when God intendeth you should be suddenly rejected. Many may be preserved from some judgements, because they are reserved to greater judg∣ments. The Lord hath begun indeed to give us in England a little reviving, a little strength to enable us to rise against the oppressions of our Adversa∣ries, those cruel oppressions. But let us not be secure, notwithstanding this; for though we have some little reviving, if we follow not God on in the way of humiliation and reformation, this our little reviving may be but a light∣ning before our death.And yet further, it is very observable, when the condition of Israel was at this time when God was about to say, Lo-ammi, they are not my people; what it was not only in regard of their strength, but what it was in regard of their sins. For you shall finde (if you examine the History) that the people of Israel were at this time somewhat better then they had been before: not on∣ly had gotten somwhat more strength, but they were somewhat better in re∣gard of their sins then they had been; Imeane they had lesse sins then they had before: yet now God is saying to them, Lo-ammi, You are not my peo∣ple. And for that observe, 2 Kings 17. 2. if you reade that Chap, you shall finde that the very time of the utter rejection of Israel was in the dayes of Hoshea, and the Text saith, He did evil in the sight of the Lord; the King in whose dayes they were so rejected, did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not as the Kings of Israel that were before him. He was not so bad as the for∣mer Kings of Israel, and yet in his dayes there comes utter destruction upon Israel. Yea and as the King was not so bad then as others before him; so it may seeme the people were not so bad as in former time, for ver. 9. the Text saith, That the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right, against the Lord their God. Indeed they were sinful, but their sinfulnes was secret, they did not sin with such an open impudent face, as it seemed, as heretofore. Yet in this Kings time, and when these people were thus, commeth their utter ruine.What may we learne from hence?This, That sometimes when there are greater sinnes, patience stayes judgement;Obser. and yet afterward when a people seeme to be in a better con∣dition, not onely in regard of their outward strength,When sins seem to be less then be fore, yet then judge∣ments may come. but then in regard of their sins too, yet then God cometh with his wrath upon that people.Let us not flatter our selves, although we can say that some things here a∣mongst us are not so bad as heretofore they have beene. Suppose there be some partial reformation, this is not ground enough to secure us. We cannot reason thus, Why heretofore the Land was more sinful then now; and the Governours were more oppressing then now, there hath been (thanks be to God) much reformation. This is not enough, we may be neerer the forest misery at this time (if our reformation be not a through reformation) then we were before. And the reason is this because God when he comes against a Nation, he doth not onely come against it for the present sins that they are actually guilty of at that time, but to reckon with them for their sins comited 0