Page:Cry from the dead, or, The ghost of Mr James Guthrie appearing.pdf/7

 glory, and mercy and truth, do not always behave themſelves as they ought to do, but even while he is dealing kindly with them, they do many ways provoke him to wrath. Therefore God, for correcting their ſin, and chaſtiſing their iniquity, brings troubles and ſtorms upon them. In the xcix. Pſalm, the Lord is brought to take vengeance on the inventions of his people in the wilderneſs; that ye may underſtand this the better, look the lxxviii. Pſalm, which is a clear commentary to this, where his rod wherewith he puniſhed that people in the wilderneſs, and delayed their entrance into Canaan, and their ſin both are ſet down: their unſtedfaſtneſs in the Lord’s covenant. Ye may look ſome of the proofs of theſe ſins.

1ſt Sin. Firſt, In the 10th. and 11th. verſes of Pſalm lxxviii. They kept not the covenant of God, and refuſed to walk in his law; and forgot his works, and wonders that he had ſhewed them. They were unſtedfaſt in the Lord’s covenant. In the xix. and xx. chapters of Exodus, they entered into a moſt ſolemn covenant with God, that all of them undertook to ſtand to, and to prove faithful therein; but they kept not his covenant, but dealt deceitfully in it, therefore he brought ſuch ſtorms on them in the wilderneſs, and ſo long ſuſpended their entrance into the promiſed land.

2d Sin. A ſecond ſin is, in the 18th. verſe, they ſinned yet more and tempted him in their hearts, by aſking meat for their luſts. They are not ſatisfied with the things that God has allowed them, but luſted after ſtrange things, and became luſtful in their appetites: therefore God is wroth, and thus exerciſeth them in the wilderneſs.

3d Sin. A third ſin is, in the 22d. verſe, their diſſidence and unbelief; they believed not God, and truſted not in his ſalvation; they put tempting queſtions, concerning his power and goodneſs in the 19th. verſe, Can God furniſh a table in the wilderneſs? Therefore he thus exerciſed them with ſtorms.

4th Sin. A fourth ſin is, they deſpised and under-valued