(illegible text) ct 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 it threſhing them away quite and clean. Briefly Worm Jacob ſhall threſh the mountains, and threſh them away quite and clean'
Here we ſhall conſider,
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 difficultys 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, Verſe 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 low, 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, but 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
