' Gen. vi, 13. e Isa. xxiii. 9. ''I Kings x. 27.
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370 THE SHAKING AND TRANSLATING
knowledge as the waters cover the sea?'' Should our spirits sink for fear of this or that persecutor or oppressor, were it discovered unto us that in a short time ' nothino- shall hurt or destroy in the whole mountain of t'lie Lord?'"' Should we tremble at the force and power of this or that growing mo- narchy, giving its power to the beast, had God revealed unto us, that he is going to shake it until it be translated ? Certain it is, that the root of all the sinful cares, which sometimes are ready to devour the hearts of God's people, is this unac- quaintedness with the work and mind of the Lord.
2d]y. Sinful fears. Luke xxi. 28. our Saviour having told his disciples of wars, tumults, seditions, famines, earth- quakes, &,c. which were to come upon the earth, bids them, when they see these things, to * lift up their heads for joy.' But how. should this be? rejoice in the midst of so many evils and troubles, in the most whereof they were to have a Benjamin's mess, a double portion? Yea, saith our Saviour, rejoice, for I have told you before, that then it is that your deliverance and redemption dravveth nigh. It is for them to shake and tremble who are in the dark, who know not what the Lord is doing. They maybe at their wits' end, who know no other end of these things; but for you, who know the mind of the Lord, what he intendeth, and will ef- fect by these things, cast off all sinful fears, and rejoice in him who conieth.
Amongst us in these days new troubles arise, wars, and rumours of wars, appearances of famine, invasions, conspi- racies, revolts, treacheries, sword, blood. Oh, how do men's faces wax pale, and their hearts die within them ! Some- times with David they could fly to the Philistines and wind, up their interest with them, whom God will destroy. Every new appearance of danger shuffles them off from all their comforts, all their confidence. Hence poor souls are put upon doubling and shifting in the ways of God, in such a frame as God exceedingly abhors. They know not why any mercy is given, nor to what end, and therefore are afraid to own it, lest some sudden alteration should follow, and make it too hot for them to hold it; and all this because they know not the mind of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God; were they but acquainted with it, so far as it i.^ evi-
' Hab. ii. 14. k Isa. kv. 25
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OF Hr.AVE.V AND EARJU. 371
dently revealed, they would quickly see all things working together to the appointed end.
3dly. Sinful follies. Toil and labour in vain is of all follies the greatest foily : like the Jews under Julian, build- ing of their temple in the day, God casting it to the ground in the night. When a man labours, toils, w^earies, and spends himself, for the accomplishing of that which shall never come to pass, and that which, if he would but inquire, he might- know shall never come to pass, he cannot well want the livery of a brutish man. How many poor creatures, that think themselves wiser than those of Teman, and Dedan, and all the children of the east, do spend and consume their days and time in such ways as this, labouring night and day to set up what God will pull down, and what he hath said shall fall. * Come on, let us deal wisely,' saith Pharaoh to his Egyptians, Exod. i. 10. to root out and destroy these Israelites, Poor fool! is there any wisdom or counsel against the Most High? I could give instances plenty in these days, of men labouring in the dark, not knowing what they are doing, endeavouring v/\t\\ all their strength to ac- complish that, whereof the Lord hath said, * It shall not prosper:' and all because they discern not the season.
4thly. Sinful negligence. You are no way able to do the work of God in your generation. It is the comm.enda- tion of many saints of God, that they were ' upright, and served the will of God in their generation.' Besides the general duties of the covenant, incumbent on all the saints at all seasons, there are special works of providence, which in sundry generations the Lord efFecteth, concerning which he expects his people should know his mind, and serve hina in them. Now can a servant do his master's work, if he know not his will? The Lord requireth that in the great things which he hath to accomplish in tliis generation, ali' his should close with him. What is the reason that some stand in the market-place idle all the day? some work for a season, and then give over, they know not how to go a step farther, but after a day, a week, a month, or year, are at a stand? worse than all this, some counterwork- the Lord with all their strength? the most neglect the duty which of them is required? What is the reason of all this? They know in no measure what the Lord is doing, and what he would have