1 Thes 5.7 irresistibly and unexpectedly In a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of Matth. 24.50 Yet not for want of warning God scorns to steal upon them he comes openly and blows his Trumpet before him but 't is for not taking warning and hence it is Iob. 5.14 that they meet with darkness in the day time and grope and stumble and fall in the noon-day as in the night 3. It will argue thy care to please God and that thou standest in some holy fear and filial awe of him 'T is a token of an Ingenuous spirit in a child to observe the looks and carriage of his Father towards him when a look or a nod is enough to intimate the parents mind and to cause the dutiful child to obey or submit and humble himself As the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their Masters and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her Mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God Psal 123.2 O my brethren If it be not all one with you whether God be pleased or displeased whether you stand or fall before him if you â—ould be hid in the day of his wrath take notice of his frowns and of his smiles and which â—ay his rod leans when his hand is lifted up Walk with him and follow after him in the â—aths of his Providence walk with him I say â—ut take heed of stepping before him or parting from him and humble your selves under â—he tokens of his fatherly displeasure O how â—indly would God take this at your hands â—nd how soon would he lead you through â—nese thickets and bryars into more open and â—leasant walks Thus far for the Doctrinal part I shall speak â—ut briefly in the application of it that I may â—asten to what principally I intended in the â—hoice of this subject This truth then argues three sorts of people under just reprehension Vse 1 1. Such as will not acknowledge God in and under the Rod That cry out under the smart of it but are blind as to the real Ends and Designes of it and herein the best are very guilty if we throughly consider these four things wherein God is to be acknowledged in his Rod. 1. In his Providence as he is the Author of it Shall there be evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it Am. 3.6 It is the Lord said Eli let him do what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3.18 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Job 1.21 not the Sabeans nor the Chaldeans here was no quarrelling with second causes nor falling out with Instruments O suffer me Christian now to deal a little plainly and faithfully with thee ' Dost thou acknowledge God in his Providence are thou really perswaded that he is the Author of every stroke thou sufferest Have thine Enemies a Commission from heaven even the â—road seal for what they do though they act not intentionally in prosecution of any such Commission O Assyrian the rod of mine anger c. I will send him not onely suffer him against an hypocritical nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire in the streets Isa 10.5 6. Are Instruments but the Charriot-wheels whereon God is riding out to correct and to chastize what means then this snarling at the stone this contending with the rod as if that were in all the fault If it be God that strikes thee as thou acknowledgest how darest thou oppose thy self against thy Maker What is it that your complaints are ordinarily so full of when like Turtles you are bemoaning your selves together But the cruelty and oppression of Enemies exclaiming on the subtilty and unfaithfulness of one or on the malice revenge or self-seeking of another this argues your half-acknowledging of God I was dumb and opened not my mouth sayes David because thou didst it Psal 39 9. He observes the hand as well as the rod God had to do with him and he has to do with God again in the affliction here lyes the Quarrel and therefore he hath nought to say â—o Instruments he dares not once to open his mouth 2. God is to be acknowledged in his Sovereignty His authority is absolute and unlimited Heaven and Earth and all created beings Souls and Bodies and whatsoever we are or â—ave are peculiarly his Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus hath not the Potter power â—ver the clay Rom. 9.20 21. Now acknowledging implyes a submitting to an acquiescing and resting under some clear and full perswasion It is not only an act of the lip or of the â—udgment but is comprehensive of the whole man the heart and life the assent and content When a Question is granted the dispute 〈◊〉 ended if Gods Sovereignty in the Latitude and universal fulness of it be throughly acknowledged we have nothing then to gainsay â—im in his arbitrary execution of it if he â—â—ke our health or our wealth or peace or friends or lives from us we are thus far satisfied that he takes but his own he doth but â—etch in what he had lent out and we do no more than we are bound to do in honouring him though with the expence of all those borrowed enjoyments Wo unto him that striveth â—ith his Maker let the Potsheards strive with â—he Potsheards of the earth shall the clay say to â—im that fashioneth it What makest thou or by work He hath no hands Isa 45.9 3. God will be acknowledged in his Justice Wilt thou condemn him that is most just sayâ—â— Elihu to Job Surely God will not do wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert judgment Job 34.17 and 12. 'T is true men may be unjust If thou seest the Oppression of the poor and violent perverting of Judgment and Justice in a province marvel not at the matterâ— Eccles 5.8 'T is no strange thing to find uâ—righteousness among men nay too often among the best of men but to impeach God of injustice or to charge him with hard measure 〈◊〉 most nesarious Blasphemy Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right Nay after all thiâ— that is come upon us for our evil deeds and fâ—â— our great trespass seeing that thou O God hast puniâ—hed us less than our iniquities deserve Ezr. 9.13 Yet who is there that will not acknowledge that God is just even in his severest providences But alas my brethren 't is one thing to say that God is just another thing to sit down fully satisfied under the cleaâ— conviction of the Equity and Reasonableness of it 4. God must be acknowledged in his ends Now his Ends are either secret or revealed Aâ— for those secrets of God those Arcana Imperii they are infinitely above us lockt up in thâ— Cabinet of divine Counsel all that
nor the Priviledge of Adoption that shall defend you if a Child stand nay though his Natural and Onely Son between him and his Mark he shall surely die 4. If we would understand the true intent and meaning of the Lords Rod we must humbly betake our selves to the Lord of the Rod. It is not safe to trust our selves in this case Self bears so strong a hand in us that it will be hard if not impossible to escape its Distinctions and Fallacies There will be some secret Grains of Allowance for this Lust and a plausible Dispensation for the other Sin and a colourable veit spread over the other Abomination a thousand wayes we are in danger of deceiving our selves untill we go to God as the Disciples did to Christ to unriddle to us his own Parables This was Joshurs course as you may read in the place before-quoted and this was David's course Psal 42.9 I will say unto God my Zeck why hast thou fongotten me why go I mourning because of the appression of the Enemy O Sir let this be your peedy course too Set some time apart solemnly to enquire of God what his will is and what he would have you to do as to the hard case he hath set before you Go into your corners and commune with God in secret lay down your packs at his feet and spread them all before him open every Box and every Bundle turn out the very Battom of all in his sight and tell him Lord I am sonsible of thy Rod oh make me as sensible of thy meaning in the Rod oh let me know why my Father is displeased thy Frowns are death to me Lord I cannot bear them O let me but once know my sin and it shall be enough What is my Trespass what is my sin that thou art thus pursuing after me search all my Stuff examin every Tent and set it here before me bring out the stollen Images though the Rachel of my greatest delight should dissemble them and plead a Custom or Natural Infirmity for them 'T is true Lord there is cause enough why thou shouldst not only frown but dash so filthy a Potsheard in pieces for ever But O let me bear Lord what now thou halt against me let me not be judg'd and condemn'd in a Language I cannot understand Is it my Pride that displeaseth thee O break my heart whatever it cost me and make me as humble as thou wouldst have me to be Is it my Worldliness my Uncleanness my Impatience thy Remissness in Duties my want of zeal or loss of Love Lord I would not spare one of these Amalekies O let thy Spirit convince me of Sin and then gird me with thy Sword and thy Power that though I cannot stable them through at one thrust yet I may be ever hewing them in pieces till thou hast utterly destroyed them for me Oh my brethren will you ingage your selves in this Duty Would you be hid in the day of God's wrath or shall be go on to pour it out upon you Now resoâ—â—â— or shortly it will be too late The Axe is lifted up shall God strike or will you resolve He is about a strange work among us and that his Enemies shall shortly know Will you be numbred among them that perish the Lord forbid Oh let us prepare to meet the Lord while he is yet a little way off in the way of his Judgments before his fierce wrath so light on our Sodom that it be too late to escape to the Mountain Thus I have given you the Key to unlock these hidden Mysteries and to open the Oracle to you Turn it as I have directed you and as God shall enable you Observe the four Wards of it if you break or wrest either of these it will not do I shall premise no further but proceed to the Voice And first â—n General 1. One voice of the Rod in general is this God will have his People to awake and consider The Anger of the Lord shall not return until â—e have executed and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart in the latter dayes ye â—all consider it perfectly Jer. 23.20 When a people have oâ—t their Hearing God will deal with them by that other sense of Feeling In the â—tter dayes ye shall consider it perfectly though they have made a shift to stop their Ears at Warnings Calls and Threatnings though â—â—y Trumpets and Heraulds of Warr could â—ot awaken them yet my Sword shall at last â—o it I will reprove thee and set them in â—rder before thine eyes now consider this ye â—hat forget God lest I tear you in pieces and â—here be none to deliver Psal 50.21 22. If by words will not do it my Blows shall I will â—et Life in them or I will take that Life they have from them if the renting off their skirt will not rouze them I will tear them in pieces and none shall deliver them Lord when thy â—and is lifted up they will not see but they â—hall see and be ashamed Isa 26.11 Thus â—oth God many times make his very Enemies Consider and force them to see and gaze upon â—heir damning guilt and inevitable misery â—hey shall know that God is too hard for them â—icisti Galilae was the cursed speech of that â—ccursed Apostate Julian God will sometimes give them the Praelibamina the forc-tasts of Hell and make them to consider whether they will or no. This my brethren is a dreadfuâ— kind of considering when God shall cast meâ—â—â— into Hell with their eyes open like some departing Souls scarâ—d by the hideous out-cryes 〈◊〉 those that are about them when their eyes aâ—â— sunk and the gates of Death seem to be shâ—â— upon them then to stare abroad again in a gastly trembling distracted posture ut sentiant se mâ—ri hat they may feel themselves to die this is the Judgment and Vengeance of Considering Buâ— when God comes to deal with his children beâ— treats them like a Father though he knock them yet he will not kill them though be may break their heads yet he will not dash out their brains and yet awake they must too 〈◊〉 dead as they are he will not leave them so he hath a Rod for them which will break no bones and with this he whips them into their spiritual senses when words will not prevail Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Eph. 5.14 And now Christian Reader thus fanâ— thou hast read but canst thou say Hitherto 〈◊〉 am come Have these or any other of Gods Calls or Knocks so much as awakened thee â—â— and art thou sure thou dost not dream aâ—â— thou fit for a sober and rational debate of thaâ— Controversie that lies between God and thâ— Soul If so then 1. Consider whether thou standest in relation with God as a Friend or as an Enemâ— this will be the very first thing that will call for serious thoughts Lord Who
in their rage know no distinction beâ—ween Friends and Enemies What mean ye â—hat ye use this Proverb saying The Fathers â—ave eaten soure grapes and the childrens teeth â—re set on edge Ezek. 18.2 The soul that â—neth it shall dye ver 4. Be sure Yet see ver 1. God is not â—riking thee for nought he sees cause enough 〈◊〉 this cup had never come to thy share Lo I â—ave sinned saies David and I have done wickâ—ly but these sheep what have they done â—et thy hand I pray thee be against me See also Ezek. 14.23 â—nd against my Fathers house 2 Sam. 24.17 â—ow in this serious reflection on our wayes we â—ould consider 1. Our sins with their aggravations Paâ—don of Sin is the Gate of Mercy while Sâ—lyeth at the door Mercy cannot enter Penâ—tent Confession is the only Lege-way to Pâ—â—don and certainly a distinct knowledg 〈◊〉 necessarily precede such Confession and a diâ—gent Search such Knowledge In this Climeâ— there 's no striding two stairs at once if yâ—â— fail in one you are out in all The removal 〈◊〉 an Affliction before the Sin be removed is thâ— way to a greater and more spiritual Judgment and to turn Rods into Scorpions O my bâ—â— thren for your Souls sake and for your dâ— Posteritie's sake search and try your wayâ—â— pass an impartial review on all the Passages 〈◊〉 Transactions of your hearts and lives Thâ— God is displeased we doubt not and that 〈◊〉 is the cause we doubt not but what these 〈◊〉 are and when where and how this guilt 〈◊〉 and hath been contracted is that which noâ— the Rod calls on us to examine Sinner wâ—â— thou be perswaded to set thine heart to 〈◊〉 work Seemeth it a small thing that God hâ—â— imprisonâ—d his own Glory and hath mingâ—â— our tears nay our bloud with our sacrifices 〈◊〉 dâ—vided and torn us Soul and Body Church anâ— State And after all shall God take up his oâ—â— Lamentation over us Jer. 8.4 5 6 7 Thus saith the Lord Shall they fall and 〈◊〉 arise shall he turn away and not return 〈◊〉 then is this People slidden back by a perpetâ—â—â— backsliding they hold fast deceit they refâ—â—â— to return I hearkned and heard but theâ— spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying What have I done every one turneth to his course as the horse rusheth into the Battel Oh! how should our thoughts â—â—ry into every corner and leave no stone unturn'd lest the Leprosie should be in it and the last end be worse than the beginning 1. The sin of our nature will afford us matter of large consideration and sad lamentation That Peccatum agens that Pregnant Sin â—hat Root of Bitterness the Original of all our Sin and Misery Now sit down and seriously â—onsider Lord in what a case was I born â—nd how long did I lie ignorant of and conâ—ented under that estate how little have I been â—roubled about it how faint and heartless at â—est have my endeavours been to wrestle with 〈◊〉 or to escape from it oh how full am I still of the old Dregs like a Cake not turn'd but â—â—ttle more than half bakâ—e perpetually prone â—o backsliding If thou wilt know from whence 〈◊〉 is that the Streams run so foul away to the â—ountain and there thou shalt quickly see how 〈◊〉 comes to pass and that it is more than an â—cquired Pollution the Fountain the Founâ—â—in is unclean This was David's course â—sal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity â—nd in sin did my mother conceive me Sin set â—ut with me the very first step from my Conâ—â—tion the Leprosie clave unto me in the very â—it from whence I was digged He that never â—â—lt the bitterness and weight of Original sin â—â—rther than it discover'd it self in Actual is yet a stranger to true Repentance And for the aggravation of this Plague of our Natures consider the sinful effects of it 2. In respect of omission How hath it deadned thee to all kinds of duty especially to the most spiritual and self-denying duties When we should and sometimes when we would dâ— good evil is present and too often prevalent with us Brethren in the Bowels of Christ Jesus I beseech you consider how large an Indictment of this nature Conscience has on record against us We can't plead ignorance as some others it may be hope to do We have or might have known our Master's Will He hath not left us one Talent only but all the Treasures of his House the unsearchable riches of his Gospel He hath not left us as some small Legatees but Heirs and Executors of his whole Will and Testament and now what have we to shew for all this Here we have been wrangling about Circumstances and Administrations despising or envying one anothers portion so have turned the grace of God into lasciviousness On where 's the Improvement where 's the Encrease the Advantage that God will shortly call for Remember what was Laodicea's temper and what was Laodicea's curse Oh this wretched this cursed lukewarmness how dear is it like to cost us By that time we have discounted what we have lâ—â— pass through invincible nay shall I add through affected and gross Ignorance how many gracious demands have we wickedly repell'd because of some distastful or flesh-displeasing difficulty that seem'd to attend it how might God dispatch his Angels with warrants of Contempt against us Oh what can Conscience say han't we easily granted the Devil what we have stiffly denied Christ and begrutcht God what we have willingly and prodigally bestowed on our Lusts ah how should these things pierce our Souls to consider Again by that time we have abstracted all that we have lost of that which we have done through sinful miscarriages in the manner or in the end how very little will it be that we have been found faithful and diligent in 3. In respect of Commission What black Legions will there meet us here If we look no further than our Hearts what an Abyss of Filth and Deceit shall we find there Our guilty Eyes have been as it were in covenant with Lust What endless Catalogues are our Tongues convicted of Can we wash our Hands in Innocency how justly may we hold them up at Gods Barr The miserable abuse of our Time The evil Examples we have laid as snares for others I am numbring now by Thousands and Millions Oh our Pride our Worldliness our Self-endedness our Censoriousness our Impatience these are some of the Generals under whose arbitrary Command we have yielded up our selves into subjection Lord what sad work have we made whither should we wander were it not for thy Shepherds Crook what tears of bloud are sufficient to testifie a Repentance answerable to such Guilt oh that God would prevail with me and you and every one of his People to take these things into deeper consideration than ever yet we have done Now that God is not only warning us with
part of the Voice and will be more fully answer'd in that which remains to be spoken on this Subject Wherefore I shall add the less to this Branch Are we ever like to answer Gods Ends as long as we cannot or will not consider what his Ends are Sure 't is in vain to give Laws or Ordinances to dead men or mad men such as are incapable of any serious consideration The Aim of the Rod in general is this viz. A Gospel and Spiritual conformity to the Image and revealed Will of God This is the grand design of his Word and of all his Providences and Ordinances to renew that Image and Power in us by the second Adam which we had lost in the first Adam He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ Eph. 4.12 13. That we might grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ ver 15. Sufferings are part of our conformity to Christ who was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Isa 53.3 and the means and way of our conformity to him in the perfection of Grace who was made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2.10 Perfect as to his Office though not as to his Nature Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest ver 17. He bare them as the Condition of our peace but we as the punishment of our sin and the Medicine of our Souls Thus you have heard the first Voice of the Rod in general It would cause you to awake and thus to consider But if you rest here and go no farther you do no more than the Sluggard whose Field is cursed with Thorns and Nettles you may rub up your eyes and draw aside your curtains and let in the light and tell over the Dreams and Shades that have disquieted or beguil'd you through the passages of the night and yet while you keep your Beds still and fold your hands for another Nap you do but aggravate the provocation and cause God to double his stroaks both for number and weight Hath God called us to be idle Rise let us be going we are lookt for in the Vineyard one hour's slumber now hath more shame and guilt and danger than three at Midnight Know therefore in the next place 2. The Rod calls for universal Reformation Amend your wayes and your doings sayes God Jer. 7.3 And throughly amend your wayes and your doings throughly execute Judgment between a man and his neighbour ver 5. Sirs 〈◊〉 God will make through-work with us before he leave us either he will throughly reform us o◠throughly ruine us He hath now stript us from head to foot and hath even set us as in the day that we were born sure he means not to wash our feet only but will now spread his Plaister as large as the Sore He hath brought us to the Red Sea where he will baptize us in the Cloud and distinguish who are of Egypt and who are of Israel nay who are of Israel and who are Israel indeed Now this Universality respects The Subject The Object 1. The Subject Every part and power of Soul and Body must pass under the Fuller's hands Yield your selves without any restrictions or reserves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of Righteousness unto God Rom. 6.13 All that was out of Frame must be set at rights again If one Wheel or the least Pin be mis-plac'd if the most indiscernable motions be impeded the whole Frame though other-wayes never so glorious or elaborate is rendred utterly useless and unserviceable Should I insift here on a distinct Comment on the several disorders weaknesses and pollutions of every particular Faculty and Member I might seem to trespass on my Text and abuse my intended brevity Onely let me tell you as I pass The reformed Creature must be a new Creature and the new Creature must be new-born and the Child new-born hath every part and limb alike new not only a new Head or a new Tongue but a new Heart a new Eye a new Will a new Conscience new Affections new Feet new hands new within and new without If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are past away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 The Corruption is universal and so must the Restitution be the dead man is all dead and so when life comes it is universal tota in toto tota in qualibet parte Lord not my feet only sayes Peter but my hands and my head Joh. 13.9 2. The Object 'T is not enough to lopp off a sprout or two of sin but it must be cleansed up by the Roots Cut these Brambles and you shall have three for one prune them above ground and they grow the stronger at the roots Ah my Brethren is this all you have done What though your Church-path o◠your Market path be free from those Brambles that your Neighbours stumble not at them yet the Field is overgrown and God hath nothing to sow at least to grow there O sit down and consider what sins have you been particularly and personally convinc'd of Can you name me the Lusts that you have set up for your Mark the ruine whereof you are resol'vd i◠the strength of God to seek and against which you will die Fighting or Triumphing 〈◊〉 Answer me here and then let me ask again What is the sin thou art thus out with and whence sprung thy strife with it Is it som◠scandalous foul abomination Drunkenness i◠may be or Adultery or Theft or Tale-bearing or any the like things of evil report amongst the soberer sort of carnal men 't is true these things are a grief to every godly heart to behold in others much more if their own Now tell me Christian are these the sins thou findest thy self most guilty of and addicted to or dost thou seem to bear them such a spleen because they are the sins of others and the shame not like to reflect on thy self If this be it Publicans and Harlots may be in a fairer way to Reformation than thou Hast thou duely searcht thy own heart what hast thou found there that thou canst thus resolve against hast thou mark'd out the King of Israel thy accustomed and most endeared Lust and mustered thy strength and severest charge there hast thou found Thy Enemy Thy Iniquity Canst thou go freely to thy heart and to all the privy and subdolous Recesses of it and pull out thence that secret spiritual and almost indiscernable Pride that hidden and painted Idol of Covetousness that Jesuited Traitor of Unbelief those circumcised Shechemites that are there like Toads out of their Holes and hew them in pieces before God Alas Christian 't is not doing nor suffering will save
with on this account and hoâ— little do we consider it 2. How have you carried your selves in thâ— use of Sacraments Oh! Where are your most serious thoughts Methinks the Rod speaks louder and plainer here than ordinary For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep 1 Cor. 11 30. And the cause you may see from ver 17. to 22. 'T was their abusing and prophaning of Sacraments I shall but propose things in general here and leave them to be more fully discussed between God and your own hearts Consider then 1. What an influence hath your Baptismal Vow had upon you how little have you studied the Terms and Conditions of those your first Indentures between God and you and how seldom hath it been in your thoughts Han't it past by you as a Ceremony rather than a Business of any great import 2. With what solemn Preparation have you waited on God in the enjoyment of the other Sacrament Han't you spent more time and care about your Bodies than about your Souls or in the external part of Preparation than in the life and power and spirit of it With what self-abhorrencie with what brokenness of â—eart with what hungring affections with what faith and earnest hope with what dear â—ove and spiritual joy and holy watchful care have you ficeed and filled your selves for so near and intimate Communion with God 3. What good have you gotten by Sacraments Have you been like Gyants refreshed â—ith wine How have your Graces flourished under such heavenly dews Have your resolutions been strengthned and your diligence doubled hath the Devil lost ground in you oh what have you to shew that you have gotten by Sacraments Are you not as empty as vain as worldly as impatient as selfish after as you were before Are these things like to make for the comfort of your account at last Which way can we look but we may find guilt and shame meeting us is not every leaf in your Consciences fill'd with accusations against your selves oh with what astonishing shame will it amaze secure sinners when all that Conscience has to say shall be publisht in open Court before God and Angels and all the world Now is the time to prevent all this yet you have a repenting hour a returning season oh don 't sit it out and talk oâ— resolve it away till you come to Esau's pass and then a whole world will never redeem you one such offer more 3. Good Books are another part of your Priviledge These are some of the golden streams that have refresht and made glad the City oâ— God How wonderfully hath the Church flourish't under these Dews the Pulpit and the Press have been the two Breasts of the Spouse or as the Hands of Sampson on the Pillars oâ— the Kingdom of Satan 'T is true these Breast have been and alwaies are molested with iâ— humours and give Blood nay sometimes Poy son instead of Milk But we have that Glasâ— in our hands that will discover where the Poy son lies To the Law and to the Testimony â—f they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 â—ay and we have the spirit of Promise and of Truth whose Office is to guide us into all â—uth Joh. 16.13 This like the Unicorn's â—orn tries the Pool and Antidotes it before we â—rink 'T is confest that the most eminent Wriâ—ngs of the choisest Instruments of the Church â—f God have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Naevi their â—pots and Blemishes This argues that they â—re but men though divinely yet not infallibly â—spir'd The Fountain indeed is most pure â—et the Streams are useful too though liable to â—ccidental and humane Tinctures and Imperâ—ctions A Fountain without its Streams â—ould be serviceable but to few abstract the â—un from its diffused Beams and where is its â—ory or service But when every one may have 〈◊〉 it were a Brook running through their â—itchins what a help and advantage is it in â—ldomestick employments Surely never was here an Age in the world that abounded with â—ch and so many helps of all sorts as ours â—ave done Now consider what an Account 〈◊〉 Improvement have you made of this Talent â—s for the choice of your Books and Studies I â—ean not only Scholars and Students but others â—an't you been led by the corrupt Genius of a â—anton Fancy to Plays Romances Stories Toys â—nd unprofitable Questions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prophane and old wives Fables or an â—oneous understanding and schismatical and partial affection led you unto the Tents oâ— Mesech the sons of contention to strengtheâ— your selves to kindle or quicken coals among Brethren Have you exercis'd your selves rather unto Godliness as the Apostle exhortâ— 1 Tim. 4.7 and made your choice of such Books and means as may best promote thaâ— noble and blessed End And have you inâ— prov'd such your choice with your utmost caâ— in reading understanding and obeying them It cannot but grieve my heart to think of thâ— miserable slighting and horrible abuse of thâ— part of our Talent to see poor souls groping and rambling up and down in the Dark whiâ— every corner stands so full of these precioâ— Lights When I find of what large capacitiâ—â— firm intellectuals retentive memories working affections and excellent naturals some me are of and yet in all these degraded throuâ— the madness of their hearts that they little dâ—fer as to their aims objects and leadiâ— principles from the beast that perisheth Son will pretend they have no mony to bestow 〈◊〉 such commodities who yet can find it mâ— be twice as much to spend at one sitting wiâ— their fellow Drunkards or Dealers or in son Toy to please a cocker'd child or to cloaâ— the back of Pride or to sacrifice to any their Lusts If the Devil by the Commissâ— of the unclean spirit lay a Tribute as I mâ— say on thee he seldom goes without it If 〈◊〉 self-love thy vain-glory or revenge leviâ— subsidie upon thee it presently stands for a Sâ—â— â—cute-Law with thee and thou darest not refuse or delay thy obedience though thou pinch thy self weary thy friends and undo thy family for it But though thy Soul lie gasping bleeding and dying within thee and the mouth of Hell stand open for thee and thy Friends that wish thee and thy Soul well for ever lie hard at thee yet here thou pleadest a Corban and hast nothing to spare because thou hast no heart to spare Others there are that count it sufficient â—f they bestow their mony in these things â—hough they have little time to spare in reading â—ess in considering them as though they meant â—o set up these for their Penates their Paperâ—dols or Houshold-Gods or else let them lie 〈◊〉 waste papers of little use more than for children to play with or to pass away a tedious our on a Sabbath day Others again for the pleasantness of the â—yle or some by-respects
to nought but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest haply ye be found even to fight against God Act. 5.38 39. We know who will one day bruise the Head and wound the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on in his trespasses Psal 68.21 And for your farther awakening Consider and know 1. That God will be too hard for your Power No weapon that is formed against thee â—hall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in Judgment thou shalt condemn this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me saith the Lord Isa 54.17 He that can set the Starrs in Battel-array and cause them to fight from Heaven â—â—n their Courses against his Enemies Judg. 5.20 He that hath Legions of Angels at the Command of a word Matth. 26.53 He that hath given thee all that power thou hast thy â—ife and breath and beeing Act. 17.28 Will not such a God be too hard for thee Shall the dryed stubble contend with the whirlwind Who would set the briers and thorns against me â—n battel I would go through them I would burn them together Isa 27.4 Well Sinner â—s confident and as bold as thou art thou shalt after a few moments more know against what â—rresistable strength thou hast ingaged and remember thou hast been warn'd that our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Remember when thou art crying to the Hills to cover thee when thou art roaring under the vengeance of â—hat God against whom thou art now fighting When God is dealing dead Blows at thee remember that thou wert once warn'd nay thou shalt remember there 's one within thee shall bear record to Gods patience and to my duty and to thy shame and torment that thoâ— hast been fairly warn'd When the Plagues of a Just God are raining in fire and brimstone upon thee and there is no escape when 't is too late to deliver thy Soul then remember the time that thou wouldst not be perswaded 2. God will be too hard for your Policy Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces and give ear all ye of faâ—â— Countries Gird your selves and ye shall bâ— broken in pieces take Counsel together and 〈◊〉 shall come to nought speak the word and 〈◊〉 shall not stand for God is with us Isa 8.9 10. Associate your selves and take counseâ— together let the Assembly be full a general Convocation Gird your selves in Oath anâ— Interest as one man and gird your selves againâ— twist the Cords of Counsel revise and recognize your Debates and Results nay speaâ— the word and yet it shall not stand for God is with us God is an All-seeing and an Alâ— knowing as well as an Almighty God Counsel is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding I have strength Prov. 8.14 The Decreâ— of men are not in force with God till theâ— have past under the Broad Seal of Heaven Counsel is mine The Counsel that is not ferch from the God of Counsel is Madness and Folly and not Counsel Sinner let me tell thee thoughâ— thou hast hired the Dâ—vil for Counsel with the Fees of thy Soul yet all thy Counsel shall prove thy Confusion when the Cause shall be pleaded before the Judge of Quick and Dead Remember Balaam's Parable and take it for a Rule Surely there is no Enchantment against Jacob neither is there any Divination against Israel Numb 23.23 Who hath hardened himself against God and hath prospered Job 9.4 Ask Cain how he prosper'd against his Brother ask the old World how they prospered ask Pharaoh ask Sodom and Gomorrah nay ask the damned in Hell whether they have prospered whether ever they were too hard for God and within a few years more you may be able to tell me could I come to ask you that you have had as bad success as any of these 5. The fifth and last Voice of the Rod to the Enemies of God is to forewarn them that God is making short work with them For he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth Rom. 9.28 Oh that I could be heard while your hearing time holds oh that now at the eleventh hour I might perswade you to come into the Lords Vineyard and labour with us this one hour that is left that you may receive your penny with us at â—ight oh that these parting knocks might be heard that these last calls might have a willing and kind Answer How doth my Soul long for you Ah Sirs 't will be sad repenting in another world 't will be hard to bear what you cannot not then avoid Oh that I could wish you or weep you and pray you into Covenant with Christ A little while longer and you will wiâ—h as I do O that I had been wise while I might have been happy oh that I had been counselled and rul'd by those that wisht my Soul well even as their own Souls A few Sports more Sinner and then thou shalt play thy last Game Deceive and flatter thy self a little longer and then thou shalt be undeceived for ever Scorn us mock us persecute us a little longer and then thou shalt scorn us no more thou shalâ— mock nor persecute no more for ever Be wise now therefore O ye Kings and be instructed ye Judges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way When his wrath is kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him Psal 2.10 11 12. The Lords wrath is kindled and that not a little 't is time to kiss the Son But Wiâ—â— you kiss him as Judas kiss'd his Master Wâ—â— wo be to thee it had been good for thee iâ— thou hadst never been born Oh how shâ—â—â— bespeak thee how shall I awaken thee Whaâ— meanest thou O sleeper Arise call upon thâ— God But for mâ— People and Country's sake I only with I might err in this part 〈◊〉 Vision The Cloud hangs black and heavy 〈◊〉 â—hee full of the wrath of God Warrs and Tumults and Rapines abroad Poverty and Pestâ—lence Muâ—muâ—ings Heart-burnings Jealousiâ—â— and Fears at home Misery and Ruin seem to be driving at us as Jehu towards Jezreal Wâ—â— knows what Desolâ—tions a year or two more may produce who can well what a day may bring forth The fire hath entred your dwellings and will you burn in your Beds God hath clasht the Bells of Nature nay and overturn'd the Bells of Aaron too and can none of these things affect us oh that God would now drive home and fasten these Nails upon you that he would graciously perswade you to hear the Rod and him who hath appointed it Proceed we now to answer one Query briefly How to Judge of the particular Voice of this or that particular Rod. And that I may commend the practice of this Search
cructations of thy conscience Is there nothing that Conscience doth begin to accuse thee of that thou couldst wish had been done or left to doing When David had numbred the people see how conscience did presently begin to work within him His heart smote him 2 Sam. 24.10 What ever thou doest take heed of overlaying thy conscience or stifling the operations of it If this lye speechless in such a case it s a signe the disease is dangerous when the Stomack is overcharged either in Quantity or Quality it loatheth the very thoughts of meat but especially of that whereon it surfeited My Sin is ever before me saies David Psal 51.3 'T is true the sin of his nature comes into his thoughts as the root and spawn of all the rest but 't is this particular guilt that alwaies returns with its gashly and dreadful aggravations upon him 3. Sometimes the Punishment bears resemblance with the Sin Suffering is the Off-spring of sin and oftentimes it begets children in its own likeness God sometimes deals with us Lege Talionis and requiâ—eth us like for like So he dealt with Agag 1 Sam. 15.33 As thy sword hath made women childless so shall thy mother be childless among women Such was that Judgment of God on those Sodomites the Apostle speaks of Rom. 1.27 Receiving in themselves that recompence of their errour which was meet He meted out a punishment that should suit with their impiety and made their very sin to be their snare Thus he doth often as it were write our accusation on our cross and cause the suffering to bear the very picture of the Sin Nay after this manner God dealt with David himself When he began to glory in or to trust to the multitude and strength of his forces God shortned them by seventy thousand men 2 Sam. 24.15 So when he had sinned by Adultery and Murder Murder and Adultery was his punishment 2 Sam. 12.10 11. Thus also God met with Ahab 1 King 21.19 But to mention no more this is one of the commonest and clearest Rules we have to judge by in this case Hath God crost thee in any of thy delights Consider whether thy delight were lawful in its self and in its circumstances or the use of it moderate and subordinate Hath he smitten thee in some dear Relation Consider whether it had not too much of thine heart or of thy time thy care or fond Indulgence Hath he afflicted thee in any part of thy Body Consider how thy Body or it may be that part especially hath been employed either to Gods honour or dishonour Hast thou met with any frustration danger or evil success in thy enterprize Consider what were thy ends Of whom didst thou ask counsel or crave assistance See whether there be not some offence near thee of which thy punishment may claim parentage The first Question we use to ask the Patient is this Where doth your pain lie Wherein are you grieved most And then examine whether that part be not suffering under its own guilt It may be thou art in a languishing pining case under som hereditary distemper and hast alwayes somthing to complain of Why may not God then be presenting to thee the Condition of thy â—oul by the estate of the body and visiting for â—he sin of thy enstome or Constitution When God enters into a Course of Physick with thee â—â—s an Argument that the disease is rooted in thee and let me add this as a sure Rule by the way Every Affliction hath a general if not a special eye and aime at thy most beloved habituated or accustomed Sin Though particular miscarriages be often times attended with particular corrections yet both it may be are properly reducible unto thy master-Last the sin that doth so easily beset thee as the root of all for one and the same sin may discover its self diverse waies that seem aliene from its own nature For illustration take this plain example A man that is naturally Scorbutical and lies under the Physitians hands for that disease but while this is under cure he falls into a Feaver or Plurisie or Dropsie or the like unto which the Physitian applies his art diversly yet in all he does hath a due respect unto the former and great infirmity which is as the fountain of the rest and creates him all this toyl and variety of Methods and Compositions Hence I conclude then that he that is not acquainted with his Master-sin the King or Prince of his corruptions is not like to go farr with any success or real advantage in his search 4. It may be God afflicts thee for prevention of a worse evil I will hedge up thy way with thorns and make a wall that she shall not find her pathes Hos 2.6 God will set thorns in his sheeps paths to keep them from breaking from him This was the course God took with St. Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 Left I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh a messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure God sees sometimes that prosperity would hurt us ease and worldly contents would prove snares to us and therefore in mercy he may deny or remove them It may be that God is fitting thee for some more than ordinary mercy and laying the foundation for some fair building if so marvail not nay bethink it not if he digg deep in thee 5. Consider what is thy Patience under the Rod An impatient high colour and the thick and eager beating of the Pulse of thy complaints are the Symptoms of a Feaver and gives cause to think that unbelief and impatience is at least an Assistent if not the Principal cause Pelluntur ignibus ignes 'T is an ordinary thing with God to drive out one heat with another Wonder not to see God setting his weak children on their leggs and teaching them to go though they be froward and unwilling He knowes that exercise is the way to beget and to strengthen habits If thou wouldst that God should give over his afflicting thou must learn to give over thy fretting The quiet Patient is either the most hopeful or the most desperate Patient 6. It may be Gods design is only or chiefly for thy tryal To discover to thy self that which was hid whether it be grace or corruption Though sin be ever at least the remote cause of the Rod yet it is not alway the main Cause though it be cum causâ yet not alway n causâ Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the works of God should be made manifest in him Joh 9.3 Doubtless both the man and his parents were sinners both originally and actually but that was not it for which the man was born blind 7. Go and ask it of God by prayer No man in heaven nor in earth is able or worthy to open this Book unless the Lyon of