but you loved the world, and your flesh above him, and therefore you would not hearken to him, though you complimented with him, and gave him high titles, yet when it came to the closing, you would have none of him, Psal. lxxxi. 11, 12. No marvel then, if "he gave you up to your own hearts lusts, and walked in your own counsels." He condescends to reason, and pleads the case with you, and asks you, "What is there in me, or my service, that you should be so much against me? What harm have I done thee sinner? Have I deserved this unkind dealing at thy hand? Many mercies have I showed thee; for which of them dost thou despise me? Is it I, or is it satan, that is thy enemy? Is it I, or is it thy carnal self, that would undo thee? Is it an holy life, or a life of sin, that thou hast cause to stay from? If thou be undone, thou procurest this to thyself by fo• saking ⟨p. 104⟩saking me, the Lord that would have saved thee, Jer. ii. 7. Doth not thy own wickedness correct thee, and thy sin reprove thee? Thou mayest see that it is an evil and bitter thing, that thou bast forsaken me. Jer. ii. 19. What iniquity have you found in me, that you have followed after vanity, and forsaken me? Jer. ii. 5, 6." He celleth out, as it were, to the brutes, to hear the c•••troversy he hath against you, "Mic. ii. 3, 4, 5. Hear, O ye mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth, for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. O my people, what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me, for I brought thee up out of Egypt, and redeemed thee, &c. Hear, O heavens, and give car, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me: the •x knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider! Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, &c. Isa. i. 2, 3, 4. Do you thus requite the Lord, O foolish people, and unwise? Is not he thy father that bought thee? Hath he not made thee, and established thee?" Deut. xxxii. 6. When he saw that you forsook him, even for nothing, and turned away from your Lord and life, to hunt after the chaff and feathers of the world, he told you of your folly, and called you to a more profitable employment," Isa. lv. 1, 2, 3.
but you loved the world, and your flesh above him, and therefore you would not hearken to him, though you complimented with him, and gave him high titles, yet when it came to the closing, you would have none of him, Psal. lxxxi. 11, 12. No marvel then, if "he gave you up to your own hearts lusts, and walked in your own counsels." He condescends to reason, and pleads the case with you, and asks you, "What is there in me, or my service, that you should be so much against me? What harm have I done thee sinner? Have I deserved this unkind dealing at thy hand? Many mercies have I shewed thee; for which of them dost thou despise me? Is it I, or is it satan, that is thy enemy? Is it I, or is it thy carnal self, that would undo thee? Is it an holy life, or a life of sin, that thou hast cause to stay from? If thou be undone, thou procurest this to thyself by fo• saking ⟨p. 104⟩saking me, the Lord that would have saved thee, Jer. ii. 7. Doth not thy own wickedness correct thee, and thy sin reprove thee? Thou mayest see that it is an evil and bitter thing, that thou bast forsaken me. Jer. ii. 19. What iniquity have you found in me, that you have followed after vanity, and forsaken me? Jer. ii. 5, 6." He celleth out, as it were, to the brutes, to hear the c•••troversy he hath against you, "Mic. ii. 3, 4, 5. Hear, O ye mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth, for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. O my people, what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wea•ied thee? Testify against me, for I brought thee up out of Egypt, and redeemed thee, &c. Hear, O heavens, and give car, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me: the •x knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider! Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, &c. Isa. i. 2, 3, 4. Do you thus requite the Lord, O foolish people, and unwise? Is not he thy father that bought thee? Hath he not made thee, and established thee?"
