a ſtorm coming, is, becauſe that there is among us a huge multitude of hollow-hearted men, joined in the covenant with treacherous hearts, the Lord hath brought forth many of these already, but it is like, there will be more viſible diſcoveries, that will make men diſown and diſavow the covenant of God.
5th Reaſon. Another thing that ſays ye would look for a ſtorm, is, becauſe that it is already begun; the wind of the Lord’s fan is beginning to blow; ſeverals who were eminent in the work of the Lord are impriſoned; ſeveral ambaſſadors of the Lord’s houſe caſt out; and doth not this ſay that there is a ſtorm coming.
6th Reaſon. Laſtly, This ſays, that ye would look for a ſtorm, because all the wicked, and theſe that have been enemies to the people of God are already lifting up the head; and that is ay the prognoſtic of a ſtorm.
Uſe 2. The ſecond uſe is, as we would look for a ſtorm, ſo we would not ſtumble at it when it comes, becauſe it is the work of our God, it is the ordinary path-road that the Lord uſes to take or give in his diſpenſations to his church and people, all of them we would beware of.
Stumbling 1. The firſt ſtumbling of the children of Iſrael that we read of, when ſtorms were like to riſe, they ſtumble ſo far as to ſpeak of quitting the work of the Lord, and not marching on further to take poſſeſſion of the promiſed land; and they ſpeak of making a captain to return back again to Egypt: we would fear that that ſhould be the ſtumbling of many in these times, that they ſhall take a reſolution to quit all the work of God, and the work of reformation, and be content to be carried back again to theſe corruptions from whence they were, by the mercy of God, delivered. That is a moſt dreadful ſtumbling; we warn you of it, and we beſeech you in the name of the Lord to take head to it.
Stumbling 2. A ſecond ſort of ſtumbling that we would beware of, is, the ſtumbling of Doeg the Edomite,
