P. 15. l. 20. r. brought forth P. 19. l. 6. r. this Same P. 20. l. last leave out that P. 21. l. 4. leave out But. P. 22. l. 12. r. his People and l. 32. r. lead them P. 27. l. 15. r. One another and l. 27. r. shall P. 28. l. 6. leave out own P. 32. l. 36 r. rebellious part P. 34. l. 11. r. It is that and l. 33. r. He shall P. 36. l. 25. r. give thee P. 37. l. 22. r. he may P. 42 l. 30. r. yeelded P. 45. l. 10. leave out will P. 47. l. 40. r. this is GOOD NEVVS OR VVINE and OYLE Poured into the Wounds of SINNING and DISTRESSED IACOB c. Isa 27.6 7 8 and 9. Verses He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the world with Fruit. Hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East wind By this therefore shall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the Fruit to take away his sin THESE last dayes this last part of the time of this old World in the beginning of which our Lot is fallen to Be is that part of time in which all the Brophesies in Scripture except those that particularly relate to the World to come the new Heavens and the new Earth will have their compleat performance it 's the time in which they all meet as the lines of the Globe in the Center Hence it is that the Lord doth so complain of his Peoples Deafness and Blindness and checks them for it Isa 42.18 19 20. Hear ye DEAF and look ye BLIND that ye may see Who is BLIND but my Servant or DEAF as my Messenger that I sent Who is BLIND as he that is perfect and BLIND as the Lords Servant Seeing many things but thou observest not opening the Ears but he heareth not Notwithstanding the light of a multitude of Prophesies shining round about him Jacob is still Blind notwithstanding the Voice of strange Providences performing Prophesies sounds in his ears yet this Blind Servant of the Lord is still Deaf he opens his ears but he hears not notwithstanding he sees the wonderful Works of God performing the Words of God yet through Blindness he observes not the Lords meaning in them he observes not that which the Lord would have him to observe and doth so plainly hint out to him by his Word and Works he sees not the Way the Lord would have him to Walk in hears not the Voice that cryes This is the Way walk in it Therefore doth the Lord complain with an Admiration Who is BLIND but my Servant DEAF as my Messenger Who is BLIND as he that is perfect and BLIND as the Lords Servant To clear Jacob's Eyes to take away those thick scales of darkness that through various kinds of distempers and temptations are grown upon them that they may See and to open his deaf Ears that he may Hear the Lord will deal with Jacob according to the tenour of these words I have chosen to treat of It seems necessary before I come to the Words that I mind two things The Time to which and the Persons to whom this Prophesie in a special manner belongs In the 24 25 26 and 27. Chapters is a continued uninterrupted Discourse of what great things the Lord will do for and among his People That it hath a particular and peculiar Relation to the last times and that these dayes wherein we live are those last times I suppose will be readily granted and therefore I need not use words to prove it And that this Prophesie hath Relation to the Gentiles I suppose is as clear not onely the Prophet's speaking of the Isles of which the natural Seed of Jacob had no possession but the Work of God it self treated of makes it evident This Earth which the Lord saith he will Empty in the 24. Chapt. some would restrain to these Islands but I would rather say we are to understand by it the whole Antichristian Earth Babylons Earth the old Serpents Earth in which he is bruising the Heel of the Womans Seed Both because we find the Prophet speaking of the utmost parts of the Earth in the 16. ver of the 24. Chapter and because he positively saith in his 28. Chapt. which hath Relation to this time also I have heard from the Lord God of Hosts a Consumption even determined upon the whole Earth But many particulars in these Chapters tell me also That this Work of God here spoken of shall have its beginning in the Islands and from thence issue forth to the other parts of the Earth therefore saith the Prophet Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the WORLD with Fruit. Further This People to whom this Prophesie doth belong are a People that having been afflicted formerly by their Enemies the Serpents brood have encountered Smitten those Enemies of theirs Hath he smitten him as he SMOTE those that smote him Again They are a People that at present are under the Smitings of their former smitten Enemies Hath he SMITTEN him as he smote those that smote him And that which strengthens me in interpreting these smitings to be the smitings of these two Seeds against each other is what the latter part of the Verse speaks Or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him I can see no reason why these smitings may not be the smiting of the two Seeds of each other as well as the slaying here mentioned is their slaying of each other Again They are a People that foreseeing the rising up of these their old Enemies to smite them afresh endeavour to prevent them and bring them under in the 26. Chap. 17 and 18. Verses Like as a Woman with child that draweth near the time of her delivery is in pain and cryeth out of her pangs so have we been in thy sight O Lord. We have been with child we have been in pain we have as it were brought forth wind we have not wrought any deliverance in the Earth neither have the Inhabitants of the world fallen Out of a deep apprehension of the evil approaching great anxiety of Spirit and pain of Heart puts them upon earnest endeavours to bring down the Enemy that is arising to hinder the old smitings again But all will not do nothing is brought forth but wind no deliverance is wrought in the Earth the Inhabitants of the world fall not but instead thereof they fall themselves to the death Thy DEAD men shall live c. So that now I suppose I may without presumption say This is our Scripture belongs to us as a teaching Lesson particularly appointed for us at this day to learn The Words contain the Work the
as those that he leaves as the subjects of his displeasure Therefore the Evil must lye some where else it must needs lye more secret and inward the Sin surely must lye in this in the hearts standng in and sitting close to these things And this seems to me to be clearly hinted to us by Christ while he commands us though we be but on the House top and our stuff in the House not to go down to it and though we be but in the field near home yet not to return to it He blames us not for having Houses and Stuff but commands us not to be so in Love with not to six our hearts so upon our Possessions in this World as to return to them and be solicitous in securing of them when he Comes to take us to call us from them to lead us in that Path and VVay to do that VVork he would have us to walk in and to do to enable us to walk in and to do which it 's absolutely necessary we forsake ALL of this World 3. Because of Christs severity against this Sin Remember Lots Wife Whosoever shall seek to save his Life shall lose it Our Lord is so severe against this Sin that that Love to the good things of this Life which the VVorld of Professors call a Vertue a Duty he warns us to flee from lest with Lots VVife he make us examples of his Justice It 's not dainty food not dilicious drinks but eating and drinking it 's not cozening and cheating but that which is at other times lawful buying and selling it 's not planting curious Gardens nor building glorious Structures but bare planting and building it 's not wheredom nor adultery but marrying of Wives the Lord instances in as the sinful state of the World in which when he Comes he shall find them to their sorrow So that it 's not enough that we can say we can part with our dainties things for delight but can we say we can part with forsake and love not our meat and drink that which maintains the very Being of our Bodies and with Elijah live upon the pure Providence of God for our Life and Being If not the Love of the Father is not in us but the love of the World And this Christ will not bear with in his People If at such a time as this when Christ is calling his People out of and from the World to his Work and Service there be but a dram of this Love a bare looking back towards a hankering after this Worlds good things but a little solicitousness after them a going but from the House-top a returning but back out of the field the back-side as it were into the House a going but a little out of the way Christ calls us into though it be but to save our Stuff yea our Life this will set us in the path of Judgement under his displeasure Remember Lot's Wife saith our Lord if when I come I find this temper in you as sure as she was so shall ye become a Monument of my severity A little love to this World but a looking back towards it hath turn'd and as little now but a returning back a little way towards it shall again turn Living Monuments of Mercy into Standing Monuments of Justice Secondly I fear upon a serious search it will be found that our Love to our Stuff the good things of this Life to keep and maintain our possession of these hath hurried us into such by-wayes such courses as have brought BLOOD upon us I shall only mention two Scriptures and leave it to a serious consideration 1. If Baasha execute Justice upon the House of Jeroboam according to the Word of the Lord and become like the House of Jeroboam in Sin and Wickedness that piece of justice becomes BLOOD-GUILTINESSE to him is imputed to him as Murder and he must dye for it 1 King 15.29 16.3 7. V. And it came to pass when he reigned that he smote all the House of Jeroboam he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed until he had destroyed him according unto the saying of the Lord which he spake by his Servant Ahijah the Shilonite Behold I will take away the Posterity of Baasha and the Posterity of his House and will make thy House like the House of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat And also by the hand of the Prophet Jehu the Son of Hanani came the Word of the Lord against Baasha and against his House even for all the Evil that he did in the sight of the Lord in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands in being like the House of Jeroboam and because he killed him That Blood which Baasha shed in Obedience to the Command of God by his Servant the Prophet in a way of Justice he walking in the same path of wickedness is required at his hand 2. If Jehu execute Justice upon the House of Ahab and do it so exactly too as that every piece of it is according to the Word of the Lord as the story mentions 2 King 9. 10. Chapters Notwithstanding this piece of Justice if done so exactly according to the Rule to the Word of the Lord yet Jehu through the Love of this World not departing from the Sins of Jeroboam but doing the Work of the Lord negligently by halves becomes GUILTY OF THIS BLOOD this act of Justice is imputed to him for Murder and the Blood is required at his hand Hos 1.4 Call his Name Jezreel for yet a little while and I will AVENGE THE BLOOD of Jezreel upon the House of Jehu I need not add further Thirdly Another Branch of the present Afflicting Sin that I would mention I conceive is PRIDE both NATURAL and SPIRITUAL PRIDE How contrary this is to the Lord in all Ages at al times I need not mention the Scriptures are full in expression of it Therefore much more at such a time as this when his design is to be ALONE exalted against which no Sin sets it self so much in opposition as this This Sin so extreamly unfits Jacob were he otherwise quallified for the Work of God that the Lord * Prov. 6.16 17. 13.10 Psal 10.2 86.14 Deut. 17.20 Prov. 16.18 Hos 5.5 hates it it 's Abominable to him This Sin is the source of wickedness by it comes contention which brings forth persecution and this proceeds to violence and causes Rulers in Israel to turn aside from the way of the Lord. Therefore this Sin must needs bring down a Correcting Judgement But Fourthly And the last I shall mention is CARNAL Mindedness Carnality of Spirit And this I would expatiate a little upon because it is the most Spiritual Evil and so needs the greatest battery gainst it The Carnal mind of the Natural man who is after the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.5 7. this brings Death to him v. 6. And
Members should goe on to Perfection through the same Path of Sufferings hence it is that the Apostle Paul makes this the Path through which he expected to attain that Perfection he so earnestly prest after Phil. 3.10 11 c. That I may know him and the fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable unto his Death If by any means I might attain to the Resurrection of the Dead not as though I had already attained either were already Perfect c. So here in this Prophesy Jacob must take root and Israel must blossome and bud but that he may be thus Blessed the Lord will first Purge him from his Iniquity and take away his Sin and that by a Sore and Sharp Affliction a Smiting and Slaying Affliction I have Enumerated these Instances to hint these two things 1. The Agreement that there is between the Old and New Testament in holding forth to us the Manner of Gods proceeding with his People in order to fit them for his Salvation and so for that Work he hath to do by them 2. That God will not have his Work done with Defiled but with Pure hands according to that word Job 22.30 He shall deliliver the Island of the Innocent and it is delivered by the Pureness of thine hands or as it is in the Margent of some Bibles The Innocent shall Deliver the Islands Impure foul and dirty hands will so sully and Besmear the Work of God that it will appear more like Mans Work than Gods Work and so the Lord loses the Glory of his Works now because he will not lose this Glory nor suffer it to be given to Another he therefore comes to his People with Smarting and Bloody Strokes with Fire and with Sope to Purge and Cleanse them that they may do his Work so that it may Evidently appear to be Gods Work had not Mans. How far what hath been done and befaln us in our daies doth confirm this let the Seeing Eye and understanding Heart judge I shall give but one Instance more to confirm the Position and that is Num. 23.21 and 23. verses He hath not beheld Iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen Perversness in Israel the Lord his God is with him and the shout of a King is among them Surely there is no inchantment against Jacob neither is there any Divination against Israel according to THIS TIME it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel What hath God wrought the Sinning rebellions of Jacob was Judged Died in the Wilderness but this Judgement of God upon him having Purged Jacob from his Iniquity and taken away his Sin that the Lord beholds not iniquty in Jacob neither sees perversness in Israel but they are brought into a Purified humble Obedient State According to THIS TIME it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel what hath God wrought This is the Time wherein they shall be Blessed with Blessings that men cannot reverse verse 20. and no Inchantment nor Divination shall prevail against them wherein God wil Bless him that Blesses them Curse him that Curses them Ch. 24.19 From this Time it is that such Blessings shall attend Jacob such great things the Lord will do for him and by him that those who believe the Works of God shall with great Admiration cry out What hath God wrought while Jacobs Sin was upon him he could not Possess the Promise but is Smitten by his Enemies But when the Corrections of the Lord upon him had Cleansed and Purged him from his Sin and taken away his Iniquity then the Promise was his Portion he entred the Good Land and none could hinder So it stands firm both upon Old and New-Testament grounds that the Cause that brings Correcting Afflictions upon Jacob is his Own Sins and his Own Iniquities and the End of the Lord in Afflicting and Correcting of him is to take his Iniquity away and to Purge him from his Sin 2. But the GREAT END of all this is that he may Cause them that come of Jacob to take Root and Israel to blossom and Bud and fill the face of the world with fruit The Lord Loves Jacob and all his waies towards him are pathes of Love Love is in the Bottom and End of all his Dealings with Jacob. If he Correct and Afflict him it 's in Love in Measure to Purge him from his Iniquity that he may become Precious in his sight and then in the same Love that he Corrects him he will give men for him and People for his Life Isa 43.4 God will deal in wrath with the Nations I will make a full End of all the Nations Jer. 46.28 but he loveth Jacob though he Frowns it 's in Love though he strike it 's in Love though he visits so sorely that the Rod even threatens the Destruction of Jacob yet it 's Still in Love for though Jacob provokes the Lord to Command his Enemies to go upon his Walls and Destroy yet this Love gives them a Check their Measure but make not a full End Jer. 5.10 yea though Jacob's Sins provoke the Lord to make a Desolation in the Land his Love will not suffer him to make a full End yet will I not make a full End saith Jacobs Father Jer. 4.27 No the Lord Loveth Jacob with an Everlasting Love If he Correct if he Smite and that to the drawing of his Blood yet it 's not to destroy but it 's only in Love to Save him from his Sin and so from that Destiuction his Sin would bring upon him If the Lord be Wrath so that he Hides his Face it 's not with Jacob but with his Sin The Lord Loveth Jacob still In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with Everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Isa 54.8 So that here 's the Great End of God in his Dealings with Jacob that he may Fit him for and so Bestow upon him Everlasting kindness Everlasting Mercy Though the Lord in a little wrath against our sins Afflict so Sorely Smite so Smartingly that he seems as if he watched over us to Pluck up and to Break down and to Throw down and to Destroy as he did his People of Old Jer. 31.28 yet it 's in Much Mercy Everlasting Love If that he may Cause them that come of Jacob to take Root Though he seems to Pluck us up by the Roots it 's but to Transplant us into a Better Soil To cause Jacob to take Root Hitherto Jacobs Seed have had little or no Rooting have only spread a little over the surface of the Earth but now when the Lord hath Purged and Cleansed Lopped and Pruned Jacobs Plant it shall take Root He will cause them that come of Jacob to take Root and such Root too as that all our Enemies shall never be able to Pluck us up any more for the Lord will watch over us to Root us and to Plant us The same Mighty Arme that hath
World for himself and for his Sake that this State shall be unto us as the Holy of Holies comparatively wherein he will speak Comfortably unto us And speak Comfortably unto her Better words than ever we heard before from him such as shall make us forget all our Trouble and Sorrow And he will not only give Good Words but Gracious Gifts too And it shall be at that day saith the Lord that thou shalt call me Ishi my Husband and shalt call me no more Baali my Lord. Behold he hath been a Gracious Lord but now he will be a Tender Loving Husband unto us he will bring us into more Near and Intimate Converse and Communion and Fellowship with himself than ever we enjoyed all our Days before And this Grace extends not only to our Inward Man but to our Outward Man also I will give her Vineyards from thence Whatsoever we forsake for his Sake to follow him and keep close to him he will not suffer us to be losers by it if we lose a Vineyard any possession in this world to follow him to keep him company in the Wilderness he will give it us again there with advantage according to the Promise of our Lord Jesus Every one that hath forsaken houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my Names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit Everlasting life Mat. 19.29 Yea so great shall be the manifestation of the Love of God and so abundant shall be the Gifts of God to us there as shall Cause our Exceeding Rejoycing She shall sing there as in the Daies of her youth and as in the Day when she came up out of the Land of Egypt Though this Day of Wilderness-Troubles and Straits brings Sorrowes hard to be undergone yet such shall be the Gracious dealings of the Lord with us as that we shall be made to forget all our Sorrows there 's no Day that ever we yet enjoyed yeelding so much cause of Joy as this shall do the Lord will make us Sing for Joy And now who would not rather choose the Trouble of this Day the very Wilderness of this Wilderness State than the Serenity and Glory which the Children of this world are drowned in which shall be consumed by the burning like the burning of a fire which the Lord of Hosts the Light of the Holy one of Israel shall kindle under it POSTSCRIPT NO thing can Provoke the God of Jacob the God and Father of Mercies to throw him into the Furnace of Affliction and to pour down his Fury upon him but such a degree of Sin as will either being let alone Destroy Jacob seperate him from his God or Deprive God of his Glory even the Glory of those Great and Wonderful things he hath done for his Jacob and even then when he is thus provoked to deal with him in wrath and anger his Eternal Love is at the Bottome of all to draw Jacob Neerer to himself and to make him the People of his Praise and Glory I have Refined thee but not with Silver I have Chosen thee in the Furnace of Affliction for mine own sake even for mine own sake will I do it For how should my Name be Polluted and I will not give my Glory to another Isa 48.10 11. Therefore it is that when these Effects are wrought the Lord so often speaks of Burning the Rod wherewith he Corrects them and punishing their Persecutors and Afflictors Now that the Dealings of the Lord with us may not seem too hard nor discouraging but just and righteous and full of Grace and Love I would mind you of two Scriptures the first is Num. 14. from 20. to 26. And the Lord said I have pardoned according to thy word But as truly as I live all the Earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord because all those men which have seen my Glory and my Miracles which I did in Egypt and in the Wilderness and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkned to my voice surely they shall not see the Land which I sware unto their Fathers neither shall any of them which provoked me see it but my servant Caleb because he had another Spirit with him and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the Land whereinto he went and his Seed shall possess it Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the Valley To morrow turn you and get you into the Wilderness by the way of the Red Sea We find these Children of Israel in the Wilderness very near Canaan very neer their journies End when these words were spoken unto them They were very neer going out of their Wandering Wilderness State into Canaan a setled happy Condition setled upon the Lords Foundation but their unbelief brought forth Rebellion against the Lord and his Messengers Caleb and Joshuah which hurryed them back into their Wilderness State by the way of the Red Sea the same way by which they came out of Bondage that must be the way now by which they return into Misery These words are the Lords answer to Moses upon his Intercession on behalf of Provoking Israel God had said in his Wrath he would Smite this People and Disinherit them and make of Moses a greater and a mightier Nation than they but upon Moses his Earnest Intercession who was the Mediator of that outward Covenant that was between the Lord and this People as a Nation the Lord is Pacified he grants him his request as far as would stand with his Glory saith the Lord I have pardoned according to thy word but as truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord c. as if he should have said to spare all this People the Rebbels as well as the Innocent will not stand with the Glory of my Name thou so much pleadest to me but I will do so and so and by this means will I glorifie my Name this Evil Congregation have Dispised I would but take notice of a few things in the words which I conceive are worth your observing 1. The SIN which thus provokes the Lord. It 's no Common Ordinary Sin for such Moses their Mediator would have prevailed for pardon this People had Sinned against the Lord nine times before and all that was pardoned but this Sin is such a Sin as touches the Lords Glory the Glory of his Name that he had gotten to himself by all those Woundrous Works he had done for them It was Unbelief to such a Degree as was Despising the voice of the Lord in the mouth of his faithful Witnesses and running back towards Egypt towards that State and Condition to Deliver them out of which the Lord had wrought so wonderfully thereby despising that Blessed State and Condition the Lord had Promised and was Ready to bring them into This touches the Eyes of Gods Glory to the quick and brings down Devouring Judgements
his Rongh-wind in the Day of the East-wind Though our Sin and Perversness in it compel the Lord for our Good to suffer the †Isa 10.24 25 26. Deut. 32.37 41 42 43. verses Assyrian to Smite us with a Rod and to lift up his Staff against us after the manner of Egypt yet saith the Lord O my People be not afraid of the Assyrian for yet a very little while and the Indignation shall cease and mine anger in their Destruction The Lord of Hosts shall stir up a Scourge for him according to the Slaughter of Midian at the Rock of Oreb and as his Rod was upon the Sea so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt Though we by our Stubborness force the Lord to afflict us after the manner of Egypt to Purge us and Cleanse us from that which keeps us from him and him from us to do which his Glory engages him yet when that is done as our Affliction is so shall our Deliverance be after the manner of Egypt a stronger hand shall come to Deliver us than came to Afflict us What though the Assrrian our Enemy think not so but exalt himself saying where are their Gods their Rock in whom they trusted The Lord saith If I whet my glittering Sword and mine hand take hold of Judgement I will render vengeance to my Enemies and will reward them that hate me I will make mine Arrowes drunk with Blood and my Sword shall devour flesh and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives from the beginning of revenges upon the Enemy Rejoice O ye Nations with his People for he will avenge the blood of his Servants and will render vengeance to his adversaries and will be merciful to his People 8. Let us not say with Gideon Judg. 6.13 If the Lord be with us why then is all this befaln us Now the Lord hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of the Midianites But as our Lord Jesus Christ said of himself to his Disciples Luke 24.26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into his Glory So Consider all the Prophesies in the Old and New-Testament that concern these last Daies and then judge whether the body of Christ his Members Distressed Jacob at this Day ought not to suffer these things to undergoe this Trial the Refiners Fire the Fullers Sope the Smitings and Slayings of their Enemies now at last to fit them for Glory If this be the way through which Christ entred into his Glory surely his Members his Followers must enter the same way into their Glory Yea this is the Great End wherefore the Lord is Afflicting Jacob that he may become glorious with such a Glory as may Deserve and upon which he will Create a Defence such a Defence as shall never be taken away as all their Enemies shall never be able to rob them of And the Lord is Waiting the Time wherein he may be thus Gracious he desires only our Acknowledgement of our Sins and then he will work his Great Work Jer. 3.13 14 15. Return thon Back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine Anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep Anger for ever only ACKNOWLEDG thine Iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God and hast scattered thy waies to the Strangers under every green Tree and ye have not obeyed my voice saith the Lord. Turn O back-sliding Children saith the Lord for I am married unto you and I will take you one of a City and two of a Family and I will bring you to Sion and I will give you Pastors according to my heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding Lastly this Prophesie and what hath been drawn from it doth Earnestly Call upon Sinning and distressed Jacob to †Isa 1.19 Za. 8.12 Isa 10.21 37.32 66.19 24.15 Joel 2.32 Isa 1.20 Mal. 4.6 wash and Cleanse himself from all these Evils laid down before him If thou dost hearken and do thou shalt live and eat the good of the land partake of those Blessings the Lord hath in store for the Remnant that by a true and through Repentance shall escape the Evil of the Day returning from their Idols unto the Mighty God shall again take root down-ward and bear fruit upward declare the Glory of the Lord glorify the Name of the Lord God of Israel in or among whom shall be Salvation But if thou wilt not but dost resuse and rebel know of a truth this present Affliction shall devour thee If the Hearts of the Fathers and Children in Jacob will be still stubborn against and not be turned to each other the Lord will Curse instead of Bless the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it the Glory of the Lord is engaged in it Know of a truth that till you come into your Cleansed Undefiled United Sate you will not be a fit Instrument for the Lords Work Surely Jesus Christ had much of this in his Eye when he prayed so earnestly to his Father that they all might be †Joh. 17.20.21 22 23. verses One not only his then Disciples but those also that should Believe on him through their word and that he would give so great a price for it as the Glory which the Father gave him and that he should lay so much Stress upon this as that which is Necessary to make it manifest to the World that he was Sent of God and that God bears the Same Love to his People that he doth to Him I shall conclude this Discourse with this Word As an Afflicting Wilderness State is that into which the Lord will bring his People to Plead with them face to face as he Pleaded with them in the Wilderness of Old causing them to pass under the Rod to Purge out from among them the Rebbels and the Transgressors Ezek. 20.35 36 37 38. verses So it 's that State into which he will bring them in the last Daies and give them as a DOOR OF HOPE I will give her the valley of Achor for a Door of Hope The valley of Achor this Day of Trouble this State of Lowness and Affliction which Achans Sin hath brought upon us is given to us as a Door of Hope under the New Covenant in these last Daies of Jacobs Affliction in New-Testament Times a Ground to Hope the Lord hath Smiles for us after these Strokes the fruits and tokens of a Fathers Love after these Stripes of his Fatherly Displeasure a morning of Joy after this evening of Trouble he only waits till we have done Justice upon Achan that Sin that hath Troubled Israel and then I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness Into the Wilderness of this Wilderness State He will Allure us by the Glorious manifestations of himself by the Mighty Workings of his Spirit into such through forsakings of all things of all of this
Lord will perform upon Sion and Jerusalem till which is performed he will not punish the stout heart of the King of Assyria nor burn the Rod with which he is scourging and correcting his People for their unchild-like carriage towards him their Father In which there is 1. A sore Affliction Verse 7. 2. A Cordial to bear up the heart of Jacob from sinking under the severity of the Rod V. 8. 3. The Cause of it Sin implyed in Ver. 9. 4. The End of this Affliction which is two-fold 1. To take this Sin away expressed Ver. 9. And as the proper effect of this 2. To cause Jacob to take root and Israel to blossom and bud Ver. 6. 1. It 's a sore and dreadful Dispensation not only smiting but smiting to blood not only drawing blood letting out a little bad blood but the very Life blood SLAYING Hath he SMITTEN him as he smote those that smote him Or is he SLAIN according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him It 's the same manner of smiting with which Jacob in former times smote his Enemies It 's the same manner of slaying as Jacob shall after he comes out of this cleansing Dispensation slay his Enemies withal For though the Prophet speaks here in the Present tense ARE SLAIN yet of necessity we must refer it to the future for we cannot rationally conceive slain men can slay men Therefore we must look upon this as one of those Scriptures wherein the Lord is pleased to call things that be not as though they were as the Apostle speaks and that out of a gracious design to strengthen our Faith signifying thereby the certainty of the thing that it 's as certain as if it were in present action Poor Jacob goes into by-wayes wayes of his own invention to save his Blood to save his Life and behold he loses it making good that saying of our Lord He that seeks to save his Life shall lose it Sinning Jacob in his Laodicean frame of Spirit cryes out with the sloathful person Prov. 26.13 A Lion is in the Way a Lion is in the Street the Lord would have me pass through and fleeing from this Lion a Bear meets him and tears him and rends him as Amos speaks But lest the drooping Spirits of feeble Jacob should sink and dye under this trying and rending Dispensation under these Bloody smitings his Sin hath brought upon him 2. Here 's a Soveraign Cordial ready to revive him to support him In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it He stayeth his Rough wind in the day of the East wind The Lord hath measured out the Affliction of Jacob and meted it in the measure of Grace and Love The end of all is Grace and Love to Jacob that he may be purged from his Iniquity and his Sin taken away that he may be so far from being utterly destroyed as that he may fill the face of the World with Fruit. Yea this very Affliction these smitings and slayings that pass over him shall have the Love of a Father written upon it he shall be able to read a Fathers Love in and through all It shall not be beyond measure but in measure God will not suffer Jacob to be tempted beyond what he is able to bear as the Apostle speaks But fear thou not O my servant Jacob for I am with thee saith the Lord to save thee though I make a full end of all Nations yet will I not make a full end of thee but will correct thee in measure and will not leave thee altogether unpunished and in the LATTER DAYES ye shall consider it Jer. 30.10,11 24. V. When the Affliction hath shot forth to such a measure to such a degree to the working such an Effect which is humbling for and purging from Sin then will the Lord DEBATE with it When the Lord hath finished his whole Work upon Sion then will he Punish the stout heart of the King of Assyria when the Assyrian Rod would carry on the Affliction of Jacob farther than the Lord hath purposed it shall be then will he Debate with it How will he Debate with it He stayeth his Rough Wind in the day of the East Wind. By this Rough Wind I understand the same with the smitings and slayings before mentioned onely by this difference of expression the Lord would have us to understand the purging nature of the Affliction that the Lord will by this Wind by this Affliction as thorowly purge and cleanse his People from their Sin as the Husband-man cleanses his Corn from its Chaff by winnowing it in the Wind. And this Rough Wind these smitings and slayings this sore Affliction will the Lord stay put a stop to But when and how In the day of the East Wind. In that day in which the Lord hath appointed the East Wind to blow which is when the Rough VVind the smitings and slayings the Affliction hath done its work for which it was sent upon Jacob then in that day will the Lord stay this Rough VVind put a stop to these smitings and stayings take away this Affliction And that by The East VVind We shall see what VVind this is that taking place at its appointed time shall stay the preceding Rough VVind if we look into the Type Exod. 14.21 23. Moses stretched out his hand over the Sea and the Lord caused the Sea to go back by a strong East wind all that Night and made the Sea dry Land and the VVaters were divided and the Children of Israel went into the midst of the Sea upon dry Ground and the VVaters were a VVall unto them on their right hand and on their left This East VVind is that which Isaiah saith in his 51. Chapter dryed the Sea the Waters of the great Deep that made the depths of the Sea dividing it a VVay for the Ransomed to pass over and that when the VVaves thereof roared When the Rough VVind the smitings and slayings the present Affliction hath wrought its proper Effect upon Jacob then is the time come and a strong East VVind from the presence of the Lord shall blow and stop the breath of the Rough VVind The Lord will so deal with this Sea of Jacob's trouble the VVaves whereof are roaring upon poor Jacob as that a VVay through the Sea a VVay through the Rough VVind a VVay through the very smitings and slayings of the Enemy shall be made and found out for Jacob to escape And what then The Light of Israel shall be for a fire and his holy One for a flame and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his bryars that are scratching and tearing the flesh of distressed Jacob in one day Chap. 10.17 In ONE day A day known to the Lord even that day wherein he will staying his Rough Wind by his East Wind putting a stop to the Enemie's smiting and slaying of his Jacob healing his VVounds Punish the stout heart of the Assyrian and