not in duties The Tabernacle a type of the Ordinances of Gospel First If God be to be found any where he is to be found in his Ordinances in the performance of holy duties These sacrifices they were materially good but yet they should not find God in them Exod. 29.42 43. When the Lord appointed the Tabernacle to be erected a type of the Ordinances we now enjoy saith he There will I meet with thee and there will I meet with thee again the second time If God be to be found any whereit is in the performance of holy duties But secondly The end of all holy duties we perform unto God it should be to find God in them Obs 2. End of duties to find God in them It should be so They pretended that end here When either God is coming unto us in mercy or when we are drawing neer unto God in duty we must be restless till we find him Especially in the latter Many men and women I beseech you observe this one thing perform duties but they do not look at finding God in them They do not examin after the duties are done Have I met with God in this or that duty Have I met with God this day in the word I have been in my closet and there I have prayed have I found God in prayer Found God what is that You should never be quiet in the performance of holy duties till you meet with God one of these two waies Either that you find God coming to you in the communication of himself and the sweetness of his love and mercy to you Or at least till you find your hearts got neerer unto him And either of these waies we find God Thirdly God will not be alwaies found when he is sought Obs 3. God will not be alwaies found 1. when superstitiously sought They shall go with their flocks and their herds but shall not find me As thus Men are never like to meet with God First When they seek him in any superstitious way These kind of formal superstitious worshipers of God they did much they spent much time in Gods worship I appeal to their own consciences and unto all men that knew their lives did any thing of God appear in them It may be manifested in their frothy vain and carnal conversations that they never met with God in those worshipings When God is sought and not in his own way he will not be found And then secondly When we seek our selves rather than God 2. when our selves chiefly 3. when not as God then he will not be found And thirdly When we do not seek God as a God that is when we tender him only external services and not soul-services also when we seek him not with the uprightness of our hearts when we seek him not with our whol heart when we seek him not with those high and reverent apprehensions of him when we have not that fear of his Name as is sutable to such an infinite God as the Lord is then God will not be found 4. when too late And then lastly When we seek him too late There may be a seeking of God too late Seek Him while He may be found Oh then we had need lose no opportunity of seeking God for He will not be alwaies found And this is just with God for God often seeks unto us when we will not be found and therefore it is just that He should not be found when we seek Him And then it follows He hath withdrawn Himself from them Exposit When the Saints of God seek Him in a holy way He is presently found Esa 58.9 They shall cry and he shall say here I am Perhaps they do not take notice of God he is many times with us and standeth by us He is present and we do not know that he is there But now that we may know that he is there he makes that promise that when we seek him as we ought to seek him he will say here I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath withdrawn himself The word that is here translated withdrawn himself may as well be translated Divisit se or Eripuit se He hath divided himself yea snatched himself from them that 's the propriety of the word they go to seek him and cry after him God snatcheth himself from them as one that refuseth their friendship he turns his back upon Obs 1 them This noteth That God hath no delight in the services of superstitious and formal professors God delights not in formal professors But to the humble and contrite heart he delighteth to be with them The flocks and the herds of the wicked are rejected and God withdraweth himself from them but small things from the Saints are accepted As you shall observe in 1 Sam 7.9 when holy Samuel there did but offer a sucking lamb for a burnt offering unto the Lord presently followed that the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistins and discomfited them and they were smitten before Israel Here are herds and flocks and yet God withdraweth himself but Samuel there offers but a poor sucking lamb and presently the Lord thundereth with a great thunder upon their adversaries So you have it Revel 8.4 Rev 8.4 opened after the the Incense with the prayers of the Saints were offered up there followed voices and thundrings and lightnings and an earthquake Great things are done by smal services of the Saints when done in uprightness but the greatest services of Hypocrites and formal Professors God regardeth not but withdraweth himself from them And then observe It is a heavy and sad condition when Obs 2 God withdraws himself from his creature seeking him yea seeking him and that in a time of distress As in 1 Sam. 28.5 when Saul was seeking God and God was departed from him mark what Saul saith I am sorely distressed for God is departed from me And in the 9. Chapter of this Prophesie vers 12. Wo unto them when I depart from them saith God Oh that is a sad condition It is a sign First of a dishonor that God puts upon a people as I Reas 1 shewed you more largely when I spake of the rejecting of their sacrifices What greater dishonor can it be unto a people than for God to take more pleasure in their howlings under his wrath than he doth in their cryings unto him for mercy And yet to such a condition may a people a particular soul be brought into I say that God may take more pleasure in your howlings under his wrath than in your cryings unto him and that in your Temples if you do not reform as well as cry unto him and for that you have that evident place in Amos 8.3 Amos. 8.3 opened In that day saith the Lord shall the songs of the Temple be howlings As if he should say the songs of the Temple were loud but I will take more pleasure in their
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
than to think to have strength enough to repel them when they come Thus in general And then As Kingdoms so particular persons they should lay to heart Gods judgments neer to them As thus Dost thou see Gods hand upon thy neighbor after thee O sinner thy turn may be next what is Gods hand stretched out upon your fellow-servant upon your brother upon your deer friend after thee O sinner thou art guilty of the same sin thy turn may be next Is Gods hand out upon thy companion after thee O sinner Oh lay this to heart think with thy self my turn may come to be the next and it may soon come to be my turn The very thought of this when God hath struck some with sudden death in a fearful manner God hath sanctified this to some what thought they if God strike me next such a one is sent down for ought I know to his place I may be the next the thought I say of this hath been so setled upon the heart of some that it hath been a meâ—ns of their conversion The Lord make it so to every sinner that sees his fellow his neighbor sinner struck before him VER 9. Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke among the Tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be IN the words before you heard that the Lord by the Prophet did not only threaten war but summon the Cities of Israel Judah and Benjamin as if war were at the gates But what if troubles do come we shall do well enough they will have an end and blow over again we shall wear them out we have been delivered out of great troubles and so we may be out of these No 't is otherwise now Ephraim shall now be desolate Ephraim that is the ten Tribes shall be desolate Leshamnne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies a most stupendious thing the the hand of God shall be upon them even to amazement they shall come into desolation in the time of his rebuke in the day of his trouble The words are plain the Notes from them are these That the day of Gods peoples affliction is the day of their rebuke Obs 1 See this proved in Numb 12.14 Moses saith If her father had spit in her face should she not be ashamed When God afflicts His people he doth as it were spit in their faces and ought not they much more to be ashamed what ever that wanton generation think or say that God never chastiseth his people for sin there is nothing more frequent in Scripture than this that God chastiseth His for sin But they tell us it was in the old Testament Old Testament and herein they shew their weakness and a meer cavel but that which seems to have some shew of strength is this They tell us Obj. That it derrogates from the satisfaction of Christ But the force of this is nothing Answ for Christ satisfied for them under the Law as well as for us they were saved by the same satisfaction that we are therefore if it now derrogates from Christs satisfaction under the Gospel it did then also under the Law A second Note is God hath his set times of rebuke As they have Obs 2 their daies of sinning so God wil have his daies of correcting you have your daieâ— of prosperity now riches honor plentie in abundance but remember it may be the day of rebuke is coming 'T is good to put this very case to our selves I have mercy now both for soul and body and Oh how comfortable is it and how happy is my condition but is there not a day of rebuke coming when all these will be taken from thee and then what wilt thou do Oh my soul Isa 10.3 and what will you do in the day of visitation When wicked men stand out lesser judgments and corrections they Obs 3 have cause to fear a day of utter desolatiâ—n Ephraim had daies of lesser chastisements but slighting them God would try him no more there are times in which God wil utterly pursue sinners to destroy them not for instruction but destruction the Lord hath his houses of instruction correction and execution when the first cannot effect Gods end the third shall and yet the Lord be just and righteous for the Lord hath no need of us what is it to him if we should perish everlastingly He could have his glory from us in our damnation That is a dreadful time when the Lord comes so to rebuke a people Obs 4 as tâ— destroy them when the hand of God shall be so upon them as he is resolved never to take it off again even as it was upon Ephraim at this time I intend not to mend him but to ruine him this now is a most dreadful time For Reas 1 1. All that wrath which they have treasured up breaks in then upon them Now as wicked men treasure up wrath so doth God Rom. 2.5 Now God lets out the floudgates of His wrath against such a people Reas 2 2. Because then all a mans sins comes together into Gods remembrance Exod. 32.34 In that day I 'll visit for this saith the Lord God It may be you are for the present spared but the time is coming that God will visit and then look to it Reas 3 3. In this day the cries of justice prevails against such men I speak of wicked men mingled and intermixed with the godly In this day God will not call back His anger there are times in which God doth not stir up all His wrath as in Psal 78.38 Many times Gods anger is coming against a Nation family or person but God cals it back again but in this day of rebuke God wil not call it back again but let it forth to the uttermost Reas 4 4. Because in this day Mercy leaves such a people and wil never own them to to them any good Ezek. 7.5 An evil an only evil behold it is come But that place is most remarkable for this Ezek. 22.20 I will bring you into the fornace and there I will leave you God brings His people into great troubles sometimes but never leaves them there But there are some whom Mercy leaves and forsakes in their troubles and this is a most sad condition for by this God shews that He will have no more honor by them in their servings of Him but in their sufferings God saith thus Seeing they would not give Me My glory in a way of duty I will extract and force it from them in a way of suffering Reas 5 5. Because the Lord then intends hurt to such a people the Lord perhaps brings you out of an affliction but in that deliverance He intends your hurt and no good at all Jer. 24.9 I intend nothing but hurt to such a people in all My dealings Reas 6 Because then al Creatures leaves such an one and dares not own him God being against thee the Creatures cannot help
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
in to Christ in this case we should abstain from contending Instance But young converts must abstain from all appearance of evil and labour to come to the knowledge of Christs will in everie point Answ It is true they must but this must be orderly they must first be established and grounded in fundamentals and then they have liberty in this that rule is perpetual and holds in this case Rom. 14 1 urged Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtfull disputations Now let no man say the point was a case of indifferency some would eat herbs out of conscience others would forbear now certainly it is a sin to do that out of conscience which God doth not regard nor command the thing it self here was indifferent yet in this case they must not receive them to doubtful disputations now if not to doubtful disputations then surely not to disputation to hold up error and to ensnare and betray young beginners in godliness Acts 15.24 There were troublers crept in among them who were formerly of them and they laboured to subvert their souls The word in the Original signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if a man should have been packing up wares in a fat to send beyond the Seas and there should come another and scatter and undo all again which was packed up or as Soldiers who have packed up their artillery their bag and baggage and all forced to be undone of a sudden again so did these false teachers that did unvessel them scatter and bring them all into a confusion so they labored to subvert them from the faith If the duties of inward worship and mercy to men be preferred before Obs 9 sacrifice then surely before our own wills and lusts God is contented that we may perform our duties to our brethren to forbear his own Ordinances and what shall we stand upon our wills and humors Oh proud spirit that exalteth thy self against the Lord we must be content to deny our selves very far for the publick good and our brethren because in this case God is pleased to indulge with men so far as for a time to be without that honor which he should have from men in their acknowledgment of him in publick service As God is contented to forbear his Worship let men also be contented Obs 10 to forbear their Institutions with those which cannot yeeld in their consciences to them but let there be peace and quiet maintained by us we should indulge and bear each with other in such cases of mercy especially there should not be the urging of lesser things upon tender consciences with that severity as to undo them though they be Gods Ordinances But if this be so Object then what hinders but men may do what they list No. Answ What hath been said hath been limitted only to instituted worship and so it be not to the undoing of men punnish them they may but not to the ruin of them nay in these controversies in which men are so divided many sitting in consultation some thinking this to be the way others thinking another to be the way of Christ things ought not so to be urged as to undo the other party that oppose certainly such a practice as this is contrary to the rule of mercy in this text but men must unsatisfie themselves presently and lay down their opinions upon such a day as shall be appointed them Is not this cruelty Instance But you wil say It is sufficient that learned and godly men hold this opinion they find sufficient to satisfie them and we may mistake Answ To this I answer That those who are ignorant in this kind must understand the grounds of those men upon which they hold their opinion and if their grounds can satisfie you then it is something but to say I must hold such and such things because others do I ignorant of their grounds this is folly for as we must not have an implicit faith so we must not have an implicit judgment to hold an opinion because others hold it And thus I have given you the mind of God in this Scripture so far as God hath revealed it to me for the present It follows Text. And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings Expos For the understanding of these words I shall 1. Answer some Questions and then give you the Observations Quest 1 What knowledg of God is it that is here meant Answ Certainly not a knowledg barely notional but such as is joyned with faith and obedience a practical knowledge which brings the heart to love and imbrace the truth Isa 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Quest 2 Why is the knowledge of God joyned to mercy here was it not full enough before Mercy and not sacrifice Answ Because as God accepts not mercy without sacrifice neither doth he regard knowledg without mercy men are here in the extreams on both sides some are very merciful as the Papists but withal very ignorant of the knowledg of God and his waies that as the Apostle saith of love If I should give al my goods to the poor and my body to be burnt it were nothing so if we be never so merciful and ignorant it availeth nothing others have much knowledge yet very rugged and hard hearted now when these are separated God regardes them not but when mercy and knowledge meet together then are they pleasing Why is knowledg only named here when as there are many duties Quest 3 of the first Table as well as this Because both of the excellency and necessity of the knowledg Answ 1 of God the knowledg of God it hath an influence into all the duties of Gods worship Because many are very much exercised in instituted worship Answ 2 yet very ignorant in the knowledg of God it was so then and is so now in our daies many who contend for Ordinances and Christs Government in his Church yet are very ignorant of Christs redeeming the world the way of God in reconciling himself and sinners together ignorant of the Attributes of God and their working for his peoples good therefore he requires the knowledg of himself to be in men principally Why is the knowledg of God put after mercy it being better than Quest 4 mercy The knowledg of God is not set after mercy Answ because mercy is to be preferred before knowledg but because mercy is more apparent and most conspicuous it is most convincing to men now when people are convinced of one duty they are the sooner convinced of another conscience will easily convince them of what is Gods mind But why is it said burnt offerings rather than peace offerings Quest and sin offerings which we read of Because these have more respect unto God than other offerings have as hath been manifested to you at other times Answ with the differences between burnt offerings and other offerings as if
baked and therefore proved abortive and came to nothing and we have cause to bless God Applic. to England who gave them up to this violence of rage Those in Jeroboams time were wise enough to carry on their designs with moderation policy and secrecy and so got the day though our enemies were not And as wicked men do stay and are contented to wait till the fittest time is for the accomplishment of their wicked plots so the Devil is contented to wait Satans temptat he first tempts the soul to sin and when the temptation hath prevailed he staies a while and lets the sin work a while therefore take heed of letting a temptation prevail do not roul them up and down in your thoughts saying what if I should do such a thing what if I should not now know that the Devil is a leavening your hearts and when your hearts are thus leavened the Devil will come in with such strength of temptation that you shall not be able to resist him therefore as Christ bad his Disciples to beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees so take heed of the leaven of Satan in this kind and in this the Devil deals as God doth with a sinner in the Gospel the Gospel is compared to leaven in Mat. 13.33 God he leavens the heart with some truth or other and there lets it lie and soak a while in the soul God casts into the soul some truth and doth not presently urge it with violence upon the soul putting them presently upon difficult duties which they are not capable to perform at the first but lets these truths lie soak and spread in the heart till such time as the disposition and savor of the heart be moulded and changed into the truth and then the Lord comes in with other truths and works them upon the heart which it was neither fit nor capable of before and it were wisdom in the Ministers of the Gospel to take this course not violently to urge strict and hard duties upon new converts which they are not capable of as to say this must be done and the other must not be neglected but press the Gospel to them and there let it lie and soak a while upon the spirit and blessed is that soul which is thus levened The Lord wil carry on this work to perfection these beginnings the Lord in his time will finish VER 5. In the day of our King the Princes have made him sick with bottles of wine be stretched out his hand with scorners THere is no preposition in in the Hebrew 't is only The day of our King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The people being leavened with Jeroboams Idolatry they now make their acclamations in honor of their King The day of our King and rejoyce in the way of their worship which they had from their King which he his Princes had set up would not regard the requests and petitions of some few who desired it might not be established and though they were bound in conscience to go up to Jerusalem yet notwithstanding the King would send forth his Edicts to tell the people there should be no more going up to Jerusalem but to Dan and Bethel now at this they rejoyce and cry out Oh the day of our good King which hath set his good people at liberty and eased us of our great journey to Jerusalem to the danger of the Kingdom and is an enemy to those precise people This day of their King was either the day of his birth or his coronation day or the day in which he set up the Calves at Dan and Bethel Now it cannot be imagined but that there was some murmurings amongst some of the people they were not all of a mind to give their consent to the setting up of the Calves therfore they did it by a strategem with all the mirth and triumphing in the day of their King pleasing and pampering the flesh drowned al the discontents by this way of pleasing the flesh caused all things to be carried before them Or thus If the people were not throughly levened by this means they would take this course Come we wil go set up our King and magnifie our King and this will prepare the people to receive any thing he enjoyns Let the Citizens be in their gowns and the Gentry in their bravery and let the King be amongst them and shew himself courteous and loving to the people and now let us cry out Oh our good King This is the day of our King Those who carry this day to the day of his birth Kings birthdays have this Note That we never read in Scripture of any godly King that ever celebrated his birth-day but of three wicked Kings of Pharoah Gen. 40.20 and of Jeroboam in this text and of Herod in Mark 6.21 not that it is altogether unlawful to celebrate or observe a birth-day or a coronation day if it be observed with two Cautions So that it be not made as a holy day wth what cautiō to be celebrated so there be not put a holiness in it for God never gave that power to man to set a day apart as holy for his use Then it may be here objected Object What may not man set daies apart for Humiliation or Thanksgiving Yea he may Then what is the difference between Gods setting of dayes apart for holy uses and mans setting of daies apart for holy uses The difference lies in this Answ Time and things set apart by God for holy imployments and services besides that they make the duties more holy and the Ordinances more solemn and spiritual than they are upon a day which man doth appoint for mans appointment puts no holiness upon the duties which are done upon those daies there is a holinesse in them when out of their use as in Ministers c. but there no more holiness in daies and times set apart by man for God than there is holiness put upon the paper which the Bible is printed upon the Printer takes out so many reams of paper from his heap and sets them apart to print the Bible now will any man think this paper is more holy than the rest There may be a day kept yet so as God do not at that time call for some other duty or service from us man must not so tie himself by any institution of his own as to crosse Gods providence as supose I have set a day apart for thanksgiving at that very day providence may so fall out that God may call for a day of humiliation now if I should keep a thanksgiving day and so crosse providence being cal'd to humiliation I should sin in the thing These two things being observed I know nothing to the contrary but that it may be lawful to observe a day a man may remember his birth-day in this kind to be humbled for not doing the work we are called unto so men
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
elegancy in this expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have left the Lord to take heed so you may read the words ad custodiendum to keep themselves within any bounds of the Commandement of God They run wild as if the Prophet should say â—nd have leâ—t off â—o take heed of God or any of his 〈◊〉 Perhâ—ps theâ— havâ— not leâ—â— the Lord wholly for they will woâ—â—â—â—p God in some exâ—ernal waies of worship but God cares not for that they have left the Lord in this to take heed of him Though we think to follow the Lord in any external duties if we leave to take heed of God in all his waies he takes no notice of it that may be one Note But the special thing is this They have left off to take heed to the Lord. At first though temptation may prevail against a man yet the Truth of God will be working in his conscience I speak to one enlightned and a professor of Religion as these were Though at first a temptation prevail against a professor of Religion yet he having an enlightened conscience the Truth of God will be working still in his conscience and in his heart but now if he still give way to that lust at length his lust will so far prevail as that he will wholly leave minding and regarding that Truth of God that is against his sin and give himself fully up unto the waies of his own heart and this mans condition is very dangerous Oh take heed of this take heed of this not taking heed you that begin to decline and you find some secret lust prevailing in your heart Observ wel yet you have the Truth of God boiling and bubling in your hearts and will not let you go on quietly but yet your lusts strive against that truth well if this lust be not mortified if you give way to it that it continue a while you will come to be weary of that truth that is against that lust and you will turn your eyes from it Use and you wil leave off to take heed further to think of that which should make against your sin and when you are come to this pass your condition is very dangerous They have left off to take heed The way to keep the heart and life in order in waies of obedience Obs it is to take heed to the Lord that is the special Note to take heed to the infinite glorious blessed Majesty of the holy and great God to mind God in his soveraignty in his authority in that infinite worthiness that is in him of all obedience from all his creatures to look upon God the only Jehovah the high and eternal God This is the way to keep our hearts and lives in order to take heed of God thus to have God in our thoughts and hearts and to heed him diligently and his waies But yet there is a further note from hence and that is especially intended The evil that they are accused of is That they did leave off to take heed of God in point of worship for that is the thing that God especially charged them for that they did corrupt his worship and they did leave off to take heed of God in things of his worship that is thus that kind of worship that they thought to be most sutable to their own reason and politick ends that worship they set up but now to take heed to God for the rule of worship to look up unto God obser that whatsoever they had in his worship should be according to the rule he setteth that they left off they minded that no more now but altogether what was sutable to their own ends And that is an evil thing in any Kingdom that men should leave off so to take heed as it is almost come to that now Use I make no question at first but that for the government of the Church the primitive Christians had a special eye to the rule to Apostolical institution but it is come to pass I know not how it is almost a general conclusion amongst men yea amongst good men amongst Divines and good Divines that we can scarce have a rule a rule of institution they think it needs not at al and we can find no such thing at all in the word and so they have quite left off so much as to examin things in the word I say they have done so It is an evil thing for any in matters that concern the worship of God not to take heed of Gods word in it Though in civil things we are left to prudence and reason but when we come to matter of worship we must take heed to the word in every particular that is properly Ecclesiastical that is properly Church-work we must I say in every thing take heed to the Word of God It is a notable expression that Luther hath about this It is not saith be so much in Religion to look at what is the thing as who commands it and he citeth Seneca Seneca saith he gives this rule observe not who commandeth but what is commanded but in the Church and in Religion it is to be turned quite another way it is not so much Quid but Quis and Qâ—alis and Quantus but the Devil saith he changeth this into quid quale quantum that is he changeth this who and what manner of person and how great a one commandeth into this what what manner and how great a thing So that this is the reason why many despise some Ordinances in the Church why what great matters are there in these things So they look to the thing and not to the institution whereas did we look to Christ the Institutor which we should do we should look more to the institution than unto the thing it self Let the thing commanded be never so low and poor never so mean in it self yet the institution must be honored Take heed to God especially in the point of worship So we have done with the tenth verse It follows Verse 11. Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart Still the holy Ghost envyeth especially against the Priests for their whordom their wine and new wine did take away their hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take away The words are translated diversly either Take the heart or Take away the heart Take the heart So I find some turn it and there is a good sense of it that is these lusts do take possession of their hearts It is one thing for a man to be overtaken with a lust and another thing for a lust to take a man It is said of the godly that they are overtaken but it is said of these that their lusts take them but now when it comes to this that you do not only yeild to a temptation but a temptation takes you when you are taken captive whoredom and wine they have taken their hearts So some But I rather think the other more proper these
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
at Dan and Bethel but God commanded them to worship at Jerusalem now for them to disobey Gods command and rather chuse to obey Jeroboams command than suffer Jeroboams punishment was a sin of willingness in them when a man omits a duty commanded for some hardships in it he sins willingly in that omission of his The approbation and furthering Governors in that which is evil Obser 10 by a willing obedience doth bring much guilt upon people willing obedience in evil brings guilt upoÌ„ a people This people should not presently have yeilded to the Kings command but petitioned against yea suffered punishment rather than yeilded then they had done something but no sooner was the command out but they as willingly yeilded Governors they command that which perhaps is not good and they do not know it but if they see their people stand out against it they then will begin to bethink themselves there is much evil in this obedience for by this you mightily inrage them against those that cannot obey them by reason of the tenderness of their consciences I have read a story in a French History of Lewis the 11th who being about to confirm unlawful Edicts many of the Nobility came to him in their scarlet Gowns to petition him not to do it and if he would proceed that he would take their lives away for they told him they had rather die than live to see the confirmation of such unlawful Commands whereupon the King seeing their coming in such an unusual manner holds his hand and staies the prosecution of them Oh! how happy are Princes and People in such Nobility Had Ephraim done thus they had done well in it and might have had comfort from it That commands for false worship do easily prevail with people Obser 11 Witness in this Kingdom CoÌ„mands of superstitioÌ„ find obedience when King Edward would have reformed the Mass what Rebellion was there in Cornwel But whem Queen Mary set it up how did people please themselves in such abominations So in our daies what was it that a Bishop commanded but he was obeyed presently Obser 12 What a shame is it that we should not willingly obey the commands of God The duty of Christians willingly to obey God when Devils and wicked men have some that will obey them willingly How do you think to follow after God and put off all thoughts of God till you come to lie upon your death beds Our hangings off from God doth mightily hinder our comforts Object But you will say Were we but assured that they were the commands of God we would obey them Answ But if we would examin we should find that it is oft times our own unwillingness to obey the commands of God rather than any scruple we make of it There are many things in which the Scriptures are dark and not so cleer yet if things can be proved by reason and consequences Consequences from Scripture we are to obey otherwise how can we be said to obey with the obedience of faith which we are commanded Obedience of Faith Now how can we be said to obey with the obedience of faith if we must have reasons for every thing Quest But how shall we know Gods mind in matter of worship Answ In this case we are to compare things together and weigh them seriously and so get out the result and mind of God and follow that although for the present there want demonstrative reason to make it out cleer And thus much for the words so understood Expos 2 Now from the other reading of the words after the vulgar Latin Post Sordes we may observe Obs 1 That it is the way of bad Princes to give liberty to mens lusts Now surely that way which hath so much of sin in it cannot be the safe way for men to walk in Obs 2 That Idolatry is filthy stuff Therefore you that are so pleased with them and take such delight in superstitious vanities much good may you do with them for our parts that truly fear God we desire the pure Ordinances of Jesus Christ VER 12. Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth and to the house of Judah as rottenness GOD made a great difference between Judah and Israel Why Ephraim and Judah coupled but they joyned in the same waies of sin and God coupleth them in the same way of wrath Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth and to the house of Judah as rottenness Therefore Why wherefore It hath reference unto the words we spake of the last day they willingly followed the commandement Because they followed the unlawful commands of Jeroboam and his Princes Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth That for Ephraim And it is like the same cause might be for the rottenness God would be unto Judah Had they resisted the unlawful commands of those that were above them in power They thought there might have been some disturbance in the State Oh it is better for us to obey to be quiet that we may be at peace but in the mean time while they to free themselves from some disturbance and to enjoy their own quiet would obey unlawful commands the secret curse of God was upon their estates Therefore saith the Lord will I be unto Ephraim as a moth and to the house of Judah as rottenness A secret curse there was upon that peace so procured In the opening of these words and presenting the mind of God unto you in them there are these Five or Six things to be done 1. The reading of the words 2. The scope of the words what it is that God aimeth at in them 3. The reason of the difference of the expression A moth to Ephraim and rottenness to Judah 4. When this was what time this referreth to when was God a moth to Israel and rottenness unto Judah 5. How and in what respects God may be said to be a moth and rottenness to a people 6. The several observations to be drawn from it All this is necessary for the opening of this twelfth verse 1. Reading For the first then The reading of the words The Seventy reade the words a little different from this reading of ours in the English 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conturbatio ac stimulus I will be a trouble unto Ephraim and a prick unto Judah I will trouble prick goad them I will vex them The blessed God who is a rest unto His people He is a trouble a prick and goad to vex His enemies to vex the ungodly The old Latin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut tinea sicut putredo Munster Leo Iuda Drusius Lâ—â—her Plini and so Hiâ—rom readeth it thus Ego tanquam tinea Ephraiim I will be as a moth unto Ephraim he readeth the first as we do in our books but the second Quasi putredo domni Juda. Others as Munster Leo Juda Drusius render it
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
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
that he tendered up to God it was more than a prayer Answ Daniels case special Daniel at this time was cal'd to manifest Jehovah to be the true God for he was forbid at this time by a Decree to pray to any God or ask a petition of any man save of the King in thirty daies now had he done this he had denied the true God and acknowledged Nebuchadnezzer to be God the thing he had to profess was higher than the sacrifice it was a duty of the first commandement a manifestation of God to be the true God and the case coming thus who is the God that must be praid unto Daniel resolves the case saying I 'le pray to no God but the true God And surely in this high case profession is to be made whatever becomes of mercy yea in a lesser case of sacrifice than this if it comes to profession it is turned from a duty of the second Table to a duty of the first and must be done as a duty of the first as thus Suppose a man be forbid the doing of such a duty which formerly he hath constantly performed and held lawful and his forbearing of it shall be to them a testimony of his denial of that truth which he formerly held in such a case he is cal'd to suffer the hardest things that can be yea life it self if it come to it rather than to omit that duty or to do the least thing that may be which to the enemies of the truth may interpretatively be a sign of denial the doing of such a duty against such a command is a witnessing to the truth and not offering up of sacrifice it is not alwaies that a man is cal'd to this but if it ever come to this case interpretatively to deny a truth of God then must we suffer rather than obey in such a thing though never so smal and this was the case of the Primitive times they would rather suffer the loss of life estates and all than do that which interpretatively should be a profession of the denial of any of the least truth of God TertuliaÌ„ De Coronâ miletes Turtullian reports of a Soldier who when all the rest of his fellows carried Baies on their hats in testimony of their worship to the false god he carried a sprig in his hand and being asked the reason why he did so he answered thus I am a Christian and this manifested him to be so and being further questioned about it he at the last suffered for it rather than he would yeild How many among us would think this a smal matter and had it been their case they would have done it yet this man considering it was a note of distinction chose rather the loss of life than yeild to do it and this act of his was approved of by learned and godly men to be lawful if we should have lived in those times as many of our forefathers did that the question should be who is a Christian or who is not and this by way of distinction the case is different changed from a sacrifice to a precept and duty of the first commandement there was a time that the Saints would not assemble together because of the persecution Acts 8.1 but at another time they would not forsake ioyning together whatever become of them when their assembling was made a note of distinction who was a Saint who not who held for such a truth who would not in this case for them not to have assembled together had been a great sin in them and interpretatively a denial of the truth Obj. 4 But if God will have mercy in case of outward things saving our estates and preservation of our persâ—ns rather than his own Ordinances Is not this to prefer the body before the soul c. Answ The preservation of a mans outward estate and condition is to be considered in a threefold respect As it is in its self and when a man shall love his estate only in reference to its self certainly it is sin to regard it before sacrifice It is to be considered as it enables us to do service for God and our brethren and this is in a higher respect than the other of loving our estates for our selves It is to considered as a duty in such and such cases that so I may be made more serviceable for God and for his people Now in this case it is an act of Religion the saving of our estates as well as praying or hearing of a Sermon in this case it is act of sacrifice for I do it in obedience to God for Relious ends though the thing it self be an outward act yet thus done it is an act of Religion for by this I manifest both my love to God and Religion Obj. 5 But is not a man bound to part with much of his estate yea and to suffer much for the enjoyment of the Ordinances Answ Yea certainly very much we ought both to give and to suffer much for the enjoyment of Ordinances yea we should chuse rather to live in a poor condition so we may enjoy the Ordinances in their purity than to be in a rich condition and want the Ordinances we are to be liberal our selves and careful in putting on others to be so even till it come to the case of unmercifulness and then God will have mercy and not sacrifice Quest But when may it be said to come to a case of unmercifulnes in which God will have mercy and not sacrifice Answ 1 When a subsistance is so denied that the subject would be destroyed in this case God will rather have mercy than instituted worship performed to him Answ 2 When a greater opportunity is denied to do good to our own souls and brethren than this is of enjoyment of the Ordinances then surely God will have mercy and not sacrifice it is impossible to give particular rules in every thing this is left to the sanctified prudence of the Saints But is not this the justifying of and consenting with those that took Obj. 6 up Innovations and read the Service book I answer No Answ This Scripture gives no warrant for any such for there is a great difference between the yeilding to that which may pollute and defile the Ordinances and to forbear an Ordinance we must not do any thing to pollute an Ordinance though it were to save our lives but the forbearing of an Ordinance and that for long time may be and yet without sin But is it not a greater mercy to enjoy Ordinances than estates we Obj. 7 think it a great merey yea and we have many mercies in the enjoyment of them though we suffer many hard things in the mean time we enj y communion with God and Jesus Christ in them Certainly the mercy is very great Answ and much communion is thereto be had with God in his own Ordinances rightly administred and happy are those souls which find this effect by