them 3 or by reaching them Licentuous Dottrine, that gave a "my erty to the Fleſh 3or by their vile Lives ſerting the people pat- rcrn of fin. And indeed rhus it 1s generally, when Miniſters, and ſuch 2s are ro teach others, are wicked, either in their Doarine or Practice,they are a fountain of Wickedneſs ; Wickedneſs flow- ©:h from them ro the whole Ciry, Town, Pariſh where they are 1m- ployed : And on the contrary it is obſerved,that where God gives a place a good Miniſtry, Goodneſs in one degree or other tlow- eth from them to the whole Ciry, Town or Pariſh. Though all are not Converted, yer the generality are civilized and reſtrained from thoſe groſs and brurtiſh Immoralities which other places avund with, T1] Miniſters muſt look for the ſevereſt indignation af God. Orhers ſing and ſhall die in their fins ; bur they teach others to break God's Commandments, and have the ſins of ma- ny to anſwer for, who periſh either by their Flatteries, or looſe 120Erine, or looſer Lives and Examples.
16 Thus ſaith the LORD of hoſts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets, that prophefie unto you b, they make yon vain c, * they ſpeak a vition of their own heart, ad not out of the mouth of the LORD &. :
b Peop'e are under no Religious Obligacton to hear any thing bur the revealed Wy of God, and are not to obey rhoſe rhat cali tc them for what thac dorh nor call to them. r Nor toliiten ro them, the Scope of whoſe teaching 1s bur ro make them vain, fin- | fu:ly vain 3 or ro deceive their Sculs, No Man is under an OUult-
fall grievouſly upon the head of the wicked 7.
h A ſevere Judgment of Gcd, thar ſhould reſemble a Whirl- wind, for the ſudden and utrer deſtruction that it ſhall bring. See Chap.30.23, 24. The ſame word 1s elſewhere tranſlated a ſtorm, Pſal 83. 15. Amos 1. 14. Fonah 1. 4. It is called a whirl- wind of the Lord ; either to denore the greatneſs of ir, as P[al. 36. 6. ortolet us know that the Jud7ment came forth from God and was of his ſending. 3 And whatever theſe flattering Teachers ſaid, ir ſhould fa!l upon wicked Men, fo as they fhould have no peace, but evil ſhould moſt certainly come upon them.
20 The * Anger of the LORD ſhall not return, * Chap, until he have executed, and *till he have performed 30. 24.
the thoughts of his heart &: in the latter days ye ſhall conſider it perfeRly /. |
þ Ir1s therefore called a continuing whirlwind, Chap. 30. 23. The Prophet ſpeaks of the jadgment as ofa Meſſenger, which com- ing from God, ſhould not return till it had done 1ts Errand, and executed what it came for, even whatever God had reſolved ir ſhould ette&. Men are ready to flatter themſclves, that they fhall either our-ride or out-live the ſiorms of divine Vengeance 3 no,
(faith the Propher) the Anzer of the Lord ſhall bring to paſs what -
ſoever rhe juſt will of God1s. 1! And though you will not now believe it, bur flatter your ſelves with idle, vain hopes, yet hereafter when 1t ſhall be roo lace (whic!1 is the uſual folly of Sinners) then you ſhall conſider it perfefily.
21 *] have not ſent theſe Prophets, yet they ran : + Chap.
I have not ſpoken unto them, yet they prophe- 14. 14 & 27. 15. &
lied.
22 But if they had ſtood in my counſel, and had ?® 7:
cauſed my people to hear my words mz, then they ſhould have turned them from their evil way, and
from the evil of their dotags z.
1m Theſe falſe Prophers did nor propheſie without the Appro- bation of the Rvlers of che Erclefiaftical State amongſt rhe Jews in their corrupr <ftare, but fo they might, and yer not ſent be of God, The Judgmenr of a Divine Miſlion tor the Revelation of God's mind unto People, muſt nor be mecr!y from their exrernal miftion (which yer they ougiir to liave 1a a Church that 1s 1n order) 25ur from the fairhful diſcharge of their Mamiftcy. Thoſe whom
God ſends, and ivho arc ialy acyuainred with bs Countels, w 1]
CaUie
C hap. XA
LORD hath ſaid, * Ye ſhall have peace e ; and they * Clap. 6. ſay unto every one that walketh after the || magina- 14- &8.11,
10. Tech,
IO. 2 |, Or, ft ba bornnt(s.
19 Behold, * a whirlwind of the LORD is gone * Chap. forth in fury h, even a grievous whirlwind, it ſhall 75: 3+:
Chap. RRUP
*P14!,139
"KC,
Li
SERE
cauſe his people to hear, nor their own conceits and inventions, but the Word of the Lord. God ſendeth none upon any other Er- rand, bur to reveal his Will, and tell his Mind unro people. » Then, ſairh the Propher, they ſhould nave turned them from ther evil way, thar is, they would have made this their Scope, Buſineſs and End, to rurn Sinners from their ſinful ways, and though poſſibly
M 1 4A H Chan. 2%
29 [not my word likea firez, ſth the LORD? and like an hammer 2%ar breaketh the rock 1a pie- ces a?
; Full of Life and Efficacy, Jon 5 53. Hb. a. 12, Vhe a Firs that warmeth, and healeth, and melterh, and confumnerch the
their ſahour would not have had ſogood an effe& upon all, yer they would have had an efte&t upon ſome ro turn them from their evil dogs.
23 Am1a God at hand, faich the LORD, and
1 God afar off o. | ;
” pars 3s generally rhe foundation of ill Life. Men fay, God ſees them nor, the Almighty doth nor regard them. By a God at hand many underſtand Heaven : Do you chink that my Eyes are limited Ike yours, that T cannot lee their Practices though fzr off from me ? thar is, from the place of my glorious Reft- dence? Orhers inrerprer the Paxricle with reſpect to time 3; Am T1 4 God of Yeſterday, hke the 1do!s? Am nor I the Ancient of Days? The Erernal God, whole Majefty and Omniſctence you ought ro have caken Norice of ?
24 Can any * hide himſelf in ſecret places that I ſhall not ſee him, ſaith the LORD? * do not I fill
Amo: 9. heaven and earth, faith the LORD p ?
2; 3'
What do theſe Atheiftical Prieſts, and Prophets, and People
* 1 Kings think? Do they think thatT, who am a God of purer eyes than
3 27,
to behold Iniquiry, ſee and rake Norice of what DoRrine they