The fiery trial no strange thing; delivered in a sermon preached at Charlestown, February…The fiery tryal no strange thing; delivered in a sermon preached at Charlstown, February…

2. That God useth them as instruments, neither is this any wonder, since they are the fittest materials to make his rods of: these are rods which will smart most: their hatred makes ⟨p. 11⟩them most ready to afflict and chastise the Church withal: it is true, if they were principal agents, and left to act their own pleasure they were very unfit, for they think only of the ruin and desolation, but not of the trial and reformation of the People of God; but as instruments in the hand of God, they will make it smart, but cannot do any hurt: again, they are therein the fittest to make rods of, that when God hath done with them, and chastened his People by them, they may be thrown into the fire: yea in this respect God makes eminent discovery of his infinite wisdom in the choice of Instruments, because in this way he takes an advantage to prove the reality of his love to his people, then when he is most angry with them. It is therefore worthy our diligent observation, that though God be never so angry with his people, and cause his wrath to burn never so high against them, yet then he so loves them, that he will be avenged on the very Instruments of his displeasure upon them, and therefore makes choice of his, and his Churches Enemies to punish them withal: why doth God call Babylon to come down and sit in the dust? Isai. 57.1. we have the reason rendered in ver.6. I was wrath with my people, and gave them into thy hand, and thou hast shown them no mercy. Though Babylon did no more then what God both intended and threatened: there cannot be a more manifest token of men hated by God, and appointed to destruction, then to be raised up to be persecutors and oppressors of the Church and People of God, whatever their iniquities and provocations may have been.

2. That God useth them as instruments, neither is this any wonder, since they are the fittest materials to make his rods of: these are rods which will smart most: their hatred makes ⟨p. 11⟩them most ready to afflict and chastise the Church withal: it is true, if they were principal agents, and left to act their own pleasure they were very unfit, for they think only of the ruine and desolation, but not of the tryal and reformation of the People of God; but as instruments in the hand of God, they will make it smart, but cannot do any hurt: agen, they are therein the fittest to make rods of, that when God hath done with them, and chastened his People by them, they may be thrown into the fire: yea in this respect God makes eminent discovery of his infinite wisdome in the choice of Instruments, because in this way he takes an advantage to prove the reality of his love to his people, then when he is most angry with them. It is therefore worthy our diligent observation, that though God be never so angry with his people, and cause his wrath to burn never so high against them, yet then he so loves them, that he will be avenged on the very Instruments of his displeasure upon them, and therefore makes choice of his, and his Churches Enemies to punish them withal: why doth God call Babylon to come down and sit in the dust?