197 Cause A good Cause may be lost by too much depending on it Page 388 Comfort see beasts Commands Commands to superstition usually find obedience Page 473 Communion How communion is defiled by the presence of wicked men Page 373 Creature The good or evil of the creature depends upon man Page 67 Contend God contends not without cause Page 21 God contends not for little things Page 22 Condition The condition of the person offending aggravates the sin Page 118 The poor condition of such as are rich only in this world Page 434 Conscience How pride of conscience may be discerned Page 395 Contempt Contempt of the word a constant companion to Idolatry Page 363 Controversie Controversies between them that are neer are grievous controversies Page 2 The controversie of Gods with sinners is very grievous Page 5 Gods controversie against England Page 8 Gods controversie with Covenant-breakers is dreadfull Page 26 Covetousness The covetousness of Priests Page 93 Counsels Perplexed counsels are a fearful judgment to a Nation Page 170 Court see Evil Curiosity see Superstition Carnal see Agreements Carthaginians The Carthaginians Law concerning Magistrates Page 660 Christ Christ became miserable for our consolation Page 548 Christs speech of neglect of parents expounded Page 604 Choice see Spirits Clouds Clouds and dew passing what it implies Page 576 Communicative see Nature Consolation Consolation to those whose friends have perished in Gods Cause Page 589 Comfort see God Consideration What considerations move men best to turn to God Page 536 Correction see Means Court see Idolatry Church see Assemblies Courage Motives to courage Page 535 Covenant The Covenant which God hath made with man is three-fold Page 622 The portion of Covenant-breakers Page 686 Cut-down How to know when a man is cut down Page 595 D Danger The danger of forsaking the truth Page 386 The danger of depending upon duties Page 403 Dangerous It is dangerous to venture upon the beginnings of false worship Page 354 It is dangerous to be deeply rooted in superstition Page 355 Defiled Defiled worship defiles the soul Page 372 Defiled see Nation Defilement A twofold defilement Page 371 Deny We should deny our selves to promote the true worship of God Page 357 Disappointment Disappointment brings shame Page 326 Distinction There ought to be a distinction made between the children of wicked and of godly Ministers Page 130 Disrespect Disrespect breeds shame Page 325 Divination How the Heathens were wont to divine by staves Page 134 Dogs Wicked men are dogs Page 73 Duty What the duty of Ministers is Page 141 What the duty of Christians is Page 474 Dying What a dying and terrified conscience is Page 500 Danger Danger see Night Daies see Festival Difference Dangerous It is dangerous to men to let good beginnings fall Page 583 See Hypocrisie Daniels case in prayer opened Page 611 Deliverance All deliverance comes from heaven Page 566 Destruction see wilfulness Difference Difference between Gods setting daies apart and mans setting daies apart Page 661 Discovery see Morning Duties see Natural Drunkenness Drunkenness brings diseases Page 663 E Education The custom of the Romans concerning the education of their children Page 421 Emperor Emperors called and accounted the Popes Dogs Page 117 England England admonished Page 86 A warning for England Page 375 see Controversie End The end of duties is to find out God Page 411 Evil The reason why there was so much evil at Court Page 115 See Punishment Example The example of wicked parents is not to be followed by their children Page 429 Excellency The excellency of grace makes sin the worse Page 179 Experience Experience of our late Prelates Page 358 Emperor An Emperor may be kept from the Sacrament Page 577 England The men of England of perverse spirits Page 572 Englands superstition reproved Page 589 England guilty of blood by calling murder manslaughter Page 627 Englands wickedness Page 641 Evil see Slander Excuses Mens excuses Page 570 Exhortation Exhortations to mercy Page 615 Experience The Saints experience Page 564 Expostulation see Form Expressions Scripture expressions against formality Page 621 F False worship The evils false worship doth in a Nation Page 138 Families The families of wicked Ministers are many times forgotten Page 97 Failings God looks not at the particular failings of a State Page 382 Flower The glory of the world is but as a flower Page 64 Formal God delights not in formal professors Page 412 Framing Notes of framing ones heart to the will of God Page 381 Faith Faith makes God real in the saddest condition Page 542 An eminent prop of faith Page 548 See Unworthiness and Repentance False Prophets False Ptophets are not to be followed Page 588 False Worship False Worship is to be trembled at Page 633 Festival daies Festival daies are usually distempering daies Page 664 Form A form of expostulation with ones soul Page 570 G Gilgal Wherein Gilgal was famous Page 183 Given A dreadful thing to be given over of God and why Page 207 Glory see Flower God God is a God of truth Page 23 God is no respecter of person Page 118 We should seriously mind what God doth Page 338 Gods pleading with man is not to be neglected Page 345 How God rebukes men Page 363 God will deal with men according to their present waies Page 370 God is not engaged to any Page 402 God delights most in his second right Page 405 God will not alwaies be found Page 411 God never smites a people before he warns them Page 452 God is a moth and rottenness and how Page 477 See Real Controversy Contend Punish Wrath Holiness Good works The good works of the Saints shall return unto them Page 121 Governors Governors of families should be careful of their families Page 154 The Governors of the people are usually the causes of the evils of the people Page 198 See Rulers Grace see Excellency God God will have glory from men Page 516 Gods usual way of comforting his people Page 520 God works by contraries Page 540 God doth not willingly grieve men Page 669 See Heart Keep Leave Penitent Mercies bound Governors see Wicked Great-men Great men are not easily reformed Page 577 Grounded We must be well grounded in the cause we suffer for Page 540 H Hard Hard truths are hardly born Page 2 The signs of an hard heart Page 515 Heathens Why the Heathens sacrificed undrr trees Page 149 A notable speech of an Heathen Page 552 Heart The secrets of mans heart are known to God Page 367 The heart of man is knotty Page 593 See Framing Argument Hard Note Herod Herods mercy in time of famine Page 30 Holiness God putteth a stamp of holiness upon the places he chuseth Page 143 Hope There is little hope of private means when publick means fail Page 85 Humble An humble man knows much of the mind of Christ Page 396 Help We should help those that suffer for a good cause Page 574 Heal How God healeth Page 640 Hypocrites see
the seventy yeers were at an end ibid Answered 2 In their captivity by the Romans ibid Answered 3 At the calling of the Jews ibid Quaere 2 How did they seek God in any of these times ibid Answered from several Scriptures ibid Obs 1 In the sorest afflictions which befals the people of God he intends their good in them Page 522 Obs 2. God hath little honor in this world Page 523 Use God takes it ill when he seldom hears from us but in our extremities ibid Obs 3 Times of affliction are times of seeking God ibid Obs 4. When God is pleased to work grace in the heart that heart is taken off from all creature helps ibid Obs 5. We are not to be discouraged in seeking God though afflictions drives us to it ibid Use Despair not in afflictions ibid Obs 6 We must seek God early else not sufficient Page 525 Opened in Three particulars ibid Quest What is it to seek God diligently Page 526 Answered in Five particulars ibid Use Admonition to England Page 527 AN EXPOSITION Of the PROPHESY of HOSEA CHAP. 4. VER 1. Hear the Word of the LORD ye Children of Israel for the LORD hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth c. IN this Chapter we have 1. A suit commenced 2. God declares 3. Judgment is pronounced 4. Exhortation to Judâ—h to beware she comes not into the same condition 5. Execution the giving up Ephraim to himself and unto Gods wrath For the fiâ—st Israel is cited Hear ye the Wâ—rd of the Lord ye children of Israel The knowledge of any truth hard and grievous to flesh and blood to be the Word of the Lord Obs is a special means to prepare the heart to receive it with reverence and all due respect It was a hard Message that Hosâ—â— had to bring to tell them of Gods Controversie he therrefore makes thiâ— preface 〈◊〉 Word of the Lord. Hard truths are hardly born but when the Authority of the Infinite God appears in them be they either making for us or against us our hearts must bow to them they lay bonds upon the conscience and bind over to eternal death if you reject them 2 Chron. 26.12 Zedekiah a King is charged that he did not humble himself before the Prophet Jeremiah Though the Prophet be never so poor and contemptible in himself yet if he brings the word of the Lord Zedekiah the king must humble himself before him Ye children of Israel In this appellation God puts them in mind of the covenant he had made with them and theâ— with him you are not Heathens you are the children of Israel in covenant with me a people neer to me yet I have a controversie with you Obs The neerness of a people to God exempteth them not from Gods contending with them for sin Neither should neerness to us exempt any from our contending with them Deut. 13.6 If thy brother the son of thy mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wise of thy bosom or thy friend which is as thy own soul intice thee secretly to worship a strange god Verse 8. thine eye shall not pity him neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceal him but thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death Controversies between those that are neare are very grievous Quid dicturus es ò Propheta qui tanta diligentia vocas ut audiatur verbuÌ„ Domini OecoloÌ„p in locum 3. The neerer the â—â—lation is between any the more grievous is the controversie if there be a controversie at all Hear the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel It is a sad thing for one Nation to have a controversie with another much more for a people to be at controversie with it self Yet more when when the controversie comes nearer into the family between husband and wife between father and child between dearest friends who were before to each other as their own souls controversies there are very sore and grievous Prov. 18.19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong Citie and their contentions are like the bars of a Castle Wind within the body is most troublesom and dangerous Hear ye O Prophet saies Oecoloppdius upon the place what is it thou hast to say that with so much earnestness thou callest to have the word of the Lord heard This is the solemn message of the Prophet to this people The Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land The word translated Controversie signifies a debate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his expostulatio judiciuÌ„ The Sepuag in t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judicium the same word traÌ„slated by them also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 29.16 Ministers must plead for God take heed they plead not against him a contention it comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contendere vel privatim vel coram judice to contend privately or to come before a Judge somtimes a cause pleaded in Law As Exod. 23.3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause That 's the same word with this here a Controversie The Lord hath a cause to plead with this people it is the controversie of the Lord the Prophet stands up for God in his Name to plead against them he pleads for the King the King of Heaven So should all faithful Ministers be sure they be on Gods side pleading his cause For all Ministers are Gods Sergeants at Law his Attourneys his Soliciters The Kings Lawyers are sworn they shall never plead against him or take fee on the other side And yet how many even in the exercise of their Ministry shew that they have taken fee on other side How do many plead against God against his Sabbaths against his Ordinances yea plead somtimes against the power of Godliness against those things wherein the chief dignitie glory of God consists somtimes perhaps pleading for them but pleading more against them at another time The Devil hath not more cordial Solicitors and pleaders for him than those who would be accounted the Prophets of the Lord. The Lord. As if the Prophet should say Know you have not to do with me nor with Amos who was contemporary with Hosea a Prophet to Israel though you think you can make your parts good with me and with the other Prophets know God will not now stand pleading with you so much by his Ministers he will take the cause into his own hand and will plead by his Judgments he will now take up the controversie himself The Lord tells the people Gen. 6.3 that his Spirit should no longer strive with them what 's that That is it should no longer strive in the way of Noâ—h's Ministry but he would come and strive himself after another manner by bringing the flood upon them 〈…〉 God 's pleading is the more dreadfull It is most dreadful for sinners for God to take the
Ministry upon this ground because they come to see that even their ministry is under their humours and it is to please their humours upon this they look upon themselves and their lusts as above the Ministry and so despise any authority in it They are pleased with the suiting of it to their lusts but they despise it in regard of any authority for they see apparantly it is under their humors In Revel 19.10 Rev. 19.10 When John did but fall down to worship an Angel Opened the Angel cometh to him and saith O see thou do it not why for I am thy fellow servant and have the testimony of Jesus What you a Minister that have the testimony of Jesus to fall down to an Angel An Angel what is an Angel The glory of an Angel it is to be a fellow servant with you and to have the same testimony of Jesus that you have A Minister must not in hiâ— ministry fall down under the lusts of any man living upon this ground bccause he hath the testimony of Jesus with him It is true those that are Ministers in regard of themselves should be willing to be under all servants unto all for Christ they should I say be willing to put their persons under every man for Christ but they should keep their Ministry above every man Their Ministry and the authority of that is to be kept above the greatest and that for Christ too Again A great influence as from people to the Minister so from the Minister to the people Look how Ministers are so usually the people are Like Priest like people especially in evil they have an influence there You know it almost in all places where you have malignant superstitious Ministers you have accordingly such kind of people Jerem. 23.10 The land is ful of adulterers saith the text then in the next verse For both Prophet and Priest are prophane that is the reason And again vers 14. I have seen saith God in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing they commit adultery and walk in lyes they also strengthen the banâ— of evil doers that none doth return from his wickedness Here we â—ee how they harden others in sin they walk in lyes they tell people we need not be so strict we may take more liberty it is but the fancies and humors of such and such men they walk in lyes and so they strengthen mens hands in wickedness and none returneth from his wicked waies And then verse 15. From the Prophet there goes prophaness quite thorough the land if they be prophane and wicked they have an influence quite thorough the land to make the whol countrey wicked and prophane And on the other side there is a great influence in the Ministry of the word upon people for good many times If Ministers continue painful faithful conscionable it is very rare but that they bring people to some kind of obedience or other Very few godly conscionable powerful Ministers that have lived any time in any place but they leave some savour of their spirits behind them that in their people you may find the savour of such a Ministry It was wont to be said Da Ambrosios et habebimus Theodosios let us have Ambroses and we shall have Theodosius's Let us have godly Ministers at Court and we shall have godly Princes that is the meaning The reason why Theodosius was so good it was because he had an Ambrose So we find it in 2 King 12.2 that Jehoash so long as Jehojada the Priest lived did that which was right in the sight of the Lord so long as he had a godly Minister with him that instructed him he did that which was right in the eyes of God No mervail then so much evil at Court and other places because we know what kind of Ministers they ever have had And because of the influence that a Minister hath upon people hence it is that the evil and malignant party ever desire to nourish these Ministers and the force of their rage and malice is against godly Ministers for like Minister like people they think and indeed supposing their principles it is but that which is prudential for their ends for when they cry out and say that these Ministers are the cause of al they say true there is some kind of truth in it that is they are the cause to discover to people their evil and wicked waies and to cause those to whom they preach to cleave to the truth and that is it their spirits do vex and rage at that they see the Ministry of the Word prevail so much upon the people as it doth Therefore I remember a pulicie that I have read of Xerxes that when he was in straights by reason of Agiselaus who prevailed much in his countrey he took this course he sent men with good store of money to corrupt the Towns in Greece and they went and corrupted Athens and Thebes and so caused great disturbance in Greece by reason of which Agiselaus was sent for home to look to his own Countrey They went especially for the Universities Athens and Thebes and there corrupted the Orators and so thought to prevail much It hath been the policie of our men in these daies to corrupt Universities much thinking by Scholers and others there to prevail most There is a story of the Wolves that they would make a league with the Sheep but they would by any means have one article granted that was that their Shepheards must be delivered up unto them and then they would be at peace with the Sheep and do them no hurt I make no question but if our adversaries should come to article with us there is no one thing they would stand more upon than the delivery up of the shepheards and then there would be good peace between the Wolves and the sheep Like people like Priest They are like in evil and they shall be like in punishment they shall be involved in the same punishment I will make the Priests as contemptible and as miserable as the vilest of the people their places exalted them above others and their sin hath made them as vile as others and so they shall be dealt withal accordingly You will say what great judgment is here threatned that like people like Priest Yes certainly to them the judgment was very bitter and grievous was most against the hair for the Priests have at all times been puffed up with their callings so that they looked upon themselves as above the people abundantly looked down to the people with scorn and contempt The Pharisees in John 7.49 This people say they who know not the Law are cursed this same vulgar sort are they that are accurst so these Priests here though the truth is they were made of the vilest of the people as they were in Jeroboams time for it is spoken of those yet being once got up into that place they were puffed up as if they
so far as it concerns his own act what I am to do so far as I must answer before God I must judg it so but if I be taught and commanded by authority one thing and I judg another I go upon mine own peril that is if I do not judge right I sin against God and incur punishment from God and I must run the hazard but to judge that which must be the rule of my act that is a certain truth belonging unto every man Give ear ye house of the King And there is put an Ob unto this besides the other Give ear Oh house of the King for though it comes in last yet that 's the principal indeed for what can superstitious and Idolatrous Priests do what hurt except they be countenanced by the house of the King Give eare therefore Oh house of the King Oh house that is the King himself with all his Courtiers Kings and Princes must have sin charged upon them and be made to know that they are under the threats of God as well as any Obser For judgment is against you Mark it he doth not put all this evil upon ill Counsellers that got into the house of the King but he puts it directly upon the house of the King it self Ill Princes may be as great a cause why there are ill Councellors Note as ill Counsellors why there are ill Princes Ill Counsellors usually see what the design of a Prince is and what is sutable to his disposition and they blow up nourish and help that with their evil counsel But were it that the design of Princes and their dispositions were right they might have Counsellors about them to further that which is right too Certainly it is no excuse for Princes to cherish flatterers and wicked ones about them then to say they were advised to such a way For if the teaching of the Priests and the coÌ„mâ—nds of Princes do not excuse people but they must see a rule for what they do then Counsellors about Princes connot excuse them but they ought to see the rule for what they do too It is the unhappiness of Princes to have none about them to charge them personally with their sins I mean in the Name of God to shew them the evil and the danger of their sins It was wont to be said as heretofore I have told you Da Ambrosios plur habebimus Theodosios Let us have Ambroses and we shall have Theodosius's because of his freedom of spirit with that Emperor And besides to another Emperor Valentinian saith he Noli te extollere Imperator si vis diutius imparare esto Deo subditus Do not lift up thy self Oh Emperor if you will be Emperor longer if you will reign longer be willing to be subject unto God And we know with what freedom of spirit the Prophets in former times spoke even to Kings houses You know that of Samuel 1. Sam. 12. ult If you do wickedly you shall perish both ye and your King So Elijah to Ahab Thou art he that troublest Israel So Elisha to Jehoram 2 King 3.13 14. What have I to do with thee and yet Jehoram came to the Prophet in an humble way what have I to do with thee Get thee to the Prophets of thy father And were it not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat the King of Judah I would not look toward thee nor see thee This he said to a great King Great liberty have others had in the Primitive times to speak thus unto Princes And a great cause of the evil of these latter daies hath been the flatteries of those that have been at Court therefore saith the Prophet here Hear ye Oh house of the King Kings are great indeed above other men but what are they before the great God Psal 76.12 He shall cut off the spirit of Princes he is terrible to the Kings of the earth Psal 105.12 When they were but few in number yea very few and strangers in the land when they went from one Nation to another from one Kingdom to another people he suffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes He reproved Kings for the sake of his own people when they were but few in number and went wandring from one Nation to another said Touch not mine anointed that is touch nor my Saints He gave Kings warning that they should take heed how they did so much as Touâ—h his Church touch his own people Gods people are there called his Anointed and it is said unto Kings that they should not touch his anointed that were so few and wandered up and down from one Nation to another Say thus even to the house of the King Expos 2. But yet further The house of the King is named last here is named after the house of Israel why so Not that the house of Israel were more guilty than the house of the King but because the house of the King could least endure reproof that is one reason given of it they could hardly bear reprehension therefore in wisdom so far the Prophet would go he would begin with the other and being in a way of reprehension with the other then he comes in with the house of the King Obser Though they are to be reproved for evil yet some due respect ought to be given unto them Judgment Judgment is toward you saith the Prophet Judicium here is taken either actively or passively Actively pro actu Judicij so Junius it was their part to judg out of the Law and so he would reade it thus Judgment is yours Oh house of the King you ought to judg the people in righteousness But I rather think that here it is to be taken passively that is that God calls you to judgment to suffer Judgment judgment is toward you Note or against you And observe I beseech you the difference between the beginning of the fourth Chapter and the beginning of the fifth In the fourth Chapter it was but a controversie a strife that God had with them Hear the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel for the Lord hath a controversie with the land But here you have another word now it is come to judgment that which before was but a contending with them is now come to a judgment of them to a passing of sentence upon them judgment is against you sentence is out upon you The former was Gods pleading against them and this now is Gods judging of them When God pleadeth against us that is the Note from thence let us not neglect his pleas Observ Gods pleadings for they will come to a sentence and then we are gone If we neglect when he begins to plead his cause with us if we neglect it because judgment is not upon us it will proceed to a sentence God hath laid his plea against many a man in his Word and perhaps some of you see it and know
willing to fully themselves with such vanities as their parents and masters before them did they do begin to know the Lord and to enquire after God Young ones the hope of a Nation And blessed are you of the Lord you are our hope that God intendeth good unto us and that He will not let out the wild beasts to devour us but will rebuke them for your sakes And although perhaps many of these gracious young ones may perish yea many have been slain already in this Cause yet let not others that remain behind be discouraged at it for it is in argument that there is some great and special mercy that God intendeth for us in that He is willing to venture such precious ones for the procuring of that mercy We may well reason so that if so much precious young blood that might have lived to serve God be shed in this Cause if God come to grant unto England mercy He wil grant such mercy as wil be worth al their blood and that mercy must needs be great that shal be worth all the blood of those that are so precious which might have lived to serve God so many years here in this world And seeing God makes use of them it is because the mercy that is to come for the next generation is so precious that indeed such as have defiled themselves with superstitious vanities are like to have no share in it and as they are not like to live to see it so God will not make use of them to prepare that mercy for the next generation But because God hath a love unto the young generation that are godly therefore He hath reserved much mercy for many of them that are like to see and enjoy it and others of them that are not like to see it yet he will be so gracious to them as he will imploy them in making way for that mercy And whether it is better to be made instrumental for the glory of God and the good of another generation or to live to see the fruit of this it is hard to determine Certainly those that in one generation are made so instrumental as to lay the ground work of mercy for another generation they are as happy as that other generation that comes to reap the fruit of their labours and sufferings and those that do come to reap the fruit of their labors shall bless God for them and when they enioy the good and liberty of the Gospel they shall say Oh blessed be God that stirred up such a generation of young ones to shed their blood and now we reap the fruit of it and blessed be God for them they will bless you to all generations Therefore let there be no discouragement to godly young ones though it pleaseth God to cut of many by death in this Cause for God hath some excellent end in it beyond all our reaches Thus much for these words Only one Note more and that is this That Obs God takes it exceeding ill at mens hands that they should corrupt young ones This Note is as full in the words as any other God takes it exceeding ill it is a part of treachery against God for any to be a means to corrupt young ones Take heed what you do in corrupting of young ones Those young people that are coming on and beginning to enquire after godliness take heed what you do that you hinder them not Especially parents and governors Oh let your consciences flie in your faces when you begin to curb them for their forwardness Many times your consciences cannot but misgive you when you think I have been wicked and naught most part of my daies I spent God knows many of my yeers in vanity and profaness here are young ones that begin betime to enquire after God and yet wretch that I am my heart riseth against them And as these people that hinder young ones are to be rebuked so such as seek to corrupt them by false opinions Certainly it is that by which God is much provoked at this day and as on the one side there is hope of mercy in regard so many young ones begin to enquire after God so I know no such dreadful argument of Gods displeasure against this Nation as this That assoon as young ones begin to come to know Jesus Christ there are presently corrupt erroâ—â— infused into them and that under the notion of honoring Christ and free grace and the Gospel so much the more whereas indeed they do no other than infuse principles of libertinisme and loosness and such as will even eat out the heart of godliness Certainly the Lord hath a quarrel against such as corrupt young ones by their false principles for there are none so ready to drink in false principles as young ones especially young converts who begin to enquire after the waies of God and these men that are their corrupters they have this advantage they come not to them to perswade them to profaness but they come to them with seeming pretences of giving honor unto Christ and of magnifying free grace and in the mean time sow seeds in them that will eat out the power of godliness Oh to corrupt children and young ones and when they begin to enquire after God and to know him for you to do that which may estrange them from God this is that which God will have a quarrel against you for And it is a greater argument of Gods displeasure against us A common evil that it is so common and frequent at this day than any one I know there is not any one argument that I know that is a greater discouraging argument to us of Gods displeasure than this thing But so much for those words They have begotten strange children It follows Now shall a month devour them with their portions Expos A month I find Interpreters have a great deal of do about this expression Many think that God aims at one special month and they tell uâ— of one month in the yeer which answereth to our July that there were many grievous things to befal the Jews in that month in former times and in latter times too as if that were a more Ominous month than any other I will not spend time to speak further of that But there is certainly somewhat else in this expression I find an expression paralel to this in Zech. 11.8 the holy Ghost there speaks of three Shepherds that God will cut off in one month these Idol Shepherds saith he My soul loathed them and their soul also abhorred me I will cut them off in one month There is the most exact description of your superstitious Idol Shepherds even such as we have at this day amongst us in many places saith God My soul loathed them and their soul abhorred me Who do more hate the power of godliness than those kind of men and against whom is the soul of God more than against those kind of men
God in Scripture are often set out unto us by this similitude of water as in Isa 28.17 Nahum 1.8 look as their anger ran like water so my wrath shall run upon them until they are consumed That Gods wrath is very hot against wicked Governours such as break the bounds of Religion Laws and Covenants the Lord is much displeased against great ones when wicked Numb 25.4 the people of Israel committed a great evil in provoking God by their Idolatry joyning themselves to Baal-Peor and the Lord said Take the heads of Israel The people offended and it was by the encouragement of the Governors therefore their heads must off the people sin and the Governors must suffer because they reproved them not nor restrained them but countenanced them Hence we may note That we had need to pray much for Princes Fearful are the examples which historiaans report of concerning the judgments of God upon wicked Princes Leander in the discription of Italy reports of a cruel Tyrant who perswaded himself that he must give an account to no man none could call him to an account for what he did at last God gave him into the hands of the people who strip'd him naked bound him upon a planck and drew him through the streets in the sight of all the people then made a great fire by him and heated tongs red hot in the fire when they had done thus then proclaimation was made in the Market place that seeing he had wronged so many that he was never able to make satisfaction for the wrong he had done therefore all that had suffered by him should come and have a pull at his flesh with the red hot tongs Another fearful example we have of latter times concerning Charls the 9th about the massacre in France who at that time pretended great love and kindness to the Protestant party invited them to a great marriage feast and at that time by his Commission calls in those bloody miscreants who cruelly murdered the Protestant party there he broke bounds but see how God met with him in a most grievous disease through the violence of which there spurted out blood from him in several parts of his body so that he wallowed in his blood before he died God powred out His wrath upon them in blood who in their life time thirsted after blood Secondly The bounds of Religion and Laws as they keep in obedience Obs 2 so they keep out judgments Pure Religion and good Laws as they are bounds to keep us in duty so they keep judgments and wrath from us And we ought to look upon Laws in both these notions not only to keep us in order and duty but also to keep out wrath if we break our bounds we must look that wrath should break in upon us therefore we had need to do as men that live neer the Sea when the Sea breaks in upon them they presently leave all their other businesses and go about that Our bounds are broken and who is the occasion of it the Lord knows and wrath is broken in upon uâ— at our breaches therefore let us now as one man set about the making up of our breaches Obs 3 Thirdly God punisheth according to mens sins They break the bounds God breaks in with wrath upon them are they resolute in sinning God will be as resolute in his judgments upon them see that text Jer. 44.25 You have sworn and vowed to your superstitions and I have sworn to bring judgment upon you and it shall come to pass Therefore when judgments are upon us Use if we would have them removed we should diligently observe what sins we are guilty of which answereth to the judgment which is upon us for many times we may trace the cause of a judgment by the sin that we are guilty of and if we ever look to have troubles removed we must first remove sin the cause of them VER 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the commandement WRATH in the former verse was threatned against the Princes of Judah who removed the bound And here the Lord returns again to Ephraim in this 11. verse and the 12. verse to Judah and Ephraim both together they being both a provocation to God are plagued both together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word Oppressed in the original is Nashuk translated by Hierom Calumnia Ephraim suffered and was oppressed by false accusations and slanderings for there is an opposition in mens names and estates which the Seventy usually translate by Sycophantia The 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then we may render iâ— thuâ— Ephraim by Sychophants doth suffer a great deal of wrong When there are false reports raised against men they suffer wrong by it false reports are as a false Medium which represents things in another manner than they are As put a staff into the water simile and it shews to be crooked but take it out and 't is not so So the actions of men in the reports of others may seem crooked when in themselves are strait and good And thus was Ephraim broken in judgment though his cause was good yet 't was made bad if he were wronged he could have no releef for himself So that good causes by bad men are many times perverted but the Sainâ—s may support themselves with Pauls comfort who passed not much for mans judgment In this signification the Seventy Translators do often take the word but in this place they express it by another word thus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 English translatioÌ„ Ephraim hath over-powered his adversaries and so hath trod down judgment they interpret it actively But the words are well rendred in your books in the passive participle and so they are to be read Ephraim is broken in judgment Concussus judicio concussio is a Law word signifying such a kind of breaking and oppression as threatneth the utter ruine and undoing of a man by Law As many rich men threaten poor men when they do them any wrong I 'le be even with you I 'l ow you a good turn Or as Magistrates that are corrupt and wicked when they cannot bring poor men to say or do what they would have them they will threaten to undo them or if ever it lie in their power they wil ow them a good turn of which carriage Samuel cleers himself 1 Sam. 12.3 Crimea coÌ„cussionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whom have I defrauded or whom have I * oppressed the word is the same here That is used my power to threaten men to yeeld up their liberties their rights their enjoyments by any power which was in my hands This was the sin of the great Princes here of the ten Tribes Broken in judgment That is Expos Not in Gods judgment upon them but in the judgment of their own cause they were crushed in their estates liberties and laws and that not only by their own Magistrates
together in an unanimous way saying Come and let us set about the Lords work with one shoulder every one encouraging each other then there is hope the times of mercy are nigh that people Use a sad presage to But this is our misery the divisions and the rendings that are amongst us being diâ—-joynted each from other Oh the wantones of mens spirits now among us for which God is much displeased and certainly is one great stop in the way of mercy that notwithstanding God hath us in the fire and threatens even our consuming yet that we should not joyn and unite together Obs 4 True penitent hearts seek to get others to joyn with them Oh how glad are they to see any comming on to seek the Lord with them and how careful are they to give encouragement example they perswade them with al gentleness saying Come let us go up to the house of the Lord we have found the Lord very gracious to us Oh come he is good still yea and good to you if you wil come into him if the husband have found God good to him he will perswade the wife the child the servant to come to Christ Thus much of their resolution to return the reason follows For he hath smitten us and he will heal us Hence observe Obs 1 That in times of the greatest sufferings a true penitent heart retains good thoughts of God God hath torn wounded and smitten us what then run away from God think hardly of him No think well of him and bless his Name even when you God in former times have practised Nehemiah Ezra Ezra 9. Neh. 9. Dan. 9 Psal 44. and Daniel in all their miseries how careful were they to acquit and cleer God to be just in all that was come upon them yea the Church in the time of her desertion retains Christ as a King and calls him so so that they have as high esteems of God now in their low condition as in their prosperous estate and as they dare not entertain hard conceipts of God so neither of his Cause nor his People they are not sorry that they have been so far engaged for them Many people are like bad servants simile Use of reproof who while they have every thing fitting that becomes them can give their masters family a good report but let them be crost of their minds and go away in a discontent Oh how vily do they speak of it and as sturdy beggers while they find releef and succor they can give good words and they are their masters and best friends but let them be sent away empty and then what name is bad enough for them so when things goes well with the cause of God and his people they will be on Gods side Oh take heed of being sorry that ever you were engaged so far as you are or thinking to draw back that it had been better you had not been so forward as you have been this is a base and vile spirit see but how low the Church was in affliction and yet with what a gallant spirit she carried it out Psal 44.12 13.15 and 17. verses in these times how is this text fulfilled in the 15. verse how do they complain that men do blaspheam deride and scorn them and in the 17. verse All this is come upon us What then Is not God good and his Cause good that we maintain No God forbid such a thought should enter into us Although all this evil be come upon us yet have we not dealt falsly with thee in thy Covenant Oh let us lay up this truth and it would be a mighty comfort and stay to us in these times and it would be a very good rise to prayer for mark in the 23. verse Awake why sleepest thou Oh Lord arise and help us Those can pray to purpose who in the sorest afflictions can manifest the most fear of God and exercise the most love towards God and his waies notwithstanding Obs 2 A repenting heart is not a discouraged heart It is such a heart as sinks not down in discouragements saying as some do we are a lost people and undone there is no hope we had been better never to have ventured so far as we have but give over what we have done it dares not draw conclusions from what hath been to what is and what will be this is too much presumption for any man David in the Cave can trust in God and hide himself under Gods wing Psal 57.1 So long as there is a God in Heaven this soul will expect help from him a true penitent will expect mercy notwithstanding Gods severity and justice the severity of justice in God cannot keep him from waiting for and expecting of what God hath promised if the soul can but get over this difficulty the deep gulf of Gods justice it will easily get over all other dreadfulness of mens displeasure a repenting heart is a purged heart and therefore not a discouraged but a supported heart those which are unclean of foul and filthy spirits are alwaies jealous of God and his dealings towards them Oh let it appear that we are not of discouraged and sinking spirits by the cleanness of our lives and the purity of our conversations carnal hearts are not discouraged when they have carnal helps to underprop them and shall we be afraid of any difficulty who have God for our help Remarkable is that place The Philistines motive to courage in the battel 1 Sam. 4.9 concerning the speech which was made to the Philistims upon the coming of the Ark into the camp of Israel what a fear were they put into yet how do they encourage themselves Let us fight valiently for our wives and children and estates that we and our little ones be not slaves to the Hebrews So say I let us be couragious in these times and fight for our Liberties Laws and Religion Did we but spend that strength in returning unto God which we do in discouragements Oh how soon would help come for us were we but thus resolved Now though we must not be discouraged when helps and means fail but yet humbled we must be for our sins which cause these breaches see how the Prophet Habackuk mannages this disposition c. 3. v. 16 17. we should improve our humiliation as they did Judges 20. who though in a good cause Judg. 20. a cause which God approved of yet lost fourty thousand men at two battels in the prosecution of it what do they now leave it off and run away No but put on courage and resolution fasted and prayed and humbled themselves before the God of their fathers and then they prospered Oh let us be humbled that we may not be discouraged And as we must not be discouraged so must we not falsly encourage our selves as they said The bricks are fallen down but we can build with hewen stone so say not this Army is lost but we can raise another quickly
sometimes answers his peoples prayers presently when they seek him so that it may not only be said in the evening but in the morning hast thou heard me not only this day but the next also see that place in 1 King 18.38 and 44. Elijah praies and the Lord heard him presently but he praies again and then the Lord defers in the 38. verse he praies for fire to come down to consume the sacrifice and it did so but in the 44. verse of the same chapter he praies again for rain and see in what a posture he praies in and obtained his petition with much difficulty sent his servent Seven times and at the seventh time it was but a little cloud at first God heard him presently but he praies again and then mercy comes difficultly yet God was not angry with Elijah So Daniel he prayes and was heard presently but the people they pray and pray earnestly yet they were not answered Oh therfore let us take heed of impatiency and frowardnes of spirit in trouble and of being weary of duty Use be patient in prayer and gâ—owing carelesse in holy services because an answer comes not presently this shows the rottennesse of our spirits as much as any thing and 't is as evident a sign of an hypocrite as any we have in Scripture Isa 8. they faâ—â—ed and prayed so long that they thought themselves mightily wronged because they were not heard therfore are they so bold to ask God a reason why he was so far behind hand with them when they had done so much service for him Oh boldnesse of spirit Obs 3 That the time of Gods reviving his people is neither long in Gods nor the Saints account 'T is but two daies the third day we shal live Isa 31.5 Isa 31.5 opened As birds flying so will the Lord be swift to help Jerusalem He hath promised not to contend for ever and in 1 Peter 1.6 1 Pet. 1.6 rightly pointed Though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through many tribulations in the Original 't is If now if need be so that there is great need of afflictions before God sends them So 2 Cor. 4.17 afflictions they are for a moment a very little time Faith that lifts up the soul upon two hills where it seeth Heaven on the one and the vally of Achor in the middle and it so works in the soul that it causeth it to be patient in suffering the greatest tryals it is a sign of a distempered spirit to complain of the length of an affliction a gracious heart desires more the sanctifying it than taking it away we might have been swallowed up in the gulf of eternal misery Hag. 2.6 yet a little while and I will shake Heaven c. But it was between five and six hundred yeers before this shaking came viz. at the coming of Christ our impatience make affliction seem long Obs 4 In the sadest condition faith makes present and real Gods reviving mercies When their help is gone in the mount of mans extremity will God be seen We should reason thus because Gods people are in great extremity then 't is a sign that God will arise and help them and not despair and give over our hopes simile as before the morning light is the thickest darkness so let us never be discouraged at the encrease of afflictions for they shew the time then hastens for deliverance and thiâ— faith makes present to the soul it shews the soul life in death favor in frowns love in strokes faith seeth a great difference between the strokes of God upon the Saints and upon the wicked that place is famous for this Isa 26.14 compared with the 19. They are dead they shall not live they are diseased they shall not rise When God strikes wicked men their wounds forerun death here and eternal death hereafter when he smites them in their cause in their names or estates 't is to undo them But now mark in the 19. verse Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise Some think that these words note the glorious condition of the Church in regard of their safety that though men and means fail yet faith can see deliverance in the womb of an infinite wisdom Faith revives other graces power and faithfulness Faith revives other graces when seeming dead and puts life into them much more doth it into our dead conditions 't is reported of the * Vt vives alijs lapidibus pretiosis extinctis solo attactu luscitoret Guliel Paris Cristal that it hath such a vertue in it that the very touching of it quickens other stones and puts a lustre and beauty upon them This is true of faith it makes evil things present far off and good things far off present and herein consists the exercise of faith in a great measure Psal 91.7 A thousand shall fall on thy left band and ten thousand on thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee this is a very strange speech that a man may be in a place where a thousand shall fall by him and ten thousand on the side of him and yet he not touched by the disease By faith the soul enjoyes this security Psal 60.6 God hath spoken in his holiness I will rejoyce I will devide Sechem and met out the vally of Succoth the thing was not yet done yet they rejoyced in it as present faith it enables a dead and a barren womb to bring forth a child it raiseth up a dead son out of the ashes Abraham bids his servants to stay at the bottom of the hill and expect his coming Oh strong was his faith in this thing How unbeseeming are our spirits and how is our faith manifested to be weak and poor Use of reproof when a mercy promised is within sight ready to be fulfilled and made good yet how impatient are we and froward when it comes not so soon as we desire when we are full of such determinings against our selves or the Cause of God saying alas all is now gone we are left desperate God hath forsaken his Cause Oh let us take heed of pleasing our selves with this kind of carnal arguing and objecting for they are such as mightily provoke God and dishonor him and hinder much good which else we might enjoy But were I worthy I could think something Obj. then I might have some hopes Answ Faith sees worthines in its unworthines In this case do thou exercise faith upon Christ even in thine unworthyness and though thou maiest die and not see the harvest nor reap the fruit of thy prayers yet know the generations to come shall and this may comfort thee That speech of Jacob is remarkable to this purpose when he lay a dying saith he Behold I die but God shall do much more for you The Cause may be trodâ—n down for a while and God may hide himself but know that he wil keep
pleasant is it It is like the dew of Hermon and like the dew that descended upon the mountain of Zion as that refreshed the grasse so is this affection of mercy and love in the Saints He compares it not to a dew that dried up presently but to a dew which descended down and there the Lord commanded his blessing Psa 133. expound Church-fellowship even life for evermore There Where Even in the communion of his Saints This is spoken particularly of Church fellowship Oh then take heed that your mercy and bounty in releeving your brethren and persecuted Saints be not as the dew that passeth away the Lord hath not made his mercie no not his mercy in dewing the earth as a morning cloud that vanisheth away and comes to nothing Oh let not our mercy and love be only in shows and proffers withot any truth and reality our mercies should come like showers upon those who have been parched with the burning rage nnd malice of the adversary help those that suffer for a good cause Now the Lord expects more from us in this duty than at other times we must not only pity them and give them good words saying Alas my Brother and alas my Sister and no more I would I could help you the Lord pity you and help you you must not only do thus but in actions and reality you must releeve them with your money and provisions Is it not with too to many of us as it was with those in James 2.15 who say to a brother Depart in peace be ye warmed and filled but give them not wherewith to do it what good doth this passing cloud do them it is but an overture but perhaps you will say that you have not been as an overture a cloud passing away you have bedewed the Saints in their need you have given something but perhaps t is but a poor pittance and that out of your abundance know that this is not sufficient it must be a constant dew and proceed on in degrees of mercy we should rejoyce that God gives us an opportunity to shew our love and mercy and not think much at it doing that you do forcedly or repiningly therefore let not our mercy be as the dew that passeth away Thus much of the words in this signification of mercie Now if we take the words in a large sense as in Scripture they are often taken and in this place also for their goodness and piety and in this sense there is much of the mind of God in the words they are so full of marrow and sweetness as can be desired Now in that God should express godliness and piety by such a word as mercy Note from thence The necessity of this grace of love and brotherly kindness in regard Obs 1 godliness it self receives its name from them though by nature men are passionate and rugged grace will mollifie them of covetous men it will change them to liberal and make them free-hearted for grace is part of the Divine Nature Nothing is so communicative as God the highest good The more excellent the nature the more cōmunicative and according to the height of any creature is the communicativeness of it as the Sun being sublime and excellent is most communicative so a gracious man hath he parts they are not for himself but for the Church hath he an estate he distributes and communicates of it to the Saints and according as grace ariseth in the soul wil communicativeness arise a true Christian is not close handed If grace hath its denomination from hence Then surely this Obs 2 grace of mercy is most excellent because the whol frame of the new man is set out by it and by this it is expressed When we use to set out the whol of any thing by a part we do not express it by an inferior part but in some thing which is eminent in it as by prayer many times is expressed the whol worship of God as be that cals upon the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved Rom. 10. Expos 1 As the morning cloud and as the early dew In these words God charges this people for three things in which their notorious hypocrisie was expressed Clouds and dew passing what they imploy For their vacuity and emptiness their words were empty sounds they were clouds without water as Jude expresses it Jude 12. 't is the high commendation of Christians to be full of God of Christ and ful of grace and knowledg of which Ephraim had a shew but it was but a shew Expos 2 For their falfness and desembling they had a heart and a heart towards God they dealt treacherously with God they were all in shows but in the bottom nothing but vanity Expos 3 For their unconstancy and sickleness As rain in the clouds shews much but is by the wind presently blown over the clouds now are all black and lowring but in a short time are blown over and there is a perfect cleer sky even thus it was in their goodness though they made glorious shows in their reformation yet were they all empty false and unconstant Thus it was in the general in the reformation of the Land when things were reformed in the Kingdom it was but by halves and in their particular turnings it was but as the morning cloud many times there was great appearences of reformation but they were like the early dew which presently goeth away The ten Tribes and Judah did make such beginnings in reformation and setting up the worship of God that if God were truly worshiped by any people in the world it would be by these that they would set God up high in their thoughts high in their practices and this was very burdensom to the Spirit of God therefore he saith What shall I do unto thee Ob Ephraim What shall I do unto thee Oh Judah We find glorious shows of reformation to come to nothing as appears in these many examples 2 King 1 9. and the 10. chapters Jehu made great shows when Joram asked him Is it peace Jehu he answered him What peace so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many And in the 10. chapter what a slaughter doth he make upon the Priests of Baal Well what came of this reade but on in the chapter verses 29. and 31. it is said That Jehu departed not from the sins of Jeroboam who made Israel to sin What a cloud of hopes was there in Ahahs time 1 Kings 18.39 all the people cryed The Lord is God the Lord he is the God upon the miracle which was wrought by Elijahs prayer when the fire came down and consumed the sacrifice but this all vanished in the people and for Ahab himself the text saith he did abominably in following of Idols so that there was none like unto him who sould himself to work wickedness 1 Kings 21.26 27. When the Prophet comes to him
day this iniquity is also discovered A wanton erronious spirit such opinions as were never known before doubting of the Immortallity of the soul that there is no visible Church upon the face of the earth and all this under the Name of Christ and free grace Now what doth all this but shew thus much that when God would have healed us then our iniquities did appear what sad passages are these of our miseries approaching What an unmerciful spirit is there among us Every one seeking his own and how he may make him and his great in the world and neglecting the poor and those that are in distress we have cause to say Oh Lord what shall become of us Know this that I may not altogether discourage you though our times are miserable yet are they not like unto Israel altogether it cannot be denied but that our Court hath seconded Ephraim which was their Court Court and though the City of Samariah did joyn with Ephraim yet the Citie City with us hath not joyned with Ephraim but the bulk of it hath kept faithful with their God for which mercy the children He lived not to see the late dissention which yet was not total blessed be God though prevailing long yet unborn will have cause to bless God A fift observation is this That when a people grow worse upon the means of healing it is a sign that their condition is desperate Isa 1.15 why should you be smitten any more Ye will revolt yet more and more Jer. 51.9 We would have healed Babylon but she would not forsake her In thy filthiness is lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wouldest not be purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more untill I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Now certainly had not God found a party in this Kingdom which closed with him when he would have healed us we might have had occasion to make use of this Scripture how just were it with God to leave such a people as we are in our healing because we are so impatient under the rod and oppose him even in our healing Arius Montanâ—s quotes it out of Hippocrates that the Physitians in his time Ar. Mont. were bound by an Oath to leave such under their wounds to perish by them that were incorrigable and would not endure the Chirurgions to cure them When a man is engaged in a bad cause and means is used for the convincing of him and yet oft times he will proceed and fly out the worse Oh the vileness of mens spirits in this thing we had need take heed what we engage our selves in that the thing be good the cause warrantable how many men are there which break their consciences rather than yeild to take shame to themselves for their sin Oh what cause have we to fall down and be humbled for our iniquity and to say as they in Jer. 14.18 19 20. So for particular Towns and places where God sends the Gospel the means of grace and that people is the worse for it they have cause to tremble at it do not cry out against the preaching of the Word as if that were the cause of it wheÌ„ men are worse for preaching an evil sign this were most wicked and abominable it was thus in Christs time we never read of any possessed with Devils before Christ came now shâ—ll we say it had been better that Christ had not come Oh blame not the Ministry but your own hearts and consider of this you that God is working upon the Lord comes close by the Ministry of his Word to heal you and then you discover your wickedness and rotten hearts the Lord he stirs such a conscience and begins to heal the soul now 't is the Devils policy to spoil such beginnings now thinks the Devil if I can make such a soul to commit a sin against conscience or live in the omission of any known duty the word then will never work more to do such a man good I have heard of a man who being troubled in conscience for committing that great sin of uncleanness the Devil tempting him to commit it again and told him if he would he should never be troubled more for it the poor man yeilding to do it and venturing upon it again after he had done it he was never tempted again nor troubled more but presently lay in a wanzeing languishing senceless condition and so died Oh take heed of this you that are convinced in your consciences of the evil of such and such courses for it is the great policy of the Devil to make thee who art convinced in conscience to sin against conscience and then he thinks the work is lost the Devil doth not much fear the Words working upon him whom he hath prevailed over to live in secret known sins and to venture upon the commission of sins against conscience you who are under Gods hand of cure be silent and submit quietly under Gods hand and be not froward as many are in their troubles of conscience but hearken for a word from God Troubled Consciences as the men of Benhadad did from that King in 1 King 20.33 hearkened diligently whether any words of comfort fel from him and they catched at them hastily Know that it were just with God to make you as that people Isa 6.10 that your hearts should be made fat This concerns all people but especially those that are in trouble of conscience those that God begins to stir and work upon take heed I say doth Christ himself begin to work upon you doth he desire to heal you is he willing to offer his blood to cure you by applying it to your wounded consciences Let not the corruptions of your hearts now break forth now take heed of sins against conscience lest he let you to perish in your lusts be willing to let God alone to do his work in you lie quiet and still take heed of murmuring and repining speeches but follow on the work begun and beseech him not to leave you till the work be compleated in you and the great hazard of your miscarrying over little do you imagine the wait and burden of those sins will be upon conscience which now you commit against conscience what a torment will it be to thy conscience to think that at such a time I felt Jesus Christ coming to heal my soul in the Ministry of his Word Oh happy had it been for me if I had lain under his hand and to have kept his salve upon my sore but because it was for the present troublesom and smart I cast it off and went into such company and listened unto such temptations and by this means have wounded my soul anew most desperately and now what can I expect but that the Lord should for ever forsake me and leave me to die in my sins and wallow in my blood and his eye not pity me make me to inherit
will make as little of them as they do of Gods people The day of the Lord cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up It follows Expos While they lie in wait Though they are as hot as an oven yet they do not run head-long imprudently but they have will to wait their opportunity And should nor this be our wisdom in the waies of God Use not to carry things imprudendtly Let not our desires be so eagerly set after any thing but that we can be willing to be without it or patiently to wait Gods time for it They are as hot as an oven and yet not cooled because they have not their desires presently fulfil'd So must we take heed of having our hearts cooled when we have opportunities to further any design we have on foot for God and his Cause though they had not opportunities to further their plots yet they waited stil and were not discouraged How many times do people when God sends but a little famine of the Word amongst them grow cold and lose all the heat which they had And their Baker sleepeth Expos 'T is as if men which have a common oven they put fuel into it and let it burn till they go and call their customers together and when this was done then they might go and sleep So the people were leavened These people by their Bakers were prepared they had heated their oven and now they thought they might go to sleep they might be quiet and did not our Bakers do thus they had heated their oven Engl. but blessed be God that disapointed them in their way when these bakers slept their oven heated notwithstanding Subtil adversaries when we think them to be most secure Obs their designs are still driving on Thus it was in Ireland and here amongst us Treaties in Engl. even in their greatest shews of peace in their Treaties the truth is if ever we wil have the fire quenched which now burns so violently we must take away the incendiaries and stirrers up of these unnatural wars Let us in good causes though opportunities may cease for work let not the fire go out let the oven be hot still at the first their oven did but begin to heat now it is all in a flame at the first they would use fair means with the people and perswade them with good words and answer their arguments but when their oven was hot that they had brought their designs to maturity and got power into their hands then 't is now no longer will ye worship at Dan and Bethel and 't is your best course but now Clup law now no more satisfying of consciences but to prison with them now such a prison for such the other strong goole for the rest this hath been the way and course of those which would set up any false way of worship when their morning is come and their oven hot then come the day is ours no more perswading now Wil they not come in force them to yeeld Their way was at the first to leaven the people to try how they stood affected but now enough of that seaze their estates and imprison their persons VER 7. They are all hot as an oven and have devoured their Judges all their Kings are fallen there is none among them that calleth unto me NOT only Jeroboam and his * for this Ieroboam under whom Hosea prophesied was the son of Ioash chap 1.1 not the first Ieroboam successors but also Princes and people at length grew hot in the pursuit of that great design of altering Religion in so much that no man might dare to show himself against them many of the people at the first made scruple of yeelding to their new way but having overcome their consciences now nothing troubles them they not only yeeld themselves but violently presse the consciences of others which refused but this similitude we met withal in the fourth verse of this Chapter which we opened then and therefore passe it over here It follows They have devoured their Judges Some of their Judges it is like could not but have some light in them to see that the altering of Religion could not but be against their Laws yet seeing both the Princes and the people were set violently upon it they also yeelded Hierom observes this This is the vile base and low spirits of men in honor and this honor depending upon the favour of Kings that rather than they will hazard their places and lose their gains will yeeld to any thing and for the pleasing the King wil tel him the Law is for him the bonds of the Kingdom do not forbid him Mica 3.11 They build up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity the Heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money the Princes and the Prophets ask for a reward The Princes have a mind to such and such a thing of their subjects but to cover the vileness of the action and his injustice King craft he would ask the Judges whether it were not Law or no now the Judges for their own profit encouraged him and told him it was lawful he might do it How have our Judges immitated these Though men had some integrety at the first England yet the heat arising so high in the Princes and Nobles yea and in many of the High Court of Judicature that they could not endure it Thus we see how one time answers to another in wickedness The Princes designs go on with strength when they have got the Judges to side with them and to give sentence for them in their unjust designs Expos 2 Others carry it thus They having mischieved and ruined their Judges that did oppose them Mercer ex talmud therosolymit therefore Mercer that learned Interpretor for the furtherance of this sense brings a tradition of the Jews That the Princes and Rulers had so wrought about with the people that they should come to the King bring a humble petition to him in which they should desire intreat the King to give them leave to set up an Idol which they did and when they came the King put them off told them it was late in the evening now bid them come in the morning in the morning they came and bid him Arise and set them up an Iâ—ol No saith he your * Synedrin the Court Ecclesiastical and Civil according to the government of those times Synedrium will not give consent to it nor suffer it No say they we have taken a course with them we have kil d them which is the old way and course which persecutors take with those which might seem to oppose them in their plots Or thus They had devoured their Judges and their Princes Expos 3 by
they do God good service to slay and to root out that generation of Gods people that is here in England and they would be confident that it is the mind of God that they should be rooted out Therefore we had need look to it to make up our peace with God that the controversie between him and us may not prove to be their victory The Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the Land There are only two notes to be further observed hence God having to deal with poor earthen creatures he might presently have let his wrath out against them and destroyed them But Mark God is willing to have his cause pleaded with vile creatures so that all the while he is pleading there is time and space for them to come in This teacheth us this excellent lesson Observ That men should be willing that the cause that is between them and their inferiours should be pleaded and not stand so much upon their superiority and scorn to humour an inferiour so much as to have any matter debated between them As husband and wife if a controversie be between them though the one be superiour and the other inferiour think it not much to debate it between themselves with meekness and love Job 31.13 profest he did not despise the cause of his man-servent when he contended with him but he would have that pleaded and made out Jehovah the mighty God condescendeth to put his cause to a suit he will not pass sentence upon poor creatures til it come to a tryal Be not surly and scornful towards your inferiours Another Note The inhabitants of the Land lies a little more couched The inhabitants of the Land what Land The inhabitants of the Land of Canaan a controversie with them Mark God fulfilled his promise in bringing them into the Land of Canaan and now he pleadeth with them for the forfeiture of their promise Psal 105.44 45. he tells them that he had given them the lands of the Heathen that they might observe his Statutes and keep his Laws that was their condition God fulfilled hiâ— part he bringeth them into the land but when they were in the land they minded not their part You know God often gave them charge when they came into the land to do this and this they promised they would do it but when they were once brought into the land they forgot it they forsook God God now comes and pleads with the inhabitants of this land As if he should say I have done my part in bringing you into the land now I come to plead with you for breaking your promise and covenant Take this note from hence Whatsoever mercy you have from God you are to look upon it as a fruit of Gods faithfulness to you if you be Gods and as a ground of your obedience to him Observ and his pleading with you if you walk not answerable to it The inhabitants of the Land Hierome hath another note upon it but that is further off I will only name it Rightly saith he are they called to answer and to judgment that are the inhabitants of the land and do not look upon themselves as sojourners and strangers in the land But he that can truly say with the Prophet I am a pilgrim a stranger here such a one can never do that which may cause God to have a controversy against him This is the reason men do that which causeth God to have a controversie with them because they look upon themselves as possessors of the land and not as pilgrims and strangers But this is too far off The second part followeth God declareth A sute first is entred against such a man when the Court day comes there is calling for a declaration the Lawyer declares God doth so and the Prophet is Gods Lawyer and here are three Articles put in thiâ— declaration Because there is no Truth no Mercy no knowledg of God in the land First in general that there is a declaration take these two useful notes from thence First God contendeth not with a people without a cause How many are there that strive and contend one with another without any cause at all they vex and rage contend and sue and great controversies there are but if we come to examin the cause we can find nothing at all great dull is raised but whence is it if we look to the bottom and examin wherefore it is we can see just nothing they themselves know no cause they can give no rational account of all their pleading one against another As David said to Eliah his eldest brother 1 Sam. 17.29 when Eliah came and wrangled with him saith David What have I now done is there not a cause Eliahs spirit was up through his envy chiding and wrangling with David but what have I done saith David have not I cause for what I did Thus many have their spirits up chiding and wrangling but examin the cause and they can show none at all How many are there of bitter spirits who even go about like mad-dogs snarling at every one even at those they know not with whom they had never any thing to do yet cry out against them railing upon them every where Ask them do you know the man can you prove any hurt against him The truth is they know him not they are not able to make good what they say only there is a general noise of such and such men that they do thus and thus and so they bite and snail and rage against them but when all comes to all they know no cause Such and such men they say disturb the Kingdom and trouble the people a greaâ— deal of cry but little wool the foundations of the earth are out of order but what hath the righteous done You would think when you hear such railings and cryings out against such and such men that they were the most monstrous men upon the earth but examin what it is that they have done there is nothing God doth not so with you God never contendeth with man but for a just cause Secondly Because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledg of God in the land but by swearing and lying and stealing c. From whence in the general there is this God contendeth not against a people for little things Obâ— when God saith he hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land it is not for trifles for ordinary infirmities for dayly excursions but for great notorious things Not that little things do not deserve a controversie but it is from the vertue and fruit of the Covenant that this comes to passe in others that are not in Covenant little things make a controversie but between Gods children and himself they are not little things that make a controversie But men are of froward spirits every trifle is enough to make a controversie between them Yea usually thâ— greatest controversies between neerest friends is some trifle or
but if they keep their sins alive then their diet is ill diet for they feed upon their sins What is there such wickedness in the hearts of men as to rejoyce in the sins of others for their own advantage Conseg ex opositio Oh how much more then should the Saints rejoyce in the graces of God in others for Gods glory In Ezek. 8.17 Ezek. 8.17 you have an expression that seems hard to be understood Opened God chargeth the people there as with other notorious evils so with this among the rest that they did put the branch to their nose In these words the people are charged with a most notorious wickedness this may be often read and little understood what it is I conceive the meaning to be this It is a charge of this people for Idolatry that they worshipped the Sun or Vesta the goddess of the earth either of both because by them the sweet flowers and branches of trees came forth from the earth they attributed the flourishing of trees and of the plants wholly unto the Sun whom they worshiped as a god Sol homo generunt hommem or unto Vesta whom they worshiped is a goddess and when they worshipped either of those in the acknowledgment of the honor due to them they took a branch and put to their nose thereby shewing their respect and their homage unto them as rejoycing in that good and sweet fruit that was caused by the Sun or by Vesta their god or goddess So that God chargeth them here for so rejoycing in these creatures as to worship the Sun or the earth as the cause of it To apply it to our purpose As Idolaters because they looked upon the Sun or the earth as causes of such flourishing of plants and sweetness of branches and flowers did put them to their nose and delighted in them and thereby shewed their honoring of the Sun and of the earth simile so should we take the graces of the Spirit of God in our brethren that are the fruits of the Sun of righteousness for the Sun of righteousnes causeth them to flourish in the hearts of our brethren and we should put them to our nose smell at them account them fragrant and thereby do honour unto Jesus Christ as the Author of them this is quite contrary to this of rejoycing in the fins of people Thus much for that phrase they eat up the sin of my people And they set their hearts upon their iniquity The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They lift up their hearts every ones heart Calu. It may be interpreted either of the heart of the Priests or the heart of the people both waies and according to the scope of the Spirit of God either way First the heart of the Pâ—â—ests they lift up their hearts to the iniquity of the people so it may be understood for so this phrase lifting up of the heart to a thing doth note in Scripture the earnest desire that there is in the heart for the attaining of such a thing as in Deut. 24.15 speaking of poor men He is poor saith he and sets his heart upon his wages A poor man that wants provision for his family he sets his heart upon his wages Oh when shall I have my wages that I may provide for my family now the word is here in this text of the poor man he lifteth up his heart to his wages Oh my wages that it might come And Jerem. 22.27 the land whereunto they desire to return thither shall they not return that is the land whereto they lift their hearts so the word is the same here in the text they have an earnest desire unto the land And Ezek. 24.25 I will take from them the desire of their eyes and that whereupon they set their minds their sons and their daughters it is spoken of their love unto their children they lift their minds or their hearts to their children So that then it notes thus much the earnest desire the Priests had unto the sins of the people that they might have the greater advantage by them As it is noted of some who are of poor servile spirits and whose greatest means comes in by burials simile Sextons that they are glad and rejoyce when they hear the bell ring and they are ready to desire the death of men out of respect to their own â—ees because the more die and the richer they die the more adâ—â—â—â—age cometh in to them So the Priests at this time they 〈◊〉 â—he multiplying of the sins of the people that they 〈◊〉 have â—he more sacrifices thereby 〈◊〉 rather think according to other Interpreters the scope to be more principally in regard of the lifting up of the hearts of the people that the Priests did lighten the hearts of the people that is thus that they might have the more advantage by their sacrifice they do make the sins of the people nothing encourage them in their sins lighten their hearts they lift up their hearts above their sins perswading them that if they offer sacrifice all should be well they should be fully cleared they need not be further troubled Whereas indeed the Priests ought to convincâ— mens consciences of the evil of their sins when they came to sacrifice they ought to have shewed them how they deserved death for their sins whereas this poor beast dies and you are to lay your hands upon the head of it know that your sins deserve the death of your souls eternally the sacrifice what it taught and they were to instruct the people how the sacrifices typified the blood of Christ they were to tel them you come now to offer sacrifice and to have the blood of the beasts shed this typifieth out the Messiah that is to come into the world the Son of God that is be made Man and to shed his precious blood to pacifie the wrath of God for your sins and you are to exercise your faith upon this Messiah that is to come they should have told them that no sin could be pardoned but by the blood of Christ they should have loaded their consciences with their sins they should have made their sins heavy upon their consciences but they lightned their minds by putting such apprehensions into them that if they did but offer sacrifice all would be well they might take their liberty then and though they committed sin again yet still there was a sacrifice for it and so they lightned the sins of the people that way This was a most abominable sin of the Priests Calvin upon this place brings in Plato himself that Heathen Calvin Plato inveighing against the absurdity and ridiculousness of peoples offering sacrifice thinking thereby to pacifie their gods and then take liberty to sin again Even Plato thought it an abuse of an Heathen god for people to think it enough to offer sacrifice And yet is not this the
own waies And that will be the very torment of the damned in Hell that they shall cleerly see that all the evil that is upon them it is but their own waies simile As it is reported of some birds that lime is made out of their dung by which they are taken so out of the dung of mens sins doth God make his limetwigs to take them withal that is the judgment that comes upon them it is no other but their own waies they have procured this unto themselves And reward them for their deeds The word that is here translated deeds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies Cogitationes studia their studies their thoughts as well as opera their works From whence there may be these two Notes First that God will call men to account Obs 1 for their thoughts the uncleanness of your thoughts the vanity of your thoughts the envy the malice of your thoughts Thoughts you must look to your thoughts they are not free before God that 's the first point Then that studied Obs 2 wickedness thoughtful wickedness is the worst wickedness when men shall plot wickedness in their thoughts that is the wickednesse that above all wickednesse God will come to visit And reward them There is a great elegancy in these words that in your English you pass over very lightly Reward them their doings We know that God will reward every one according to their doings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I say in the Original in the Hebrew it signifies Redire faciam I will make to return your doings that is the propriety and elegancy of the word I will make your doings return back upon you From whence there is this Note Obser Sin passeth away in the act of it with much sweetness but God will make it return back again in the guilt of it with much bitterness As Gideon said in Judg. 8.7 unto the men of Succoth When I return saith he I will tear your flesh with tâ—e thorns of the wilderness and with briars How many men and women have past over the act of their sins very pleasantly but within a month perhaps or a quarter of a yeer or it may be within a yeer or two or sometime seven yeers after God hath made their sin return upon them and it hath returned as Gideon did return upon the men of Succoth and hath torne them with briars and thorns that they have lien roaring in the anguish of spirit for the horror that hath been upon them for their sins You sinners that have not returned unto God in the way of repentance do you expect that all those pleasant delightful sins of yours will one day return upon you and that in a dreadful way And from the propriety of this word Redire faciam I will make to return I may give a hint of a meditation the other way too Surely the good works of the Saints shall return upon them return upon them with comfort and peace It may be you have some troublesom afflictions in the flesh in some works and services you are exercised in yet know they shall return with abundance of peace and joy Do not think that what you do for God shall be quite lost and that there is an end of it If you venture any thing of your estates for a good use in the cause of God as never since you were born nor since your forefathers were born that there was a more full opportunity to glorifie God than is at this day that which is called upon you to venture for the calling in of our brethren the Scots into the Nation Scots comming in it iâ— such a thing that hath so much in it such an opportunity of serving God that you never had nor never are like to have the like so long as you live For it is not the bringing in of so many men into the Kingdom but the engaging of a Kingdom for us and not only an engagement but the greatest testimony of the goodness of our cause before all the Nations that are about us for though now the Nations about us know not which part to take there having been such protestations on both sides but when they shall hear that such a Kingdom that heretofore did carry themselves so loyally though being here in England with an Armie yet went away in so much peace so that the King himself by proclamation declared they are his faithful and good Subjects when these I say that had such an opportunity in their hands yet have shewn themselves so loyal and so faithful shall now engage themselves on one side certainly this will be a mighty high witness before all the Nations about us and no question cannot but gain many amongst our selves Therefore I say it is the highest and largest and fullest opportunity for the service of God and good of your countrey as ever you or your forefathers had And though you have done some what and much already yet you never had such an opportunity as this is which you may bless God you are imploied in And do not think now that what you do is quite gone and lost Oh no the Lord will make it return you shall have a good return for it You that are Merchants are you not willing to venture your stock at Sea upon expectation of a good return you will venture the winds and waves and seas and venture your servants that may prove unfaithful You never ventured any thing in all your lives that you could have such assurance of a good return as what you venture in such a case as this is It is not adventured God will certainly make your good works to return as he wil make the doings of the wicked return upon them It follows Verse 10. For they shall eat and not have enough Some would carry these words They shall still grow worse and worse in eating the sin of my people and so would refer to the eating of the sin of the people in that sense you heard before that is they shall never think they have advantage enough from the sin of the people they desire the sin of the people for their own advantage wel they shal eat their sin in that respect but they shall never have enough they shall never be satisfied but still desire that people may sin more and more that they may have more advantage by their sacrifices But I rather take it thus more plainly according to the words They shall eat and not have enough howsoever they think to provide for themselves by that which they get in such a base sinful way yet they shall find no satisfaction unto themselves in iâ— they shall be deceived The truth is if they should find satisfaction it were a great matter seeing they shall come to answer for it after wards but they shall not only be judged for it afterwards but for the present they shall find no satisfaction in that that they promised unto themselves
but upon the rule according to what God had required They understood not this They were led away meerly with the fair shews and pomp of Religion but they did not understand that al the acceptation of divine worship cometh from having a divine rule Most people at this day understand not this and that is a great evil Thirdly They did not understand this That their safety did more depend upon the true worship of God than upon all the politick wisdom that possibly could be They understood not that their protection depended upon Gods service and worship but they thought to go politickly on to provide for their own safety and they thought their safety depended upon their wise men that understood better than they And then Fourthly They did not understand that whatsoever was commanded by their Governours or taught by their Priests yet if it was against the mind of God it would not excuse them from judgment and deliver them from the wrath of God though their Migistrates did command it and their Priests did teach it They did not understand these four things and for not understanding these four things they shall fall This was that which brought them down and did ruin this people There are divers degrees of not-understanding First When people do not understand meerly for want of the means of knowledg This excuseth not wholly but they shall even fall though they have no means Secondly When men have means yet thorough their negligence in the use of the means they do not understand Thirdly When they are not only guilty of negligence but they oppose and shut their eyes wickedly against that means of knowledg Then they shall fall indeed Fourthly When having knowledg heretofore now they lose it by their often resisting of knowledg and so come to fail in their understanding Lastly When they so provoke God as that he hath given them up unto a sottish spirit soâ—â— at they shall not understand Now these people fall deepest Where all these five are as they are in many places surely that people must needs fall My brethren have we not cause to fear our not understanding at this day in these five degrees Applic. And in a great part even in those four Generals The not-understanding the vain pretences of our adversaries of what our Cavaliers say First That they fight for Religion and they make such and such kind of protestations and they intend nothing but the liberty of the subject many people are led away with these pretences and understand not that their design is to bring them under slavery and to take away their Religion And this want of understanding is like to cause us to fall Secondly People understand not that the worship of God must have the word of God to be the rule and that the government of the Church must be according to the word They think what shall be most sutable to the reasons of understanding men that is best Because men understand not this we are in danger to fall Thirdly People at this day think there is too much to do about Religion and let us rather go in a way of policy to provide for our selves as for that why should we injure or trouble our selves so much we have troubled our selves too much already People think not their safety is in Religion therefore they shall fall Fourthly people think if they be taught so by their Ministers that's enough for them Is it not so with us now Therefore we have cause to fear that the Lord intendeth us a grievous fall Yea as those four Ojects so the four degrees of want of understanding In many places they have no means many Towns and Countries have scarce a Sermon in half a yeer In many places where there is most means there they are negligent of it they rebel and shut their eyes against it and are weary of it And others that have had knowledg heretofore have resisted their light are grown sottish yea it is to be â—eared that God hath delivered many amongst us over to a sottish spirit it is impossible they should remain so ignorant as they are if God in his just jugment had not delivered them up unto a sottish spirit To instance in this Is it not a sottish spirit of men that after all their oppression and misery that they have suffered yet they will not understand but joyn with those that have opprest them and lay all the blame upon them that venture their lives to deliver them Surely this is most gross sottish ignorance that when men shall come and spoil them of their goods and ravish their wives and children yet in the mean time they rather cry out of those that venture their lives to do them good as if the cause of their misery was from them Surely these people do not understand can it be expected but that these people should fall themselves and their posterity into the depth of misery to be made slaves for ever They shall fall Idolatrous people shall fall that 's the next note An Angel proclaimeth this Babylon is fallen is fallen It is fallen already my brethren how ever Idolaters seem to lift up their heads high yet they are falling and fal they shal God hath pronounced it and the time is at hand they have fallen off from God and fall they shall by the hand of God and the prouder they grow the nearer they are to their fall Pride goes before a fall while the Gospel of Christ and his pure Ordinances that are now so opposed they shall stand and all superstitious waies and persons they shall fall That is observable that place before named Revel 14.6 Rev. 14.6 Opened An Angel flyeâ— in the midst of Heaven and preacheth the everlasting Gospel and within a vers or two another Angel cryes out Babylon is fallen is fallâ—n When Babylon with all their Idolatrous wayes shall be fallen then shall the everlasting Gospel be preached the Gospel and the Ordinances of Christ shall be everlasting shall continue for ever when all superstitious vanities shall fall We find it so how ever they thought to bear up all their superstitious waies by all the means that ever the devil or wicked men could devise to keep them up to perpetuity yet have we not found that God hath blasted them and many of them are fallen and though God bring his people into affliction yet they shall rise the wayes of God shal rise Zion shall rise Babylon shal fall the people that understand not they shall fall A word or two about the meaning of the word in the original The word is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is nor often in scripture very rare and I find divers translations of it Shall be beaten so some Shall be brought into captivity so others And others again give this the meaning of the word and so it doth properly signifie Shall be perplexed The word signifies to be
have so many to cleave unto them seeing the people know that by cleaving unto them they shall have liberty to enjoy their lusts That is a second Note Thirdly Ephraim is jâ—yned to Idols Expos 3. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it signifies in the Parâ—iciple Incantatus such a kind of joyning as your Inchanters in the waies of their conjuration joyn their unclean spirits to them that is the propriety of the word so Ephraim is joyned to his Idols cleaveth to his Idols or as some turn it is glued to his Idols and that unclean spirit that carries him on to the waies of Idolatry he comes to be one with him as it is said of Beleevers that they are joyned to the Lord Christ and so they are one spirit so Idolaters are joyned to the Devil and are become one spirit that is the meaning they are glued to that unclean spirit and so they come to be fastened to their Idols that is the propriety of the word From thence the Note is That Idolaters hearts are very strongly glued to the waies of Idolatry so that it is very hard for any to get off their hearts Obs 3 Jer. 8.5 They take fast hold of deceit they will not easily be taken off And Jer. 2.10.11 Pass â—â—er unto Kedar and consider diligently and see if there be such a thing Hath a Nation changed their gods which are yet no gods Kedâ—r was one of the vilest places of all Wo is me saith David that I have my habitation in the tents of Kedar yet saith God go thither and see whether they have changed their gods Those that are the most vilest Idolaters yet they will not change their gods their hearts are joyned to their gods let their hearts be never so base and their gods never so vile as the Egyptians they would worship Leaves and Garlick and Cats base and vile things and yet they would not be taken off from their Idolatrous waies I have read of a people in India in the Isle Zolon that worshiped an Apes Tooth and when it was taken from them they offered an unconceivable sum of treasure to regain that their Idol again An Apes tooth they are set upon their waies of Idolatry though it be never so foolish never so sottish And especially if Idolaters have outward prosperity to be as the glew and cement to joyn their hearts to that way of false worship then they are joyned indeed Take men that are superstitious and if they do prosper in their waieâ— this their prosperity is the glue and cement to joyn their hearts strongly to those waies there is no getting of them off from them And though they have been long in that way of false worship they do nor like it ever a whit the worse I beseech you observe this note Note In any thing that is false worship antiquity will make it venerable and they will plead for it by antiquity and say it is thus and thus ancient and their forefathers did thus and thus But observe it in waies of the true worship of God men are quickly weary and because they have had it a great while they desire some novelty some new thing You shall have many people much affected with the truth when it is first revealed to them and when they com to hear Sermons or such exercises their hearts are much taken with them but within a while they loath this Mannah and so fall off quickly from it So that in the worship of God that is true and right there the continuance in it makes it to be less esteemed but in false worship the longer people continue in it the more they esteem it and there antiquity makes it to be venerable they do argue froÌ„ antiquity to make it the more honorable This is the wickedness of the hearts of men But will Idolaters thus joyn to their Idols will their hearts be glued to them are they willing to be one spirit with them Oh how much more should we joyn to the Lord our God joyn to Jesus Christ to be as one spirit with him Use That exhortation of Barnabus Act. 11.23 that with full purpose of heart they should cleave unto the Lord is a seasonable Exhortation even at all times Oh let us cleave unto God and his worship so as whatsoever arguments are used yet our hearts may never be taken off from the love of the truth but let us say as once that Martyr did Though you may pluck my heart out of my bowels yet you shall never pluck the Truth out of my heart 2 Martyrs saying And the less there is between God and our hearts the more firmly shall we be glewed to him Those that are godly gracious they need not the glue the cement of outward prosperity to joyn their hearts unto God but godliness alone the sweetness that they find in God alone is enough to joyn their hearts unto him even in an everlasting covenant Those men who seem to be joyned to God and his worship yet if it be the glue and cement of outward respects that joyns their hearts unto God they will quickly fall off from it But those that are immediately joyned to God they will for ever keep to him when there is nothing but God and their hearts together nothing between God and them Ephraim is joyned to Idols The word that is translated Idols it is by some translated Angusti and so indeed it signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dolore officere Expos 4. it signifies pain and trouble for their Idols did in the conclusion bring them to pain and trouble There are two reasons why it signifies pain and trouble Reas 1 First Because that Idolaters were willing to endure much pain and trouble in the worshiping of their Idols Applic. which should teach us not to account the worship of God tedious though it be somewhat hard to the flesh Idolaters would endure pain and trouble to the flesh in the worshiping of their Idols Reas 2 Secondly Such worship will bring pain and trouble to them in the conclusion But this is not the principal thing intended here but the force of the argument is Ephraim is joyned to Idols therefore meddle not with him do not you do as they do So that when we see people set up false waies of worship in any place Obs 4 and they are set upon those false waies of worship we must take heed of communicating with then in these false waies of worship But this Note to enter into it will take up a great deal of time Let him alone Demitte eum Let him go saith God he is joyned to his Idols let him go First This is a speech to Judah let Expos 1 Ephraim go saith God to Judah Ephraim they indeed are the ten Tribes the most of the people of the Jews but yet seeing they set up false worship let them go have nothing to do with them do not converse with them
it that God hath laid his plea against you and God laies his plea against many a man in his conscience but he nelgecting this plea of God laid against him in his Word and in his conscience he hath afterward received the sentence of death in his soul which hath sunk his heart into dispair Many a man hath had God speaking against him in his word and in his conscience I say and there hath been Gods controversie God hath been laying his plea there thou hast gone on in thy sin and at length it may be there comes the sentence of death upon thy soul that thou doest as it were feel som have said it The sentence of condemnation felt that they have felt God passing a sentence of death upon them and ever after that speech they have roared out through despair and so have died There hath been such works of God heretofore yea and many times continued that those that go against their consciences and have had Gods plea against them often they have as it were felt God passing a sentence of death upon them in this world and that hath sunk them into despair it hath been a particular day of judgment unto them they have heard as it were God speaking from his Throne this sentence upon them thou art a dead man a lost man Oh take heed of neglecting Gods pleas lest they come to judgments Judgment is against you why what is the cause You have been a snare upon Mispah and a net spread upon Tabor Mark Expos Obser God passeth not judgment but he gives the cause for it Men are rash and they will pass judgment upon such and such that they know not When you come sometimes into a Tavern or Inn or into a Shop you shall hear men railing upon such and such Ask them do you know them No What have they done they know not neither only there is a generall noise of them that such men do thus and thus disturb the peace of the Kingdom But in this they deal not righteously God he passeth nor judgment but he gives a full and sufficient cause why he doth it You have been a snare saith he on Mispah and a net spread upon Tabor There is much of the mind of God in these words Some take that first Mispah appellatively prâ—speculatione you have been a snare upon the watch for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Speculor from whence the word cometh signifies and Speculatio they take to be for those for whom they should watch over as Congregatio pro Congregâ—tiâ— Circumcisio pro Ciâ—cumcisis so Speculatio pro Custoditis As it God should charge them thuâ— You should have been Watch men you Priests and you of the Kings house but you have been a net to ensnare them you should have been Speculatores but you have been Venatores Aucupes you have been fowlers and hunters of my people Theodoret Theâ—dor hath it pro Speculatoribus that is thus you spread a net for the watchmen you superstitious Priests you house of the King and you people generally you spread a net for your faithful Watchmen if you have any Watchmen that are more watchful than others you seek to ensnare them what you can So they carry it But though this doth hint at the meaning of the words yet I think it cannot be taken from the word Mispah therefore as the word Tabor is taken properly not appellatively so I think is the word Mispah Therefore we are to remember that both Mispah and Tabor were the names of two mountains that were in the land of Israel Indeed the first signifies a Watch and the other Tabor signifies a high place and because it was a famous high mountain it is called Tabor by way of eminency Now both these Mountains Mispah and Tabor were very eminent among the people of Israel Mispah Mispah so Judg. 20.1 The children of Israel were gathered together unto the Lord in Mispah an eminent place It was that mountain where Laban and Jacob met Gen. 31.49 so some think it to be and called Mispah by Laban For saith he the Lord watch between me and â—hee when we are absent one from another That for the mountain Mispah Tabor So Tabor that was very ancient too Psal 89.12 Tabor and Hermon are joyned together Hermon was famous too as Câ—nt 4.8 Come with me from Labanon my spouse look from the tâ—p â—f Amana from the top of Shenir and Hermon Therefore it is very ill turned in your meeter in the Psalms as there are a great many ill places in the meeter in the Psalms that are not only poor kind of rime The common singing Psalms They are now much better done by Mr. Rowse that learned a pious Member of the H. of Commons in Parliament and by them Authorised for the Press but are turned against the very sense of the text against the meaning as may be shewed in many places so in that one in Psal 42.6 The little hill Hermon whereas the truth is Heâ—mon was an high and famous hill A mistake in the reading for in the reading Psalms it is I will remember thee from the land of Jordan and of the Hermonites from the hill Mister that signifies smal indeed but they make it as if Hermon and Mister were all one but the Psalm iâ— rather to be interpreted thus I wil remember thee O Jerusalem where ever I am in all quarters of the world from Jordan that was eastward from Jerusalem and Hermon that was an high mountain in the North and Missâ—r that is of the South because the mountains of the South were small As if he should say psal 42.6 illustrated whether I be East or North or South from the Teâ—â—ble I will remember Jerusalem where ever I am that the meaning of that Psalm is not as if Misser and Hermon were one and the same as if it should be turned the little hil Hermon for it was a high and famous hil joyned with Tabor that famous mountain Psalm 89. And Tabor was so famous that it was a proverbial speech among them to say As Tabor amâ—ngst the mountains It was the mountain on which Christ was tranâ—figured a most brave stately mountain every way equal Jâ—â—â—phus in his 4th book cap. 21. of the wars of the Jewâ— saith it was 30. a 3. mile and three quarters Stadiums or Furlongs high and on the top twenty Now a b Plin. lib. 2. cap. 23. Stadium is 125. paces as I remember or 625. feet and on the top it was so plain that there wa not one place of it higher than another but it lay so equal as if it had been made by the art of man And a mountain that was very fertile and full of trees a very pleasant and delightful place Now God chargeth them that they had been a snare on Mispah and a net upâ—n mâ—unt Tabor According to some these mountains are taken senechdoâ—hically that is
then can that stubborn heart of thine stand out against them Let us not be troubled my brethren Use nor discouraged at the stoutness of Idolaters They have been alwaies stubborn and stout against the rebukes of God in his Word and therefore let us not think it much though they stand it out now against the evident truth of God and aginst the works of God that apparantly make against them Revel 16.9 They were tormented with the wrath of God but repented not to give Him glory Many men are ready to think that their cause is good because their spirits are so stout against all that appear against them and slighâ— them Let not us have higher thoughts of them because of this for it hath alwaie bâ—â— the course of Idolaters to stand out stoutly against all the rebukes of God in His Word and Works because the Lord haâ—h an intent to destroy them Observe Sin after â—ebukes is very sâ—â—ful It is too much 〈◊〉 stanâ— out agaiâ—st Gods commands Observ Sin after rebuke but to stand out against any intimation of God displeasure is a greater evil God expects that the heart of sinners should melâ— before him upon anâ— expression of his displeasure And it was the commendation of JOSIAH That when the LAW was read his â—earâ— melted And indeed an ingenious spirit is soon rebuked But when the heart of a sinner is got above all rebukes then it hardneth exceedingly and then it treasureth up wrath against the day of wrath We our selves cannot bear it in others to standout against our rebukes we cannot bear it in a child or in a servant if we rebuke a child or a servant and they care not for it and their spirits rise against it how do we hate such how do our spirits rise up against them Nay if we rebuke a dog and the dog cares not for it we cannot bear it How shall the Infinite God bear our slighting of his rebuke Use Oh let us charge this sin upon our spirits How often hath God rebuked me in his Word and in his Workâ— and yet the Lord knows this wretched and â—â—uâ—born heart of â—â—â—e hath stood out against it Certainly this standing out â—â—â—inâ—â— rebukes will lie heavy upon thy consciencâ— one daâ— Nothing will make sin mâ—re heavy upon thy conscience than this that I have sinned and that in my â—nâ— have stood out against the rebukes of God As in Pro 5.12 13. At the last when thy flesh and thy hoâ—y is coâ—sumeâ— tâ— u st 〈◊〉 mourn and say How have I hâ—ted instruc 〈◊〉 i 〈◊〉 n and my 〈◊〉 â—â—spised reproof The words are spoken of a gallant a brave â—oâ—ing gallant that bluâ—â—ereth it out in the world and carries all before him and cares for nothing that is said but when the hand of God is upon him and his flesh and body is consumed then he falls a lamenting his condition Oh how have I despised reproof and have not enclined mine ear to them that instructed me This is the aggravation of â—in indeed And that we may humble our souls for our standing out against Gods rebukes ad but this consideration to it That God hath such rebukes as will force us to yeild unto him in spight of our hearts If we stand out against His rebukes in hiâ— Word and lesser chastisements against his loving rebukes let us know that God hath furious rebukes so they are called in Ezek. 5.15 and 25.17 When thou comâ—st to the Word oâ— when thy parents or thy goveâ—nors or thy friend rebukes thee for thy sins God rebukeâ— thee in them and thâ—se are loving rebukes but thou thâ—t art a child oâ— a servant or any wicked and ungâ—dly man thou rejâ—ctest those â—â—buâ—â—s Know God hath furious rebukes for thee one day yea rebukes with flames of fire so they are called Esa 66.15 I have been a rebuker of them all This if you apply it to the Prophet for he must not be excluded he is meant here as well as God shews the Prophets impartiality And from thence the Note is That Prophets rebukes must not be like cobwebs to take small flies and to let the great ones go thorough Obser Prophets rebukes they must be impartial rebukes Oh how many Prophets have sharpned their rebukes against those that have been most conscientious and have sadned their hearts even out of their Pulpits but they let those that are loose go quiet away nay not only quiet but rejoycing When the hearts of the Saints have been sadned they have sharpned their rebukes against these but the looser of the parish or many times the great ones have gone away rejoycing Thus if you take the words actively I have been a rebuker of them all But if you take the words passively as some do that is thus They have rebuked the Prophet as if he should say 2. Passive they have been profound in their Idolatrous waies and I have been faithful in preaching to them and what hath been my recompence All of them have rebuked me All of them not only their Priests have rebuked me cryed out against me not only their chief and great men have rebuked me they indeed their Priests and their Magistrates would bitterly inveigh against me for pleading against their Idolatry But all the people have done it too I have been a rebuke to all the people they have all been bitter against me and sharpned their very tongues against me Oh say they here is one that likes not our way of worship he must have another kind of Religion he tells us that we must all go up to Jerusalem and worship there and nothing will serve turn but that Thus they scorned him and rebuked him and even flew in his very face From thence the Note is this It is a hard thing for a few men to stand out against a State or multitude in matters of Religion in matters of the worship of God Obser Opposition of a multitude If there be but some few unto whom God hath shewn another way and the generality go a different way Certainly those few are like to meet with hard measure and like to be a rebuke not only to Ministers but generally unto all the people they must expect to be under the rebukes of all sorts Thu it was with the Prophet and with al that went his way he was a rebuke unto them all VER 3. I know Ephraim and Israel is not hid from me c. I know Eprhraim This is Notitia judicialis non approbationis A knowledge to judge not a knowledge of approbation Exposit I knâ—w Ephraim that is I know all his shifts I know all his evasions all his cunning devices all his plots all his pretences all his base ends These may be hid from men but I know them they are not hid from me Mark first I know Ephraim and then I know Israel Ephraim First Ephraim By Ephraim as you have heard heretofore we are to understand
the Princes the great ones amongst them because Jeroboam was of the Tribe of Ephraim I know Ephraim that is I know the politick ends of all the great ones amongst them Sâ—â—â—e Reâ—â—gion They bear men in hand that they desire to worship Me and they say Oh God forbid that they should change Religion and they cry out of all men that should raise up such suspitions of them amongst their good people But I 〈◊〉 Epâ—râ—im saith he I know what his aim is I know what hiâ— thâ—ughts are and what his counsels are and what wâ—s plotted at such a time and what his Chamber-counsels with such and such Priests were I know what correspondence he hath with such and such that corrupt my worship and all that â—eâ—â—in to him and all that favor him I know them all I know all their devices and depths I know what hâ—th bâ—en working these many yeers â—â—â—dal reades vers 2. ther kill sâ—crifices on heaps to dâ—câ—ive I know how he seems as it he would serve me but I know that that he doth is meerly to serveâ—â—â—â—wn ends and no further I know the poor people they are dâ—ludâ—d by his fair and solemn protestations they think he means nothing but well and there are none but a company of precise people that are jealous of him but I know what they intend and what their waies are whatsoever colour they put upon them Ephraim that is the great ones the Princes they perswade the people that Jeroboam and his successors aim at nothing else but to reform things for the best but I know that things are far otherwise I know Ephraim Israel Israel is not hid from me That is the people they pretend that they do but as they are taught and they do but submit unto authority they could be glad indeed if things were better but some things mâ—â—â— be yeilded unto for peace-sake It is true these Prophets and some others are good honest men and they would have us to do otherwise but things are not cleer yet we cannot see but we may do this and this in case of necessity that way they would have us go may bring us a great deal of trouble Indeed what they say seems to be like that which is in the Scripture but then these and these inconveniences will follow we should be glad if things were better râ—formed according to the Word but for peace-sake we must be contented to yeild to the judgment of such and such learned and wise men and though we yeild to these and these things yet our hearts are right for God But saith God Israel is not hid from me Israel That is The base cowardly temporizing revolting superstitious spirits of the people they are not hid from me their being loth to come under my government their love to their ease and estates the lothness of their carnal hearts to venture and suffer any thing for my Truth and Ordinanceâ— Israel in these his distempers of heart is not hid from me all these things are plain before Me he may blind men and battle his own conscience but he cannot hide it from me saith God From whence the observations are these Fiâ—â—â— Thâ—t Gods eye iâ— upon the seâ—rets of mens hearts up n tâ—eir Obs 1 aims and plots and all their wâ—ies Certainly therefore Hypocrites must needs be 〈◊〉 Use 1 they that think to put off God with outward shews must â—eeds deny God as if God did not see the secret turnings and windings and plottings and contrivances and aims and ends of their hearts Use 2 And then O the patience of the infinite God that notwithstanding he sees what villany there is in the world colored over with Religious protestations and professions yet â—he bears with them I know saith he I know what all their ends are what they aim at and what they would have if once they get the day yet I see that they colour and cover all these vile ends of theirs with such protestations of Religion and of setting up the profession of it Patience of God Oh the infinite patience of God that can bear with men that colour such vile aims and ends with protestations and professions of Religion in such a sacred way as they seem to do Here is the patience of God that we must admire at Use 3 Again God knows all the hearts and secret aims of men Let us pray unto God to make our own hearts known to our selves He knows them and except we be upright in that to be willing to know our own hearts and unfeignedly to desire God that he would shew us our own hearts we possibly after many duties performed may come to perish for some secret sin that we do not know our selves I say it is possible for a man or woman to go on a long time in the profession of Religion and to make conscience of all known duties yet to perish at last for some sin that he doth not know in himself A hard sâ—ying You will say This is a hard thing what shall become of us then To molifie this therefore a little take this along with it that is Caution Except thou hast a heart unfainedly willing to know thy own heart willing to search into thine own heart and earnest with God that He who knows thy heart would make thy heart known to thy self If indeed thy heart be thus upright that thou canst appeal unto God and say Lord I know I have a vile and false and hypocritical heart and there may be much evil lie secretly in my heart that I have not known all this while and such evil as I may justly perish in it but good Lord make it known to me let me know the worst of my self let me know the evil that is in me and my purpose is to resist it If thou hast such an heart thou hast no cause to think that thou shalt perish for any evil that thou dost not know by thy self But if thou hast any secret evil in thy self and thou dost not in the uprightness of thy heart unfeignedly desire to know it that so thou maiest forsake it and get thy self rid of it and canst not appeal unto God that thou art willing to have it made known unto thee thy condition may be dangerous notwithstanding all the dutyes thou performest But further This that the Prophet saith I know Ephraim is brought in to be a means to humble Ephraim to humble Israel From thence the Note is That Gods eye upon our hearts and waies Obser is a special means to humble us No more powerful means in the world to humble the heart than to behold God looking upon our hearts and waies The discovery of our evil to others may be some means to humble us O how would it abase men if God should discover to all their friends and acquaintance all that evil that is in their hearts And hereafter at the great day of judgment when the
work upon them Satan Oh let me put it on as much as I can The Devil doth so when he see us in a framable disposition to sin he setteth tempters on work to improve it and we know it was the way of Idolaters Idolaters when they saw England in a framable disposition to Idolatry what abundance were sent amongst us to improve it Oh the mercy of God toward England that when we were framing our doings to return to Idolatry the Lord cometh and putteth the frame of England more from thence than before it was Oh let not us lose this framableness though it is not so much as we desire yet let not us lose what it is England would be in a lamentable condition if it should lose what it hath got from God already Yet further They will not frame their doings The Note from hence is That Obser Apostates seldom have any inclination to turn unto God No meltings of spirit no yeildings but their hearts are hardned and they depart further and further from God for so he speaks of Israel as an apostatizing people I dare almost challenge you all when did you ever know a notorious Apostate turn unto God very rarely I will not say it is impossible but especially for Apostates that are men of parts and have gone far from God if they have but proceeded so far as to turn to be persecutors of the truth or contemners of it as these Israelites here were when did you ever know any of them to turn unto God They will not frame their doings To turn unto their God Their God 1. By profession 2. Their God who hath shewed much mercy to them and hath done them much good 3. Their God who is yet willing to be their God They will not return unto Him This is the aggravation of their sin that they will not turn to such a God What not turn unto Him whom they profess to be theirs whom they flatter with their mouthes and they say that all their good and happiness is in Him Not to Him that hath done so much good as He hath done to them all their daies Not to Him who is yet willing to be reconciled unto them O this is a sore and bitter evil indeed that they will not turn unto this God But yet there is a furthâ—r thing observable here Their God that is this That True repentance it is not only to leave evil and to do good Observ True repentance to turn to as our God but to turn unto God as our God To turn unto God as a God in covenant with us as a God in whom is our portion and happiness as a God willing to be reconciled Here indeed is the very formality of repentance A man may by the terors of the Law turn from the practice of a sin not to live wickedly so as he hath don heretofore he may by the strength of natural conscience and self ends set upon good duties but here is no true repentance True repentance is this When we look upon God as a God tendring Himself unto us in the way of a covenant in Christ and so we turn unto Him In Jer. 3.22 Jer. 3.22 explained Return ye back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will heal your back-sliding Now mark the answer of true penitents Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Here is true repentance When God shall call upon a sinner O wretched vile sinner return O return unto the Lord for He is willing to be your God in an everlasting covenant He manifesteth His grace toward you in His Son and offereth mercy there yea He is willing to heal all your backslidings He is willing to be your portion He iâ— willing to be the happiness of your souls When a sinner shall answer unto this cal of God Bâ—hold we come unto Thee for Thou art the Lord our God True indeed we have sought after vanity but here is not our happiness and our portion Our good our happiness is in Thee We come unto Thee the Lord our God It follows For the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of her Here is the reason why they turn not unto the Lord The spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of her Expos 1 First That evil unclean spirit that did possess them So I find divers do take the words And then the Note is That Obser The danger of forsaking the truth It is Gods just judgement to give men over to the Devil to be blinded and hardâ—ed when they sâ—all forsake Him and His Truth Do not excuse thy sin by saying it is the Devil that tempts thee for this may prove to be the agravation of thy sin that by the just judgment of God thou art now given up to be under the power of the Devil and to be acted by him As in Eph. 2.2 the scripture speaks of the miserable estate that men are in by nature Dead in sin the children of wrath and amongst other aggravations of their misery this is not the least they walk according to the spirit that now workâ—th in the children of disobedience The word translated working there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the greatest activity that can be the spirit that is the unclean spirit Satans temptation may be an aggravation of our sin the prince of the power of the air that now worketh in those children of disobedience This is an aggravation of their misery and not any excuse unto them for their sin Thou hast rejected the good Spirit the holy Spirit of God and now the spirit of whoredome an unclean vile spirit hath possest thee Expos 2 But rather thus The spirit of whoredoms A violent inclination of spirit unto uncleanness to spiritual and bodily uncleanness that they have got by custom We have had this phrase before in Chap. 4.11 The spirit of fornication that impetus of spirit that violent inclination of spirit So then saith the Prophet they will not turn unto the Lord for there is a violent inclination of spirit an impetus with which they are carried on in the waies of wickedness but there is little hope of turning them unto God The spirit of whoredoms that is that efficacy that there is in that wicked disposition of their hearts that carries them on so violently In 2 Thes 2.11 2 Thess 2.11 the Scripture saith that because men love not the truth the Lord gives them up unto the efficacy of error God saith he for this cause shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye so it is in your translations but the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie the greatest active efficacy of errours to carry on with the greatest strength unto error that possibly may be We find sometimes men that are carried on to erronious opinions and come to speak with them about them and you shall perceive such an impetus of spirit such an efficacy of the error
in them Note that it doth so hurry on their hearts that they cannot with a ny calmness with any quietness of spirit hearken unto any thing that may take them off from their errour That 's a spirit of errour God gives them up to the efficacy the spirit the activity the power of error to beleeve a lye Is in the â—â—lst of them That is Exposit Difference of obssâ—ssion and possession ay Satan in respect of sin it is come into them and sitteth as a King and ruleth in their hearts An evil spirit may beset the godly may compass them about but it getteth not into the midst oâ— them they keep it out from the throne it doth not come to reign over them The coming into the midst of them noteth the ful possession that this unclean spirit that this Impetus and strong inclination of spirit hath over them And therefore you find in Prov. 8.20 Pro. 8.20 opened that it is said of Wisdom I leade in the way of righteousâ—ess in the midst of the paths of judgment In the midst of the paths that is wisdom doth not only bring men to the verge of Gods waies to be a little taken with the outside of them but brings them into the midst of the paths of judgment that is they come wholly into them so as tâ—â—y are even possest of them So here the spirit of uncl â—nness is in the midst of her So in the 1. Sam. 4.3 you have the same word Let us fetch the Ark unto us say they there that when it cometh among w it may save us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words in the Hebrew are that â—he Ark mâ—y come in the midst of us and there have the full oppâ—â—ation to dâ— us good and save us They depended much upon the Ark and yet it failed them By the way then we may depend too much upon a good cause the cause may be good A good cause may be lost by too much depending on it and yet depending upon the goodness of the cause and neglecting our own persons in reforming our lives we may fail as they did here But that by the way The spirit is come into the midst of them Many men receive an evil spirit quickly into the midst of them when God knows the good Spirit of the Lord standeth knocking at the door of their hearts and can have no entertainment so much as into the outward room It follows Exposit And they have not known the Lord. That is they know not My greatness My holiness they know not what a jealous God I am Idolaters have low and mean apprehensions of God The right knowledg of God will put the heart upon seeking after the right manner of the worship of God but when men know not God see not God in his glory and greatness and excellency they think to put off God with any kind of worship Here is the reason that men do so stick to their own waies to will worship to their own fancies and conceits because they know not the Lord neither do they understand the glory and holiness of God nor what a jealous God he is When once the soul cometh to know what God is such a soul dares not tender up unto God any worship but His own Now from the connection of these words The spirit of whoredom is in the midst of her and they have not known the Lord the special Note is this which indeed is very observable Obser strong inclinations blind the mind When men have an Impetus of spirit that is a strong bent and inclination of spirit in any evil way it is that which blinds their minds The spirit of whoredoms is in her and then follows they have not known the Lord Whatsoever is said then against their way they cannot be convinced of it And men do not consider how they come to be blinded We find it in ordinary experience when men are stirred in passion they have a spirit to such and such a thing that they have a mind to their spirit is strongly set and they must have it and I will and I will and I will have it Come then and say any thing to them and they understand nothing they are blinded When their spirit is up when there is an Impetus a strong inclination of spirit to any thing say what you will they do not understand you So it is true in other affections of love when the heart is set upon a thing to love by an Impetus a strong bent of spirit though the love be falsly placed come and say what you will against their way they do not understand it their minds are blinded they do not know any thing So it is true of fear of sorrow any affection when it is set with a strong bent and inclination to the object of it it doth much blind the mind Some have a spirit of sluggishness and they love their ease a spirit of covetousness and they must have their estates a spirit of ambition and they must have their honor and respect a spirit of pride and self-love they must not yeild themselves as ignorant and mistaken by no means therefore they cannot see the truths the waies of God But now let God humble these men that have such a spirit of pride self love covetousness and the like let the edg of their spirits be taken off A little hint of Truth prevails with a subdued heart let God come and but mortifie this their lust in them and then they come to see that which they could never see before and that with far less ado then a little hint of any truth prevaileth with their hearts whereas before all the means of conviction could not do it Oh my brethren Use when we come to examin truths let us look to our spirits Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord him will the Lord teach in his way that he should chuse When a man humbling his soule before the Lord and being jealous of his own spirit examineth a truth and crieth unto God to subdue what is evil in him and then cometh with a teachable heart to find out the truth suppose that yet he cannot find it let such a man walk according to his light whereunto he hath attained and he may have comfort God in due time will shew him more But that is the thing that is evil in Gods eyes and in the eyes of the Saints when men are hindered from seeing a truth by a spirit of opposition to it There is no gracious heart can take it ill if he see one that hath a spirit subject unto God a spirit wherein the fear of God appeareth so that he desireth unfeignedly to know what the mind of God is suppose this man for the present I cannot make him understand what I would he is not of my mind yet so long as his spirit is thus under God I have no cause to be provoked against
great matter in it It is I say of special consideration And indeed there are many things that God would have us to observe in the fall of his people together with wicked men First Reasons 1. Gods holiness He would have us take serious notice how holy a God He is He spared not His own Son and He spareth not His dearest Ones He will give the dearly beloved of His soul into the hands of His enemies God had but one Son that never sinned against Him but He hath not one Son that never was afflicted by Him And therefore we have no cause to wonder that the godly sometimes suffer for His own Sonne did 2. None presume on former services Secondly God would have us take into deep consideration this meditation That none must bear themselves upon any former services they do for God When Israel forsook God Judah did cleave unto Gods true worship and in that God was much honored But Judah must not bear himself upon that Oh I have done service for God when others did forsake Him I did cleave unto Him and so think to take more liberty afterward No saith God though Judah hath much honored Me and cleave to My worship when Israel the ten Tribes forsook Me yet if Judah shall afterwards comply with Israel Use Judah shall likewise fall None must bear themselves upon former services It is usual with men that if they have been useful in some things they begin to presume and to beheady and take liberty to themselves to do what is not convenient thinking that because they have done some service they must not now be contradicted in any thing they do Thus we find it many times among men and upon this boldness many amongst us have fallen How many have there been that in the beginning of this Parliament and in the beginning of these Wars Servants to the Publick have done good service for the Common-wealth and afterwards begin to be high and malipert and proud and they must have what they will and none must contradict them but every body must submit unto them and so through their pride though they have done good service yet afterward they fall Let every one take heed of this both in regard of God and also in regrd of man you that have been most forward in the publick Cause never think to presume because of what you have done but walk humbly now and be serviceable still 3 God not engaged to any if they transgress for otherwise you may fall notwithstanding your services as Judah did Again Another thing that God would have us take into consideration is That he tieth himself unto no people if they offend be they what they will be God can be without them Judah also shall fall By that God declareth that there is no men though never so useful but he can be without them Perhaps you may think Use if you desert the Cause where will there be any to stand up in your room Take heed though you may think you are the most useful man either in the Ministry or in the City know that God can be without you and you may fall as well as other men Lastly God would have us take notice of this 4 Admonition to the wicked That if His own people fall with the wicked what then may wicked men expect If such things be done to the green trees what shal be don to the dry If judgment begin at the house of God where shall the wicked and ungodly appear It follows VER 6. They shall go with their flocks and their herds to seek the Lord. SHall they fall No they have a way to prevent it they wil passifie God with the multitude of their sacrifices their flocks and their herds Expos 1. they are content to spend those all in sacrifices unto God and shal this people fall They wil make God amends with these they will make up their sins with these with the multitude of their sacrifices There is much to be observed from every word here the difficulty for interpretation is not much and the Observations I shall passe briefly They shall go Ibunt huc illuc modo ad hunc modo ad illum montem as Interpreters render it They shal run up and down from one place to another from one sacrifice to another in a kind of hurrying of their spirits And from that word there may be this noted That Those who depend upon duties Obs danger of dependance on duties are in a hurry and distraction of spirit when they do not prevail with their duties in that they desire They often change their duties but they do not change their hearts Many think Well I have done thus and thus yea but if I shal ad to what I have done and do thus and thus then I shall prevail whereas those that do their duties in obedience unto God and go out of themselves and depend for their acceptance upon a higher sacrifice upon Jesus Christ these go on with much sweetness and quietness of spirit though for the present they see not the thing performed which they aim at in their duties their spirits are not in a hurry and in a distraction so as the spirits of others that depend upon their duties are This is to be noted from the clause They shall go Cursitando running up and down They shall go with their flocks with their flocks and herds He meaneth with their sacrifices but he gives them not the name of sacrifices but only their flocks and herds for they are not worthy of that name From hence the Note is God contemneth the services of hypocrites of superstitious and Idolatrous apostates Obs Their Their. flocks and their herds Mark They make use of their own according to their own mind in their own waies to worship me as they list and therefore God doth not call them His doth not own them as His but he calls them their flocks and their herds What they do saith God what they offer it is their own their flocks and their herds I will not own them From thence the Note is this That Obs It is a sad thing that what we tender up unto God God will not own as His. When in our sacrifices that are typified by those legal sacrifices in our prayers there we seem to tender up unto God our parts our abilities our inventions our expressions our wits our memories and the strength of our bodies But now when we have done all saith God All these parts and all that is come from you all this while in your prayers I do not own them these are none of mine they are al your own This is a sad thing There is no such way to put an excellency upon any thing we have upon our parts and abilities and estates as this To tender them up first unto God and if God shall please to own them then to receive them again out of
honor him Thou mayest pray with comfort Lord do not utterly forsake me As those that are godly may depart from God Saints departing frō God but yet as in Psalm 18.21 I have not wickedly departed from my God they do not depart from God as other men do So God may depart from the godly but yet not so as he departs from the wicked Let us take heed of withdrawing from God Admonit of withdrawing our souls from any way of truth If we in prosperity withdraw from God and think we can live without him he will make us know in adversity that he can be blessed without us too It is usual for men in prosperity to rub out with God wel enough but when thou comest into adversity the Lord wil make thee know though thou perishest as dross and dung from the earth yet he will remain a blessed God without thee to all eternity God hath no need of us If thou thinkest thou canst do well enough without him he wil shew that he can do well enough without thee And thus much for this Sixth Verse VER 7. They have dealt treacherously against the Lord for they have begotten strange children now shall a month devour them with their portions IN the words before the Lord threatneth to withdraw himself from Israel When he shall be seeking of him with his flocks and herds he shall not find him A dreadful sentence that the God of mercy shall withdraw Himself in a time of mercy from his creature that seeks unto Him for mercy But what is the cause of all Why will God withdraw Himself from them though they seek Him with their flocks and their herds There is reason enough for it Conexiō They have dealt treacherously against the Lord. The word that is here translated Dealing treacherously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat of the word signifies Perfide agere to deal perfideously they have been perfideous And it signifies likewise Decipere they deal deceitfully And it signifies especially that fraudulent dealing that there is in breaking of covenants that 's the propriety of the word and it is often applied unto men breaking of covenant with their wives as in Mal. 2.14 15. And I find Luther translate it they have contemned the Lord and so according to some it is divers times translated Sperno to contemn God And from thence Luther hath this note What saith he do they seek the Lord with their flocks and herds and yet despise God how can this stand together They seem as if they would honor God exceeding much yet here they are charged for contemning and despising God He answereth it to this effect Whatsoever men pretend saith he in honoring of God yet if they do not obey and keep to his word and that especially in the way of His Worship these are guilty of contemning and despising God We may be plentiful in outward services and yet in the mean time our hearts despise God despise the Authority and Majesty of God English translat But the word ordinarily is used according to that we translate it here they have been treacherous they have been false with me And mark the connexion They come to seek Me with their flocks and their herds Conexiō but I have withdrawn My self from them for they have dealt treacherously Hence the Note is briefly this That Obser When ungodly men come to seek God then God remembreth all their wickedness that they have formerly been guilty of and looks into the wickedness of their hearts as it is for the present They have dealt treacerously As if God should say Here comes a company of wretches base false-hearted hypocrites treacherous perfideous ungodly wretches to seek Mee with their flocks and herds Are they like to be heard are they like to be regarded in all their services No they are base perfideous wretches they have vile wicked and cursed hearts Oh consider this you that have not yet done away your sins in the blood of Christ and made up your peace with God Use of Admonit The guilt of your sin is yet upon you and the filthiness of it yet doth stick you will come to God in prayer and seek Him and cry unto Him for mercy Know that all the wickedness that ever you committed in all your lives is fresh in the presence of God God looks upon all as if it were now present Here cometh saith God a filthy old whoremaster Prosopopoeia an unclean wretch he cometh now to pray unto me and here comes an old drunkard a wicked scorner and blasphemer When thou comest to seek God then all thy wickedness is remembred before him and upon this God justly doth cast thy services back again in thy face Thus it is here Oh learn therefore to cleanse thy heart in the blood of Christ by faith in Him and by repentance and then though thou hast been vile heretofore when thou comest to seek the face of God thy sins shall not be remembred before Him That for the connection But for the words Themselves and first in that proper signification Expos 1 of them They have dealt trecherously the meaning is they make a great deal of shew of Religion but it is only for their own ends and under that shew of Religion they do that which dishonoreth me they betray my glory Here is treacherous dealing indeed treachery against the God of Heaven these are treacherous spirits to make profession of Religion to make protestations to make any use they can of Religion so far as it wil sute with their own turns but when it will serve their turns no longer to cast it off yea if it prove cross to them to persecute it This is trerchery against God in a high degree Again Treacherous in that they break their Covenant Expos 2 with God that is the special treachery here intended they have broken that Covenant in which they were engaged Treachery against God as our King Husband They did give up themselves to be the Lords O but they have basely forsaken the Lord and dealt treacherously with him So that this treachery relateth either to the Oath of allegiance unto God as our King or to the Covenant that we make with him as our Husband And from thence Note That Obs The sins of such as are engaged unto God in Covenant are sins of treachery They are sins of a more deep dye than other mens sins are Other mens sins are transgressions against God they are disobedience to the will of God yea but they are not so properly treachery but the sins of those that are engaged unto God in Covenant have another stamp put upon them than the sins of other men their sins are treachery against God And we know there is nothing accounted more vile amongst men than treachery Trechery the greatest sin It is the highest expression of our indignation against a man that can be to say such a man take
other either willingly you must come in and give it unto Him or He will force it out from you If the joyful sound of mercy be not received the dreadful sound of war must fill your ears Fourthly What occasions of war soever there be in a Land the Obser 4 principal cause is Gods displeasure against the sins of that Nation and especially the cause is those that are superstitious and idolatrous in that Nation For so it is here They have dealt treacherously they have begotten strange children therefore a month shall devour them Blow ye the cornet in Ramah and the trumpet in Gibeah c. Upon this ground because of their treacherous dealing with God and bringing up of their children in waies of Idolatry It is true when danger is come to a Nation the people of the Land are ready to lay it upon those that are most free from it Who is it that men at this day lay the troubles of this Nation upon but upon those that have al this while stood in the gap to prevent dangers to the Nation and that have with more prayers tears sought God than those that are so ready to charg them with it But this hath been in all ages the Saints have been made the troublers of a Nation But is it not Thou and thy fathers house saith the Prophet speaking even to Ahab Himself The troublers of Israel lie not in the Prophets lie not in the Ministers as men cry out that they preach sedition And it was wont indeed to be the title of Luther that great instrument of God they called him the trumpet of rebellion and not a new thing therefore is it that the Ministers of God that first preach the word of Reconciliation and then seek to shew people their danger no marvel they be accounted the causers of their troubles because they will not let people go on quietly in their waies but in the Name of God oppose and reprove them But we know where our trouble lies it lies in those that are most superstitious and idolatrous they bring the sword Do not attribute it to this and the other cause it is the provocation of the most high God that brought these wars in upon us If therefore we be weary of war let us be weary of our sins I remember Polanus Polanus upon this text hath this Note and indeed he hinted it unto me saith he The Jesuits they cry out of the Gospel in Hungary a place which is near the Turks and the Turks you know have often made incursions upon those Countries and your Papists and Jesuits they cried out of your Evangelici of your Gospellers as if they were the cause of the Turks coming in amongst them But the Lord knows where to lay the burden right Again in the next place from those words Cry aloud at Beth-aven Beth-aven According to that interpretation I gave you it was the place where one of the Idols were set and a most superstitious and Idolatrous place Now mark the difference it is but only blow the Cornet and Trumpet in Ramah and in Gibeah but it is cry aloud or shrike out and howl Oh Beth-aven From thence these two Notes First That superstitious places in the time of Gods judgment Obser 1 are in the greatest distress of all and so superstitious persons When Gods hand cometh out against a Nation it will fall heaviest upon those that are Idolatrous and superstitious It is true Gods hand hath hitherto fallen heavie and very heavy upon many of our brethren upon Gods dear Saints but hath it not fallen heavily upon Idolaters and superstitious ones How ever mark the end stay till God hath done and you will find that the hand of God will be heaviest upon them Howl O Beth-aven Those places that have been the nests of superstition and Idolatry those are the places that His wrath wil be most against And indeed they do begin to howl and cry out already For though some of Gods people have felt hard things yet Have two Nations lifted up their hands to the most high God to extirpate Gods people But they have lifted up their hands to endeavor to extirpate a superstitious people amongst us therefore Gods hand is heaviest against Beth-aven Secondly In times of greatest trouble those that are ungodly Obser 2 and superstitious they are in such perplexity as they know not what to do Instead of repairing unto God by faith and repentance all that they have to do is to cry out and to howl Howl O Beth-aven they were far enough from coming to humble their souls to the Lord and in a gracious manner to accept of the punishment of their iniquity and to bear the affliction that God laies upon them Oh no but their spirits were vexed and enraged they could howl and cry out and that is all Applic. Is not this the way of many that heretofore Oh how diligent were they in their prayers and worshiping of God yet when they come into affliction what do they but vex and rage howl and cry out but far are they from giving glory unto God according to that way he requireth they howl upon their beds saith God but they did not seek unto me And God threatneth this in Amos 3.10 Amos 3.10 opened and that Prophet was contemporary with Hosea I will turn the songs of their Temples into howlings They had their singing service before saith God I will turn those into howlings for it is no other their crying out under affliction and trouble it is no other before God but as howling The Lord accepteth in another manner of the cryings of His people under oppression they cry unto God and send up their prayers of faith and the incense of a broken heart and God accepteth of the sighs and of the moans that they make unto Him and they do prevail exceedingly with the Heart of God But for the crying out of wicked and ungodly men under Gods hand He regards it not no more than howling Thus it is here Howl O Beth-aven much like those in Esa 51.20 that in the time of distress are described to lie in the head of all the streets as a wild bull in a net fil'd with the fury of the Lord howl and cry out and that is all After thee O Benjamin Benjamin The meaning of the words I gave you The Notes from thence are these Obser 1 First That it is an ill thing to have ill neighbors an il thing to have il neighbors Benjamin was neer Beth-aven therefore he must fare the worse for Beth aven Use To dwell amongst ill neighbors is a dangerous thing and we should take heed of it I remember a Commentator upon this place upon this occasion makes a grave exhortation to men that when they are to hire Houses and Farms they should enquire what neighbors were to be neer them and to take heed of dwelling nigh unto wicked men for saith he
in the least degree Lastly Because then all services are rejected and God will Reas 7 be no more intreated for them now conscience smites and torments the spirits and al the miseries that come upon them are but the beginning of eternal sorrows and this is a most sad case therefore let us pray with David Psal 6.1 Lord rebuke us not in thy wrath And as the Prophet in Jer. 17.17 Use Be not a terror unto me O Lord. But now because tender consciences are ready to think when God rebukes them or lays any affliction upon them that it is to ruin and destroy them as the Israelites said in Deut. 1.27 Because the Lord hated us therefore he brought us out of Egypt In every strait they were in they conceited God hated them in it though God had done them good so many times And hath not this been the reasonings of our unbeleeving hearts and the murmuring of our spirits in our afflictions Oh take heed of such unbeleeving reasonings they are very much displeasing unto God There is a great difference between the rebukes of God upon the godly and the wicked though perhaps rebuked both in one and the same affliction as the Apothecary breaks Bezar stones to pouder but is very careful of it simile and will not lose the least grain of it So the Lords people even in the fornace are as dear to him have the most experience of Gods love to them then that ever they had Jacob when he lay upon the ground and had the stone for his pillow even then he had that heavenly vision from God But now the question is Quest How shall we know whether those rebukes that are upon us are intended for our good or our hurt our desolation or our restoration It may be known thus If Gods displeasures be such Answ that we find Him more set against our sins than our persons 't is an arument He intends our good not our hurt in His rebukes upon us But you will say This is as difficult as the other How shall we know God aims at our sins and not our persons Thus If His rebukes work us to a humiliation for our sins a resignation of our selves up unto Gods dispose and to accept of the punishment of our iniquities this is an argument God aims at our sins and not at our persons in His rebukes and so in them our good and not our hurt But 't is usual for wicked men in their rebukes to cry out of their sins 't was their sins that brought this upon them But here the difference is thus discerned First They cry out of their sins but per accidence but of the judgement per se as we use to say the judgement troubles them more than their sins the cause of the judgment but the godly cry out of their sinâ— per se and of the judgment per accidence their sin troubles them Secondly A child of God more desires the sanctification of an affliction than the removing of it but the wicked care not for removing the cause of judgment even sin so the smart the correction may be taken off It follows Expos 1 Among the Tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be Some conceive that these words are spoken as the aggravation of this peoples misery and if so the Notes from them are Obs 1 That God smites not a people with judgment before he wâ—â—ns them off judgment Among the Tribes of Israel have I made known this Obs 2 When God threatens He is real in His threatnings That which shal surely be Ephraim thinks that God intends not him Sinners think that when God warns them he is not in good earnest it shall not be but God saith it shall be God esteems more of His Word than Heaven and Earth besides nay Heaven and Earth shall pass away before the least jot or tittle of it shall fail and cursed be that peace that hath no other ground or foundation than this hope that those things are not true which the Ministers of the Word from the Word threaten against sinners And yet this is the condition of many people which doth mightily provoke God as you may see in Deut. 29.19 20 21. If notwithstanding what is written in this book he bless himself saying He shall have peace the anger of the Lord shall smoke against such a man Oh the bitter aggravating circumstances in this Scripture against such a sinner as this Use Now if God will be so punctual in His threatning word that it shall be made good how much more His promising word for God hath not done so much to make His threatning word good as His promiâ—ing word For 1. God hath not cal'd such witnesses to His threatning word as to His promising word there are Three in Heaven and Three on Earth who are Witnesses but not to the threatning word sometimes in the general he calls the Heavens to witness to His threatning Hear oh heavens and hearken oh earth I have nourished up a people and they rebel against me 2. To the verifying of a promise there is not only Gods faithfulness but 't is His faithfulness in Christ all the promises are in Him yea and Amen there is in Gods promising word not only His faithfulness but His faithfulness in Christ all the promises are made in Christ so are not the threatnings Judgments have not such immediate relation to Christ 3. More sure because promises are not only Gods Covenant with His people but His Testament and so more sure than a Covenant for a Covenant may be broken on the one party but a Testament cannot it being confirmed by the death of the Testator the promise on our part may be broken but when we look upon them as confirmed by the death of the great Testator Jesus Christ we have stronge consolation as 't is a great evil not to beleeve the threats of God so 't is also a great evil not to credit the promises of God Christians you wonder when wicked men beleeve not Gods threatnings and His judgments to tremble at them Know Oh Christian that not only men but Angels stand and wonder when thou dost not beleeve the promises of God when they be so confirmed that we might beleeve them and walk comfortably The revealing of sin before a judgment comes aggravates Obs 3 both the sin and the judgment the punishment will be so much the heavier it aggravates the sin because then there is the greater contempt against God If a father should desire his child not to do such a thing nay not only desire him but forbid him yea threaten him with punishment if he doth it now if he shall after all this gainsay his fathers will he puts a greater contempt upon his father for now he breaks through hedges and fences which should have kept him in so when God shall forbid yea threaten if we will break out it puts a great contempt upon God 1. The
and Governors but also by the Assyrian by their own Magistrates they were broken and oppressed good men were discountenanced just causes betraied the whole Court was corrupted and the Laws of the Land which should have held up the bounds were broken they were so broken as a thing which is broken but not quite spoiled with the fall some shreds of it may be made use of so the generality of them were so broken that there was little right to be had for any wrong that was done and as they were thus oppressed in the Prophet Hosea his time so also in the Prophet Amos his time Hosea and Amos contemporaries who prophesied at the same time that our Prophet did Amos 2.7 They pâ—nt after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor What 's that Thus they did not only seek to bring poor men under them but even utterly to destroy them they sought to ruin them and that by perverting of judgment So in Amos 5.11 their oppression grew to such a height that they took the poors wheat from them that if the poor had but gleaned a little wheat in the fields as they brought it home they robbed them of it or if they carried it to the mill they took it from them this was the oppression which was at this time among the ten Tribes from their own Governors But they were also oppressed by the Assyrian they calumniated and reproached them saying Where is now your God in whom you so much trusted Thus much for the opening those words Expos The reason follows Because he willingly followed after the Commandement Quest But some may say What is this such a thing is there so much in this to provoke God The CoÌ„mand Yea this was a great sin for the opening whereof take notice of these three things 1. Whose First Whose Commandement was it they followed it was the Commandement of Jeroboam and his Princes men which had authority and power in their hands and this provoked God so highly against them because they followed the commandements of men who had authority over them this is very strange that this charge should be against Ephraim for this no question but they pleaded thus What am I wiser than my Governors must not I do as they bid me 2 What. Secondly What commandement was it that they followed it was to worship the Calves at Dan and Bethel he worshiped God but it was in a false way and this was the cause which provoked God so against him 3 How soon followed Thirdly He willingly followed the commandement as soon as ever he was commanded he yeilded without any deliberation or consultation with himself whereas he should have stood it out and have bid the worst rather suffered the loss of all than yeilded to their commands as the three children rather suffer the firy furnace than fal down to the Image and thus they should have done as there were some which did though the generallity of them followed after the commandement yet there were some found among Ephraim who would go to Jerusalem to worship the place of Gods appointment in 1 Chron. 11.16 those which set their hearts to seek God they would go up to Jerusalem and not follow Jeroboam to Dan and Bethel though the most went with Jeroboam yet there was a handful that knew God would be worshiped in his own way and in his own place the generallity of the people liked well enough of the Commandement because it was will-worship which pleaseth mans nature best and then it was most for their ease and this was Jeroboams plea I love my peoples ease I would not be so harsh to them therefore come we will worship the true God still 't is but the circumstance of place and that 's no such great matter Vulg. Sordes quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now they willingly followed after the commandement and thereby encouraged Jeroboam in his wicked design they willingly walked after the Command the old Latin expresseth it thus they willingly followed after dregs and the Hebrew word is very nigh the same they walked after filthy dregs and if this were the meaning of it it notes two things First That Jeroboam was willing to have the people enjoy their lusts so he might but enjoy his ends he was willing to give the people their full swing and liberty in their lusts and upon this the baser sort of the people clave to him Jeroboam reasons thus well I must rend the Kingdom from David but how shall I accomplish it I must have the people to assist me in it but how shall I gain them I will let them have their pleasures in sin they shall have their lusts without contradiction and then the most will follow me I shall be sure of the rude multitude the profane in the Kingdom Secondly Post sordes that is after their Idols the Calves which he had set up and the filth which is in them for the Scripture lets out the filthiness of Idolatry by the basest things in the world to dogs vomet the excrements of men Thus much of the words in that sense But they are more full as read in your books and more agreeable to the Original the Notes from them are many Obser 1 First That 't is a great judgment for a people to be under oppression 'T is a very sad affliction for a nation family or person to be under oppression and broken in judgment when good men and good causes are crusht and slighted and wicked men and bad causes prevail and prosper when a mans innocency shall be no help to him Solomon saith this to be a great evil in Eccles 3.16 wickedness was got into the place of judgment God hath promised to deliver his people from this judgment In righteousness shalt thou be established thou shalt be far from oppression Isa 54.14 But these times are not yet come all the world for the most part at this day is under oppression 't is sad to have our estates and our liberties to be broken for conscience Cconscience-oppression is the worst oppression and this was our condition not long since nay and is the condition of many of our deer brethren in many places of this Kingdom it was not long since that he which departed from iniquity made himself a prey was it not come to that pass that the meanest yea the basest persons in a City or Country had power enough in their hands to undo the best Ministers in a Kingdom Oh how was the Kingdom oppressed Parliaments broken the edg of the Law turned against the godly party witness the banishing of men Ministers were oppressed in their estates in their liberties but especially in their consciences if they would not be like the fidlers boy be ready to dance after every pipe in so much that when the Lord gave us a little reviving we were even as men in a dream when we
a party low and ready to be trodden down yet have been so far from seeking help from or protection of wicked men that though they have been sent unto and have had fair offers of enjoying what they desire yet they have resolved to venture the loss of all in a good Cause whether they get any thing by it or no whether they have what they would have Liberties or not Liberties yet they are content to venture their estates their lives and all in that Cause and not to provide for themselves by the help of such as they see to be evil and whose waies and designs they see are not with God And if to seek unto wicked men for help and protection be so sinful Use Admonition to those that seek to Satan See Peter Martyr on 1 Sam. 22.23 what is it then for men in times of straights to seek to the Devil for help Surely that must be much more sinful to use those waies that are in themselves directly evil as lying swearing cheating and cozening c. In times of straights for you to think to help your self by those waies it is as much as if you should say I see God doth not help me I will try what the Devil will do Certainly by iniquity shall no man be established Prov. 12.3 Art thou in a straight under any affliction never think of seeking out to unlawful means to help thy self for thou canst get no good that way And that will appear more in the words that follow Yet could he not heal you nor cure you of your wound The Assyrian could not help Jareb could do no good yea indeed they were so far from helping of Israel and Judah that they made the wound greater for Israel was afterward carried away captive by the Assyrian to whom he sent for help and for Judah we reade in 2 Chron. 28.20 that when Ahaz sent for help to Tilgath Pileser King of Assyria he came unto him indeed but he distressed him and strengthened him not From whence we may observe First That creature comforts avail little in the day of Gods wrath Obs 1 Gods wrath was out against Ephraim and Judah and they would fain seek to help themselves in some creature way but it would do them no good Creatures are little helpful in the day of Gods wrath they are all as a broken reed that rather runneth into a mans hand thâ—n any way releeveth him So the Scripture saith of riches that they avail not in the day of wrath All the creatures will then say to you if God help you not how can we help you They are but as a tree in the time of a storm you may run under the tree and perhaps a few droppings may be kept from you for a while but if the storm be great and continue what good can the leaves of a tree do you to keep you from it The creature may refresh you a little but if Gods wrath continue what good can the creature do But the word which the Seventy translate he could not heal you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non sedabit dolorem vestrum he shall not so much as ease or mittigate your grief or give you a little refreshment It 's true sometimes by seeking to creature comforts a man may think he hath some refreshing but the truth is it endeth in trouble and sorrow A man in this case that seeks for help to the creature when God hath struck him simile is as a Deer that is shot with an Arrow the Deer runs up and down from one bush to another to seek for case but the blood falls all along and perhaps by and by his bowels run out what ease can bushes do to a poor Deer when the arrow sticks in his body God many times strikes his arrows into the sides of people and they run up and down to the creature to this bush and to the other bush for help but little or none can they have form any I confess somtimes for a little while as I say there is a little case I find it so in the case of Ahaz when he was in straits his heart did melt as you heard before Now that story in Isa 7. hath reference to the 2 Kings 16. aforenamed When Rezin and Pekah came against him you shall find that Ahaz had a little help for the present by Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria that he sent for but afterwards as we shall shew you when we come to another point it did him little good for Gods hand was out against Judah so much the more dreadfully Obs 2 And as the creature hath but little help in it in the time of straits So of all things that men rest on for help wicked men are most like to prove helpless They leave you in your straits as the Scribes and Pharisees did Judas When Judas was brought into straits by his sin and in the anguish of his spirit came and said I have sinned in betraying innocent blood What is that to us say they look thou to it There was all the comfort he could have from them They were forward to draw him into the sin but when he had done it then Look you to it Use Such comfort you are like to have from your wicked companions in times of straits They will draw you into that which is evil and afterward when God shall strike you and they come to visit you and you lie crying out of those waies they have drawn you into Oh! miserable comforters will they be You can have noe helpe from wicked men in times of straits Yea We are not to rest upon the best men of all in time of straits The best not to be depended on God hath given us experience at this day that every man is vanity so the Scripture saith Verely every man is vanity Cease from Man for wherein is he to be esteemed Had we no other rest but upon man what should become of us Therefore neither unto the Assyrian no nor unto any living are we to send for help so as to look higher upon them than as on an arm of flesh God pronounceth a curse upon him that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and saith he shall be like the heath in the desert and shall not see when good commeth but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness Jer. 17.5 6. But why is it that the Assyrian can do Israel no good It follows VER 14. For I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon to the house of Judah THat which iâ— here translated in your books a Lyon thâ— Seventy translate it by the Panther which is the most swift fierce creature one of them in the world Gods wrath for strength is compared to a Lyon and for swiftness to a Panther Panther To a Lyon because though he is most strong and terrible yet Historians say that if you fall down and submit unto him he
When the Saints see Gods hand against them in any thing this trombles them and humbles them more than any thing else Reas 2 2. It is a special means to quiet the heart with patience Psal 39.9 It quiets I was dumb and spake not because thou Lord didst it See it in Ely It is the Lord let him do what he wil with me and in Christ himself shall not I drink of the cup which my father shall give me Is God my God and doth this come from my Father I will take it I am sure it will do me no harm but much good 3. By this means the soul is put upon the enquirie why Reas 3 this affliction is upon it It puts up on search what the cause of this trouble may be when we see nothing but man the instrument of an affliction we look not so much at it it never puts us upon soul-search and tryal of our selves but when God is seen in a cross the soul begins to consider what have I done what 's the matter oh my soul Thus did the Church Mica 6.9 Hear ye the Rod and who hath appointed it There are letters written upon Gods rods which the man of wisedome can reade 4. It causes the soul to receive content and satisfaction in Reas 4 nothing but God alone and in peace with him Causeth the soul to make out for God to get him our friend when we look upon judgments only in the second cause we are apt to think that second means will make up the breach again which sin hath made as they in Isa 9.9 10. The bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewn stone for all this his anger is not turned away why so in the 13. verse we have the reason For the people turned not unto him that smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of hosts They would not see the hand of God nor give glory to him for if they did they would say as this people in the next chapter Come let us return unto the Lord for he hath wounded us and He will heal us Thus much for the doubling the expression It follows I even I will tear you and go away The Lyons when they tear their prey they are not afraid of what they have done Expos but walk majestically before the dead carkiese as it were bidding defiance to al other creatures they run not away as the Fox doth but walk as it were in state for so the words in the original carry I even I will tear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if God did challenge all the creatures in Heaven or Earth for to grapple with him I wil tear them It implies how God wil deal with Judah He will not be afraid of them what He doth it shall be in an open way He will not come against them in secret but in a publick way Applic. enemies of Engl. The judgment at this time upon our enemies is not in a secret but an open way the Lord doth not deal subtilly and by craft with them as they do with his people and though the Lord deal as a Lyon with them tearing and rending them yet they will not see him neither are they able to resist him nor can any rescue them out of his hands Let the means be never so weak in Gods hand yet when he is in a way of wrath there shall be no delivery out of his hands Isa 26.6 opened Isa 26.6 The feet shall tread it down tread down what the lofty City by what feet even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy Jer. 37.10 The Lord tels them that though they had smitten the whol Army of the Caldeans and there remained but wounded men among them yet should they rise up every man in his tent and burn their City with fire When God intends ruin and desolation to a people 't is impossible for any to deliver them out of his hands Obser Further we may note That when God comes against a people He takes them to do when they are the strongest and greatest in power and most confident in an arm of flesh that none at that time may deliver our of His hands Isa 24.21 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones which are on high When he is in his greatest pride gets the greatest victories conquers and obtains the greatest Cities of refuge and Towns of harbor And 't is very observable Applicat for Engl. that since our enemies got their greatest advantages they have lost the most God then puld them down when they were most proud God will go on in his work though men are never so proud and strong therefore 't is our wisdom to give our selves into Gods hands yea though into his afflicting hand although no power can rescue out of his hand yet there is a way to change the operation of his hands by humbling our selves falling down before him willingly submitting to him and this way now God hath his will upon us in the most acceptable way that can be God had rather have men voluntarily give him his glory than to compel him to force it from them I now come to the last VER 15. I will go GOD repeats it again which notes 1. Expos The glory of the work that he is not ashamed of what he hath done Gods people ought for to be like God in this let their actions be warrantable such as they may with comfort own and stand to yea suffer for if it so come to pass not like the proverb to set a Town on fire and run away from it leaving others to quench it 2. It notes the Irresistibility of Gods work as if he should say let any try whether they can oppose me 3. And chiefly it implies I will bring them into captivity and there I 'le leave them Whence note Obser That 't is a heavy judgment for God to tear and wound a people and then lo leave them God saith if they return not I will rend and tear them make them very miserable and in that condition will I leave them I 'le be a stranger to them and will not own them Ezek. 22.20 I will gather you in mine anger and in my fury and I will leave you there God in another place promiseth to be with His people in the fire and in the water but there is a time that Gods people may so provoke God that he will bring them into the fire and there leave them when the Philistims fell upon Saul it was a sad time to him because God had left him Oh how terrible was it when God left Christ upon the Cross but for a little while This we all deserve and this is the portion of the damned in Hell While the Judg is present upon the Bench the Malefactor hath hope simile but when the Judge goes off
his Covenant with thee he never yet broke Covenant so long as Christ is thine and thou art his Gods faithfulnesse in keeping Covenant is also thine what if those that stand for Christ and his Cause be sometimes beaten must they therefore give over No but venture still and if our sins hinder not though we may lie dead to day and to morrow yet the third day we may live in his sight Obs 5 Mercies after two daies death are reviving mercies After two daies I will revive you Promises in times of afflictions are sweet indeed Oh then how much more deliverance Such mercies are resurection-mercies which God sends after killing afflictions And such mercies hath the Lord given us at this very day the Lord hath revived us when almost dead Applicat for Engl. therefore would we give God the glory of such mercies and render unto him due and seasonable praise for such seasonable mercies Let us observe these rules First Look back to your base unbeleeving hearts formerly and chide them upbraid them with this now Oh vile heart of mine did not I begin to say Alas I am undone all iâ— now lost my hopes are now abortive was not I sorry that ever I was so engaged as I am were it to do again I would be better advised did not I think newters which had never manifested themselves for God in his Cause in a far better estate than I and wish my self in their condition how hath the Lord been dishonored by me what secret pining and grudging thoughts have I had even against God Himself because of the various dispensations of providence Say now oh base vile unbeleeving heart how hath the Lord confuted thee and made thee to see thy shame and ignorance in beleeving sence rather than faith Secondly Hath God bestowed reviving mercies upon you then be willing to give God the glory of them and resign them up to him upon thiâ— ground because we have forfited them by our unbeleef an unbeleeving heart forfits all mercies before he hath them 't is true God gives many precious mercies to sad dumpish froward discontented spirits but you cannot have that comfort in your mercies which others have because they are forfited and though God through his bounty lets you enjoy them yet you are in fear continually lest God should take his forfiture Oh beleeve your mercies in the promise through the difficulties Thirdly Remember the Covenants which you made unto God in the times of your trouble and keep them 'T is a provoking sin to break Covenant with God God complains of it against Israel Psal 78.38 They flattered him with tâ—â—ir lips in making Covenants to him in their trouble but they were not sâ—eadfast in their Covenants Oh how usual is it with men in any misery to Covenant largely with God and presently to forget what they have done this is a sign of a false heart therefore take heed of it Lay more wait upon your Covenants which you make if ever you mean to give God real praise for any mercy Fourthly Consider how much better it is to give God the glory of a mercy willingly than force him to extort it from you in a way of wrath God is better pleased with active praise than passive for his mercies consider glory he will have for his mercies Oh put not God to that trouble to force his own glory so due to him from you if you give not God the glory of a mercy in possession he in wrath will take it from you and had not God given us this reviving mercy it might have been our case to have been forced to give God his glory in a passive way Fiftly Whatever God câ—lls for now from you be willing to give it up to him freely whatsoever we would have been willing to have given for such a mercy in our misery had God indented with us for it let us be ready and willing to give it to him now the mercy is come had we known our danger and the miseries which would have flowed in upon us had not mercy prevented if God should have said thus What would you do what would you suffer what would you part withal for me and you shall be delivered out of this danger and possess the contrary mercy Then seeing God hath given us such a mercy without this indenting make this an argument to come off freely in giving God that which he now calls for you have been perhaps in bodily fears and danger of death by some sickness now if God should have cald for your estates would not you have given them to him Do that now which you would then have done Lastly Lay up against unbeleef for time to come Hath God remembred us in our low estate let us say with David We will trâ—st in him so long as we live we will never determine so as formerly we have either against our selves or the cause of God we wil never entertain hard thoughts of God more but we are resolved to do what belongs to us as creatures and leave the success of the business to God apply this any way and it will be very useful hath God helped us in any soul-trouble revived thee in the depths of sorrow when God hid himself from thee lay up the passages of God towards thee in this case against all the risings of unbeleef whatsoever resolve upon this that thy soul shall relye upon him for help whatsoever becomes of thee this is to give God the glory of reviving mercies Psal 18.1 2. thus doth David apropriate God to himself and gathers strength from this to support him David at this time was in a great straight by Sauls persecution of him that he gave all for lost I shall one day perish by the hands of Saul but he soon recals himself again It was in my hast he said in his hast the Prophets of God Gad and Nathan they are lyars they tell me that I shall be King that I shall sway the Scepter in Israâ—l but 't is nothing so I am like to be kild and betrayed every moment such enemies wait to catch me and is it ever likely that I should fit upon the Throne and be King So men in their hast are ready to think that God will forsake them and leave his cause upon every frown and hard word which he speaks but David found a reviving mercy presently upon it in the 1. and 2. verses of the 18. Psalm where he praised God for that mercy which formerly he would not beleeve before in this 2. verse he sets out God in way of praise by eight titles 8. Relations of God in Psal 18.2 with the Believers propriety in them and all his propriety in them for strengthening of his faith 1. My rock 2. my fortress 3. my deliverer 4. my God 5. my strength in whom I will trust 6. my buckler 7. the born of my salvation 8. my high Tower from all these titles of God as his he
the holy Ghost should say I require mercy and not sacrifice and the inward worship of God faith and knowledg rather than any natural worship The Notes from hence are these The duties of the first and second Table are to be joyned together Obs 1 Mercy and sacrifice knowledg of God and burnt offerings when in their place are acceptable therefore let us take heed of separating that which God hath joyned Obs 2 The knowledg of God is a most excellent thing This is that which sanctifies Gods Name and manifests him to be very glorious in the world Paul accounted all things but loss and dung in comparison of the excellencie of this knowledg of Christ Use Instruct your children and servants in this knowledg else how can God have his glory from them how few are there which glorifie God as God and the reason is because of the ignorance which is in their minds Eph. 4.18 Obs 3 Men may be very diligent in instituted worship and yet very ignorant none so acted in their instituted worship as these people yeâ— none so ignorant as they Use That you are forward in instituted worship it is your commendation but take heed this be not your sin to be ignorant of fundamental things It is the great design of the Devil to set up the man of sin to keep men in darkness and ignorance many who think themselves and would be thought to be opposers of Antichrist even in this by their questioning of fundamentals of Religion and disputings about their new Opinions they raise him up when as the truth is it is the way the Devil useth to darken the truth of Christ and Religion by casting a vail over it therefore you that are guilty of this distemper take heed though you have light in some things yet take heed that a vail be not drawn over those things which do more neerly concern you and are of greater consequence Obs 4 Soul-worship must be preferred before all other worship we must not give God a carrion service a carkeise without a soul strong are the expressions in Scripture which are used against such outside formal worship Isa 1.11 12 13. God professes of them that he regards them not he is full of them his soul loaths them they are iniquity and a trouble to him they are looked upon as a burden to him such as God will hide his eyes from and when they make many prayers he will not hear them in this one Scripture we have fourteen expressions against outside formal duties Isa 1.11 12 13. there are 14. expressions against formality besides those four which we find in Isa 66.3 Thus you have the mind of God in this short but full sentence Now God forbid that what hath been said out of this Scripture should be abused to liberty in a sinful way VER 7. For they like men have transgressed the Covenant HEre is an argument that mercy in the former verse is to be understood in a large sense Why Because it is the very substance of the Covenant they have been hard-hearted cruel and unmerciful and thereby they have transgressed the Covenant I am merciful in the Covenant and my grace is free and full to sinners there but they have transgressed the Covenant by being cruel and unmerciful for they like men have transgressed the Covenant Like men That is like Adam these men have sinned after Expos 1 the similitude of Adams transgression Rom. 15.14 speaks of those who had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression But these as they have old Adam in them so they have dealt with me as he did and as he for his sin was cast out of Paradise so these men have deserved to be cast out of Expos 2 the good Land But Vatablus Tremelius Vatablus Tremel and others reade the words thus They have broken my Covenant as a man they thought that I had been as their fellow creature as they made it their practice to break covenants with men so they thought to do with God so they have transgressed my Covenant This sense may be taken and so the note of Observation would be seasonable That the cause of breach of Covenant with God is Obser because we consider not that it is with God that we make our Covenants But the words are more usually read as in our books But Expos 3 they like men have transgressed my Covenant that is Not as I who like a God have kept Covenant but they like such men as themselves i. e. weak unconstant frail unfaithful creatures have transgressed Job 31.33 Object But may not this seem to be an excusing or diminution of their sin to say They like men implying the common frailty of humane nature have transgressed Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No 't is rather an aggravâ—tion of their sin Therfore the word here translated Men is used for man in his corrupt estate for weak men frail men not men at their strength but weakness and so distinct from that which signifies generous and strenuous men and so the comparison is not only between God and man but between the several degrees of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Or thus They have transgressed my Covenant like men That is not like my people Saints that are of my Church they have not transgressed my Covenant so Their waies have been the waies of ordinary men and as such they have transgressed my Covenant The two last senses are principally meant here Covenant with God 3 fold 1. with Adam 2. with Abraham 3 with Israel My Covenant The Covenant of God we usually divide into two parts but the Scripture to me seems to hold forth a threefold Covenant the one of Works that which was made with Adam in Paradise The other Covenant is that which was made with Abraham the Covenant of Grace the tenor of which is this I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee Then there was a Covenant which was made with them upon mount Sinai Now the Covenant here cannot be meant imediatly of the Covenant of works nor of the Covenant of grace for this Covenant here implyed is one especially made with them and therfore must be understood of that at mount Sinai made many hundred years after the others yet it hath reference to that of Works and of Grace And were this knot rightly understood and untied the Antinomians and we might easily be reconciled for we grant that Believers are delivered from the Law in respect of the power of it as condemning from the riger of it but not from the duties of the Law for the things commanded in the Law were duties before the Law was given the Law was written in the hearts of the Saints from the beginning But the opening of this point would require a whol Exercise and I shall reserve this to some other time Now then the Covenant which they transgressed Expos was the Covenant at
large but especially that Covenant which God made with them when they came into the Land of Canaan They transgressed the word is They went over it They transgressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Covenant was betwixt them and their sins and they went over it to their sins the banck was not high enough to keep them and their sins asunder Expos 1 There they transgressed the Covenant There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there in that good Land of Canaan into which God had brought them and given them possession so the Chaldae Expos 2 Again There they transgressed the Covenant Psa 14.5 ibi tinuerunt i. e. tunc there when God had hewed them by his Prophets and thought to work them to good Lastly There that is in the Covenant it self and that in Expos 3 those things wherein they thought they kept the Covenant and thought they honored me most in those things they broke the Covenant They dealt treacherously The Greek renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have despised me they have forsaken me and chosen other lovers and left me even as a woman leaves her own husband to whom she was engaged and goes to other men It notes the hearts joyning to some other rather than God so as to be willing to leave the Lord and either out of affection to some other or for private advantage to forsake God and his Cause to promote and further that which is against God The Notes of Observation from the words are these That it is Gods goodness that he will please to enter into Covenant Obs 1 with such poor creatures as we are It is made an aggravation of their sin here that they did falsifie the Covenant the love of God in entering into Covenant with such mean worthless creatures should command dutie from us in the most difficult precepts that are and that with willingness God is constant in his Covenant with men This is in opposition Obs 2 to their unfaithfulness they deal falsly with God in the Covenant but God is constant in his Covenant he confirms his Covenant with the strength of a Gyant Dan. 9.27 expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 9.27 And he shall confirm the Covenant with many for one week The word there signifies he confirms the Covenant like a Gyant or a mighty strong man they as weak men break Covenant with me but I with strength confirm my Covenant therefore David saith 2 Sam. 23.5 Yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure it is immovable Obs 3 Mans nature is very weak and unsetled They like men have transgressed the Covenant We must not lay too much upon men for when they are most unfaithful they do but like men Oh what folly is it in men to forsake the eternal God and run to the creature We trust our servants in our businesses and shall we not trust God much more the Word saies all men are lyars nay every man in his best estate is vanity Psal 62.9 God is our refuge men of low degree are vanity men of high degree a lye if they be laid in the ballance they are lighter than vanity it self Obs 4 The apprehension of our obligations to obey should keep us within Covenant Oh never let it be said that our sins are so strong as to break Covenant to get our own desires it is a sign of a most vile wretched spirit so to desire sin as to break over this bond of the Covenant think of this all you that are so easily overtaken with sin when a temptation comes to any sin say thus such a sin I would have and my desires are after it but did I never Covenant against it and what shall I be so wicked as to break my Covenant for it Obs 5 The breach of Covenant with God is a most grievous aggravation of our sin it provokes God highly against that people or person there have they dealt treacherously against me Deut. 29.24 25. Why hath the Lord brought all this evil upon this people Then men shall say because they have forsaken the God of their fathers and the Covenant in which they were bound to him in What cause have we to bless God that he hath not destroyed us for breach of Covenant with him why should not our condition be the condition of this people here in Deuteronomy had God turned his hand and let our enemies prevail this might have been our case God expects something from his people which cannot be done by every Obs 6 one they must not plead they are flesh and blood as other men God would have you more than men you must remember that you are Saints and Members of Christ and therefore must live as the redeemed of the Lord in the first of the Corinthians 3.3 Are you not carnal and walk as Men 1 Cor. 3.3 explained The Apostle rebukes the Corinthians for this God looked that they should walk beyond other men and that which the Apostle makes the ground of his reproof they make their excuse Jesus Christ descended from on high to this end to purchase a peculiar people to himself that might honor him in the world beyond that which he hath from other men we should live as those which have the Divine Nature in them we should beware of passion and anger even as God is slow to anger how far are those from doing any eminent thing for God which cannot deny themselves in their wills and passions and have not so much as humanity in them If God at any time give us hearts to keep Covenant with him it is Obs 7 more than is in us we have not that power of our selves therefore bless God for this mercy Men may go on in multitudes of services and yet be Covenant Obs 8 breakers 'T is possible for a man to have committed the sin against the holy Ghost and yet be a professor of Christ and and the Gospel therefore we had need look to our hearts Many times in those things which we seem to be most Religious in Obs 9 there we may be false and Covenant breakers But may this be in the duties of Gods worship yea thereby this may be thus When men shall think by this to cover any sin they live in by their performing of duties this is treacherous dealing and playing false in the Covenant The sins of the Saints which break Covenant with him are sins of Obs 10 a double dye other mens sins are rebellions against God but theirs are treacheries The want of the right knowledg of God is the main cause of breach Obs 11 of Covenant with God Dan. 11.32 And such as do wickedly against the Covenant shall be corrupt by flatteries but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits Who shall be corrupted by flatteries those that know God No they shall be strong and do great exploits such shall be imployed by him in his
treacherie and this story hath reference to that in 2 Chron. 13. a Chapter of as much treachery as we read of All their Kings are fallen that is into that false worship which Jeroboam was fallen into And that is very observable that all the Kings in the ten Tribes were wicked From Jeroboam the first to to the captivity there were eighteen Kings and all of them wicked and naught and the reason of this was that the way of false worship did so sute with their politick ends so that the Observation may be from it That 't is a hard thing to take men off from their strong engagements Obser It was a work so difficult that all the Prophets could not do it it is very hard especially when their engagements are in great things they were wise politick men and therefore could not chuse in all probability but see how point blank their waies went against Gods mind even Jehu himself who was raised up so high by God on purpose to root out Idolatry and did root out Idols and Baals Priests and yet he followed the Calves as well as hiâ— predecessors Therefore never wonder to see men obstinate Use and who wil not be convinced of their evil waies this text shews it cleerly many are willing to deny themselves in small things but when it comes to great things then they flinch and hang off therfore we see whâ—t snares places of honor are to most men many Ministees see the evil of Ceremonies and are convinced of it that they sin if they should yeeld to them and rather than sin they will leave their livings rather than yeild to them Places of honor great snares but when did you ever see a Bishop deny himself when was it ever known that a Prelate so far submitted to lay down his great dignities and fat livings for his conscience It follows There is none among them that calleth unto me They were presumtuous and confident in their way and none of them would ask counsel of me notwithstanding their Judges were devoured they sought to other helps or rested in their outward prosperity or 2. They are sottish and stupid and call not unto me though all be in a confusion in the State their Judges devoured c. Obs 1 When people are under Gods hand and Governors set up false worship such times should quicken our prayers Mic. 7.7 I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear me so in Act. 4.29 And now Lord hear us The Christians there got into a corner and made their complaints and moans to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4.29 of the evil of the times and do but observe the rise and ground of their prayers and now O God hear us They do as men that would leap a great way take their rise upon a hill to further them so these people make the miseries of the times their encouragements not their discouragements it is a desperate sign to see men sink under their discouragements and to murmur against God Oh let us go to God and make our moan to him and let us die calling upon his Name let that be our resolution which was Dauids Psal 116.2 I will call on the Lord as long as I live And this is a very good argument that the Cause of God will stand if our spirits of prayer hold the Cause of God will hold but if that go down fear the sinking of the Cause VER 8. Ephraim he hath mixed himself among the people Ephraim is a cake not turned EPHRAIM hath mixed himself There is a great evil charged upon Ephraim and that is observable he hath mingled himself among the people the people did not so much seek to him as he to them some here understand by Ephraim the Court because Jeroboam was of the Tribe of Ephraim and Cyril Cyril hath this Note from thence that it is a great dishonor for them that are in place of honor to sute themselves and their minds to those that are of base low spirits among their people men of place and power should be men of honor and worth But we take Ephraim here for the people of the ten Tribes for so it is more often taken in Scripture they were guilty of this sin in mixing themselves with the people that is the Gentils in these five regards First In their marriages The seed of the Israelites was too precious to mingle with the Gentiles this was forbidden them in Deut. 7.3 and the good man Ezra in the 9. chapter in the day of humiliation confessed this sin unto God against them and this was typified of the Christians under the Gospel that they should not mix themselves with the wicked and ungodly of the world they must marry in the Lord Unequel mariages Maxent it is a sad affliction to be unequally yoked it is reported of Maxentius a cruel tyrant whose custom it was to judg some Malefactors to death after this manner viz. To have a dead man chained to the living man till the living man was kil'd by the dead man How many living men have dead wives and living wives dead husbands Oh how comely a thing it is to see the delight of our eyes the delight of Gods eyes They mingled Gods worship with their superstitions and Idolatries they had not wholly defiled the worship of God yet they had mixed themselves Jeroboam had been in Egypt where he had seen their Idolatrous Heifer and he was much taken with it therefore he would imitate them in his Calves 2 Kings 17.33 34. in one verse 't is said they feared the Lord and in the next verse 't is said they did not They feared the Lord and served their own gods unto this day they do after their former manners they fear not the Lord never let us satisfie our selves in mixtures of worship Mixt worship though we have never so much true worship among us God will never be put off with such excuses They mixed themselves in their persons and suffered others to joyn with them neither must Christians suffer the wicked to joyn with theÌ„ in matters of worship Mixt congregations surely if fornicators adulterers profane men are crept in they must when discerned be cast out speedily Now if such as these must be cast out when crept in unawares Note then surely such must not be received in when they are known beforehand to be such and certainly a bare confession of faith is not sufficient or enough to admit a man to the Ordinances for those that are vile and wicked in their lives may make a verbal and outward confession yet far from a true and cordial men may confess with their mouths and yet deny all in their lives as if a man should confess his faith in English and deny it again in Latin yet if any should creep into a Church in which thou art bodied Not to separate
from a Church for some offendors if thou dost thy duty in admonishing them and if they will not be warned to profess against them thou maiest certainly yea and with good conscience partake of the Ordinance notwithstanding In their leagues and covenants they mixed themselves they made Covenants and leagues with other people which was forbidden them in Exod. 34.12 Take heed to thy self lest thou make a Covenant with the people of the Land whither thou goest lest it become a snare in the midst of thee Deut. 7.2 And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them thou shalt make no covenant with them nor shew mercy unto them Isa 30.2 They went down to Egypt for help and have not asked at my mouth to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh and trust in the shadow of Egypt therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame They were mixed in their societies with other people Psal 106.35 they were mingled among the Heathens and learned their works they served their Idols which were a snare unto them It is a very dangerous thing to be mixed with a wicked society Numb 11.4 And the mixed multitude which were amongst them people that came out of Egypt fell a lusting The mixt multitude fell a murmuring this is an affliction in any society but especially in Church societies But suppose providence cast me into a family where there are such as these In such a family thou maist be as oyl in water unmixt simile put never so much water amongst oyl the oyl will be above it swimming upon the top Psal 26.9 Psa 26.9 applied Gather not my soul with sinners nor my life with bloody men if you would not be gathered with them in the day of judgment do not you gather to them now in communion in Ordinances nor in intimate society The Lacedemonians Lacedem would not suffer a stranger to be with them above three daies and shall we associate our selves with such ar are strangers to God God had made a great difference betwixt Istael and other people they were a people seperated from all the people of the earth Exod. 33.16 in the Original it is marvailously seperated or set apart for God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were a people whom God did own in a more peculiar manner and his eye was upon them for good therefore it did not become them to mix with other people Ephraim is a cake not turned We reade this expression and make little of it but there is very much concerning us in it mark well the expression the repetition of the word Ephraim Ephraim is a cake not turned the Prophet here speaks in a condoling way and manner Oh Ephraim what my deer son and do thus Ephraim was a cake not turned in these four respects In their plots and counsels they did not turn their designs and proceedings up and down they thought of one way of false worship but not of another to wit the time which might have carried on their plots they did not weigh circumstances this way and that way A cake not turned or baked that is you could not tell what to make of him he was so indifferent that it mattered not much to him whether God were God or Baal 1 Kings 18.21 How many men are of this garb among us both in their opinions and practices As a cake not turned in regard of their perverseness allthough heavy afflictions were upon them that they lay as it were burning upon the coals and took no means for their help and cure they cried out and lay howling upon their beds yet they turned not to the Lord they could not devise a way to escape they were good for nothing as a cake not baked like those in Jer. 3.5 Will he reserve his anger for ever will he keep it to the end Behold thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest Just thus it is with souls in their spiritual estates in terrors of conscience and sorrow for sin they lie pining away in their iniquities and take no course to deliver and help themselves when thou art in this condition thou shouldest be acting upon God and looking after him thou shouldest not lie scorching and burning upon the coals of thy transgressions but should make out after the mercy of God in Jesus Christ Luther Luther and Vatablus Vatablus make the sense of the words to note the greediness of Ephraims adversaries they were like a man pinched with hunger and coming to food fal upon it presently and eat the cake presently and wil not stay till it be baked thus Ephraims adversaries fell upon him but this I conceive not to be the meaning of the words but the second and the third It follows VER 9. Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not yea gray hairs are here and there upon him yet he knoweth not STrangers have devoured his strength By strength we must understand Ephraims rich and warlike power and here we may see the poor shifts and strength of carnal hearts the Almighty is the strength of the Saints Humane strength such a strength is God that all the Devils in hell nor men on earth cannot take away from them strangers devoured the strength of Ephraim wicked men such as were not in covenant with God may rob the Saints of their outward supports and comforts a good cause may miscarry when those which are the mannagers of it are rested upon and too much confidence is placed in them we see how just it is with God to cross and turn the designs of men against themselves when they forsake God and this is a great curse to men when wicked men are suffered to take away what we have and do enjoy in our estates and liberties and metaphorically this may be applied to our spirituall strength we should take special care that strong lusts do not devour our strength for God and this is the reason of our flatness in duties you many times complain of deadness in prayer examine whether there be not some secret lust which takes away your strength And is it a misery for strangers to devour the strength of our bodies and estates much more of our spirits It follows And he knows it not The Note from hence is this Obser That the hearts of wicked men do so strongly work after their lusts that although they meet with never so many difficulties in their way yet they know them not But in good they know every little difficulty they meet withal and have repenting thoughts in them that ever they were so engaged in a good Cause but in their own waies the waies of their lusts they are not troublesom to them It follows Gray hairs are here and there upon him That is Such miseries as make them gray there were at this time many troubles upon the ten Tribes gray hairs often
who have good intentions good purposes aims and desires and yet have some secret warping which they know not of simile which may make them miscarry to all eternity A man may with a deceitful bow aim at a beast and yet kill a man so many may think they strike at sin and yet with that very goad may at the same time wound the Saints It follows Their Princes shall fall by the sword These were they who had the chief hand in the setting up of false worship and in oppressing those that would not joyn with them now God would reach these great ones In times of battel Princes stand by secured at a distance they have their Life guards they put on others and think to be safe themselves they will bring others into straights and miseries and care not though thousands of them be slain at a fight they shall do well enough but saith God they shall not so escape in battel Their Princes shall fall by the sword it shall not distinguish them from others For the rage of their tongue They raged against God his People and Ordinances and thought themselves too big to be contradicted we may note here Obs That when men grow very wicked they grow outragious like mad men there is no ruling of them there is such a world of wickedness in them they take a liberty to say what they please we find many strong expressions about the tongue in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the 70. render the words As Job 5.21 it is called a scourge therefore the Saints are promised to be delivered from it 2. Psal 57.4 it is cal'd a sharp sword Prov. 12.18 there is that speaketh like the piercing of a sword Prov. 25.18 a man that beareth false witness against his neighbor Epethites of the tongue is a Mole and a Sword and a sharp Arrow 3. It is compared to fire yea unto the fire of hell James 3.7 8. To the coals of Juniper Psal 120.4 which are quickly kindled but abide long all these expressions with others we find about the tongue of the wicked But now see what is said of the tongues of the Saints Cant. 4.11 Thy lips Oh my Spouse drop as the hony comb hony and milk are under thy tongue And Prov. 10.20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver The heart of the wicked is little worth 4. An outragious tongue is such a poyson as poysons it self which no other poyson doth other poysons hurt no further than they are applied they cannot poyson at a distance but this is such a strange working thing that it will both hurt and so destroy men that they shall never recover themselves and this it wil do at a distance and come not neer these men have such dispositions that they will let none pass without a lash of their tongue Now the Lord he will not let these go in this manner he will scorn the scorners when these men are in their rage none are spared Magistrates Misiers Parents Ordinances no nor God Himself But Christ will convince them of their hard words Consider how in your families or in some companies you have been guilty of the rage of the tongue in these kinds It follows in the last words This shall be their derision in the Land of Egypt When they come to Egypt they think to find them their friends that they will help them and stick unto them no saith God instead of helping them they shall scorn them One part of the rage of their tongue was in speaking basely of the worship of God and of his people and now the Egyptians shal speak basely to them Why do you come to us for help where is your God become that you so boasted of Therefore just is it with God that those which forsake him and his help and go to men for succor that they by them should be made a scorn O it is a most grievous judgment for Gods people to be made a scorn by such the Egyptians And it should be our care and duty not to put our brethren into such straights that the poor Saints of God should be forced to go to the wicked for help least they should reproach them saying Why do you come to us What cannot your holy brethren releeve you do you expect help from us But in special this is their derision in the land of Egypt the rage of their tongue their fallings out one with another they could not agree but wrangled and jangled among themselves when the Egyptians shall see this they shall deride them and look upon them as the greatest objects of scorn that possibly can be The Lord deliver us from this judgment when was there such divisions amongst us as at this day Oh the rage of the tongue which abounds in every place the Devil himself hath a chief stroke in this rage and he laughs to see it prosper and encrease as well as our adversaries who laugh in their sleeves at us both and what should move us more to agree one with another than this The consideration of that woful scorn and derision we should be to them if God should deliver us up into their hands Now as this their rage was a symtom to them of their ruin so the Lord grant that we Prophet in time of destress Page 87 All All pretend to seek God Page 408 Ambition The ambition of Priests Page 103 Anathema Maranatha Anathema Maranatha what it means Page 903 Apes An Apes tooth worshiped for a god Page 200 Apostates The hearts of Apostates are rooted in wickednesse Page 357 Apostates seldom turn Page 384 Apostacy What the beginning of Apostacy is Page 425 Art What the art of Preaching is and wherein it consists Page 440 Avenged God will be avenged for breach of trust Page 29 Agravation Agravation of Englands wickedness Page 642 Application Application to the Parliament Page 580 Application to England in general ibid Application to private men ib. Assemblies Church assemblies are not alwaies safe Page 608 Arguments Arguments that mercy is coming Page 547 Arguments of a carnal heart Page 550 B Baseness The baseness of people discribed and whereon it consists Page 367 Beasts When the beasts are taken away our comforts are gone Page 65 Beda Beda his opinion of Austin the Monk Page 395 Best Best men not to be depended on Page 485 Beware Men ought to beware of secret sins Page 483 Blood Blood requires blood Page 48 Bribery Bribery in Magistrates is a curse of God upon a Nation Page 221 Beginnings It is grievous to God for men to let fall good beginnings and the reasons why Page 582 see Dangerous Body God is careful of the body Page 607 bound God is not bound to do for man Page 571 C Carnal men Carnal men shall be ashamed and why Page 331 Carnalists Carnalists portion is outward Page 434 Christ see Humble Christ see Duty Children Wicked children are a dishonor to their parents Page
controverse into his own hand to contend with them in a way of judgment It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hand of the living God You think Ministers are hard they preach terrible things but if you have to deal with God immediately if he should not speak to you by man but come himself and plead with you you would find it harder to deal with him When Jobs friends were pleadiâ—g with him he could easily make his part good with them but Chap 38. ver 1 2. God himself comes and speaks out of the whirlwind Who is he that darkenâ—th counsel by words without knowledg and so goes on in a chapter or two Chap. 42. ver 5. Job falleth down now and saith I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye sâ—eth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and asâ—es Psal 130.3 is a notable scripture for this purpose If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity Oh Lord who should stand Mark the words how Lord is twice here repeated it would have been full sense thus If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity who shall stand There would have been a mighty emphasiâ— in the word Jehovah who shall stand for it is thou oh Jehovah but it comes in again to Note that herein lies the Emphasis if thou Lord shouldst mark iniqity Oh Lord who shall stand This Oh Lord seems to be a pleonasme one would think that it breaks the sense but the scope is to shew that the sight of having to deal with God in our sins is very terrible If thou Lord maâ—kest sin causes a dreadful controvercy between God and man then Oh Lord who shall stand But further that which is the main thing in this is That sin causeth a most dreadful controversie between God and the soul between God and a Nation For this God comes to strive to contend for his glory the siner strives contends against God It is God that is infinitely above the sinner who hath the controversie wiâ—h him Isa 45.9 Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker Let the potsâ—eâ—rds of the earth strive with the potsheards Yet thus doth every sinful impenitent soul and every sinful impenitent Nation they strive with their Maker The Lord is above them therefore to intimate the distance between God and us in this controversie saith the text The Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land poor earth-creeping creatures that have dwellings here below whose houses are hâ—uses of clay and God is the great God of Heaven and Earth The controversy that God hath with a sinner is a just controversie God ha h right on his side and the injury is great that is done unto him Thirdly It is a controversie that we have begun God did not begin it with us but we began it with him we have the worst of it Fourthly It is an old controversie a controversy of our forefatherâ— a controversie that God hath had with one generation after another and we as a wretched generation stand forth to hold up the old controversy As in England in formertimes there hath been wars for hundreds of yeers as in the Barons wars and when one generation was gone the generation after stood forth to hold up that controversie so it hath been between God and man God hath had a controversy with the children of men ever since the fall of Adam and one generation after another hath stood forth to hold up the controversie and thou wretched sinner standest up in thy generation in thy place to hold up the controversie that mankind hath had with God since his calling out of Paradice Fiftly It is such a controversie as stirreth up all the Power all the Wrath of God against a sinner if God have any power in him it shall be put forth in making his cause good against a sinner Levit. 26. diverâ— places in that chapter If ye walk contrary unto me I will walk contrary unto you my Power my Wisdom all mine Attribuâ—es are against you A man that hath a controversy with another imployes and improves all the strength he hath against him that he is at controversy with This controversie is a deadly controversie it is such as strikes at our lives at our souls at our eternal eâ—â—ates A controversy with God who is set upon it to hâ—ve satisfaction for all the wrong we have done to him he will have it one way or other Such a controversie as only the Lord Christ that great Mediator that great Peace-maker is able to make up None can reconcile God and a sinner but Christ God-Man He must stand before God to satisfie for the wrong the sin of man hath done unto him A controversie with him who hath thee at infinite advantage who hath thee under his feet and the point of the sword of his Justice is at thy heart A controversie that if thou look not to it is like to prove an everlasting controversie Psal 57.16 I will not contend for ever neither will I alwayes be wroth for the Spirit should fail before me This is spoken to those that are in Covenant with God in regard of the lesser controversies that after their reconciliation may be between God and them But with thee if not reconciled to God in Christ who art yet in the great controversie that God hath with sinful man I say if thou lookest not to it it may prove an everlasting controversie to thee Certainly God will overcome thee God will have the day of thee the Lord will overcome when he judgeth Julian strove a great while against the Lord but at length Vicisti Galilae vicisti he was forced to acknowledg with his blood cast up into the air The Lord hath overcome the Lord will overcome It is a vain thing for thee to stand out striving with this great God Job 40.2 Shall he that comendeth with the Almighty instruct him So it is translated in your books but according to the words in the Hebrew and so translated by Pagnin and others Is there any wisdom or any learning in contending with God any knowledge shewed in that No certainly there is no knowledge no wisdome no learning in contending with the Almighty Our greatest wisdome is to fall down to be humbled before the Lord. The Lord hath appointed a certain period for thy coming in to make up thy peace with him to satisfie him if thou neglectest that time thou art lost undone for ever My brethren this is no time to have any controversie with God to stand out against him in waies of enmity It is time now when such blackness of darkness is upon us even storms of blood hang over our heads It is time now I say however to be at peace with Heaven to make our peace with God Job 36.18 There is wrath beware therefore that he take thee not away with his stroke The Lord is come forth from his place he is pleading his cause and now
in the waies of his administration he declares that he will have glory from his creature he hath sworn by Himself and the word hath gone out of his mouth in righteousness that every knee must bow to him and every tongue confesse his Name he seems now to resolve he will have it so indeed he will have all to bow before him It is no time therefore now for us to have controversies with God to have controversies with God and man both with Heaven and Earth and Hell and with our own consciences and all What shall become us Be not thou a terror O Lord unto me saith Jeremiah for thou art my hope in the day of evil If God be a terror and the daies be evil Ier. 17. what will become of us It is time to fall down and make peace with God Consider of this you who are so often in controversies with your Neighbors Remember in all your controversies that God hath a great controversy with you And satisfie not your selves in this that you are able to cleer your selves before men what is that so long aâ— this controversy continues It is a dangerous thing to go on long in this controversy with God it is wisdom to make an end of it betime Pro. 17.14 The beginning of strife is like the letting out of waters wherefore leave off contention before it be medled with The beginning of strife especially with God is most dreadful if thou goest on but a little while thine heart may be most desperately set against God and for ever left to strive against him never to come in and be humbled before him This is the reason I verily beleeve of the most horred wickedness of some men amongst us we wonder at it that ever any man should dare to venture upon such horrid wickednesses one after another Surely here is the reason at first it may be when they were young there was some dreadful breach between God and their souls they fell though the world perhaps knew it not into some foul and abominable sin and having made such a dreadful breach between God and their souls then they now go on desperately and fight against the God of Heaven in such a desperate manner as never any age can cell us any examples of such desperate fighting against God as is in this age God hath a controversie with Nations also for their sin Those who are to suit for God may wel charge us that the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land at this day If ever he had a controversy with a people he hath it with us The Lord hath a fearful controversy with us he hath most fearful things to charge this land with I might instance in some things that are more peculiar to this nation than to any other upon the face of the earth As the hatred contempt persecution of the power of godliness No nation upon the face of the earth hath that guilt in this regard upon it that England hath nor never had since the world began Persecution of faithful godly Ministers of the same Religion holding all fundamental Truths yea all the Articles of Religion every point of the Doctrine of Religion together with them I say never any Nation was guilty of that persecution as we of this Kingdom are Silencing many for â—rifles and toyes Persecuting for keeping the Sabbath It is true other countries are loose in their practice or the Sabbath but no country upon the face of the earth hath ever persecuted the keeping of it as England hath done and that by the câ—untenance of those in authority We are si ner and others are sinners but the Lord hath a controversy with us for these things in a more special manner than with any people upon the facâ— of the earth this day This controversy the Lord hath against us is an old controversy too I may apply that text Jer. 32.31 that God speaks concerning the City of Jerusalem unto us This Citie hath been to me as a proâ—ocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day So ever since the Reformation hath begun have we bin a provocation to the Lord. Thirdly A general controversy even with all sorts a controversy with our Kings and Princes with our Nobles oâ—r Gentry our Cities Countries Universities Common people with wicked people with godly people with the Saints with all Fourthly It is the most unkind controversie in regard of our parts that ever was in any Nation for God had dealt with us in such a loving way as he hath not done with any Nation in the world besides he hath made us even as the dearly beloved of his soul and yet for all this we have contended against him This unkindness goes even to the very heart of God Fiftly The Lord hath sent many faithful Ambassadours to plead his cause with us He never to any Nation upon the earth sent more faithful Ambassadours that have pleaded his cause with more power and evidence of the Spirit than to us in England yet we have stood out Sixtly We have had as many offers of mercy as ever people had Many a time we have been upon the brink of Judgment and the bowels of God have been towards us and he hath said it shall not be Seventhly The Lord hath been as patient he hath staied as long as ever he did with any people before he came to execution Where do we reade of any people that have had a hundred yeers peace Ours is not much less Never that I know of in all the Scripture Eightly The Lord hath had us at advantages as much as can be we have broke as many treaties as ever people broke When we seemed to yeild unto God we have but flattered him with our lips and dealt dissemblingly with him Ninthly God hath broken the backs of others with whom he hath had a controversy He hath had a controversy with Germany and how hath he dealt with them Thus he beginneth to deal with us It is reported that in Germany when the war was but twenty or thirty miles off them they went on in their trading and followed their businesses buying and selling and hoped that they should be safe so it is with us Is not some part of England at this day as desolate as Germany it self Tenthly Those that knew most of Gods mind have been so afraid of this controversie that they have fled for fear of the wrath of God and we have slighted jeered them for it thought it was their foolish timerousness and melancholly conceit The Lord now seems to justifie their fear The Lord is now for the present out against us in as dreadful a way of wrath as ever he was against any people of the earth I never read in Scripture nor in History of a more dreadful wrath of God against a people all things considered than is against us at this day Amos 7.4 The
families and pray together and sing together Our condition is not yet as it is here threatned against Israel that they should be as a lamb in a large place bleating up and down and none to regard them If one should be in some parts of Germany and there see an English man in some great straight simile wring his hands and making grievous complaints and no body succouring of him or helping him there he remembers what he hath been in England in what fashion he hath lived and now there is none regards him this were a sad condition This is the condition here threatned They shall be fed as a lamb in a large place Verse 17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols Let him alone You have heard before that God gives warning unto Judah to take heed of the sins of Israel of the ten Tribes And many arguments are used some you have heard and others remain This 17. verse hath two strong arguments for it First Ephraim is joyned to Idols Ephraim engaging himself in that way of false worship is now so in wrapped in that sin and guilt that he cannot tel how to get out he is joyned to it Note As it is the way of Idolaters and the curse of God upon them that when they are once got into that sin it is very hard ever to recover them out of it Take heed Judah that you come not into it Secondly As he is joyned so being strongly set upon his Idols so the Lord hath given him up to his Idols There is this curse of God upon him to say Let him alone Oh Judah take heed what you do then So that these words are brought in as two arguments to perswade Judah not to do as Israel hath done and indeed all the remainder too of this Chapter is brought in this way To speak then of these Ephraim is joyned to Idols Ephraim why Ephraim was dead long ago Ephraim was one of the Patriarches the child of a Patriarch at least he was the grand-child of Jacob and he had a great blessing upon him Gen. 48.20 In thee shall Israel bless and shall say God make thee like Ephraim Ephraim had a special blessing upon him such a blessing as that the rest of the Tribes should say God bless thee and make thee like Ephraim for Josephs tribe was in Ephraim and Mannasses and yet now it is said that Ephraim is joyned to Idols Why Ephraim Because that the chief of the ten Tribes that were now joyned to Idols were the children of Ephraim Exposit 1 for Ephraim and Mannasses stood in stead of Joseph that Patriarch and the children I say of Ephraim were those that were joyned to Idols which were the chief of the ten Tribes From whence the first Note is this That Children that are wicked they are great disgraces and dishonors unto their parents Obs 1. Ephraim that was dead long before suffers dishonor by his children that are now joyned to Idols Use Let children out of reverence and respect to their parents take heed what they do Secondly All the ten Tribes were joined to Idols why then Exposit 2 is Ephraim named rather than any of the other The reason is this because that Jeroboam and the Princes were all of the tribe of Ephraim and therefore all is put upon them He doth not say the ten Tribes are joyned to Idols but Ephraim is because indeed the Idolatry of all the other nine Tribes was from the Idolatry of Jeroboam and the Princes that were of the Tribe of Ephraim From whence another Note is this That The Governours of people are usually the causes of the evil of the Obs 2 people and especially in the point of false worship If Governours be superstitious and Idolaters if they will favour Idolatry all the people usually or the generallity of them will go that way They contract the guilt of the Idolatry of all the false worship of the people Ephraim doth Jeroboam and the Princes that were of that Tribe contracts all the guilt of the Idolatry of all the ten Tribes therefore it is said Ephraim only as if only Ephraim was joyned to Idols Governours therefore that are superstitious and Idolatrous have woful guilt upon them and we have cause to lament their condition exceedingly We reade in that second of Matthew where the wise men came to enquire after the King of the Jews they came from a far Countrey they said they had seen his star and they desired to know where the place was that he should be born in It was a mighty work such a work as did trouble Herod and al Jerusalem with him was in a mighty trouble what this should be a strange thing that such wise men should come so far from a far Country and tell us of a star that appeared and that a King of the Jews should be born all the people were troubled together with the King so as that they called a counsel of all the chief Priests and the Scribes and such as were expert in the Law to know where Christ should be born and this Counsel told them that the place was to be in Bethlehem and upon that the wise men according to their direction or according to the star Note went to find out the place But mark you do not reade of any one of all the people of Jerusalem that went with the wise men Although they were stirred at it and thought it a wonderful work that a star should thus appear and that these wise men should come and enquire for the King of the Jews and that their own Teachers should tell them that he was to be born at Bethlehem and thereupon they went to Bethlehem to search it out yet I say we do not reade that any of the people went with them No they durst not because of Herod Herod that was then their Prince he did not frame that way and therefore not one of the people would follow after the wise men to search after Christ So it is usual that when Governors discountenance the waies of God the people generally do as they do And especially Governours that are in waies of superstition and Idolatry and together with those waies shall give people liberty to satisfie their lusts then they will cleave unto them indeed as Jeroboam and the rest of the Princes did they set up a false way of worship and together with that they gave libety unto the people to satisfie their lusts as appeared partly before and will further appear in this prophesie And this was one special way by which they gained the hearts of the people to them in their false worship because they gave scope and liberty to their lusts Let any Princes and Governors set up and countenance any false way of worship and together with it give liberty to the people for the satisfying of their lusts and they will gain enow unto them there is no cause to wonder that such Princes should