to receive correction ; nor will they cry when God binds them^. Nor is this peculiar to any one order of people more than another* : some are presumptuously boasting of our power to withstand the arm of God"; others, of whom better things might have been hoped, refuse to unite even in the outward services of this day. (Have these men never done any thing to increase our national guilt, that they refuse to deprecate our national judgments ? Or have they no occasion to implore mercy for themselves ?) To none was the prophet's complaint ever more applicable than to ourselves at this juncture''.]
2. In individuals ?
[Some there are, we trust, who "weep between the porch and the altar." Some are " grieved for the affliction of Joseph >", but these are few in number ; nor are they by any means so deeply affected as they ought to be. But where shall we find any that have been humbled under the divine chastisements ? Who amongst us is truly "turning unto him that smiteth us ?" Who is " seeking the Lord of hosts ?" Who have been mourn- ing over their sins this day in secret ? Who have put from them their idols and their abominations^? Who have cried for mercy as perishing sinners ? Or stood in the gap to intercede for their distressed country ? Happy they whose personal troubles have wrought this blessed change ! But we fear that few, if any, have so laid to heart the public calamities, as to have experienced from them such a salutary effect.]
We shall conclude our inquiries with some suitable and important observations —
1. God v^^ill surely overcome at last —
[He is now maintaining a controversy with us. Nor can we expect that he should lay aside his rod till it has accom- plished his will. If we continue to walk contrary to him, no doubt he will continue to walk contrary to us. If the scourging us with rods will not suffice, he will scourge us with scorpions ^ He will repay us seven-fold more for our sins''. Four times are we warned that his hand is stretched out stilP. Let us then cease from the unequal combat '^j and turn to him, before the measure of our iniquities be completely filled.]
2. If we turn to God with our whole hearts, he will cease from his anger —
s Job xxxvi. 13. t Jer. v. 1, 4, 5. " ver. 10.
X Isai. i. 4 — 6. y Amos vi. 6. ^ Ezek. xx. 7.
a 1 Kings xii. 11. ^ Lev. xxvi. 21, 27, 28. « Isai. ix. 12, 17, 21. andx. 4. ^ Ezek.xxii. 14. Isai. x. 3.