Better want allthen theCfoBell, II2 uncleanneffe. 6. An eftate of continual) and remedileffe 6,Of Sorrows. forrones, ftraights and perplexities. if God begin to wa ken the confcience , and make man a little fenfible ofhis wrath, then without the Gofpell, his eftate like the wa- ters of MArah without the tree is very bitter, he cannot Exod.is,f. driuke of' it, he cannot meditate upon it, without any cotn- fart, then he is in d flraights in the midit of his fsfficiency; dlobzo.z2. then he is in the green meadow of his worldly plenty, as a e chafed Hart without the water brooke ; then he is full e Pfzl 41.1. of bleilings and - agitations; like the Difciples in theftorme, M3.8. and nothing but the voice of Chrift in the Gofpell canmi- niffer peace or comfort to him : Better be deprived of all worldly poffeflions, then of the Gofpell, and Gods Mini- tiers. O that filch men would confider and Rudy the mifery of their condition, as are left without the Gofpell, and a faithfull Minifter to inttruc} them:All our blel3ings willprove at laft as curfes, if we have not the Gofpell to fweeten and, fanaifie them to us ; the waters about yericho were naught, untill the Prophet powred fait into them ; theLe- 3 Kin.z. pelt rivers, and fulleft flouds of mans worldly abundance, prove naught , an inftrument of death and condemnation, to him that hath not the Gofpell to feafon them ; not the eftate of him that wantsearthly abilities, but theeftate ofhim that wants the labours ofGodsMinifters,is an eftate of woes, miíeries,and curfes. Doth God difpenfe his greateft, his heavenly, his choi- Their folly fell Wettings by his Minifters ? Then in this, as in a plaine opened who and open character may we read their folly, and their im- Orange them piety, who eftrange themfelves from thehoufeofGod,who the . !]eight and undervalue the labours ofGods Minifters; theft men eftrange themfelves from the place, and from the 'manes of Welling : The foule which is regardleffe ofthe miniftery of theGofpell is far fromblelling; fach ascome not to the light abide m darkneffe; fuchas reject the Phyfitian,perifh in their difeafes ; filch as cart away their weapon, fall in the bat- tell ; fuch as refufe the miniftery of the word, the light, the phyficke, and armour of their foules, abide in ignorance, perilh in their impieties, and fall before their fpirituall ad- verfarics
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