumbling on this account: God hath made great promises concerning this; and though he hath said, he will correct them in case of prevarication, yet he hath also said, that if they confess and pray, they shall be pitied and relieved; and if they walk close with him, they shall greatly prosper; and that after this they shall be thus exposed, is an har• chapter, & carnal reason cries out, Where is the Promise? Let us then closely weigh this Case.

1. In respect of Public Calamities, and their relation to them: Observe two things,

1. In respect of Publick Calamities, and their relation to them: Observe two things,

1. Though God may hear them for themselves, and forgive them, yet he may not forgive the Land they live in, and so their being forgiven will have no influence to keep off Public Judgments. A people may be guilty, and God will not withhold his hand; their personal repentance doth not remove the general impenitency, and they cannot stand in the gap, to keep off the Wrath of God, or stop the breaking in of floods of misery; and if the body of a people have corrupted their ways, and will not be reformed, it is righteous with God to bring these waters upon them, and sometimes i• comes to that, Jer. 15.1. Ezek. 14.14.

1. Though God may hear them for themselves, and forgive them, yet he may not forgive the Land they live in, and so their being forgiven will have no influence to keep off Publick Judgments. A people may be guilty, and God will not withold his hand; their personal repentance doth not remove the general impenitency, and they cannot stand in the gap, to keep off the Wrath of God, or stop the breaking in of floods of misery; and if the body of a people have corrupted their ways, and will not be reformed, it is righteous with God to bring these waters upon them, and sometimes i comes to that,