| OCR Text |
Show The Applic4tion of that Notion? fur the fire. The end of Reprobltes i! to be burned, but God is juO, and cannot let them bHrn, till they be t11itbmd with Sins; till Omnis 11Dit:D qui rhdr Sint be at the full, ( as the Amor~t<t were. ) And let me tell ~;i•;~j,":ft't:- you, nothing ripens tbe wic~ed for rulne, like .their. prickjng 111 prks ipJe in ' '17mnr.Chnfl feetng the Pbarifm mad of pe&cutwn,brds them go wdt ptr{t<Uti- on and fiU up the meaforet of your iniquttm,that upon yo~ may comt mmJuffinm .u the RtgbtrouJ blood, /Icc. ANguffine hath a fa·ying tO th ts purpofe; <ognofotur th•t every one that perfccutcs annther is lirfl himfe lf perfecuted te"~~;~~ 1 0 in his own Confcicnce; he is left ofGod. to fit h.mfelf for Oamnati· en. That l conceive to be his meamng ; but l have fpokcn e· nough to the EKplication of this point, l come now to the Applica. tion. And firfllet me fpeak, Vfi. r. 1. y , the wick.!d of the Earth, ( thofe who are pricking Bri.lrS, and grievous Thorns to the hou.fe of J[rael.) 0 confider what you h»•e heard, and be afuamed, .and tmnble and f..,r, and ta~elmd. 1. How difertnt i< Godt judgment concerning you, from lbe val11 whicb men put upon yon. It is De Ponre's obfervation, 9<!!01 m••· dm Ro[.K, Detl< Spinllf vocal, Thofe whom the world calls Ro(es, God calls Thorns. If the world fees a ranting Divtt, that drinks wine in bowls, is clothed in Silk, and fares delicioufly every day, · ll1e cal!. this man a Rofe ( a provlnce-Rofe) the bcfi man in the place where he is, God calls him a Thorn. 2. Wbot aj!Jamejhou/d tbisrejld:/ up•n the{11ce ofrvtry Srnne•l To think that he is but a Tborn in the World : One would think that a rational Soul fhould not fati.1fy it !dfin an ufelefs life, it is a fad thing for a man in his folitary Refldhons, to confider, that he lives in the World for nothing, that he is one whom the world might well fpare : Or that he doth no good in it as from hirnfelf, and ottt 0f his own counfel and intention,but as it were over-ruled by another, and ordered beyond his own intention; fuch a one now i1 a wick(dman;he is of n<J other ufe than a Thorn in.the world: In his own nature and acting from his own intention and difpo! ition, he doth no good at all in the world; only God makes ufeof him, fometimes to fiop a gap; to be a protection to his people againfl fomeother fwinc of the earth, that would root them out: Sometimes he u!eth them, to chaflife his People and teach them, (as it is faid that Gideon taught the mm of Succotb with briart, aHi Tbmu oft be wildernefi.) 3• Nay Laflly, what a terrour fhould thisjlriJtt into tbehrllf'tJ of The ApplicatiDn of that NtJtion? 1of•Uth/ u. Hgodly of the earth, efpecially fuch as beprhkiHg tbm tt -active,inffrumcnts iri oppretling and pltrfding the people of Goa' to confider that their end i1 to be bHrned. lt was David's Prophe~ fy, 2 Sam; ~3 6, Bnt the foJtJ of Btlial fh•V aU o[tbem br tlm tjl away ,llf ThornJ, a~d lbeyjh~U be ttlltrly b~trnl with fire; their joy is here like !he cracl<ling ' of'norn~ 11t1der·a pot; their burning hereafter fh1ll be lil<e the burnint; of1bornJ, when God 0Jall have.no !imher ut'e of. them.• I. ~ ' 1\ ' Secondl y: As to thofe who are the Lords LiUies ammgft Thmfl, the tru<> fpoufc Oft he Lord Jefus ChriO let them improve this notion four ways. , ) - . I , N(it t/1inkJ•g it {l•,.ngr,if tbeyful the pt iokjng of Th>rnJ: It is t~e Apoflles exhorta tion,.' Pd 4 .1 2 .Beloved,tbin"-.it not jlr3nge conc, ntHg the fiery Tryal, wb1cb II to try YJ" fiJ thcugh {ome ftrange tbiag hadh•ppmed to you; bltl rejnycein a< much a1you are made p.rtaJttrr ofChrijtJ f uffrringJ, tint whm bi< G/;ry jhaU be reve.led,y o" may bt glad 4/fo with exceeding !(Uat}oy. The A poOle, 1 The(. 3. 3. fp~aketh to the fame purpo(c:2}at 110 , anjhou!d be moved by thr[r aJili[l1_ ons1 k,no,..ing tbat we are appomtrci thrreunto. There arc many Argument~ i.n thefe twb plac!es to perf wade Chriflians, though they be as Ltlhe> among II Thorns, to be pattmt and content. 1 , It if no ftrange thing. 2. It if to try them. 3. It i< but a partnerjhip with Chrifls fufferings: he ~as crowned with thorns, he endured the contraditlion of Sinners, &c. 4 A fJit[iionr further their joy, and Glory •. If we juffer with him, we jhaU reign with him, Rom. 8. 5· God hath appoillled them Ia tbefe oJfliWonJ, His Will from eternity decreed, his Providence bath all along ordered his Spoufe to b: a Lilly amongfi.T.horns • . A~tgufine brinl?s !n God anf we ring hrs fervants complatmng of hts Jufloce for fuffcnng the Thorns of the World to be fo grievous to them, thus: H£Ccine tft fidu tHfli' H.tccine tf.o tibi promiji, &c, Is this thy Faith? did I ever promife rhee any fuch things i' O! were' (I thou made a Chrifiian upon this condition that thou fuould.efi flourifu in the world? when therefore thou feelefi the prickings of Thorns, thy finful neighbours galling thee with their ill tongues, vexing thee with their unjutl and caufelefs moleflations; 0 fatisfy thy felf with this, my Saviour hath of old likened me to a Lilly among!l: Thoms, himfelf was no better than a LiUy amongfl Thorns, &c. 2.Secondly therefore,ceafe to wonder that youare among(! Briars and Thornr, rbat's your lot; or that they are prickjng fiHd grievoNt to E )'OU, |
