presage of the captivity of the whole Nation, which shortly fol∣lowed, 2 Kings 17. and under which they are held to this day. Doct. 1. Whatever be the Lords prerogative of free-grace, in de∣livering when and whom he will; and whatever be his pitie to∣ward his own, who cry to him under justly procured afflictions, yet such as continue in sin, after the Lord hath smitten them, may expect that their calamities will not expiate their sin, but that God will pursue them with stroake upon stroak; Therefore albeit Israel was plagued and broken before, yet since they con∣tinued in their defection from the true worship of God, and from the house of David, this ripens to a new birth of judgement; She conceived again, and bare, &c. 2. It is a sad judgement, when the Lord not only weakens a people outwardly, but takes away also manly spirits from them, and they became like women either for doing or suffering. So much may be imported by this type of a daughter; that the estate of the people after the former stroake, and at the coming on of this, was quite broken, and themselves effeminate; so that they were content to take any tearmes of the Assyrians, who molested them, 2 Kings 15.19. (which is called a light affliction in respect of this that followed, Isa. 9.1.) and did quietly stoop under so many murthering Kings, who did rise every one upon the ruines of another. When men are in such a temper, conscience will readily be trampled on, through basenesse. 3. It is a sad ingredient of an afflicted condi∣tion, when Gods mercy and bowels of compassion are withheld from a people under it, when they have no assurance of a roome in his heart, and sympathy, (which is a faire advantage,) nor any effects thereof manifested in moderating, or delivering from it: Therefore saith he, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel. The sadnesse of this condition may be read in the Churches complaint, Isa. 63.15. and in Gods promise to his children, Psal. 89.30, 31, 32, 33, 34. 4. However the Lord do manifest much mercy toward a visible Church, and she be ready to presume on that, yet abuse of former mercy, may bring the exercise of mercy toward a vi∣sible Church, to a period; For, saith the Lord, I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel, or adde no more to have mercy, as of before; and the sad evidence of this condition is, that their former rods had not been blessed, but their abuse thereof by their continuance in sin, had drawn forth this new rod, with this sad note upon it. 5. Where the Lord denies his mercy under affli∣ction, not only will that stroak prove irrecoverable, but it is an