Opened and Applied. 171 pre!lures of mife'ry, rhe llroaks , anJ d:y blol':'es of Di~in~ Vengeance light upon them,and nm~ r_hey qy,Lord, ptry us; tt may be, m ume ofpeace, while confnence and Dtvtne Vengeance were afleep, rhey regarded not Fairh, nor Prayer, nor ChriH , nor any thing elfe, norwirhl1:andmg all rhe heart-breaking cryes, and loud calls of God, but were merry and light, and licentious, &c. but in exrremiry rhen rhey will cry, and prize mercy above a 1houf.md worlds, Prov. r. 28. One would think their .mouths fhou1d be floppr~d th.'!n ; fome think tbofe words are an al!ufion ro the Ark in j\!aafu rime, H.ofea 8. I, z, 3· When the Eagle Jha!l cmJe ngainjl Gods peop 'c, Pial. 78. 3"5· the]' Jh-'ll er;,, UJ{J God, !PekJow thee; Nofatth the Lord, The enemy (hall apprehend them, I will nor; rbis is nor fairh , but only fdf-love; when as men are naught before , and their hearts fitting looli: from God contitmally, having no daily embracements of him , and would b! worfe after Gods affliCting band , if he fhould h!lp rbem ; bur fo it is, rhar they cry our to God for help, meerly becaufe of rormem , &c. This is Iiketbatcry of our Indians rorh~D-!vil, who wor01ip, and cleave to him , becaufe he plagues them. True , in rimes of extremity , rhe faith of rhe Sainrs may be awakened which was afleep .before; and1vhen God hedgerh thei r way wi th Thornes , ·they may rhen rerurne ro their firH H11sband , becaufe ic was better; but when exrr~miry begers it, it begins . and ends wirb ir, Jives and dyes wirh it; here fuch may feare rbat then Chrift apprehends them nor. , Pfalme 66. 3· Becar4fe of thy pollJcr, thy enemi~tr Jhall jl.itter, I and fubmit. A proud Rebellious Wretch in rimes of peace, fwells bigger rhan God, and is apove God ; the Lord Jefus harh his rimes wherein he grapples wirh them when no MiniHers can , and flings them down with his Sword at their heart, and his .hand ac·rheir Throat, and rerrours , in their confciences ; and now they yield; Chril1: may hence rake rhefe as common SubjeCts ; bur never as fpecial favourites to 11:and before him; and this is rhe cafe of -rhoufands, who fly ro Chri(l meerly for exrremiries. Thus rhe cafe Hood with oldJoab; hefbould have dyed before; 1 Kings z. 30. bur· at laH he negleCts his charge, he runnes tO'the Altar only our of felf-love , and rhere he. wi~I dye; one v-.:ould rhi~~ a man rhar had been fo_ ufeful, flying ro rhe Altar 111 h1s old age, m1ghr be pmed; No, rhe Altar whtch fa:ures o- ! thers, fecures not him; jufl:ice!hay be fhewn ro him rhat will abufe favour ,\ long; fo 'ris here. . z. When men fly ro Chril1: in rime> of peace, rhat fo they may preferve their fins with greater peace of confcience 1 [o rhar fin makes rhem flie ro Chri11:, as well as mifery ; nor that rhey may deHroy and abolifh fin, bur rhat rhey may be preferved in rbeir fins with peace. For rhis is i:he fra,me of all men living ; fin before it is commired ( nor alliin , but what js fuit- I , able ro mens conl1:irurions, corruptions, pl~ces, remprarions) is veryfweer; . j and if confcience be awake, it's afrer rhe commiffion bi~rer ; fweet in rhe lmourh, birrerinthe belly; orelferh~;yknowit willbebirrer anorhei day; 1 Trov. 25. 3 z. flings lik.! a Coc/z.atrice; and what profit in inheriting I yes ? j' Now becaufe men luve nor o.rher good ro live upon, or delight in , for God : 1hey have nor ; hence many an heart fecrerly faith this, If I can have my ; fin , and peace, and confcience quiet for rhe pre11::nr, and God merciful ro 1· pardon ir afrenvard, rhen all is well; hereupon nearing rhofe that pur their \ rrul1: in Chrift fl1all be pardoned for prefent, and faved afterward , hence he , dorh relie (as he faith) only on the mery of God in ChriH; and now rhis hardens and biindes him, and makes him fecure, and his Faith is Sermon- . proof, nor!W1z!lirreshim, &c. andweieirnotforrheirfanh, they fhould i defpaire, but ~his keeps rhe.m up ; and now they think, if rbey have any ' trouble of minde , rhe Dev~ troubles rhem ; and fo make ChriH and Fairb Z z z 2 pro-
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