Trouble of the Mind and the Disease of Melancholy, Discourse · Part 1 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Of the ſeveral ends that God hath in ſuffering his Servants to be under long Afflictions, and ſpiritual diſtreſs and anguiſh.
XV. COnſider what ends God may have in letting the apprehenſions of his wrath continue for a ſeaſon; and here I know I enter upon a thing, whereof we cannot have a certain and a comprehenſive knowledg; for the Judgments of God, and great, and long, and ſevere Tryals, are too deep for us eaſily to fathom, or to tell particularly what is God's deſign in this or that: The Arcana's of his Government are not obvious to every one that deſires to pry into them; and there are abundance of very dark and myſterious Providences in this World, the Reaſons of which we ſhall never know till the great day. Who can tell the very Cauſe, why God ſuffers one Religious Man to ſuffer affliction for ſeveral years, and another that is perhaps no better than he, ſcarcely knows what affliction means? One ſhall be croſſed and diſappointed in all that he goes about, and meet with loſſes in his Eſtate and in his Family, and be damaged in his Health; when another proſpers, and is well, and dies by an eaſie death? in what a ſmooth path do ſome good people go into Heaven, when others are torn with thorns and bryars, and go mourning and weeping all the way! Who dare preſume to ſay why this is ſo, and no otherwiſe! A great modeſty becomes our inquiries, when we endeavour to pierce into the Deſigns of the Great God, whoſe Throne is eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſs, but ſurrounded with clouds and darkneſs. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, Prov. 25.2. his Infinite Majeſty will not be accountable to us for what he does: there is a thick veil upon the Reaſons of his Judgments and Decrees, that he may procure a greater veneration from his Creatures; Pſal. 77.19. Thy way is in the ſea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footſteps are not known. Therefore when we ſay, that God does this or that for ſuch or ſuch a reaſon, we muſt do it with great humility, and only ſo far as the Scripture is our guide; and from that we may learn that God ſuffers his people to be under the apprehenſions of his wrath, and under long afflictions for ſuch ends as theſe,
1. It is certainly good for the Univerſe, for God does nothing in vain; and when any part ſuffers, 'tis for the good of the whole; tho perhaps we cannot diſcern how it is ſo, till his hand has finiſhed his own entire deſign.
2. That others may be convinced by their very Senſes, what a dreadful God he is; and how terrible a thing it is to ſin: When the Lyon roars, who will not fear? Amos 3.8. When men ſee thoſe that were once pleaſant as themſelves, ſhedding tears, and crying out in the bitterneſs of their ſouls, that they are undone and miſerable; their ſad looks, and their doleful expreſſions bear witneſs to the Being, and to the Severity and Juſtice of God: He ſometimes in the extraordinary joys which his love produces in the hearts of his people, ſhews Heaven upon Earth; and ſometimes in the fears and amazements and terrors of awakened Conſciences, he ſhews Hell upon Earth, and both by his wiſe and holy Providence are deſigned for the good of others. The language of their groans does thus beſpeak all that behold their ſorrow: Oh ſin not againſt ſo great and ſo terrible a God; leſt the flames begin to ſcorch you, that have almoſt conſumed us; we no more thought of falling into his hands, than you do: we thought no more than you, that our ſinning would coſt us ſo very dear; but you ſee what we have felt, and what you may expect if you do not repent and turn, and make your peace with ſo holy a God as he is; his Power will amaze you, his Arm will cruſh you if ever you provoke him to ſend on you ſuch a ſtroke as ours is; endeavour therefore to profit by ſuch ſorrowful Examples.
3. God does it to keep us from carnal Security all our lives; Pſal. 9.20. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themſelves to be but men. When our ſin has fallen upon us like a Giant newly refreſht with wine; ſurely the remembrance of that horror, pain and ſmart, will keep us that we ſhall not dare to ſleep in ſin, nor be unwatchful and preſumptuous any more for ever. Surely this will quench all irregular deſires, and cauſe us only to deſire that God, whoſe favour we need ſo very much; this has ſurely ſhewn us how great is our weakneſs and our folly, and how low we ſink when he hath left us: this will make us to be humble, and to walk ſoftly all our days; remembring we are not every hour more than what God makes us to be; if he leaves us but for one poor moment, where are we? We that have taſted ſo much of his diſpleaſure, have cauſe to rejoice with trembling; every remembrance of that doleful time muſt be to us as a new motive to obedience, and a powerful reſtraint of ſin; Heb. 12.10. He chaſtens us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs. Oh what an abundance of folly muſt there have been lodged in our hearts, that God is forced to uſe ſo ſharp and ſo ſevere a method to whip it out! how benummed were we, that nothing elſe could awaken us! how diſeaſed, that nothing but a potion ſo bittter could promote our Cure! how great was our pride, that he was forced to beat it down by ſo violent a ſtroke! Deut. 8.15, 16. Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderneſs, wherein were ſiery ſerpents, and ſcorpions, and drought, where there was no water; That he might humble thee, and prove thee, to do thee good in thy latter end. So Paul had, 2 Cor. 12.7. a thern in the fleſh.
3. To convince us of his own All-ſufficiency, and the nothingneſs of our ſelves, and of all oſher Creatures. He let us fall, to ſhew us how ſmall our ſtrength is; and that if we would have our goings eſtabliſhed, we muſt depend on him alone. We are in our proſperity apt to think, that this or that Creature, this or that Perſon will yield us relief; but in ſpiritual Troubles God ſhews us, that all men, even the beſt of men are vanity; and thoſe from whom we expect the greateſt help, do us the leaſt good: Nay, thoſe Watchmen, of whoſe skill and kindneſs we have the greateſt opinion, are frequently ſuffered to ſmite us by their imprudent, or by their harſh Speeches and Cenſures, that ſo we may not look to thoſe Ciſterns which we find to be broken ones, but to that Heaven whence all our Conſolation flows. When we go to the Creatures with the moſt raiſed expectations, we meet with the moſt unlookt-for diſappointment: And indeed whilſt we look only to them, we are like people that go begging to the doors of the poor. Our Fellow-creatures are all Eleemoſynary, and have nothing but what they receive; and unleſs God helps us, they cannot help; as unleſs the wind blows, not all the skill of the Pilot, nor all the induſtry of the Mariner can make the Ship to ſail forward to the Port. We think indeed, that if our Friend be ſick, we would haſten to his help, and immediately relieve him; but our beſt Friend ſtays a long while ere he delivers; not from any pleaſure that he takes in our ſorrows, but that he may render his Power and his Wiſdom more illuſtrious: as Chriſt, John 12.6, 7. when he heard that Lazarus was ſick, ſtayed two days in the place where he was, that ſo the glory of God might be more conſpicuous in his Reſurrection: And when the ſeaſon that is moſt beautiful comes, we ſhall diſcern the reaſon of his delay: He lets us fall low to a wonder, that he may diſplay his Power, that is Almighty; and his Wiſdom, that is never at a loſs; that we may know, when all other methods have been tried in vain, 'tis he alone that can make our broken bones to rejoice: that when we are beſet with difficulties which we think inſuperable, we may ſtand ſtill, and ſee how glorious, how ſuitable, and how ſpeedy is the Salvation, and the Grace, and the Help of God; and that he alone is the God of Comfort, 2 Cor. 1.3. That all other things are inconſiderable, but that he is Alſufficient; and it is an excellent Leſſon that he teaches us by our moſt heavy Croſſes: None can calm the tumults and uneaſineſs of a troubled Soul, but he alone; our Spirits are ſo remote from humane Obſervations, our Diſeaſes are ſo inward, and ſo great, that men cannot reach them; but nothing is too hard for him that is the Father of Spirits; and he calls us peculiarly to regard this his mighty Work; Iſa. 57. v. 17. For the iniquity of his covetouſneſs was I wroth, and ſmote him. I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have ſeen his ways, and will heal him; I will lead him alſo, and reſtore comforts to him, and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, ſaith the Lord, and I will heal him. He creates it; he not only brings peace, but brings it from nothing by his all-powerful efficacy, that nothing can reſiſt — I ſay again, this I believe is one of the principal leſſons that God deſigns to teach us by our inward and ſpiritual troubles, even, that in him alone our help lies, and that all, even the beſt of men, are vanity: we muſt not look for much from them, for if we do ſo, we ſhall moſt ſurely be diſappointed: they have either not patience to hear our Complaints, and to underſtand the particularities of our Caſe; or if any one have ſo great patience, and ſo much tenderneſs, as to hear our ſad ſtory, they will, it may be, ſigh, or ſhake their heads at it, but alas they can give us no relief.
4. Another End that God may have in the continuance of long and ſore afflictions, and great inward troubles, is, to diſcover more clearly to us the corruption and defilement of our nature: In a calm, the waters of the Sea appear to be clear enough; but when the ſtorm comes, then it throws up the mire and dirt; in proſperity and health we think we have very good hearts, and conſiderable degrees of ſanctification; but when ſin is ſet home upon us, the ſpiritual Law of God begins to ſhew its purity. Oh what multitudes of iniquities do then appear! what unbelief, what impatience, what murmuring, what unbecoming thoughts of God, ſuch hideous and ſtrange thoughts as we never had before! In health, and ſtrength, and peace, there are a thouſand ſecular Affairs and Contrivances that take up our time, and divert our minds, and turn us to the view of things without; but in the trouble of our Conſciences our eyes are turned another way, to behold with attention our own Souls, and to ſee what luſts, what impurities, what venomous Creatures, what Vipers have been entertained there; and oh what a ghaſtly formidable ſight is this, to ſee ſuch a numerous brood of Tranſgreſſions, when we imagined that all had been very well with us! it is even a wonder, that God who ſaw ſo much evil in us, ſhould let us alone ſo long. Theſe ſpiritual Afflictions ſhew us what a ſorry contemptible Creature man is; what cauſe he has to be debaſed when he is moſt proud; and what cauſe he has to be covered with ſhame and bluſhing, when he is moſt fearleſs and undaunted: when God does not blow upon our Garden inſtead of thoſe Spices, thoſe Graces, blowing forth, that may be for his glory, and for our comfort, there is nothing but Weeds and Thiſtles, nothing but Thorns and Briars that tear and wound us; our Soul is then juſt like a dead Carkaſs full of putrefaction; no ſprightly motions towards Heaven, no ſpiritual, no warm deſires, like the cold Regions of the North, which the Sun does only viſit with his fainter and weaker beams; and not like thoſe Eaſtern Countries, where his greater heat does produce Spices and fragrant Flowers.
5. Another End that God hath in the continuance of Spiritual Troubles and Afflictions, and the Senſe of his Wrath long upon us, is, that from our own Experience Chriſt may be for ever very precious to us; when we are at eaſe, and think our ſelves whole, we ſeldom think of him; but our pain, and our ſmart, our guilt and our fears; the ſight of our preſent Danger, and of approaching Wrath, cauſes us to run to this Phyſician, and to beg his help when we are ſinking; it will make us to ſtretch out our hands, and ſay, Maſter ſave us, or elſe we periſh. Never did a poor Man with more earneſtneſs beg an Alms, than we ſhall beg his help; never did a diſeaſed Perſon after violent racking Pain more long for Reſt, and a Cure, than we ſhall for Chriſt; and having fallen among Lyons, having been the flaves of fear, and held in Captivity by the Temptations of Satan, we ſhall moſt gladly ſhake of our Chains, and embrace Liberty and Salvation when our Lord comes to ſet us free? The fight of him to be our Saviour▪ will make us run to meet him, and to ſay, Welcome, thou only Friend of our Souls; welcome, thou dear Phyſician and Healer of our Souls. Hoſannah to the Son of David, bleſſed is he that comes to us in the name of the Lord. Oh! how will our very hearts melt with love, when we remember that as we have been diſtreſſed for our Sins againſt him; ſo he was in greater Agonies for us! We have had Gall and Wormwood, but he taſted a more bitter Cup. The Anger of God has dried up our Spirits, but he was ſcorched with a more flaming Wrath. He was under violent pain in the Garden, and on the Croſs; ineffable was the ſorrow that he felt, being forſaken of his Father, deſerted by his Diſciples, affronted and reproached by his Enemies, and under a Curſe for us. This Sun was under a doleful Eclipſe, this Living Lord was pleaſed to dye, and in his Death was under the Frowns of an Angry God. That Face was then hid from him; that had always ſmiled before; and his Soul felt that horror, and that darkneſs, which it had never felt before. So, that tho there was no Separation between the divine and humane Nature, yet he ſuffered Pains equal to thoſe which we had deſerv'd fo ſuffer in Hell for ever. God ſo ſuſpended the Efficacies of his Grace, that it diſplayed in that hour none of its force and virtue on him. He had no Comfort from Heaven, none from his Angels, none from his Friends, even in that ſorrowful hour, when he needed comfort moſt. Like a Lyon that is hurt in the Foreſt, ſo he roared and cryed out, tho there was no deſpair in him; and when he was forſaken, yet there was truſt and hope in thoſe words, My God, My God. Have we been abandoned of God? He was much more ſo, and was deſerted for a while, that we might not be ſo for ever. Oh! how frequently ſhould we remember ſuch a Saviour? How delightful ſhould we think and ſpeak of him, who thought nothing too much for us? We have by feeling of the Wrath of God, drank, in ſome meaſure, of the Cup whereof he drank. We juſtly for our Sins, He out of Love and Kindneſs, that he might make an Atonement and a Propitiation; and if what we have felt was ſo terrible, how much more dreadful was that which he endured? If the ſmaller drops that have put our Souls into a flame, have filled us with anguiſh, what torment did he undergo that was plunged, as into a Sea of Wrath? Surely ſuch a Friend, ſuch a Phyſician as he has been to us, muſt be ever valued. We cannot pray, but in his Name; we cannot be juſtified, but with his Righteouſneſs; we can hope for nothing, but by his Merits, and his Interceſſion; we cannot Live, we cannot dye without him. Let this be the conſtant Language of our Souls, None but Chriſt, none but Chriſt, Cant. 3.1, 2, 3, 4.
6. That we may put an high Value on the Scripture, that we may ſearch, and look into it with more earneſtneſs and frequency, to ſee if there be any Promiſes in it that are reviving; any place in it that may afford hope and comfor to Souls ſo miſerable, and ſo guilty. For when our Conſciences are awakened, and pierced with the ſenſe of Wrath from God; if his Word would ſpeak peace to us, we could have eaſe; but the terrible threatnings thereof are the things that wound us deep, and that put us to the greater ſmart, and we then know and fully believe beyond all doubt, that this is the word by which we are to be tried in the great and ſolemn day.
7. Another end of God in continuing Afflictions, and a long remaining ſenſe of his Wrath upon us, is, That we may be everlaſting admirers of the freeneſs of his Grace, when we are delivered. Oh! with what wonder ſhould we behold his Condeſcention, and his cure of us, that when our wounds were very deep, he poured in Wine and Oyl; when we were inwardly bleeding, and no Creature, no Friend on Earth could help us, he did not ſuffer us to bleed to death. Whatever gifts we have, whatſoever advantage above ſome others in knowledg and in underſtanding, whatſoever Opportunities we have of doing good, and whatever Zeal we uſe in doing what that opportunity offers to us, we ought to ſay with Paul, 1 Cor. 15.10. By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace which was beſtowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. The Hand of God is ſo ſtrong, his Wiſdom is ſo admirable, that he turns to our profit and advantage, not only the Evils which are cauſed by croſs Events, or by the World, but thoſe which we commit our ſelves, that ſeem to be contrary to our Salvation, even thoſe ſins which we are guilty of: He changes theſe Poiſons into Phyſick, theſe Scandals into Edification; and from the thickeſt darkneſs he does bring our light. As by the Adultery,Dailleé Melauge, part 2. p. 415. and the Murther of David, he opened the eyes of his Servant to conſider the horror of his fault; and that which was like to have thruſt him into perdition, by the Divine Providence confirmed him in the way of Salvation. By his Fall he was made to know how feeble his nature was; and on the other ſide, how admirable was the Grace of God; this obliged him to quit all high opinion of himſelf, and not to ſeek his happineſs any-where elſe than in the mercy and grace of God: And as to other faithful Perſons, this ſorrowful example of his was beneficial to mortify their Vanity, and their Pride, and to teach them to put all their truſt in God. With what wonder ſhould we daily cry out, Will God indeed dwell familiarly with men? Will he pity, will he pardon ſuch impatient, ſuch murmuring, ſuch unbelieving Sinners as we have been? Will he cauſe us to hear the joyful Voice again, who have ſo long had the Voice of Ruine and Deſtruction in our Ears? Will he return and be my God again, when I have ſo often thought that he was my Enemy? Will he give me the hope of Heaven, when I have been ſo long at the very door of Hell? Will he put out his hand, and take me into his Ark, when my poor uneaſie Soul hath been wandring to and fro ſeeking for reſt, and found none? His end in theſe Afflictions, and ſore Tryals, is, That the delivered Chriſtian may be always employed in wondring at his Love; and when he has loſt himſelf in wondring tranſporting Joy, may ſay, Oh the heighth, and breadth, and depth! &c. Rom. 11.33. What, will he be ſo gracious to me, who have had ſuch hard thoughts of him? Will he embrace me, ſuch a Prodigal as I am, in his Arms? Oh why ſhould he let me live, when others that have been leſs Sinners than I, are dead and periſhed? Why ſhould he be kind to me, when I was ſo undutiful to him? What, will he give me leave to pray yet again to him, when I in my unbelief ſo often ſaid it was in vain to pray? Will he ſuffer me that have ſpoken ſo unadviſedly with my lips, that have darkened Counſel by words without knowledge, Job 38.2. to take his name in my mouth? Will he ſuffer a mortal Man, and a vile Sinner, to ſay, My Lord, and my God? Yes, he will! I ſee, I feel that there is with him plenteous Redemption; and muſt for ever admire the riches, and the freeneſs of his Grace. Let others talk of merit, of the power of their own Will, of the light of their own Underſtandings, of the force and ſtrength of their Reaſon, for me I know that I have none of theſe things whereof to boaſt. I was laid low in the very depths of miſery and deſolation, and there had I lain ſtill for all that I was able to do. I was hopeleſs, and he filled my deſpairing Soul with hope. I was very guilty, and he forgave me: I was near to Hell; I ſaw the flames and ſmoak of that Infernal pit; I ſmelled the Fire and Brimſtone; and he that alone could help me, brought me back again. I was fainting, and he revived me; dying, and he made me live: How many hath he paſſed by, and ſuffered them to pine away in their Iniquities; and he has ſaid unto me, Live! If he will accept of my poor prayers, my weak endeavours, of my heart, and of my Soul; my thoughts, my affections, ſhall be all employed for him, and for his glory: when I have ſo long heard the rumour, and the noiſe of war, he hath ſent me the tidings of peace and joy. Oh whence is it, but from his own Grace, that I, who was ſo far from him, ſhould be brought nigh; that I who hated him ſo much, ſhould be ſo greatly beloved! Enter into thy Reſt, O my Soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.
VIII. Another end why God ſuffers his Servants ſo long to remain under the impreſſions of his Wrath, is, That they may learn to be merciful, and helpful to others.
1. To ſuch as are in the like caſe.
2. To ſuch as are ſinning, and have not yet felt the diſpleaſure of God for their Sins.
Firſt, To ſuch as are under trouble of Conſcience, and the apprehenſions of God's Wrath; 2 Cor. 1.3, 4. Luke 22.32. As our heavenly Father has been merciful to us, ſo we muſt be merciful to them: and having met with a Fountain that has quencht our thirſt, lead them alſo to the Spring of Living Waters.Dr. Fuller's Cauſe and Cure of a Wounded Conſcience, pag. 144. Conceive thy ſelf like Joſeph, therefore ſent before, and ſold into the Egypt of a wounded Conſcience, where thy feet were hurt in the Stocks, and the Irons entred into thy Soul, that thou mighteſt provide food for the famine of others, and eſpecially be a Purveyor of Comfort to thoſe thy Brethren that ſhall follow thee down into the ſame doleful Condition. We muſt not grieve them by ſharp, or unſeaſonable diſcourſe: when they are in the Furnace, we muſt not by imprudent bitterneſs make it to be more hot: they are wounded in their Souls, and thoſe wounds require a gentle, a skilful, and a tender hand; every one of us ſhould ſay, they are troubled on every ſide, and ſo was I: they are afraid that God is departed, and ſo was I: thoſe Arrows of the Almighty that ſtick in them, but a little while ago ſtuck in me; that Cup that is now in their hand, was but a little while ago in mine; as they ſigh, and complain, and groan, and fear, even ſo did I: therefore let me viſit theſe Sick; direct theſe Wanderers that have loſt their way, and ſee if theſe Priſoners by the ſight of my Liberty, will become Priſoners of hope. I muſt lead them to my Phyſician, and tell them the nature of my cure: when others are fallen into the Pit, out of which we are newly got, let us ſtrive to draw them up. Let us put on bowels of compaſſion; let us patiently hear what they ſay, and not rebuke them for complaining; let us not be weary of their diſcourſe, becauſe it's doleful and troubleſome; let us not ſmile at that which makes them weep; nor ſimply call that fancy, which is the anguiſh and trouble of their Souls. Let us remember all that ſpeech, and that uſage, that made us worſe when we were ill, and avoid all ſuch to them. Let us remember what it was that gave us ſome ſupport, and let us miniſter the ſame to them. When any of our Friends are very ſick, if we know any Cordial, any Receipt that has been beneficial to us under the like caſe, we make all the ſpeed we can to fetch it, and we cannot ſee them faint, without finding at the ſame time a very ſenſible commotion in our own hearts: no outward Affliction, though never ſo painful, is ſo terrible as theſe ſpiritual Troubles are; let us therefore be more affectionately concerned for ſuch diſtreſſed Perſons, than for any other, when we ſee the Anger of God beginning to kindle in their Conſciences: Let us uſe all the methods that are moſt like to quench the beginning flame. For as God commanded the Iſraelites to be kind to ſtrangers, becauſe they themſelves were ſuch in the Land of Egypt: So let us be very kind and pitiful to all that are in diſtreſs, we having been ſo our ſelves. Let us take all opportunities to viſit, to exhort, to direct them. Let us wraſtle with the God of Jacob in their behalf; let them ſee that we ſympathize moſt heartily with them; and that though the Grace of God has wiped our tears away, yet we can ſtill weep with them that weep. Let us take all the ways we can to make them believe we are afflicted with their affliction, and ſincerely concerned for the ſadneſs of their Caſe; and by this means they will more ruminate on what we ſay, and regard the more what we tell them, that have been once as they now are; then they will regard others that may ſpeak well indeed, but not from their own Experience. If a man were in a bodily Diſeaſe, he would rather have recourſe to a Phyſician that had been himſelf lately cured of it, than to any other that can talk, it may be, more learnedly about it, but knows not by information or ſtudy half ſo much as he that feels it: the knowledge of the one is but ſpeculative, but the other's is more diſtinct and practical; and he knows how to make ſuitable applications to his Patient, from the remembrance of what he felt in his own Body; Heb. 2.17, 18. 2 Cor. 1.6.
Secondly, God continues the ſenſe of his wrath very long upon the Souls of his People, that they may learn to pity wicked men, and inſtruct them in the way of happineſs; Pſal. 51.11, 12, 13. that they may teach them by their words, their ſerious Exhortations, and their faithful Reproofs, by their holy Converſation, and by their every action that they go about: there are many Leſſons that we our ſelves are not taught, but by the rod, and the frowns of an Angry God, by a very ſmarting and ſevere diſcipline; we ſee not, till after a long teaching, the real evil of Sin, and the true worth of Chriſt; to the knowledge of which, when we are once arrived, we muſt communicate ſome meaſures of it to others; though the miſery is, the moſt will ſcarce believe our Report, till they themſelves come to feel what we have felt. He that is eſcaped by the mercy of God out of long trouble of Conſcience, can thus ſay to Sinners; I have dearly paid for all the delight that I once had in ſin; for all my indifference and lukewarmneſs, my cold and ſluggiſh Prayers, my loſt and miſimproved time; beware that you do not provoke him, for he is a jealous God; for if you do, you ſhall alſo find, that thoſe Sins which you make a ſlight matter of, will tear you to pieces hereafter; you will find them when your Conſciences are awakened, to be an heavy, and intolerable burthen; they will preſs you down to Hell it ſelf. I could not have thought that the diſpleaſure of God had been a thing ſo bitter, and ſo very dreadful; It is a tertible thing to fall into the hands of the living God, for he is a conſuming fire: if his Anger be kindled but a little, you cannot then fix your minds upon any pleaſant Objects, nor have one eaſie Thought; you cannot then go about your buſineſs, your Trades, or your ſecular Affairs; for your Souls will be ſo much amazed, that you will be full of horror and conſternation. Thoſe of us that have felt the terrors of the Lord, do moſt earneſtly perſuade you to forſake every Sin; for if you indulge, and love your Iniquities, they will ſet you on fire round about: Oh that you did but know what you do, when you ſin! you are oppoſing that Authority that will avenge it ſelf of all its obſtinate oppoſers; you are heaping up fuel for your own deſtruction; you are whetting that Sword that will enter into your Bowels; you are preparing your ſelves for bitterneſs and trouble; and though God is patient for a while, yet he will not always be ſo; the ſhadows of the night are drawing on, and the doleful time will come, when all your mirth will end in tears, and all your falſe confidence, and your fooliſh hopes, will expire and give up the Ghoſt. And which of you will live when God ſhall enter into Judgment with you? VVhat will you do? VVhere will you go for help, when he that is your Maker, he that has weighed your actions, and obſerved your wandrings, ſhall call you to give an account of all theſe things? If our bleſſed Lord, when he came near Jeruſalem, lift up his voice and wept, ſaying, O that thou hadſt known, even now in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace! What cauſe have we to mourn over our fellow-creatures whom we ſee to be in danger of miſery, and alas they know it not! Can we ſee them ſleeping on the very edge of ruine, and not be greatly troubled for them! Oh poor ſinners! you are now ſleeping, but the Judge is at the door; you are rolling the pleaſant morſel under your tongue, but it will be great vexation to you in the latter end. How can you reſt! how can you be quiet when you have none of your ſins pardoned! no comfortable relation to God! no well-grounded hope of Heaven! How can you with any aſſurance go about thoſe things that concern your buying, your ſelling, and the preſent Life, when your poor ſouls, that are of a thouſand times more value, are neglected all the while! We have felt great terrors, inexpreſſible ſorrows from an angry God, and we would fain perſuade, you not to run upon the thick Boſſes of his Buckler, not to dare his Juſtice, not to deſpiſe his threats, as once it was our folly; but we knew not what we did. We are come out of great Tribulation, and a fiery Furnace, and we would fain perſuade you to avoid the like danger; let what we have felt be a caution to you. It was the deſire of Dives in his miſery, that he might leave it, to go thence to warn his Brethren, leſt they came to the ſame place of torment; but it would not be granted; ſome of us here come from the very Gates of Hell, to warn you that you may not go thither; nay, to warn you that you may never go ſo near it as we did; we wiſh you ſo well, that we would not have any of you to feel ſo much ſorrow and grief as we have felt. We were once aſleep as you are, we did not imagine that terror and deſolation was ſo near when it came upon us; and now having been overtaken with a ſtorm of wrath, we come to warn you, that we ſee the Clouds gather, that there is a ſound of much Rain, and of great Miſery, tho' your Eyes are ſo fixt on things below, that you ſee it not. You muſt ſpeedily ariſe, and ſeek for a ſhelter, as you tender the ſalvation of your ſouls; you muſt not put off ſerious thoughts for your own ſafety, not for one day, not for one hour longer, leſt it be too late. We were travelling with as little thought of danger as ſome of you, and we fell among Thieves, they plundred us of our peace and our comfort, and we were even ready to dye, when that God, whoſe juſt diſpleaſure brought us low, was pleaſed to take pity of us, and to ſend his Son, as the kind Samaritan, to bind up our wounds, and to chear our hearts; and we cannot be ſo uncharitable as not to tell you; when we ſee you going the ſame way, that there are Robbers on the Road; and that if you do not either return, or change your courſe, you will ſmart for your ſecurity as much as we have done. We have been ſaved indeed at length from our fears, it is as by fire: But we ſuffered, while they remain'd, very great loſs. Some perhaps will be ſaying within himſelf, I ſhall ſee no evil, tho' I walk in the imaginations of my own heart; theſe things you talk off are the meer product of a melancholly temper that always preſages the worſt, that is always frighting it ſelf and others with black and formidable Idea's; and ſeeing I am no way inclinable to that diſtemper, I need not fear any ſuch perplexing thoughts: But know, that no briskneſs of temper, no ſanguine couragious hopes, no jollities, nor diverſions, can fence you from the wrath of God. If you go on in ſin, you muſt feel the bitterneſs of it either in this or the next World; and that may, notwithſtanding all the ſtrength of your Conſtitution, all the pleaſures of your unfearing Youth, come upon a ſudden. That Cup that is full of ſparkling Wine, has Dregs and Poyſon at the bottom. Your ſouls are always naked and open before God, and he can make terrible impreſſions of wrath there when he will, notwithſtanding by your chearfulneſs and mirth, you ſeem to be at the greateſt diſtance from it.