| their Ways, Deſigns and Doings be eyil, and puniſhable; where is that God of Judgment? or why doth he delay execution of his Dif- / pleaſure againſt ſuch Men and ways ? I am apt to rhink that the irre. q Iigious Sentiments of the Prieſts, their ſuperficial managing of the L ſolemn Worſhip of God, their adulteries, and multiplying of Wives, a hitherco unpuniſh'd, had brought them either to think there was no © ſuch thing as Moral Goodneſs, or Moral 'Viciouſneſs in Mens ARions - or that it there were, fince no Puniſhment was laid on the Vicious. ſu nor any Encouragement or preſent Reward: beſtowed on the Verty. " ous 3 that God did not, norever would concern himſelf to Judge it ; to and ſo by an undue way of arguing, had concluded themſelves ints ſpe Atheiſm, the very heightof Wickedneſs. Thar this is likely enough, - our Ape confirms, in which unpuniſh'd Enormities, are Atheiſts ar- _— guments againſt God and his Providence. And unleſs he damg _— them, they'l not believe the Being of a Ged : Bur ſuch muſt remem- of ber, they fhall knowand belicve itar laſt, if not roo late. 1:25, Fo : IV CHAP. 1IL pur Ghrift the meſſenger of the covenant promiſed : the terribleneſs of his cam- untc in; to purifie his people, 1 ——6. God complaineth of their fin and fR rebellion, 7. Their ſacrileze : God's pardon, if they repent and ye- this \ form, 8 I2, Their unbelief and ſlight of God's ſervice the reaſm till ti of it, 13 —— I5. A promiſe of God's bove and mercy to them that to me fear him, 16 —i8, rifie t] ws : Scouri _—_— a, * I will {ml 6 my meſſenger c, and hettwy throug ſhall prepare the way before me 4: and the Power Lord dd whom ye ſeek e, ſhall ſuddenly come f to his ws = cmple g ; even rhe mellenger of rhe covenant þ whom God ” ye delight z in, .behold &#, he thall come /, ſaith the or ſuch LORD of hoſts mr. of the The tormer Chapter, as we have it caſt, ended with an Enquiry « That made by vicious and ungodly Prieſts and People, who cither doubted v_—_ or denied the preſent Government, or future Judgment of God onr not be n the World. This being reproved in the laft Verſe of the ſecond —— Chapter, now God condeicends to give a very full and particular An- in, 4D ſwer to this Queſtion, for the Inſtruftion and Conſolation of the Good, lem fb whatever uſe the Evil will makeof it. « This Note in this Place, and #7 01d. anc on this occafion, requires our beſt Attention ; conſider it well there d Wh fore all ye thar enquire with Doubt, and all ye that enquire with Be- Meſſiah 7 lief, that he w']| come, who is God of Judgmeut. b Or I am ſending, Church I will ſhority ſead; it is Chriſt who here ſpeaketh;and who ſendeth; performec c fobn Baptiſt, rh: Forerunner of Chriſt, as evidently appears from ſuch CO Matth. 11.10. Mark 1. 2. and Lake 7. 27,28. Heis this Meſſenger Mem ney | whom ſome by Miſtake have taken to bean Angel ; but though the tne word, ; word ſo ſignifieth,ir deth allo figuify a Meſſenger, and ſo tis very fit Sacrifice te
, 1 '
ly rendred in tvs Place, vid. chap r. ver. x let. « d By preaching
Repentance, becauſe the Kingdom of Heaven was ar hand, by baps- whole Chri
| | lighttul as 4
Zing, by calling them to believe on the Meffiah, who ſhould now et as comely © long be revealed, Ge. ſo Fobn Baptiſt made ready the People to en- Acceptan, rertain Chriſt, and to believe in him ;z this was he who came in the gaveto a -
Spirit and Power of Zl:as, and ſuch an one the Jews expettcd. mine hes
dd Meſſiah, who is Lord and Chriſt, A#s 2, 36. Lord of Lords tain God 9,
Rev. 17. 14. and 19.16. e You ungodly Diſputers, ſeek, but nt ple when tt | aright, for you ſeck, 7. e. enquire whether there be ſuch a God «f ous Acce ta;
Judgment ? Beſide theſe, there are others alſo, who did ſeck, 7. * fices which h ; humbly , longing and praying that he would come, and waititg, fot his com
afſured that he will come 3; 'tis theſe chiefly intended. f After the 5 An 1
coming of his Forerunner z this ſuddenly in the Text, is not vet) fitly interpreted of a time,ſo I0ng as between this Prophecy and the
and I wil
lation of this ſecond Temple, did believe, and did confeſs, that tit 4 if you tho
Meffiah would come, whilſt that Houſe did ftand. He is thencom% Near to you, a for that Temple hath been ruined long fince by the Romans- The 7 God of Juds Angel of the Covenant, not £lias, but Chriſt the Meſſiah, in who ſerable who +
Blood the Covenant of Grace was confirmed, for whoſe ſake 'tis pf formed to us. # You Jews, among whom few there are, who do nor pleaſe themſelves to think of his Coming, for the expeCtationd! the beſt among the Jews, was fix'd on Salvation, as that they h9P*
Þ::c; as much as divorcing oi INS : : i
Violence by a fe we wa al wg d ol y ſuper —_— - for by Chriſt. Others expeRed great but worldly Advantage,8) urnace; to
Wife, called lxrea Garment God haterh, "In film; nokether path Coming, and ſetting up his Kingdom among them. & Behold #97 Gold : He
vOrces, ivr your Folyrainy, may with Safcty be praftiſed bor God atth the Prophet, conſider throughly what is foretold. ! oy - \pmible to Y ae , + 2 -
hateth both. & And therefore be adviſcd, take heed as you love your _—_ = —_ in the Manner forcſhewed, m All confirme af aſſured
Life, your Souls, your Peace, and Welfare. y Neither on Diſlike, © Word of the Great Bog. : L I In tim I YO
Ivor 5 _ yet with unbridled Luſt, rake other Wife in to the for- 2 But 2 whoo may abide p the day of his com1ng {-! 2s. Jy by Y ECnou
wer z 2002 are peridzous Treachery againſt her, thy Covenant, and | and who ſhall ſtand + when he appeareth ? for * 06” lerve bps p
k Wi;
|
like a refiners fire & and like fullers ſope #,
a Ai
* filver x : and ſhe ſhall purifie y the ſons of' Levi 2, and
I!
- theRighteous will fcarcely be ſaved, what then will become of the