wicked men creep in amongst them and be amongst them Who knows the hearts of men when they come in and therefore the best Churches may have wicked men amongst them This I say all men do hold therefore this Objection Will not there be wicked men in the best Church can have no strength in it for there is no man denies it and therefore they that make it fight with a shadow Answ 2 But secondly I lay this for another position which I think all men whatsoever wil grant also That the Sacrament is not defiled to the receivers meerly for the presence of wicked men there I verily beleeve every one will grant this I know none in the world for my part denies this to be a truth namely that the Sacrament is not defiled to the right receivers of it meerly because wicked men are present there No man affirmâ— the contrary to this but all that I know of that are the strictest in the way of Church order and discipline will grant this to be a truth that the Sacrament is not defiled to true receivers meerly because wicked men are there But what then you will say Quest How shall we distinguish mixture of communion or mixture of worsâ—ip Not meerly because wicked mâ—n are there But first then Answ 1 a Congregation is defiled if they do not use the power that Christ hath given unto them As he hath given a power unto every Church let the Church-state be what it will to cast out all the scandalous persons that are amongst them Now if this Church shal under what pretence soever as saying they have no power or that the power is taken from them or the like neglect the duty of it viz to cast out those that are unworthy then the Church cometh to be defiled when and how a Church and the coÌ„munion of it is defiled by the presence of wicked men 2 Cor. 5. opened aplied and their communion to be defiled So that their communion is not defiled because the wicked are there but because they neglect their duties of casting out the wicked from thence For let a man be wicked let him be a hypocrite it is not the duty of the Church to cast out that hypocrite until he discover himself but if that hypocrite discover himself if then the Church perform not her duty as it ought in casting him out then it cometh to be defiled And the example of the incestious Corinth in 2 Cor. 5. is a plain place for it A little leaven saith the Apostle leaveneth the whol lamp What is that lump there It is the Church communion and the leaven there is the incestious person and the Apostle gives order to cast him out now saith he while this leaven continues if you do not do your dutie to cast out this scandaloâ—s person your 〈◊〉 up your whol communion will come to be defiled So Churches come to be defiled 2. How paâ—â—icular persons Again further Not only Churches come to be defiled but secondly particular persons and communicants come to be defiled in this if they neglect the duty that belongs unto them as Christians That is thus Christ requires this If thy brotâ—er offend thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone but if he will not bear thee then take with thee one or two more And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church Now if thou hast done this thy duty to all scandalous persons in the Congregation then the sin be upon the Church thou maist receive the Sacrament with comfort though wicked men be admitted there So that though the communion be defiled that is defiled to those that are guilty to those that have neglected their duty wheresoever the power lies in a Church whosoever in that Church neglects their duty of casting out those that offend they defile the communion so farr as in them lieth and if any of you that are particular members neglect your duties so far as in you lieth the communion is defiled by you but if you do your duty once then though wicked men may be there you may receive the Sacrament with comfort For though the communion may be defiled in respect of others that have neglected their duty yet it is not defiled in respect of you that have done your duty Now then to conclude this with that place in Psal 119.1 Blessed is the man that is undefiled in the way Blessed are those men that in their way in the course of their lives keep themselves from defilement and especially keep themselves from defilement in the waies of Gods worship Blessed is he whose heart is cleansed from secret filth that by the vain carnal plots reasonings and cunning fetches of wicked men he doth not defile himself in his way Again A further Note from hence is this Obser A defiled Nation near to ruin A defiled Nation is neer uâ—â—â—â—â—â—n Israel is defiled He speâ— srael that is ready to fall for so it follows verse 5. Israel aâ—â— Ephraim shall fall and here just before he tels us that Israel is defiled When cloathes are filthy and nasty and wil not be purged are not worth the cleansing simile we usually cast them upon the dunghil so when there is defilement and filth amongst a people and they will not be purged and are grown even rotten in their filthiness the Lord casteth them upon the dunghil While a Nation is purging there is hope simile While God is indeed purging of a Nation I beseech you observe it there is all that while hope of that Nation As for example though a piece of cloath be very soul yet if you see the servants of the house washing that cloath you will say surely this piece of cloath is not intended for the dunghil It is soul indeed and it is noisom but you see there is care taken and cost bestowed upon it for the purging of it and that is an argument that there is an intention for the preserving of it So while the Lord is taking care and bestowing cost to purge a Nation there is much hope that the Lord intends to save that Nation And we may comfortably hope that this is Gods intention toward us God knows we have been a defiled people England and have defiled our selves never a one of us but may lay his hand upon his heart and say I have been defiled and so may deserve to be cast upon the dunghil But behold the Lord is bestowing cost upon us and He is cleansing and purging of us and therefore we may hope that the Lord will not cast us off But no mervail that the Lord letteth us and our brethren lie abroad in frosty nights Frostynights Many complain of much hardship our brethren many of them are sent from their houses where they have had their beds and fire and now are fain to lie in the fields in the cold No marvail I say this Nation hath
and shall break out so perspicuously that they shall cleerly convince you though formerly they pleaded for themselves as they in Isa 58. that let them be never so well conceipted of themselves I will discover them to be but a company of base Hypocrites I will then shew you such cleer demonstrations of the waies of righteousness in which you should have walked that all shall discern what you are it shall then appear as cleer as the light wherein you have gone astray from the rule Expos 2 Again the words may be taken actively and then the sense is That my power shall so appear upon them that their righteousness and holiness shall appear as the light And then though my judgments were smart and tedious at the first yet you shall not repent it you shall see so much good from them which will make amends and pay all charges Or thus I have sent my Prophets among this people for this very end and purpose to make this people a righteous people and that they may manifest this as cleerly as the light And thus you have the meaning of the words the observations follow Obs 1 Vnconstancy in the waies of Religion causes God to be incensed against a people Such men as are off and on which make overtures in the waies of Religion had need to have cutting truths preached to them Therefore have I hewed them saith God by my Prophets and as Gods Ministers must deal thus with their people so must every man in particular who loves his own soul and if so be â—hy soul be precious in thy eyes thou wilt willingly deal sharply with thy self say Oh wretched heart that I have to let such stirrings die such motions of the spirit come to nothing dost thou know whom thou hast to deal withal the infinite great God and for what thou hast to deal with him for no less than eternity and hast thou stirrings of heart about this and dost thou let them die this provokes God Many mens hearts are like knotty timber and rough stones Obs 2 I have hewen them And the longer men continued in their sins the knottier they are as timber which hath lain long soking in the water is tough hardened so mens spirits that are soaked in their evil waies Oh how untoward are they and how hard a thing is it to fasten any thing that is good upon them so that when we see mens spirits tough stubborn and hard to be wrought upon think of this text I have hewed them by my Prophets That this is spoken of a people whose goodness was as the morning cloud and the early dew which passeth away The Note is That many people although their goodness be but as the dew Obs 3 soon off yet their evil is hard and setled the goodness of many is like the * A fit simile softness of a plumb soon crushed but their wickedness is like the stone in the plumb hard and unflexable so that you may here see grace truth doth not consist in good motions stirrings and desires for these may be where the heart is not melting soft nor tender the heart is not changed for were the heart kindly wrought upon it would kindly yeeld and buckle under the power of the Word when it comes against their sins there would be a taking part with the Word Gods Ministers are hewers I have hewed them by my Prophets Obs 4 elsewhere they are called Gods Workmen and here Hewers and that in these two respects Either to prepare them for Gods building or to cast them into the fire these are Gods ends in sending His Ministers His Hewers now they hew all good and bad to take them off from their own rootings and make them as beams in Gods building or to be as an ax laid to the root of their souls 'T is recorded that in the building of Solomons Temple there was no noise of knocking with hammers or tools the materials being prepared fitted and squared beforehand so those which will be members of Gods Temple hereafter must be hewed and fitted for it here therefore John is said to be one sent to make rough things plain to level great mountains mountains of sins crabbed and rugged spirits Use Ministers work difficult By this work you may see what a hard task the Ministers labor is this made Jeremiah to complain when he saw the dulness and stupidity of the people resolved that he would speak no more in the Name of the Lord to this people The work of a Minister it is more laborious than the work of a Carpenter as Chrysostom Chrysostom expresses it for saith he the Carpenter when he hath wrought hard all day he goes home and comes again in the morning and finds it as he left it but we hew and take pains and leave our people and come again we find them worse than before Obs 5 That the Ministers of the Gospel when they meet with such rough crosse and untoward spirits must deale with them answerably I have hewed them by my Prophets my Prophets have done their work upon them God seems to speak to the Prophets to bid them sharpen their tools make their instruments keen preach sutably unto them saving some with fear as the Apostle Jude speaks verse 23. I wonder what people can say to this Scripture who cry out against Ministers for preaching the Law when the text saies plainly and save some with fear therefore let those that are the Ministers of the Word have a care that they sharpen their tools by the Word putting an edge upon them that so they may encounter with the greatest oppositions When the Ministers hew God hews I have hewn them saith Obs 6 God when as it was the Prophets that did it Is the Word sharp and doth it come close at any time then look to God which makes it so Is the tool sharp and doth it smart then look to the hand that directed the stroke and know that if God hew thee he will have his will upon thee he will accomplish the end he aims at when God hews thee if thou dost not work under his hand to make something of for use he will throw thee into the fire as a work man in an angry fit of passion throws away the piece he is at work upon into the fire so saith God this man or this woman they are good for nothing I 'le throw them into the fire take heed you who have stirrings and motions unto good and yet have your secret lusts beloved bosom-corruptions know that God may cut you down for the fire and thou mayest be already cut down for the fire though thou livest in the bosome of the Church under the Ordinances before thou art cut down by death as we may see the figtree was cut down yet had leaves for a while green and flourishing know 't is possible that a man which makes a glorious profession and performs many duties yet may be
punished Oh the sad cries of many people in their sicknesses and death-beds How many times have I been warned by the Word but I slighted warnings I did not regard them warnings have been no warnings to me therefore justly am I in misery Use Oh that the consideration of this might be more prevalent and work more upon us than ever Gods quikness in His judgments wrought towards those that stand out against a quick searching Ministry VER 6. For I desired Mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings THis being a great Scripture having much of the mind of God in it and much difficulty in the understanding of it ConexioÌ„ I reade no further at this time Here we have a reason of Gods severe expression in the former verse where it was said that God had hewed them by his Prophets and slew them by the words of his mouth Why was God so severe against them it was because he would not be put off with their sacrifices they boulâ—tered up themselves with these objecting against the Prophet when he pressed them to mercy and to the knowledg of God Why are not we abundant in serving of God burnt offerings are not neglected by us and why should not we be accepted No saith God I desired mercy and not sacrifice never tell me of your sacrifices and burnt offerings so long as there is no mercy among you Therefore have I hewed them by my Prophets slain them by the words of my mouth you are so glued unto these outward things that I must hew you off from them This sentence is most famous quoted twice by Christ himself in the new Testament which we do not find of any place again which notes the eminency of it the first time it is quoted you shall find in Mat. 9.13 and the second in Mat. 12.7 For the meaning of of the words Exposit For I desired mercy the word signifies to desire and to will a thing with a great complacency or delight as if God should say mercy is a thing so pleasing to me that I desire it at my heart the word in the Original is fuller than is exprest in our English translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing in the world is so pleasing unto me as mercy There is Gods great mercy in reconciling the world unto himself by Jesus Christ and this is more worth than al the sacrifices in the world but this is not the mercy meant in the text Heb. 10.5 6 Burnt offerings and sacrifices thou hadst no pleasure in but a body hast thâ—u prepared there is no mercy like this the mercy of God in his Son Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy goodness and rigâ—teousness But the mercy here meant in the text it is the mercy of man and the word here mercy is the same word in the Original with that in the 4. verse your goodness is as the morning cloud that passeth away so that I desire mercy that is not the mercy of God but mercy to Man and that mercy to our selves so Chriâ—t interprets it in Mat. 12.7 Iâ— ye had known what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice ye would not hâ—ve condemned the guiltless As if Christ should say God in some cases would have men provide for themselves though they neglect the keeping of the Sabbath I will have mercy as to our selves so to others mercy to men either to their bodies or to their souls mercy to the body every one will grant but it ought to be especially to the soul warranted from Christs other quotation of these words Mat. 9.13 Go ye and learn what that meaneâ—h I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance This word mercy Mercy is a synechdoche comprehending all the duties of the second Table under one I will have mercy and not sacrifice Sacrifice by sacrifice is meant synechdocically all instituted Ordinances and Worship all the affirmative precepts of the second and fourth commandements all Ordinances commanded them then or that ever should be commanded them hereafter are included in these commands and this appears to be so by Christs applying of the text in Mat. 12.7 where it is applyed to the sanctification of the Sabbath and in Mat. 9.13 there Christ applies it and quotes it under an Ordinance whether true or not humane or divine it matters not the separation of the Jews from publicans and sinners it being unlawful to eat with them yet in a case of mercy they might having thereby an opportunity to do good to their souls so that from these two texts you see a cleare warrant for the interpretation of this text Now in the further cleering of it I shall answer some questions satisfie some objections and lastly raise certain observations Quest 1 What is an instituted Ordinance There are natural Ordinances and instituted Duties Now what is the difference between them for natural worship God stands so much upon it that He will have it before all kind of mercy inform us therefore of the difference of these two Answ For the unfolding of this know that by Natural Duties we understand 1. Natural Duties such Duties as we ow to God as God and to be performed by us as to a God Then there are other duties to be performed by men as unto men which if there had been no law to bind them to the performance of them yet they would be performed by men they were bound to perform them they are radicated in the heart such Duties as the first Commandement binds us unto Duties of Natural worship To have no other Gods but the Lord to fear this God and Him alone to love Him before all and above all to trust in Him for help at all times these are Duties to be done as unto a God Nature it self teacheth a man to perform these Duties Then there are Duties to be performed unto men Natural duties of humanity As honoring of parents speaking the truth not deceiving one another defiling mens bodies these Duties are radicated in the heart that were there no Law of God to bind men yet it were in mens hearts to do them Natural duties must not yeeld to mercy 2. Instituted duties Now these Duties must not yeild to mercy But for instituted worship such which if God had not revealed had not been duties neither could men be bound unto them As for their sacrifices under the Law by Bullocks and Goats these kind of sacrifices were they not revealed by some Prophet to be the mind of God they had not bin bound unto them So for our Church Ordinances of Sacraments Christian Admonition and the like are such as flow from Gods Prerogative and not so much from Gods Nature the other duties lie in Gods Nature and Holiness and are to be performed unto Him as to a God so holy But how
command of Christ who saith That he which forsakes not father and mother for my sake and the Gospel Matt. 10.37 Christs speech of neglect of parents expounded and follows not me is not worthy of me Here now is a mistake in this Is not worthy of me that is if your parents should counsel advise perswade intice or command you to the practice of evil to the omission of any good to the breach of any command and upon your refusal they should be angry with you that you will not obey them but follow the command of God and not go out of Gods way in this case father and mother is to be forsaken for Christ and the Gospel but in no case if they stand in need of your help this is grounded upon that text in Mark 7.11 by Mark 7.11 which text I shall open to you but ye say If a man shall say to his father or mother It is Corban that is to say a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me he shall be free Now what is the meaning of this word Corban Corban The word signifies a gift consecrated to God now the Jews thought that if they could say the word Corban they were exempted from all duty to their parents in this kind 't is true I had an estate but I have consecrated it to God and Church services and though I owe duty and respect to you as my parents yet more to God as my Creator this is most vile and abominable and reproved by Christ himself Possidonus in the life of Austin Austin reports that Austin condemned parents who used to give their estates away to Monastries and pious uses as they thought and neglected their children so for children to neglect and slight parents in the time of their necessity and think to excuse it with this they have given to the Church and now they are not able to do any mâ—re this will not do it and this was the old way of Papists to get people to give to their Mother the Church I find cited a tradition by some of the Jews used by them when they fell out and were throughly angry one with another they would tell him he should never have any benefit in any thing which they had and this they called Corban and this in Mat. 15.5 is called a gift The gift of the Altar therefore some of the Heathens forbad this Oath Corban and yet this was the Oath that these did swear by and by some is used upon the matter even at this day as an Oath as thus when any that we have relation unto having throughly angred us we use to say well you shall never be a peny the better for me this is no other than this oath Corban which they used to swear by in this place In the case of the good of souls and this is Christs case Mat. 9.13 Go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance though men ought to prize Ordinances and to set a high esteem of Gods worship yet if it should so fall out that instituted worship and mercy to souls come together and both cannot be done together instituted worship may be left undone so not slighted and the work of mercy to the soul must be vallued before it we are ready to think that nothing must give way to instituted worship but certainly immortal souls are of more worth than Ordinances Paul was of such a disposition that he could wish himself out of Heaven and become an Anathema for his brethren that souls might be saved In case of humane societies and for the quiet state of Kingdoms and yet this no prejudice to Gods Ordinances God hath allowed to men the art of Navigation we reade Solomon sent ships to Tharshis to fetch gold which were it not for this text I could not see any warrant there were for that imployment of Navigation Navigation when men shall be three or four yeers out perhaps and never hear Sermons nor receive Sacraments and yet it is lawful upon this ground that God will have the peace of Sates and quiet of Kingdoms preserved and maintained he will rather suspence with men in the use of his own Ordinances for the prosperity of Civil States therefore Solomon is not reproved for sending Ships to Ophir for gold In the case of Church societies when the People of God are scattered and cannot meet together God is content in such cases His people should be without Ordinances and yet no sin to them as is cleer in the case of the children of Israel all the time the Church was in the wilderness even for fourty yeers together they wanted Circumcision but when they came into Canaan that they enjoyed any settlement than they were circumcised again and had the Passover which before they could not partake of so that in some cases and upon some grounds the people of God may be without Ordinances and that for a long time and yet without sin to them and upon this ground in the text I will have mercy and not sacrifice therfore this may be the reason of those words which Christ spake to His Disciples I have many things to say unto you but you are not able to bear them so may we say Christ hath many truths to reveal which yet people are not able to bear therefore he with-holds the revelation of them until that time In case of mercy to our bodies And this is Christs case in the 12th of Matthew 7. verse If ye had known what this meaneth ye would not have condemned the guiltless yet I will have mercy and not sacrifice Gods care of the bodies of men is such that he will rather have men do the one than the other He wil rather have mercy than the duty Christ doth not plead here for the Disciples that this was not a breach of the Sabbath but the case was such that their bodies required it it was a case of mercy and now God would rather have mercy than the duty A servant perhaps thinks much to stay at home to tend a child or look to the house upon the Lords day he objects Why should not I go to the Church Is not my soul of greater worth and price than this child or this house Now these people go upon a good principle yet here they er in their acting of it as to instance A father commands his child to do two services for him the one to wait on him at the table simile the other to make clean his shoos to wait upon his father at the table he is willing to do because this is creditable but the other he grumbles at and is disconted now in which doth he shew most obedience in Surely in obeying of the meanest command So God requires of us two sorts of Duties one the more honorable the other more mean yet perhaps the
meaner a work of mercy God is wonderful careful of our bodies God careful of the body and would have us also careful of the bodies of others men ought not to massacar their bodies God doth not require weak sickly bodies to spend whol nights in fasting and prayer God in this case will have mercy and not sacrifice of us Mercy in case of our own estates But here some may say What may we regard our own particular estates before the service of God Yea in some cases we may as thus Suppose we were in the Assembly at publick Ordinances and there should be a fire in the Town or theeves breaking into a house we might lawfully leave the Ordinances to quench the fire or to apprehend the theeves and save our goods Numb 9.13 If a man were in a journey and in the mean time the Passeover were to be delivered he might go on in his journey and do his business and yet no sin to him So may we if in a journey or special business if not on purpose we go about this in slighting or contemning of the Ordinance we may go on in our business without sin God will have mercy In the times of persecution God doth allow his people the forbearing of some Ordinances as is cleer in Acts 8.1 There was at that time a great persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem so that the Church was scattered and could not be together to enjoy Church-fellowship and yet it was no unto them Church assemblys not alwaies safe it had been an unjust charge if any should have come and said What do you prize your lives so highly and fear the losse of them more than the Ordinances of God wil not you joyn together in Church-fellowship and constant assembling your selves together because you think you shall suffer by it No in such case God will have mercy and not sacrifice In the case of some eminent service for God As in the case of Nehemiah he being the Kings Cup-bearer he must attend it and when he was to go up to Jerusalem by the Kings leave when he had finished his work he returns to the King again to serve in his place though he wanted the Ordinances there in the Kings Court which he might have enjoyed at Jerusalem yet that he might be more serviceable in the Churches Cause he is contented to deny himself in his own comforts These are the cases with others of the like nature in which God wil have mercy and not sacrifice I shal answer some Objections that may be made against this Obj. 1 But mens hearts are deceitful and they may pretend cases of mercy when there is no such thing in hand Answ Know though in such a case thou couldst not do it yet do not thou judge another man that may or can do it the rule is difficult that 's true yet do not thou envie another mans grace to whom God hath given power to mannage his business with Christian wisdom thou thinkest that if thou wert in such places and hadst such temptations as others have thou shouldst miscarry and aim at self in them yet do not thou judge another man that may do it in sincerity do not thou judge another mans duty through thy weakness Gods servants in this world are as his stewards now we know that a steward hath not every thing given him in a particular command by his Lord but only general rules given him to order particulars according to prudence faithfulness and zeal 3. vertues requisiâ— in a steward for the exercise of these three graces are required in a steward Prudence and wisdom faithfulness and trust care and zeal in all these So doth God give general rules for the ordering of a Christian life and these general rules being observed particular cases are to be ordered in prudence 1. Prudence faithfulness 2. Faithfulness and zeal 3. Zeal wisdom to judge faithfulness in doing zeal to keep up life and spirit in action and where there is a miscarring through frailty God will have mercy But it may be asked Can any duty of the secâ—nd Table be more Obj. 2 excellent than the duties of the first Table of the one God being the object of the other man is the object The duties of the first Table are to be understood Answ either for the substantial and internal duties of the heart or some super added duties of the first Table joyned with the internal and substantial duties then there are duties of the second Table some more substantial some superadded now if we compare the internal and substantial duties with the superadded duties there the substantial are above them and to be preferred before them they having God for their immediate object yet in some cases God is pleased to indulge with men so far that he wil let the duties of the second Table duties of mercy towards men go before the more substantial duties of the first Table so in the duties of the second Table to men some duties which are but circumstantial and not so necessary God allows should be done when others more fundamental shall lie still omitted yet without sin But if Gods Ordinances are duties can they he omitted at any Obj. 3 time and that without sin Are they duties or not duties For answer Take notice there are two sorts of Precepts Answ Negative and Affirmative a negative binds semper ad semper alwaies and at all times but an affirmative doth bind only semper but not ad semper alwaies but not at al seasons at one time we may omit a thousand actions which are to be done but we cannot do many actions at one and the same time therefore for affirmative duties if they be done in their season God accepts of them as done continually as for that command Pray continually if it be done in its season God looks upon it as done continually and alwaies done if providence should so order it that another duty be brought to be done at this instant that duty which I was going to perform ceaseth then to be a duty to me at this time if two good things come together the one can be done but at a time so that the other is not a duty at that time to you which otherwise is a duty else if this were not man would be necessitated to sin and all the grace and mercy and assistance of God could not help in this case if that two affirmative precepts must bind at the same time to be done therefore this must be remembred for a truth that when two â—ffirmative precepts come together the one is a dutie to be performed the other not Instance But what say you to the case of Daniel when he knew that the writing was signed he went into his house and prayed more earnestly Dan. 6.10 Might not he have saved his life according to this rule I will have mercy and not sacrifice yet his was a sacrifice
the Ordinances and Communion with God But yet know that the maintainance of the subject is to be more regarded than the comfort of it though it be spiritual but now have a care of turning what I have said into poyson do not ye say that you may now do any thing for the preservation of the subject we must not do the least thing that can be by which an Ordinance may be polluted and defiled To be serviceable in publick use is more than to enjoy Ordinances as for a Minister to preach Jesus Christ to a people is a greater mercy than his particular good can be and this hath been the judgment of all the Churches yea it hath been the practice of the Churches to send forth men to preach the Gospel and to open the things of the Kingdom to them in which time they could not enjoy the Ordinance of the Sacrament Paul would have been content to have been Anathema for his brethren the being of publick use for the Churches good was a greater good to him and more in his esteem than private Thus far of the objections the observations follow answerable to these Ten. Obs 1 That carnal hearts who make little conscience of their duties towards men and are very cruel in their dealings towards them yet may be contented to submit to instituted worship This very Scripture I will have mercy and not sacrifice is a secret rebuke unto such people as these such were those in Jer. 7.4 who cried The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord yet very wicked in their dealings Isa 58. those Hypocrites they could be content to submit to instituted worship frequent in solemn duties of fasting and prayer yet were such as did smite with the fist oppress and grind the poor Ezek. 24.21 Ezek. 24.21 the sanctuary was accounted their strength opened the excellency of their strength and that which their eyes did pitie and yet these very wicked and in the 28. verse their minds were on it their hearts did love it yet themselves carnal Reas Because men may be exercised in instituted worship without any power of godliness it is a very easie work to flesh and blood there is little difficulty in it in respect of the outward act of performance 2. Because it hath the most shew of the power of godliness they seem to be as sincere as any in their worship there is a great shew in the flesh in the outward man whereas Gods worship is inward soul worship which carnal hearts cannot endure nor do they desire it 't is outside worship which they prize now God forbid that any should have low conceipts of Ordinances because wicked men joyn in them Obs 2 Carnal men by joyning in outward Ordinances think thereby to satisfie their consciences Thus did they in this place think to put off God and their own consciences by living in the external acts of worship and yet live in the love of known sinne what a deal of stir had the Prophet to convince these Hypocrites of this their wickedness Obs 3 God and mens consciences will not be put off with this God will despise both it and them the Heathen gods would not be put off with such outsides Plato in Alcitiade even the Heathens had such a conceit of their gods one saith What a vile thing is it to think that the gods will be put off with gifts no these are despised by them they look that the souls should be just Seneca And another saith It is not fat sacrifices but inward performances that God looks at The Lord hath a high esteem of mercy and it appears in this Obs 4 that he will have it preferred before sacrifice and this is called an acceptable sacrifice and a sweet savour in Gods nostrils Phil. 4 18 Chrysostom Chrysostom saith That he had rather work a work of mercy than a miracle and surely that must needs be high in Gods eyes and esteem which he paies so dear for Oh Christians immitate God in this Use Exhort to mercy let your esteems of mercy be raised higher than ever before from this that you have heard concerning the excellency of it The works of mercy are gloriouâ— works there is more in such acts of mercy than in those acts of religion which men think are more spiritual I speak the more of this because it is a scandal which is laid upon godly men by the men of the world that they are miserable and close handed now in this we should labor to convince the world by the practice of mercy It is the Christians skill when two Duties come together which to Obs 5 chuse This is a snare in which many Christians are caught and foiled they think both must be done at the same time when as the one is the duty the other not Though the object of an action be spiritual yet it is not a sufficient Obs 6 ground to prefer it before another action whose object may be but natural The Ordinances of God have God for their object and the enjoying of communion with him yet in other actions which may be only natural I may shew more obedience to God in the doing of them than in offering up of sacrifice If Gods own Worship may be forborn in case of mercy how much Obs 7 more mens institutions and inventions Oh what a vile spirit is there in those men which will not suffer their superstitious vanities to give place to mercy men must be undone in their bodies and estates rather than their wills be disobeyed the Prelates faction have confessed themselves that the Cross the Surplice and the rest of that trash were their own institutions yet Ministers must be silenced bodies imprisoned families starved and thousands of souls destroyed rather than their wills should not be fulfi'ld Oh the intollerable pride of these men had they been Gods institutions yet in this case they might have been forborn what did these men say in plain English but thus much Let Christ never be revealed to millions and thousands of souls rather than these ceremonies shall be omitted or neglected Obs 8 If God will have mercy rather than sacrifice Certainly he will have mercy rather than disputing about sacrifice Suppose there be a truth in that which is disputed about yet God in this case will have mercy rather than sacrifice rather than mercy shall be neglected he will have sacrifice omitted we have Ordinances and plenty of preaching but the Lord knows how soon we may be deprived of them let us not dispute and wrangle away our mercy Object But must we not enquire after truth and at this time also Answ God forbid we should deny or speak against any which shall search into or enquire after truth yea at this time when it is a case of mercy As in young converts as thus when young converts are taken off from fundamental truths and led into errors and souls hindered from coming
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
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