The excellency of a public spirit discoursedThe excellency of a publick spirit discoursed

Conclusion 2. Although when destroying Judgments come upon a People, the Divine Providence does sometimes make a difference between the Righteous and the Wicked, nevertheless it is not always so. Sometimes God in his Providence does very signally discriminate between those he has a favour for, and others. When the Egyptians were visited with ten plagues, the Children of Israel were preserved. When Sodom was overthrown, righteous Lot escaped. Barak had his life given to him for a prey, when others were swept away with a b•som of destruction

Conclusion 2. Although when destroying Iudgments come upon a People, the Divine Providence does sometimes make a difference between the Righteous and the Wicked, nevertheless it is not always so. Sometimes God in his Providence does very signally discriminate between those he has a favour for, and others. When the Egyptians were visited with ten plagues, the Children of Israel were preserved. When Sodom was overthrown, righteous Lot escaped. Barak had his life given to him for a prey, when others were swept away with a b•som of destruction

It was said to the Church in Philadelphia, Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world. Rev 3 10. When the Babylonians laid Jerusalem waste, some who were Mourners in Zion, experienced signal temporal Salvations. And so it was with the Christian Jews at that time when utter desolation came on Jerusalem by the Roman Sword. God did by a miraculous Providence distinguish them from others, according to Malachi's Prophesy. Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth ⟨p. 46⟩him not. Mal. 3.18. Thus it came to pass. The Lord Jesus Christ had intimated to his Disciples, that when they should see Jerusalem compassed about with armies, they should know that the destruction of it is near, and that therefore they should go out of the City to some other place for safety. When the Romans came to take the City, they did by a strange Providence withdraw their Siege. The Christians remembering the words of Christ went out of the City to Pella, a Town beyond the River Jordan, when they were gone, the Roman Army came again and never broke up the Siege until they had destroyed and utterly ruined the City. Thus did the Lord make a difference between the righteous and the wicked; then also was another Prophecy fulfilled, viz. that,