her of corrupt worship in her trouble though it be so in it self and he intend mercy in all of this But the scope is to shew that whereas the people of God may gather comfort either from the enjoying of the pure Worship of God in sad times or from the continuance of some face of a Church though corrupt as a token that God hath not yet totally rejected yet Israel though God have a purpose of good to her and do preserve her for it should enjoy none of these She shall neither have the true Religion nor the face of a Church and Worship as they had it to assure them that they were not quite divorced and this is the fruit of their corrupting the Worship of God and serving of Idols 4. It is a judgement and token of Gods severity whatever love be intended in it when a Nation are given up not to be wholly the Lords nor do serve him in a national way nor are a national Church to him For such is the misery of Israel to this day that they are deprived of Worship and any Church-State as a Nation and if their conversion and Worship and Church State under the Gospel shall be national as the opposition must carry it then certainly a national Church is no Paradoxe under the Gospel Vers 5. Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the LORD their God and David their King and shall fear the LORD and his goodnesse in the latter dayes Followeth the last part of the Chap. and an Explication of that part of the type v. 3. I will also be for thee containing a Prophecy of Gods mercy in bringing about the national repentance and conversion of Israel in the latter dayes and their renewing of the Covenant and taking Christ the Son of David for their King and constantly serving and fearing the Lord even because of his goodnesse Whence learn 1. Albeit Israel as a Nation hath been and yet is rejected and lost yet they will certainly returne to God For so is here prophesied expressely afterward shall the children of Israel return and this we are much to long and pray for 2. As true repentance and conversion will appear in mens being sensible of their great distance from God and in their seeking to make up this distance albeit they cannot as yet prove much enjoyment and seeking him chiefly and only in place of many things which natural hearts lust after so all this is a sweet and blessed fruit of affliction For such shall be the result of Israels being in a low condition they shall returne and seek the Lord. 3. The Covenant standeth still to be forth-coming for Apostates when they repent and turne to God renouncing false wayes and worship For so will Israel finde when they return they are allowed to seek the Lord their God and any who seek the Lord ought not to make themselves an ill answer but come and they will finde him their God 4. There is no right seeking of God nor finding of him or the comforts of the Covenant but through Christ whom converted Israel shall acknowledge and embrace For they shall seek the Lord their God and David their King 5. Christ is here named David and their or Israels King so also Jer. 30.9 Ezek. 34.23 24. and 37.24 not only because he is Davids Son and Heire Rev. 22.16 and because David was a type of him But 1. Because in their conversion they will have a deep sense of their sinful revolt from the house of David which began their woe and Apostasy true penitents will trace back their defection to the very fountain and beginning of it with much sorrow and resentment 2. Because Christ the substance will be eminently such a King unto them as he is to all his people as David the type was unto Israel of old 3. Because Israel shall so embrace Christ as to acknowledge him in all his offices and particularly shall submit to him as a King which is the duty of all true Converts Doct. 6. True conversion will appear in its constancy and perseverance and particularly in the Converts entertaining an holy fear and aw of God For when Israel shall returne and seek the Lord they shall also hold on and shall fear the Lord. 7. As God is alwayes good to his own people whatever they think to the contrary Psal 73.1 2. so much of his goodnesse will be manifested in the time of that life from the dead when all Israel shall be saved For so is imported here the Lords goodnesse will then be matter of holy exercise 8. The goodnesse of God will not make a true Convert presumptuous but will be unto him matter of reverence and holy fear and trembling For they shall fear the Lord and his goodnesse 9. Albeit Israel be long in gathering and converting yet we are firmely to beleeve that before time end it will certainly come to passe For all this shall be in the latter dayes Which albeit it often signifie all the time of the dispensation of the Gospel yet in this prediction is to be taken for that period of time more immediately preceding the end of the World CHAP. IV. IN this Chap. Israel is cited to Gods tribunal to hear his controversie pleaded v. 1. In prosecution of which controversie 1. The Lord accuseth them more generally for their grosse violation of both Tables of the Law both by omission and commission v. 1 2. and threatens because of this to send extream desolation ver 3. 2. He accuseth them for their desperate incorrigiblenesse v. 4. Threatening therefore to destroy such and the false Prophets and the body of the people and Church v. 5. 3. He accuseth the Priests in Israel that through their fault the people were kept in ignorance threatening to cast them and their posterity off v. 6. Likewise he accuseth them for ingratitude toward him for which he threatens to make their glory turne to ignominie v. 7. Lastly he accuseth these Priests for their sensuality and covetousnesse rendring them unfaithful in their calling v. 8. and threatens to plague both Priests and people according as they deserved v. 9. and to take away the blessing from their provision and to deprive them of issue because they sleighted God v. 10. being stupified by their sensuality v. 11. 4. He accuseth the whole people for their gross idolatry v. 12 13. and threatens to give up their wives and children to bodily filthiness v. 13. and not to restraine that sin by corrections for a time till for that and all the sins of all together they be utterly destroyed v. 14. 5. He accuseth them for the Idolatry of the calves from which he disswades Judah v. 15. as being an evidence of Israels wantonnesse and the cause of their ensuing exile v. 16. 6. He accuseth Ephraim their Kingly Tribe for their incorrigibleness in idolatry v. 17. for their intemperance filthiness and corruption of justice through covetousness v. 18. for which he
whatever sinners dream yet there is no resisting nor abiding of a day of vengeance nor any refuge against it but by turning to God by faith and unfeigned repentance For so much is held out in this further confirmation of the reason of the strength of this Army for the day of the Lord and not of the appearing of these creatures only is great and very terrible and who can abide it Ver. 12. Therefore also now saith the LORD Turne ye even to me withall your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning 13. And rent your heart and not your garments and turne unto the LORD your God for he is gracious and merciful flow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the evil Followeth the second part of the Chap. wherein the Lord calls upon them to make right use of this calamity and of the warning given them This he doth in two exhortations whereof the first in these verses is That they should set about sincere repentance and humiliation testified by holy private fasts and unfeigned sorrow and so prove that they are really converted to God and reconciled to him through faith in the Mediatour v. 12. and that they should study to be rather afflicted in spirit for sin then by performance of externall ceremonies to pretend to it only v. 13. Unto this exhortation two reasons are subjoyned the first whereof in the end of v. 13. is taken from the properties of God who is merciful and gracious not easily provoked rich in kindnesse and who upon sinners repentance is ready to recall his threatenings that they be not executed Doct. 1. Were there never so many plagues on sinners yet God is not bound to take notice of them so long as they repent not And were there never so much terrour and affliction of spirit upon men under feared or felt judgements Yet all these serve to no purpose if they stir not up to repentance and they must be mad who being in such a condition yet do not set about that duty Therefore after all the representation of plagues and of terrour upon men they are called to this as the only remedy and way to an issue and as the duty which they cannot but minde who are seriously affected with such a condition Therefore turne ye See Psal 106.44 Jer. 31.18 19 20. 2. When God is threatening most sadly and proceeding most severely he would be still understood as inviting by these to repentance and willing to accept of it For the Lord who threatens doth exhort and he brings it in with a therefore or upon the back of the former discourse to shew that this is his scope in all of it Therefore saith the Lord Turne ye 3. Such as have been so long abusers of Gods patience as matters seem irremediable and stroakes are either imminent or incumbent should not for all that look upon the exercise of repentance as too late and out of season but ought to judge that it is good even then to set about it and that it will do good however matters go Therefore notwithstanding they were in this sad plight yet the Lord exhorts them even now also to turne 4 Such as do minde repentance especially when God declareth himself angry would not linger nor delay to set about it So much also may be imported in that now also they should turn 5. Whatever doubts such as are humbled under judgements may have that their repentance will not be accepted yet they are bound to answer all these from Gods naked Word who giveth the invitation to such Therefore is the exhortation given to such in his Name to remove all doubts Turn ye saith the Lord. 6. Repentance for particular sins under sad judgements will neither be right nor acceptable so long as men do not minde conversion to God and a change of their state by regeneration that so the tree being good the fruits may be answerable Therefore doth he begin with turne ye to me where the exhortation doth not import any power in man but only points out his duty and sheweth that exhortation is a mean which God blesseth to his Elect and not only deals thereby with them as with rational creatures but therewith imparts strength that they may obey 7. In turning unto God men would beware of being faint or feigned but would study to be sincere and single since they cannot attain to perfection For this in a Gospel-sense is to turn even to me with all your heart 8. As men would begin at conversion to God so they would therewith study to be deeply affected for sin and bygone evils and under the judgements procured thereby and would evidence their affliction of spirit by sorrow and humiliation suitable in some measure to their condition Therefore is it added as an evidence and companion of the former turn ye with fasting and with weeping and with mourning or with such sorrow as is usual in mourning for the dead and expressed not only by wailing but by smiting on the breast and the like gestures It is a change to be suspected where men please themselves with their present good condition and do lightly passe over their former miscarriages And albeit signes and expressions of sorrow be not alwayes at command when men are most afflicted yet repentance for grosse and long continued in iniquity and under extraordinary judgements would not be past over in an ordinary and common way 9. It is our duty in performing repentance and a good evidence of it when our stout hearts are broken and afflicted with the sense of sin and of Gods displeasure for it Therefore it is subjoyned and rent your heart or every one his own heart which is not to be understood literally but that they should be afflicted in spirit as Ps 51.17 10. We are prone to hypocrisie and ought to beware of dallying with God even when we are in greatest distresse and making fairest shewes of repentance Therefore is it needful to qualifie this exhortation rent your heart and not your garments 11. God is not pleased nor will a true penitent be pleased with externall performances and ceremonies neglecting substance For saith he rent your heart and not your garments However they made frequent use of this signe in times of great sorrow as Gen. 37.34 2 Sam. 13.19 Job 1.20 and frequently yet God doth not allow of it when it is alone or preferred to the other as is said in another case Hos 6.6 though we are willing to do many things rather then bow and afflict our hearts before God 12. In all these exercises of repentance we would again and again take heed that we deceive not our selves in the matter of our conversion and pretend only to it till our particular distresse be removed and though we finde our selves reall yet we are to look on it as a work wherein we should still make progresse Therefore after the former exhortation v. 12. it is again subjoyned and turn
quarrel as an husband may be of his adulterous wise her paramours for and none shall deliver 〈◊〉 out of my hand 3. Idolatry and abuse of prosperity to uphold that doth ripen a visible Church for very speedy destruction For Now saith he I will discover her nakednesse c. Ver. 11. I will also cause all her mirth to cease her feast-dayes her new Moones and her Sabbaths and all her solemne feasts Thirdly he threatens to cut short her mirth and all her solemnities of worship which were set up in imitation of the feasts appointed by God in Judah See 1 Kings 12.32 Whence learn 1. Sin and mirth will not last long together but were there never so much of it sin will cut it all short For I will also cause all her mirth to cease whether her rejoycing at her prosperous condition or at these solemne feasts in paarticular 2. God will not be mocked with external performances of solemne worship to him especially being of mens own invention when they joyne grosse Idolatry with them but he will send on wrath to cut all short together For saith he I will make to cease her feast-dayes her new Moons and her Sabbaths and all her solemne feasts as came to passe in her captivity Her Sabbaths were every seventh day from the creation which she observed as well as Judah and her feast-dayes seemeth to be a general comprehending the two followiag of new Moons and other solemne feasts Vers 12. And I will destroy her vines and her fig-trees whereof she hath said These are my rewards that my lovers have given me and I will make them a forrest and the beasts of the field shall eat them Fourthly he threatens to destroy not only their fruits but the trees they grew upon and so to leave their land desolate as a forrest for wilde beasts and that because they looked on these things as the reward of their Idolatry Whence learn 1. Spiritual judgements and deprivation of Ordinances will have but little weight with wicked men unlesse 〈◊〉 other rod be with them Therefore after that threatening v. 11. of depriving them of their solemnities must this again be added I will destroy her vines c. 2. Such is the desperate stupidity and obstinacy of declining sinners as no cutting off of present enjoyments will affect them unlesse their future expectations be cut off liikewise For he must destroy not only her present fruits but her vines and her fig-trees and make them a forrest that the beasts of the field may eat them before she be sensible of it as a stroak 3. As God doth not cut off enjoyments from sinners but when they do abuse them So we would take head of forgetting Gods quarrel under calamities and particularly the abuse of prosperity in not acknowledging God but stregthening our selves in an ill way because of it Therefore is the challenge repeated he destroyeth her vines c. whereof she said These are my rewards that my lovers have given me or the fruits of my Idolatry and the benefits I reap by that which the Prophets call my whoredome For the speech alludes to the hire given to an harlot Vers 13. And I will visit upon her the dayes of Baalim wherein she burnt incense to them and she decked her self with her eare-rings and her jewels and she went after her lovers and forgate me saith the LORD The last branch of the challenge and the height of all the sin formerly challenged is for her Idolatry particularly of Baal which she followed with much sumptuousnesse forgetting God For this the Lord threatens in due time to punish Whence learn 1. The capestone and height of sin and abuse of mercy in the visible Church is Idolatry when all her care is to set up a false Religion and to uphold it by her prosperity and in particular when not only the true God is worshipped in a wrong way but when an Idol is set up to be the object of worship This is the substance of all the former challenges her burning incense to Baalim or several Idols under that name or that same Idol under several shapes in diverse places and going after her lovers 2. Such as admit of one step of Idolatry may be given up to more and such as set up their own devices in worshipping the true God are justly given up to take an Idol in his room and would do so if they had a tentation For they who at first worshipped the calves do now embrace Baalim 3. Idolatry is a way to which our hearts incline by nature and much external pomp is no evidence of a true Religion For she burnt incense to them and decked her self with her eare-rings and her Jewels and she went after her lovers Her pomp and superfluity in upholding that Idolatry as an harlots decking when she prostitutes her self declared the inclination of her heart and this pomp proclaimed the unsoundnesse of that way 4. As Idolatry in the visible Church proclaimeth great forgetfulnesse of God what he is in himself and hath been unto them So the Lord will take notice of this as an aggravatiun of that sin Therefore is it added and forgat me saith the LORD See Deut. 32.6 7 15 16. 5. Albeit the Lord may seem to look on for a time when his people depart from him yet he is a jealous God who will not suffer Idolatry to go unpunished but will in due time come and take order with it and repay all their obstinate continuance in it For saith he I will visit upon her or come to take order with her for the dayes of Baalim or the long time she continued serving them and that albeit these dayes had ceased since Jehu's reformation Ver. 14. Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and speak comfortably unto her In the rest of this Chap. the Lord for the comfort of the Elect Israelites that were then living or should live afterwards brings forth his purpose of mercy in several Gospel-consolations which however they belong spiritually to all the Israel of God yet are here expressed with a peculiar eye to Israel here threatened and in particular with an eye to their future conversion as a Nation Rom. 11.25 26. The first ground of consolation or promise in this ver hath three branches 1. It being supposed in the former threatenings that Israel is rejected for sin and driven in exile and under bondage as when they were in Egypt to which the allusion is The Lord promiseth even when she is in that condition to allure and perswade her by the voice of the Gospel and efficacy of his Spirit to turn to him and come out of her spiritual bondage to follow him which answers to their call out of Egypt by the Ministery of Moses and Aaron Hos 11.1 2. As Israel after their coming out of Egypt were brought into a wildernesse where they were made to walk long as the word here will read amidst many
abiding for him abide for me Although she be rejected from being the Lords wife and have little minde or expectation of him yet the Lords sequestrating her from idolatry to wit in a national way in her captivity is a proof that he will make it an abiding for him whatever she intend or expect in it Fifthly this typical promise of his abiding for her as she doth for him so will I also be for thee is not to be strictly pressed seeing God hath since the time of their rejection chosen the Gentiles though it may be thus constructed 1. He choosed none till the Messiah under whom they are to be converted came in the flesh 2. All whom he chooseth must put this respect upon the elder brother though now gone out of the house that they become Israel before they lay claim to Israels Covenant 3. Whomever the Lord hath chosen yet he hath a room in his heart for them and will have them married to him and this exhausts the scope 4. Their conversion will be indeed as his solemne marriage-day and a resurrection from the dead to the world Rom. 11.15 and that day will evidence what respect he had to them in their lost condition And so it may teach us 1. Notwithstanding the glorious dayes of the Son of man that appear in the world by the conversion of the Gentiles and their marriage to him yet his ancient people are not forgotten by him But as of old when the Jewes were his Church yet he minded the Gentiles and purposed their conversion John 10.16 so his heart is on Israel till they be brought in 2. Not only is it a token that God hath reserved comfort for them who will not have any comfort in trouble without him but as a shut-up adulteresse do renounce all lovers till their husband embrace them again But when the Lord makes his peoples affliction continue sad without any outgate beside himself it is a pledge that he hath thoughts of peace toward them in that trouble For he abideth for her who is made to abide and not to be for a man or secluded from any comfortable condition as a shut-up harlot This is the condition of the Jewes and of Israel at this day who are kept in so low a condition beyond all Nations that they may never flourish till God turne them to him and he embrace them Sixthly the Prophets doing all this in obedience to that command v. 1. to love the woman may teach 1. That as tender husbands do shut up and pinch their wanton and treacherous wives for their good So the Lords love may oft-times be visible in hard usage and denying indulgence to his incorrigible people and his love be ordered by prudent and wholesome severity to tame them 2. That not to be cut off but made to subsist in the saddest condition in hope of future mercy is a rich expression of love For so doth his love toward Israel appear in that he preserveth them however scattered or lost in mens eyes with a purpose to do them good in the latter end See Lam. 3.22 26 29. Ver. 4. For the children of Israel shall abide many dayes without a King and without a Prince and without a sacrifice and without an image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim Here we have the second thing in the Chap. and an Exposition of the first part of the type concerning the adulteresse her being sequestrate in a base and poor condition This the Lord expounds to signifie that albeit he was to cast Israel out yet for the Elects sake in her and because of the Covenant made with her Fathers he would testifie his love to her by making her to subsist during the long time of her captivity though in a sober and mean condition wanting a civil State and without the use either of a true Religion signified by sacrifices and an Ephod or a false signified by Images and Teraphim which were a peculiar sort of Images representing as is conceived their Idols in humane shape This prediction cannot be understood of particular persons of Israel nor of all of them taking them distributively for certainly at all times where ever they are they have some Religion either true or false But it is to be taken of Israel collectively that as a Nation they could neither set up nor performe true or false worship as they had done before their rejection and so it is opposed to their national conversion Further when the Lord foretels that they shall be deprived of true Worship under the name of a sacrifice and Ephod comprehending under this all their Priestly garments and their Priests who used them in publick worship it is not his purpose to justifie their borrowing of these from Judah and making use of them in the worship of the calves as true and acceptable worship but being such as they supposed true and came nearest to it yet they should be deprived of it Or the words are to be taken absolutely without restriction to what they had before to signifie that they should have no true worship at all From this we may beside what is held out in the type further Learn 1. As the Lord may make the fruits of sin very bitter and sad and of long continuance even to his own people So such a condition may have mercy in it and may yet end in mercy For albeit what is here held out be very sad and of continuance for many dayes yet they abide under it and are made to subsist till better come 2. The want of a face of Government of a Nations self is a misery to be laid to heart either when a people are scattered from being a Nation or are ruled over by strangers and yet it is a misery under which a people may be preserved for much mercy For it is foretold here as a part of Israels misery that they shall be without a King and without a Prince without any face of Authority lesse or more over them of their own Nation being scattered among the Nations and under the Government of others where they come and yet in this case they abide till the marriage come 3. As the publick Worship of God is a sweet cordial in affliction and the want thereof a judgement which the Lord will bring on his dearest people when they provoke him and as it is a sad judgement to want the face of a visible Church even albeit there were some corruption in it So corrupting the Worship of God provokes him to give up a people to have no worship at all For this prediction they shall abide without a sacrifice and without an Image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim doth not import that simply it is a judgement to want corrupt worship though whorish Israel in Hosea's time might think so as an harlot would do to be shut up from her Paramours which is indeed a woful temper nor doth it here import so much a mercy to deprive
the exhortation to the Priests that they by sounding of the trumpet should call the people to solemne humiliation and he exhorts the people to tremble at this alarme of his appearing in judgement Unto which is subjoyned a general intimation that the dreadful day wherein God would infflict these plagues was at hand And this is brought in as an argument to make the exhortation effectual and is prosecuted and enlarged in the following Verses See ch 1.15 This blowing of the trumpet in Zion or the holy mountaine of the Temple is according to the direction of the Law Num. 10.3 9. wherein the Priests were to convocate the people and to sound an alarme in war by blowing of the trumpets And both of these are pointed at here They are to alarme the people and give them warning of the approaching judgement and to call a convocation for fasting as it is v. 15. Doct. 1. Whatever the Lord say to sinners by his rod when it is imminent and incumbent yet such as would have good use of it have need of the help of the Word and Ordinances with it either for prevenâ—ion preparation or use of it For the trumpet must be blown either to warne them before it come or to stirre them up to be sensible and to do duty when it cometh 2. Whoever be asleep in times of threatened or incumbent dangers yet Ministers ought especially to be awake that they may stir up others For on them is this charge laid Blow ye the trumpet 3. Ministers must be faithful in discharging their trust as becometh watchmen and they must not set themselves to please men but should faithfully point out their danger procured by sin For they must blow and sound an alarme 4. It is not enough for Ministers to point out dangers by sin unlesse they point out remedies also nor is it sufficient for people to be sensible of the one unlesse they be stirred up to the other For they are to blow the trumpet and call to fasting as it is expounded v. 15. as well as to sound an alarme yea this is but subservient to the other 5. The consideration that a people are Gods Church and do enjoy his presence is a special argument to move them to be sensible and study duty in times of calamitie For all this is to be in Zion and my holy mountaine not only because it was the place where the Priests sounded and where the people were to meet for solemne worship but that all this calamitie being on a Church whereof Zion and the mountaine of the Temple was a type therefore they should be sensible and hearken to these alarmes and invitations 6 When God threatens or inflicts judgements it becometh all to be deeply sensible and not to please themselves with formality or trifle with outward shewes but they should quake at the heart at the tokens of Gods anger and it is great courage not to harden our selves but to tremble before an angry God for the inhabitants of the land are to tremble upon the alarme and call to humiliation and repentance See Isa 66.2 Jer 5.22 7. Albeit the Lord may keep off temporal judgements upon the repentance even hypocritical of Rulers as 1 Kings 21.27 28 29 And albeit some few godly may sometime hold off wrath from a Nation as Psal 106.23 Ezek. 22.30 yet it is the duty of all to be afflicted and humbled under common calamities and where this is wanting the piety and repentance of some few will not alwayes availe Therefore is the direction general let all the inhabitants of the land tremble See Ezek. 9.3 4 5. and 14.13 14 15 16 c. 8. It is not to be sleighted but seriously laid to heart how sad it is when God makes alarmes real and stroakes to follow upon them when the day followeth upon the alarme how strong a party God is and how he will prove himself God by his judgements upon them who would not otherwise take notice of him and how dreadful a stroak will be when it is near whatever men think of it at a distance all this is imported in what is here repeated from chap. 1.15 as an argument to affect them for the day of the Lord cometh for it is nigh at hand Verse 2. A day of darknesse and of gloominess a day of clouds and of thick darknesse as the morning spread upon the mountaines a great people and a strong there hath not been ever the like neither shall be any more after it even to the years of many generations That the thoughts of this sad day may take deep impression and stir them up a description of it is held forth at large in several branches as so many arguments pressing them to repent and tremble before God The first branch of the description is that this troop of devouring creatures called a people or Nation as chap. 1.6 being armed with Gods power should come in so great a number as to cover and hide the sight of the skie and heavens as also to put the people in great trouble and perplexity which is figuratively pointed at by a dark day Isa 5.30 and 8.22 Ezek. 32.7 8. Amos 5.18 And they should so swiftly overspread the countrey as the morning light or clouds overspreads all the mountaines Amos 4.13 Joh 38.12 13. And they should be so numerous as the like had not been seen before nor should be afterward for many ages Whence learn 1. As it is the Lords way to make a time of calamity for sin very uncomfortable and full of darknesse and perplexity So this should serve to affect sinners and to humble and stirre them up to repentance For so much doth this day of darknesse c. figuratively taken import and it is propounded here as an argument to make that exhortation v. 1. effectual 2. When God is provoked to punish a people for sin he can easily multiply instruments of vengeance he can make them though small and weak of themselves prove strong he can make them swiftly and suddenly execute all his counsel and can make them hide and take away all comfort from sinners which they might expect from heaven or earth For these small creatures make this time A day of darknesse and of gloominesse a day of clouds and of thick darknesse as hiding any sight of the sky or heaven by reason of their number they swiftly cover the earth to waste it all and deprive men of comforts from thence as the morning spread upon the mountains and in Gods hand they prove a great people and a strong 3. As the Lord will inflict singular calamities eâ—e he be not avenged on impenitent sinners So such singular judgements ought to affect sinners much For it testifieth Gods just and severe pursuing of sin and the necessity of trembling before God that they are a great people and a strong there hath not been ever the like c. 4. The Lord is so gracious that albeit he be so provoked in
it in sons and daughters old men and young servants and handmaids It may teach 1. No rank or sex or condition of persons are secluded from the promise of the Spirit â—e they old or young male or female bond or free 2. The efficacy and fulnesse of the Spirit of God is such as to refresh and prevaile with all these sorts of persons young ones who are not capable of mans teaching yet are not secluded from his teaching Mark 10.14 16. Luke 1.15 The Spirit hath vertue to illuminate and subdue young men notwithstanding all the power of their corruptions 1 John 2.13 14. to keep men fresh and lively in old age Psal 92.13 14. and to make servants happy in their condition 1 Cor. 7.22 3. It is Gods sure promise to the Church of the Gospel that the knowledge of him and of his truth shall be continued and propagated therein from generation to generation For therefore is it put in the first place your sons and daughters rising up to succeed you shall prophesie Doct. 10. As for these wayes of revealing the will of God of old by prophecie visions and dreams albeit they point all at one thing and seem to be named all here to let out the fulnesse of Gospel-knowledge answering to all of them and therefore seem to be comprehended all under prophesying as it is attributed to his servants of all sorts and ages Acts 2.18 Yet seeing they are distinctly named and attributed to several sorts of persons as prophesying to sons and daughters visions to young men and dreames to old men We may from it take up some steps and degrees of the knowledge of God wherein they grow up who are under the Spirits teaching As 1. By prophesying attributed to sons and daughters we may understand simply the knowledge of divine things 2. By visions attributed to young men we may understand their clearer insight and uptaking of these mysteries then they had in their younger dayes For vision doth represent the thing revealed more sensibly 3. By dreams wherein men have their senses shut up from the world and which are attributed to old men we may understand a further degree of illumination when light received doth take hold on the affections to sanctifie and subdue them So that mens hearts are taken off the world and filled with the things of God And so this gradation will teach That the knowledge of God which is communicated unto men by the Spirit will be on the growing hand till from a common notion and remembring of it it come to be more seriously pondered and laid to heart and till it take hold upon the affections and conquer the whole heart to God Ver. 30. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth blood and fire and pillars of smoake 31. The Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the LORD come To prevent all secure and carnal thoughts as if upon embracing of the Gospel and receiving of the Spirit men should be rid of all outward trouble The Lord foretells of great commotions which were to be in the world after the pouring out of the Spirit Whereof though there were some particular accomplishments in these primitive times and before that dreadful day of the destruction of Jerusalem Yet the prediction stretcheth forth to all ages after the pouring out of the Spirit till the second coming of Christ to judgement which is here called the great and terrible day of the LORD The expressions pointing out these commotions of wonders in heaven earth c. may be understood either literally that there shall be signes of blood fire darknesse and eclipses of Sun and Moon going before these calamities as presages thereof or figuratively that there shall be such commotions and such signes of Gods anger for sin such judgements and calamities of sword famine and sicknesses such persecutions desertions tentations heresies schismes c. as if heaven and earth were going through other the course of nature overturned and the world full of dreadfull fights of blood fire and darknesse and neither Sunne or Moon affording wonted light or comfort To dip further into what may be connceived to be figuratively pointed at under every one of these I conceive is not very safe Doct. 1. Whatever breathing times God may allow upon his Gospel-Church yet it is her duty to look for commotions and troubles especially after times of pouring out of the Spirit and times of much light and reformation For upon the one hand Satan will bend all his power to oppose the progresse of the Gospel and will set the world in opposition to the Church and on the other hand God will poure out all sorts of calamities upon the visible Church to punish them who contemne his rich offer and do not walk answerably to such dispensations and to trie the graces of his own that they may aspire toward spiritual happinesse in heaven And he will punish secret and open enemies for the injuries they do to the Church For these causes is this prediction subjoyned to the former promise 2. It is the Churches duty not only to look for troubles but to expect that they will be great and very dreadful such as may testifie the greatnesse of Gods displeasure against sin and of mens fury against the Church such as may throughly trie the godly and bring about Gods deep counsels For there will be wonders in the heavens or the firmament and several regions of the aire and in the earth blood and fire c. 3. Whoever be employed in raising these great commotions and whatever be the designes and malice of men in them yet it is the Churches good and safety to see a supreme hand of God in all of them For saith he I will shew wonders c. 4. Though the Church in several ages may get times of breathing and tranquillity yet these will not be permanent but interrupted with sad blasts till the second coming of Christ which as it is certainly approaching so it will put a period to all stormes wherewith the godly are tossed For these things will be before the great and terrible day of the Lord come that is in all ages till that time and belike very violently immediately before Math. 24.29 30. 5. The day of Christs second coming will be great and terrible and as it is Acts 2.20 a notable or illustrious day A despised Christ will be seen great there great things will be done in that day He will then reach his full and final end of all his works All things will then be revealed and made patent the glory of God will be seen face to face the secrets of hearts the glory of Saints and the truth of promises and threatenings will then be made manifest And though the godly will then be free of all terrour yet it will be in it self a day of much state and majesty of the Lord and of great
of this sentence and command given to the executioners is that there shall be great execution made of the enemies and they shall fall without number And for the Churches greater comfort it is declared that this day of the Lords vengeance is near not when the Prophet spake this but it shall speedily come after the enemies great preparations against the Church The place of this execution is called the valley of decision or threshing which is the same with the valley of Jehoshaphat v. 2 12. and it gets this new name because there the Lord will make a great havoke of enemies which is usually expressed by threshing Mic. 4.13 Isa 41.15 2 Kings 13.7 or because it is the valley determined and appointed as the word will signifie wherein to do this execution or the place wherein God will decide this great controversie betwixt him and his Church on the one part and these enemies on the other Doct. 1. Albeit it may be matter of admiration and terrour to the Church to see so great and so many enemies combined against her yet God shall make that resolve in as great a wonder to see the great havoke made of them Therefore is it held out by way of admiration Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision 2. God will at last decide the controversie betwixt the Church and especially of Israel and her enemies and will determine the question by making many a skin pay for it For the valley of Jehoshaphat will be also the valley of decision and there multitudes multitudes shall be laid in the dust 3. When enemies are at the height of their attempts especially against converted Israel then the Lords people may expect that he will not be long in taking his day about of them wherein his glory will shine for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision Verse 15. The Sunne and the Moon shall be darkened and the Starres shall withdraw their shining This execution is further amplified that as the Church had felt before in her calamities chap. 2.10 so the enemies should at that time of their extremity be denied all comfort in the creatures from heaven or earth and that there should be great alterations in the world of which more v. 16. if not also the extraordinary signes of eclipses and darknesse presaging and accompanying the same Doct. 1. Though enemies may be insulting when the Church is in great bitternesse yet the day may and will come about wherein they shall drink of her cup if not of a worse For what was denounced against the Church ch 2.10 is now made their portion 2. Whatever be the delights and enjoyments of Gods enemies yet when he begins to reckon with them all their comforts and refuges from heaven or earth will faile them and all things will frowne and lowre upon them For so much is imported in that the Sunne and Moon shall be darkened c. These creatures shall deny them light and comfort and this shall make all things dark on earth to them and these dreadful sights shall terrifie them Vers 16. The LORD shall also roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake but the LORD will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel Followeth a comfortable application of all this to the Church and particularly to Israel holding forth in several promises what mercie to them shall be in their recollection of which v. 1. and in this streak on their enemies and what sweet consequents shall follow thereupon The first promise is that when the Lord shall manifest himself thus terribly against their enemies according to the predictions of his Word and out of his love to his people and when he shall make great alterations therby which is a further amplification of the calamities which are to come on enemies Yet in the midst of these confusions and terrours he will afford hope and strength to his Church and people Whence learn 1. When God manifests himself against his Churches enemies and specially against Israels adversaries he will be very terrible and dreadful And his being a party will make all the creatures to deny comfort and will adde to the bitternesse and terrour of such a desolate condition for the Lord shall roar like a Lion see Zeph. 2.11 Isa 42.13 14. And beside their desolate condition v. 15. the Lord also shall roar to imbitter that and as the cause of it as is after cleared of the shaking of heaven and earth 2. Gods executing of vengeance will be according to the predictions uttered in the Church and these will be found terrible in execution what ever men thought of them before for the Lord shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem imports that God from out of Zion had spoken against them by his Word and that now his speech going forth in execution shall be found terrible as the roaring of a Lion 3. God will make his presence with and love to his people conspicuous by his indignation and severity against their enemies for the Lord shall roar out of Zion c. imports also that he is present there and that he evidenceth his respect to his habitation by his dreadful thunderings against the enemies thereof 4. As God is powerful to overturne heaven and earth when he pleaseth So his subduing of enemies may bring great alterations and overturnings in the world for when he shall roar the heavens and the earth shall shake which together with what is said v. 15. maketh a compleat parallel with the condition of the Church chap. 2.10 and it imports such an alteration of affairs as if there were a dissolution of the world and overturning of the course of nature And it is no wonder if they who are so well rooted in the world cause it to shake hefore they be cast out of it and if they who are so universally spread through the earth need general commotions to make them miserable 5. When God is shaking the earth to overturne enemies Gods people may be exercised with many fears and apprehensions that the storme will break upon them Therefore they need a promise to secure them against this 6. Nothing will be able to secure the hearts of Gods people against the terrours of a time of great commotions but God only and what they finde in him and from him Therefore doth the promise remit them to what the Lord will be unto them 7. In times of great confusion the Lords people may expect that he will be a place of refuge to hide them in that he will furnish them who come to him with ground of hope for the future and with strength and courage to bear out till the accomplishment come for that which is propounded here iâ— hope or a refuge and strength and God undertakes not to disappoint them of these the Lord will be the hope of his people c. he
on other sinnes at which at first men may be ready to startle 8. Sinne in the visible Church is not onely odious in it selfe but as it tends to the dishonour of God when it is committed by these who have his name called upon them and who will needs pretend they are his dear people notwithstanding all they do for it aggravates their sinne that it was done to profane my holy name saith the Lord. Verse 8. And they lay themselves downe upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar and they drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their god The third particular sinne laid to their charge is their joyning of oppression with Idolatry and seeking to palliate it by their corrupt worship for they not onely took and detained the poore mans pledge contrary to the law and did unjustly fine men and exact money of them but when they had done so they durst goe to their Idols Temples and their Altars to worship and thought all well enough if they employed the unlawfull purchase in sacrifices and feasts before their Idols Whence learne 1. The Lord abhorreth cruelty even in mens prosecuting of their rights against the poore for so much doth the Law against detaining of the poore mans pledge Exod. 22.26 27. teach for the violation whereof they are here challenged they lay themselves downe upon cloaths laid to pledge that is they not onely detained them but did weare and make use of them 2. Idolatry in worship and corrupt conversation are very neere in kin and will agree well together for worshipping of that which they accounted their God who was not the true God who would not be represented by their calves and their many Altars doe suit well with detaining of pledges and condemning of men unjustly Which should warne the followers of the true Religion that they doe not put a blot upon it by such courses 3. As Idolatry is a very licentious way for they lie downe there as was the custome at Feasts Ezek. 23.41 and drink wine and are still at Feasts in their Idol service So ill purchase is ordinarily ill spent and employed in Idolatry and Luxury or the like for so did they with their pledges and fines 4. It is an high degree of impiery when men dare avow sinne before and in worshipping of that which they suppose to be a deity for it was their great presumption that they lay themselves downe upon cloaths laid to pledge by every Altar and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their God see Matth. 5.23 24. 5. It is also yet higher presumption when men doe think that outward shewes or performances of Religion whether it be true or false are sufficient to expiate or cover their grosse oppressions or iniquities for in this also they sinned that they thought all well enough if they came and made offerings to their Idols of their unlawful purchase Which was a great errour had the way of Religion been even pure and and according to the rule as it was not see Jer. 7.8 9 10 11. Verse 9. Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them whose height was like the height of the Cedars and he was strong as the Oaks yet I destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from beneath 10. Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt and led you fourty years through the wildernesse to possesse the land of the Amorites The fourth particular sinne charged upon them and which is an aggravation of their other iniquities is their ingratitude in thus sinning against God who had heaped upon them mercies both temporal v. 9 10. and spiritual v. 11. The temporal mercies conferred upon them were 1. The destroying and cutting off of the Amorites both root and branch before them that so he might give them their land and riches And that the Lord did this notwithstanding that the Amorites were Gyants and stronger then Israel v. 9. 2. That before this the Lord did deliver them from Egypt and preserve and keep them in the wildernesse till he brought them to the possession of that Land v. 10. From v. 9. Learn 1. Ingratitude is the great sinne and aggravation of all the other sinnes of the visible Church when mercies will not doe at them either to prevent sinne or make their heart melt for it when it is committed for this is the aggravation of all their sinne that notwithstanding this their carriage yet I destroyed the Amerite before them c. saith the Lord. 2. As the Lord is able to overcome the greatest and strongest of Nations and will quite root them out if they stand in the way of his peoples mercie so deliverance from potent and mighty enemies is an obliging mercy and the greater difficulties there be in bringing about deliverance the more of Gods power and love and the more obligation to duty should be read in it when it comes for albeit the Amorites height was like the height of the Cedars and he was strong as the Oakes and so were stronger then Israel yet I saith the Lord destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from beneath or did quite extirpate them out of that Land as a tree that is taken away root and branch And therefore Israels sinne was the greater who received so notable proofe of love and yet sinned against God 3. The Lords sore stroakes on wicked enemies because of sinne and for the Churches good should be laid to heart to stirre her up to duty who is more kindly dealt with for so much also may be gathered from this challenge and aggravation of their sinne that since the Lord had made the Land to spew out these Nations root and branch for sinne it was abominable in Israel who were put in their room to grow as ill or worse From v. 10. Learn 1. Albeit wee be ready to forget greatest mercies and to despise them when they are past yet they should never be forgotten but kept in remembrance to binde us to our duty And when we grow negligent herein God will not forget to inculcate them to aggravate our sinne for albeit this his kindness in redeeming them from Egypt was forgotten and out of date in their account yet God mentions it on all occasions as a mercy which did yet oblige them and which would not faile to make up their dittay when they sinned Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt 2. Albeit the Lords people in their distresses may be ready to say wherein hast thou loved us yet even a wildernesse-condition may have much obliging mercie in it and mercies which it is great ingratitude to sleight and not to walk answerably for it commeth in also as an aggravation of their sinne I led you fourty yeares through the wildernesse His protection provision and suffering of their manners there were mercies not onely to sweeten the hardships of that lot but to oblige them to God throughout all their generations 3. Whatever may be
difficulties and yet as their journey toward Canaan wherein they were supported and provided for so he promiseth that Israel after their conversion to God should walk on through the wildernesse of this world toward their heavenly Canaan or more particularly it may relate to some great difficulties converted Israel may meet with before their recollection from exile and in their bringing up from the land of the North Jer. 16.14 15. 3. He promiseth that in this their wandering through the wildernesse he will speak comfortably to their heart which answers to the entring in Covenant with them and the many proofes of love they met with during their fourty years pilgrimage Doct. 1. As a visible Church may become so desperately sick as there is no remedying of her but by utter undoing of her for a time as here it is supposed Israel will be so free-grace in God may take advantage of such incorrigiblenesse and such an undone condition to manifest and magnifie it self upon her and unto her even to admiration Therefore do these promises come in with a Therefore by way of conclusion upon the former purpose intimating that since they had given a proof what they could do and that there was no other remedy but they would be undone for ever therefore he would take occasion of this to manifest what grace could make of such a desperate case and people And this hath a behold prefixed to it as being indeed admirable and remarkable 2. Conversion to God is the great proof of the love of God toward sinners and the first step to their happinesse and it will be the way of God with Israel to turn them to him before they taste of any other fruit of the Covenant and while they are yet in exile For I will allure her or perswade her is the first promise The forme of speech alludes in part to what their idols did of old they did allure them away from God now the Lord shall outbid all their lovers and gain their heart from them and to the Lords dealing with the Gentiles after Israeâ—s rejection he did perswade or allure them it is the same word that is here to dwell in the tents of Shem Gen. 9 27. Now he will perswade Shem to return to his own tents 3. Albeit the efficacy of conversion be not suspended on the liberty of â—ans will but God interposeth so in it as he may certainly undertake that it shall be as here he infallibly promiseth he will allure and perswade her yet herein his way is very sweet and taking with the sinner the efficacy of his grace being conveighed in and by the sweet voice of the Gospel and his allurements and offers so sweet and rich so that the soul is made most willing in this choice So much may be gathered from this description of conversion I will allure her or gain her heart to my self by the sweet allurements of the Gospel 4. Such as are converted to Christ ought to re-resolve on a journey and progresse as having more before them both of duty and exercise and of enjoyments For after she is allured she is to remove and come to a wildernesse whether we understand it of the godlies progresse toward Heaven or Israels in particular toward her wonted enjoyments 5. As unto the converted the world and all things therein will look with another face and whereas they looked on it as their rest they will now see it to be but the place of their sojourning and pilgrimage What they accounted a Paradise they will judge but a wildernesse and that which smiled upon them as being of the world will now frowne upon them So in particular it may please the Lord after the conversion of his people to bring them into sad troubles and exercises for their use and profit For as he did so to Israel of old after their deliverance out of Egypt so he will do to Israel after their conversion I will allure her and bring her to the wildernesse Such a lot as this serveth to stir up yet more to repentance is the way to true rest and fits them for it as Israel found of old See Deut. 8.15 16. 6. Whatever may be the lot of the Lords converted people yet it is their advantage that they are in his hand and guiding who as his sweet allurements and comforts may invite any to follow him though it were even to a wildernesse so his carving out of their lot and going before them and being with them in it will render even the saddest of it tolerable and easie For so is imported here it is upon his alluring she followeth him and he brings her to the wildernesse which is her mercy 7. When the Lord brings his people into a wildernesse-condidition it is out of a purpose of love to them that it may endeer them to his heart may make way for and render them capable of much mercy and many proofes of love For when he brings her to the wildernesse he speaketh comfortably to her or deals kindly with her So Israel of old found her time in the wildernesse a rich time Jer. 2.2 3. 8. The consolations of the â—eople of God within time and under trouble do consist much in promise and they must be content of promises till performance come considering that not only promises are sweet in themselves and will not faile in performance and that exercise by delay is useful but that the only sure token of a blessed condition is not outward enjoyments but the words speaking peace Therefore his allowance to his people is I will speak comfortably to her 9. How tastlesse and empty soever promises may seem to carnall hearts or to Saints in their distemper yet as they are cordials in themselves so when God accompanieth and speaks them by his Spirit they will satisfie and support So much doth the Original expression import I will speak to her heart Vers 15. And I will give her her vineyards from thence and the valley of Achor for a door of hope and she shall sing there as in the dayes of her youth and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt The second ground of consolation wherein he insists in the allusion to their coming out of Egypt is that as of old Israel had an end put to their toile in the wildernesse and got the possession of a fruitful land here signified by vineyards a part for the whole and as they at first entred into the possession of that fruitful valley near Jericho as a pledge of their future successe and of the fertility of their land So the Lord will put an end to his peoples toile and wandering by giving them compleat rest in Heaven or particular deliverances from particular troubles within time and more particularly Israels toile after their conversion shall end in restitution to wonted enjoyments and as would appear to their land which will be made fruitful to them And further till this
rather Therefore shalt thou fall c. 2. How high soever men exalt themselves in their opposition to God and his truth yet that guilt will bring them down and when God begins to reckon he will reach every sinner particularly For his height will bring a fall and the higher up the greater fall and the threatening is directed against every one in particular thou shalt fall 3. Vengeance can reach sinners in the height of their prosperity and can ruine them suddenly and inavoidably For Thou shalt fall in the day that is not only shortly on this day but in a time when none would expect it as there is no cause of stumbling in the day 4. It is a plague upon sinners that when they go furthest wrong and oppose the faithful Servants of God yet they will never want corrupt men pretending to come in Gods Name to bolster them up in their evil way and God hath a sad controversie against such seducers For there is the Prophet who is threatened also 5. This sentence of falling in the night with them threatened against the false Prophet doth teach not only that the one and other shall be cut off in a continued tract of judgements as the night followeth upon the day or that their calamitie shall turne their day into night wherein they cannot choose but fall or that the Prophets whatever light they pretend to shall yet be in the dark and ignorant of this calamity till it come But chiefly it teacheth that when calamities come such as have been seducers and soothers up of others shall fall with greater horrour then any as having been the cause of the ruine of so many It shall be night with them and day with others in comparison of them 6. However sinners shelter themselves under the priviledges of a visible Church or State yet the Lord may let them finde that their sin doth not only undo themselves but bring utter desolation also on he Church and Nation whereof they are Therefore it is suboyned and I will destroy thy mother Vers 6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because thou hast rejected knowledge I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children The third Article of this accusation is against the corrupt Priests and teachers and is intended not so much against these Priests of Aarons family and other Levites who after the rent and defection of the ten Tribes staid still in Israel because of their inheritance as against Jeroboams Priests who whatever they were before God yet since they took the name and office on them the Lord threatens them for not walking answerably This Article hath several branches in the first whereof he reprehends them for the ignorance of the people occasioned through their negligence and their rejecting and sleighting of the means of knowledge which might enable them to teach others For which he threatens to cast them out of the office they seemed to have and to reject their posterity that they should not exceed them Whence learn 1. As ignorance is a very rise and destroying sin in the visible Church so the guilt thereof doth oft-times lie in great part at Preachers doors with whom God will reckon according to the priviledges of his people whatever they be in themselves For saith he My people perish for lack of knowledge and this the Lord challengeth the Priests for and as being the occasion of it in those who were his people though they deserved not the name as v. 4. 2. Such as would be able to teach others ought to take much pains that they may be instructed themselves from God in his Word Ignorant Ministers are great plagues their private idlenesse is the cause why they do not edifie in publick and when the Lord doth not teach them they will not reach others to purpose Therefore it is a challenge against them and a cause of the former ill thou hast rejected knowledge to wit of the Law as is after cleared 3. The more familiar occasion of converse men have with holy things wanting holinesse their contempt and dislike of them will be the greater and their opposition to light have the more of perversity and lesse of infirmity in it For these Priests do reject knowledge or wickedly and with contempt despise it 4. Such as do for a time reject and resist means of knowledge when it bears it self upon them may at last come to forget it without a challenge to lose the light they had and to be nothing moved with any stamp of authority that is in what God saith Therefore it is added to the former thou hast forgotten the Law that is not only lost any small knowledge of it they had but they had as little minde of it and it as litâ—le authority in their hearts or bred them as little disquiet when they neglected it or went otherwise wrong as if they had never heard of it See Psal 50 17. 5. The more relation any pretend to God by vertue of their general or particular calling the Lord will make use thereof to aggreage their sin and unanswerable walking Therefore doth the Lord name himself thy God because they pretended so and to shew that if they got not benefit by such a relation it should adde to their wo. And so the blinde presumption of many will but make their ditty the greater while they pretend to much interest in God and yet their way looks nothing like such a pretence 6. Unfaithfulnesse in offices especially in the Church will cast men out of it as unsavoury salt with much guilt which is a sad judgement service to such a Master being honourable and especially to minister to him in holy things For it is his sentence I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me to wit as they pretended they were However men may spare such who by neglecting duty prove that they keep the office injustly yet God will not 7. However the posterity of godly Ministers may oft-times meet with hard measure from an ingrate world as well as Ministers themselves yet it is the righteous judgement of God on unfaithful Ministers that as they neglect and forget Gods children committed to their charge so God suffers their posterity to be neglected For I will also forget thy children who it seemeth succeeded to them in imitation of the order established by God in Aarons Family Ver. 7. As they were increased so they sinned against me therefore will I change their glory into shame In the second branch of this Article the Lord accuseth them of ingratitude that the more they prospered or increased in number or glory they were the more bold on sin Therefore he threatens them with ignominie to come in place of that glory which made them to miscarry so far Whence learne 1. Such as do provoke God highly may yet in his long-suffering patience not
exile who would not be bounded with the Law he can lay them open to felt and feared dangers who placed all happinesse in being rid of his yoke and he can make them weak and faint-hearted in trouble who were strong and stout-hearted to sin for the Lord will feed them not by taking care of them though that in some respect be true but in place of their residence in their own land he will drive them into exile and make their pasture to be as a Lamb not any more a wanton strong heifer in a large place where by its bleating alone it shall bewray its own solitude danger and fear and where it shall be exposed as a prey and not know where to turn it 12. When defection from God cometh to the height of wantonnesse and rebellion against him and rejecting of his yokes then judgement is not far off for now the Lord will feed them c. that is shortly 13. Whatever may be the present condition of back-sliders which might tempt others to joyne with them yet a serious consideration of the certain consequents of such a course may break that snare therefore however Judah for present might be tempted by reason of Israels successe yet the Lord propounds this as an argument to disswade them that now the Lord will feed them as a Lambe in a large place Vers 17. Ephraim is joyned unto idols let him alone The sixth and last article of the accusation is against their Kingly tribe called by the name of Ephraim because the first and many of their following Kings were of that tribe and it is conceived that Samaria their chief city stood in that tribe The accusation hath two branches in the first whereof they are charged with being so mad on idolatry that they are become desperate and irrecoverable Whence learn 1. As mens greatnesse hath its own snares to sin accompanying it so however they think themselves above the reach of any challenge or censure yet the Lord will not spare the sins of the greatest as being ordinarily ring-leaders and chief masters in the sins of a land therefore doth he challenge Ephraim especially for idolatry which he actively carried on by reason of his State interests 2. Idolatry is a very bewitching sin and doth keep where it gets a grip for Ephraim is joyned to idols or glued to them that he cannot any more be divided from them for albeit his politick interest drew him that way at first yet being engaged not only that but a spirit of whoredome and Gods judgements keeps him to it as a way most agreeable to his own heart 3. As the Lord will at last give up desperate and incorrigible sinners to themselves and their own wayes so to be thus left is the chiefest of miseries Men need no more to make them miserable but to get leave to want a check from conscience or the Ministery of the Word or from Providence for saith he let him alone that is not so much thou Judah have no converse with him of which sufficient hath been spoken on v. 15. as let him go on without any further reproving of him Vers 18. Their drink is soure they have committed whoredome continually her rulers with shame do love Give ye In the second branch of this article their sins against the Second Table are laid to their charge namely 1. Their intemperance in drinking till it corrupted in their stomack which made them to vomit it up again 2. Their incessant filthinesse 3. Their covetousnesse and corrupting of justice thereby Whence learn 1. It is the great madnesse of the children of men that if they attain to any greatnesse they make it shine in nothing but in eminent beastly sins as if all grandour consisted in this as here we see in these great ones in Israel 2. Mens abusing of the good creatures of God and distempering their own bodies through intemperance is an iniquity for which God will reckon with the greatest for it is a challenge their drink is soure or gone to wit from its native savour and taste being putrified in their stomack so that they cannot digest it 3. As uncleannesse is a sin not easily shaken off when once men are engaged in it but it will be their Master far beyond their first resolutions so such obstinacy in it is odious before God when men become devoted and incessant slaves to their own lusts for it is a cause of anger They have committed whoredome continually 4. It is a shameful sin in rulers and men of power especially to be covetous and to love bribes and reward and such cannot but pervert justice and they do come to the height of impudencie when they are so affected with it as they dare avow such a course and command bribes to be brought to them for her rulers with shame do love Give ye or it is a shame that they who should be shields as it is in the Original to protect the people from oppression should oppresse the people with taking of bribes and corrupting of justice thereby and that they should love not only to take but to seek and command them to give Ver. 19. The winde hath bound her up in her wings and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices The Lords sentence because of these sins is that suddenly and as with a tempest they should be carried into captivity where they should be ashamed of all their corrupt worship Whence learn 1. The Lords long-suffering toward a wicked and impenitent people will at last end in speedy and sudden judgements which shall surprize them and shall be violent and dreadful to compense the delay for the winde hath bound her up in her wings that is they shall be as speedily carried into captivity as if they were carried on the wings of the winde and with as great violence and suddainty as if a tempestuous whirlwinde surprized them he speaks of this as a thing done because of the certainty of it and names the whole people her in the feminine gender either with an eye to the wanton heifer v. 16. or to shew that as they were effeminate by reason of their sins so they should prove such under their trouble 2. Wicked rulers by their sins against the first and second Table have great influence on the ruine or captivity of a Nation as being ordinarily set over a Nation appointed to destruction to hasten it and as drawing the Nation into the same sins with themselves for this threatening against the Nation comes out as a sentence because of Ephraims sins 3. Mens following of corrupt worship will be matter of shame and confusion and not of comfort in a day of distresse in that not only it will be reproachful in the eyes of all the world that Gods people should have forsaken him and so provoked him to make them an astonishment 1 Kings 9.7 8 9. but also in that all comfort from their courses wherein they glory in prosperity will disappoint
proves from the wickednesse that was to be found in particular places as Gilead ver 8. And particular ranks of persons as Priests ver 9. And in the whole Nation both of Israel ver 10. And of Judah who though they should be punished yet their trouble should end in restitution ver 11. Ver. 1. COme and let us returne unto the LORD for he hath torne and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up IN this first part of the Chap. the Lord insists on the future repentance of Israel and brings them in as doing what he had promised of them Chap. 5.15 Partly for the encouragement of the godly in that time to whom these sad messages and dispensations published by the Prophets and performed before their eyes could not be insupportable unlesse they had this ground of future hope And partly to prescribe unto the present generation a pattern of true repentance in the practice of these who after them should obtain mercy that so they might not please themselves with their own way of repentance but might let about the duty in earnest if so be there might yet be hope This verse containeth the mutuall exhortation and up-stirring one of another to repentance and their first ground of encouragement which is that though while they were impenitent the Lord had smitten and torne them sore Chap. 5.12 14. yet now upon their turning to him he would as a tender Chirurgion binde up and heale all these wounds Doct. 1. Where-ever there is true repentance there will be a returning unto the Lord which imports 1. That a true penitent will be sensible not onely of straying from God which hath made a distance betwixt God and him but that his straying hath begotten an aversenesse and turned his back upon God so that he needs to return And particularly he must be sensible of further straying under afflictions which were sent to reclaime him as was their case Chap. 5.13 See Isa 1.5 2. A penitent must have a deep sense that all other courses he hath essayed in his straying from God are but vanity that he hath been a loser thereby and that the Lord is onely worthy to be chosen and embraced and therefore he returneth to him as the onely excellent of choices See Hos 2.7 And 14.3 Jer. 3.22 23. c. 3. A penitent must have a through indeavour to make up this distance not being moved by affliction onely or by sin as it draweth on affliction but by the want of God whose favour he desires to enjoy and to come under his yoke and not contenting himselfe with motions or fits in this endeavour but studying to follow it forth till he come to a reall enjoyment of God and so return unto the Lord indeed which these penitents are yet endeavouring albeit already there be such an edge upon them as makes them stir up one another Doct. 2. As there is great need of upstirring for the right performance of the duty of repentance which is a duty far above our reach Isa 64.7 So however love may prevent the Lords people in their very dead condition yet the ordinary forerunner of a time of mercy is the Lords stirring up his people to seek him for here they are excited and exciting one another to this duty come and let us return and this is their temper in a time of love See Ezek. 36.37 Zech. 12.9 10. 3. As it is a sure evidence of true repentance when men are deeply convinced of the need of repentance and would have all to set about it as here they are and as true repentance and brotherly love exciting one another go together and want of love argues much impenitency So it is a sweet thing when the Lords people joyn hand in hand and by their example and encouragement stir up one another to seek God and times of mercy will be joyning times and unite the Lords people in the duties of repentance for such will be their way in this time Come and let us return See Zeph. 3.9 4. When a people once begin to decline from God ordinarily they become desperate in sin and are neere undone before they become sensible or be drawn to God for so is supposed here they are torn and smitten before they are brought to need repentance See Lev. 26.18 39. Amos 4.6 11. Apostasie once given way unto is not easily recovered sense of calamities and of sin procuring them is not soone attained the blessing of afflictions is not taken up at our foot our ill humors raised by afflictions in swelling against Providence doating after ruined Idols c. are not soone laid So that it is no wonder matters draw to this height 5. God is a severe purâ—urer of sin when once he begins to prosecute a controversie with a visible Church for he will both smite and tare and deale severely before they return not He is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 not to be provoked Heb. 10.31 His provoked love will end in jealous rage Hos 13.8 His sovereignty and power will not endure that men should refuse to receive correction from him or think to prove stronger then he in walking contrary to him Lev. 26. And his love will not want his people though he should pursue them with never so great severity 6. Sad strookes which have been long inflicted on the Lords people and yet they have continued stupid under them may at last be blessed and work upon them to make them sensible and seek to God for now they not onely feel but are driven to seek the true remedy of their afflictions which they did not before Chap. 5.13 Albeit our hearts and afflictions of themselves will never produce this yet the Lords free-grace and blessing accompanying afflictions will bring it about See Lev. 26.40 41 c. 7. As the afflictions of the Church are from God and to be taken as from his hand so the healing thereof must come onely from him for He hath torn and he will heal us c. God will not proceed in such a way of judgement toward his people as to deliver them from trouble when yet they are not led to him thereby or to obscure his own love which doeth for them but will blast all probable means till they come to him and be left on him and then he will cure what is otherwayes incurable and for which there is no balme beside 8. It is the duty of such as minde to set about repentance and conversion to God in earnest to do it with encouragement and hope and as we are to believe that the Lord not onely sends cleanly trials that he may get work and give proofes of his art but even corrections for sin as minding our good and that he may draw us to repentance and alloweth us to take even a stroak inflicted in wrath as an errand to come to him with and sent to drive us to his mercy when we want another argument So we ought to
encourage our selves expecting that God who mindes our good in affliction will give a good issue to it when we are made to feele it and driven to him by it for thus do they proceed Let us return for he hath torn and by so doing invites us to returne and he will heal and so our indeavours will not be in vain Where men have not these right constructions of God and this hope in some measure their convictions will but drive them further away and their discouraging exercise will but impede their repentance whereas apprehension of mercy under the sense of anger will draw the heart to turn to God See Ezek. 10.2 9. All the afflictions and diseases of a penitent will in due time end in through healing and in the meane time the Lord will handle him tenderly and to his profit He will be a tender Chirurgion to give him a roome in his heart and sympathy and will not launce his wounds but when it is in order to his cure and profit and when he hath balme and oyle to poure into them for all this do they expect He hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will binde us up Vers 2. After two dayes will he revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his fight This ver containing the second ground of their encouragement is by many applied to the resurrection of Christ on the third day which will be acknowledged by Israel in the time of their conversion as if it were the Scripture the Apostle points at 1 Cor 15.4 And thus the sense is that the penitents fetch the ground of their hope of recovery from the resurrection of Christ in whom and through whom it is that his people do live and recover out of their miseries and troubles And indeed this interpretation hath these truths in it 1. That Christ and promises concerning him is the usuall and ordinary ground of the Churches comfort in troublous times as Isa 7.14 2. Penitents apprehending Christ by faith in his sufferings and resurrection will finde ample ground of comfort in all their troubles for 1. Through him the sting is taken out of all their trouble 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. 2. As he is their head so all their troubles are accounted his not onely what is expressely for his truth and cause but even all of the penitents troubles are his in respect of sympathy 3. They are sweetned to the penitent by Christs essaying their lots in his own person and so sanctifying them unto them 4. As believers are made conforme to him in sufferings so in his deliverance he is a patterne of their victory Rom. 8.17 5. He is the purchaser of believers deliverance having paid a price for it 6. His resurrection and victory is a pledge of their deliverance being judicially raised up in him Eph. 2.6 All which should invite afflicted sinners to close with Christ as being a compendious way to a sweet issue from all troubles But the drift of this context seemeth not to speake so expressely of his resurrection as of the raising up of penitents themselves which doth indeed flow from his resurrection and that may be hinted at here And so this encouragement is an amplification of the former meeting with the deadlinesse and continuance of their trouble wherein they expect that albeit their troubles were so great and of such continuance as that they seemed to be dead and buried under them yet the Lord in due time would not onely revive and raise them up from their graves but make them live a comfortable life in his presence and favour As for the time to which this restitution is limited after two dayes in the third day it is diversly conceived by some for a long time that neither at present nor for some time after were they to meet with this mercy others understand it of a short time We may take in both in diverse respects that the time of their restitution after their conversion may be somewhat prolonged and seeme so to sense and yet it may be justly accounted short if they reckon right Doct. 1. Such oft-times is the obstinacie of the visible Church in her sin and her stupiditie under judgements inflicted for sin and such is the Lords severity in prosecuting a begun controversie That she may not onely be smitten and sore wounded and torne but in a manner quite dead and buried under trouble for so is here imported she needs to be revived and raised up See Ezek. 37.2 3 c. Psal 14.1.7 2. True penitents are allowed ground of hope of recovery were their condition never so desperate and deadly for here they professe their hope that it will be so Penitents do but wrong God and themselves when they draw hard conclusions on their lots and do not leave a latitude to Gods love and omnipotency and answer all their inextricable doubts with O Lord thou knowest Ezek 37.3 3. It may seeme good to the Lord not to deliver penitents at their first seeking of him but may keep them under exercise for a time that he may sharpen them yet more in that duty and try the reality thereof for it is after two dayes and not at first they expect it 4. Albeit length of time under trouble joyned with the greatnesse of it and the Lords seeming to neglect prayer and repentance for a time be a sore triall as Psal 22.1 2. and 119 82. yet the penitent is allowed to believe that however he delay till it come to that complaint Jer. 8 20. yet deliverance will come and that no length of time ought to bring the truth of the Word in question for so do they reckon that though it be not till after two dayes yet he will revive See Hab. 2.3 5. How long soever the Lord delay a penitent is still bound to avoid fainting and to account the time short by comparing it with eternity and by his resolution patience and making use of the delay for in these respects this form of speech after two dayes in the third day may import a short time 6. Albeit the Lord in delivering his people do proceed usually by degrees because our narrow vessels can receive his mercies and observe them but by parts yet where he begins he will compleat deliverance how small soever the beginnings be for here his Word is held out in severall branches of reviving in their graves raising up out of their graves after they are revived and causing them to live and walke after they are revived and raised up and all these together make a compleat deliverance 7. The Lord will not only in due time recover the desperat and hopelesse outward condition of his people but will also refresh and revive their dying spirits thereby which may be so broken that outward deliverances will not cure them for so much may be imported in that when they are revived and raised up they shall live that is
their hearts shall be encouraged and refreshed thereby and enabled to improve that mercy 8 As much and long continued trouble may give a sore crush to piety and weaken hands in the duties thereof So mercies and encouragements are then blessed when they make men active and lively in walking before God for so much also is imported in that being revived and raised up they shall live or walke in newnesse of life 9. As they who would approve themselves in duty ought to walke singlie as before God so his delivered people improving their deliverances for that end may expect to enjoy the favour and countenance of God and to live under his protection and care for both these may be held out in this we shall live in his fight or walk as before him and be refreshed in his favour and care Ver. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the LORD his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come unto us as the raine as the latter and former raine unto the earth In the third ground of encouragement which is an enlargement of that living in his fight ver 2. they promise unto themselves that by repentance and turning unto God they shall attain unto and grow in the saving knowledge of God which is the root of true piety and in the experimentall knowledge of the favour and love of God in Christ as the fruit and cherisher of piety The certainty and sweetnesse of this encouragement is further confirmed and illustrate from two similitudes shewing that unto the penitent there is a time of Gods manifesting himselfe like the morning light that comes after the dark night and the rain that comes after the drought So the knowing of God is to be understood here as comprehending true piety and godlinesse whereof this is the root See ver 6. Jer. 22.15 16. Hos 4.1 and 5.4 and likewise the experimentall knowledge of the favour of God It is also to be observed that in the originall this promise is not conditionall We shall know if we follow on to know though that be true also in some respect but absolute we shall know we shall follow on to know Doct. 1. The great encouragement of a true penitent is the hope of attaining to true piety which is an encouragement and reward unto it selfe and such as begin a true repentance may expect not to be disappointed in this for Then to wit when we returne and he hath revived shall we know to wit the Lord as is after expressed This is their sure hope and sweet encouragement 2. The summe and root and life of true Religion consists in the saving knowledge of God in Christ for so do they comprehend it we shall know the Lord. See Joh. 17.3 It is not onely a principall part in Religion 1 Cor. 2.2 but more doth flow from it for if God were better known in his power fidelity beauty terror and in his other attributes and his love in Christ it would produce more confidence encouragement obedience fear to offend and would allure hearts more unto him See Psal 9.10 Isay 51.12 13. 2 Tim. 1.12 Heb 12.28 29. and elsewhere 3. The Lord is for the most part an unknown or mistaken God in the world by reason of our naturall darknesse the distance bred by desertion the power of tentation our looking through the prospect of our own guilt and the want of sensible need of what is in him for here it is held out as a speciall priviledge of penitents We shall know the Lord. 4 The true penitent pursuing after piety shall not only attain thereunto but shall experimentally taste of the excellency and goodnesse of God to encourage him in his course He shall experimentally know how good God is and that it is not in vain to seek him Psal 34.8 Isai 45.19 He shall know his fidelity in keeping Covenant notwithstanding sad dispensations He shall be confirmed that his wisdome and power over-rules all dispensations for his good and that he hath thoughts of peace toward him in times of saddest trouble So much also doth this import we shall know the Lord. 5. Piety and the knowledge of God and the experimentall manifestations of him is an infinite and growing subject which cannot be all taken up at first Every step of our way may discover more of our short-coming and ignorance to us and when we have tasted most of his bounty there is still more to be communicate for when men know there is need to follow on to know the Lord. See Job 42.5 Prov. 30.2 3. 1 Cor. 8.2 6. As true and sanctified knowledge of God will be growing and make men desire more of it both for securing their own good condition to them Joh. 8.31 32. and that they may tast more of the sweetnesse of it 1 Pet. 2.2 3. So such as thus presse on to know God do prove that indeed they do know him how little soever they seeme to have For it is added We shall follow on to know the Lord both as an effect and evidence of their knowing of him 7. When penitents have done all they can by way of duty yet their living their knowing and enjoying of God must flow from his gracious and active manifestation of himselfe without which all their endeavoures would be uselesse for so much is held forth in the confirmation it is his going forth or manifestation of himselfe opposite to his going away Chap. 5.15 and his coming to us that is the cause of all this 8. The manifestations of God toward his penitent people are certain and in readinesse as being decreed of old for his going forth is prepared and ready See 1 Cor. 10.13 Psal 31.19 9. This similitude taken from the morning doth teach 1. That refreshment and deliverance is as certain unto penitents after their trouble as it is certain in the course of nature that the morning followeth the night Hence it is that these vicissitudes in the course of nature are brought in the Churches plea for the change of her sad condition Psal 74.16 17. 2. That the Lords manifestation of himselfe to his people will be as refreshfull after their trouble as the cleare morning is after the dark night especially to a wearied Centinell Psal 130.6 Doct. 10. The second similitude from rain c. Teacheth 1. The presence of God to his people parched with trouble and tentation will be as refreshfull as the rain can be to burnt up ground See Jer 31.12 2. Gods refreshing of his people will produce fruitfullnesse also and cheare up their decayed discouraged and blasted graces as the rain doth the fruits of the ground 3. The manifestations of God to his people will be seasonable when they are most needed and may be most usefull for so is the former and latter rain dispensed on the earth See Heb. 4.16 4. His manifestations will also be constant to his people to begin and carry them on to perfection for
deceitful ground of comfort and will not be owned by God whatever men pretend and as the calumniating of upright men is an usual way of promoting a false Religion So a deceitful lying comfort is a dangerous snare and it is the great sin of any to be instrumental in applying of it For so much is imported in that part of the challenge They make the King and Princes for both are understood in every one of the branches glad with their lies Vers 4. They are all adulterers as an oven heated by the baker who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough untill it be leavened The fourth sin challenged is their pronenesse to adultery bodily or spiritual or both of which they were generally guilty This is illustrate from the similitude of a Baker heating an Oven and kneading Dough who ceaseth to raise himself or others to put in the Bread till it be leavened and the Oven hot In application wherof we need not restrict it particularly to this that Jeroboam and his faction were hot upon the Idolatry of the calves of which he was the contriver and Baker but yet did cease to put it in practcie till by emissaries the people were leavened and prepared Nor yet to this that they were mad upon sin and yet insensible and carelesse of their case because of it as a sleeping Baker But it seemes rather to hold out this general That they opened their hearts so to Satans fiery tentations as an Oven is to fire and were so inflamed and fitted thereby as presently on an occasion they acted the sins as an hot Oven will bake the Bread when once it is leavened and put into it and as an Oven continues heating till the Dough be leavened and ready to be put into it so their heat of lust and tentation was not extinguished till it was satisfied And further as an Oven into which fire and fuel is put keeps the heat and leaven goeth through the lump though none watch about them but the Baker and others sleep so their hearts being once pestered with sin did feed themselves therein Doct. 1. A visible Church not receiving the love of the truth is justly given over to vile uncleannesse both in worship and manners and to be monstrously enflamed thereunto by Satan and his fire-brands For such was Israels condition They are adulterers as an oven heated by the baker where the Baker may cast in what fire and fuel he will and where the heat is most violent as being kept in compact together See Rom. 1.21 24 c. 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. 2. The more universal sin be it doth adde to the Lords controversie against a Land For They are all adulterers that is they are generally guilty though not every one and this is a part of the challenge 3. Whatever men may pretend without themselves as an excuse for their corrupting their wayes yet upon true triall they will finde it to flow from their own hearts polluted by Satan nor will it suffice to acknowledge some infirmity and inadvertencie in their sin unlesse they see it deeper rooted in their hearts For whereas they might pretend they followed these courses only to please their Kings and obey their commands the Lord lets them see it was their own hearts enflamed with lusts and Satans tentations like an oven heated that drew them to it and that this was no sudden fit but the fruit of deeply corrupted hearts as an Oven that hath been long heated with much fuel 4. Albeit that wicked men do not alwayes break forth in actuall wickednesse yet are they not the more innocent for that For 1. Their spirits are pestered and haunted with sin though they do not act it as the Oven is still heating and the Dough still leavening though the Baker and others sleep 2. It is not of them that they do not act sin it is only through the want of a tentation and occasion as the hot Oven ceaseth from baking Bread and the Baker from putting it in only till it be leavened and ready 3. Their heat of lust is never extinct nor do they labour to mortifie it but it continueth restlesse and furious till it be satisfied as the Oven still heats and burneth till the Bread be leavened and put in Doct. 4. Albeit good motions when they are most fervent need frequent cherishing as being no native plant of our hearts yet when evil once gets footing it will entertain and feed it self and grow upon our hand For the Oven will heat and the Dough leaven though all should sleep after they have put in the fire and the leaven Ver. 5. In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottels of wine he stretched out his hand with scorners The fifth accusation is for Court-intemperance in King Princes and Courtiers without any respect to honesty or shame In so much that on the Kings birth-day or the day of his Coronation or some other solemnity yearly observed by him the Princes did draw the King to be drunk whereby 1. He contracted sicknesse 2. It made him forget and prostitute his place and authority joyning in society with scorners or men eminently dissolute and look rather like such in his drunkennesse then like a King Doct 1. Dayes which men will have observed as dayes of festivity and solemnity do ordinarily prove dayes of great miscarriage and provocation against God For it is in the day of our King that they contract very eminent guilt In the Original it is the day of our Kings wherein the Lord by his Prophet repeats their words as proclaiming and boasting of it and therefore loosing the rains to intemperance See Exod. 32.6 Job 1.5 Eccles 7.2 3. 2. Drunkennesse and sensuality is an hainous crying sin and particularly in Rulers For it is a sad challenge that they should be given to bottels of wine See Prov. 31.4 Eccles 10.16 17. Isa 28.1 3. Nobles and Princes and great Courtiers are ordinarily great plagues and snares to Kings who having their ear and countenance do make use of it for no other end but to draw them to sin against God For it is the Princes who have made him sick c. 4. It is the height of sensuality when men not only become brutish themselves but dare invite and tempt others to the same excesse of riot and by all meanes draw them to drunkennesse For it is the sin of the Princes that they draw the King to drink See Hab. 2.15 16. Est 1.8 5. Men by their intemperance do not only draw on the guilt of misspending time and abusing the good creatures of God but of self-murther and abusing their own bodies also For they make him sick with bottles of wine either by making him drink whole bottles or drinke wine which in these parts they kept and carried in bottels 6. Dayes of feasting and intemperance do also ordinarily prove dayes of great insolence and boldnesse in all other sins When mens hearts
sinner to stand it out against God and when he persists in it notwithstanding that afflictions make him bear the badges of his baseness For under all this trouble there is the pride of Israel which the Lord here challengeth as an hainous sin 2. Mens guilt and particularly their pride under affliction doth convincingly bear witnesse against them not only by bewraying it self but by testifying their desperate condition because of it For the pride of Israel testifieth to his face in both these respects 3. It is a sufficient evidence of mens pride and rising against God and his dispensations when they are not drawn to God by their rods however otherwayes they should seem to walk never so crushed-like under them For pride testifieth in this they do not return to the Lord for all this 4. When the Lord sends affliction upon his people it doth call for and the Lord may justly expect that they should not only seek to him for help but should seek himself and his face rather then their own ease and that to the end they may come speed in seeking they should endeavour conversion and turn from their evil way For all this is imported in their duty which the Lord misseth under their trouble they should returne to the Lord and seek him 5. As no outward dispensations will of themselves prevaile with impenitent sinners nor afflictions if they be not sanctified do any good so in particular afflictions meeting with unsubdued hearts will not better them nor convince them of or drive them from sin to God For proud Israel do not returne to the Lord nor seek him for all this Such a carriage is a signe of stout-heartednesse 6. The offer that is made to sinners under the rod of love and of acceptance if they will turne from their evil way doth much aggravate the sin of obstinacy Therefore it is put in the challenge they do not returne to the Lord their God who offereth upon their returning to prove himsel to be so Vers 11. Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart they call to Egypt they go to Assyria 12. When they shall go I will spread my net upon them I will bring them down as the fowles of the heaven I will chastise them as their congregation hath heard The tenth sin for which they are challenged and which is a branch of their mixture v. 8. is their folly in not seeking the help of God but of strangers in their sttaits herein resembling Doves whose simplicity makes them run on hazards v. 11. for which the Lord threatens to involve them in the punishment of their sins and alluding to the flying Dove to bring them down as a bird in a net according to the predictions of the Prophets in their Congregations v. 12. From v. 11. Learn 1. It is an undeniable evidence of mens not turning to God not seeking him in trouble when their hearts are bent on wrong courses and seeking to other refuges So much doth the dependance of this challenge upon the former teach They do not return to God who call to Egypt c. however they may pretend to do both 2. As the Lord doth not approve of all sorts of prudence especially that wherein the wisdome of the flesh beares sway So every simplicity is not commendable especially when it is not armed and guarded with spiritual prudence For it is a challenge Ephraim is like a silly dove without heart or prudence though it be commendable when joyned with serpentine wisdome Matth. 10.16 3. Whatever wisdome or policy may seem to be in mens forsaking God and his way in trouble yet it is in effect great simplicity and will prove so and whatever humane helps may promise yet it is folly to think that men can help when God in anger is a party or that when God is calling us to seek him by trouble men should deliver us without our owning of God For herein Ephraim is like a Dove they call to Egypt they go to Assyria to wit for help when they are in distresse 4. Whatever folly there be in such courses yet they are the usual way which men take yea not only do they essay some of them but they will rather be endlesse in seeking after carnal confidences on every hand then they will turne to God For Ephraim proveth such a Dove and they call to Egypt on the South and will be at pains to go to Assyria on the North rather then seek to God 5. Mens simplicity and being thereby misled and abused will not plead excuse for their sin before God For this is laid to Ephraims charge though herein he was like a silly dove From v. 12. Learn 1. Mens not acknowledging of God in the use of means or their using of unlawful means provokes him to become their party and to be against them For so doth this threatening following on the former challenge teach 2. Such as turn away from God and his way do justly meet with snares in the wayes they follow from which they cannot extricate themselves For when they go I will spread my net upon them or cause them to be insnared in unavoidable inconveniences 3. Mens prospering for a time in an evil way gives no assurance but they will get a sad fall nor will it hinder God to reach them for that end For I will bring them down as the fowles of heaven that is as the Dove and other fowles do flie high and yet they come down and are caught in a net So though they soare high yet I will abase them 4. Gods sad Word against sin and sinners will at last take effect and resolve in sad chastisements For I will chastise them as their congregation hath heard See Ezek. 1.6 5. It may adde much bitternesse to the judgements that are inflicted on men when they shall consider how hainous it was in them to sin so grievously who heard God speaking to them in their Assemblies and that they would not believe their danger from the Word laying it before them till now they are made to feel it For these causes is their chastisement amplified that it will be as their congregation hath heard Ver. 13. Wo unto them for they have fled from me destruction unto them because they have transgressed against me though I have redeemed them yet they have spoken lies against me The Lord having thus laid so many sins to their charge mixed with some threatenings expressed or insinuate whereby he makes it cleare that their case was desperate and that there was no healing of their backslidings Now he proceedeth to take away from them all hope of pardon or exemption from judgementst and to declare he behoved to destroy them as was insinuate in that challenge and expostulation Chap. 6.4 And for this end he pronounceth a sad sentence against them and demonstrates the equity thereof from severall aggravations of their sin which takes away all pretences and excuses from them In this ver the
1.23 â— He mentions only one calfe though there were two of them 1 King 12.28 29. and belike many petty ones afterward because they were like other and the same thing and did but represent one and the same thing though they were multiplyed for the peoples ease 2. Corruption of worship and Religion is enough to ruine a State and Nation were there no other controversie and will at last draw on sad and inevitable judgements For Thy calf hath cast thee off or provoked God to abandon thee with detestation 3. Men who follow a false Religion had need of fair weather for it will prove empty and abandon its followers in their greatest need without peace or comfort For so the words will also beare thy calfe will abandon thee See Chap. 10.6 Jer 2.28 Deut. 32.37 38. 4. No strength or power of any place will availe to hold off judgements especially when the inhabitants thereof are chiefe in carrying on ill courses Therefore albeit the calves were at Dan and Bethel yet it is called Samaria's calfe as Amos 8.14 Not only because it was the chiefe City and so comprehends the whole Nation but because their power and riches maintained that Idolatry and therefore God threatens were they never so strong Thy calfe O Samaria hath cast thee off 5. As God is angrie and that in great measure as the word imports against Idols and corrupt Religion and worship So his anger against any sinfull course will soone make it vain and ineffectuall as to any thing the sinner expects from it For Thy calfe hath cast thee off because mine anger is kindled against them 6. Idolaters and corrupters of Religion can never be innocent pure nor justified of God while they continue in that sin pretend to what they will beside For so is here imported that they have not attained to innocency 7. Whatever may be mens thoughts of an inveterate custome in sin taking away all sense of it yet in Gods account continuance in sin is no excuse but an aggravation of it as making mens case the more irrecoverable For it is a ground of expostulation how long will it be ere they attain to innocency that is how long shall I wait expecting they will reforme this evill and yet they do it not 8. Albeit the Lord be long-suffering toward sinners yet his patience will have a period and then wrath will be the hotter For this adds to the sin and kindleth his anger against them that he hath cause to complain how long will it be ere they attain to innocency Vers 6. For from Israel was it also the workeman made it therefore it is not God but the calfe of Samaria shall be broken in pieces In the second place which also insists chiefly on the sin of the course he confirmes yet the justnesse of his anger against their calfe and them because of it by shewing the vanity of that Idol in that it was their own invention and not Gods institution and in that it could not be a God to help them being only the work of men and therefore he threatens to prove its frailty by the breaking thereof Whence learn 1. Mens following humane inventions neglecting divine institution is enough to corrupt all Religion and it is sufficient to condemne any thing that is intruded in Religion that it is but of men For from Israel was it also imports not so much that they learned this from Israel in the wildernesse or that they learned it not from Pagans but devised it of themselves which yet is not certain as simply it it a challenge that it was their device and not appointed of God 2. Apostates are so sottish that albeit themselves be the inventours of Idols and they know what they are yet they will set them up as relative objects of divine worship For albeit it was from Israel and the workeman made it yet they cleave to it and give it so high a roome 3. Albeit such as make and set up Images in religious worship do pretend that they acknowledge the true God only yet such is the judgement of God and the bewitching power of Idols and the deceitfulnesse of mens hearts that they will be found to ascribe some Divinity and Deity to them Therefore must the Lord prove that it is not God which imports their hearts were somewhat bewitched that way though they pretended to honour the true God in and by them Exod. 32.4 5. 1 King 12.28 4. Whatever estimation men have of Images or whatever excellency or Divinity they conceive in or represented by them yet it is sufficient to refute them that themselves who are but vain and empty things gave them all the excellency they have For thus doth the Lord argue the workeman made it therefore it is not God 5. As Images and other instruments of Idolatry ought to be destroyed and broken So the Lord by a calamity on them will prove their vanity to the conviction of all these who would not see it otherwise and this will be the issue of all other things that are too much deified Therefore it is added as a confirmation of the vanity of their calfe but or for the calfe of Samaria shall be broken in pieces alluding to what was done with Aarons calfe Exod. 32.20 as the just fruit of such courses Ver. 7. For they have sowen the winde and they shall reape the whirlwind it hath no stalke the bud shall yeeld no meale if so be it yeeld the strangers shall swallow it up In the third place the punishment for these sins which was briefly spoken of before is amplified and enlarged in a twofold sentence or threatning The first is that as their wayes were vain and naught as if a man had sowen the winde so their hopes thereby should not only be disappointed and their Labour vain but it should prove hurtfull their harvest should be a whirlwinde and tempest This is again illustrate from a new similitude of an harvest which though it may be true literally that their corne-harvest should prove so yet it seemes here rather to be a Metaphor shewing that it should be with them as if the seed they sowed should either not grow to a stalk or if it did yet it should want a blessing and prove no food or if there were any increase yet it should be eaten up by enemies So they should reap no benefit by their Idolatrous courses or if they seemed to prosper yet it should not be blessed but the enemies should ruine all of it Whence learn 1. God is so jealous an avenger of Idolatry and corrupt worship in his Church that he will undo a whole Nation before he do not ruine these courses which they will not reforme themselves For this sentence cometh in as a reason and confirmation of his sentence against the calves ver 6. the calfe of Samaria shall be broken in pieces for they have sowen the winde c. that is I will destroy the calfe and for
he which is true not only of Moses writings but of the Prophets Doctrine the summe whereof was at Gods command left registrate 3. The subject matter of the written Word is great and excellent far above the subject of all humane sciences as revealing God the way of his Worship and of mans salvation and so making them great who embrace it For it is the great things of my Law not to be sleighted nor contemned 5. It is the great though usual sin of the visible Church to live strangers to the Word of God and little conversant with it to look upon its directions as of little moment and that there is little hazard in not walking according to them and to look upon them as very strange and contrary to our dispositions and having little reason for what is injoyned all these concurred in their way in that they were counted as a strange thing They of Israel made little use of the Word they thought it a small matter to stand so much upon the place of Worship and they thought it an unreasonable thing to urge that way of Worship which would be so destructive to the State of Israel if they went up to Jerusalem And therefore they looked on all these things as little concerning them Ver. 13. They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings and eat it but the LORD accepteth them not now will he remember their iniquity and visit their sinnes they shall returne to Egypt The third branch of the challenge is that in these sacrifices which they pretended to offer to God they were both life-lesse and destitute of all spiritual service and selfish Therefore the Lord declareth their service to be rejected and threatens that he will call them to an account for their sin and send them into bondage like that they had suffered in Egypt or make them flee thither from the fury of the Assyrians Whence lear 1. Externall worship without life and spiritual dispositions and particularly ceremoniall worship without an eye to the substance and thing signified is nothing else but a dead carkase in Gods accompt For they sacrifice flesh for the sacrifice of mine offerings that is their sacrifices which they pretend to offer to me if there were no other fault in them of offering them in a wrong place and by unlawful Ministers c. yet they are but flesh in respect they minde no more but the outward work See Isa 66.3 Jer. 7.21 22 23. 2. Most part of worshippers follow the external duties of Religion no further then their own ends lead them and mens own advantage is the upholder of all false Religion For they sacrifice and eat it that is they observe no rule of burnt-offerings wherein all the sacrifice is offered up to God but of all of them they must eat a part as was allowed in peace or thanksgiving-offerings and so they regard their own bellies most 3. However men cry up their own way yet they will finde that want of a divine approbation will undo all For it is a judgement sufficient but the Lord accepteth them not See 2 Cor. 10.18 4. God will not forget unrepented of iniquity though for a time he spare it but will call sinners to an account when it is least expected and particularly corrupt and formal worship justly brings all a peoples sins to remembrance and ripens them for judgements for all of them Therefore it is added now will he remember their iniquity and visite their sins 5. When men have forgotten their old bondage and walk so as if neither such a stroak nor deliverance had been the Lord is provoked to bring it to remembrance by a new captivity For they shall return to Egypt Assyria shall be made a new Egypt to them and many of them shall run to Egypt the place of their old bondage to meet with new bondage Ver. 14. For Israel hath forgotten his Maker and buildeth temples and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities but I will send a fire upon his cities and it shall devour the palaces thereof In the close of the Chap. Judah is joyned with Israel and challenged that as Israel multiplied Idolatry and Idol-temples so they multiplied fenced Cities For which God threatens to destroy the Cities and stately Palaces thereof This sin challenged here seemeth to have fallen forth in the dayes of wicked Ahaz who considering the incursions of Assyria into Israel made it all his care to secure Judah by fortifying many Cities as we finde them challenged Isa 22.8 9 10 11. And the judgement was executed by Senacherib after the captivity of Israel Isa 36.1 Doct. 1. When the Lord is challenging grossest provocations he will not for all that forget lesser sinnes and passe them over as nothing especially in his people Therefore he forgets not Judahs sin of carnal confidence when he is reckoning with Israel for Idolatry For or and as it is in the Original joyning this with the former challenges Israel buildeth temples and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities 2. The setting up of Idols and of carnall confidences in Gods room are the usuall byasse of mens hearts who when their hearts are not delighting in and relying upon God will not want somewhat beside to supply that want Therefore are building temples and multiplying fenced cities joyned together here as setting up somewhat in Gods room 3. Idolatry in worship and carnal confidences do bewray mens forgetfulnesse of God whose authority prohibits these things and whose kindnesse to his people should engage them not to abandon his Worship nor trust in any thing beside him and particularly how much soever men pretend to remember God by setting up Idols and temples to them yet in all this they do but bewray forgetfulnesse of God For Israel hath forgotten his Maker who not only created him but advanced him to that dignity he enjoyed in his sinning and the like is to be understood of Judah 4. Mens placing their confidence in outward means of defence and safety when yet they little minde the wrath of God against sin is an iniquity to be joyned in some sort with Idolatry in worship For this was Judahs sin in multiplying fenced cities which is held forth to be of the same nature with Israels building temples because both draw the heart from God 5. As judgements inflicted in Gods anger will easily like fire consume most stately places so the Lord is provoked to inflict these when men put confidence in these things Any thing a people and especially the Church put confidence in will surely be plagued For because Judah hath multiplied fenced cities and made this his confidence otherwise it is no sin to use means of defence I will send a fire upon his cities and it shall devour the palaces thereof CHAP. IX THe Doctrine of this Chap relates to a time wherein Israel flourished much by reason of outward plenty victories confederacies with their neighbours and therefore did harden and please themselver in their sinnes whatever
them of any help by their King and to let them see the folly of relying on him v. 3. 2. He accuseth them for deceitfulnesse and perjury in all their Covenants whereby unrighteousnesse abounded among them v. 4. for which he threatens to destroy their Idol-calves to the terrour and grief of their chief City and all the Worshippers and Ministers of these Idols v. 5. to send the calves into captivity whereby they should have shame of all their enterprizes on their behalf v. 6. to cut off their King v. 7. and to lay the places of their Idolatrous worship desolate and to fill the people with horrour and despaire because of these evils v. 8. 3. He accuseth them for their continuance and excesse in sin since the dayes of their fathers though he had spared them when he plagued others v 9. for which he threatens to punish them and expose them as a prey to their enemies however they set themselves to prevent the stroak v. 10. And that however Ephraim was so delicate as not to endure the yoke yet God would put both them and Judah to trouble v. 11. upon which he exhorts them to repentance and amendment upon hope of mercy v. 12. 4. He accuseth them for their diligence in sin wherein they were bolstered up by their confidence in their own projects and their valiant men ver 13. for which he threatens to confound their people and expose their fortresses to a cruel sacking whereof they had seen a late example v. 14. and to plague them thus severely for their sin in the matter of worship and suddenly to cut off their King and Kingdome ver 15. Vers 1. ISrael is an empty vine he bringeth forth fruit unto himself according to the multitude of his fruit he hath encreased the altars according to the goodnesse of his land they have made goodly images This Verse contains a part of the first accusation wherein Israel is challenged for fruitlessenesse and bringing forth fruit to themselves and not to God and that they multiplied instruments of Idolatry according as they encreased in wealth Whence learn 1. As the Church in many things doth resemble a Vine and particularly in that they are good for nothing when they are not fruitful Ezek. 15. and that God takes great paines upon them Psal 80.8 c. Isa 5.1 2. So emptinesse is her great and usual sin having not only no fruit or ill fruit but emptying evanishing fruit For Israel is an empty vine and thus also are they as some read the words an emptying vine which poure out their strength and the fruits of Gods bounty in empty and vain fruits as a vine that bringeth forth nothing but branches and leaves 2. When men improve all Gods paines upon them and dispensations toward them only in seeking of themselves or their own interests it is their great sin and a proof of their fruitlessenesse Therefore it is subjoyned he bringeth forth fruit unto himself that is they consume all the fruits of Gods dispensations and care toward them upon their own lusts Men are then indeed empty before God and as some read the words their fruit is equal or like to themselves when the honour of God is not so much eyed in their way as themselves or their name when dispensations are not improven to make them more for God and when they are not publick-minded rather then seeking their own things 3 It is the great ingratitude of men and a peculiar proof of their emptinesse and selfishnesse when they are not the more for God that he is good to them but do increase in wickednesse because of Gods bounty For it followeth as a proof of the former according to the multitude of his fruits he hath encreased the altars c. that is when God sent him plenty and made his land fat he erected yet more Altars to his Idols and bestowed more cost upon his images 4. Prosperity meeting with wicked dispositions is very ill to guide and readily proveth a great snare drawing men to these sins which either want or slavish fear kept somewhat at under in trouble for so much also doth this challenge teach And therefore it is a mercy when the Lord with-holds such a snare from his afflicted people till their dispositions be more renewed Ver. 2. Their heart is divided now shall they be found faulty he shall break down their altars he shall spoile their images This Verse containes yet more of the accusation that they were divided in their hearts partly betwixt God and their calves partly in the matter of their idolatrous worship some being for the calves only others for Baal also as appeared in Jehu's daies and partly by civil commotions as 2 Kings 15. Unto these accusations the Lords sentence is subjoyned whereof this is a part that God would shortly convince them of their sin and take them with the crime This he was about to do by his judgements when he should destroy their altars and images Doct. 1. As the heart is a vital part which cannot be divided without death so men can have no life of God nor acknowledgement of him when they are not solely and throughly for him and his way nor will he endure any halting betwixt him and Idols 1 King 18.21 For it is his challenge their heart is divided 2. When men do fall from Gods way it is just with him to give them up to start and multiplie divisions without end in their own way For thus also their heart is divided 3. Civil dissensions and commotions are the just fruit of mens halting and declining from Gods way and of their divisions in the matters of God and his Worship For this dividing of the heart followed upon the rest 4. It is no strange thing to see men when they commit grossest ills yet be very hardly convinced of it considering their wit to defend and their pretexts to palliate their courses and that men by continuing in sin do still become more and more stupid For so is imported here in that God must take a course to finde them faulty or guilty 5. God hath a schoole of judgements and afflictions wherein he will teach and convince the most obstinate of their sin against him And this should be looked on as near approaching when men will not see their guilt from the Word For now shall they be found faulty or made to know their guilt shortly when God shall smite them See Jer. 2.35 6. As monuments of Idolatry ought to be destroyed so where men will not do it but either maintain them or are negligent in suppressing them God will take the work in his own hand and get it done by his judgements upon their expence For he shall break down their altars he shall spoile their images to wit by the Assyrians as is cleared in the rest of the Chapter Vers 3. For now they shall say We have no king because we feared not the LORD What then should a king do
service which proves contrary to that for Ephraim is on heifer that loveth to tread out the corne 2. It is a great snare to men making them to doat on an easie way when they have been accustomed in Gods providence to such a lot and by taking too well with it become effeminate For Ephraim is taught and loveth to tread out the corne that is hath been tenderly dealt with and hath accustomed his own heart to that way 3. God hath an indignation at such as are too delicate and take too well with ease and is provoked to put them to trouble for I passed over upon her faire neck that is I brought her under the yoke who kept her self so dainty as if a man put a yoke upon the fat and found neck of an undaunted heifer 4. Let wicked men tamper as they will yet they will not get trouble alwayes shifted but God will bring captivity and bondage or other trouble upon them for I will make Ephraim to ride c. that is he shall be tossed into captivity as a man makes his horse carry him in far journeyes 5. The Lords sentence is universal against all secure and delicate sinners that he will send toile and trouble upon them be they lesse or more corrupt Therefore doth Judah though more pure in many things then Israel come in in the sentence Judah shall plow which is an hard labour but seems to be distinguished from riding because however Judah was oppressed in these times yet they went not so soon into captivity as Israel 6. The hard lots of sinners may yet through Gods blessing prove usefull and profitable to them however they may be ill satisfied with them Therefore doth he express their lot thus Judah shall plow and Jacob shall break his clods which is the useful labour of husband-men as is further insinuate in the next verse I conceive that Jacob in this place is all one with Judah distinguished from Ephraim or the ten Tribes who are made to ride Their name is doubled to shew that no title of their interest in the royal Tribe of Judah or in holy Jacob will hold off the sentence And their trouble is tearmed plowing c. because they were to attain to the fruit and issue of their trouble more speedily then Israel Vers 12. Sowe to your selves in righteousnesse reap in mercy break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord till he come and raine righteousnesse upon you These threatenings are sweetned with an exhortation to repentance and reformation of their way in tearmes borrowed from v. 11. The exhortation is twofold to every one of which an encouragement is subjoyned by way of argument pressing the duty He exhorts them that they would sowe the fruits of righteousnesse promising to make them reap the fruits of his mercy 2. That for this end they would cleave up and manure the hard and wilde ground of their own heart which they had neglected so long and so impeded their own seeking of God Upon the amendment whereof he promiseth liberally to performe promises to absolve them from sin and to cloath them with Christs righteousnesse Whence learn 1. When the Lord is most severe in threatenings we are bound to look on them as containing exhortations to repentance and promises to the penitent in the bosome of them for so is here cleared. And if this were hearkened unto who knoweth what mercy would make of the most desperate person or people in the world 2. The fruits of righteousnesse of the second Table are the true evidences of repentance and of conversion to God through faith in Jesus Christ Therefore doth he require sowing in righteousnesse or the duties of righteousnesse not as if that were all their conversion but as evidences and fruits thereof 3. Albeit God be not bound to our pains yet he requireth diligence in penitents And they must be content to performe duties without looking for present fruit of recompence Therefore is their dutie expressed in tearms taken from the painful calling of husbandry and particularly of sowing wherein men must wait for the recompence of their labours See Ps 97.11 James 5.7 4. Albeit the Lord doth condescend to have his glory manifested in a peoples obedience and do also freely reward it as if it were of worth to him yet God doth not seek service because he needeth it but all the advantage of it is the mans own who performeth it For sowe to your selves saith he See Ps 16.2 5. However mens walking in wayes of righteousnesse seem oft-times to be long forgotten and lie like seed under the clod which might seem lost yet in due time it will resolve in an harvest of comfort and free reward For saith he sowe and reap See Ps 126.6 Gal 6.9 6. Whatever be the boisterous and proud complaints of hypocrites as Isa 58.3 Mal. 3.14 yet such as are righteous walkers indeed and do flee to Christ in a Covenant of Grace and draw strength from him for the duties of new obedience they will look only to Gods mercy and not their own worth for obtaining any reward for they look to reap in mercy 7. Such as are thus brought in mercies reverence mercy will be bestowed on them and mercy will be the carver of their portion and its out-lettings will be like it self and according to the promise For it is a promise reap in mercy or according to the mouth of mercy that is according to its verdict and sentence and according to the proportion it shall carve out and according to the promises which God in his mercy hath made and spoken 8. Men can reap no fruit of any seeming diligence till their hearts which are hard and unaccustomed to any good be manured and changed and put in a new and fruitfull frame Therefore is the other exhortation subjoyned break up your fallow ground where in a Metaphor borrowed from plowing they are tought that their hearts are as wilde and unaccustomed to any good work as land that is not in use of being plowed is hard and ill to plow and that therefore the more paines must be taken upon them by humiliation repentance and mortification to get them put in a frame 9. Misspent time in neglecting or refusing to seek God ought to be redeemed and will be so by all them who are sensible of their own case For it is a reason of the exhortation for it is time to seek the Lord considering how long ye have neglected it See 1 Pet. 4.3 10. So long as sinners are preserved and invited to repentance it is yet an acceptable time if sinners will hearken and such opportunities should not be neglected Both these also are imported in this reason that it was yet time and that the opportunity would be laid hold on 11. As sincere seekers do seek God only and to enjoy him as their chief scope So they will not give over till he come for they seek the Lord and that
when they had gone astray but they openly and avowedly refused when they were seriously invited See Jer. 8.4 5. Vers 6. And the sword shall abide on his cities and shall consume his branches and devour thee because of their own counsels Secondly the Lord threatens them with an abiding sword upon their cities and their villages which as branches spring out from the cities or on their bars that is their strong holds Rulers and valiant inhabitants and that because of their following their owne wayes and counsels rejecting the Lords Of this See Chap. 10.6 Doct. 1. The sword ought to be looked on as one of the Lords scourges because of his peoples ingratitude and abuse of mercies and their trusting to their own counsels and not regarding Gods Word For because of these provocations it is threatned here 2. The sword is then a most sharp scourge and speakes much of Gods displeasure when it rageth not only amongst armies in the fields but falls in upon Cities when it is universall upon Cities and branches or villages or Forts or Rulers and other inhabitants and when it continueth long thus and abideth till it consume and devour See Jer. 47.6 7. 3. However men trust much to their own inventions and projects neglecting God and his way as here is supposed Yet all this their wit and policy will be so far from holding off a judgement that on the contrary it doth draw it on For it is added as a reason of the sentence because of their owne counsels Vers 7. And my people are bent to backsliding from me though they called thee to the most High none at all would exalt him The first part of this v is by many taken as a further threatning that they should be in suspense and anxiety being pressed on every hand because of their backsliding from God Which though it be a truth in it selfe Deut. 28.66 and the word doth also signifie to be in suspense yet the Originall construction will not beare this interpretation for it is not because of but to backsliding Therefore I understand it with the translation as a second accusation against Israel for their backslidings to which they were so prone that their inclination and course did still hang sway and bend toward it And if they were at any time in suspense and doubt about their course as the word also imports yet all that but tended to more Apostasy and testified their inclination to it in that no such hesitation stopped their course This generall challenge is more particularly confirmed in the end of the v. from the ill entertainment they gave to the Messages sent by Gods servants to them Doct. 1. Backsliding and Apostasy is the great sin of the visible Church to which she hath a strong inclination naturally even in her best frame any other course she followeth being but a motion against nature For it is a challenge that they not only backslide from what they attained but are bent to backsliding See Chap. 6.4 2. Mens hanging sometime in suspense and having some inclinations to returne will neither double out their point against the power of corruption within them nor will it extenuate but rather aggreage their backsliding that it overfloweth such banks So much doth the other reading teach they are in suspense and yet it tends but to backsliding 3. The great backsliding of Gods people is their backsliding from God and communion with him which draweth on all other Apostasies and defections And every backsliding of the Church in duty or worship is a backsliding from God in so far as men thereby do renounce his prerogative to be the sovereigne Lord to prescribe their duty and the way of his own service and do renounce these wayes and means wherein only communion with God is to be found and intertained In these respects it is challenged that they backslide from me saith the Lord. 4. God will not forget a backsliding peoples interest and pretences of interest in him to aggravate their sin For it adds to the challenge my people are bent to backsliding It cannot but grieve God when these whom he hath choosen to be his peculiar people and hath put them in possession of speciall favours and gained their consent in part do recede from him as unworthy and do choose husks whereon the world feeds as the only desirable portion And it is a sad case when all a peoples priviledges and advantages serve only to make their ditty the sadder 5. As it is of the Lords great mercy that he ceaseth not to follow backsliders with Messages from his Word as here it is supposed that yet there were and that diverse and many who called them So by the entertainment that is given to the Word men may trie whether they have backsliden or not or whether they be persisting in it or turning from it For by this is the charge of Apostasy and bentnesse in following it proven in that they obeyed not the call though they called them none at all would exalt him 6. When the Lord by his Word reclaimes his people from their backsliding it is not because he needs them who is glorious and high in himselfe but for their own advantage For he called them from these base things which drew them away to the most high 7. We are never free of backsliding but when God is most high to us and in our estimation and when he is exalted in our hearts and in our respect to his commands and directions and conscience made of his praise the neglect whereof is an evidence of Apostasy and portends more of it For so is imported in that they are called from their backsliding to come to him as the most high and to exalt him 8. Backsliding is by so much the sadder and the cause of a greater quarrell that it is universall For none at all would exalt him but all refused the call Though it may be also understood and read together they exalted not that is not only with one consent they refused but they joyned not in that work as indeed want of union is a speciall mean of carrying on backsliding and defection Vers 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together In the second part of the Chap. the Lord comforts the godly against the imminent and deserved judgements with some blenks of his mercy And first in this v. the mercy of God is held forth in coming over their provocations to do any thing for them and interposing to hold off the extremity of judgements deserved by them wherein 1. It is insinuate by way of sentence for their Apostasy that their sins deserved hard things even such calamities as befell Sodom and the neighbouring Cities of which See Gen. 19.24 Deut. 29.23 But 2. in the execution the Lord was willing to make a stand
aggreage their sin and vexe them the more he commends Judah at least for having a lawful Kingdom in Davids posterity wherein they ruled with Gods approbation And that in the matter of prescribed worship in Religion they were faithful as became Saints keeping the faith and Religion received from their religious ancestors and keeping the true Priesthood This commendation is given to Judah not only because they still clave to their lawful Magistrate but even in the matters of Religion though at some times they revolted in much yet they were so yet to wit when Israel revolted they had not corrupted Religion whatever were the failings of Solomon See 2 Chron. 13.4 12. and sometimes thereafter they were so also and in all the dayes of Hosea's Ministery their Kings excepting Ahaz were none of the worst friends to Religion and some of them zealous Reformers in whose time it may be this was preached yea in the times of their foul defections they for most part carried still some respect to the Temple and Priesthood Doct. 1. Whatever mercy the Lord manifest to be in his heart toward sinners yet that gives no warrant to them to please themselves in sin or to think that the Lord takes lesse notice of it or abhorreth it the lesse To prevent this the Lord returns to wonted challenges after the former promises 2. Evil courses in a land ordinarily begin at the Rulers and what they are that the people do prove For what Ephraim is guilty of that the house of Israel joyn in 3. When men go furthest wrong readily their courses will not appear to themselves in their worst colours nor will they let them be seen so to others but will palliate and cloak them over the best they may For it is charged upon them here that they used lies and deceit that is false pretences and excuses wherewith they thought to justifie their course 4. Such pretences are dangerous plagues to men and a cause of Gods controversie especially when they dare present them to God as such as he will approve and because of them not plague their courses and when they hinder the Word from taking effect For it is a challenge they compasse me about with lies which may be understood either as Gods speech complaining that by these they would as it were besiege and keep him in from plaguing of them or the Prophets whom they would hinder from uttering threatenings against a course which they endeavoured to render so plausible 5. Whatever pretences men betake themselves unto yet God doth see through them and his Word will call them what they are And he hath declared that all pretences for justifying a sinful course are but mens deceiving of themselves and as they bear no weight before God so they will disappoint the sinner in end Therefore whatever they accounted these courses to be yet God by his Prophet pronounceth them lies and deceit 6. As it is the commendation of people to stand fast when others do decline as here Judah is commended So it will be a great addition to a peoples sin and ditty when they go wrong and yet are so far from being seduced by others that they have a contrary example from them For this addes to Israels sin that they did all this when Judah yet rules with God 7. The holding up and continuing of civil government according to Gods appointment and the rules of his Word is a commendable duty and it is a peoples great sin when it is otherwise For it is Judahs commendation he ruleth with God not only many of his Rulers act for God which is a presage of good to a Land but the way of Government is lawful and approven wherein Israel failed 8. It is the duty of such as do embrace the true Religion to be in reality Saints that they may reap the fruit of Religion and adorne their profession For it is the commendation of their progenitours who transmitted the truth to Judah that they were Saints 9. Whatever may be the other failings of a people yet it is matter of commendation to keep even external Religion pure as it is transmitted from pious Ancestors according to the Word For such is Judahs commendation he is faithful with the Saints whereby Hosea would not cover their other faults which he elsewhere reproveth and leaveth to be reprehended especially by their own Prophets Only he sheweth that this was commendable in it self and that in this they had out-stripped Israel And when he saith he is faithful with the Saints his meaning is not to justifie every thing as imitable because it is in a Saint or Saints as if their infirmities were all to be licked up But his meaning is to shew that Judahs Religion as it was in the first place aggreeable to the rule so it was followed by their progenitours and transmitted by them as such neither of which Israel could alleadge for their way though they gloried in their Progenitours as much as Judah CHAP. XII IN this Chap. the Lord insisteth to accuse Israel especially for sin seconding the challenges with exhortations and threatenings And 1. Having accused Ephraim for following empty and vain courses to his own prejudice v. 1. and threatned both him and Judah v. 2. He sets before them the example of their Father Jacob in his carriage and successe v. 3 4. inviting them to follow his footsteps in hope of like successe from him who is an unchangeable God v. 5 6. 2. He returnes to challenge them for being so unlike Jacob in their way And particularly he accuseth them of covetousnesse accompanied with deceit and oppression v. â— and of pleasing themselves in their way v. 8. for which he threatens them with exile yet promising to restore them v. 9. Next he challengeth them for contempt of the Word v. 10. for increase of Idolatry and excusing of it with vain pretences v. 11. for causelesse boasting of their Original and Predecessours v. 12 13. and generally for their bitter and ingrate provoking of God v. 14. for which he threatens them v. 14. Vers 1. EPhraim feedeth on winde and followeth after the East-winde he daily increaseth lies and desolation and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians and oile is carried into Egypt In this Verse the ten Tribes are challenged for their empty and vain hopes and shifts and particularly for their hunting after humane helps and confidences and their making Covenants and sending presents on every hand for that end This the Lord pronounceth to be not only an unprofitable but an hurtful course which he expresseth partly in borrowed tearms of feeding on winde an empty thing which may fill but cannot feed and following the East-winde which was tempestuous and noisome in these Countreys Gen. 41.6 Isa 27.8 Jon. 4.8 and partly in more proper tearmes calling their courses lies and desolation Whence learn 1. It is no unusual thing to see men abound in empty and false hopes whereby they may as they think hold
to the unworthy and such as do deserve ill So the faith and apprehension of it may sweeten their thought and meditation on all his other attributes unto them Therefore albeit they be in an Orphan-condition yet that which they look to is only mercy 5. Such as do apprehend and believe the mercy of God toward his needy people will renounce all carnal and sinful confidences as knowing that God is alsufficient of himself and that he will not have any communion with Idols nor will he help them who look to any refuge beside him Therefore also is this a reason why they renounce their former courses for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy Vers 4. I will heale their back-sliding I will love them frerly for mine anger is turned away from him Followeth Gods answer to this prayer which he will put in the mouth of converted Israel wherein he removes and answers all their doubts in several promises And first for the matter of iniquity for the removal of which they had prayed he promiseth to heal their back-sliding in its guilt pollution and effects though the last of these be more expressely spoken to in the following promises And that he will do this for them out of his own free love to them from whence also it is that he turnes away his justly manifested anger and is pacified toward them Whence learn 1. Gods giving of a spirit of prayer is a sure pledge of a good answer for what he directed them to seek v. 2. now he grants See Rom. 8.26 27. 2. The great sin of the Church is Apostasie and defection from her professions resolutions and yokes which she hath taken on and submitted unto For it is back-sliding or turning away 3. Albeit they had prayed against all iniquity v. 2. yet now he mentions only back-sliding partly because Apostasie hath a complex of many sins and provocations in it and partly to teach that if the worst of ills do not hinder Gods help nor are above his cure far lesse will smaller sins stand in his way 4. Sin doth bring a wound and sicknesse upon the sinner It is a loathsome disease which debilitateth strength causeth paine and anguish if the sinner were sensible and being continued in it tendeth to death For back-sliding must be healed 5. The wound of sin is above the sinners own cure till God take him in hand For it is God who must heal back-sliding 6. Apostasie requireth not only the power of God to cure it and to reclaime the sinner from his wandering and establish him being reclaimed But it requireth also no small art and a Physicians hand to recover it And so to launce the sore as the back-slider may see the evil of his way and not be secure or presumptuous though God recover him and yet so to support the patient with cordials and encouragements as a sight of his case make him not heartlesse and drive him further away For the word imports to play the skilful Physician in healing back-sliding 7. God is an able and skilful Physician for such diseases and to the penitent he will give a proof of his skill in curing back-sliding the guilt of it by a pardon the pollution and power of it by sanctification and putting his fear in their heart Jer. 32.40 the anguish and pain of it by giving them his peace and the effects thereof by removing judgements in his time and way For it is his expresse promise I will heal their back-sliding 8. Such as are truly convinced and penitent will see no worth in themselves wherefore God should do them any good But the more penitent they are the more will they see the need of free-love Therefore do they need this promise I will love them freely to secure all other promises unto them 9. As the love of God is the great encouragement of the humble sinner and the fountain of Gods bounty toward him So it is his great advantage that this love is free in it self and in its effects as being the love of an alsufficient God who needs not nor can be hired by the creature So that no objection of worthlessenesse in the creature can hinder him to look for that which is free Therefore it is held out for their encouragement I will love them freely ingenuously without guile and liberally as it beseemeth a rich and infinit God to communicate himselfe 10. Where sin is unrepented of there is anger from the Lord which should be chiefly looked to and laid to heart in afflictions for so is imported that anger had been upon them under which all their afflictions are comprehended 11. The Lords former displeasure manifested in sad effects will not hinder the manifestation of his free-love to the penitent and upon repentance anger will be turned away out of every lot by Gods free-love Therefore it is subjoyned for mine anger is turned away from him where he giveth this both as an evidence and assurance of his love toward them because the controversie is now ended and therefore they need not doubt of his love 12. Israel to whom these promises are made is sometime spoken of in the plurall number them sometime in the singular number to him not only because a People or Nation is sometime spoken of collectively as one and sometime distributively as many But further it may teach that what God is to one he will be also to all penitents and his favour to a penitent Church gives ample ground of encouragement to every particular penitent yea in his turning away of his anger from a Church he will have a particular respect to the grievances that every one have endured to see them richly recompenced Vers 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon 6. His branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree and his smell as Lebanon In the next place God answers their suite concerning doing of them good and receiving of them graciously And first he promiseth through the influence of his grace and blessing to make them flourish as flowers and trees of all kindes do by dew and rain What this may point at of the temporal prosperity of Israel and their being so rooted and fixed in it as no opposition shall prevaile against them I leave to the Lord by his performance to expound But certainly it holds out the flourishing beautifull and sure estate of the Church of converted Israel and the blessed condition of the converted among them who will be very many in their spiritual estate Whence learn 1. God can easily when he pleaseth alter the disconsolate and desolate estate of a Church or particular persons For all these promises are opposite to former curses denounced against them as ch 9.16 and 13.15 and else-where which now he promiseth to turn into contrary blessings 2. God answereth the prayers of his needy people richly and so as may commend his love and fulnesse
every age as doth deserve saddest stroakes And albeit he doth pursue sin with judgements which may be called his strange work Isa 28.21 Yet he but seldome inflicts singular and extraordinary calamities that so ordinary corrections may work the more kindly upon us that they are but ordinary and that we may rather learn from their example who have smarted in an extraordinary way then be put to feele them our selves Therefore albeit he was frequently provoked in Judah yet this is a stroak at this time that there hath not been ever the like neither shall be any more after it even to the years of many generations And albeit this be spoken only of one kinde of plague and Judah after this was punished with singular judgements of another kinde Dan 9.12 yet the general holds still true that many times their sins deserved most remarkable and rare plagues when yet they were either spared or their corrections moderated Vers 3. A fire devoureth before them and behinde them a flame burneth the land is as the garden of Eden before them and behinde them a desolate wildernesse yea and nothing shall escape them A second branch of the description setting forth the terriblenesse of this judgement is that the land should be laid desolate by these creatures As for that A fire devoureth before them it may be understood of a burning drought which together with these insects should consume the land or rather that as the Originall bears at their face or coming they shall devour all like a flame which as the following words have it should be clearly seen when they are gone by This great desolation is amplified 1. That though the land they infest be as a Paradise yet they shall leave it like a wildernesse 2. That no place nor thing shall escape this desolating stroak Doct. 1. Weakest instruments being armed with divine power will do all that execution that could be expected from the strongest For these creatures are as a fire which devoureth without mercy A fire devoureth before them 2. Whatever men be able to see or take up of a calamity when they are under the heat of it Yet the sadnesse of it will more clearly appear upon a review after-thought of it Therefore it is added behind them a flame burneth that is when they are passed by men will clearly see what havoke they have made as if all were burnt up 3. Most fruitful and pleasant countreys may through mans sin be made liable to a curse And mens pleasant enjoyments will not keep off wrath but rather contribute to make it sadder to them For a land as the garden of Eden may become a desolate wildernesse 4. Men by comparing their case before a calamity with what it is after may both read the sadnesse of their stroake to affect them Lam 1.7 and may be convinced of the goodnesse of the Lord toward them till they provoked him to send a change Therefore are both compared here the land is as the garden of Eden before them as Judea was in many respects a pleasant land Zech. 7.14 and behinde them a desolate wildernesse 5. Times of calamities and of judgements for sin will be universal Nor is there place person or thing but we may expect it will be reached and an affliction fastened upon it in one measure or other For yea and nothing shall escape them Ver. 4. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses and as horsemen so shall they runne 5. Like the noise of charets on the tops of mountaines shall they leap like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble as a strong people set in battel array The third branch of the description is that for courage and celerity they shall be like horses of whom see Joh 39.19 c. And that they shall be no lesse terrible and their sound no lesse dreadful then armed charets making a noise on the mountains by leaping from place to place or then the noise of fire burning up stubble or then an armie of trained souldiers and these not scattered but standing in battel-ranke Whence learn 1. Ordinarily mens stupidity is so great when judgements are imminent that multitudes of upstirrings and representations of their woful condition is little enough to affect them So much doth this insisting and multiplying of similitudes teach 2. It becometh men to adore and dread the Omnipotency of God who can make the weakest strong and do great things by them So that he may be terrible to impenitent sinners so long as he hath small insects at his command as if he were imploying horses charets fire and armies For so much do these comparisons teach that he can make the small creatures as dreadful as any or all of these 3. Mens guilt will not only make rods sad when they are inflicted but the very noise at distance and the sight though of a weak rod will be dreadful For to the impenitent Jewes the noise of these creatures while they are coming afar off will be like the noise of charets leaping upon tops of mountaines whence they may be heard from afar and of a flame of fire And the sight of them coming near will be as terrible as any thing may be Vers 6. Before their face the people shall be much pained all faces shall gather blacknesse The fourth branch of the description and an effect of the former is that the noise of the approach of these creatures in troops and the sight of them shall breed a general and universal terrour among men accompanied with blacknesse of face not so much through the famine which shall follow after as Lam. 4.8 as through deadly fear and terrour striking them to the heart Compare Nah. 2.10 Doct. 1. However men may despise judgements when they are threatened from the Word Yet judgements executed will put them to it to give proof of their courage as here we see 2. Whatever may be the Lords dealing under cleanly trials yet times of judgement will be full of discouragement and terrour For Before their face the people shall be much pained or sick with anxiety and terrour 3. Though men for most part lie secure under an evil conscience Yet when God puts it to it and pleads effectually with it by judgements then it will succumb and breed much terrour to them For so is here threatened against impenitent Judah 4. It is a sad condition and an evidence of much displeasure when terrour and distresse is universal and none to comfort but all discouraging one another even by their very countenances and it will be thus in times of common calamities among the wicked and impenitent beside what even the godly may drink of this bitter cup For the people shall be much pained all faces shall gather blacknesse 5. Peace and reconciliation with God is not only good for the soul but even for the body For not only is God provoked to plague the body for sin but the terrour of an
house and Ordinances among them and therefore they shall subsist in trouble till they come to an issue Therefore it is added as a peculiar end of Gods leaving a blessing even that there may be a meat-offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God And this is added as a peculiar encouragement to the penitent who missed the comfort of publick worship and as a ground of hope that he would give them meat that so they might have wherewith to make oblations to him Vers 15. Blow the trumpet in Zion sanctifie a fast call a solemne assembly 16. Gather the people sanctifie the congregation assemble the Elders gather the children and those that suck the breasts let the bridegroome go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet The second exhortation repeated from ver 1. and chap. 1 14. is to publick and solemne fasting and humiliation to be indicted by the Priests who after due preparation for that work were to convocate old and young even babes and newly married persons to the Temple to afflict themselves before the Lord. Whence learn 1. Sincere humiliation in secret is not enough in Gods account but when calamities are general there should be a publike profession of repentance and a restraint from delights and lawfull callings for that end and time and Ministers ought to set this work on foot for the Priests are to blow the Trumpet in Zion that there may be a fast and solemne assembly or time of restraint from other imployments 2. Care would be had both by Ministers and people in their stations that such a duty be not prophanely gone about nor external formalities and performances rested on But that it may be performed in a spiritual and sanctified manner And for this end there should be due preparation for it Therefore saith he sanctifie a fast sanctifie the congregation that is when ye Priests intimate the fast stir them up to come prepared as the word also signifieth and purified according to the Law that so they may fast in a sanctified manner 3. Publick humiliations under calamites should be universally joyned in by all that all may concurre to quench the fire which their sinnes have kindled and every one may tremble to lie by in such a need Therefore is the command Gather the people 4. It is the duty of such as are above others in age or authority to be eminently active and examples unto others in times of humiliation Therefore is there a peculiar command concerning them Assemble the Elders to acquit themselves as becometh in this work And by Elders we are not only to understand these that were in office but even old men as appeareth from the opposition of children c. that is subjoyned 5. Children and sucking babes were brought out with the rest in solemne humiliations under the Law not because they can repent but 1. That parents seeing their childrens affliction might lay to heart their owne sinnes for which their babes are afflicted 2. That love to their children and care of their welfare might stir them up to repent 3. That considering that their children had so much sinne in themselves as justly made them obnoxious to these judgements they might be led to see their owne provocations to be farre more hainous 4. That this sad sight on young and old might contribute to stirre them up to the duty for which they weâ—e convened These were the reasons of this command Gather the children and those that suck the breasts And albeit this be ceased under the Gospel yet all these considerations may be of good use to stir up to repentance in sad times Doct. 6. Even delights otherwise lawful ought to be for horne in times of humiliation under calamities and ought to be laid aside that humiliation may be seriously set about Therefore it is commanded let the bridegroome go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet Ver. 17. Let the Priests the Ministers of the LOLD weep between the porch and the Altar and let them say Spare thy people O LORD and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them Wherefore should they say among the people Where is their God The Priests are further exhorted to be eminently active in this exercise and that privately and publickly they intercede for the people in these humiliations praying that God by sparing of them may prevent their reproach and the heathens ruling over them and the reproach of his own Name who had interest in them As for this place of their weeping and praying betweene the porch where the people met of which 1 Kings 6.3 and the Altar of burnt offerings where they offered sacrifice we need seek no mystery in it as a mid place betwixt God and the people for the porch was the ordinary place where the people prayed when incense and belike other sacrifices were offered Luke 1.10 And the Priests having offered came toward the porch from the Altar and there prayed for and with the people and blessed them for which end it seemeth the people waited for Zacharias Luke 1.21 22. Yea this place betwixt the porch and the Altar was the place where Prophets at least such as were of the Priests linage preached unto the people And so we finde Zechariah was slaine there in the exercise of his calling Matth. 23.35 And so the meaning is only that after solemne sacrifices they should come to the publick and ordinary place and there weep and pray with and for the people Doct. 1. Ministers ought to be eminently exemplar for sense and diligence in times of humiliation And it is a part of their calling to be the mouth of the Lords people in publick prayers wherein they are to expresse such tendernesse and affection as may witnesse their sense of the publike condition and may be an example and means of up-stirring the people for let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weep between the porch and the Altar and let them say c. 2. The humble penitent hath no refuge left him but God and his mercie only And he is allowed to lay hold on this when he hath no other claime for they are warranted to say Spare O Lord which is an act flowing from mercie withdrawing and moderating deserved judgements 3. Interest in God and the perpetuity and unchangeablenesse thereof is not to be quited by the penitent but to be made use of as a ground of 〈◊〉 Therefore are they directed to plead spare thy people and 〈…〉 wherein a standing right is held forth notwithstanding they by sinne had procured such sharp dispensations 4. Reproach is a sad addition to the calamities of Gods people and an argument why God will pitie when the reproached are penitent and come to him with it Therefore are they to make use of this also give not thine heritage to reproach that is do not by thy dispensations expose them to the insolent scorne of the Heathen who are
be left of them but their noisome stinke and this he will do because or though they had done great things against Gods people As for that which is said and will drive him to a land c. with his face toward the East-Sea c. it may be either understood thus that though they were so many as to fill the breadth of the land from the East or Dead Sea to the West or Mediterranean Sea Yet he would drive them to the Wildernesse and kill them there or rather that the main bulk and body of them should be driven into the Wildernesse their fore-party into the dead sea and their reere into the West-sea there to die However it teacheth 1. Scourges and hurtful things were they never so dreadful yet God who sends them can drive them away and consume them when he will for I will remove farre off from you the Northern armie which had beene dreadful before And he can make use of Wildernesses and Seas even the uselesse dead Sea to help his people against their enemies I will drive him into a land barren and desolate c. 2. God can let scourges be seene how contemptible they are when he hath done with them for this formidable armie serveth for nothing but to stink above ground his stink shall come up and his ill savour shall come up 3. Instruments of Gods vengeance against his people will gaine nothing by their paines but stroaks And though they have acted much yet God will reach them for all this done because or although he the Northern armie hath done great things Ver. 21. Fear not O land be glad and rejoyce for the LORD will do great things 22. Be not afraid ye beasts of the field for the pastures of the wildernesse do spring for the tree beareth her fruit the fig-tree and the vine do yield their strength These promises are for more assurance and comfort applied and amplified And first application is made to the land that it should not fear but rejoyce seeing God was to do great things and to the beasts that they should lay aside their fear since the earth was to be blessed with pasture and fruit This speaking to the land and beasts doth not import them capable but God by this would speak to the comfort of the penitent And it teacheth 1 The Lord would have his promises and comforts applied by them to whom they are given for their refreshment So much doth this application of the former promises import 2. Gods kindnesse to penitents will be such as not only to refresh themselves but to gladden and refresh their land their beasts and all in their kinde for so is held out here 3. Penitents are instrumental to draw down blessings on themselves and on what they enjoy for now the mourning land ch 1.10 and the crying beasts ch 1.18 20. are made to rejoyce 4. Gods care of the earth and of very cattel may assure penitents of his respects to them If he respect the lands affliction and the beasts how much more theirs See Matth. 6.26 30. 5. God when he pleaseth can make fears end in joy and the hope thereof should bring joy when fear is yet on for so much is held out in the command to the land Fear not be glad and rejoyce and that in hope 6. Gods great power who promiseth and who hath given proof thereof in executing threatenings may guard against fear and afford ground of hope were the thing promised never so great and difficult for so is held forth in the reason of joy that the Lord who had done great things by that Army v. 20. will do great things 7. God can and in due time will remove the feares of his people by giving actual proofes of his love for so are they encouraged by the promise made to the beasts for their sake and good v. 22. Be not afraid ye beasts of the field for the pastures of the wildernesse do spring c. Ver. 23. Be glad then ye children of Zion and rejoyce in the LORD your God for he hath given you the former raine moderately and he will cause to come down for you the raine the former raine and the latter raine in the first moneth 24. And the floores shall he full of wheat and the fats shall overflow with wine and oile 25. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten the cankerworme and the catterpiller and the palmerworme my great army which I sent among you Secondly the promises are applied to the Church whom he exhorteth to rejoyce And that because 1. He will give them which he speaks of as done because of reall certainty raine in due season and measure and make the effects prove it a reall blessing v. 23 24. 2. Because by succeeding plenty he will make up the losse they sustained by the years of famine v. 25. Whence learn 1. Whoever misse of joy yet God will have his penitent Church and people to rejoyce and they are allowed to have as much and as solid joy as any and more Therefore are the children of Zion called to it 2. The Lord must not only afford matter of joy and comfort to his people but must speak and apply it to their heart and stir them up to rejoyce in it before it work Therefore is this exhortation and application needful Be glad then ye children of Zion and rejoyce 3. Common favours and benefits should be unto the Lords people but as a step leading them up to rejoyce in God and not to be rested on themselves Therefore though the promise be of plenty yet they are to rejoyce in the Lord their God and because of a special interest in him See Jer. 9.23 24. Luke 10.19 20. 4. Common favours given so a people upon repentance do warrant them to rejoyce in God as evidencing his respect unto them and interest in them even by these For so the penitents here are upon this promise commanded rejoyce in the Lord your God 5. As man needs many things for his subsistence and for furnishing the meanes thereof as raine at several seasons to make the earth fruitful So the Lords measuring and timing of outward mercies is that which makes them mercies indeed for though rain be needful yet it is the blessing of it that he giveth it moderately and that he sends the former raine and the latter raine in the first moneth which was the season as appeareth of the latter rain concerning which it is not needful to make further inquiry Only what is here said of raine holds good in all outward mercies that it is the great advantange of Saints that the disposing of them is in the hand of their only wise Lord. 6. Promising mercies will not prove unuseful nor disappoint the expectation of penitents as the Lord in justice deals often with the wicked For as moderate and seasonable rain promiseth a good harvest so it shall prove so the floores shall be full of
is v. 15. should deliver them nor strength of body or courage of minde as the two words v. 14. may be distinguished nor provision of armour and skill to use it for offence at distance make them dare to stand and face their enemies But even the stoutest shall think it fares well with him if he escape with his life when he hath cast away his apparrel Whence learn 1. When Gods patience is come to a period it will appeare in sad judgements and in his casting off that burden which he hath born so long for Therefore because I am pressed c. v. 13. the flight shall perish c. 2. When God lets out judgements upon a Nation they will certainly reach all who are aimed at by them for though some get away v. 16. yet all that he hath a minde to cut off be they swift or strong will be reached 3. As all outward accommodations and advantages are in themselves empty and can availe nothing without a providence of God Eccl. 9.11 nor are they to be gloried in Jer. 9.23 24. so when God is angry all probable means that have availed at other times will prove vain either for resisting the judgement or escaping from it for so are we here taught that swiftnesse of men and horses strength or courage will do no good 4. Such as do oppresse others and do not spare the very garments of the poor so they may inrich themselves are justly invironed with these straits that it shall be a deliverance to them to get their life for a prey though they have not so much left them as to cover their nakednesse for these cruel exactors who pilled the poor v. 8. get now this doome he that is couragious among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day saith the Lord. CHAP. III. THe Doctrine of this chapter seemeth to have been preached in a time wherein the prosperity of Israel under Jeroboam made them despise and reject all hard messages And therefore in the first part of the chapter the Lord by his Prophet having called them to hear his processe and sentence against them v. 1. doth refute all their exceptions whereby they indeavoured to make void his threatnings Shewing that interest in him and his former kindenesse toward them would rather hasten then hold off the stroaks deserved by them v. 2. that sin would separate them from him whom they pretended to enjoy and be familiar with v. 3. that threatnings were not vain nor without cause v. 4. that afflictions came not by chance nor would they be rid of them or of threatnings for sin till they had done their work v. 5. and therefore it was their stupidity not to be alarmed with threatnings and not to see God in troubles v. 6. and that when he warned them by his messengers v. 7. it became them to fear and not to quarrel his servants who carried their Masters minde v. 8. In the second part of the chapter he goeth on to the processe calling the Nations to judge of their wickednesse and of the justice of his judgements and accusing them for oppression and disorders v. 9. and that they did voluntarily blind themselves through custome in sin and heaped up wealth by oppression v. 10. for which he threatens that he will invirone them with enemies on all hands who should break their power and spoile their houses v. 11. that a very few shall escape these judgements v. 12. that he will also punish them for their idolatrous worship wherein they confided and will cause break and deface their Altars v. 13.14 and that he will punish their rich and great ones by destroying their stately Palaces v. 15. Verse 1. HEar this word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt saying In this verse they are cited to heare this message of challenges and threatnings which God had sent by this prophet unto them wherein he obviates their exception at the Prophets basenesse by shewing that it is his word and their trusting in their own priviledges by shewing that this should not exempt them as is at lengeth deduced in the following purpose Doct. 1. When the Lord condescends to choose a people to himselfe it is his way to prevent them in their low condition by his goodnesse and to purchase a dominion over them and engage them to be his by many mercies shewed unto them for such was his dealing with Israel he brought them up from the land of Egypt where they were in bondage and upon this he grounds his plea and chalenge 2. A delivered and dignified people do ofttimes so carry themselves as God hath much to say against them for there is this word which the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel 3. Such as God hath done good unto are bound not to slight his word but to heare and ponder what he hath to say though it were even against them considering what misery it portends if not prevented to have the word against them and how little it will availe them not to hearken to it and considering what their obligations to God are and that he can reach them otherwise who will not heare the word Therefore saith he heare this word c. 4. It is the duty of these who would have the word effectual on their hearts not to fixe their eye upon the basenesse of the instruments who carry it but on God who putteth these messages in their mouths Therefore are they led from looking to this herdman and to hear this word that the Lord hath spoken 5. All a peoples reall priviledges and what they please to arrogate to themselves beside will not availe them before God when they provoke him nor will they be a shelter to protect them in their slighting of the word for saith he hear this word against the whole family which I have brought up c. Albeit Israel to whom the Prophet is sent were not this whole Family yet they were the greatest part and they thought little of Judah in comparison of themselves accounting that as they were the most in number so they were the Lords chief people to whom the adoption and promises did belong And the Lord declares that granting all that were true as it was not yea and though Judah were joyned with them and so the sentence should import a rejection not onely of a part but of all that people yet all that could not availe to excuse their sin or keep in this sad sentence Verse 2. You onely have I knowne of all the Families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Followeth the Lords express obviating and refuting of all their exceptions against what the Prophet had in commission against them And first whereas they might alledge that they onely of all the Nations were Gods peculiar and chosen peoplâ— and therefore could not be rejected nor ruined unless God
would resolve to want a people The Lord in answer to this declareth that so much the more as they were his people he would not spare them since they walked not answerably Whence learn 1. The Lords faithfull servants must resolve not onely to have much humbling toyle and exercise in seeking to know Gods minde and in carrying it unto his people but also to be exercised with casting down of many strong holds and imaginations which sinners raise up in their hearts to ruine themselves by obstructing the successe of the word for so much doth this paines taken to refute their exceptions and delusions teach See 2 Cor. 10.4 9 2. It is the Lords prerogative to make choyce of what Nation he will to be a peculiar people unto himselfe and they are highly honoured whom he so chuseth above others be their other lots what they will for saith he you onely have I knowne that is chosen and taken special notice of of all the Families of the earth Whereby is not intimate any injury done to other Nations but it intimates his absolute soveraignty to choose whom he will being debtor to none and his great mercy to them who are thus respected See Acts 14.16 Psal 147.19 20. 3. Such as doe enjoy special priviledges and doe not make right use of them will soone come to a great height of iniquity both for nature and number for they are guilty of iniquities and there is an all of them all your iniquities 4. When Gods peculiar people do make defection and goe wrong their priviledges turne a great snare unto them filling them with conceeit of their own excellency notwithstanding their sinne and guilt and hiding from them the odiousness of their sinne and the greatnesse of their danger thereby for here Gods knowing of them is an exception to be removed and refuted 5. Whatever may be the dreames of secure sinners yet they will finde that their priviledges doe aggravate their sinne and doe draw on more certaine and severe stroaks upon them for saith he You only have I known c. therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Which is not so to be understood as if he would altogether spare others when they sinne but that however he may wink at the sinne of others yet he will more certainly and severely punish them then any other For 1. Their sin is more grosse then the sinne of any others and there must be more of malice and wickedness in it considering the many meanes they enjoy 2. There is much ingratitude in their sinne which renders it the more odious and intolerable 3. Whereas God is therefore kinde unto a people that he may be glorified in their holiness and obedience it cannot but grievously provoke him when they walk the quite contrary way â—4 It concerns God to vindicate his owne glory and holiness by punishing them when they sinne lest he should seem by forbearance to approve of their sinne who are so neere unto him by priviledges 5. Because they are his people therefore he will reclame and not want them whereas he may let others walk in their own wayes Verse 3. Can two walke together except they be agreed Secondly whereas they might alledge that God was present and familiarly conversant with them by many signes of his presence and that God could not be separate from his people The Lord declareth that common sense might teach them that as two persons not being reconciled or not going to the same place cannot long walk in one way and familiarly together Even so while they provoked him by leaving his wayes that lead to happiness and walking in wayes displeasing to him they could not expect that he would walk or be familiar with them Whence learn 1. Men are naturally dull and slow in taking up spiritual things So much do the similitudes made use of in this and the following verses to inculcate spiritual things teach 2. Whatever be our dulnesse and stupidity or our conceit of our selves yet our own consciences when they are put to it will plead against our principles and way when we think to sinne against God and yet to doe well enough for all that So much are we taught by all the questions in this debate wherein the matter is put to their consciences however for present they pleased themselves 3. The root of our happiness consists in agreement with God by being reconciled with him through the blood of Christ and by minding the same end with him to wit to glorifie him and be glorified with him for here the ground of Gods walking with men and of their enjoying the fruits of his familiar presence is in their being agreed at peace together and agreed upon the same end of their walk 4. Such as are thus indeed agreed with God must resolve to walk with God and may expect that God will walk with them for it is imported here that two will walk together when they are agreed By walking together as it is a duty on mans part I understand 1. That men when they are reconciled with God must yet reckon that they are but upon the way to their journeyes end and to reap the fruits of friendship with God 2. That they must set themselves to be at paines and to walk that they may attaine this end 3. That they must walk in close and familiar communion with God and longing to enjoy him both for keeping up the friendship and for influence and furniture for their duty and his presence to sweeten their lots And by walking together as it is a gracious promise on Gods part I understand that unto such as are at peace with him and depend on him in going about their duty he will manifest his familiar presence and favour by many proofes of his love that he will furnish them for duty and be with them in all their difficulties And that they are bound to beleeve it is so albeit they doe not sensibly finde it Doct. 5. Such as pretend that they enjoy God and his presence and favour and yet doe not make sure that they are reconciled unto him nor doe walk in his way will upon serious enquiry finde themselves disappointed and they doe provoke God to remove from them any visible evidence of his presence for saith he Can two walk together except they be agreed that is your consciences will tell you the one cannot be without the other and what outward signes of my presence ye think ye have they cannot be continued with you since ye do not improve them to your own true advantage Verse 4. Will a lion roar in the forrest when he hath no prey will a young lion cry out of his den if he hath taken nothing Thirdly whereas they were ready enough to despise all threatnings as vain and nothing else but the ordinary tone of Prophets who behoved still to quarrel and threaten and yet they prospered well enough under Jeroboam their King the Lord declares that as a
Joseph In this verse the exhortation is yet further explained that not onely in external practices they should seek good and not evil but that in their heart they should seriously and with affection and zeale embrace the one and detest the other And that they should prove the sinceritie hereof and of their turning to God by the exercise of judgement and justice Unto which an encouragement is subjoyned that however Joseph or the ten tribes whereof Ephraim was chief were sore crushed and but a remnant left of former judgement Yet there is hope that God will shew mercy to them Whence learn 1 Mans lazinesse in seeking God before they be convinced and their discouragements when they are convinced are ordinarily so great that they need much upstirring and encouragement Therefore are the exhortation and encouragement yet again repeated and enlarged 2. The Lord will not respect mens external practice of good when it may be their hearts abhore and loath it and are bent on other courses But he requireth cheifly that they be rooted in the love of good and do zealously affect it And when it is so the Lord through Christ will passe over many failings in practice Therefore it is further added to explaine and enlarge what is said v. 14. love the good see Rom. 7.22 23 24 25. 3. Mens affections toward good must be evidenced by their cordial detestation of evil Their hatred of evil must kindle their affection to good and their tasting of the sweetenesse of what is good should again make them detest evil yet more And where it is so the Lord will have respect to the sincerity of men under many failings Therefore are they conjoyned Hate the evil and love the good He wil not have them simply not doing evil while it may be their heart is going a whoring after it but will have them really detest it and not onely so but he will have their hatred thereof setting them an edge to what is good and their loving of good cherished thereby see Rom. 12.9 4. Albeit the following of good bring true advantage unto men and evil courses bring prejudice and albeit this may be an encouragement and argument to prevaile with men Yet it is not sufficient that mens affections be set upon good meerely because of gain and advantage thereby or that they loath evil only because in some cases and times it may bring losse and detriment But mens affections should look upon courses as good or evil in themselves and accordingly love and hate them whatever may attend them Therefore it is simply commanded Hate the evil because it is evil and love the good because it is good 5. Such as are truely seeking God and turned unto him ought to respect justice and to prove their sincerity thereby Therefore it is subjoyned and establish judgement in the gate Where to establish it is not onely to erect Courts for judgements but to prosecute the course of justice firmly not being shaken or diverted by intrest passion or reward 6. Free grace and mercy in God is the onely clame of all such as are sincere in seeking God and are not puffed up with a conceit oâ— their owne worth And his grace and mercy being the glorious and omnipotent God is so infinite so free and so tender as may invite all to seek him and to acquiesce in what his grace and mercy seeth fit to carve unto them Therefore is this propounded as their encouragement The Lord God of hosts will be gracious 7. When a people do sincerely seek God he will respect all their afflictions as arguments why he should have mercy on them And his former afflicting of them in just displeasure will not be an hinderance to his shewing mercy Therefore it is added he will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph that is though he had been provoked to leave them but a remnant yet he will now be gracious yea so much the more as they are but a remnant 8. Albeit the Lord do allow encouragement upon such as sincerely seek him Yet he would not have them absolutely expecting temporal deliverances when provocations are come to a great height And he seeth it meet to exercise them with incertainties that they may be yet more deligent Therefore is the promise propounded with it may be to shew that as his graciousnesse appears in temporal deliverances he would not have them peremptory about them but to prove their real piety by submission in these things And that he will hold out all their encouragements so as may prevent security Compare Joel 2.14 Jon. 3.9 Zeph. 2.3 Vers 16. Therefore the Lord the God of Hosts the Lord saith thus Wailing shall be in all streets and they shall say in all the high waies Alas alas and they shall call the Husbandman to mourning and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing 17. And in all vineyards shall be wailing for I will pass through thee saith the Lord. To quicken them yet more unto his duty the Lord declareth that if they will not repent as there was no hope they would he will not contest any longer but that the sentance is already passed that he going through them with vengeance will give matter of sorrow and sad lamentations to all persons in all places Whence learn 1. Whatever encouragement God allow unto men upon their repentance yet none should scorn his threatnings because of his gracious offers for when he enters in a processe with a wicked people he will either amend or end them thereby And it proves too often true that men are rather ripened for judgements then reformed by the Lords dealing with them Therefore he guards the former encouragements by this threatning if they repent not waling shall be in all streets c and he propounds it absolutly by way of concluded sentence Therefore the Lord saith thus c. to intimate that however he exhorted and encouraged them yet there was no hope that they should hearken unto him 2. Such as do provoke God should seriously consider how great and strong a party he is and for this end they should meditate upon him as he hath revealed himselfe And they who will not acknowledge his greatnesse in his Law propounding their duty and prohibiting sin or in offering encouragements to divert them from their evil way and vain deluding comforts They I say may expect that he will make his greatnesse conspicuous in punishing of them Therefore in pronouncing this sentence he is declared to be the Lord the God of hosts the Lord who saith thus where he taketh unto himselfe his several names pointing out his essence power and authority and dominion 3. When God is provoked by his people especially by their neglecting repentance and scorning his offers he will not dwell in the midst of them nor protect them but will turn their party and run through their land with his judgements for where the former exhortations have not place I will passe through thee
saith the Lord See Exod. 12.12 and this is the cause of all the wo that is here denounced against them 4. When the Lord is provoked to appear in anger against them who will not repent he will make all their joy and insolent scorning of repentance end in sorrow for there shall be wailing and they shall say alas alas 5. God will make the sorrow of a guilty people universal both on persons and in places That so he may reach all who are guilty and that they may be stripped of all comforts who will not seek to him for this sorrow shall be in all streets in all high-wayes among the husbandmen and in all vineyards Neither City nor Country shall be free of it nor open fields and high-wayes nor inclosed vineyards 6. It is righteous with God to make the sorrow of an impenitent people singular and unto such trouble inflicted by an angry God will produce sorrow greater then can be expressed Therefore beside these who are afflicted such as are skilful of lamentation of whom see 2. Chron. 35.25 Jer. 9.17 18. Math. 9.23 shall be called to wailing Whereby the spirit of God doth not justifie the lawfulnesse of mens having skill and faculty to put on such affections and their hireing them out for gain But he intimateth that their sorrow should be so great as to need help to expresse it 7. We ought frequently to consider that it is God with whom we have to do in threatnings and judgements lest forgetting that we miscarry under them Therefore again all is sealed up with this saith the Lord. Verse 18. Wo unto you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light 19. As if a man did flee from a lion and a bear met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit him 20. Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even very dark and no brightness in it Because the Lord had to do with men of corrupt dispositions who would neither be allured with offers not affrighted with threatnings that so they might seek him But still fostered themselves in security by reason of many false pretences and presumptuous conceits Therefore in the close of this chapter he refutes these their confidences that so the threatnings might sink down in their hearts to move them to repent And first he deals with them who desire the day of the Lord that is such who being Atheists and Epicures did not acknowledge God or a providence nor would believe any thing of approaching judgement Or such who being presumptuously secure of Gods favour and an interest in him could not believe that any such day would come as the Prophet threatned or that it would be so dreadful to them as the Prophets foretold And therefore in presumptuous scorne they desired once to see that day wherewith they were so often threatned See Isa 5.19 Jer. 17.15 Ezek. 12.22 2. Pet. 3.3 4. Concerning these the Lord declareth that this disposition was an evidence of a plague upon them and of more yet to come and that they little considered what they were doing for that day should not onely come but it should be full of perplexities and miseries without any light or comfort v. 18. And heaps of evils should follow one after another so that he who escaped one should fall in another v. 19. yea certainly it should be a time of great misery without any light of counsel or comfort v. 20. From v. 18. learn 1. When the word is most clearly preached and threatnings most terrible there will still some be found so atheistical as not to credite them at all and so presumptuous as not to submit to the verdict of the word but they will comfort themselves expecting that God will do otherwise then it faith for so is here imported 2. It is no wonder to see such Atheists and presumptuous sinners come to that height as not onely to harbour such thoughts in their own bosomes but to pluck off any vaile of hypocrisie they had and set down in the seat of the scornful and openly deride the word for so do they here they desire the day of the Lord or the day of vengeance wherein he will prove himselfe to be the Lord that is with insolent and profane scorne they desire to see that day and that the Prophets would make their words good which they expect will never be Albeit many who harbour such thoughts would be unwilling it should be known Yet God is provoked to pluck off the mask and bring them out And where the word effectually preached doth not prevaile corruption will be irritate thereby to vent it selfe more openly 3. Such atheistical and presumptuous dispositions in men are an heavy plague of themselves and do portend more plagues and that there is a plague and wo in all the calamities that come upon them In these respects it is said Wo unto you that desire the day of the Lord. 4. Epicures and presumptuous Atheists and Hypocrites do little consider what they are doing or what is their danger when they scorne threatnings and desire to see them accomplished And if their consciences were put seriously to it they would tell them it were so Therefore doth he pose them to what end is it for you Or what can ye expect in such a day or what do ye gain by such a scornful temper that ye should be so bent on it Their consciences if awake could tell them that such a day were rather to be prevented then desired and that they could reap nothing by such atheistical scorn For neither did it produce any present true good in them nor would it hold away that day but rather hasten it and make it more bitter and grevious And therefore they ought to consider better and avoid it 5. As even the cleanly trials of Gods people may produce much humbling exercise through want of light or sensible comfort that so they may be trials indeed and may purge drosse And as judgements inflicted upon a people for sin will be full of perplexity and discomfort as being accompanied with reall desertion with guilt of conscience and other spiritual plagues So in special presumptuous and secure Atheists may expect an hot alarme and that calamities will be made dreadful to them for unto all but especially unto them the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light that is full of misery and perplexity leaving them void of counsel and comfort From v. 19. learn 1. When God appears in anger against an atheistical and incorrigible people they may expect to be involved in an heap of miseries on all hands and that not one but many evils either together or following one after another or both Therefore it is resembled to the condition of a man environed on all hands with lions bears and serpents 2. There is no shifting nor declining
judgements when God sends them the sinner that avoids one may expect to meet with another and he may expect a plague where he thinks to be most secure for it is As if a man did flee from a lion and a bear met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall expecting to be upheld and a serpent bit him or an unexpected stroak came upon him See Isa 24.17 18. From v. 20. learn 1. The sadnesse of a day of judgements and calamities is not soon seen nor laied to heart and men should seriously consider it before hand that so they may be stirred up to prevent it that they may not feele it Therefore is it again inculcate and repeated shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light 2. The Lord needs no more to prove the truth of what his word saith but mens own consciences which will be a witnesse against their atheisme and presumption however for present they lull them asleep and seare them with an hot iron Therefore doth he put the matter to their own consciences shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse c as being witnesses that might and in due time would speak for him 3. Albeit the truly godly will have still allowance of some light in trouble though sometime tentation hide it from them Isa 50.10 and may sometime attain to some measure of their allowance Psal 112.4 and may certainly expect that there will be a cleare and comfortable issue from their troubles Mic. 7.8 Yet it is terrible to think how dreadful a day of vengeance will be to the wicked how grevious and perplexing their miseries will be and how destitude they will be either of present comfort or of any hope of it for the future Therefore is it added by way of explication even very dark and no brightnesse in it Verse 21. I hate I despise your feast dayes and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies 22. Though ye offer me burnt-offerings and your meat-offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts 23. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs for I will not hear the melody of thy viols 24. But let judgement run down as waters and righteousnesse as a mighty stream The second carnal and presumptuous confidence which the Lord refutes is their hypocritical resting upon their ceremonial observations in keeping sacred solemnities offerings sacrifices of all kindes and using of songs and musical Instruments in their Temples all which they observed in imitation of Judah And concerning these the Lord declareth that however they pleased themselves in them and thought that he accepted thereof and of themselves for their service sake Yet he abhorred them and could not endure them The reasons whereof are first That these performances were not of divine institution but of their own inventions and therefore all along are called yours or thine The second reason is more expressly held forth v. 24. Which is not a threatning that his righteous judgements inflicted for these sins so abhorred of him should carry all down before them like an impetuous stream but an exhortation that they would study to abound in righteousnesse and justice the want whereof was a cause why no such ceremonial service could be respected This reason pleads against the acceptance even of institute ceremonial worship when the worshiper rests upon it not seeking to be reconciled to God through Christ whom these ceremonies pointed at nor proving the sincerity of his Religion by the fruits of righteousnesse and new obedience And in this respect we finde the same sentence given out against the Jewish worship Isa 1.11 12 13 14. and 66.3 Jer. 6.20 Much more might it be pleaded against them who not onely rejected Gods institution and command in the matter of their worship but would not so much as study that behavour which God required in those who worship him according to the Rule and yet they rested on it Doct. 1. This place holds out yet more parts beside what is spoken to chapter 4.4 5. of Gods approven Ceremonial service which Israel pretended to imitate from which we may gather some instructions And first Their Feast Dayes and Solemn Assemblies or restraints from labour and other distractions that they might attend solemn worship do teach 1. The people of God have matter of joy and feasting allowed unto them in Christ and they who embrace him should labour to enjoy and possesse their allowance Therefore had they Feasts the substance whereof was Christ which they observed 2. The Lord requireth that beside the worship performed to him ordinarily and daily there be solemn publick worship in his Church and that men performe the same on the times appointed by him for that end and when his providence calleth them to any extraordinary duty So much is pointed out by their selemn assemblies 3. Albeit the Lord doth not allow any to cast off a calling under pretext of following his service yet he requireth that our following our callings do not hinder his worship and that when he calleth us to solemn worship we lay aside the distractions of our employments and what else may hinder the right performance thereof for their solemn assemblies were restraints also as the word imports Which in their festivites imported not onely restraint from their ordinary employments but from their drouping discouragements also that they might rejoyce in God Neh. 8.9 10. And in their solemn fasts imported also their restraint from lawful delights that they might waite upon the work to which they were called 2. Secondly their burnt-offerings of which Lev. 1. which were daily offered Lev. 6.12 Exod. 29.38 39. and which were joined with other sacrifices partly in that they were daily offered when other sacrifices of praise or for particular sins were offered and before them and partly that their peace-offrings were laid upon them on the Altar Lev. 3.5 and they were joyned with their offerings for particular guilt Lev. 5.7 10. These I say do teach 1. Whatever men may pretend to in particular duties of worship yet all that will not availe unlesse first men make sure the renovation of their nature and that they have closed with Christ for reconciliation of their persons So much was signified by the burnt-offering for all their sins and for the corruption of their nature which they offered daily and with other sacrifices 2. As praise for particular mercies will sound well from them who have assurance of reconciliation through Christ So no particular favour or mercy within time should make us forget our misery or need of Christ or hinder us to make daily use of him So much did the joyning of offerings of praise with the burnt-offerings teach 3. As men ought not to sleep securely under particular and daily contracted guiltinesse nor dreame that it is enough that their persons are reconciled with God unlesse they also flee to Christ for expiation
mighty streame that runs and carries all that is in the way with it and before it Verse 25. Have ye offered unto me sacrifice and offerings in the wilderness fourty yeers O house of Israel 26. But ye have born the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images the star of your god which ye made to your selves 27. Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus saith the Lord whose name is the God of hosts Their third carnal confidence is antiquity and their fathers in whom and whose customes they gloried In answer to which the Lord speaks to them as one body of a people with their fathers and declareth that in the Wildernesse their fathers did not worship him with their sacrifices but did even there worship Idols and Images For which he threatens that they being heirs to their fathers guilt and Imitaters thereof in their Idolatry should go into captivity in far countries For clearing some difficulties in this text Consider 1. This not offering of sacrifices unto God for the space of forty yeares in the Wildernesse is not necessary so to be understood as if except what they did at mount-Sinai when they entered in Covenant sacrifices were generally omitted in the Wildernesse as we finde Circumcision was Josh 5.4 5 6 7. But it may as well be understood thus That though they did sacrifice and intended to offer it unto God Yet since beside the Idolatry of the golden calfe and such like rites of their own devising and their want of sincerity and true conversion and reconciliation unto God they joyned grosse Idolatry worshiping the of stars and host of heaven with it and their hearts and eyes were after these their Idols Ezek. 20.15 16 24. Therefore the Lord expounds all their sacrifices as not offered unto him but to their Idols whom they respected so much see Isa 43.22 23. Deut. 32.16 17. 2. This bearing of the Tabernacle of their Moloch as we are helped to read it from Act. 7.43 and not Siccuth your King is to be understood thus That though they carried about the Lords Tabernacle with them as pretending to honour him and that it was their glory to have him present among them Yet they had also Images and representations of thâ—se Idol Gods as the text imports which they carried about in some little tents like chappels 3. As for these Idols and the difference betwixt this text and that place Act. 7.42 43. some whereof I remit to the doctrines we may Consider 1. That Moloch was an Idol of the Ammonites as is frequently recorded in Scripture 2. That which is called Chiun here and Remphan Act. 7.43 is one and the same Idol or supposed deitie and is called Remphan both by the Greek Interpreters of the old Testament and afterwards by Stephen because that name was better known to the Egyptians where the Old Testament was translated and to the Jewes in these daies then the other of Chiun 3. These supposed deities whom they acknowledge under these names were nothing else but the stars or planets as is expresly cleared Act. 7.42 where they are called the host of heaven and here the star of your God An Idolatry to which they were much addicted afterward Zeph. 1.5 Jer. 44.17 c. It is not needful to determine what particular planets are signified by these names though most probablie by Moloch is meant the Sun which as the word signifies is King of the planets and hath dominion over sublunary things And by Chiun or Remphan Saturne 4. They worshiped these Idols not onely immediatly but mediatly in and by Images representing them As is marked Act. 7.43 Figures which ye made to worship them and here mention is made of their Images which it seemeth they carried about with them and the star of your God whereby I conceive is not onely ment your God the star by way of direction and scorn of their folly in choosing such a deitie but that either they made their Images in likenesse of a star or with the signe of a star upon them to testifie what they represented Lastly it would be considered that however this change shall be general Yet it is not to be understood of every one in Israel whereof many were godly but of the body of the people Doct. 1. Such as would profit by the Scriptures and know the minde of God revealed therein should be conversant with all of it whereby they will finde that in one place which is not to be found in another As here we finde somewhat concerning Israel in the wildernesse which is not so clearly in all the History 2. God will not account much service to be offered unto him which is pretended to be so Nor will he accept of service as done to him when men do not offer themselves to God with their service nor do keep close by his way and rule And such is the service that God gets even of many whom he chooseth to be his peculiar people for this cause doth the Lord say of Israel that they offered not sacrifices to him as is before explained 3. This carriage of the Lords people is yet the more hainous when it is performed after glorious deliverances and is of long continuance and in the midst of new exercises and gracious providences for that they neglected this in the wildernesse and forty yeares it doth not onely import that Israel was soone at these courses which the present generation followed But that it is grievous they should do so in such a time and place 4. A present generation imitating the defections of their progenitours have much old debt opon their head which will be laid upon their account Therefore is this ' laid to the present generation as their sin seeing they were one body with their progenitours and did follow their courses Have ye offered unto me c. O house of Israel 5. Let men do what they will ro stupifie their own consciences yet they have not security of them but when they least expect they will leap in their throat And e're all be done God will have the most obdured man pronounce his own sentence with his own mouth Therefore doth he as often before put their own consciences to it and pose them Have ye offered c to intimate that they had no true peace of conscience in the matter and that their consciences would at last turn their saddest party 6. God will have no communion with Idols nor will he approve or accept of even his own institute worship when men joyne Idolatry therewith for it was because of their serving Moloch and the rest of their Idols that God declareth their offerings were not offered to him 7. The visible Church may backslide so far as to be guilty of grossest Idolatry And God is provoked to give her up thereunto when she sets up her own inventions in his worship for Israel carried the Tabernacle of Moloch and Chiun c. And this is the fruit
with his doctrine will side with him and rise up against authority or which is more likely to be the sense the people cannot endure him and his doctrine and are but waiting for the Kings decree against him that they may execute it or are ready to do it of their own head in a tumultuous way if he will not appeare And so he would insinuate to the King that it was a way to lose the hearts of his subjects if he did tolerate such a man so odious to him 3. To make good this his charge and assertion he repeats some of Amos doctrine to the King but unfaithfully and not fully Doct. 1. Such as are and resolve to be faithful messengers and servants to God in corrupt and declining times ought to lay their account for persecution for so much doth Amos lot warn us of 2. As false teachers prove readily most cruel persecuters of faithful Ministers because of their own interests that are like to suffer prejudice So this course is more horrid in them then any others Therefore is it chiefly marked what Amaziah the priest of Bethel did See Jer. 20.2 3. 3. It is a special meane taught by Satan for driving on a course of persecution when persecuters do delate the faithful servants of God unto Kings and Rulers as enemies to them and when having Kings eares they do informe against them behinde their back when they know not of it nor are admitted to speak for themselves for this was Amaziahs way he sent to Jeroboam King of Israel c. 4. It is the ordinary trick of persecuters and a great injury to these whom they informe as well as to the party troubled that they do misrepresent matters and do hide the true cause of their splene and onely pretend great friendship to authority and accordingly hold out what may be plausible to them and effectual to sharpen their rage against Gods servants for though his own interest really grieved him and that Amos cried down his high places as afterward appeareth yet there is not a word of that in the delation but onely of treason and loseing the Kings subjects one way or other by Amos preachings 5. It is an old but an injust scandal cast upon faithful Ministers that by their free preaching they are the trumpets of sedition and rebellion affronters of authority and withdrawers of their subjects from their duty for such is the charge against Amos Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel the land is not able to bear all his words Whereas Amos was his best friend seeking his real good and learning him how to prevent the loseing both of himselfe and his subjects and to rebuke his sin openly being publick and general I was not to affront him but to apply a publick remedy to a publick inveterate evil and to think otherwise were for a man to lift up himselfe against God as if he should not be reproved by him And in a word Amos doctrine could be intolerable to none but such as proclamed their contempt of God and their own incorrigiblenesse in sin 6. It is also an old and injust trick in calumniatours and persecuters to repeat the doctrine of honest ministers unfaithfully in the eares of Rulers by diminishing perverting corrupting what they say for such is the account that he gives of Amos doctrine v. 11. for albeit he repeat truly concerning the captivity of the people yet neither in that nor what concerns the King doth he repeat the causes procureing these stroaks which Amos had clearly told And he puts in Jeroboam himselfe in place of his house which Amos had threatned v. 9. to set the King more on edge 7. It is an evidence of the desperate and deadly condition of a land when a people do by sin procure saddest judgements and yet will not see them approaching and are ready to persecute any who tell them of their danger for such was the temper of this false priest He supposeth it a quarrel great enough that Amos had told the Kings house and the land of their approaching hazard Vers 12. Also Amaziah said unto Amos O thou seer go flee thee away into the land of Judah and there eat bread and prophesie there 13. But prophesie not again any more at Beth-el for it is the Kings chappel and it is the Kings court This course not succeeding as it seemes Jeroboam would not meddle with Amos either out of feare or policy he takes another course And pretending friendship and a respect to the prophets good He. 1. adviseth him to leave that land and go to Judah alledging that now he might go easily if he went soone but if he fled not shortly he was in hazard to be taken or ill intreated and withal he laieth before him how he might live better in Judah and exercise his calling with more peace and fruit then in Israel v. 12. 2. He adviseth him especially not to prophesie any more in Beth el and that because it was the Kings Sanctuary as the word will bear appointed by him for publick worship and so none might challenge it and withal it was the Kings chappel where he himselfe performed publick worship and therefore he could not endure any contradiction there which would reflect both upon his authority enjoyning that worship and upon his own practising of it Likewise he tels him that Beth el is the Kings Court where he remains and hath his residence at some times especially when he came to worship or the house of the Kingdome a place of publick judicatories where his opposition could be lesse hid or endured then elsewhere Doct. 1. As the Lord can when he will disappoynt and break the snares of persecuters when they are most subtilly laid as here it appeareth Jeroboam did nothing upon this subtile and nettling desolation So persecuters are endlesse in their projects and when one faileth they will be sure to essay another As the practice of this false priest may teach us 2. As persecuting enemies may pretend friendship that they may overthrow Gods servants So they are most dangerous when they do so and do insinuate by flattery that they may suggest ill counsels or otherwise ensnare them for this was Amaziahs last refuge to insinuate with Amos that he might be rid of him And therefore he who counted but basely of the prophet and in his delation to the King calls him onely Amos now he insinuates with him and called him the Seer a name given of old to prophets 1. Sam. 9.9 He who would have incensed the King against him pretends now a great solicitude for his safety good and ease and that his hazard was from others onely flee saith he for thy selfe as it is in the original or for thine own behoofe and eat bread in Judah which thou wilt not get here And he who could not endure good doctrine pretends that he is not against prophesying but acknowledgeth it is good onely he