Ans. 1. There is danger, lest the Lord should be provoked hereby to take away his Gospel. The abuses of mercies, provoketh the Lord to take them away: So the Lord threatens them, Hosea, chap 2. that because they had abused Temporal Blessings; Therefore, Vers. ⟨p. 70⟩9. I will take away my corn, and my wine, saith GOD, Will the Lord take away food for the body, if abused, and will he not much more deprive men of spiritual food for their Souls, if they be not thankful and fruitful under these enjoyments? hence Christ said to the Jews, The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof, Matt. 21.43. meaning, that the Word and Ordinances should be taken from them, and be given to the Gentiles; had they not been unfruitful under the means of grace, it should never have been so. And this was long before it came to pass, foretold by the Prophet, Isa. 5. The Lord there tells what he would do to his unfruitful Vineyard, Verse. 5. he saith, he would break down the wall thereof: Now the Word and Ordinances were as a wall of Distinction and Separation, whereby Israel was differenced from the Heathen Nations; & again, Ver. 6. The Lord saith, that he would command the clouds, that they should rain no more upon it; that is, that they should be deprived of the Ministry of the holy Prophets: Therefore afterward we hear that people complaining, that they had not their signs, there was none to tell them ⟨p. 71⟩how long, no Prophet amongst them, Psal. 74.9. This was a just punishment for their unprofitableness: And you know the Lord told Ezekiel, that he must become dumb, because the people were rebellious, ch. 3.26. the Prophets of God must be stricken dumb, yea, and dead too, they must be carried down to the place of silence, because the house of Israel is a rebellious house. This is that sin which brings many a precious Minister into his grave, that might have lived long, and have done much service in his Generation; Oh but the unprofitableness of a disobedient people killed their Minister.
Ans. 1. There is danger, lest the Lord should be provoked hereby to take away his Gospel. The abuses of mercies, provoketh the Lord to take them away: So the Lord threatens them, Hosea, chap 2. that because they had abused Temporal Blessings; Therefore, Vers. ⟨p. 70⟩9. I will take away my corn, and my wine, saith GOD, Will the Lord take away food for the body, if abused, and will he not much more deprive men of spiritual food for their Souls, if they be not thankful and fruitful under these enjoyments? hence Christ said to the Jews, The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof, Matt. 21.43. meaning, that the Word and Ordinances should be taken from them, and be given to the Gentiles; had they not been unfruitful under the means of grace, it should never have been so. And this was long before it came to pass, foretold by the Prophet, Isa. 5. The Lord there tells what he would do to his unfruitful Vineyard, Ve•se. 5. he saith, he would break down the wall thereof: Now the Word and Ordinances were as a wall of Distinction and Separation, whereby Israel was differenced from the Heathen Nations; & again, Ver. 6. The Lord saith, that he would command the clouds, that they should rain no more upon it; that is, that they should be deprived of the Ministry of the holy Prophets: Therefore afterward we hear that people complaining, that they had not their signs, there was none to tell them ⟨p. 71⟩how long, no Prophet amongst them, Psal. 74.9. This was a just punishment for their unprofitableness: And you know the Lord told Ezekiel, that he must become dumb, because the people were rebellious, ch. 3.26. the Prophets of God must be stricken dumb, yea, and dead too, they must be carried down to the place of silence, because the house of Israel is a rebellious house. This is that sin which brings many a precious Minister into his grave, that might have lived long, and have done much service in his Generation; Oh but the unprofitableness of a disobedient people killed their Minister.
