of the sad and lamentable threatenings of God, which he hath threatened and denounced against you, is a sad forerunner of some sad strokes from the Lord. Are there not many persons who slight threatenings through the want of faith? They believe not that such a threatening is true, and therefore I think it is like that God will preach to your senses, before you believe what he now preaches to your ear. I say, the day is coming, that before the threatenings of God be believed by some of you, he must preach to your sense, and make you to feel that which ye would not believe. And are there not many that will not make use of the threatenings, because they believe the threatenings are not to them? And therefore they make not particular application of the threatenings to themselves. I confess, I think it were good for every one of us, to take home the threstenings to our own bosom.

Thirdly, Some will not take and make use of the threatenings, because they mistake what is their meaning. There are some that let Christ threaten them what he will, and they still are in the dark, and cry out, O! what doth Christ mean by his threatenings? This is clear from the practice of the Jews, John vii. 33, 34, compared with the 35th and 36th verses, where Christ threatens them with this, Yet a little while I am with you, and then I go unto him that Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am, thither ye cannot come. Now, what hinders them to make application of this threatening? It is in verses 35, 36, What manner of saying is this that he saith, ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come? Will he go to the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? So they knew not the meaning of the threatening, and that hindered them to apply it.

sent me.

The fourth reason why many persons make not application of the threatenings, is this-ignorance of their own condition. Some persons will be living under such a sin, and yet when that sin is threatened, they will not apply it, because they know not their sin. Are there not some persons, that will not take with threatenings for their worldly-mindedness, because they call their worldly-mindedness, frugality? Are there not some persons, who, when a minister threatens against presumption, will not take with it, because they think their presumption, faith and confidence? And are there not many things threatened against hypocrisy, and few of them applied? And this is, because we think our hypocrisy, sincerity.

Fifthly, This mars the application of threatenings to many, because God hath a mind to destroy them; therefore they do not apply threatenings. That is a terrible word which is spoken of the sons of Eli, in 2 Sam. ii. 25, Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them. Some God hath a mind to destroy, and therefore they do not apply threatenings.

There is this sixth ground why persons will not make application of threatenings, and it is, because ordinarily some persons are possessed with high thoughts of themselves, and too much of selflove. There is nothing mars the application of threatenings so much as self love; we have no will to believe any sad things against ourselves.

Lastly, There is this which mars the application of threatenings, and it is, our not knowing what a sad and sinful thing it is to slight, and not apply threatenings. I confess, I think it is a question that is hard to determine, whether the slighting of promises, or the slighting of commands, or the slighting of threatenings, be the greatest sin? But I am sure of this, our slighting of threatenings is the rise of our slighting of promises, and likewise the rise of our slighting of commands. Now, I shall say no more; O! that ye were persuaded to hearken to God, that Christ might not be provoked to depart from you, and take his farewell. And to him, who is able to help you to hold him, till the breaking of the day, we desire to give praise.

SERMON II.

MICAH VI. 9.-The Lord's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

It is not much though a Christian be put in a furnace hot seven times more than ordinary, if one in the form and likeness of the Son of man walk up and down with him in the furnace. Is it not Christ's presence which makes a wilderness like the garden of the Lord? Is it not Christ's presence which makes afflictions pleasant? Is it not Christ's presence which makes a crown of thorns a crown of joy? Is it not Christ's presence which makes heaven pleasant? And must it not be Christ's presence that must make the earth pleasant also; I confess, desertion under the cross is one of the most sad and affecting dispensations which a Christian can meet with: but however, ere long, there will be a blessed exchange of cups, that instead of the cup of bitterness, which is presented to a Christian to drink, while he is here below, he shall have a cup of eternal consolations that is above, presented unto him from the hand of the Lord.

I think a Christian may be poor in possession, but rich in hope. I think a Christian may not have much, as to his sensible enjoyments, but may not he cast up his eyes unto the eternal inheritance, and cry out, yonder is my portion, in that land are my lines cast? There are these four things that I would say unto you before I come to the words.

The first thing that I would have you take notice of, is thisthere are three things which a Christian may meet with which are unspeakable, 1. Sometimes a Christian may meet with an unspeakable sorrow, so that he cannot make language of it, because of the anxiety of his heart, but is forced to cry out that word, My stroke is heavier than my groaning. 2. A Christian may meet with unspeakable mercy, he may meet with such a mercy and token of love from the hand of the Lord, that if he were put to it, he could

not make language of it; he would say no more to the commendation of his mercy, but this, What shall I say more? He hath spoken it, and himself hath done it. 3. A Christian may meet with an unspeakable joy; he may be brought to that case and condition, that he cannot make language of his joy; according to that word, 1 Pet. i. 8, Believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.

Secondly, I would have you taking notice of this, that is exceeding much of the concernment of a Christian to believe and close with this truth, that there is not a grain weight of affliction in this cup which infinite wisdom doth not think fit should be there, and which infinite love did not put there: to know and rest upon this, that infinite wisdom, and infinite love, was at the mixing of the cup, (and his tender heart will carve no more out to us than we are able to bear)—this is an help to patience.

Thirdly, I would have you taking notice of this, I think there are some Christians that are forced to bless God more for their crosses, than their mercy, and that they have been forced in their darkest nights, to cry out, It is good for me that I have been afflicted.

There is this fourthly, which I would have you taking notice of, that the cross of a Christian hath two faces, an outward face, and an inward face; and the outward face of the cross oftentimes seems the most unpleasant: but O! if a Christian could win to see the inside of his cross, he might sit down by the rivers of Babel, and there pen songs of praise to God, even praise for this, That he hath been afflicted. O! it is comfortable to the Christian, that Christ hath gone to heaven by the way of the cross; that his blessed feet have trodden that way, and that his precious lips have drunk of that cup.

But to come to the words, we told you that there were five things in the words to be considered, First, That there was an excellent exhortation given to the people of Israel and Samaria, which in short is this, Hear ye the voice of the rod, and who hath appointed it. And from this exhortation ye may take notice of five things, First, That every cross and sad dispensation, which a Christian meets with, hath a voice and language in it; therefore saith he, Hear ye the voice of the rod. As if he had said, "Take notice what the rod says, and what it calls for from you." The second thing to take notice of from this command and exhortation, is this, that it is the duty of a Christian to observe and give obedience unto what the rod speaks, and calls for; therefore is the command given forth, Hear ye the voice of the rod. The third thing that we take notice of from this command is, that there is a great unwillingness in persons to hear what the rod speaks; and therefore the command is put home, Hear ye the voice of the rod. Fourthly, Take notice of this, that the rod, and the voice of him that hath appointed it, are one and the same very thing; therefore these two are knit together, Hear ye the voice of the rod, and him that hath appointed it. There is this lastly, which we would have you taking notice of from this command and exhortation, it is a great point of spiritual wisdom for a Christian to take up and hear the voice of the rod; therefore it is said, The man of wisdom shall see thy name. It is not every man that can take up

what the rod speaks; it is only the man that is endued with much heavenly wisdom from God.

Now as for the first thing that we speak to from the words, viz. That every rod which a Christian meets with, hath a voice in it; before I speak to this, I would have you to take along with you these considerations.

First, It is a singular and most remarkable step of the goodwill of God, when he doth manifest the meaning of a rod to a person or people, Job xxxiii. 16, He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction. Which is brought in as a singular favour from God; that is, he makes them to know what the rod speaks. Elihu puts such a note of mercy upon this, that he thinks it a step of delivery from the rod, He delivers the poor from affliction. How is this, That he opens their ears, and seals their instruction? It is, when God makes a person to take up the meaning of the rod for when he makes them to understand the voice of the rod, it is a half delivery from the rod. Do you not know this, that when the cause of a disease is known, it is half healed? So when the end that God hath in sending rods, is known and taken up, we may say, it is half removed.

Secondly, the Christians of old have taken much pains to know the voice of the rods that they met with, as is clear from 2 Sam. xxi, 1, where the land of Israel being three years under famine, David went and enquired of the cause of that rod. And it is likewise clear from Job vii. 20, where Job is exceeding desirous to know why God set him up as a mark to his arrows, and why he was become a burden to himself.

Thirdly, We would have you to take notice of this, that it is exceeding anxious for a tender Christian to be under a silent rod, to be under such a dispensation that he knows not the language of it; this is clear in Job iii. 23, where Job makes this the cope-stone of his sorrow, that his way was hid; that is, he knew not what was the reason of God's contending with him, after such a way; as likewise it is clear in Job x. 2, where Job is put to propose that question to God, Show me wherefore thou contendest with me?

The fourth consideration that we would have you taking along with you, is this, that it is exceeding hard for a Christian to profit by a rod, till once he take up the meaning of it; and I will give you these three grounds, why it is so hard for a Christian to profit by a rod, till he know the voice and meaning of it. 1. Because it is hard for a Christian to win to submission to the rod, till he know the voice of it; it is the knowledge of the meaning of the rod, that makes a Christian to cry out, I was dumb, and opened not my mouth. 2. Because as long as the meaning of the rod is hid from a Christian, he knoweth not what remedy to go about to deliver himself from that rod; but when he knoweth the reason of God's contending with him, he hath a clear way before him, how to win out from the cross. 3. This is the reason why a Christian cannot profit by the rod, till he know the voice and meaning of it; he cannot win to a solid closing with this truth, that God is in the rod, till he win to the knowledge of the voice of the rod in some measure; there is

nothing will more help a Christian to cry out, God is in the rod, than this, his knowing the reason of God's contending with him. There is this fifth consideration that we would propose, a Christian may be long under a rod before he know the voice and language of it: we conceive this is clear in 2 Sam. xxi. 1. where the land of Israel is under three years' famine, before David could take up the reason of God's contending with them. It is not to be supposed, but David had made frequent supplications to God, for understanding the meaning of that rod; and yet there are three intervenyears ing before he can know it.

The last consideration that we would propose unto you is, when a Christian wins to take up the voice and language of the rod, he ought not to delay, but presently to go about and answer it; this is clear in the practice of David; when he knew the reason of God's contending with him, he immediately set about to remove it. I confess, it is a fault among many, they are more desirous to have their crosses removed, than to have their crosses sanctified unto them; some pray to have the bitterness out of the cross, more than to have the bitterness of sin removed by the cross.

Now in speaking to the first thing in the words, viz. That every rod and dispensation of God hath a voice and language in it, I shall speak a little to these four things: First, How a Christian may win to take up the meaning of the rod in particular afflictions. Secondly, I would speak a little to some mistakes, in taking up the voice and language of such a rod and afflicting dispensation. Thirdly, I would speak to this, how a Christian may be helped to give obedience to the voice of the rod. Fourthly, I shall speak a little to eight or nine special voices which the rod oftentimes hath: as for the first of these, viz. How a Christian may win to take up the meaning of the rod and sad dispensation--I shall prescribe unto you these six ways.

First, By making serious application to the throne of grace, that God would give you light concerning such a rod; this is remarkably clear in that instance, in Gen. xxv. 22, where Rebecca, being under such a particular rod, while she knew not God's way in it; therefore she went and enquired of the Lord, and she received a particular and distinct answer to her case. And it is also clear in the practice of David, 2 Sam. xxi. 1, Israel being under a great rod of famine, David went and enquired of the Lord concerning the meaning of it, and he met with a distinct answer. And this is likewise clear in Job x. 2, where Job being in the dark, concerning the meaning of the rod, desires that God would show him wherefore he contends with him. I would tell you seven sad cases which a Christian may be put to, which Christ hath exceeding good skill to resolve, and it is this, Song i. 7, Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flocks rest at noon? &c. When a Christian knoweth where Christ is feeding, to go to him, he will sweetly resolve that question: for ye may know this, a Christian may be brought to these two steps of desertion: 1. Christ may be gone. And 2. Ye know not in all the world where to find him; as in John xx. 13, as that instance of Mary: and in Job xxiii.