When Things that look like Judgments of God, ⟨p. 21⟩befall the dear people of God, it highly concerns other people to be Afraid, of the Greater Judgments, which they may reasonably Look for. 'Tis an Inference, whereto we are Directed, in 1 Pet. 4.17. Judgment must begin at the House of God, — And if the Righteous scarcely be Saved, where shall the Ungodly and the Sinner appear? Which is but the Translation of what we have in Prov. 11.31. Behold▪ the Righteous shall be Recompensed in the Earth; much more the Wicked and the Sinner. Sometimes the most Eminent Christians in a Land, yea, and whole Churches of such Christians, meet with Troublesome Difficulties, in their way to Salvation: yea, they meet with Troubles upon Earth ▪ that seem to be Recompenses from Heaven upon them, for their miscarriages. Come Let all Ungodly Sinners now be Afraid: I that never was Reconciled unto God, by the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ; what, what will become of me, throughout the Days of Eternity! Our Saviour has taught us to Argue thus, upon the Afflictions of Good men; If these things be done to the Green Tree, what shall be done to the Dry? Those men that bring forth much of that Fruit, whereby God is Glorified, are cast into a Fire of many Afflictions. Yea, but you then that bring forth No Fruit, or •ll Fruit, and never were United unto the Lord Jesus Christ, what a Formidable, Intolerable, Interminable Fire, is Reserved for you! Oh! be Afraid of that Fire! That Blessed Prophet of God, even Ezekiel, ⟨p. 22⟩must have the best Thing in his Family, snatched out of it, by the stroke of Death: Behold, I take away from thee, the Desire of thine Eyes, with a stroke; yet shall not thy Tears run down saith the Lord. And what? was this a Judgment on the Prophet? It seemed so; But it was indeed a Warning to the people; of whom the Lord then said, in Ezek. 24.24. Ezekiel is a Sign unto you: According to all that he hath done, shall ye do. Sirs, Those things that appear like Judgments of God, upon His own Faithful Servants, they are awful Warnings unto those that Serve Him not: God therein says unto Profane, Christless, and Graceless Creatures; If I do these things to those whom yet I pity as a Father does the Children that serve him, what shall I do unto you, that are my Enemies, and that Serve none but my Greatest Enemy? What shall I do unto you? Wretches, what shall I do unto you?
When Things that look like Judgments of God, ⟨p. 21⟩befal the dear people of God, it highly concerns other people to be Afraid, of the Greater Judgments, which they may reasonably Look for. 'Tis an Inference, whereto we are Directed, in 1 Pet. 4.17. Judgment must begin at the House of God, — And if the Righteous scarcely be Saved, where shall the Ungodly and the Sinner appear? Which is but the Translation of what we have in Prov. 11.31. Behold▪ the Righteous shall be Recompenced in the Earth; much more the Wicked and the Sinner. Sometimes the most Eminent Christians in a Land, yea, and whole Churches of such Christians, meet with Troublesome Difficulties, in their way to Salvation: yea, they meet with Troubles upon Earth ▪ that seem to be Recompences from Heaven upon them, for their miscarriages. Come Let all Ungodly Sinners now be Afraid: I that never was Reconciled unto God, by the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ; what, what will become of me, throughout the Dayes of Eternity! Our Saviour has taught us to Argue thus, upon the Afflictions of Good men; If these things be done to the Green Tree, what shall be done to the Dry? Those men that bring forth much of that Fruit, whereby God is Glorified, are cast into a Fire of many Afflictions. Yea, but you then that bring forth No Fruit, or •ll Fruit, and never were United unto the Lord Jesus Christ, what a Formidable, Intolerable, Interminable Fire, is Reserved for you! Oh! be Afraid of that Fire! That Blessed Prophet of God, even Ezekikiel, ⟨p. 22⟩must have the best Thing in his Family, snatch'd out of it, by the stroke of Death: Behold, I take away from thee, the Desire of thine Eyes, with a stroke; yet shall not thy Tears run down saith the Lord. And what? was this a Judgment on the Prophet? It seem'd so; But it was indeed a Warning to the people; of whom the Lord then said, in Ezek. 24.24. Ezekiel is a Sign unto you: According to all that he hath done, shall ye do. Syrs, Those things that appear like Judgments of God, upon His own Faithful Servants, they are awful Warnings unto those that Serve Him not: God therein says unto Profane, Christless, and Graceless Creatures; If I do these things to those whom yet I pity as a Father does the Children that serve him, what shall I do unto you, that are my Enemies, and that Serve none but my Greatest Enemy? What shall I do unto you? Wretches, what shall I do unto you?
