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I. THAT MEN MAY RE BROUGHT TO A SENSE OF THEIR CONDITION, and led to use those methods which may serve to avert God's anger.

II. That in many cases READY PUNISHMENT CANNOT BE INFLICTED ON BAD MEN WITHOUT LAYING A CONSIDERABLE SHARE OF IT ON THE GOOD, and therefore God spares them for the present that the righteous may not be involved in the calamities of the wicked.

III. THE AGENCY OF ILL MEN MAY BE MADE USE OF IN ORDER TO LIKING ABOUT MANY GREAT DESIGNS OF PROVIDENCE, and, in particular, the delays of vengeance on some ill men may serve for the chastisement of others.

IV. BUT IT IS MUCH ONE, WITH RESPECT TO THE DIVINE BEING, WHEN PUNISHMENT IS INFLICTED ON ILL MEN IF IT BE INFLICTED AT ALL: one day is with Him as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Nor can the sinner, if he reflects, take any great satisfaction in thinking that those punishments are distant which are yet certain.

V. THAT THE PRESENT DELAYS OF VENGEANCE, IF THEY DO NOT WORK THEIR PROPER EFFECTS AND LEAD MEN TO THAT REPENTANCE THEY WERE INTENDED TO PRODUCE, WILL BUT AGGRAVATE THEIR RUIN.

(Bp. John Conybeare.)

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KJV: For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

WEB: For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water, by the word of God;