I 



400 APPENDIX. 



as those of the Egyptian furnace, into a blain, and 

 a botch,* and a plague sore upon us. 



Nay, even out of those dead ashes can He raise 

 yet a fiercer flame, to consume what still remains. 

 As the lightning cometh out of the East, saith our 

 Lord, and shineth even unto the West, so shall my 

 coming be, (^sc. to destroy Jerusalem,) and wherever 

 the carcase is, will the eagles be gathered together. 

 Matth. xxiv. Fire is the eagle in nature ; nothing 

 in the elementary world mounts so high to its place, 

 and stoops so low to its prey : the two properties 

 God himself ascribes to that bird. Job, xxxix. 

 27. 30. And, if we still refuse obstinately to be 

 gathered like chickens under our Lord's wing, he 

 can again let loose this bird of prey, this eagle of 

 Heaven upon us ; and, from the East, where it be- 

 gan before, fly it home like lightning, ewj ^ucr/xwv, 

 even to the utmost West, to seize and to devour 

 wherever there is the least quarry remaining. 



Or, if this move us not, let us remember that 

 we have another city upon the waters, a floating 

 town of moveable forts and castles, the walls and 

 bulwarks of the nation ; stronger than those of 

 brass the fable speaks of. As we desire that God 

 would ever ' fill their sails with prosperous gales, 

 and still bring them home with honour and victory 

 and good success ; let us take heed that we fight 

 not against them too. Our sin, like a talent of 

 lead, may sink them to the bottom ; our lusts, 



* Exod. ix. 8, 9. 



