Twenty-Nine Sermons, Sermon 21
REFORMATION UNDER CORRECTION, The way to prevent DESOLATION.
JOB 34. 31. 32.
Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have borne chaſtiſements, I will not offend any more. That which I ſee not, teach thou me, if I have done iniquity, I will doe it no more.
THis Text is a pretious pattern of ſeaſonable counſel, by Elihu given to afflicted Job, wherein reſolution to be reformed under the rod of the Lord, is both commanded and commended. Surely it is meet to be ſaid, &c.
I will not ſpend time to divide my text into parts, nor to obſerve the various readings thereof, but ſhall briefly obſerve the doctrine which naturally ariſeth from the Text, and which will be very ſutable to our preſent occaſion. viz.
Under the rod of the Lord, people ſhould reſolve to reforme. Or thus; ReſolutionDoctrine. to reforme, ſhould be upon the heart of all them that ſmart under the rod of the Lord. Surely it is meet, &c.
There are three things that I intend to ſpeak to in the proſecution of his point.
1. What kind of reformation it is that we ſhould reſolve upon under the rod of the Lord.
2. What arguments ſhould prevaile with us to reſolve to reforme, becauſe we feele the Lord ſtrikes us.
3. What courſe we ſhould take for our reforming under his rod.
That we are under the rod of the Lord is evident, there are ſmarting rods upon our backs. The rod of the continuance and ſpeading of the noyſome peſtilence. The rod of unſeaſonable weather, this droughty pring, and unſeaſonable froſt; ſurely then it is meet to ſay, We wil bear chaſtiſements, we will ſin no more.
I begin with the firſt, viz. What kinde of reformation it is that God commands and expects from us, when we are under this rod? This I ſhall open in ſix particulars, and therein unbowell my Text.
1. In the work of reformation under the rod, we muſt have reference to him that uſeth the rod, goe to God, and ſet our ſelves to amend what is amiſſe, as under the eye of God, under whoſe laſh we ſmart; this lyes in the text, Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have borne chaſtiſement, &c.
Go to God, and ſet thy ſelfe as under the all seeing eye of God, endeavouring to reforme what is amiſſe. It is an eaſy thing for Miniſters to be pleaſing to a people, for Children to give content to their parents, for one neighbour to ſtop the mouth of another. But mark what contents God, the inſide reformation, as well as the outſide, when God and I am alone as well as in companie, when I am under Gods hand, I muſt goe to God, when I am reforming; that is one thing.
I could ſhew it you how the Lord Chriſt ſtruck down Paul, when he was breathing out threats, and bloud againſt poor innocent Chriſtians, who, when he was ſtruck down, ſaith, Lord what ſhall I doe? ſhall I back again to the Scribes, and Phariſees, and tell them what a blow I met withall? or ſhall I go on to the Saints, and tell them what cruelty is intended againſt them? Lord whither ſhall I goe? He looks to God that ſmote him.
There is one thing more, (and this will follow from the former) alwayes be ſure to be guided by the rule, (that is the word of God) in reforming of that which is out of order, whether in your ſpirit, or life, That which I ſee not, teach thou me, if I have done iniquity, I will doe it no more.
Teach thou me, &c. Miſtake me not, I doe not here ſpeak againſt conferring with Chriſtians, conſulting with miniſters in matters dubitable, but alway heed this, ſtick not in the opinion, ſtay not in the Judgement of any, be he never ſo wiſe, never ſo pious, but labour to ſee a word of warrant from the ſcripture, and truſt only to that, ſay, I muſt doe ſo, and ſo, I have it from Gods mouth, I may take ſuch a courſe, I have Gods word for it …ple would not be ſo giddy, in running after new and ſtrange opi… …f they would but conſider this; alway goe to God, and ſay, Lord, that which I ſee not, teach thou me, and if I have done iniquity, I will doe it no more.
Secondly, In reformation under the rodde, you muſt be ſure to have your worke guided by God himſelfe, as Iſa. 2. 3. He will teach us his ways, and we will walke in his paths. ſo Pſal. 86. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord, and I will walke in thy truth: knit my heart unto thee, that I may feare thy Name.
Thirdly, in the worke of reformation under the rodde, you muſt be carefull to reforme in one particular, as well as another; you muſt go through, ſtich with this buſineſſe; that which I doe know, and may know to be blame-worthy and have borne chaſtiſements for, in that I will offend noe more, and if any thing further ſhall be made knowne unto me, I will ſtop in my courſe, and if it can be found out that therein I have ſinned, I will doe ſo no more. For know aſſuredly, he hath not reformed in anie thing aright, that doth not reforme in every thing blame-worthy, as, Hoſea 14. 2. ſaith the Prophet, Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity, what followes? then ſaith he, ver. 3. Take unto you words, and turne to the Lord, and ſay unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us gratiouſly: Take away all, ſpare none, every eye that offends, every hand that ſins, every luſt that provokes, though never ſoe deare unto thee, foregoe all manner of profit, and credit, in regard of thy temporall calling, if it prove to be a ſinne; beare with one, and in Gods ſight thou beareſt withall; live in the breach of one of Gods commandments, and thou art guilty of the breach of all.
Fourthly, in reformation under the rodde, you muſt not onelyonly reforme, in what you your ſelves doe, or may underſtand to be amiſſe, but you muſt take direction, to know what is blame-worthy, be eager and earneſt, to underſtand wherein you doe amiſſe; ſay, Good Lord, if I doe amiſſe in relation to others, as a huſband, as a wife, as a Father, as a child, as a Miniſter, as a hearer, as a ſervant, as a Maſter, as a doer, as a ſufferer, Lord ſhew it me, Lord ſhew me my fault, that I may reforme.
Make an earneſt deſire to God, and ſay, Good Lord, if any thing be blameable, let it have no ſhelter in me, ſearch me, if any way of ſinne, try me if any way of wickedneſſe be in me, and lead me in thy way for ever, as it is Pſal. 139. 23, 24.
Thus make your requeſts to God, this practice will prove the ſincerity of your hearts, thus praying you may know what is out of order, when you compare your life, and the word (which is the rule) together. Mark what he Prophet Jeremy ſaith, Lament. 3. 39, 40. Wherefore is a living man ſorrowfull? Man ſuffereth for his ſin, let us ſearch and try our wayes, and turne again to the Lord; Let us looke to our wayes: this hath been my opinion, my practiſe, my way, are they anſwerable to ſcripture, conſonant to the rule, the word of God? this we … labour to know, when we would reforme our wayes.
Fifthly, a Chriſtian under the rodde ſhould be ſo wrought upon with a Reſolution to reforme, that he ſhould by ſolemne covenant binde himſelfe to God for the future, even all his life long, marke the text, Surely it is meet to be ſaid; to whom? to our ſelves? no, to be ſaid▪ to God, I have borne chaſtiſements &c. ſay, Lord, thou that hateſt every evill way heare me, what I have to ſay, that have run out of the way, Thou that art privy to all my ſinfull affections, help me to be reformed, I reſolve (by thy help) for the time to come to be more exact in my obedience to thy law, that knoweſt my trouble, and affliction, make me reformed under the croſſe. This was Davids care Pſal. 66, 13, 14 I will goe into thine houſe with burnt offerings, and will pay thee my vowes which my lippes have promiſed and my mouth hath ſpoken, in mine affliction.
When he was in trouble, and under the rod, he promiſed ſomething to God, and now he reſolves to be carefull to pay it.
Sixthly and laſtly, Chriſtians under the rod, muſt ſeverally, and perſonally, (not only joyntly in companie and aſſemblies) reforme what is amiſſe according to the forementioned rules. He doth not ſpeak in the plurall number, It is meet for Cities, Countries, and Kingdomes, or Nations, but, It is meet for me, that is, for every particular man, and woman, of what degree, eſtate, or condition ſoever, this muſt be my work, my task, my care, huſband apart, wife apart, child apart, ſervant apart, Miniſter apart, people apart. For uſually that is done to beſt purpoſe, which is done ſingle, in a way of ſecrecy. The ſouldiers come to John, and ſay, What ſhall we doe? the Publicans and ſinners, What ſhall we doe? every one of them in particular deſired to know what belonged to them in reforming, this lieth plainly in the text.
Seventhly, There is ſomething elſe that I meant as a ſeventh help, it is that Chriſtians ſhould not only looke upon their reformation under the rodde as a taſke neceſſary and as a duty commanded, but they ſhould looke upon it, as an imployment comely and lovely; meet ſaith the text, what a beautifull and beſeemingthing, is it in a Chriſtian reſolving to be reformed under the rudde? And thus we have done with the firſt thinge propounded, viz. what kinde of reformation it is, we ſhould reſolve upon under the rod.
The ſecond thing propounded, is what arguments may prevaile with Chriſtians, according to the latitude of this Text, thus to reforme under the rodde. There are arguments of two kindes, that I ſhall ſuggeſt.
Firſt, ſome in relation to God.
Secondly, ſome in relation to our ſelves.
Firſt, in relation to God, I ſhall name ſix or ſeven, whereof five I ſhall finde in this chapter.
Firſt, becauſe God that calleth for Reformation under Correction, is the author of every blow, of every ſcourge, he it is, that breaketh the bones that teareth the ſkin, that bruiſeth the fleſh, this you may ſee in the 13, 14, 15. v. Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath placed him over the whole world? If he ſet his heart upon man (ſpeaking of God) and gather unto himſelfe his ſpirit, and his breath. All fleſh ſhall periſh together, and man ſhall returne unto duſt: he doth not ſay, if they will breake themſelves to pieces, or if infectious aire, or unſeaſonable times, will produce a peſtilence, to ſweepe them away; but, if he ſhall doe it, that is God, he is the author of it. Conſider that place Jer. 5. 3. where the Prophet ſpeakes thus by way of complaint, O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou haſt ſtricken them, but they have not ſorrowed, thou haſt conſumed them, but they have refuſed to receive correction, they have made their faces harder then a ſtone, and have refuſed to returne: ſhould not the childs care under the ſmarting rod be, to give content to the angry father? know the Lord is the author of thy chaſtiſement, Is there any evil in the City (meaning the evill of puniſhment) and the Lord hath not done it, ſaith the Prophet? Is there any breach in the Kingdom, any plagues amongſt us, any famine, or want, that the Lord hath not done? it is his hand that layes on: that is one argument.
The ſecond reaſon why we ſhould reforme under the rod, is, becauſe God afflicts us, becauſe we are blame worthy, becauſe we have ſinned, therefore his Majeſty is pleaſed to ſmite us, verſe 26. 27. He ſtriketh them as wicked men, in the open ſight of all men, becauſe they have turned back from him, and would not conſider all his wayes: Doth God lay on them, why is it? only becauſe he hath a delight to rend, and teare them, bruiſe and breake? no, nothing leſſe: for he doth not afflict willingly.
It is alienum opus, it goes againſt the heart, and minde of God, God is provoked unto it by mens ſins. Lam. 39. in that place (before quoted) wherefore doth the living man complaine? he gives a reaſon, Man ſuffereth for his ſins, and in the 40. verſe, ſhewes what uſe we ſhould make of this; Let us ſearch and try our wayes, and turne unto the Lord, ſay, I was proud, God hath met with me, therefore now I will be more humble, I was peeviſh, God hath croſſed me, now I will be more tractable, I was ſenſual in the uſe of the creature, God hath given me a bitter pill, therefore I will be more moderate, that I may not provoke his Majeſty any more.
Thirdly, Conſider this, (which will follow from the former,) he is exceeding juſt, and gracious in every rod he uſeth, in every ſtroke, that he giveth; in every affliction that he ſendeth, as in verſe 10. 11, 12. Therefore hearken to me ye men of underſtanding, far be it from God that he ſhould doe wickedneſſe, and from the almighty, that he ſhould commit iniquity, for he will render unto every man, according to his works, and cauſe every one to find according to his way, and 23. for he will not lay upon man more then is right, that he ſhould enter into judgement with God. God will not make the ſtaffe too heavy, the rod too bigge, God doth noe more then juſtly he may, if he teare the skin, if that will not doe, he will breake the veines, if that will not doe, he will deal more rigorouſly, and ſhall not this move us to reforme under the rod?
Fourthly, The Lord well knows, and conſiders, the frame of every mans ſpirit, the carriage of every ſoule under his correcting hand, when God layes on with his hammer upon the anvile of our hearts, he conſiders what force it hath inward, in our ſpirits, outward in our lives: conſider this in the 21. 22. verſe, His eyes are upon the wayes of man, and be ſeeth all his goings, there is no darkneſſe nor ſhadow of death, that the workers of iniquity might be hid therein. Mark it, can a man run away from God, as a child many times from his father, and hides himſelf untill his anger is over? no, he knows every fault that we reforme not in, and knows every courſe that we take for the cauſing of offence, ſubmitting, and ſtooping to him will not ſerve the turne, we muſt reforme when under the rod. I could give you that paſſage, Amos 4. 6. to 12. I have given you cleanneſſe of teeth, ſcarſeneſſe of bread, I have withholden the raine from you, I have ſmitten you with blaſting, and mildew, peſtilence have I ſent among you, your young men have I ſlaine with the ſword, I have overthrown you, as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as firebrands pluckt out of the burning, yet in all theſe you have not returned to me ſaith the Lord, therefore thus will I do unto thee, be reformed under all theſe croſſes, and prepare thy ſelf to meet thy God O Iſrael.
Fifthly, Know the Lord is no reſpector of perſons, God is not like many fond parents, that will indulge cocker, and make much of one child, and lay upon the bones of another, many times they know not for what, but only as affection carries them, nor like ſome miſguided authority, where poor ragged thieves have the halter, when ſilken ones are ſpared; no no, there is no ſuch affection in God, conſider it, there is more in the proof then I ſpeak of, verſe 19 20. How much leſſe to him that accepteth not the perſons of princes, and regardeth not the rich, more then the poor, for they be all the work of his hands, and verſe 24. he ſhall break the mighty without ſeeking, and ſhall ſet up others in their stead. God noe more regards a man worth thouſands, then him that is worth not a farthing; God no more eſteems (in regard of perſonall reſpect) the governers, then the governed.
This ſhould move people under the rod to truſt in God and labour to be reformed, theſe are the five Arguments that I finde in this Chapter.
There are two more remaining in the ſixth place, know for certaine that this is the very end that God aimes at, that by his rodde people might be reformed, as Iſa. 27. 9. By this therefore ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, the taking away of his ſinne. If a childe ſhould aske the father, why did you beate me ſo exceedingly? And he and he anſwer, I would have thee to reforme, to take heede of ſinfull courſes, of ſinfull company, it might be a good argument to worke upon the child. This is the end of God in afflictions that he exerciſeth his withall, to have them be reformed thereby.
Seventhly and Laſtly, conſider, his majeſty will account himſelfe highly honoured, by the reformation of his people under the rodde; in ſort we may make God amends, (but doe not miſtake my expreſſion) it doth not make amends by way of requitall, not adding any thing to his worth, but by way of manifeſtation; but to let that paſſe. Conſider that concerning Paul, God laid upon him, ſtruck him of his horſe, and preſently after you ſhall read. 1 Gal. 23. that they glorified God becauſe of him; What a change is here! he that deſtroyed, and perſecuted, now preacheth that goſpel, for which he perſecuted them, he that endeavoured to diſperſe, and ſcatter poor Chriſtians, now is zealous in incouraging them God-ward, ſo that the godly glory greatly becauſe of him: and what an extraordinary honour is this to God! ſuppoſe a man hath a ſtubborne Colt to break, that will ſtand upon no ground, that ſeems to be very untractable, now if this man can in a ſhort ſpace, bring him to the Saddle, and make him tame and gentle; what a credit will it be unto him? So here when God puts us one way, another way, comes to worke us and winde us according to his will, he thinks himſelfe honoured if we will become tractable, and yield to his commands; when we that once had Chriſt and his government, ſhall come in and ſay with Elihu, Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have borne chaſtiſements, I will not offend any more. This is pleaſing unto God, in this he thinks himſelfe much honoured. This ſhall ſerv to have ſpoken to theſe ſeven arguments in relation to God.
Now for thoſe arguments of the ſecond ſort, in relation to our ſelves, of theſe I will ſpeake under a two fold head,
Some are drawing, ſome are driving, ſome are forcing, ſome alluring, my meaning is, ſome ſuggeſt ſadneſs to them that will not reforme under the rodde, theſe I call driving or forcing, again ſome hold forth ſweetneſſe, pretious prerogatives to them that will amend, and reforme when the Lord ſmites, and theſe I call alluring, and drawing arguments. You ſee I am in a large field, but I doubt, I ſhall have time, to goe over but a little ground.
Firſt for driving arguments.
Not to reforme under the rod, it faſtens a blacke marke of ſhamefull ignominie, and reproach upon the heart of a ſinner: how is Jeroboam markt (in this regard) with a black coale, what reproach is caſt upon the back of that man, though he was a King, and woare a Crowne, and the main reaſon of this was, becauſe he reformed not under Gods hand, Kings 1. 13. 4. he ſtretched out his hand againſt the Prophet, his hand dried up, ſo that he could not pluck it in again, yet for all this, ſaith the Text verſe 33. Yet for all this Jeroboam turned not from his wicked way. Here is a Monſter of nature, a hopeleſſe wretch, God ſmites him with one rodde after another, takes away a limbe, a hand, and yet he will not be reformed.
Here conſider two things by way of argumentation.
Firſt, not to be reformed under the rodde, is a ſigne of unſpeakable fooliſhneſſe, as it is Jeremy 5. 3, 4. Thou hast ſtricken them but they have not ſorrowed, thou hast conſumed them but they have refuſed to receive correction, therefore I ſaid, ſurely they are poore, they are fooliſh, for they know not the way of the Lord.
It is a ſtrange thing, that men ſhould be no more ſenſible of the rodde, then the Iron of the hammer. Like ſome ſturdy villains, that will not ſtirre at their Maſters bidding, he ſtrikes with one hand after another, till he hath wearied himſelfe, yet he is dogged, and will not goe: ſoe God is upon men in eſtate, in name, in Children, inwardly and outwardly; Oh the rockiſhneſſe of mens hearts, when all theſe roddes will not move them to bee reformed, herein they ſhew egregious folly.
Secondly, not to be reformed under the rodde is a ſigne of extraordinary bruitiſhneſſe. Pro. 27. 22. Though thou ſhouldeſt bray a foole in a morter amongſt wheat brayed with a peſtle, yet will not his fooliſhneſſe depart from him. Marke, he is like a bruit, beate him, ſtrike him, he amends not, like a foole, he will not be reformed. We uſe to ſay, Children ſhew themſelves fooliſh, for they might ſave many a blow: the father calls, he regards not, againe, come, he comes not, goe, he goes not, untill he comes himſelfe, beates him, and makes him goe. Oh fooliſh Child, might not this have been ſaved? So God calls from the world, from our pleaſure, we will not hear him, he pulls away bleſſing after bleſſing, and gives us blow after blow, yet we will not regard him; oh fooliſh people and unwiſe, (marke it) thoſe people that will not reforme under the rod of the Lord, they do expoſe themſelves, (poore ſoules) themſelves know not, to what an encreaſe, and augmentation of miſery: Doe but obſerve it in Pharaoh, let my people go, ſaith God; no not he, therefore God is upon him with one plague after another, one judgement after another, yet not reformed, then the firſt borne in every family dyeth, yet when he had let the Iſraelites goe, he purſues after them, and will not leave till he ſinke (as the text ſaith) like a ſtone in the mighty waters. You know what God threatens, Levit 26. If ye will not hearken, and be obedient unto me, yet ſeaven times more, yet ſeven times more will I plague you: ſo Amos 4. yet have ye not returned, I have afflicted you time after time, yet have you not returned, therefore I will doe thus unto you: How is that? I will bring ſome unexpected, and miſerable-making judgement: If I ſhould ſay that incorrigibleneſſe under the rodde, cauſeth God in wrath to give up people, as in a condition hopeleſſe, I could eaſily prove it; know for certaine, that God will ſay, why ſhould I ſmite any more? the more I ſmite, they more they ſinne, therefore I will take no more paines with them: juſt as many a father will ſay of his incorrigible childe, I will ſpend no more ſtripes upon him, no more time about him, I will packe him out of dores, let him be gone, and trouble my ſelfe no more with him, ſo will God ſay to thoſe that will not be reformed under the rodde: this is a ſad thing to be conſidered: Hoſea alſo will prove this. Further conſider, this is that that provokes the Lord (what ſhall I ſay) for to remove his ordinances from amongſt us. Iſa. 13. bring no more vaine oblations, incenſe is an abomination unto me, I cannot ſuffer your newmoones, nor ſabbaths, nor ſolemne aſſemblies: All this was becauſe ye reformed not, for ſaith the Lord ver. 15. Your hands are full of bloud; remember what Chriſt ſaide, Except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh. Theſe are the driving conſiderations: and why ſhould we not all (from hence) learne to be reformed under the rod?
Now followes thoſe that are drawne from the gaine, that you and I may get by labouring for to attaine unto this frame of ſoule, when the Lord ſhall be pleaſed to accept of us.
What ſhall I ſay? this is the way for to gaine the comfort of the Lord, the tender bowels of his compaſſion, when wee are under the bittereſt calamity, that can befall us, Oh beloved, doe but ſuppoſe a father had torne the fleſh of his child, or broke a vein, and the child ſhould ſobbe, and ſigh, oh would I had not done ſo, or ſo, to provoke my father, I will be better as long as I live, how would the father, and mother, ſorrow, and even weepe to heare him? So it is with God, Jer. 31. 18, 20. I have ſurely heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelfe, Thou haſt chastiſed me, and I was chaſtiſed as a bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoake: you know, offer to yoak a Bullock, and ſhe ſtrikes one with her horn, another with her foot, ſo it was with me ſaith Ephraim, yet then the Lord loves him, ſee v. 20. Is Ephraim my deare ſonne, is he a pleaſant child? for ſince I ſpake unto him, I doe earneſtly remember him, ſtill therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord.
Again, know that if you endeavour thus to reforme under the rodde of the Lord, you may be confident, that the worſt things you may or can ſuffer for God, and his cauſe, they ſhall (according to the riches of his grace) turne to your joy, and everlaſting comfort.
When the Lord threatned the Captivity, Jerem. 24. he compares them to two baſkets ef figges, whereof one one was good, the other naught; by the good figges he ſets out thoſe that ſhould be reformed by their captivity, verſe 6. I will ſet mine eyes upon them for good, and I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord and they ſhall be my people, and I will be their God.
They ſhall be happy, though under the power of them that hate both them, and their profeſſion, they ſhall enjoy me for good ſaith the Lord, becauſe they have turned to me with all their hearts. Will you ſee what heapes of comfort, heape upon heape, the Lord hath provided for them, in reading that place, Job 22. 22. to the end. You know in what a caſe Job was, his eſtate was waſted, his Children killed; his wife become a cold comforter. Now mark 22. Receive I pray thee the Law of his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. 23. If thou returne to the Almighty, thou ſhalt be built up; and thou ſhalt put iniquity from thy tabernacle. See further the reſtauration of his eſtate, and the ſupply of his want, ſo far as abundance may be for thy good, thou ſhalt have it, if under the rod, thou returne, 25. The Almighty ſhall be thy defence, yea, thou ſhalt have thy delight in the Almighty.
The reaſon why we have ſo little communion with God, is becauſe luſts ly unſubdued in our boſome, we take delight in our riches, and pleaſure, and this hinders us of the ſweet joy we might have in Chriſt: He goes on, Thou ſhalt lift up thy face to God; what is the reaſon a man runs, and hides his head? it is becauſe he hath ſinned: he goes on, Thou ſhalt make thy prayer to him, and he ſhall heare thee: he will ſo heare that he will grant thee thy requeſts, and thou ſhalt have to pay thy vowes that thou hast promiſed, thou ſhall decree a thing, and he ſhall eſtabliſh it unto thee, thou ſhalt alway ſpeed, and proſper in thine undertakings, and the light ſhall ſhine in thy wayes, God himſelf ſhall direct thee, when others are caſt down, then ſhalt thou ſay, I am lifted up. See what a company of comforts is here, for them that will be reformed under the rod.
What need I name particulars? when as Jeſus Chriſt (in whom is all the promiſes of this life, & a better) is made over to them, that are careful to reforme, both in their ſpirit, and wayes, in reference to that God that caſts them down; the redeemer ſhall come unto Zion, and unto them that turne from iniquity in Jacob, ſaith the Lord, Iſaiah 59. 20. Is not here ſtrong arguments to move you? therefore take the Place of the text, and ſay, we will beare chaſtiſements, we will not offend any more, that which we ſee not, teach thou us, and if we have done iniquity, we will doe it no more.
The third thing was, what courſe we ſhould take to be wrought upon to attain unto this frame of Spirit.
Firſt, Throuhly from ſcipture light, informe your ſelves, concerning the ſinfulneſs, and the uglineſſe of this courſe in regard wherof you muſt reforme ſaith the Prophet, After I was inſtructed I repented, and ſmote upon my thigh, and ſaid, what a thing is this that I have done? that which I ſee not, teach thou me, may be I doe not ſee it, if I doe ſee it, may be not ſo ugly, baſe, and abominable as it is, therefore oh teach me. If men did but think, what it is to be a naturall man, for a man that hath an immortall ſoule to lye ſtinking in a puddle, to goe to the trough with the Swine, and under the table with the dogge, there is noe man but would think this to be a very deformed, and unſeemly ſight, how much more, to have your ſoules, your immortall ſoules rooting in the dirt; this is the condition of a naturall man. Conſider, is it not a horrible thing, to reſiſt God, to pluck God out of the chaire of ſtate, to pull him out of the throne of majeſty, to wring the Scepter out of Gods hand? this is horrible treaſon indeed! A proud man doth it, he reſiſts God, he ſets himſelf againſt God, God againſt him, if you did but conſider this, you would down with your proud hearts. Again conſider what it is to be an unbeliever, to give God the lye, as every unbeliever doth, to let the greateſt meities of God to fall into the channel: rather then I will put out my hand to reach them, this every unbeliever doth. Now we ſhould conſider the danger of theſe ſins, and labour to avoyd them, and we ſhould ſtrive to ſee the latitude, and utmoſt extent of the bloudineſſe, and baſeneſſe of our own hearts, that ſo we may keep the better watch againſt them.
Sometimes when a Father would have his child aſhamed of himſelf, he fetcheth a glaſſe, and ſhews him, what a deformed face he makes himſelf. Oh that you did but ſee the ſinfulneſſe, and deformity of this courſe, whereof God would have you to reforme, you could not but be aſhamed of it.
Secondly, you muſt be deeply humbled for what ever it is that under the rod you doe diſcover to be out of order, both in your heart, your minde, and actions; the way of reformation is by weeping croſſe, I ſmote upon my thigh, and was aſhamed. Rich Manaſſes, who was a King, humbled himſelf greatly before the Lord God of his fathers, this indeed is repentance not to be repented of; what feare, what indignation, what zeale have the ſaints of God ſhewed in their reforming under the rod? ſaith God, my people that are called by my name, ſhall humble themſelves, and turne from their evill wayes, noe turning aright, without humiliation: when a child once ſees wherin he hath offended, and the haynouſneſſe of his offence, he falls down upon his knees, and cryes out, pardon, pardon. So muſt we labour to ſee the greatneſſe of our ſins, and the hainouſneſſe of them, that ſo we may be the deeper humbled for them, and then the ſoule (at the apprehenſion of ſin growing upon the heart, in regard of the root of originall ſin that feeds it, and in regard of the weakneſſe of his own nature to withſtand the world, the fleſh, and the divill,) will ſeek after Chriſt, get Chriſt, hugge Chriſt, then he will know the worth of a Saviour, and will eſteem of a Saviour, for he knows that God hath ſet him apart that he may give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſſe of ſins, Acts 5. 31. To bleſſe you in turning every one of you from your iniquities, as Acts 3. 26. he knhws that Chriſt hath power to bind the ſtrong man, caſt out devils, if he ſpeak but the word, the waves and winds ſhall all be quiet. It was foretold, Iſa. 11. 6. 7. that in goſpel time, the Wolfe ſhall dwell with the Lambe, and the Leapard ſhall lye with the Kid, and the Calfe, and the Lion, and the fat beaſt together, and a little child ſhall-lead them, and the Cow and the Beare ſhall feed, their young ones ſhall lye together; and the Lyon ſhall eat ſtraw like the Bullock, and the ſucking child ſhall play upon the hole of the Aſpe, and the weaned Child ſhall put his hand upon the Cockatrice hole. This is the mighty work of God, therefore goe unto Gov, and ſay, O God thou that canſt thus change the naturall diſpoſition of beaſts, change my beaſtly diſpoſition, thou that couldeſt call a Lazarus out of the grave where he lay rotting, Oh deliver me from a dead heart, that have laine a long time rotting in ſin, thou that dideſt make the lame to goe, make me to run the way of thy commandements, which thou haſt ſet before me, thou that didſt open the eyes of the blind, open my eye that I may ſee to runne the race that thou haſt ſet before me; thou that didſt cure the deaf, bore my eares, that I may heare, and learn to feare thee.
Thus goe to God, and pray unto God, waite upon God, and expect deliverances from him, for there is none in Heaven or in earth that can give a deliverane but he alone, intreat the Lord, according to your need, to work on your ſoules this grace of reforming under the rod, goe to God, and ſay, father if thou wilt, thou canſt alter me, and change me, oh, turne me, and I ſhall be turned, convert thou me, and I ſhall be converted, ſay, Lord thou canſt take away all tranſgreſſion, all ſin and iniquity, doe it for thy mercy ſake, ſay, Lord, thou canſt pull out my right eye, ſin, cut of my right hand, ſin, there is no power, but the power of an omnipotent God can doe it, that can thus pull me out of ſin, and make me reformed, doe it fot thy Goodneſſe ſake.
Laſtly, Are you all willing to enter into a covenant with God? ſeeing we are all under the rod, I doe not ſpeak of any particular covenant, but of a generall covenant, will you now promiſe the Lord that you will reforme, and ſin noe more? this is that, that the Lord expects of us, now we are under the rod, this it is that the Lord doth both command, and commend unto us, this let us all bind our ſelves to performe, that ſo we may with ſome boldneſſe put up our prayers to God, as well for others, as our ſelves.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Fenner, Twenty-Nine Sermons (1657)