they have cause to mourn it is a great mâ—sery for them when as it comes to that that God shall bid those thâ—t have to deal with them to strive no more with them when as men have rejected the admonitiâ—â— of others that they think they have stopped their mouths I 'le warrant you say they such a one wil neveâ— come to me more Oh your misery is the greater Fâ—â— â—â—st You have deprived your selves of a special Ordinance of Gâ—â— Admonition and reprehension even brotherly admonition and reprehension is an Ordinance of God Secondly Tâ—ose who strive thus who admonish and reprove you they must give an account unto God what becometh of their admonition and reprehension You must give an account to God one day and so must they give an account unto God too yea they should do it for the present thus After they have done they must go to God and tel him how it hath sped for they have done it in his Name when they have done it right And when they go unto God if their admonition and reproof have prevailed with you they are to return to God with blessing to bless God that he hath been pleased to bless their admonition to such a one And on the other side if you reject their admonition they are to tell that too when they go unto God they are to tell a lamenting of your condition and to intreat God to look upon you and to tel God Lord I have been thus and thus admonishing such a one it hath been in thy Name but Lord he contemns it he rejects it When you are laughing at it that you have rejected such a friends admonition then he that hath been faithful to you he is telling God of it and do you not think there will come somewhat of this one day Lastly You are left to Gods striving and rebuking and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God It is better when God striveth with you by men than that he should come and strive with you himself As now if a father send his servant to go and fetch in a child to rebuke a chile and he comes and tells the father he cares not what I say No saith the father I will go my self and then it is worse with the child the child then smartâ— for it So God sends thy brother to rebuke thee and to fetch thee in thou carest not for him thou lookest upon him as thy fellow-creature and so thy brother goes to God Lord he doth not regard what I say No saies God I will rebuke him my self and Gods rebukes in this case will be furiouâ— rebukes Ezek 5.15 When I shall â—xâ—â—â—te judgments in anger and in fury and in furâ—â—us rebukes Mark it furious rebukes The rebukes of a brother are loving rebâ—kes but if thou reject them Gods rebukes may comâ—nd they wilt prove furious rebukes The rebukes of a brother are out of â—â—â—e but Amâ—s 7.4 The Lord calls to contend by â—â—â—e When 〈◊〉 friends did strive with him they could not prâ—vail but Job 38.1 God calleth out of the whirlwind to answer to him and who is this that darkneth words without counsel The Lord out of the whirlwind calleth to contend with Job and so overcometh him If thou regardest not friends contending with thee the Lord himself out of the whirlwind may come and contend with thee Take heed how thou rejectest the strivings of a brother with thee tor God may not only say he shall strive no longer but my spirit shall no longer strive with thy soul This people are as one that striveth with the Priest That is the reason why they must not strive one with another Here are only these two things by way of explication Quest 1 1. Why it is said with the Priest rather than with the Prophet Quest 2 2. Why it is said For this people are as they that strive with the Priest did not they strive with the Priest why then is it not said this people are a people that strive with the Priest For the answer to these two briefly Answ 1 First It is said that they strive with the Priest rather than with the Prophet though the Prophet did rebuke them and strive with them upon this reason Because the Priest was a standing office in the Church of God the Prophet that was an extraordinary office and they could not be sure of the Prophet whether he were a true Prophet or no but according to the event of the Prophesie Quere but the Priest they acknowledged him to be an officer of God and that is the reason that the Priest is here named rather than the Prophet Answ And then As those that strive with the Priest It may be the Priests were generally so bad that there was scarce any Priest that did strive with them at all those Priests being Jeroboams Priests they did joyn with them in their wickedness therefore he could not say they did strive with the Priests but yet thus their hearts were as vile God saw this in their hearts that if there were Priests to strive with them they would strive with them Or secondly thus As those that strive with the Priest because indeed those Priests of Israel at this time they were not such as were called of God for in 1 King 12.31 the text saith of Jeroboam that he made Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi and chap. 13. ver 33. Whosoever would he consecrated him and he became one of the Priests of the high places But the people received them as Priests still for indeed they thought that the Kings authority was enough for all because the king would have them to be Priests they would receive them as it the King had the absolute power to make all Church Officers if they were sent by the Kings Authority they must be acknowledged to be Church Officers So it was then and that may seem to be the reason of that expression as those Now from hence the Notes are these for you must take it that this is imploied here that suppose there were Priests faithful and godly that did strive with them yet their hearts were so hard that they would strive against those Priests and this sets out the grossness of the hardness of their hearts Take then the sense thus and here we may have these Notes First Observ That it is the work of the Priest to contend against men for their sin That is the proper work of a Priest to strive with men against their sin They are the salt of the earth and so they should have some acrimony in them In 1 Tim. 3.3 1 Tim. 3.3 It is said indeed of the Minister of God that he should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mo striver A Minister of God should be one that is in office to look to the souls of people and he should be no striver How will you say then that
the seventy yeers were at an end ibid Answered 2 In their captivity by the Romans ibid Answered 3 At the calling of the Jews ibid Quaere 2 How did they seek God in any of these times ibid Answered from several Scriptures ibid Obs 1 In the sorest afflictions which befals the people of God he intends their good in them Page 522 Obs 2. God hath little honor in this world Page 523 Use God takes it ill when he seldom hears from us but in our extremities ibid Obs 3 Times of affliction are times of seeking God ibid Obs 4. When God is pleased to work grace in the heart that heart is taken off from all creature helps ibid Obs 5. We are not to be discouraged in seeking God though afflictions drives us to it ibid Use Despair not in afflictions ibid Obs 6 We must seek God early else not sufficient Page 525 Opened in Three particulars ibid Quest What is it to seek God diligently Page 526 Answered in Five particulars ibid Use Admonition to England Page 527 AN EXPOSITION Of the PROPHESY of HOSEA CHAP. 4. VER 1. Hear the Word of the LORD ye Children of Israel for the LORD hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth c. IN this Chapter we have 1. A suit commenced 2. God declares 3. Judgment is pronounced 4. Exhortation to Judâ—h to beware she comes not into the same condition 5. Execution the giving up Ephraim to himself and unto Gods wrath For the fiâ—st Israel is cited Hear ye the Wâ—rd of the Lord ye children of Israel The knowledge of any truth hard and grievous to flesh and blood to be the Word of the Lord Obs is a special means to prepare the heart to receive it with reverence and all due respect It was a hard Message that Hosâ—â— had to bring to tell them of Gods Controversie he therrefore makes thiâ— preface 〈◊〉 Word of the Lord. Hard truths are hardly born but when the Authority of the Infinite God appears in them be they either making for us or against us our hearts must bow to them they lay bonds upon the conscience and bind over to eternal death if you reject them 2 Chron. 26.12 Zedekiah a King is charged that he did not humble himself before the Prophet Jeremiah Though the Prophet be never so poor and contemptible in himself yet if he brings the word of the Lord Zedekiah the king must humble himself before him Ye children of Israel In this appellation God puts them in mind of the covenant he had made with them and theâ— with him you are not Heathens you are the children of Israel in covenant with me a people neer to me yet I have a controversie with you Obs The neerness of a people to God exempteth them not from Gods contending with them for sin Neither should neerness to us exempt any from our contending with them Deut. 13.6 If thy brother the son of thy mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wise of thy bosom or thy friend which is as thy own soul intice thee secretly to worship a strange god Verse 8. thine eye shall not pity him neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceal him but thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death Controversies between those that are neare are very grievous Quid dicturus es ò Propheta qui tanta diligentia vocas ut audiatur verbuÌ„ Domini OecoloÌ„p in locum 3. The neerer the â—â—lation is between any the more grievous is the controversie if there be a controversie at all Hear the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel It is a sad thing for one Nation to have a controversie with another much more for a people to be at controversie with it self Yet more when when the controversie comes nearer into the family between husband and wife between father and child between dearest friends who were before to each other as their own souls controversies there are very sore and grievous Prov. 18.19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong Citie and their contentions are like the bars of a Castle Wind within the body is most troublesom and dangerous Hear ye O Prophet saies Oecoloppdius upon the place what is it thou hast to say that with so much earnestness thou callest to have the word of the Lord heard This is the solemn message of the Prophet to this people The Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land The word translated Controversie signifies a debate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his expostulatio judiciuÌ„ The Sepuag in t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judicium the same word traÌ„slated by them also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 29.16 Ministers must plead for God take heed they plead not against him a contention it comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contendere vel privatim vel coram judice to contend privately or to come before a Judge somtimes a cause pleaded in Law As Exod. 23.3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause That 's the same word with this here a Controversie The Lord hath a cause to plead with this people it is the controversie of the Lord the Prophet stands up for God in his Name to plead against them he pleads for the King the King of Heaven So should all faithful Ministers be sure they be on Gods side pleading his cause For all Ministers are Gods Sergeants at Law his Attourneys his Soliciters The Kings Lawyers are sworn they shall never plead against him or take fee on the other side And yet how many even in the exercise of their Ministry shew that they have taken fee on other side How do many plead against God against his Sabbaths against his Ordinances yea plead somtimes against the power of Godliness against those things wherein the chief dignitie glory of God consists somtimes perhaps pleading for them but pleading more against them at another time The Devil hath not more cordial Solicitors and pleaders for him than those who would be accounted the Prophets of the Lord. The Lord. As if the Prophet should say Know you have not to do with me nor with Amos who was contemporary with Hosea a Prophet to Israel though you think you can make your parts good with me and with the other Prophets know God will not now stand pleading with you so much by his Ministers he will take the cause into his own hand and will plead by his Judgments he will now take up the controversie himself The Lord tells the people Gen. 6.3 that his Spirit should no longer strive with them what 's that That is it should no longer strive in the way of Noâ—h's Ministry but he would come and strive himself after another manner by bringing the flood upon them 〈…〉 God 's pleading is the more dreadfull It is most dreadful for sinners for God to take the
controverse into his own hand to contend with them in a way of judgment It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hand of the living God You think Ministers are hard they preach terrible things but if you have to deal with God immediately if he should not speak to you by man but come himself and plead with you you would find it harder to deal with him When Jobs friends were pleadiâ—g with him he could easily make his part good with them but Chap 38. ver 1 2. God himself comes and speaks out of the whirlwind Who is he that darkenâ—th counsel by words without knowledg and so goes on in a chapter or two Chap. 42. ver 5. Job falleth down now and saith I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye sâ—eth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and asâ—es Psal 130.3 is a notable scripture for this purpose If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity Oh Lord who should stand Mark the words how Lord is twice here repeated it would have been full sense thus If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity who shall stand There would have been a mighty emphasiâ— in the word Jehovah who shall stand for it is thou oh Jehovah but it comes in again to Note that herein lies the Emphasis if thou Lord shouldst mark iniqity Oh Lord who shall stand This Oh Lord seems to be a pleonasme one would think that it breaks the sense but the scope is to shew that the sight of having to deal with God in our sins is very terrible If thou Lord maâ—kest sin causes a dreadful controvercy between God and man then Oh Lord who shall stand But further that which is the main thing in this is That sin causeth a most dreadful controversie between God and the soul between God and a Nation For this God comes to strive to contend for his glory the siner strives contends against God It is God that is infinitely above the sinner who hath the controversie wiâ—h him Isa 45.9 Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker Let the potsâ—eâ—rds of the earth strive with the potsheards Yet thus doth every sinful impenitent soul and every sinful impenitent Nation they strive with their Maker The Lord is above them therefore to intimate the distance between God and us in this controversie saith the text The Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land poor earth-creeping creatures that have dwellings here below whose houses are hâ—uses of clay and God is the great God of Heaven and Earth The controversy that God hath with a sinner is a just controversie God ha h right on his side and the injury is great that is done unto him Thirdly It is a controversie that we have begun God did not begin it with us but we began it with him we have the worst of it Fourthly It is an old controversie a controversy of our forefatherâ— a controversie that God hath had with one generation after another and we as a wretched generation stand forth to hold up the old controversy As in England in formertimes there hath been wars for hundreds of yeers as in the Barons wars and when one generation was gone the generation after stood forth to hold up that controversie so it hath been between God and man God hath had a controversy with the children of men ever since the fall of Adam and one generation after another hath stood forth to hold up the controversie and thou wretched sinner standest up in thy generation in thy place to hold up the controversie that mankind hath had with God since his calling out of Paradice Fiftly It is such a controversie as stirreth up all the Power all the Wrath of God against a sinner if God have any power in him it shall be put forth in making his cause good against a sinner Levit. 26. diverâ— places in that chapter If ye walk contrary unto me I will walk contrary unto you my Power my Wisdom all mine Attribuâ—es are against you A man that hath a controversy with another imployes and improves all the strength he hath against him that he is at controversy with This controversie is a deadly controversie it is such as strikes at our lives at our souls at our eternal eâ—â—ates A controversy with God who is set upon it to hâ—ve satisfaction for all the wrong we have done to him he will have it one way or other Such a controversie as only the Lord Christ that great Mediator that great Peace-maker is able to make up None can reconcile God and a sinner but Christ God-Man He must stand before God to satisfie for the wrong the sin of man hath done unto him A controversie with him who hath thee at infinite advantage who hath thee under his feet and the point of the sword of his Justice is at thy heart A controversie that if thou look not to it is like to prove an everlasting controversie Psal 57.16 I will not contend for ever neither will I alwayes be wroth for the Spirit should fail before me This is spoken to those that are in Covenant with God in regard of the lesser controversies that after their reconciliation may be between God and them But with thee if not reconciled to God in Christ who art yet in the great controversie that God hath with sinful man I say if thou lookest not to it it may prove an everlasting controversie to thee Certainly God will overcome thee God will have the day of thee the Lord will overcome when he judgeth Julian strove a great while against the Lord but at length Vicisti Galilae vicisti he was forced to acknowledg with his blood cast up into the air The Lord hath overcome the Lord will overcome It is a vain thing for thee to stand out striving with this great God Job 40.2 Shall he that comendeth with the Almighty instruct him So it is translated in your books but according to the words in the Hebrew and so translated by Pagnin and others Is there any wisdom or any learning in contending with God any knowledge shewed in that No certainly there is no knowledge no wisdome no learning in contending with the Almighty Our greatest wisdome is to fall down to be humbled before the Lord. The Lord hath appointed a certain period for thy coming in to make up thy peace with him to satisfie him if thou neglectest that time thou art lost undone for ever My brethren this is no time to have any controversie with God to stand out against him in waies of enmity It is time now when such blackness of darkness is upon us even storms of blood hang over our heads It is time now I say however to be at peace with Heaven to make our peace with God Job 36.18 There is wrath beware therefore that he take thee not away with his stroke The Lord is come forth from his place he is pleading his cause and now
other Is there a man and his wife live lovingly and sweetly many yeers do they fall out afterwards Is there a bitter controversie Examin it it is but about some toy So between one brother and another I could give you examples in Histories of great and bitter controversies that have been between neerest friends upon small and trivial grounds I remember Camerarius tells us a story of two brethren these two walking out in a star-light night saith one of the brethren would I had a pasture as large as this Element and saies the other would I had as many Oxen as there be Stars saies the other again where would you feed these Oxen in your Pasture replied he what whether I will or no Yea said he whether you will or no what in spight of me yes said he and thus it went on from word to word till at length each sheath'd his sword in the others bowels This verifieth that saying of James Chap. 3.5 Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth So it is in many families sometimes perhaps a look is the beginning of a great controversie one thinks such a one doth not look lovingly upon him and then he begins to suspect that things boil within him perhaps afterward some words come forth that may seem to argue discontent and then that word begetteth another and that other a third and so a miserable breach cometh to be in a family It is an argument that these people have Gunpouder spirits that a little spark of fire can so quickly blow them up Truly the controversie here in England the ground of it at the first beginning was little enough on our parts Only were it not that there had bin a desperate design in our adversaries it were impossible that such a little beginning should ever come to that height But God doth not so they are great things for which he hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land But what is it what is the declaration No truth nor mercy nor knowledg of God in the land These three especially the first doth exceeding neerly concern us First No Truth God is a God of Truth he is true in all his waies He justly pleads with them that have dealt falsly with him No truth No reality in their Religion that is something but that is not all God comes upon them for the breaches first of the second Table for they arâ— more convincing we have greater advantage against a natural man to convince his conscience in those than in matters of Religion If you speak to them concerning sins in matters of Religion they will say they acknowledg the true God and they worship him Well therefore the Prophet begins first herein the matters of the second Table concerning the want of truth between man and man As if he should say Talk what your will concerning your worshiping of the true God there is no truth between one another you deal falsly and cruelly and are merciless to your brethren never therefore talk of Religion and of acknowledging the true God Obs Thence the Note is this That it is in vain for any man to talk of his Religion if he make no conscience of the second Table as well as the first For a man to talk of praying and hearing Sermons if he be cruel and hard hearted and false in his dealings the Lord rejecteth all let him talk what he will No truth in your dealings one with another First there is abundance of flattery amongst you You flatter one another in your sin you do not deal unfainedly one with another You flatter your Princes and your Princes have little truth in their Courts It was once a speech of one All things were plentiful in the Court but only truth And this is the unhappiness of great men that those that are about them usually deal falsly with them You shall seldom know one that deals truly with great men they tell them that their bloodshedding and ruining of Kingdoms is but the maintaining of their just Honor and Prerogative I have read of Dionisius his flatterers that when he spit upon the ground they would lick it up and then tell him that that spittle was sweeter than any Ambrosia and Nectar the sweetest that ever they tasted meerly to please him And so you have many that are neer to great men though they see them do things never so abominable things that make never so great breaches between God and them between them and people yet they tell them that they do more bravely than ever any of their Ancestors did There is no truth Truth here some take for Justice Thus it is sometimes taken in Scriâ—ture Zech. 8.16 Speak ye every one the truth to his neighbor execute the judgment of truth and peace As if he should say you do not execute justice upon Malignants that are in your power you speak of raising Arms to fetch in Delinquents but you execute not judgment upon those that you have in your hands you will have God in a solemn manner to be blessed because he hath delivered you from them but judgment is not executed in truth as it should be Nor No Mercy That is you shew no mercy to the innocent you talk of indulgence your indulgence to Delinquents is cruelty to innocents Oh how many of our brethren in Oxford and other places suffer most dreadful things because these here enjoy so much liberty and have so much favour as they have So there is neither mercy to the Innocent not justice to the Nocent But the special thing here intended is That you are not true in your dealings nor in the trust committed to your charge There is no equitie in your dealings Isa 59.14 And judgment is turned backward it is turned upon those that it should not be executed upon And justice standeth a far off If one be greater than another the meanest shall come under the stroke of justice and be executed and the greater not And truth is fallen in the streets how comes that in Thus as if he should say It is true they that are in place of Authority will not execute judgment and justice but are not the common people faithful in their dealings one with another No Truth is faln in the streets this seems to refer to the multitude And equity cannot enter the word that is here translated Equity comes of a word that signifies a thing that is just before one As if he should say those very things that one would think were as plain as we say as the nose on a mans face things that are so evident that are just before us that have so much equitie and reason in them yet those things cannot enter those things cannot be entertained there is such a general confusion amongst the people such a corruption among them they are so set upon wickedness that things that are equal and plain according to common sense and reason yet it cannot enter into their hearts they
that is neer to you not only in place but in nature or affection that is superstitious take heed of being defiled by such Oh how many have suffered shipwrack of their faith by this means that they have had some kinsman some Uncle some acquaintance that have been very neer unto them and they have drawn them aside from the waies of God Hence is the reason of that severity that God would have used against a brother or a friend that seeks â—o draw away from God unto Idolatry because the Lord sees there is so much danger in it Deut. 13.6 Deut. 13.6 If thy brother or the son of thy mother or the son of thy daughter or the wife of thy bosom or thy friend which is as thine own soul Opened entice thee secretly to go from God thou shalt not consent unto him neither shall thine eye pity him neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceal him but thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death Though he be thy brother or the wife of thy bosom or thy friend that is as thine own soul thou shalt not pity him but thou shalt seek the very death of such an one if he seek to draw thee unto â—aies of Idolatry Because God saw what danger there was in this that is the reason of the severity Thirdly Judah was in great danger to be drawn aside by Israel because that Israel was the greater number Israel was ten Tribes but Judah and Benjamin those two Tribes little Benjamin together with Judah were but a few in comparison of Israel It is a great argument that Idolaters use to draw others unto the waies of Idolatry because of the number of those that go that way Obser The whol World admire after the Beast the World doth the Nations do and that is a mighty argument to draw the greater part of people they think that â—â—is way of worship is the best way there are but a few anâ— considerable number that are in another way No question but it was their argument here as if they should say what do not ten Tribes know the mind of God as well as those two Is there any reason why we should think that the greater part of the children of Abraham of the Jews ten Tribes should not know the mind of God It is the argument at this day say many that are superstitious and would go on in their old way of Idolatry They that are against such waies they are but a few an inconsiderable party but the chief the great ones and the most of all sorts you see which way they go We are to take heed of this Oh let not Judah though Israel be the greater part follow a multitude to do evil Fourthly Israel was rich and in a flourishing estate therefore there was danger that Judah might be carried away by them Israel carried things before them in outward pomp and glory and we know that way that thrives in the world men will soon be brought to close with Obser and the way of Israel when Hosea prophesied did much thrive and prosper Israel prevailed mightily in the world When Ephraim spake there was trembling therefore it was a wonderful grace of God to keep Judah from following their example We find it by experience let a way be persecuted yet let it be but once countenanced in the world men will cry it up do we not see at this day that those things that heretofore men would not profess because of persecution that now on a sudden their minds are changed and now they cry it up The same thing that heretofore have been persecuted if they once be but countenanced by great ones and by multitudes how will men cry it up Things that their hearts were against things that they would argue and reason against yet now because they have more publick countenance their judgments are changed here is the deceit of mens hearts that way that hath most countenance in the world that way they will go on in especially in the worship of God Fiftly Israel had many colours and pretences for what thâ—â— did and that might endanger Judah to be led aside by tâ—â—â— for Israel they did not profess themselves Idolaters and superstitious No they profest that they did serve the Lord the true Jehovah and the difference was not great between them and Judah they would tell you it was but circumstances in place you must worship God at Jerusalem and we would have you worship at Dan and Bethel and those Images that are set up are but to put you in mind of the same God you worship Obser The neerer any come to you in what is the right worship of God yet if they retain any corruption there is so much the more danger that they should draw you from that which is right for Israel did come neerer to the true worship of God than the Heathens did now the Prophet doth not say though the Heathens be Idolaters yet let not Judah be so too but though Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend There was more danger that Judah should be drawn aside by Israel than that they should be drawn aside by any of the Heathen And so there is more danger that we at this day should be drawn aside by those that joyn with us in many things that are right than by Papists they are hateful to us Applic. we see their waies to be abominable Papists and Heathens there is not so much danger especially for those that profess godliness to be drawn aside by them but the danger is in this to be drawn aside by their brethren and that by their brethren that joyn with them in many things that are right and that come very neer to the true worship of God Well Judah must not do so though Israel doth As there were many things wherein Judah was in great danger to be drawn aside by Israel so there were many arguments why Judah should not do as Israel did Exposit As First God had graciously differenced Judah from Israel Reas 1 in abudance of mercy Judah must not now make himself like Israel in sin seeing God had made them unlike in mercy God had in mercy made a difference between Judah and Israel let not then the wickedness of their hearts make themselves to be all one God had kept Judah to the house of David and to his Temple to be his own people Secondly Judah had more means than Israel had therefore Reas 2 Judahs sin would be more vile than Israels was For Judah had the true Priests of God to teach them Judah had the Temple among them Judah had the Ordinances of God in the right way with them therefore for Judah to be drawn aside to the waies of Israel this would be a greater sin in them Whatsoever Israel doth that have none but superstitious Idolatrous Priests amongst them Priests made of the lowest of the people Israel
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
his Message to King Joash and was slain for it and saith the text Acts 7.52 Which of the Prophets have not your fathers murdered But now here is their encouragement against al the il usage the hardships which they meet withal in their work I look upon it saith God as I doing it I had a hand in it therfore certainly God will not let them go unrewarded 1 Sam. 22.23 David said to Abiathar Abide thou with me fear not for he that seeketh thy life seeketh my life but with me thou shalt be in safeguard David was the occasion of Abiathers fathers death Consololation to those Ministers the frieÌ„ds of those that are perished in the Cause of God and because of that what respect had David of him for this and shall not God much more So that have you a friend a brother or a father slain for the Cause of God or in it standing for Him shall not God take his part yea He will Ahimâ—lech was slain accidentally for the Cause of David yet he would deal wel with Abiathar but saith God thy friend was slain standing for Me and owning My Cause he shall lose nothing by it for I will deal well with thee and preserve thee alive for his sake I have slain them That is thus Their Ministry hath been Expos 3 so heavy that it hath even kild them I have followed them on so with work that I have even slain them so that this people cannot say they have not been warned or that they have had no Prophets among them or that their Prophets have been idle that they have had no work to do and certainly it is a good death for a Minister to die preaching Pareus makes much use of this Oportet Episcopum concionantem mori saith he How much more honorable to die in doing Gods work than by coÌ„mitting sinful acts of intemperance uncleanness c. they cannot spend their strength better than in Gods service O let that people who have such Ministers look to it that they bring forth fruit answerable in some proportion to the cost that is bestowed on them and if you take the sense thus then God seems to speak grievingly Oh what shall I do with this people what means hath been used what losses have I sustained by them I have spent many choice Servants among them the lives and strengths of such spirits have bin spent upon them of whom the world was not worthy Oh what shal I do unto such a people Surely such a people enjoying such a Ministry had need look to their profession May not this be said of many Congregations in London Congregations in London hath not God sent many choice spirits among you to do you good and have they effected the end for which they were sent among you If not wo to you God hath a special regard unto this when he shall spend the lives of his choicest and most precious servants and if he have not a considerable vallue and return in peoples fruitfulnes it wil mightily provoke and incense him against them God hath an high esteem of his Ministers lives and strengths they are vallued more than so to be spent and wasted upon unfruitful people who neither care for them nor their Ministry Expos 3 But to come more particularly and according to the genuine sense of the words This slaying refers it self to the people How the word slaies Now the Word slaies in these two respects In its deonouncing of judgement upon men for what the Word threatens it is said to do Jer. 18.7 8. At what instant I speak concerning a Nation or concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy and when God promises mercy good he is said to give life and we should look upon them as performing of it In the operation and working of it it hath a mighty efficasie in it for the working impenitent sinners to ruin it is as a twoedged sword which doth execution every way Isa 11.3 It makes men of quick understanding in the fear of God and God is said to consume Antichrist by the breath of his nostrils and by the Word of his mouth 2 Thes 2. the Word is of such a force that sometimes if brings death in a litteral sense to some who withstand and oppose it Ezek. 11.2 Pelatiah gives wicked counsel in the City and the Prophet is commanded to prophesie against him and in the 13. verse we reade that when the Prophet prophesied Pelatiah died so many times God makes the Word so powerful in the mouths of his servants that it strikes men dead presently Gualter Gualter hath this Note from hence that the power of the Word appears in this that it awakens convinces and terrifies the consciences of men so that they go home and make away themselves and become self-murderers and the truth is it is nothing else but the word working powerfully to the ruin and destruction of men Or the words may be taken hyperbolically as men that Expos 4 are oppressed and in misery Oh ye kill me I am not able to endure it you wil be the death of me the Prophets came so close to them that they cryed out Oh they will kill us we are not able to suffer them Luther Luther saith that these words Thou hast slain them by the words of my mouth that is meant the Law by the Law thou hast slain them and by the word Prophets he saith is meant that part of Doctrine which is necessary to be preached to prevent the abuse of the Doctrine of the Gospel which otherwise men would be ready to pervert and he further adds that those men which deny the use of the Law were not fit so much as to be suffered I mention this of Luther the rather because those who deny the use of the Law urge him so strongly for the upholding of them in their way It follows Thy judgments are as the light That is passively thy threatnings Expos 1 upon them or the execution of those threatnings upon them shall break out as the light though they have slain my Prophets and think thereby to free themselves from those judgments which they threatned against them no saith God for all this I will make known my threatnings which they have denounced against them when the Prophet Jeremiah had delivered the message of God to the Princes and the Priests they laid hold on him and said he should surely die Jer. 26.8 Now see what the Prophet saith in the 14 and 15. verses As for me behold I am in your hands do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you but know ye for certain that if ye put me to death ye shall bring innocent blood upon your heads for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you You think perhapâ— that when the Minister is gone his words are gone and there is an end of them no they shall lie upon you