,
to turn to the law and to the testimony; but they would not turn.

I might draw many uses from this doctrine; but I shall content myself with
these few:--

First of all, it reproveth that contrary principle which carnal reason
suggesteth: Reformation must not grieve, but please; it must not break nor
bruise, but heal and bind up; it must be an acceptable thing, not
displeasing; it must be "as the voice of harpers harping with their
harps," but not "as the voice of many waters," or "as the voice of great
thunders." Thus would many heal the wound of the daughter of Zion
slightly, and daub the wall with untempered mortar, and so far comply with
the sinful humours and inclinations of men, as, in effect, to harden them
in evil, and to strengthen their hands in their wickedness; or at least,
if men be moralised, then to trouble them no farther. Saith not the
Apostle, "If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ"?
Gal. i. 10; and again, "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is
not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be," Rom. viii. 7. So
that either we must have a reformation displeasing to God, or displeasing
to men. It is not the right reformation which is not displeasing to a
Tobiah, to a Sanballat, to a Demetrius, to the earthly-minded, to the
self-seeking politicians, to the carnal and profane; it is but the old
enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent (Gen.
iii. 15): nay, what if reformation be displeasing to good men, in so far
as they are unregenerate, carnal, earthly, proud, unmortified (for "who
can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin," Prov. xx. 9)?
What if a Joshua envy Eldad and Medad (Num. xi. 27-29)? What if an Aaron
and a Miriam speak against Moses (xii. 1, 2)? What if a religious Asa be
wroth with the seer (2 Chron. xvi. 10)? What if a David will not alter his
former judgment, though very erroneous, and will not (no, not after better
information) have it thought that he was in an error (2 Sam. xix. 29)?
What if a Jonah refuse to go to Nineveh when he is called (Jonah i. 3)?
What if the disciples of Christ must be taught to be more humble (Mark ix.
33-35)? What if Peter must be reproved by Paul for his dissimulation (Gal.
ii. 11)? What if Archippus must be admonished to attend better upon his
ministry (Col. iv. 17)? What if Christ must tell the angels of the
churches that he hath somewhat against them (Rev. ii., iii.)? If
reformati