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Title: Worm Jacob Threshing the Mountains: A Sermon, Preached on a Sacramental Occasion

Author(s): Boston, Reverend Thomas

Worm JACOB
Threſhing the MOUNTAINS:
A
SERMON
Preached on a Sacramental Occaſion.
By the REVEREND
Mr. THOMAS BOSTON,
Late Miniſter of the Goſpel at Ettrick.
ISAIAH xli. 14, 15.
Worm JACOB, thos ſhalt threſh the Mountains,
and beat them ſmall, and ſhalt make the Hills as
Chaff.
GLASGOW:
Printed and Sold by J. & J. ROBERTSON,
M,DCC,LXXIX.
(Price One Penny)
A SERMON,
Preached on a SACRAMENTAL OCCASION,
From ISAIAH, chap. xli. ver. 14, 15.
Fear not, thou Worm Jacob, and ye men of Iſrael, I
will help thee ſaith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the
holy One of Iſrael. Behold, I will make thee a new
ſharp threſhing inſtrument, having teeth: thou ſhalt
threſh the mountains and beat them ſmall, and ſhalt
make the hills as chaff.
RELIGION is a myſtery, and the truly religious
are a myſtery too. They are a myſtery to
the world, John iii. 1. The world knoweth us not; yea
(to themſelves) ver. 2. it doth not yet appear what we
ſhall be, that is a matter not of ſight and feeling, but
faith. There are many odd connexions and which
people would think contradictions and impoſſibilities
in the character. See a cluſter of them, 2 Cor. vi. 10
As unknown, and yet well known; as dying and behold
we live; as chaſtened, and not killed; as ſorrowful,
yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many
rich; as having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things.
That is a ſtrange connexion, an old man and a new
man in one man; but not more ſtrange and ſurpriſing
than this in the text, — a worm threſhing the mountains.,
— and that not ridiculouſly without effect, but
moſt efficaciouſly beating them ſmall. — In theſe
words we have two things.
I.	What the church and people of God are. They
are named by him (who miſ-names none) worm Jacob:
their name from his nature is a worm; - they are
poor, weak, deſpiſed creatures, ready to be cruſhed by
the foot of every paſſenger: — yet Worm Jacob, believing,
praying, and wreſtling worm as he is:—
II.	 What they ſhall certainly and infallibly do,
thresh the mountains and beat them ſmall, &c.
I find interpreters generally underſtand by the mountains,
the great and lofty potentates of the earth ſetting
themſelves againſt the church: and, no doubt, theſe
were, in the prophet's view: but, the view was not
confined to them only, God's bringing clown the Babylonian
monarchy at their prayers, and the victories
afterwards of the Maccabees over their enemies, cannot
be reaſonably be ſuppoſed to complete the intent of
this prophecy — We muſt needs look to the kingdom
of Chriſt for it, of which there is plainly an account,
chap. 16, 19. compare with Dan. ii. 54, 55. and
we muſt carry on our view all along to the end of time,
Rev. ii. 26, 27. — The rather, that is the way of the
prophet to wrap up in one expreſſion, temporal, ſpiritual
and eternal deliverances: the deliverance from Babylon,
which was temporal, being the firſt and neareſt
in view — Iſa. xxvi. 19. Thy dead ſhall live, &c, but
not terminating it. Here then we may conſider,
1	What worm Jacob has to encounter or yoke with;
— mountains and hills, — whoſe weight is ſufficient to
cruſh millions of him; difficulties quite diſproportionable
to his ſtrength, as a mountain to that of a worm.
2.	The ſucceſs of this very unequal match: — the
mountains ſhall not cruſh the worm, but the worm
ſhall threſh the mountains as one doth a ſheaf of corn,
with repeated ſtrokes. They did not threſh their corn
in thoſe days with flails as we do, but trode it out with
the feet of men or beaſts, or elſe by drawing a kind
of cart, drag, or ſledge, over and over it, called in the
text, threſhing inſtruments. — I do not mind the word
here denoting the action of the worm, and rendered
threſhing, applied at all to the drag. But as it formerly
ſignifies to tread out, as rendered, Hoſ x. 11. Ephraim
is an heifer that is taught; and loveth to tread
out corn: as appears from Iſaiah xxi 10. For in this
mountain ſhall the hand of the Lord reſt., and Moab ſhall
be trodden down under him, even as ſtraw is trodden
down for the dunghill, So it is applied to a ſelf-moving
creature man, Micah iv. 13. Ariſe and threſh, O
daughter of Zion (or breaſt). — Here lies the myſterry,
then uniting the two nations of the ſelf-move, and
the inſtruments; that the worm ſhall tread our the
mountains as one would do a mole hill. — And if ye ſay,
alas! ſuch a treader, what weight has it? I will make
(ſaith the Lord) the feet of the belly of the worm, like
a new ſhod threſhing drag (for them) that ſhall tread
out the higheſt and rockieſt of them all to purpoſe.
3.	The degree and pitch of the worm's ſucceſs againſt
thoſe mountains: it ſhall beat them ſmall till
they be like duſt, as the word is uſed, Deut. ix. 1 or
like chaff; So that they ſhall be blown away with
wind, and no veſtige of them remain.
4.	The inſurance of this ſucceſs of the worm; who
could inſure it but the mighty God? he has done it,
JESUS CHRIST JEHOVAH, the moſt high God,
and the worm Jacob's kinſman's redeemer, hath, by his
word of promiſe, engaged his Almighty power on the
ſide of the worm againſt the mountains. — Let not the
worm fear or doubt the ſucceſs. — A worm ſeconded
by Jeſus Chriſt, will be an over match for all the mountains
and hills ſetting up their heads from earth to hell,
DOCTRINE. — The myſtery of grace carried on by
Jeſus Chriſt in his church and people, is like a
worm threſhing the mountains, infallibly to iſſue
in its threſhing them away quite and clean. —
Briefly worm Jacob ſhall threſh the mountains,
and threſh them away quite and clean.
Here we ſhall confider,
I.	The character of the ſubject, wherein this myſtery
of grace is carried on by Jeſus.
II.	The myſtery of grace carried on in them by Jeſus.
III	I ſhall account for this myſtery, worm Jacob
threſhing the mountains of difficulties in his way, and
threſhing them away quite and clean.
IV.	Apply.
Firſt. I ſhall conſider the character of the ſubject,
wherein this myſtery is carried on by Jeſus Chriſt. —
It is the worm Jacob, denoting the church in general,
and every believer or true member thereof in particular,
for of theſe the church conſiſts, as in the text,
ver. 13. Without the ſupplement, Fear not thou worm
Jacob, and ye men of Iſrael. — One would think, that
one deſigned to be a threſher of the mountains, ſhould
be a party of a ſingle, great, and ſwelling character, a
hero, a giant, or if there were any thing could carry
the character higher; but, on the contrary, it is very
lowm ſurpriſing low, worm Jacob. — This character
points at theſe five things; eſpecially in the caſe of the
people of God. — It points them out as,
1.	Weak creatures, really weak for the encounters
they muſt make, as a worm for a mountain. — God
himſelf gives them this name of extreme weakneſs,
they muſt be ſo indeed! They have weak heads, hearts,
and hands, for the work they are called to. Not only
does the firſt grace only find them really weak, hut the
after ſupplies of grace alſo, Heb. xi. 34. Out of weakneſs
were made ſtrong.
2.	Humbled ſouls truly ſenſible of their own weakneſs.
— By nature they were ſwelling vipers, but by
grace they are humbled worms. — And,
Firſt, Habitually humbled in reſpect of their ſtate,
as the creeping worm, whoſe nature it is to go on his
belly. So the humble and the gracious are equivalent
terms, Pſal. xxxiv. 2, 3, My ſoul ſhall make her boaſt
in the Lord, the humble ſhall hear thereof and be glad,
O magnify the Lord with me, and exalt his name together.
— There is a law-work followed with goſpel grace
wrought on them, iſſuing in a thorough humiliation,
breaking down their natural ſelf-conceit, tumbling
down their towering imaginations about themſelves,
which they had in their ſtate of blindneſs, bringing
them in their own eyes from the conſiſtence of mountains
to that of worms, and convincing them they are,
have, and can do nothing. Luke xv. 17. 1 Cor. x. 4, 5,
2dly, Actually humbled in reſpect of their frame as
the worm ſtill retains its creeping way on the mountain
as in the valley, ſo God's people do, (difficulties to
be happily ſurmounted,) ſtill keep up the ſenſe of their
own utter emptineſs end weakneſs for them. 2 Cor. iii.
5. Not that we are ſufficient of ourfe!ves to thnk any
thing of ourſelves, but our ſufficiency is of God. — If
the worm Jacob being ſo well again, he will be ſo unweildy,
that he will threſh no mountains till he fall
anew, 2 Cor. xiii. 11.
3.	Deſpiſing creatures, as the lofty mountains cover
the crawling worms: ſo doth the carnal world contemn
worm Jacob, Pſal. xx. 6. But I am a worm and
no man: a reproach of men, and deſpiſed of the people.
And Pſal. xiii Our ſoul is exceedingly filled with
the ſcorning of theſe that are at eaſe and with the contempt
of the proud. — Though they may value worm
Jacob for his gifts, which he has in common with themſelves
they will never value him for his grace, that leaves
him ſtill as a worm in their ſight! what of religion lies
beyond the reach of the nature of man! They deſpiſe
the Chriſtian entertainment on words and promiſes:
they deſpiſe us as we do the duſt; the worms lick up
the Chriſtian way of doing in faith; they deſpiſe us as
we do the crawling of the worm: like Sanballat when
he mocked the Jews, ſaying What do theſe Jews? will
they make an end in a day? will they revive the ſtones
out of the heaps of rubbiſh which are burnt?
4.	Yet united to Chriſt, through a worm, worm Jacob.
— Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf is of the worm
family, Pſal. xx. 6 worm Jacob Pſal. xxvii. 6. This is
the generation of them that ſeek him, that ſeek thy face
O Jacob. Compare Iſa. xlix. 3. Thou art my ſervent,
O Iſrael, in whom I will be glorified. This intimates
an union between him and them as his worm-brethren,
Heb. ii. 11. Being lowered and humbled to the condition
of the worm, they are knit and built on hint
by faith, Luke vi. 48.
5.	Laſtly, Daring adventures, daring wreſtlers,
worm Jacob ventured on him that formed the mountains,
and wreſtled with him, and prevailed too, Gen.
xxii. 24. Hoſ. xii. 4. — What, wonder to find him
then venturing on the mountains themſelves. — He
muſt have the bleſſing, and muſt be forwarded whatever
mountains be in the way — I proceed to
The ſecond thing to he conſidered, namely, the myſtery
of grace carried on in them by Jeſus Chriſt, we
may take it up in theſe two.
1.	An apparently hopeleſs encounter they are led to
by him; Worm Jacob threſhing the mountains. What
a hopeleſs-like encounter is a worm threſhing a mountain;
ſo hopeleſs-like are the encounters the people of
God, have to make in their way to the eternal reſt. —
Theſe threſhers are certainly threſhers in hope, 1 Cor.
ix. 10. But the naked eye cannot diſcover the ground
of hope in it: it is faith only that ſhews it hopeful:
which ſight repreſents it as a hopeful caſe: and, therefore
they muſt cloſe their eyes, and threſh in faith as
Abraham did, Rom. v. 19. We take up this hopeleſs
encounter in five things.
Firſt, The Lord lays in his people's way mountains
of Difficulties quite above their ſtrength, difficulties
which they look to as a worm to a mountain before it.
2 Cor. i. 8. For we would not, brethren, have you
ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Aſia, that
we were preſſed out of meaſure, above ſtrength, inſomuch
that we deſpaired even of life. — However
plain the way to hell be, the way to heaven will be a
mountainous way in the experience of all that travel
it: — they will never want mountains in the way till
they come to the hill of God.
Secondly, They muſt not go about the mountains in
their ways, ſhifting the difficulties which God calls
them to; but they muſt make their way over them,
threſhing them down, Micah iv. 13. Ariſe and threſh
O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron,
and thy brow braſs; and thou ſhalt beat in pieces many
people: If they offer to go about one mountain, they
will be ſure to meet with a higher one in their aboutgate:
Peter tried it in denying his maſter, and found
it ſo, encountering another as high above the former,
as the anger of God is above that of the creature, and
which was like to cruſh him, Mat. xxvi. 75. He went
out and wept bitterly.
Thirdly, Therefore worm Jacob falls a threſhing
mountains, combating the difficulties the Lord lays in
his way. He puts on a brow for a bargain, and reſolutely
beſtirs his weak hands, and goes threſhing forwards,
maugers all oppoſitions, Gen. xxxii. 26. Mat.
xi. 22. For there is a ſpirit in worm Jacob more daring
and venturous than ever was in any unbelieving
hero, a ſpirit for threſhing mountains, while they did
but ſcatter mole-hills, Numb. xiv. 24. Prov. xvi. 32.
Fourthly, They continue the combating of difficulties
reſolutely and patiently. Threſhing is a continued
action, conſiſting of repeated ſtrokes; it takes ſome
time to threſh a ſheaf, how much more to threſh a
mountain. It is the ruin of many that they are not able
to endure: If a ſtroke or two would do the buſineſs,
they would bring their matters to a good account;
but they have no heart to be threſhers: But let patience
have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and
entire, wanting nothing, James ii. 4. He that ſhall endure
to the end ſhall be ſaved, Matth. xxiv. 13.
Laſtly, Worm Jacob has many mountains to threſh.
One wound is enough, we would think, to the worm,
but there is a plurality of them. The truth is, this
world is full of mountains to the people of God: and
when they have threſhed one, they will have another
to fall to, till they be out of this mountainous country.
Having paſſed one difficulty, they will get another to
grapple with, till they be within the gates of the city.
So they muſt have a threſhing life-time of it, if
they come there.
2.	A ſurprizing ſucceſs, even as ſurprizing as a worm
threſhing and beating the mountains ſmall to duſt, and
then threſhing them away. — Such will be the iſſue
of the encounters which the people of God now have
with their difficulties in theirr way through the world
for which the text is plain. — We take it up in
theſe two. We will have,
Firſt, Patriarchal ſucceſs in their way, very ſurprizing
to others, and to themſelves, Pſal. lxxvi. 1, 2. When
the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion we were
like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with
laughtwe and our tongues with ſinging; then ſaid they
among the Heathen, the Lord hath done great things for
them. What mountains of difficulties were in David's
way to the kingdom, he threſhed long at them, and they
never appear to give way; nay, I ſhall periſh by the
hand of Saul — But ſee the ſurpriſing ſucceſs, Pſal. xvii.
entitled A Pſalm of David, in the day that the Lord delivered
him from the hand of all his enemies, and from
the hand of Saul. — Wherein, after recapitulating the various
difficulties he had to encounter with, he particucularly
mentions the happy deliverence he met with, and
the ſurpriſing manner of the ſame. — Some mountains
God's people are kept threſhing at all their days, eſpecially
the mountain of corruption, and they never fall
quite down till dead. — But as a pledge for the time to
come, God makes now and then ſome mountains to fall
down before the worm Jacob, wherewith he is ſurpriſed
and tranſported with wonder, how it came to paſs. —
Mark xvi. 4, 5. And when they looked they ſaw the ſtone
across rolled away: — and they were affrighted.
Secondly, A total ſucceſs at the end of their ways,
which will ſwallow them up in ſurpriſe and eternal
surrender: 1 John iii. 2. Beloved, now are we the ſons of
God, and it doth not yet appear what we ſhall be: but
we know that when he ſhall appear we ſhall be like him:
for we ſhall ſee him as he is. — When the myſtery is
finiſhed and the web cut out, it will appear an admirable
piece! there will not be left then the leaſt veſtige
of all the mountains that ſtood between heaven
and them; the threſhing mountains will then be blown
away with the wind, and they will lay by the flail as
an inſtrument they have no more uſe for.
Object.	But have not others as well as worm Jacob,
mountains of difficulties in their way, which they become
maſters of at length.
Anſw.	This world is ſo mountainous that none can
get through it, without meeting mountains in their
way: Carnal men make a ſhift to creep through ſome
of them; but they can threſh none of them as worm
Jacob doth, they want his hand and ſtaff, John xv. 4,
Without me ye can do nothing. They creep into others
of them, and neſtle in them: the mountains of
their corruptions, which in a ſpecial manner ſtand between
heaven and them, and at length they will be
eternally buried under them.
Uſe 1.	Here is a touchſtone for the trial of true
Chriſtians and worthy communicants, worm Jacob
threſhing the mountains.
Firſt, They have a heart and ſpirit for threſhing the
mountains in their way to heaven: They are peremptory
and reſolute to break through them without exception,
as men that muſt be in; — theſe ſhall not
periſh, Matth. xi. 12. The kingdom of heaven ſuffereth
violence, and the violent take it by force. — Though
they have long threſhed in vain to their own ſenſe;
yet they are reſolved to hold on (becauſe they ſee him
who is inviſible); and, like Paul, preſs forward toward
the mark, for the prize of the calling of God in
Chriſt, Phil. iv. 15 — The fearful and unbelieving,
they are ſo delicate and faint-hearted in this caſe, that
they are not for threſhing the mountains, they are for
the eaſier taſk, but have no heart or hand for that
work: Theſe I am ſure, are the fearful, Rev. xxi. 8.
They are like the unbelieving ſpies and people of the
wilderneſs. Take heed here how ye ſtand.
(1.) To a vain world: Whether there is in you a
heart to row againſt the ſtream or not, Rom. xi. 2.
Be ye not conformed to this world; but be transformed
by the renewing of your minds, &c. — lf ye have no
heart for it, but muſt no along with it, be ye young
or old, ye are no good Chriſtian, Gal. iv. 4. — The
world is crucified to me, and I to the world. And
young communicants leaving that gap open, make
mighty useleſs old ones after.
(2.) To the ſin that moſt eaſily beſets you. — If you
have no heart to thraſh that mountain, ye have not
the ſpirit of worm Jacob, who is one that keeps himſelf
from his iniquity, Pſal. xviii. 3. And ye will be
buried under it at length, like the young man who
was grieved at Chriſt's diſcourſe about ſelf-denial and
the croſs, and went away from him, and never returned,
Mark X. 21, 22.
(3.) To the crook in your lot: — Have you no heart
in yourselves to wiſh for a Chriſtian-like bearing of it;
but muſt needs have it evened to your mind, if ye
have not, ye are not of the ſpirit of the worm Jacob:
for the LORD hath ſaid, If any man will come after
me, let him deny himſelf. and take up his croſs and
follow me. Matth. xvi. 24.
Secondly, Yet they are but worms in their own eyes;
and, therefore an unequal match for the leaſt of the
mountains. 2 Cor. iii. 5. We are not ſufficient of ourſelves
to think any thing as of ourſelves, but our ſufficiency
is of God. This caſts the legaliſt that minds
nothing but binding himſelf to duty, reckoning himſelf
man enough for the duties of Chriſtianity.
The ſum of the mark is, — the Chriſtian communicant
is reſolute and peremptory for doing all; yet he
is convinced that he is ſufficient for nothing.
Uſe 2. Here is likewiſe a ground of comfort to ſuch.
— Let not the high rockineſs nor bulk of the mountains
diſcourage thee, nor yet the felt unſucceſsfulneſs
of thy attempts hitherto. GOD hath ſaid, Worm
Jacob ſhall threſh the Mountains and beat them ſmall:
be not afraid, only believe.
Uſe 3. Laſtly, Here is, moreover, a ſtrong inducement
to all to come to Chriſt. — He will make you
threſh the mountains, and beat them ſmall, — Come,
ye that are wandering in the mountains of vanity, and
like to be worried on the mountains of prey who are
wreſtling in the mountains of difficulty before you
come to Chriſt, and, ye ſhall threſh the mountains,
and beat them ſmall, and ſhall make the hills like chaff.
Thirdly, I ſhall account for this myſtery worm Jacob
threſhing the mountains of difficulties in his way, and
threſhing them away quite and clean: how can this be?
1.	God hath ſaid, and therefore it cannot fail, Thou.
ſhalt threſh the mountains, and beat them ſmall, and
ſhalt make the hills as chaff. Compared with Numbers
xxiii. 19 God is not a man that he ſhould lie, neither
the ſon of man that he ſhould repent. — Hath he ſaid,
and ſhall he not do it? — Or hath he ſpoken, and ſhall
he, not make it good? He ſpake things into being, and
they muſt ſtart out of the womb of nothing, or not being
at his word, which calls them forth, Rom. iv. 17.
There is as much ſtrength in Jeſus Chriſt for worm
Jacob to threſh and beat away the mountains, as there
was for making the world and all the mountains in it,
Pſalm xxxiii. 9. He ſpake, and it was done; and,
ſhall not his word that ſaid them into being, be effectual
to ſay them away again, Thus the Lord,
is enough to enſure the accompliſhment of the hardeſt
thing propheſied.
2.	The glory of his grace, which is the great ſign of
the whole myſtery of godlineſs, ſurely requires it. —
What does he intend by the myſtery of Chriſt, but the
glory of his grace, Eph. i. 6. To ſhew the exceeding
riches of it, chap. ii 7 Therefore he has choſen the way
that leads ſtraight to the point, Rom. vi. 6. Therefore
it is of faith that it might be by grace. The worm is
deſpicable in itſelf, but being the ſubject of glorious
grace, if it ſhall miſcarry in its attempts, the glory of
grace is ſunk, as the precious loading with the ſhip caſt
away. Wherefore, that his grace may be glorified, if
it be in a worm threſhing mountains, thoſe mountains
muſt needs be threſhed away by that worm, though
that ſacred fire be but like a ſpark in the midſt of the
ſea of corruption, it muſt not only be preſerved in,
but it muſt dry up that ſea quite and clean.
3.	By an unalterable decree, there muſt be a conformity
betwixt the little worm and the great worm,
Jacob, the little one's kinſman Redeemer, Rom. viii.
9. For whom he did fore-know, he alſo did predeſtinate
to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might
be the firſt-born among many brethren. — Now, the
great worm the man Chriſt, a Worm and no man, Pſal.
ix 6. has encountered mountains and threſhed them
away — Where are the four monarchies, the moſt
towering mountains that ever ſet up their heads on
earth? The chief Worm Jacob has threſhed them away
to chaff, which is away with the wind, Dan. ii. 35.
The mountains ſtood before him thro' the world, with
all that the faſtneſs of human learning, and the power
of the ſword could give; but by his few fiſhermen
he threſhed them away, and the prophecy is fulfilled,
Pſal. lxxii. 12 There ſhall be a handful of corn in the
earth on the top of the mountains, the fruit thereof
ſhall ſhake like Lebanon, and they of the city ſhall flouriſh
like the graſs of the earth. Now the mountains
ſtood befere the little worm, but where will that conformity
to heaven's beloved pattern be, if they alſo
do not threſh them away.
4.	The little worm Jacob is in reality but a member
the great One Jeſus Chriſt. — Take away that,
and worm Jacob is as inſufficient for threſhing of
mountains as any worm that crawls on the earth, John
xv. 5. Without me ye can do nothing. Fix that, and
worm Jacob has a kind of deſired omnipotence. Ver.
7. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye
ſhall aſk what ye will, and it ſhall be done unto you,
Phil. v. 13. I can do all things through Chriſt which
ſtrengtheneth me. And it is fixed ſo that their threſhing
is Chriſt's threſhing, Col. i. 24. And ye may well
allow Chriſt threſhing away mountains with a little
finger of his body. — If with the finger of God he
caſt out devils, with the leaſt of his fingers he may
caſt down mountains.
5.	Laſtly, All the mountains that ſtand before worm
Jacob are but burnt mountains, ſo they are far eaſier to
threſh than one would think. The mountain of the Babyloniſh
monarchy that ſtood before the worm Jacob,
and barred his way ſeventy years: at length God ſet fire
in the bowels of it, and makes it a burnt mountain:
and then bids worm Jacob threſh, and it flies away
with the wind, Jer. ii. 25. Behold I am againſt thee,
O deſtroying mountain, ſaith the Lord, which deſtroyeth
all the earth, and I will ſtretch out mine hand
upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will
make thee a burnt mountain. By the death and reſurrection
of Chriſt, all the mountains that ſtand between
worm Jacob and heaven are burnt mountains. —
Chrit has gone through the bowels of them with his
fire, undone their conſiſtence, burnt the rocks to lime;
they are nothing now but the ſhape of mountains,
with a thin ſtretched ſurface; they will give way at the
threſhing of worm Jacob, like as the apples of Sodom,
being touched, go to duſt between one's fingers. —
Micah ii. 13. The breaker is come up before them; they
have broken up, and have paſſed through the gate, and.
are gone out by it, and their king ſhall paſs before them,
and the Lord on the head of them, Nahum iii. 12. All
thy ſtrong holds ſhall be like fig-trees with the firſt
ripe figs; if they be ſhaken, they shall fall into the
mouth of the eater. Compare Iſa. xxvi. 19. Thy dead
men shall live, together with my dead body shall they
ariſe; awake and ſing, ye that dwell in duſt; for thy
dew is as the dew of herbs; and the earth shall caſt out
the dead. Hoſea xiii. 14. I will ranſom them from the
power of the grave; I will redeem them from death;
O death, I will be thy plague: O grave, I will be thy
deſtruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
1.	The ſtruggle of the church with all her adverſaries,
will have a ſurprizing comfortable iſſue at length.
As weak as ſhe is, and as ſtrong and numerous as
they are, ſhe will infallibly have ſucceſs, ſurpriſing ſucceſs
againſt them, attending the encounter with them,
Micah iv. 11, 12, 13. &c.
And as to the preſent ſtate of the church, learn,
Firſt, it is not at all ſtrange, nor will it make the
caſe of this church hopeleſs, that prodigiouſly high
mountains, higher than our fathers ſaw, are raiſed up
againſt her, over-topping worm Jacob, and threatening
to cruſh him: mountains of national guilt, of forty
years gathering, laid upon the top of the mountains
of guilt raiſed by our fathers; prophanity overflowing
and becoming faſhionable; a conſpiracy carried
on in the houſe of her friends, againſt the grace
of Chriſt and ſerious godlineſs, to palm upon us refined
Heatheniſm for Chriſtianity, the foundation ſtruck
at: mountains of damnable hereſies and blaſphemies
againſt the perſon of Chriſt, and divine authority of
the ſcriptures, and the advanced learning of the age
improved to theſe monſtrous ends. — But, threſh
on the mountains of oppoſition that ſtand in your
way from earth to hell, thou ſhalt get through them
all at length, and thou ſhalt ſtand on the ſea of glaſs,
Rev. xv. 2, 3.
2.	Threſh on the mountains of trouble, trials, and
afflictions: let none of them, be they ever ſo high
and formidable, prevail to ſeparate betwixt God and
you; they will be beat to duſt at laſt, and blown away
before you, Rev. vii. 6. 10, 14, &c.
3.	Threſh on the mountains of corruption and indwelling
ſin; threſhing on every heighth thereof, particularly
the top of it, that is, the ſin that eaſily beſets
you.