hinder thee in holy duties and services, and that doth most interrupt thee in thy communion ivith God. Inquire what particular sin that is that thy heart is most apt to run after when thou art on the mount of holy duties, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. Whilst the disciples were healing dis- eases and casting devils out of other men's bodies, the proud white devil was stirring in their own souls, as is evident by that gentle rebuke that our Saviour gives them in Luke x. 20, ' In this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you ; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.' There is no duty that a Christian performs but one white devil or another, one lust or another, will be still dogging and following of him to that duty. There is no public duty, there is no family duty, there is no private duty that a Christian performs, but either that white devil pride, or that white devil hypocrisy, or that white devil vainglory, or else some one or another white devil will follow the soul, hard at heel to it. Now, mark what that particular sin is that most haunts thy soul when thou art in religious duties and services ; and it may be that is the very sin that God would have subdued by the rod. But,
Ans. 10. Tenthly, Observe what sin that is that the rest of your cor- ruptions are most serviceable to, and that they most attend upon. Mark what sin that is that all other sins do most bow the knee to. Mark that sin that hath a commanding power over all other sins, that saith to one Go and he goeth, and to another Come and he cometh. Mark what sin that is that is still uppermost, and that all other sins do most minister to. You know when a man hath a great wound in his body, all the ill humours will run thither. Observe what sin that is that all the ill humours of the soul do most run after ; for it is very likely that that is the very sin that God would have brought under by the rod. But,
Ans. 1 1. Eleventhly, Observe what that sin is that your hearts are Ttiost apt to hide and cloak, and cover over with the most specious and fair pretenA^es. Saul had a covetous desire, and he covers it over with fair pretences, as that the people would have it so, and that what was spared was for sacrifice, 1 Sam. xv. 20, 21. Caesar's favour was the great darling in Pilate's eyes, but he covers all over with washing his hands. Mat. xxvii. 24. The scribes and pharisees were exceeding cove- tous, but their long prayers, as a cloak, must cover all. Mat. xxiii. Judas also was a man of the same mind and mettle with them : 'What need this waste ? Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor ? This he said, not that he cared for the poor ; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein,' Mat. xxvi. 8, 9 ; John xii. 5, 6. Judas, as Tertullian thinks, was pretty honest till he carried the bag ; but no sooner was he ,in office, but he puts conscience out of office, but all must be covered over with a cloak of charity.* Observe what sin that is that you are most apt to cast the silk or the satin mantle over ; and it is ten to one ; but that is the sin that God would have brought under by the rod. But,
Alls. 12. Twelfthly and lastly, Observe what that sin is that thou art most ea^ly overcome by. DeHlah could easily overcome Samson, [ whefe all the world besides could make no conquest upon him. The ' Tertullian : Opera, tub nomine Judas. — G.
154 THE PRIVY KEY OF HEAVEN.
apostle bids us ' lay aside the sin that doth so easily beset us,' Heb. xii. 1, There are some sins that find more easy approaches to us, and more easy acceptance with us, and accordingly they do more easily captivate us. Observe what that sin is that you do most readily and easily open the door to ; and doubtless that is the sin that God would have mortified and subdued by the rod.
(2.) The second lesson that you are to learn by the rod or by the raging pestilence, is, deeply to judge yourselves and greatly to humble your souls, for that sin or sins tJiat hath brought the rod upon you. Thus David did in that 2 Sam. xxiv. 10, J 7.^ When you have found out the Achan that hath brought the rod upon you, stone him to death ; and lie humble and low under the rod, and then the Almighty will be graciously pacified and sweetly reconciled unto you.
(3.) The third lesson that you are to learn by the rod or by the raging pestilence, is, to vieiv the rod on every side. If there be briars on one side of the rod, there is rosemary on the other side of the rod ; if there be wormwood and gall at one end of the rod, there is sweet honey at the other end of the rod, as there was at the top of Jonathan's rod, 1 Sam. xiv. 43.
If we should come into a painter's or a limner's shop, and see a picture half drawn, it might trouble us and startle us, if it did not fright us and amaze us ; but yet, when the picture is perfected, completed, and finished, it may prove a very beauteous, lovely, taking piece. The application is easy. Look, as every judgment, every affliction, every rod, hath its black, dark side, so every judgment, every affliction, hath its bright side too. Now, it is the wisdom of a Christian to look on the bright side of the rod, the cloud, as well as it is his work to look on the dark side of the rod, the cloud. When a Christian looks upon the dark side of the cloud, he should be humbled and abased ; but when he looks upon the bright side of the cloud, he should be comforted and cheered, James v. 11. He that is still a-looking on the briary side of the rod, will be very apt to fret and faint under the rod ; but he that looks on the rosemary side of the rod, as well as the briary side of the rod, he will bear up patiently, gallantly, and cheerfully under the rod. The voice of the rod is. Look on both sides, look on both sides. But,
(4.) The fourth lesson that you are to learn by the rod or by the raging pestilence, is, to look on the rod, not abstractly frora the /land. thai holds it, but conjunctively with the hand that holds it. Thus Hezekiah did, 2 Kings xx. 16-19; thus Aaron did. Lev. x. ]-3 ; thus Eli did, 1 Sam. iii. 11-19 ; thus David did, Ps. xxxix. 9 ; thus Job did. Job i. 20-22; yea, and thus Jesus did, John xviii. 11, 'Shall I not drink the cup that my Father hath given me to drink ?' Though the cup was a bitter cup, a bloody cup, yet seeing it was put into his hand by his Father, he drinks it off, with a ' Father, I thank thee.' The rod in itself sounds nothing but smart and blood to the child ; but the rod in the hand of a Father sounds nothing but love, kindness, and sweetness: Rev. iii. 19, 'Whom he loves, he chastens.' You should never look upon the rod but as it is in the hand of your heavenly Father, and then you will rather kiss it than murmur under it. But,
(5.) The fifth lesson that you are to learn by the rod, or by the
' Pray turn to these scriptures: 2 Chron. xxviii, 10 ; Jer. viii 6 ; Ezek. vii. 15, 16.
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