which must shortly pass on all that are impenitent? And yet profperity fo befooleth fenfual men, that they must hear of none of this: at leaft not with any close and per fonal application. If you speak as Chrift did to the Pharifes, Mat. 21.45. that they perceived that he Spake of them, they take you for their enemy for telling them the truth, Gal, 4. 16. and meet our doctrine as Ahab did Elijah, 2 King. 21. 20. Haft thou found me. O mine enemy! and 1 King. 18. 17. Art thou be that troubleth Ifrael or as the fame Ahab of Micaiah, 1 King. 22.8. There is one man (Micaiah) of whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophefie good concerning me, but evil.] Or as Amar ziah the Prieft faid of Amos to King Jeroboam, [He hath confpired against thee: the land is not able to. bear all his words, Amos 7. 10. And And ver. 13. Prophefie not again any more at Bethel for it is the Kings Chappel, and it is the Kings Court. They behave themselves to faithful Minifters, as if it were a part of their inviolable honour and priviledge, to be mortally fick without the trouble of a Phyfician, and to have no body tell them that they are out of their way, till it be too late, or that they are in mifery till there be no remedy: and that none fhould remember them of heaven till they have loft it; nor trouble them in the way to hell, nor feek to fave them, left he fhould but torment them beforethe time. And thus profperity makes them willingly deaf and blind, and turn away their ears from the bearing of the Law, and then their prayers for mercy in. their distress, are rejected as abominable by the Lord, Prou. 1. 24.. to 3.3. and 2.8 2. and 7. Yea if there be any perfecution raised against the Church of Chrift, who are the chief acters in it, but the profperous, blinded, fenfual great ones of the world? The Princes make it their petition against Jeremy to the King, [We befeech thee let this man be put to death for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war the bands of all the people infpeaking fuch words unto them: for this man feeketh not the welfare of his people but the hurt, Jer. 38. 4. It was the Prefidents and Princes that faid of Daniel, [We fhall not find any occafion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the Law of his God, Dan.. 6. 5.] Were it not left fome malicious hearer fhould mifapply it, and think I fought to diminish the reputation of Magiftrates, while I fhew the effects of the profperity of fools, I fhould give you abun dance dance of fuck lamentable inftances, and tell you how commonly the great ones of the world have in all ages fet themfelves and taken counsel against the Lord and against his Chrift, Pfal. 2. and ftumbled upon the corner-ftone, and taken no warning by thofe that have been thus broken in pieces before them. How ready is Herod to gratifie a wanton dancer with a Prophets head? In a word, as Satan is called the Prince of this world, no wonder if he rule the men of the world, that have their portion in this life, Pfal. 17. 14. and can command his armies, and engage them, and enrage them against the fervants of the Most High, that run not with them to the fame excess of ryot, 1. Pet. 4. 4. And as fames faith (as aforecited). [Do not the rich opprefs you, and. draw you before the judgement feats? Do they not blafpheme that worthy. name name by which you are called? Jam. 2.6,7. 8. And in all this fin and mifery how fenfelefs and fecure are thefe profperous fools? as merry within a year, or month, or week of hell, as if no harm were near. How wonderful hard is it to convince them of their mifery? The moft learned, wife or godly man, or the dearest friend they have in the world, fhall not perfwade them that their cafe is fuch as to need a converfion and fupernatural change. They cannot abide to take off their minds from their fenfual delights and vanities, and to trouble themselves about the things of life eternal, come on't what will, they are refolv'd to venture, and please their flesh, and enjoy what the world will afford them while they may, till fuddenly God furprizeth them with his dreadful call, Thon fool, this night Shull |