4 When the Lord is pleased to work grace in the heart that heart is taken off from all creature helps they dare not go with Ephraim to King Jareb How are they then to be blamed who seek to the Devil for help in distress they dare not go to Councels or to Armies for releef but to God it is too much to rest upon men much more upon the Devil Do any of you go to Inchanters or Wisards to find God you may seek him but shall not find him Obs 5 We are not to be discouraged in our seeking of God though our afflictions drive us to it This people sought God but their afflictions did drive them to it yet God accepted them Use Sit not down despairing in your afflictions saying God will never be gracious our seeking Him is to no purpose It is true God may justly say to us as Jeptha said to the people Do you now come to me in your distress So God may say do you now come to me in your sorrows and miseries and cast me off in your prosperity Caution I confess it is very dangerous venturing the putting off our seeking of God till then but if then God be pleased to work upon your hearts be not discouraged but seek him still So Joel saith That in his affliction he sought the Lord But did the Lord answer him Yea his requests were granted Note That every seeking of God is not sufficient it must be early Obs 6 seeking of Him Early seeking acceptable Now men are said to seek God early When 1. It is in the morning of their years 1. In youth when young ones shal make this text true in the letter of it it is wonderful pleasing to God It may be God laid his hand upon thee in thy youth and then God revealed the knowledge of Himself to thee thy misery by sin thy remedy in his Son so that the Churches prayer was thine Psal 90.14 O satisfie us early with thy mercie How many sins are by this prevented Your father or master if godly would give a world if they had it that they had begun sooner to serve the Lord and to seek him early therefore bless God who hath put it into your hearts to seek him John was the young Disciple and he in his youth began to know Christ and of all the Disciples none had that respect shewed them as John had for it is said that he lay in Christs bosom and Christ loved him 2. As this is acceptable in the morning of our years 2 At first enlightning so in the morning of Gods revealing Himself as soon as ever God begins to discover Himself we should then seek Him early when the soul saith as Paul said Acts 26.19 I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision neither consulted I with flesh and blood Hath God set up a light in your consciences and hath it discovered to you your misery and have you hearkened unto the voice of your consciences What have you done since Is sin reformed Are you changed in the inner-man Is Christ formed in you and exalted upon his throne in your hearts Is your will subjected to the will of God and your whole man delivered up to the government of God This were happy if it were so But contrariwise is sin let in and liked of as well as ever after these stirrings and convictions of consciâ—nce Then are you far from the number of those who are early seekers of God 3 With fervency and diligence 3. When we seek Him with diligence and with fervency not in a formal way When Gods hand is out against us He then looks that we should seek him with intentiveness of spirit See how the Church seeks God with diligence Isa 26.9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night season yea with my spirit within me will I seek the early When was this In a grievous night of affliction when they were in great troubles then to seek God early with their spirits within them this is most emphatical So Acts 12.5 prayer was made by the Church for Peter without ceasing it was continued prayer prayer stretched out even so ought our prayers to be lifted up with fervency true prayer is active and working the fervent prayer of the righteous prevails much with God Jam. 5.16 Lively working prayers are prevailing prayers Quest But what is it to seek God diligently Answ 1 When we seek God with all other things under our feet when all other things are sought in order to this Contemn all for God The soul is carried after the seeking of God with a panting and longing desire as the Hart after the water brooks Answ 2 To seek God early is to seek him with our whole heart The heart is not divided in the work With our whol heart every part is imployed as Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.23 feared and set himself to seek the Lord he gave his whole self to the duty Answ 3 When the soul bears down all difficulties in seeking of God when nothing shall keep him off his wook Vanguishes all difficulties as Jacob wrestled with God and would not be put off without the blessing Gen. 32.24 So the woman of Canaan how earnestly did she seek to Christ for her daughter and would not be put off by difficulties Matt. 15.22 23 24 25. Answ 4 When no means is neglected to be used whereby that may be had which we seek for No means neglected The soul tries this means and the other duty and follows God in all his waies that it may find him as the poor woman which followed Christ from place to place to touch the hem of his garment Christ could not be hid from her Resolve to die in persuit of him 5. Resolutions for to die seeking of God is earnest seeking of God it 's our constant practice living and our resolutions dying as Jacob the nearer the dawning of the day approached the more earnest was he How contrary are the practises of too many who at the first seek God early and earnestly too yet after a while leave off and grow cold Oh that it were not thus with us at this day Use England the Lord hath brought us low at this time yea how sad is our condition at this time 'T is true there is a spirit of seeking abroad in the Land but now God calls for a quickning of this we should now put an edg upon our seeking of God Be fervent in spirit serving the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seeking in the original 't is boyling in spirit let us so seek him now that hereafter we may praise him Psal 22.26 Ps 22.26 they shall praise the Lord that seek him your hearts shall live for ever illustrated How sweet are those mercies which are won by prayer and worn with praises Therefore now stir up the gift that is within you you that never prayed before pray
secrets of mens hearts Page 367 Use 1 Then all Hypocrites must needs be Atheists ibid Use 2 Admire at the patience of God Page 368 Use 3 Pray to God to make known your own hearts to your selves ib. Obs 2 Gods eye upon our hearts and waies is a special means to humble us Page 369 Obs 3 God will deal with men according to their present waies Page 370 Use Here 's hope for repenting sinners Obs 4. Defiled worship exceedingly defiles the souls of people Page 372 Objection Doth the mixture of the wicked defile the worship of God Answer 1 The best Church in the world may have wicked men in it Page 272 Answer 2 The Sacrament is not defiled to the receivers for the presence of wicked men ibid Question How shall we distinguish mixture of Communion Answer 1 The Congregation is defiled if they do not use the power Christ hath given them Page 373 Answer 2 Particular persons are defiled when they neglect the duty belongs to them Page 374 Obs 5. A defiled Nation is neer unto ruin ibid VERS IV. Opened Page 376 Applyed to England Page 379 Obs 1. Apostates have seldom any inclination to turn to God Page 384 Obs 2. True repentance is not only to leave evil and do good but to turn unto God as our God Page 385 Obs 3. It is Gods just judgment to leave men to the Devil to be blinded when they forsake him and his truth Page 386 Obs 4. Impetuousness of spirit blinds the mind Page 388 Use When we come to examin truths let us look to our spirits Page 389 VERS V. Obs 1. Ignorance and pride usually goes together Page 390 Obs 2. Idolaters are proud men Page 391 1 They look upon Gods worship as a mean thing ibid 2 They put more upon the creature than God hath Page 392 3 They prescribe to God which way he shall be worshiped ibid 4 They honor their own waies because they are their own ibid Obs 3. The spirit of sin is casting down Page 397 Obs 4. Pride goes before a fall ibid 1 A proud man goes from God ibid 2 He goes against God ibid 3 He goes beyond God Page 398 4 He goes above God ibid Obs 5. It is a great aggravation for any one to think what misery he brings others into Page 399 Obs 6. It is no plea for any to say they follow the example of others Page 400 Obs 7. If Gods people comply with wicked men they must expect to fall with them in outward judgments ibid Use Why so many fall in these times Obs 8. The falling of the Saints with wickedmen is of special consideration Page 401 1 God would have us take notice how holy he is ibid 2 He would have none presume on former services Page 402 3 God is not engaged to any if they transgress ibid Use 1 God can be without men Page 403 Use 2 Admonition to wicked men ibid VERS VI. Obs 1. Those that depend upon duties are in a destraction when their duties prevail not Page 403 Obs 2. God contemneth the services of Hypocrites superstitious and Idolatrous persons Page 404 Obs 3. It is a sad thing when God will not own as his what we tender up to him ibid Obs 4. Idolatrous and superstitious people are abundant in their services Page 406 Obs 5. Idolatrus and superstitious people will spare no cost in their own waies Page 407 Obs 6. There is a time when vile and wicked men shall see a need of God ibid Obs 7. The vilest Idolaters that can be pretend to seek God as well as any Page 408 Use Take heed of such pretenders Page 409 Obs 8. Superstitious and Idolatrous men are most aboundant in their services in the time of affliction Page 409 Obs 9. Carnal professors think to make God amends for former failings by outward performances Page 410 Obs 10. If God be to be found any where he is to be found in his Ordinances ib. Obs 11. The end of all holy duties should be to find God in them Page 411 Obs 12. God will not alwaies be found when he is sought ib. 1. When men seek him in a superstitious way ibid 2. When we seek our selves rather than God ib. 3. When we do not seek God as a God ibid 4. When we seek him too late Page 412 Obs 13 God delights not in superstitious and formal professors ib. Obs 14. It is a sad thing when God withdraws from the creature when he seeks him in distress Page 413 1. God puts a dishonor upon him ibid 2. No creature can help us Page 414 3. Some great judgment must be expected ib. 4. No protection can be expected ib. 5. Conscience flies in ones face ib. 6. It is a fore-runner of his eternal withdrawing ib. Question Doth not God withdraw Himself from his Saints Answer 1. They retain good thoughts of him in his absence Page 415 Answer 2. He draweth their hearts after him to cry more earnestly ib. Answer 3. He leaveth some light behind him that they may see which way he is gone Page 416 Answer 4. His bowels yern towards them ibid Answer 5. Nothing will satisfie them till God come again ibid Answer 6. He doth not utterly forsake them ibid VERS VII Opened Page 417 Obs 1. When wicked men come to seek God God looks upon the wickedness of their hearts Page 419 Obs 2 The sins of such as are in covenant with God are sins of treachery Page 420 Applyed to our times ib. Obs 3 Parents have the charge of their children committed to them by God Page 424 Obs 4. Children are usually as their parents are and education is Page 426 Use 1 To such as are well educated ibid 2 To such as are ill educated ibid Obs 5. It is a dangerous thing for children to follow the example of their parents in wickedness Page 427 Use Children ought to examin their parents waies ibid Obs 6 When the succeeding generation is wicked there is little hope of such a people Page 428 Obs 7 God takes it exceeding ill at mens hands when they corrupt their young ones Page 429 Obs 8 God hath a set time to reckon with sinners Page 433 Obs 9. This set time is the time of their destruction ibid Obs 10. The more special the providence of God is in mercy the more severe are his judgments if provoked Page 434 Obs 11 A carnal man hath his portion in this world only ibid VERS VIII Obs 1. When a people is in danger of Gods wrath it is high time for them to awake Page 436 Obs 2. When danger is apprehended as present and real it takes the heart wast Page 438 Obs 3. Ministers of God must make the things they preach as real before the peoples eyes Page 439 Obs 4. Ministers if their ambassage of peace be slighted must denounce war Page 441 Obs 5. Gods displeasure of sin is the cause of war in a land ibid Obs 6. Superstitious places are in greatest distress
the seventy yeers were at an end ibid Answered 2 In their captivity by the Romans ibid Answered 3 At the calling of the Jews ibid Quaere 2 How did they seek God in any of these times ibid Answered from several Scriptures ibid Obs 1 In the sorest afflictions which befals the people of God he intends their good in them Page 522 Obs 2. God hath little honor in this world Page 523 Use God takes it ill when he seldom hears from us but in our extremities ibid Obs 3 Times of affliction are times of seeking God ibid Obs 4. When God is pleased to work grace in the heart that heart is taken off from all creature helps ibid Obs 5. We are not to be discouraged in seeking God though afflictions drives us to it ibid Use Despair not in afflictions ibid Obs 6 We must seek God early else not sufficient Page 525 Opened in Three particulars ibid Quest What is it to seek God diligently Page 526 Answered in Five particulars ibid Use Admonition to England Page 527 AN EXPOSITION Of the PROPHESY of HOSEA CHAP. 4. VER 1. Hear the Word of the LORD ye Children of Israel for the LORD hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth c. IN this Chapter we have 1. A suit commenced 2. God declares 3. Judgment is pronounced 4. Exhortation to Judâ—h to beware she comes not into the same condition 5. Execution the giving up Ephraim to himself and unto Gods wrath For the fiâ—st Israel is cited Hear ye the Wâ—rd of the Lord ye children of Israel The knowledge of any truth hard and grievous to flesh and blood to be the Word of the Lord Obs is a special means to prepare the heart to receive it with reverence and all due respect It was a hard Message that Hosâ—â— had to bring to tell them of Gods Controversie he therrefore makes thiâ— preface 〈◊〉 Word of the Lord. Hard truths are hardly born but when the Authority of the Infinite God appears in them be they either making for us or against us our hearts must bow to them they lay bonds upon the conscience and bind over to eternal death if you reject them 2 Chron. 26.12 Zedekiah a King is charged that he did not humble himself before the Prophet Jeremiah Though the Prophet be never so poor and contemptible in himself yet if he brings the word of the Lord Zedekiah the king must humble himself before him Ye children of Israel In this appellation God puts them in mind of the covenant he had made with them and theâ— with him you are not Heathens you are the children of Israel in covenant with me a people neer to me yet I have a controversie with you Obs The neerness of a people to God exempteth them not from Gods contending with them for sin Neither should neerness to us exempt any from our contending with them Deut. 13.6 If thy brother the son of thy mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wise of thy bosom or thy friend which is as thy own soul intice thee secretly to worship a strange god Verse 8. thine eye shall not pity him neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceal him but thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death Controversies between those that are neare are very grievous Quid dicturus es ò Propheta qui tanta diligentia vocas ut audiatur verbuÌ„ Domini OecoloÌ„p in locum 3. The neerer the â—â—lation is between any the more grievous is the controversie if there be a controversie at all Hear the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel It is a sad thing for one Nation to have a controversie with another much more for a people to be at controversie with it self Yet more when when the controversie comes nearer into the family between husband and wife between father and child between dearest friends who were before to each other as their own souls controversies there are very sore and grievous Prov. 18.19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong Citie and their contentions are like the bars of a Castle Wind within the body is most troublesom and dangerous Hear ye O Prophet saies Oecoloppdius upon the place what is it thou hast to say that with so much earnestness thou callest to have the word of the Lord heard This is the solemn message of the Prophet to this people The Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land The word translated Controversie signifies a debate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his expostulatio judiciuÌ„ The Sepuag in t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judicium the same word traÌ„slated by them also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 29.16 Ministers must plead for God take heed they plead not against him a contention it comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contendere vel privatim vel coram judice to contend privately or to come before a Judge somtimes a cause pleaded in Law As Exod. 23.3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause That 's the same word with this here a Controversie The Lord hath a cause to plead with this people it is the controversie of the Lord the Prophet stands up for God in his Name to plead against them he pleads for the King the King of Heaven So should all faithful Ministers be sure they be on Gods side pleading his cause For all Ministers are Gods Sergeants at Law his Attourneys his Soliciters The Kings Lawyers are sworn they shall never plead against him or take fee on the other side And yet how many even in the exercise of their Ministry shew that they have taken fee on other side How do many plead against God against his Sabbaths against his Ordinances yea plead somtimes against the power of Godliness against those things wherein the chief dignitie glory of God consists somtimes perhaps pleading for them but pleading more against them at another time The Devil hath not more cordial Solicitors and pleaders for him than those who would be accounted the Prophets of the Lord. The Lord. As if the Prophet should say Know you have not to do with me nor with Amos who was contemporary with Hosea a Prophet to Israel though you think you can make your parts good with me and with the other Prophets know God will not now stand pleading with you so much by his Ministers he will take the cause into his own hand and will plead by his Judgments he will now take up the controversie himself The Lord tells the people Gen. 6.3 that his Spirit should no longer strive with them what 's that That is it should no longer strive in the way of Noâ—h's Ministry but he would come and strive himself after another manner by bringing the flood upon them 〈…〉 God 's pleading is the more dreadfull It is most dreadful for sinners for God to take the
in the waies of his administration he declares that he will have glory from his creature he hath sworn by Himself and the word hath gone out of his mouth in righteousness that every knee must bow to him and every tongue confesse his Name he seems now to resolve he will have it so indeed he will have all to bow before him It is no time therefore now for us to have controversies with God to have controversies with God and man both with Heaven and Earth and Hell and with our own consciences and all What shall become us Be not thou a terror O Lord unto me saith Jeremiah for thou art my hope in the day of evil If God be a terror and the daies be evil Ier. 17. what will become of us It is time to fall down and make peace with God Consider of this you who are so often in controversies with your Neighbors Remember in all your controversies that God hath a great controversy with you And satisfie not your selves in this that you are able to cleer your selves before men what is that so long aâ— this controversy continues It is a dangerous thing to go on long in this controversy with God it is wisdom to make an end of it betime Pro. 17.14 The beginning of strife is like the letting out of waters wherefore leave off contention before it be medled with The beginning of strife especially with God is most dreadful if thou goest on but a little while thine heart may be most desperately set against God and for ever left to strive against him never to come in and be humbled before him This is the reason I verily beleeve of the most horred wickedness of some men amongst us we wonder at it that ever any man should dare to venture upon such horrid wickednesses one after another Surely here is the reason at first it may be when they were young there was some dreadful breach between God and their souls they fell though the world perhaps knew it not into some foul and abominable sin and having made such a dreadful breach between God and their souls then they now go on desperately and fight against the God of Heaven in such a desperate manner as never any age can cell us any examples of such desperate fighting against God as is in this age God hath a controversie with Nations also for their sin Those who are to suit for God may wel charge us that the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land at this day If ever he had a controversy with a people he hath it with us The Lord hath a fearful controversy with us he hath most fearful things to charge this land with I might instance in some things that are more peculiar to this nation than to any other upon the face of the earth As the hatred contempt persecution of the power of godliness No nation upon the face of the earth hath that guilt in this regard upon it that England hath nor never had since the world began Persecution of faithful godly Ministers of the same Religion holding all fundamental Truths yea all the Articles of Religion every point of the Doctrine of Religion together with them I say never any Nation was guilty of that persecution as we of this Kingdom are Silencing many for â—rifles and toyes Persecuting for keeping the Sabbath It is true other countries are loose in their practice or the Sabbath but no country upon the face of the earth hath ever persecuted the keeping of it as England hath done and that by the câ—untenance of those in authority We are si ner and others are sinners but the Lord hath a controversy with us for these things in a more special manner than with any people upon the facâ— of the earth this day This controversy the Lord hath against us is an old controversy too I may apply that text Jer. 32.31 that God speaks concerning the City of Jerusalem unto us This Citie hath been to me as a proâ—ocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day So ever since the Reformation hath begun have we bin a provocation to the Lord. Thirdly A general controversy even with all sorts a controversy with our Kings and Princes with our Nobles oâ—r Gentry our Cities Countries Universities Common people with wicked people with godly people with the Saints with all Fourthly It is the most unkind controversie in regard of our parts that ever was in any Nation for God had dealt with us in such a loving way as he hath not done with any Nation in the world besides he hath made us even as the dearly beloved of his soul and yet for all this we have contended against him This unkindness goes even to the very heart of God Fiftly The Lord hath sent many faithful Ambassadours to plead his cause with us He never to any Nation upon the earth sent more faithful Ambassadours that have pleaded his cause with more power and evidence of the Spirit than to us in England yet we have stood out Sixtly We have had as many offers of mercy as ever people had Many a time we have been upon the brink of Judgment and the bowels of God have been towards us and he hath said it shall not be Seventhly The Lord hath been as patient he hath staied as long as ever he did with any people before he came to execution Where do we reade of any people that have had a hundred yeers peace Ours is not much less Never that I know of in all the Scripture Eightly The Lord hath had us at advantages as much as can be we have broke as many treaties as ever people broke When we seemed to yeild unto God we have but flattered him with our lips and dealt dissemblingly with him Ninthly God hath broken the backs of others with whom he hath had a controversy He hath had a controversy with Germany and how hath he dealt with them Thus he beginneth to deal with us It is reported that in Germany when the war was but twenty or thirty miles off them they went on in their trading and followed their businesses buying and selling and hoped that they should be safe so it is with us Is not some part of England at this day as desolate as Germany it self Tenthly Those that knew most of Gods mind have been so afraid of this controversie that they have fled for fear of the wrath of God and we have slighted jeered them for it thought it was their foolish timerousness and melancholly conceit The Lord now seems to justifie their fear The Lord is now for the present out against us in as dreadful a way of wrath as ever he was against any people of the earth I never read in Scripture nor in History of a more dreadful wrath of God against a people all things considered than is against us at this day Amos 7.4 The
sakes he shall bring even destruction upon the creatures And this seems to be a threatning of greater wrath tha◠〈◊〉 let out when he destroyed the world In destroying the olâ— world the wâ—ath of God was not so great as that here threatned against these ten Tribes for then the fishes of the Sea we do not reade of any hurt unto them but here the beasts of the field the fowls of the air the fishes of the Sea shall be taken away It referreth unto some fearful plague wherein not only the air but the waters are pestilential and the cattel and the fish die So it hath been in other Countries even in England in the time of Edward the third our Chronicles report of such a pestilential quality that was in the air and water that birds and fishes were found with botches upon them A strange plague in London And then there were in one Church-yard in one yeers space I think it was about the Charter house fifty thousand buried of pestilential diseases Such advantage hath God us at and can let out his wrath by such waies as these and such plagues are very fearful fruits of Gods wrath upon a Countrey What cause have we to bless God that he hath delivered us from the infection of the air If God should have but brought a plague upon London the last year Oh it would have been a plague indeed we had been in a sad condition it would have been the heaviest plague that ever was upon any Kingdom in the world if we had had but such a plague that should have caused men to have fled and the Parliament not have set and even by that should have been dissolved and so all the Kingdom would have been in a lamentable estate at this day Bless God for that And the fish of the Sea I remember upon this text a Jesuite that wrote but very lately Cornelius a Lapide hath a most audacious lye saith he since Scotland and Ireland hath departed from the Catholick faith that is from Popery Gods judgments are out against them and whereas they were wont to be such plentiful countries for fish God hath curs'd their very waters and now their trade of fishing is nothing like to what it was wont to be Upon this text he observeth such a judgment to be upon those Kingdoms he observeth it not of England at all for he was one that wrote lately and he had it seems some hope that England was coming to them again But through Gods mercy both Ireland and Scotland and England have found it otherwise in this regard But for Observations from hence thus First The good or evil of the creature dependeth on man Observ beause it was made for man man iâ— punished or blessed even by the creature and the creature comes to feel good or evil according as mans behavior is towards God Let then mercy pity toward the creature be an argument to keep us from sin If you have not cruel hearts towards the creature keep from sin for you do not only undo your selves but undo the world undo the creatuâ—e by your sin And when at any time we see the hand of God out against any creature let us reflect upon our own hearts and say My sin is the cause that this creature feels that evil that it doth and say as Judah said unto Tamar She is more righteous than I. So do you say of the creature Indeed Gods hâ—nd is out against it but the creature is more righteous than I. Obs 2 Secâ—ndly God when he is in a way of wrath can cause his wrath to râ—â—ch to those things that seem to be most remote from him As the fishes in the Sea seem to be most remote therefore this is naâ—â—â—â—â—â—re yea and the fish in the Seâ— also As if he had said my â—â—â—th shall burn burn fiercely and shal reach not only to your selves and houses and Cities and your Land and Cattel but to the very fish in the Sea God can let out hiâ— wrath as far as he pleaseth Obs 3 Thirdly No creature can help man in the time of Gods wrath Why for every creature suffers as well as man doth How vain then are the hearts of men who comfort themselves in hope of the enjoyment of comfort from this or that creature in the day of God wrath If you cry unto the mountains and hils and say help us they will give an Eccho help us for they had need of help as wel as you their Eccho will be help us too for the wrath of God is upon the creature in the day of his wrath therfore the creature cannot help in the day of wrath Verse 4. Yet let no man strive nor reprove another for this people are as they thâ—â—â—rive with the Priest Yet The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vere as if he should say truly it is in vain for any one to stand striving or reproving his neighbor or seek to convince or admonish him it is in vain for one friend to meddle with another Text opened for they are so violent in their wicked waies they are so far from hearkning to privat admonition that they wil contend with the Priest even with him that is set by God and designed by special office to teach and reprove Some carry it thus They are so vile as no man is fit to reprove one another being their wickedness is general no man is fit to reprove his brother of his sin But I rather take it the other way It doth first import thus much unto us in the general Obs That sin cannot be got from men without striving Such is the perversness of mens hearts that they take fast hold of deceit Jer. 8.5 and you cannot get them away without striving like men in a frenzie you cannot get them off from that which will mischieve them without strugling with them When you admonish and reprove men for sin you must make account aforehand that they will strive with you strugle with you yet afterwards perhaps they will blesse God for you If you come indeed at the first you shall have rugged usage What you come to judge uâ— as they said to Lot Who made you a Ruler So you have very ill language usually from men at first when they are reproved yet be not be discouraged they will bless God for you afterwards they wil say as David unto Abigail Blessed be God and blessed be thy advise and blessed be thou for thy counsel Secondly which is imployed in the former Even private Obs 2 men so long as there is any hope they should strive with their brethren by way of admonition and reprehension to bring them from their sin We must not say Are we our brothers keepers that is the language of a Cain There is much striving and contending one with another for our own ends Oh that there were more striving and contending for God and his glory It is a
lusts take away the heart It is true of any one lust there is not one lust harboured in the heart of a man but in time it will take away his heart will eat out all the juyce and strength and vigor of any thing that is in him That is the reason that many professors grow so sapless so heavy so dull so deâ—d in the way of Religion there is some secret lust or other that they have a haunt after and that doth take away their hearts that now their hearts are like to dead beer all their spirit and life is quite gone and their lust hath eaten it out And that man is in a sad condition whose vigor and strength is gone and eaten out by some lust in his heart But to speak of these lusts as they are here set forth unto us these two sins whoredom and drunkenness I shall not speak of the nature of the sins I have spoken somewhat of that in the beginning of the Chapter but I shall only speak of them in the expression of the holy Ghost here to shew you a little how these take away the heart First For both the sins in general as they are sins of sensuality joyning them both together Only one Note first from the connexion they left off to take heed of God in point of his worship now it seems they are left to the sins of whoredom and drunkenness the Note therefore is It is just with God that they that will not seek to satisfie their souls in himself they shall be given over to base filthy delights of the flesh Obser that they shall never have any other comforts but those Let them have those comforts saith God there is all the comfort that ever they shall find So we reade in Rom. 1. that when they did not glorifie God as God he gave them up unto unnatural affections and unclean sins Sensuality it is a besotting sin that is the Note sensuality either in whoredom or intemperancy in drinking Obser Uncleannesse You know how it took away the heart of Solomon Solomon who was so wise as that his wives did trun away his heart from God and turned him to Idolatry And so it did Sampson Sampson who was so strong when Delilah had first taken his heart then she took away his heart for you know in the story though she sought his destruction many times he saw it apparantly that she sought his life to give him up into the hands of the Philistines yet for all this Sampsons heart could not be taken off from Delilah The Scripture speaks of the sin of lust for this most fully Prov. 2.19 None that go unto her return again neither take they hold of the paths of life None that go unto the whore returneth or as some would read it interogatively do any return that go unto her It is a rare thing for any one to return whose heart is taken with a whore or ever to enter into the paths of life The holy Ghost speaks this make of it what you will And again 2 Pet. 2.14 2 Pet. 2 14 Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin Opened when as eyes come to be full of adultery they cannot cease from sin their hearts are so taken off from all good And Prov. 23.27 A whore is a deep ditch and a strange woman is a narrow pit It is hard to get out of a deep ditch especially if the mouth be narrow too those that are got in there are like to Jeremiah that was put in the dungeon where there was no water but filth and mire so that he sunk in the mire and except the Lord send from Heaven long cords of his mercy it is unlike they should ever come out but they must die and perish and how many thousands do die and perish Nothing ever deaded Davids heart more than that sin of adultery Psal 51. he cries out Oh establish me with thy free Spirit as if he should say Lord I was wont to have more power over temptation but now I am weak and quickly overcome Lord stablish me And as the sin of uncleanness takes the heart away from God and from truth therefore in that place of Peter verse 18. the professors were assured thorough the lusts of the flesh unto much wantonness even such as had escaped vertually escaped the pollutions of the world and from them who live in error So drunkenness Drunkennesse that likewise takes away the heart wine takes away the heart exceedingly When Solomon gave himself to wine he took hold of folly at that time Opened Eccles 2.3 Eccles 2.3 though somewhat of his wisdom re mained yet wine took way his heart in a great measure He gave himself liberty as appeareth by that Scripture though we reade not of drunkenness yet he gave himself liberty to satisfie himself with wine and then he took hold on folly Those that give themselves liberty in drinking wine and strong drink they are besotted in their very parts simile as you know by experience they are as a snuff of a candle in a socket drowned in the tallow a while since it gave a good light over the room but now being even drowned in the tallow there is nothing lest but a little smoke and a stinking snuff and little or no light remaining so manie men when they were young were like a candle upon the table that gave light to all about them but now having given themselves up to the satisfaction of that filthy and vile lust of drinking simile all their parts are become like a snuff of a candle in the socket almost drowned in the tallow Or rather they are become as a quagmire we know if the husband man should sow never such precious seed in a quagmire what fruit will it bring forth Austin hath this expression just as when the ground hath too much rain it grows miery and dirty and is not fit for seed so do those that ingulge themselves in drink Therefore in Ezek. 47.11 Ezek. 47.11 it is said the waters of the Sanstuary did not heal the miery places and the marishes Opened miery hearts are seldom healed by the waters of the Sanctuary Basil Serm. de Ebrietab Basil in a Sermon of his upon intemperancy makes drunkenness as the Idols spoken of in the Psalms that have ears and hear not and eyes and see not and feet and walk not it takes away their standing and their understanding likewise their very parts are taken away and they are left at liberty unto all kind of wickedness How many are therethat were excellent when they were young yet being taken with that lust how are they grown like Esau that sold his birthright for a mess of pottage so these will sell Heaven for a cup of wine yea they are more prophane than Esau for he was in a straight he came out of the field and be was very hungery and
he thought he should die if he had not the pottage so that he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage out of a kind of necessity which he might plead but these will sell their souls and Heaven and all meerly to please that humor that lust venture the health of their bodies the consuming of their estates the loss of their friends the shaming of themselves the ruin of their names and the damnation of their souls and all for a little drink Oh how doth this besot men that otherwise have excellent parts Well But these two are applied here unto the Priests and so we must make use of them especially That whoredom and Wine and new wine did take away their hearts for these Priests as before we have heard they did reject the knowledg of God and so left off the work they were appointed to do to instruct the people therefore the people were brought up in ignorance now they leaving their office their duty that they should perform in the place they were set in they gave themselves up to sensuality to whoredom and to wine From hence this may be the note That Ministers when they are negligent in preaching usually they grow sensual Obser We find it so in experience we need not go about to prove it Have there not been many that in their younger time have been forward preachers and when they have gotten livings and preferment never minded their studie and preaching any longer but gave themselves to satisfie the flesh in uncleanness and filthy lusts and grew to drinking do we not know some that have had excellent parts when they were young and having gotten preferment fell to drinking and uncleanness People are but in an evil case when they have such Ministers Esa 56.9 Ye beasts of the field come to devour yea all ye beasts of the forrest what is the matter the 12. verse shews what kind of Priests and Prophets they had Come ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant such kind of Priests they had and then all ye beasts of the field come to devour you lie open to all kind of misery Paul would have Timothy when he was weak drink a little wine for his stomachs sake and often infirmity he good man out of conscience it seems would drink but water though he were but a weak young man yet for fear least it might do hurt he would drink but water till he had a commission from Paul he was fain to exhort him to drink wine and yet it was but a little drink a little wine Oh those in publique places especially should take heed of intemperancy I have read of some Heathens that they have made it death for a King or a Magistrate to be drunk It follows Verse 12. My people ask counsel at their stocks and their staff declareth unto them There is a little more difficultie in these words than in the former Only first from the connection there is this useful Note Observ That bodily and spiritual whoredom use to go together Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart and then they ask counsel at their stocks and their staff declareth unto them First they are besotted with these lusts and then they fall to the most gross waies of Idolatry for these words in this verse seem to express the most gross and stupid Idolatry that ever was in the world to ask counsel of their stocks and their staff to declare unto them but when they had given up themselves to the lusts of their hearts then they grew most sottish in their way of Idolatry Use Therefore we are not to mervail though men that seem to be men of understanding yet will worship stocks and stones as your Papists why they give themselves up to their lusts and. then they grow to be sâ—â— and the most gross Idolatry in the world will go down then I remember I have read of one that law one go to Mass and presently after go to a house hard by where a whore was he hath this speech upon it A lupanari massam tantum esse passum that is there is but one step from the Mass to a whorehouse Spiritual whoredom and bodily go together their hearts are taken away by their whoredom and they ask cousel at their stocks Jewel Jewel in his Apologie relates this that by very credible report search being made in the yeer 1565. for harlots belonging to the stews in Rome there was found in Rome to the number of 28. thousand women of that sort Thus bodily and spiritual whoredom you see how they go to gether 28. thousand of such kind of women found in one City Rome in that City which we know is called the City of whoredoms it is not only in regard of spiritual whoredom Idolatry but of bodily whoredom likewise for those two as I said usually go together Now for opening this They ask counsel at their stocks and their staff doth teach them Their stocks That is their Images God puts that contemptible name upon them they ask counsel of them And that is to be observed too My people there is the emphasis Mine by profession not wholly call off yet yet these ask counsel at their stocks their Images which perhaps they beautified with Silver and Gold yet God calls them their stocks And their staff teacheth them Here is a peculiar way of Idolatry to be taught by their staff Vatablus and others interpret it thus their false Prophet upon which they leaned as upon a staff and so they they think by staff here is meant their false Prophets But I rather think it is to be meant litterally There was a kind of Idolatry which the Jews had and likewise the Romans after this a way to ask counsel by the staff which the Prophet here charged them with which they cald 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinatio ex virgis DivinatioÌ„ by staves divination by rods or sticks or arrows or staves And there were four waies by which they did divine by these The first was to put arrows or staves into a close thing having the names written upon them of what they divined about and then drawing out one or two according to what they found written the staves they determined any business thus their staff declared to them either good or bad And thus Nebuchadnezzar seemed to do Ezek. 21.22 Ezek. 21.22 there Interpreters shew that the business was Opened that Nebuchadnezzer being in doubt whether he should war against Philadelphia or against Jerusalem he took two arrows and wrote the name of Jerusalem on the one and Philadelphia on the other â—nd so came to divine which way he should go And this is the first way of declaring by the staff A second was by casting up staves or arrows into the air and according as
sense But I think that is not the scope Others reade these words comparatively and that I confess hath some probability in it I will not punish them that is I will not punish them in comparison of you for your example makes them such as they are you should restrain them and though the sin be great in them yet in comparison of you they shall not be punished at all Wicked parents they look upon their children when they are wicked as swearers lyars unclean c. they look upon them as those that it will go very ill withal Well it shall go ill with them indeed but if you be so too it shall be worse with you Many wicked parents are loth their children should be wicked I have known some drunkards and whoremasters have put their children to be educated by Puritans they are wicked yet their consciences tell them it is not good for their children to be so But the truth is if you be wicked and your children too though they may perish in their sins yet you shall perish with a seven-fold destruction But thirdly it is read plainly by most thus I will not punish them when they commit adultery that is I will shew my wrath against you in this that I will even give up your children and your wives let them do what they will I will not restrain them by any punishment And this is many times a way of Gods judgment against wicked ones that the Lord will not restrain them in their evil waies that 's the especial Note from these words Obser That it is one of the most fearful judgments of God in the world for the Lord not to restrain men from their wicked waies but to let them go on and to have their will in them for a while Hierom Hierom. upon those words in Ezek. 7.4 I will not spare God doth not spare saith he that he might spare he hath not mercy that he might have mercy upon people that is when God intends any good then he will not spare that is he will afflict and chastise those that he loves he will chastise but if you be bastards and not children he doth not care for chastising of you simile All the while a parent hath any respect to a child and intendeth he should inherit he doth correct him but when once he hath cast off a child and is fully resolved he shal never inherit one penny of all that he hath he lets him go on and take his course A Phisitian doth so with a patient he will give him potions and bitter potions all the while that there is hope but if the disease be grown too strong and there is no hope Hom. 8. in 20. cap Exod. vis indignantis Dei terribilem vocem audire c. Luther Vae illi ad quoruÌ„ peccata conniâ—eo Deus he lets him alone thus God deals with sinners many times in this world Origen Origen in one of his Sermons upon Exodus quoting this Scripture he hath this expression Will you hear the terrible voyce of a provoked God! I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom nor your spouses when they commit adultery this is the most terrible thing this is the most extream thing of wrath and judgment that can be imagined here is a terrible voice of God indeed I will not punish you So Luther Wo to those men at whose sins God winketh It is a fearful judgment to fall into the hands of the living God but it is a more fearful judgment to fall out of the hands of the living God in this regard Many men bless themselves in this that they can go on in the world and sin and sin and still prosper and thrive they do not pray in their families as others do they are not so scrupulous in their consciencces as others are they are not so strict to walk exactly as others yet they thrive in their trades as others they are as rich as others as healthful as others they have as fine bodies as hansom children as others and upon this they are hardened in their sin Oh but know though thou mayest bless thy self in this thing yet it is the heaviest curse of God that can bee upon thee unless he should send thee quick unto Hell There is no such brand of a reprobate as this for God to suffer a wicked man to prosper in his sin Hierom hath this Note upon these words Hierom Quando videris peccatorem divitijs affluentem jactare se potentia sanitate abundare delectare conjuge coronâ circundare liberorum dic in illum comminationem compleri when thou seest saith he a sinner flow w th wealth when thou seest him boasting and braving of his power when thou seest him very healthful and hail and have a lusty body when thou seest him delighting in his wife when thou seest him to have a company of brave children bravely arraied then say the threatning of God by the Prophet Hosea is fulfilled upon that man Thy judgment is very great in this for the less punishment thou hast now the more thou art like to have hereafter The less punishment the more sin and so the more misery Know that Justice will have somewhat and much too for the forbearance of her act of her stroke and certainly it were better for thee that art a wicked and ungodly man that thou shouldest beg thy bread from door to door Perhaps now thou hast much coming in thou liest soft and farest daintily while others are put to miserable extremities and have scarce a rag to cover them or a bit of bread to put in their bodies and in cold weather have no fire to warm them and yet thou art ungodly and wicked know that it were better for thee and thou wilt one day say it and wish it thy self that thou hadst been in such a case as the poor beggar that hath begged a farthing at thy door and it is Gods wrath upon thee that thou art not now as miserable as they Let us therefore stop the troubles of our thoughts in this we see the wicked how they prosper in the world and how vile men are exalted and though they undertake causes that we know are abominable in the eyes of God and we know their waies are loathsom before God and they provoke the God of Heaven in their wicked waieâ— and tempt him to his very face yet they prosper They are indeed ready to take this their prosperity as an argument that God approveth of their waies and that God loves them Oh let us not I say be troubled at their prosperity for it is so far from Gods shewing it as an argument of his approbation of their waies that it is one of the greatest judgments that can possibly befall them in the world when God shall say let them go on and fill up the measure of their sâ—ns they shall have their hearts desire for a while
that hath but the Calves and hath not the right Ordinances of God among them whatsoever they do yet let not Judah offend that have the true Ordinances of God and the true Priests and Ministers of God among them Observ Oh those that enjoy Gods Ordinances in his own way and the Ministers of God in a right way of calling they should take heed of doing as other people do And then Thirdly Judah was not compell'd by her Governours to Reas 3 do so as Israel for Israel you know by Jeroboam and other of the Princes was compeld to do what they did and they might pretend that it was for their own safety to save their lives and to save their estates but there was no such necessity for Judah to do it for God many times sent godly and gracious Princes to Judah and there was not such waies there to compel them they were not so necessitated to that way of false worship as Israel was if we may call it any necessity to that which is evil Obser When people have liberty and are not forced but God doth give them liberty that they need not except they will be Idolaters yet for them to close with waies of Idolatry and superstition when they need not this is more sinful It is true heretofore there might have been some excuse we were forced to it it was as much as our estates were worth we must have been cast into prison and persecuted and that made us do that we did The Lord be merciful to us for that we rather than we would suffer would joyn in those superstitious waies that were amongst us But now thorough Gods mercy we are delivered from that bondage we are not so compel'd yet that now for all this our hearts should yet cleave to those old superstitious waies this makes our sin so much the greater Reas 4 Fourthly Let not Judah sin for what then should become of Gods worship For God had no other people upon the face of the earth but Judah and Israel to worship him well Israel is gone from him and will Judah go too what will become of the worship of God A mighty argument to those that make profession of godliness to keep them from the waies of false worship and wickedness in any kind Obser If you depart from God too as others do what honor will God have in the world what will become of the service of God in the world Is not God worthy of all honor and of all service from all his creatures It is pitie there should be any creature in the world that should not honor and serve the blessed and infinite God But we see most do not and there are but a few a handful of people that regard to worship God aright and shall this few this handful forsake God where then shall God have any honor in the world Shall Judah go away too then the Lord will have no Church no worship no service in the world Fiftly God had much mercy in store for Judah more than Reas 5 for Israel therefore let not Judah offend For Christ was to come from that Tribe of Judah and the Lord promised that he would shew mercy unto Judah when he had said he would reject Israel as indeed he did Though Judah was carried into captivity as well as Israel yet God was with Judah in their captivity and promised them a return from it but he never promised Israel a return in the like manner as Judah Therefore since God had the more mercy in store for Judah let not Judah offend From hence these Notes are to be observed First We must not do as others do especially in point of Obs 1 Gods worship we must not make the example of men not of any sort of men not of our brethren not of those that profess Religion not of those that prosper in the world we must not make them an exemplar or rule in any thing especially in the matters of Gods worship Indeed the consideration how others sin against God should be so far from being an argument to draw us unto sin as it ought to be the greatest argument to draw us from sin Thus every sin against God it is a striking at God simile It 's true if there be a common enemy come into a City or Town every one desires to have a blow at him and when men make this an argument for their sin because others do it they deal with God as those in a Town would deal with a common enemy that is thus why such and such and such go on in such wicked waies they strike at God therefore let me strike at God too when thou pleadest that argument and saiest because such and such do sin therefore I may sin thou doest in effect as much as say such and such strike at God let me have a blow at him too Is there any force in this argument For ever take heed of pleading the example of others in waies of wickedness and remember this one expression that thou doest in effect as if thou shouldst say others about me they strike at God and I must have my blow at him too as well as they In any sin we must take heed of example but above all in matters of worship Hence Deut. 12.30 Take heed to thy self that thou be not snared by following of the Nations after that they be destroyed from before thee and that thou enquire not after their gods saying How did these Nations serve their gods even so will I dâ— likewise Take heed saith God thou dost not so much as enquire how these people serve their gods and say I will do so likewise God would not have us use that argument Take heed therefore of pleading thus other people do so and so and other Nations why may not we do as other Nations do It is a very ill argument to plead example in matters of worship I mean that worship that here Judah is forewarned of that is worship that is by institution and above all things the examples of men are not to be followed in points of institution In any thing in the world there may be more plea for example than in instituted worship and the reason is this Note Because that other things have somewhat of them written in the Law of nature in mans heart all matters of morallity are in some degree or other written in mans heart by nature every man hath somewhat of the moral Law written in his heart but institutions they are such things as depend meerly upon Gods revealed will and are not written in the heart of man Therfore though we might have a plea to follow the example of others in point of morality yet there can be no just plea to follow the example of others in point of Institutions there we must be sure to keep to the rule of Gods Word to look above all things in points of Institution to what is written and
never to make it an argument that such or such people do so and so And Obs 2 Secondly a second Note is That it goes neer to the heart of God when his people offend much more than when others offend Yet let not Judah offend Judah was the only people of God the only true Church of God that remained in the world When Gods own people offend Oh that goes neerer unto the heart of God than when others do offend As Christ said to his Disciples Will ye also go away and as Julius Caesar said to Brutus in the Senate that came with a dagger to stab him What and thou my son Brute what thou amongst all others so saie God when those that are professors of Religion that are his people that are neer unto him when they sin against the Lord what and you also will you also come and strike me First There is more unkindness in the sins of Gods people than there Reas 1 is in the sins of others This grieves the Spirit of God others do provoke God do anger God but Gods Saints do grieve his Spirit for grief is out of love Note and the more God loves any the more grievous is it unto his heart that they should offend him The more you love a wife or a child or a friend the more doth it go to your heart that such a one should do any thing that might justly offend you Secondly There is more unfaithfulness in the sins of Gods people Reas 2 thâ—n there is in the sins of others for they have given up themselves unto God in another way than others have done and the heart of God confideth in them more What thou my friend that hath eat bread at my table wilt thou lift up thy heel against me And Esa 63.8 I said they are children that will not lye God confideth in them and for them to be unfaithful for Judah to sin this goes to the heart of God indeed Thirdly Gods Name is more polluted by the sins of his people than Reas 3 by the sins of others Others wicked ones offend the will of God but they do not pollute the Name of God so much as his own people do Fourthly The excellency of the graces of the Saints and the excellency Reas 4 of the state wherein they are makes their sins to be worse than the sins of others As spot of dirt in a sackcloth is not so great an evil as spots of dirt and stains in a piece of Cambrick or Lawn simile if you have fine cloathes and fine garments and there be but a stain comes upon them a spot of dirt then you will think that a great evil but there are some course garments as your safeguards that you make of course things you care not so much though they be solid and dirty So the wicked they are of a course thread their spirits are little worth therefore though they be sullied and defiled it is not so much but the spirits of the Saints they are renewed they have the Image of God upon them therefore a spot in them is a great deal worse As a spot of dirt upon an ordinary Deal board is no great evil simile but if there be a curious Image and Picture drawn upon a table to have that besmeared is a great deal worse so if thou art godly thou hast the Image of God drawn upon thy soul and a sin a spot in thee is worse than in others Therefore what ever others do yet let Gods people take heed to themselves that they do not offend Yea the Saints of God they are the very salt of the earth the very light of the world they are those for whose sake God continueth the world in that way he doth they are the supporters of all and if they depart from God also what will become of the world Reas 5 Fiftly As the sins of the Saints go neerer the heart of God than the sins of others so they go neerer to the heart of the Saints The sin of one Saint goes neerer the heart of another Saint than the sin of any other man doth Offences of brethren amongst brethren they are the greatest of all As Sampson said to those that came to bind him simile do not you bind me I care not for the Philistines so much only do you not bind me so all the railings and persecutions of ungodly men are not so much as the unkindness of the Saints Unkindnesses from such as we look upon as godly go neerer to the heart of those that are godly than all the railings and persecutions of ungodly men If others of the Saints such as are godly should suffer opposition yea if it should come to this that they should suffer persecution from such as they look upon as godly Oh how would that cut their hearts Their complaints to their father of this would be sore complaints indeed Applic. The force of this Though Israel do thus yet let not Judah offend if it were applied unto us at this time it would come to thus much Though Prelates though such as were superstitious and corrupt though they were bitter against and did persecute my servants yet let not such as have professed godliness let not such as have been painful and conscionable Ministers let not such whose consciences have been heretofore tender in many things let not them offend in any bitterness in any harshness against their brethren This will go more to Gods heart and to the heart of the Saints than any offences of any other that ever was heretofore All the persecutions of all the Prelates and Papists and of all your Popish Priests and such kind of men they would not be the thousand part so much as any bitterness or harshness from the spirits of those that are looked upon as godly against the Saints Especially such as heretofore have profest so much tenderness of conscience and have suffered so much for the tenderness of their consciences because they could not do what they were enjoyned to do and now if they after they have gotten liberty to their own consciences should once come to be harsh and bitter against others that are godly Oh how sad would this be unto God and unto his people Oh let not Judah offend what ever Israel do Come not ye unto Gilgal neither go ye up to Beth-aven There are two things to be enquired here 1. What this Gilgal and what Beth-aven was 2. The reason of the prohibition why they must must not come to Gilgal nor go to Beth-aven The words are ordinarily read and past over without any great observation but there is much of Gods mind in them For the first Gilgal Gilgal it was a most famous place in the borders of Israel famous heretofore for many things I know no one place that there are more glorious things spoke of than of Gilgal except Jerusalem it self It was famous for these things First There was that great
in the midst of dangers yet saith God Let them alone they shall not have my protection and help And this is a just punishment of God upon wicked sinners that will go on in their wicked waies Reas 4 Fourthly When God saith Let them alone he intends this as the making of way unto some fearful wrath that is to follow after Let my mercy and goodness let them alone but it is that they may fall into my wrath and that will not let them alone that will trouble them howsoever they cannot enduâ— to be troubled by my Word by mâ— Messengers by my Spirit but my Wrath shall trouble them afterward that shall not let them alone as in that place Ezek. 24.13 before quoted Thou shalt not be purâ—â—â— from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury â—o rest upon thee they shal not have any means to trouble them for a while but at length my fury shall rest upon them When the Lord shall seem to be quiet toward men and let them alone it is but to make way for fearful wrath that is coming after Reas 5 Fiftly If God once inflict this judgment upon sinners to say Let them alone if God will not vouchsafe to speak unto them any more he will not then vouchsafe to hear them speak unto him any more If God once shall take away his Word from them If once the Lord shall say they would not hear me they shall never hear me more Let them alone God will then likewise say I will not hear them let them cry in the anguish of their spirits I will let them alone that is certain When God shall let sinners alone in regard of his mercy then he will let them alone too when the greatest wrath shall be upon them As thus when they shall come under the greatest affliction the most dreadful miseries and torments in this world and eternally in the world to come when they shall then be crying and roaring and yelling out in the anguish of their spirits unto God Oh that God would now have mercy upon us God will let them even then alone I will bring them into the fire saith God and then I will leave them there Oh think of this when you feel that there was a time when God was stirring and striving with your hearts but now it is not so as before yet you are worse in your lives than before And then further It is a dreadful sign of reprobation Reas 6 for God to say of a people or of a person thus Let them alone For first What is reprobation Reprobation what Reprobation certainly is not for God to decree to damn men you mistake in that that is not the first act of God upon any man but thus reprobation is this for God to decree whereas there are some that he hath set his heart upon he is resolved to do them good there are others he doth not presently decree to damn them but he doth decree to leave them unto themselves that what they Earn they shall have and no more Earnings he will deal with them according to their works he will do them no wrong he will not be unjust to them Justice he will not damn them but for their sin he never decrees to damn any but for sin but he decrees this he will leave them to a course of justice I will give them what is sit for them to have in creation I will make such a covenant with them and then I will leave them unto themselves and what they work for they shall have this is then another kind of reprobation and worse than that first Reprobation that is reprobation for God to decree to leave a man to himself when he had no sin in him as God did not make man with sin at first suppose you were now made according to the Image of God without sin yet if God should decree to leave you fully and eternally to your self you were but a reprobate but now when God sees a man in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity now for God to leave him to himself this is reprobation of the second Edition this is a most dreadful reprobation indeed Secondly There is a reprobation in it in this regard That God now doth manifest that he doth intend to fetch his glory from this sinner out of his ruin he manifesteth no other now for thus Certainly God will have glory from every creature howsoever you may resist God in his glory God will have it he will fetch it out from you Well but now on the first hand God he would have his glory from his creature in the waies of obedience and service but they deny this to God they will not give him this glory they will have their own will they will set up themselves in Gods Throne Well saith God I have used such and such means to draw their hearts from those waies to my self but they stand out Let them alone now As if he should say thus I have thought now of another way to fetch out my glory from them as he reasoned in the Gospel when he could not provide for himself one way I know what I will do saith he so saith God I am denied my glory one way well I know what to do I have another way that is to glorifie my infinite Justice and the power of my infinite wrath they have refused to give me glory by obedience and coming in to me I will not have my glorie that way but now I will rather chuse to have my glorie from them in their everlasting misery they shall be spectacles of my wrath and justice and it shall be known to Angels and men unto all eternity what my infinite justice and power is able to do therefore let them alone to that saith God Reas 7 And further When God shall say of any Let him alone it is a greater judgment than if he should inflict all the outward judgments of this world upon them Too many of you are afraid of sickness of being spoild of your goods that God should let the enemy in upon you and all should be taken from you this were a great judgment Oh but this judgment here in the Text is a greater judgment than if you were stripped of all the comforts in the world and brought into the miserablest condition that ever any creature was upon the earth in regard of outwards you were not under such a dreadful judgment as thiâ— for God to say Let them alone better any judgments than spiritual judgments As the spiritual blessings of God bestowed upon the Saints are the greatest blessings Ephe. 1.2 Oh blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that hath blessed us with al spiritual blessings in heavenly things so the judgments of God that are spiritual judgments they are the most dreadful judgments of God in the world Oh that we could have our hearts possest with a
corruptions prevail over me I am afraid this is pronounced already against me I am loth when I speak of this dreadful judgment which is indeed the most dreadful in all the Book of God to let any poor soul go that hath need of comfort without receiving what is due to him To answer thee then First It is a good sign that God hath not let thee alone when thou art troubled in the fear of thy heart lest God should have let thee alone Commonly those men that God hath left alone they go on and are quiet and are never troubled about it but please themselves in their own hearts lusts Secondly It is a good means to keep thee from being let alone Those that are afraid lest God should leave them alone and upon that can say in the uprightness of their hearts Oh I tremble under this judgment I had rather God should give me up to all the Cavaliers to all the Devils in Hell than to my own hearts lusts it is a signe that this judgement is not upon thee and it is a means to keep it from thee And Thirdly and lastly If thou hast yet a heart not to let God alone God hath not a heart to let thâ—e alone So long as thy heart keeps up to God that thou wilt not let him alone you know it is the Scripture phrase when Moses was so earnestly seeking God in prayer let me alone saith God to Moses though thou findest not God coming to thee as thou desirest thou attendest upon God in the word and in reading and â—â—ditation and all the means thou knowest and yet thou dost not find God come and yet for all this thou art not weary of Gods service and art resolved thou wilt not let God alone but if thou perish thou wilt let it be thy last breath to be crying unto God and never let him alone peace be unto thee God hath not let thee alone so long as this frame of heart doth abide in thee Those of whom God saith let them alone usually they begin to be more sluggish in prayer than before to break off prayer in their families in their closets and then perhaps to fall objecting against it why Note What is there for it to prove such things must be done and the like and so by degrees they will come to have no heart unto any holy duty but if thy heart be kept in quickness and activity and life to be seeking God and resolving not to let him alone surely God will not let thee alone Lastly Ob bless God if thou findest that he hath not inflicted this Use 3 judgment upon thee Though perhaps thou hast many outward judgments in the world it may be some of you are spoiled of all your goods and have great afflictions upon you Oh let this be a means to quiet your hearts that though God hath taken from you many comforts in this world yet blessed be his Name he hath not left me alone yet I find his Spirit within me I find his Grace within me I find his Word working in my heart there are many other men that have outward comforts they have fair houses great possessions and lands and brave cloathes Oh but the Lord hath let them alone though I have afflictions upon me yet blessed be God he hath not inflicted this judgment upon me he hath not let me alone And let us bless God in regard of the Kingdom Surely the waies of God toward this Land are such that we have hope that God hath not pronounced this judgement upon England God might have said unto England England hath been joyned to Idols let him alone One would have thought that some three years since and a little more that we were in a condition fit to be let alone but in this time the Lord hath been so stirring and working for England as it may appear evidently that God will not let us alone and blessed be God that he will not let us alone that he will scourg and afflict us sorely rather than not purge out our Idols And that people and that soul that had rather have God purge them soundly than let them go on in any sin surely God doth not let that people and soul alone It is true indeed great chastisements are upon us but stil they al hitherto tend to our purging not our ruin it is because the Lord will not let us alone It may be many think it would be better if it were with us now as as it was four years since then we had no such noise and rumours of war there was no such spoiling and killing as now what is the English of this but thus much Oh it was well with us when we were going on in superstitious and idolatrous waies going to Rome as fast as we could that God might have said then Let England alone If God should have said let them go to Rome let Idolatry be set up there this would have been a greater judgment than al the blood-shed in England at this day but in that the Lord is yet striving with us though we be strugling against him let us bless his Name Verse 18. Their drink is sowr they have committed whoredom continually her Rulers with shame do love Give ye Their drink is sowre I find some Interpreters carry this word thus Exposit 1 faedé crapulantur Luther as if it noted their excess in drunkeness and luxury as if they powred down drink till it sowred in them and then they vomited it up So Luther translates the words they do most filthily and vildly gormondize drink and eat and pamper themselves I remember Luther upon the place hath this note saith he Idolaters they love to pamper the flesh they drink even to vomiting again but for the true worshiping of God that saith he is cut more short in these outward things and it is hungry and cold We find that the false prophets were pampered at Jezebels table when poor Micaiah was fain to be fed with bread and water of affliction So Luther and divers other Interpreters carry the word But I think there is more in it The word that is here translated drink it carrieth with it their festival meeting Convivium recessâ—t that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their feasts and their meetings it is as wine that is sowr and hath lost the spirit and savor of it For drink they understand their drinkings that is the comforts that they have in this world that these Idolaters do so much satisfie themselves in as your superstitious Idolatrous people they alwaies seek to pamper their bellies and to be sure to have outward comforts Now saith he all this is sowr And indeed all the comfort of this world when God is forsaken it is but as sowr drink the sweetness and quickness and life of all is taken away when God and his worship is forsaken So you may take their drink by a Senechdoch for al the comforts of this
of God Use for Idolaters will crouch and bow and deny themselves in their ends for the promoting of their Idolatry There are many depths many subtilties in their waies their parts are imploied to the utmost to maintain their superstition And men that have strong parts and good wits what a glosse are they able to put upon the worst things in the world Men oâ— parts If there be any ability in any parts or strong wit that the Devil can assist them withal he shall be imploied in putting of glosses upon their false waies of worship and so they grow deep The Scripture telleth us of the depths of Satan Rev. 2.24 Satan in his instruments hath deep policies and doth go beyond many poor weak and simple people And sometime we have in Scripture exprest the devices of Satan 2 Cor. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reasonings of Satan And then the methods â—f the Devil Eph. 6.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deep policies of the Devil and in nothing more exercised than in the maintainance of the waies of false worship gravity There they appear with their gravity and profound learning seeming profound learning to countenance this their way of false worship This was just the way of Idolaters at these times they were grown profound in thiâ— their way First Obser That the hearts of Apostates are the most deeply rooted in wiâ—â—edness No men are so deeply rooted in wickedness as Apostates are The â—evolters are grown dâ—ep that iâ— are deeply rooâ—ed in this their way of wickedness and amongst oâ—her wickedness above all in the waies of superstiâ—ion and Idolatry Apostates if thâ—y grow superstitious and Idolâ—trous they are the most deâ—ply rooted in those waies yea and the most profound and subtil in them Hence you might observe in your own experiences the practices of our Prelates Applic Prelats of late they would chuse to themselves Chaplain to be their Agents such as had bin heretofore Puritans and so falling off and apostatizing from that strictness that they seemed to profess in former times they made account that these would be theiâ— choicest and best Agents of all men they thought their sittest men were such as did arise out of the asâ—e of a Puritan as they themselves were wont to express it they knew that such men as those that were formerly seemingly strict in their practice were best acquainted wherein the consciences of godly men were most tender and that they knew their waies and what would pinch their consciences most and therefore these were the fittest Agents for them Obs 2 Idolaters especially Apostates are profound and deep We had need therefore to beware of those that are superstitious Use 1 when they come with the greatest shew of arguments They are deeply rooted and can hardly be gotten off from Use 2 their superstitious waies we had need likewise be deeplie rooted in the truths of God or they certainlie will undermine us The Scripture telleth us that the Spirit of God searcheth the deâ—p things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 revealeth the mysterieâ— of Christ Those that have that Spirit of God Spirit of God that searcheth those deep thing of God they are the only men and women that are like to stand out againâ—t the deep policies of Idolaters mean gifted Beleevers And the truth is every godly man and woman though never so mean parted yet they are more profound than the greatest Scholer in the world that is wicked and superstitious for they have the Spirit of God that searcheth the deep things of God and this it is that keâ—ps their hearts from being taken with greatest profoundness of false worship Obs 3 Idâ—laters they are deep in their policies Use It should teach us then to lâ—bor to be wise in the worship of God Christian policy When we would maintain God in his worship it should teach us to learn to seek to out plot them they are full of their plots why should not the Spirit of God teach us wisdom as well as the spirit of Satan teacheth them Why should we not exercise our parts as strongly in the true worship of God as they theirs in the way of superstition and Idolatry But we see it ordinarily otherwise That the men of the wâ—rld are wiser in their generation than the children of light they are deeper in waieâ— of policie and so deceive such as are simple If you take them upon the first presenting of things the first shew of things they will seem to come with such colour of arguments as will certainly deceive you Therefore you should beg wisdom of God that you might not be deceived through the subtilty of â—atan through these men I find diverâ— of the Anciâ—nts have other intepretations of these wordâ— I will not spend further time in telling you what those are because I think already we have had the meaning of the holy Ghost in these words therefore we will pass on They are profound To make slaughter To make slaughter what doth God intend by these words By these he doth express their way of superstition and false worship He meaneth by their making Expos 1 slaughter their sacrifices unto their Idols and so by the sacrificeâ— which was the principal part of their false worship he mâ—aneth all their false worship they were deep in all their false worship naming the chief for the rest But why doth He call their Sacrifices making slaughter It is in way of reproach Reas All their sacrifices were no better than slaughter their Temple was no better than a shambles and their Priests no better than Butchers God will not give them the honour as to say they offered me sacrifice No but it is to make slaughter As if God should say I look upon all your sacrifices as no other than upon slaughter your Temple no otherwise than upon a butchers shambles and your Priests no otherwise than butchers Thus contemptibly doth God speâ—k of the sacrifices of those that chuse their own superstitious waies Isa 66.3 He that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a man saith God he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs neâ—k he that offereth up an oblation as if he offered Swines bloâ—d and yet there God speaks of the sacrifices of Judah not of Israel Let the sacrifices be for the matter of them what God requireth and offered in the place that God hath appointed yet when men make their sacrifice their own rightâ—â—â—sness and think to put off God by them saith God I regaâ—d them no more tâ—â—n the cutting off of a dogs neck But these sacrifices of Israel had a twofold error in them First they were noâ— offâ—red in the place that God would have them Secondly they rested upon them likewise therefore God called these sacrif ceâ— no other than slaughter Obser Will-worship From thence the note is That whatsoever worship is tendred up to God if it be not his own worship or
if in that worship though it be his own we chuse our own waies whatsoever sâ—ew of devotion there may be in it God accounteth it a dispicable thing Expos 2 Or secondly The word making slaughter God useth not only to shew the contempt He hath of all their sacrifices but by that He doth secretly insinuate the cruelty of the Priests and of the Princes to those that would not yeild unto their Idolatries their grievous persecution of them even unto blood They are profound saith God they are grown deep in their Idolatry they are grown to the depth of malice so as their hearts are enraged against those that will not do as they do even unto blood no matter what becomes of them no matter if they were all hanged a company of precise and scrupulous fools that pretend conscience and do nothing else but trouble the State Doth not Jeroboam and the Councel command these things The Kingdom can never be well till it be rid of them Though I have been a rebuker of them all Though I have been an instructor or corrector so the word may be turned as wel as a rebuker And have been or am or will be you may put it which way you will it is not in the Text neither have been nor am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor will but Though I a rebuker Eruditor Corrector of them all As if God should say they cannot plead ignorance indeed were it that they never had any means then they might have some pretence for what they do but I have been an instructer and rebuker of them all This particle I hath reference either to the Prophet or to God Himself 1. The Prophet and then either Actively or Passively I have been a rebuker or I have been rebuked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So some turn it For the first I the Prophet have been a rebuker 1. Active From thence the note iâ— The Ministers of God they must rebuke sin Obser They must not suâ—â—er sin to go without rebuke 2 Tiâ— 4.1 2. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ saith Paul to Timothy And among other charges this was one That he should rebuke the offendors And Tit. 1.13 Rebuke theâ— sharply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly so the word is Tit. 2.15 Rebuke with all authority This is the work of the Ministers of God to rebuke with authority to rebuke cuttingly when there is cause for it And indeed the spirits of sinners are base and vile and a Minister of God coming in the Name of God iâ— above them let them be what they will be Ministerial rebuke And if the rebuke be administred in a graâ—ious way it wil make the prâ—â—dest siâ—â—er to shake under it â—et them seem to be never sâ— sâ—â—ornful ouâ—â—â—rdly yet I say let a Minister of God come in Gâ—dâ— Name and carry the rebuke in a gracious way and sâ—â—â—â— as the Oracle of God he may make the proudest and â—â—â—â—â—est sinner to shake under his rebukes for their spirits are vile And those that are under the charge of such though iâ— seems to be a hard work â—nd grievous for the present unto thoâ—â— thâ—â— are rebuked yet they will bless them afâ—erward if God blesâ— the rebuke and others will curse them that would not â—â—buke them in their evill waies 2. If we refer this Rebuker unto God himself I have been a Rebuker that is Not I the Prophet only but I the Lord have been a rebuker of them all From thence the Note is That God doth rebuke people in his Word in his Ministers Observ When the Ministers of God rebuke in a way of God God doth then rebuke sinners And if there be any means in the world to humble the heart of a sinner Gods rebukes 1. by words it is this To see that God rebukes him in his Word You may put these two note together God rebukes in his Word and This is a great means â—f humbling the heart of a sinner to see that God rebukes him in his Word Thou comest unto the Word and â—â—ndest thy self rebuked for such and such evils that thou art conscious unto thy self of know it was God rebuked thee that day and He will call thee to account for those rebukes He gave thee there Thou camest perhaps to hear what the Minister would say but thou foundest before thou wentst that thou wert rebuked for such and such secret evils thou art conscious to thy self of Know I say God rebuked thee at that time and look to it God will call thee to an account for His rebukes God rebukes not only by His Word but sometimes by His works too 2. by works When He doth appear against sinners when He suiteth His works so as He doth evidently shew that he sets Himself against such and such sinners then I say God rebukes them for such and such evils howsoever they will not see it Isa 26.11 12. Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see God liâ—teth up his hand to rebuke wicked and carnal men and evidently sets himself against them and they will not see but they shall see Obser Again further Hence note the stubbornesâ— of mens hearts especially of Idolaters they were profound to make slâ—ughter in their waies of superstition though I was a rebuker of them all they cared not for My rebukes they regarded not My words their hearts were sâ—ubborn and stout against them Verbi contemptus Idolatriae comes saith Mercer Mercer upon the place The contempt of Godâ— Word the spirit of Idolateâ—â— and superstitioâ—â— personâ— To humâ—n writers is the companion of Idolatry You shall find by common experience how your superstitious false worshiâ—ers slight the Word of God they are above it they speâ—k jeeringly of the Scripture and of warrants from Gods Word Oh you must do nothing but you must have Scripture for it They cry up Fathers and antiquity and such and such Writers but for the Word of God they usually contemn and scorn it Thus it was here they regarded not what God said in his Word Idolaters are very stout â—gainst the Word of God and contemn it There are no commands no commands no rebukes of God in his Word but they stand out against them Poor vile worms that they are who are they that they should dare to stand out against the rebukes of the infinite holy God Know howsoever thy spirit swels against this Word of God it will certainly cast thee The Psalmist in Psal 76.6 saith At thy rebukes O God the Chariots and Hors-men are cast into a dead sleep And so Psal 80.16 They perish at the rebuke of thy countenance And Psal 104.7 At thy rebuke they fled And Psal 18.15 The foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebukes The rebukes of God they have a great deal of power in them and Heaven Eaâ—th cannot stand before the rebukes of God how
the Princes the great ones amongst them because Jeroboam was of the Tribe of Ephraim I know Ephraim that is I know the politick ends of all the great ones amongst them Sâ—â—â—e Reâ—â—gion They bear men in hand that they desire to worship Me and they say Oh God forbid that they should change Religion and they cry out of all men that should raise up such suspitions of them amongst their good people But I 〈◊〉 Epâ—râ—im saith he I know what his aim is I know what hiâ— thâ—ughts are and what his counsels are and what wâ—s plotted at such a time and what his Chamber-counsels with such and such Priests were I know what correspondence he hath with such and such that corrupt my worship and all that â—eâ—â—in to him and all that favor him I know them all I know all their devices and depths I know what hâ—th bâ—en working these many yeers â—â—â—dal reades vers 2. ther kill sâ—crifices on heaps to dâ—câ—ive I know how he seems as it he would serve me but I know that that he doth is meerly to serveâ—â—â—â—wn ends and no further I know the poor people they are dâ—ludâ—d by his fair and solemn protestations they think he means nothing but well and there are none but a company of precise people that are jealous of him but I know what they intend and what their waies are whatsoever colour they put upon them Ephraim that is the great ones the Princes they perswade the people that Jeroboam and his successors aim at nothing else but to reform things for the best but I know that things are far otherwise I know Ephraim Israel Israel is not hid from me That is the people they pretend that they do but as they are taught and they do but submit unto authority they could be glad indeed if things were better but some things mâ—â—â— be yeilded unto for peace-sake It is true these Prophets and some others are good honest men and they would have us to do otherwise but things are not cleer yet we cannot see but we may do this and this in case of necessity that way they would have us go may bring us a great deal of trouble Indeed what they say seems to be like that which is in the Scripture but then these and these inconveniences will follow we should be glad if things were better râ—formed according to the Word but for peace-sake we must be contented to yeild to the judgment of such and such learned and wise men and though we yeild to these and these things yet our hearts are right for God But saith God Israel is not hid from me Israel That is The base cowardly temporizing revolting superstitious spirits of the people they are not hid from me their being loth to come under my government their love to their ease and estates the lothness of their carnal hearts to venture and suffer any thing for my Truth and Ordinanceâ— Israel in these his distempers of heart is not hid from me all these things are plain before Me he may blind men and battle his own conscience but he cannot hide it from me saith God From whence the observations are these Fiâ—â—â— Thâ—t Gods eye iâ— upon the seâ—rets of mens hearts up n tâ—eir Obs 1 aims and plots and all their wâ—ies Certainly therefore Hypocrites must needs be 〈◊〉 Use 1 they that think to put off God with outward shews must â—eeds deny God as if God did not see the secret turnings and windings and plottings and contrivances and aims and ends of their hearts Use 2 And then O the patience of the infinite God that notwithstanding he sees what villany there is in the world colored over with Religious protestations and professions yet â—he bears with them I know saith he I know what all their ends are what they aim at and what they would have if once they get the day yet I see that they colour and cover all these vile ends of theirs with such protestations of Religion and of setting up the profession of it Patience of God Oh the infinite patience of God that can bear with men that colour such vile aims and ends with protestations and professions of Religion in such a sacred way as they seem to do Here is the patience of God that we must admire at Use 3 Again God knows all the hearts and secret aims of men Let us pray unto God to make our own hearts known to our selves He knows them and except we be upright in that to be willing to know our own hearts and unfeignedly to desire God that he would shew us our own hearts we possibly after many duties performed may come to perish for some secret sin that we do not know our selves I say it is possible for a man or woman to go on a long time in the profession of Religion and to make conscience of all known duties yet to perish at last for some sin that he doth not know in himself A hard sâ—ying You will say This is a hard thing what shall become of us then To molifie this therefore a little take this along with it that is Caution Except thou hast a heart unfainedly willing to know thy own heart willing to search into thine own heart and earnest with God that He who knows thy heart would make thy heart known to thy self If indeed thy heart be thus upright that thou canst appeal unto God and say Lord I know I have a vile and false and hypocritical heart and there may be much evil lie secretly in my heart that I have not known all this while and such evil as I may justly perish in it but good Lord make it known to me let me know the worst of my self let me know the evil that is in me and my purpose is to resist it If thou hast such an heart thou hast no cause to think that thou shalt perish for any evil that thou dost not know by thy self But if thou hast any secret evil in thy self and thou dost not in the uprightness of thy heart unfeignedly desire to know it that so thou maiest forsake it and get thy self rid of it and canst not appeal unto God that thou art willing to have it made known unto thee thy condition may be dangerous notwithstanding all the dutyes thou performest But further This that the Prophet saith I know Ephraim is brought in to be a means to humble Ephraim to humble Israel From thence the Note is That Gods eye upon our hearts and waies Obser is a special means to humble us No more powerful means in the world to humble the heart than to behold God looking upon our hearts and waies The discovery of our evil to others may be some means to humble us O how would it abase men if God should discover to all their friends and acquaintance all that evil that is in their hearts And hereafter at the great day of judgment when the
The carnal minde is not subject to the law of God not indeed can be Sixtly They will not joyn with the work of God When he is in his way toward them when he himself is about to frame them when he hath them in his hand they will oppose Gods work they will not join with it to frame themselves to turn unto God Therefore in 2 Chron. 30.8 Hezekiah exhorteth the Priests and the people that they should not be stiffnecked but yeild themselves unto the Lord mark the yeilding of themselves unto the Lord is contrary to stiffneckedness But now this people are stiffnecked they will not yeild theâ—selves unto the Lord though the Lord by his gracious works toward them be a framing of them to turn them unto himself they oppose Gods work they riggle and keep a stir and stand out against it simile Just as when you have a child that you would fain frame to such a gesture and you take him and put him into such a way but now he is so far from doing of it that he riggles up and down and will not suffer you to frame him why faith God I have been a framing of them my self I have not only shewn them what they should do but my works have been so toward them that I have been framing them but they are stiffnecked they will not be framed they will not joyn with my work in framing of them they will break out in their wicked waieâ— even at that very time when I am framing of them to turn them unto my self Hos 7.1 opened According unto that expression you have in Hos 7.1 When I would have healed Israel then the wickâ—dness of Samaria was discovered that is when I was about to turn them unto me then even at that time they break out in their violence and wickedness Seventhly 7. Not adhere to things received Whatsoever means is used to turn them unto God they will stick to their â—ld customs to their former waies to what they have received from their forefathers to what they have been brought up in those they will keep to but to frame themselves to turn unto the Lord that they will not Lastly What advantage they can have against the waies of God 8. Not take advantage against the waies of God that they will take and improve to the uttermost Those people that are against framing of themselves to turn unto the Lord when God is about to turn theÌ„ they discover it in this thing if at that time there be any disadvantage that their corrupt hearts can possibly take against the waies of God they will take that and improve it to the uttermost they can just as a child that you would frame to such a way if it be an untoward child he will take any advantage to give you the slip and to run from you simile so it is with people that have no heart to turn unto the Lord if they have any advantage in the world they will take it to harden their hearts against Gods waies There is no preparation of their hearts what then shall I do with them saith God if their heartâ—â—ere in any preparation it were somewhat but they are nâ—â— We reade in 8 Chron. 20. 2 Chron. 20.33 parallel'd that the high places were not takâ—n away because the people had not prepared their hearts to turn unto the Lord. It is all one with this expression in the text the people were not in a frame in a teachable Applic. to England in a convertible disposition The Lord grant that this Scripture may not be true of us at this day that the reason why there remaineth so much evil in Gods worship is because the people have not prepared their hearts they do not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord they do not seem to be in any posture that way It was a charge upon Rehoboam in 2 Chron. 12.14 That he did evil Quest we ought to prepare our hearts see Anns cas comc lib. 2. c. 4. becâ—use he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord But you will say what power had he to turn unto the Lord he was a wicked man Yea but this wicked man though he had no saving grace yet he is charged for doing evil in that he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord. God therefore expects that people though they are not able to turn unto him thoroughly yet they should be in a posture that way And as a people in general so every soul in particular Some that are not yet turned to the Lord yet are in a way of turning they are in a readiness to receive what God shall reaveal This is a happy condition If God shall see a Nation though it be not fully reformed ready to receive what he shall reveal Oh this is a happy thing As the Scripture speaks Joh. 4.35 opened that the regions were white unto the harvest that is there was a preparation in the hearts of people to receive the Gospel if God shall see such a frame of heart in a people it is true this people are not fully reformed but their hearts are prepared they are ready to imbrace what the mind of God is when it shall be revealed unto them Oh that this might be said of thiâ— people they are willing to entertain what God shall speak they are listning to it God is about to bring us from a way of superstition both the Works and the Word of God tend that way but there are multitudes of people that will not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord their spirits are perverse they are full of prejudice froward and they hang off and then we know they cannot be convinced The Apostle Peter bids the Saints in Act. 2.40 save themselves from that untoward generation Oh let not this charge be upon us that we are an untoward generation that God iâ— framing of us for good but we will not frame our doings to turn unto the Lord As we see a workman when he hath a piece of timber that is knotty and will not work in his hand he casts it into the fire or as clay simile 1 that is not well tempered it will not work in the hand of the workman he many times casteth it away in an anger it will simile 2 not work in my hand what shall I do with it The Lord is hewing of us by his Prophets and seeking to frame this Nation to his will Oh let us work in Gods hand let us joyn with the work of God and yeild our selves to the work of God that the Lord may not cast us into the fire If we will not frame our doings to turn unto the Lord he may break us break that frame that we raise in our own imaginations perhaps we are framing to our selves a strange kind of Common-wealth State-designs to enjoy our ease and honors and prosperity and so we build Castles
make such a man our friend of whom we can certainly say we shall one day have need of him Oh let us be sure to make God our friend for certainly one day we shall have need of Him Blessed are those souls who have an interest in that God whom all the world shall see one day they have need of Further They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord Thence this Note likewise Obs All pretend to seek God The most superstitious and Idolatrous and false worshipers they will pretend to seek God as well as any Whatsoever they do Oh they do it for the honor of God and for the service of God and out of respect unto Him and why should not we do this and this we have good aims and good intentions do we not seek to honor God in what we do When those Idolaters of Israel set up the Calf they proclaimed a day unto Jehovah a day for the honoring of God they pretended that what they did was out of respect unto God and to honor Him The worst men and the most superstitious will yet pretend the honoring of God So it is again in regard of those daies that men have set apart for God Use and it is that which hath setled men in the superstitious observation of them Christmasse that it is for the honor of Christ what say they shall we not honor the birth of our blessed Savior what a profaness what a disrespect is this unto Jesus Christ well let others do what they will for our parts we will do it for hereby we shall do honor unto our blessed Savior So the Papists for the adoration of Images Images say they What not regard not to reverence the Image the Picture of our blessed Savior Holydays Images have the same ground and of the holy Saints And the truth is if it be duly weighed there is the same reason of Images of Christ and the Saints and of daies set apart for the honor of Christ by mans invention and there is as fair a pretence of honoring Christ by setting up His Image before me to put me in mind of Him as of honoring of Him by keeping a day of mine own appointment There is I say the same reason of both and whatsoever argument any man shall bring me against the one I dare undertake to make it good to be against the other As now simile is not natural reason as strong to set up the picture of the King to honor him and you do it for that end is not this as much as to keep a day once a yeer to remember him So the reason may be as strong to honor Christ by way of picture as to honor Him by observing any day set apart for that end by the inventions of men We are my brethren to take heed of men that are pretenders to the honor of God Admonition These here will seek the Lord though in a false and superstitious way But those that are pretenderâ— to the honor of God they prevail much with weak spirits and with such as are moâ—t conscientious As your greatest Hereticks that have ever been in the Church have been great pretenders to godliness and many there are at this day that out of pretence to honor Christ have leavened the hearts of people with dangerous errors and especially leavened young converts for your young converts assoon as ever God is pleased to work upon them Young converts and weak Christians soon deceived to convert them first unto himself Oh they love Jesus Christ their hearts are taken with Christ and inflamed with love unto him and they honor free grace that hath pardoned the sins of their youth of which they have such fresh sense Now false teachers they take advantage of this and therefore if they shall bring any thing unto them that hath the Name of Christ and the Gospel with pretence of Christ Gospel free grace and free grace they know they will greedily drink it in and many dangerous errours that are sweetened with such pretences are strongly maintained By this means their leaders attain their own ends and they see it not Again Observ Superstitious and Idolatrous men in time of their afflictions and straights then above all they are abundant in their services They will go with their flocks and their herds when thâ— are in extremity O then God shal have any thing from them Self-love drives men far and enlarges them much Men in a storm are content to cast out much of that which is precious to them Isa 29.16 Self-love sinful Isa 26.16 opened They powred out prayer when thy chastening was upon them They are straitned in prayer before it commeth our by drops before but when thy chastening is upon them then they powre it out And this is the baseness of our hearts that we can find enlargment for God only then when it is sutable to our own ends Those whose hearts are more enlarged in adversity than in the enjoyment of mercies had need to examin their hearts Further Superstitious formal professors think to make God amends for former and present evils of their hearts and lives with outward performances Obser If they bring their flocks and their herds much sacrifice they think that will do it But let us learn to take heed of this take heed of this vanity to think to make God amends for former or present sins by any sacrifice thou performest to Him thus Some of you perhaps that are negligent in the duties of your relations you are wicked in your waies servants children Applic. stubborn stout against parents and governors and wives neglecting their duties to their husbands and so they theirs to their wives and you think though you take liberty in those things yet if you pray much and hear much and speak of good things and be forward in the profession of Religion that will make amends for the neglect of your duties Oh take heed of that for ever you that are forward in your profession and abundant in the performance of holy duties take heed of this deceit of your hearts to think to put off God with these things that that shal make up the neglect of your duties Other kind of people are accused for injustice and uncleanes much wickedness yet they think to put off al this by going with their flocks and their herds Here is their sinfulness they rest in the bare duties But the Saints they have a further sacrifice to offer to God to be a sweet savour in His nostrils Saints They have first the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that these sacrifices typified And then they have their souls and bodies which they tender up to God as a reasonable sacrifice But mark They shall go thus with their flocks and their herds but they shall not find him Observe from hence Obs God found no where if
into it any thing would then take impression upon the heart but when we give back there is a hard brawniness upon the heart You that are so unconstant shall never grow to any eminency of grace and godliness though there should be truth at the bottom It is said of Ruben Gen. 49.4 Vnstable as water thou shalt not excel Men that do but very little yet go on in a constant way of godliness though their parts be weak and their performances mean many imperfections in them yet going on they come to something but those who at the first do a great deal run very fast in their youth and afterward grow cold again are very bad the cooling after heating is very dangerous as to the body so more to the soul This hardens the heart very much when the spirit is cooled after a heating it 's like water which being hot and cold again is more cold than it was before or like iron heat and quenched is harder than formerly This aggravates all other sinning what wilt thou sin thus after God hath appeared thus This spoils the acceptation of all our other services be they never so specious as a man that hath a child lunatick in his fits and moods he is very senceless and sottish but in his Lucida intervalla he comes to himself and speaks sensibly and well now if a man should see him at this time he would think he aild nothing so there are many who seem to be eminent Christians for the present but let a temptation come or lust stir and they are overcome There is nothing will more dâ—mp the heart when it comes before God in duty than this unconstancy of spirit Goâ— may say to thee Oh soul how darest thou come beâ—oâ—â— in such a duty as this when thou knowest thou aâ—◠〈◊〉 breach of promise and falsefying Covenant with me this will be an eating corrasive upon thy spirit God may say to thee how canst thou expect that I should be constant in my mercies towards thee when thou art so unconstant in thy duty to me this unconstancy towards God brings wavering in faith and unsetledness in our confidence in God the one makes way for the other unconstancy in duty and wavering in beleeving God shews himself to us as we carry our selves to him To the pure be will shew himself pure Tit. 1.15 How should this stir us up to look to our own hearts seeing they are so fickle and deceitful let us watch over and daily suspect them John 2.23 24. 't is said of the people that many beleeved in Christ because of the miracles which he wrought yet Christ would not commit himself unto them so Deut. 5.29 there is a people that made large promises to God that they would walk in all the Statutes and Ordinances of their God now saith God this people say well they are good words but Oh that there were such an heart in them God regards no work you do except he find it rooted in you John 8.31 Then are you my Disciples indeed if ye continue in my words no true Disciple of Christ without abiding in Christ all flesh is grass that is whatsoever is done by fleshly principles every duty though never so well done to the outward appearance if it come from a principle of flesh it is but as the grass and as the grass withereth and dies away so will these specious outside duties vanish away therefore look to your hearts and above all keepings keep it very diligently for if the root be sound the branches will be so too and the fruit savory which comes of it Means to persevere 'T is a very dangerous thing to let beginnings to die Therefore would you be preserved from such an evil as this is of fickleness and unconstancy take my counsel in these particulars Do not rest in sudden flashes and stirrings of spirit perhaps at a Sermon some truth or other that neerly concerns thee is pressed home upon thy conscience and it begins to stir the heart and warm the affections now do not think the work is now over or that the hazard of miscarrying to al eternity is over no thou must rise higher and go further than this or else thou art undone for ever this is that rock upon which many poor souls split and overthrow themselves for ever therefore look to your hearts in time Labor to get your hearts off from all earthly engagements 't is not like that man should ever stand constant toward God who is intangled with the snares and cares of this world That man whose heart is constantly fixed upon God though he does but little in way of duty in comparison of many an hypocrite yet he shall hold out when the most glorious hypocrit in the world shall fall to the ground Take heed of secret sinning secret sins will undo thee if they are loved and maintained simile one moth in a garment may spoil the garment one leak in a ship may drown the ship a pen-knife may stab and kill a man as well as a sword so one sin may damn the soul nay there is more danger of a secret sin causing the miscarrying of the soul than open prophaness because they are not so obvious to the reproofs of the Word therefore take heed that secret sinnings eats not out good beginnings Often take an account of your hearts how things stand with them say Oh my soul how is it with thee how stand tearms between God and thee Come my soul there was a time that there was such good stirrings and good motions in thee what is now become of them at the first beginning thou wert very forward and active for God such a chamber such a closet can witness the intercourse God and thou hadst thou didst walk close with God and his fear was in thee this would be a special help were it observed to keep the heart upright but I fear many a Minister may say of his people as Paul did to the Galatians Where is now the blessednes which you spake of Never trust your hearts after warmings with comfort and spiritual revivings when thou in any Ordinances hast met with Gods presence and he hath shined upon thee in love if thou hast got a smile from Jesus Christ at that time have a care of your hearts and look for temptations and prepare for them many when they have good desires and hopeful beginnings in them think that the work is past and the danger is over and and then for the most part comes a temptation of Satan and incounters with them and they are basely foyled and lose their peace again great consolations usually precedes great temptations Mat. 3.17 when God testifies that Jesus Christ is his beloved son This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased in the very next chapter how was he led into temptations what a combate had he with the Devil As after the greatest mercies many times follows the greatest
but a vessel of wrath one cut down by the stroke of the Word by wrath this cutting down is like unto that which we find in Luke 14.24 For I say unto that none of those men which were bidden shall tast of my supper and yet these men had stirrings and motions in them Oh! the consideration of this should make sinners to tremble that it is possible for men yea for men professing godliness to be cut down by the Word of wrath and that while they are living and well When a man is cut down now God way be said to cut a man down for vengance when he in judgment determines and secretly resolves against him that no means nor mercies shall do him good now wo to that man against whom God is thus resolved and determined But that none may be discouraged and disheartned by this but awakened know that so long as God still strives with thee and is yet working upon thee by his Word and by his Spirit he hath not yet determined against thee when not thou art not past hope of cure therefore improve the seasons and do not abuse this that hath been said let it support you from dispair but not encourage you to presume Gods Ministers are Gods Tools and as tools by working are Obs 7 worn out so are Gods Ministers worn by working but when the work goes on though the tools are worn the laborer thinks not much so God when he sees people come in and accept of mercy he is content to bear the loss of the wearing of his tools and as men reckon not only for the work done but also for the wearing of the tools and the more precious the tool is the more he accounts of and reckons for the wearing of it so will God also not only reckon for the lives of his servants but also for their strength and the weakening of their bodies by sweating and labor Therefore people had need to look to it that their fruit may answer the cost God is at with them for know that God sets a high price upon His choice servants lives and he will have a valluable consideration for them either in you or upon you and wo be to you if God forceth the price of such blood as theirs is in your ruin Obs 8 Gods Ministers are Gods mouth to His people I have slain them by the words of my Mouth Jer. 15.19 If thou take forth the precious from the vile then shall you be as my mouth And look what is threatned by them is threatned by God and what promise they open and press upon a soul in distress is done by God Himself and it is to be looked upon as God speaking to thee in particular Obs 9 The Word of God is of great power and full of efficacy I have slain them by the words of my mauth The word is like a two-edged sword which smites every way and doth execution every time men hear the Word it is for life or for death Deut. 32.46 47. Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie unto you this day for it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life it is your life which lies upon it therefore look ye to it so in Revel 11.5 And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouthes and devoureth their enemies Though the witnesses be as Olive branches yet if any wrong them they must be killed by devouring fire Object But if the Word be of such efficacy of a slaying nature why should we hear it Answ We are bound to hear the Word as our duty and when we come we should present our lusts before the edge of the Word were sin presented before it it would only slay the sin and not the person The word flaies either the sin or the soul When the Word comes it will slay the one either your sins or your souls therefore if you would have your souls saved put your sins to death the upright man need not fear comming to the Word but such as are resolved to keep their sins the Word will slay both them and their sins too It follows And thy judgmenes shall break forth Text. as the light that goeth forth Hence observe That Gods judgments while men go on in a Obs 1 prosperous way of sinning lie in the dark they see them not they sin and judgment appears not and therefore they take liberty and embolden themselves in their sins When judgments do come they break out Judgments were Obs 2 working their ruine before they did not sleep Judgements when they come they break out upon sinners as mighty waters being stopt in their course of running when they work over the interruption they run the faster God hath His time to punish sins openly by His judgements as Obs 3 they sin secretly in the dark God will punish openly in the light to make them ashamed God will have His time to convince men by His judgments then Obs 4 their filthiness shall be punished Now Gods judgments may be said to break forth to convince men and as the light three waies How judgment convinces 1. When the same thing threatened in the Word comes to passe 2. When the judgment inflicted is sutable to the sin committed 3. When it is executed by a remarkable hanâ— upon the sinner then that judgement breaks forth upon a man as the light Gods judgments are gradual They break forth as the light Obs 5 not all at once there is the morning light and the mid-day as mercies to the Saints are gradual so judgments upon the wicked are but by degrees dropping at the first There is much to be learned by the breakings out of judgment as the Obs 6 light Isa 26.8 When thy Judgments are abroad the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness Mic. 6.9 The man of wisdom shall see thy Name Hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Pro. 28.5 Evil men understand not judgment but they that seek the Lord understand all things they shall learn much Examine your hearts by this what you have learned by these judgements that are broken out so cleer upon us that the greatest Atheist in the world may learn this That the Lord He is God as the people cried out in 1 King 18.39 Obs 7 When God sends a Ministry to a people it is to discover the way of God and of His Worship to that people The Lord makes their righteousness to appear and break forth as the light and He will have His way and Worship to appear as cleerly as the light His way shall not be in the dark to them Obs 8 When God brings a powerful Ministry to a people the more powerful and sharp that Ministry hath been if they do not turn the more terrible and sharp shall judgement be upon them Your consciences shall eccho upon this ground in your ears The Lord is righteous in all His waies justly am I
against my people and worship and it may be this is the cause why the Lord keeps our arms still broken that we might learn to submit for when at any time God hath begun to bind up our arms England how have many improved all opportunities to set up themselves and their waies VER 16. They return but not to the most high they are like a deceitful bow their Princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt THEY return They make shows yea somthing they do This verse hath reference to the story of Jehu who did very much there were very great beginnings in his time to cast out Idolatry but neither he nor the people did come up to the full height that God required of them but they would have some mixtures of their own And thus it is in many peoples reformation they are very hot at it in the beginning and even among us England how high did the hearts of people rise but what a damp is there since that time though blessed be God great things are don among us But saith God that is not yet done amongst them which I would have done it is true they honor me indeed but it is as the Nations round about them honor their Gods they do not honor me as the Infinite Eternal First being of all things I am not worshiped by them as the Infinite High Eternal God people should so labor to reform themselves that they may hold forth the honor of God as he is Infinite Glorious Eternal How we should honor God and having all power in his hands The Notes of Observation from the words are these That God is the most high God the supream Majestie of Heaven Obs 1 and earth he is so high that he humbles himself to behold things done in Heaven 't is a stooping in him that he takes notice of things in Heaven surely then much more for things done on the earth surely then he is a high God and when ever we come before him in prayer we should come before him as unto such a God who is so glorious and high above all things betwixt whom and us there is an infinite distance A true repenting sinner should have the sight of this high God alwaies Obs 2 in his eye and great would be the efficacy of such a sight as this is upon the spirit it would be very profitable for the soul For This would make the soul to be very serious with God not daring to dally with him who is infinitely above it It would make the soul abhor it self in dust and ashes Job 42.5 there is nothing humbles the soul more than this sight of Gods Majestie It shews unto the soul the infinite evil which there is in sin in that I should do nothing but cast dirt in the face of God That there is no standing out against this high God that I must crouch before him for he will have the better of me That he is infinitely worthy of all that I am or have and all that I can do and this very thing would answer all temptations against God This fight of God would inform us that it is not every sorrow and slight mourning for sin which will serve the turn but it must be such a sorrow as is becoming such a God In this sight of God I behold that which hath power in it to raise my soul above all things here below self the world and all creature comforts all things must be looked upon as under our feet else we cannot close with God I see by this sight enough in God to make me blessed and that I may bless my self in him in the loss of all the world and that there is enough in him to make me amends for all the troubles I have met withal for him These are the thoughts of a true penitent heart concerning God Now the soul can say the Lord is God and there is no such God as the Lord and by this you may put your repentance to the tryal Trial of repentanc whether it be of the right kind or no by your thoughts of God Have you sorrowed for sin as before such a glorious high God as the Lord is that those that see â—ur humiliations may see glory and honor and praise written upon them to the Lord The want of this these people were charged for here and this hath been our case many times the Lord help our reformers to carry on the work of reformation begun as before the high God If we lose this opportunity we lose such an opportunity as yet was scarce ever granted to any Nation upon the face of the earth Now wicked proud men may lift themseves high in the world and be thought to be somebody for it but it is the low broken penitent soul which it the high man because he returns to the high God But secondly They return but it is not to the yoke as some render the words They will not come under obedience to Gods commands for there is but a little difference namely in the pricks between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jugum and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alitissi and if we understand the word thus then it notes that they promised much and made many fair shews of doing much but they would not come under the yoke they will still be sons of Belial without yoke So many people upon exhortation and intreaties will promise fair they will return and they will do much but when it comes to see the yooke Oh they flinch back and hold off Oh it is too hard for them It follows They are like a deceitful bow Thus did their progenitors they trode in the same steps Psal 78.57 They kept not his testimony Deceitful bow but turned back and dealt deceitfully as did their fathers that were turned aside like a deceitful bow Now a bow is deceitful two waies When it causeâ— the arrow to turn from them it was levelled to hit and recoils upon him that shoots it These people were Gods bow Zachariah 9.13 saith God I have bent Israel as my bow to shoot at evil doers How vile and wicked are those men into whose hands God hath committed power to execute justice and judgment against evil doers and they shall turn all their power against the Saints and those that do well A bow is deceitful when it carries the arrow the wrong way though the Archer see the mark and aim at it yet it carries quite contrary Just thus did these people many of them had good aims and intentions and purposes but yet they carried the matter quite contrary these words refer unto Jehu's time he was a notorious deceitful bow Come see my zeal for the Lord yet an hypocrit Oh let us look to our hearts there may be secret warpings in our hearts which may cause us to miscarry for ever if we take not heed many
197 Cause A good Cause may be lost by too much depending on it Page 388 Comfort see beasts Commands Commands to superstition usually find obedience Page 473 Communion How communion is defiled by the presence of wicked men Page 373 Creature The good or evil of the creature depends upon man Page 67 Contend God contends not without cause Page 21 God contends not for little things Page 22 Condition The condition of the person offending aggravates the sin Page 118 The poor condition of such as are rich only in this world Page 434 Conscience How pride of conscience may be discerned Page 395 Contempt Contempt of the word a constant companion to Idolatry Page 363 Controversie Controversies between them that are neer are grievous controversies Page 2 The controversie of Gods with sinners is very grievous Page 5 Gods controversie against England Page 8 Gods controversie with Covenant-breakers is dreadfull Page 26 Covetousness The covetousness of Priests Page 93 Counsels Perplexed counsels are a fearful judgment to a Nation Page 170 Court see Evil Curiosity see Superstition Carnal see Agreements Carthaginians The Carthaginians Law concerning Magistrates Page 660 Christ Christ became miserable for our consolation Page 548 Christs speech of neglect of parents expounded Page 604 Choice see Spirits Clouds Clouds and dew passing what it implies Page 576 Communicative see Nature Consolation Consolation to those whose friends have perished in Gods Cause Page 589 Comfort see God Consideration What considerations move men best to turn to God Page 536 Correction see Means Court see Idolatry Church see Assemblies Courage Motives to courage Page 535 Covenant The Covenant which God hath made with man is three-fold Page 622 The portion of Covenant-breakers Page 686 Cut-down How to know when a man is cut down Page 595 D Danger The danger of forsaking the truth Page 386 The danger of depending upon duties Page 403 Dangerous It is dangerous to venture upon the beginnings of false worship Page 354 It is dangerous to be deeply rooted in superstition Page 355 Defiled Defiled worship defiles the soul Page 372 Defiled see Nation Defilement A twofold defilement Page 371 Deny We should deny our selves to promote the true worship of God Page 357 Disappointment Disappointment brings shame Page 326 Distinction There ought to be a distinction made between the children of wicked and of godly Ministers Page 130 Disrespect Disrespect breeds shame Page 325 Divination How the Heathens were wont to divine by staves Page 134 Dogs Wicked men are dogs Page 73 Duty What the duty of Ministers is Page 141 What the duty of Christians is Page 474 Dying What a dying and terrified conscience is Page 500 Danger Danger see Night Daies see Festival Difference Dangerous It is dangerous to men to let good beginnings fall Page 583 See Hypocrisie Daniels case in prayer opened Page 611 Deliverance All deliverance comes from heaven Page 566 Destruction see wilfulness Difference Difference between Gods setting daies apart and mans setting daies apart Page 661 Discovery see Morning Duties see Natural Drunkenness Drunkenness brings diseases Page 663 E Education The custom of the Romans concerning the education of their children Page 421 Emperor Emperors called and accounted the Popes Dogs Page 117 England England admonished Page 86 A warning for England Page 375 see Controversie End The end of duties is to find out God Page 411 Evil The reason why there was so much evil at Court Page 115 See Punishment Example The example of wicked parents is not to be followed by their children Page 429 Excellency The excellency of grace makes sin the worse Page 179 Experience Experience of our late Prelates Page 358 Emperor An Emperor may be kept from the Sacrament Page 577 England The men of England of perverse spirits Page 572 Englands superstition reproved Page 589 England guilty of blood by calling murder manslaughter Page 627 Englands wickedness Page 641 Evil see Slander Excuses Mens excuses Page 570 Exhortation Exhortations to mercy Page 615 Experience The Saints experience Page 564 Expostulation see Form Expressions Scripture expressions against formality Page 621 F False worship The evils false worship doth in a Nation Page 138 Families The families of wicked Ministers are many times forgotten Page 97 Failings God looks not at the particular failings of a State Page 382 Flower The glory of the world is but as a flower Page 64 Formal God delights not in formal professors Page 412 Framing Notes of framing ones heart to the will of God Page 381 Faith Faith makes God real in the saddest condition Page 542 An eminent prop of faith Page 548 See Unworthiness and Repentance False Prophets False Ptophets are not to be followed Page 588 False Worship False Worship is to be trembled at Page 633 Festival daies Festival daies are usually distempering daies Page 664 Form A form of expostulation with ones soul Page 570 G Gilgal Wherein Gilgal was famous Page 183 Given A dreadful thing to be given over of God and why Page 207 Glory see Flower God God is a God of truth Page 23 God is no respecter of person Page 118 We should seriously mind what God doth Page 338 Gods pleading with man is not to be neglected Page 345 How God rebukes men Page 363 God will deal with men according to their present waies Page 370 God is not engaged to any Page 402 God delights most in his second right Page 405 God will not alwaies be found Page 411 God never smites a people before he warns them Page 452 God is a moth and rottenness and how Page 477 See Real Controversy Contend Punish Wrath Holiness Good works The good works of the Saints shall return unto them Page 121 Governors Governors of families should be careful of their families Page 154 The Governors of the people are usually the causes of the evils of the people Page 198 See Rulers Grace see Excellency God God will have glory from men Page 516 Gods usual way of comforting his people Page 520 God works by contraries Page 540 God doth not willingly grieve men Page 669 See Heart Keep Leave Penitent Mercies bound Governors see Wicked Great-men Great men are not easily reformed Page 577 Grounded We must be well grounded in the cause we suffer for Page 540 H Hard Hard truths are hardly born Page 2 The signs of an hard heart Page 515 Heathens Why the Heathens sacrificed undrr trees Page 149 A notable speech of an Heathen Page 552 Heart The secrets of mans heart are known to God Page 367 The heart of man is knotty Page 593 See Framing Argument Hard Note Herod Herods mercy in time of famine Page 30 Holiness God putteth a stamp of holiness upon the places he chuseth Page 143 Hope There is little hope of private means when publick means fail Page 85 Humble An humble man knows much of the mind of Christ Page 396 Help We should help those that suffer for a good cause Page 574 Heal How God healeth Page 640 Hypocrites see
then can that stubborn heart of thine stand out against them Let us not be troubled my brethren Use nor discouraged at the stoutness of Idolaters They have been alwaies stubborn and stout against the rebukes of God in his Word and therefore let us not think it much though they stand it out now against the evident truth of God and aginst the works of God that apparantly make against them Revel 16.9 They were tormented with the wrath of God but repented not to give Him glory Many men are ready to think that their cause is good because their spirits are so stout against all that appear against them and slighâ— them Let not us have higher thoughts of them because of this for it hath alwaie bâ—â— the course of Idolaters to stand out stoutly against all the rebukes of God in His Word and Works because the Lord haâ—h an intent to destroy them Observe Sin after â—ebukes is very sâ—â—ful It is too much 〈◊〉 stanâ— out agaiâ—st Gods commands Observ Sin after rebuke but to stand out against any intimation of God displeasure is a greater evil God expects that the heart of sinners should melâ— before him upon anâ— expression of his displeasure And it was the commendation of JOSIAH That when the LAW was read his â—earâ— melted And indeed an ingenious spirit is soon rebuked But when the heart of a sinner is got above all rebukes then it hardneth exceedingly and then it treasureth up wrath against the day of wrath We our selves cannot bear it in others to standout against our rebukes we cannot bear it in a child or in a servant if we rebuke a child or a servant and they care not for it and their spirits rise against it how do we hate such how do our spirits rise up against them Nay if we rebuke a dog and the dog cares not for it we cannot bear it How shall the Infinite God bear our slighting of his rebuke Use Oh let us charge this sin upon our spirits How often hath God rebuked me in his Word and in his Workâ— and yet the Lord knows this wretched and â—â—uâ—born heart of â—â—â—e hath stood out against it Certainly this standing out â—â—â—inâ—â— rebukes will lie heavy upon thy consciencâ— one daâ— Nothing will make sin mâ—re heavy upon thy conscience than this that I have sinned and that in my â—nâ— have stood out against the rebukes of God As in Pro 5.12 13. At the last when thy flesh and thy hoâ—y is coâ—sumeâ— tâ— u st 〈◊〉 mourn and say How have I hâ—ted instruc 〈◊〉 i 〈◊〉 n and my 〈◊〉 â—â—spised reproof The words are spoken of a gallant a brave â—oâ—ing gallant that bluâ—â—ereth it out in the world and carries all before him and cares for nothing that is said but when the hand of God is upon him and his flesh and body is consumed then he falls a lamenting his condition Oh how have I despised reproof and have not enclined mine ear to them that instructed me This is the aggravation of â—in indeed And that we may humble our souls for our standing out against Gods rebukes ad but this consideration to it That God hath such rebukes as will force us to yeild unto him in spight of our hearts If we stand out against His rebukes in hiâ— Word and lesser chastisements against his loving rebukes let us know that God hath furious rebukes so they are called in Ezek. 5.15 and 25.17 When thou comâ—st to the Word oâ— when thy parents or thy goveâ—nors or thy friend rebukes thee for thy sins God rebukeâ— thee in them and thâ—se are loving rebukes but thou thâ—t art a child oâ— a servant or any wicked and ungâ—dly man thou rejâ—ctest those â—â—buâ—â—s Know God hath furious rebukes for thee one day yea rebukes with flames of fire so they are called Esa 66.15 I have been a rebuker of them all This if you apply it to the Prophet for he must not be excluded he is meant here as well as God shews the Prophets impartiality And from thence the Note is That Prophets rebukes must not be like cobwebs to take small flies and to let the great ones go thorough Obser Prophets rebukes they must be impartial rebukes Oh how many Prophets have sharpned their rebukes against those that have been most conscientious and have sadned their hearts even out of their Pulpits but they let those that are loose go quiet away nay not only quiet but rejoycing When the hearts of the Saints have been sadned they have sharpned their rebukes against these but the looser of the parish or many times the great ones have gone away rejoycing Thus if you take the words actively I have been a rebuker of them all But if you take the words passively as some do that is thus They have rebuked the Prophet as if he should say 2. Passive they have been profound in their Idolatrous waies and I have been faithful in preaching to them and what hath been my recompence All of them have rebuked me All of them not only their Priests have rebuked me cryed out against me not only their chief and great men have rebuked me they indeed their Priests and their Magistrates would bitterly inveigh against me for pleading against their Idolatry But all the people have done it too I have been a rebuke to all the people they have all been bitter against me and sharpned their very tongues against me Oh say they here is one that likes not our way of worship he must have another kind of Religion he tells us that we must all go up to Jerusalem and worship there and nothing will serve turn but that Thus they scorned him and rebuked him and even flew in his very face From thence the Note is this It is a hard thing for a few men to stand out against a State or multitude in matters of Religion in matters of the worship of God Obser Opposition of a multitude If there be but some few unto whom God hath shewn another way and the generality go a different way Certainly those few are like to meet with hard measure and like to be a rebuke not only to Ministers but generally unto all the people they must expect to be under the rebukes of all sorts Thu it was with the Prophet and with al that went his way he was a rebuke unto them all VER 3. I know Ephraim and Israel is not hid from me c. I know Eprhraim This is Notitia judicialis non approbationis A knowledge to judge not a knowledge of approbation Exposit I knâ—w Ephraim that is I know all his shifts I know all his evasions all his cunning devices all his plots all his pretences all his base ends These may be hid from men but I know them they are not hid from me Mark first I know Ephraim and then I know Israel Ephraim First Ephraim By Ephraim as you have heard heretofore we are to understand
secrets of all hearts shall come to be disclosed how will the wicked and ungodly be abased before men and Angels We reade of the adulterer in Job â—4 17 that the morning is unto them even as the shadow of death and if any one know them they are then in the terrors of the shadow of death Wicked men especially adultererâ— for it is spoken of them they hate the light and the morning is unto them as the shadow of death and if they come once to be discovered they are terrified as with the shadow of death Now I argue thus if the knowledg that meâ— hâ—ve of ouâ— secâ—â—t wicked waies is so terâ—ible unto a guilâ—â— conâ—â—â—â—nce what is it then when this guilty conscience shall 〈…〉 apprehensions of the infinite God He hath s en thee 〈…〉 haâ—t been sâ—â—nâ— wretch in such an â—â—n in 〈…〉 Tâ—â—â—â—â— in such a seâ—â—â—t place He hath seen whâ—â— thou 〈…〉 and plotted yea what thou hast thought and plotted Look upon God thus seeing thee and try if it will not humble thine heart Oh labor to humble thy heart by this How shie was I to know such a truth how glad was I when I got such a thing out of my conscience such a thing that would have put me upon that which I was loth to do and whatever I pretended love to my self to my case to my estate made me decline such a truth of God and God saw all this When we feel such base workings of our hearts such plotting and contrivings of them for our own selves and for our carnal ends and aims let uâ— cast our eye upon God and consider that his eye is upon us Let uâ— conceive â—s if we heard the voyce of God from Heaven saying unto us I know what you are plotting I know what your aims are I know the base workings of your spirits Did we but apprehend God thus speaking from Heaven unto us as here He speaks by the Prophet I know Ephraim and Israel is not bid from me it would be a special means to humble our hearts for evil present and to prevent evil for the future For now O Ephraim thou committest whoredom and Israel is defiled Now There is somewhat in this word it is a great Emphasis Even still Ephraim goes on in wickedness he hath gone on a great while and even now when I am coming against him even now he continueth in his wickedness From thence the Note is Observ God will â—eal with men according to their present waies In what He finds them for the present He will deal with them for that especially Not but that when he finds them in evil for the present He will call them to an account for al things that are past too but He points Himself at them as they are in their present waies Use I note this the rather for this end to shew unto sinners this useful leâ—â—on Whatsoever thou wast before though thou hast continued a long time in thy wickedness yet if thou hast but now a repenting heart to return unto God there might be hope and help for thee Oh consider this thou wretched sinner As if God should say here Ephraim hath continued wicked a long time but if he had Now a heart to return unto me it should be well with him but Even now to this very moment Ephraim committeth whoredom So say I unto the vilest sinner in this place whatsoever thou hast been here is salvation if now at this instant thou hast a heart to turn to God thou canst not tell whether God will ever give thee another Now God gives thee a Now A Now. now if thou return now unto Him and repent and beleeve thou mayest be saved But if God come upon thee after this Exercise and find thee continuing in thy sinful waies and say Even Now yet for all this this sinner continueth in his sin this wil be a heavy thing indeed So here he cometh upon Ephraim Now Oh Ephraim He makes an exclamation against him O Ephraim after all the means that hath been used to recall thee yet stil O Ephraim thou continuest in thy Idolatry And Ephraim Thou committest whâ—redâ—ms Thou doest it thy sin is greater in this continuing for thou carriest the people with thee and little hope there is of reformation till the great ones reforme If Ephraim commit whoredom Israel must needs be defiled so it follows Israel is defiled There is a Twofold defilement of the people of Israel First Defiled morally that is by thâ—ir wicked works Defilement 1. Moral as here by their murders and thefts and adulterie that was before in Chap 4. Secondly Israel is deâ—ileâ— that is 2. Spiritual They defile My Worship and that dâ—fileth theâ— They have deâ—â—â—â—â— My Worship and by defiling My Wâ—rship they come tâ— be defiled And that I take to be especially meant here Israel is dâ—fâ—led that is among other waies of defilement â—â—ey mingle with Heathen and they bring them in to dâ—â—â—â—â— my Worship In Isa 47.6 God threatneth to defile His â—anctuary and to pollute His Inheritâ—â—ce That is when is suffereth by His â—ust â—udgment â—dolaters and He 〈…〉 to come inâ—◠〈◊〉 Sanctuary to mingle with His 〈…〉 And then Israel is dâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—nâ—â—her way that is Israel both mingleth his own invâ—nâ—â—onâ— with my Worship Israel dâ—th bring in or suffer the Heathen to come in to my worship and so my worship is defiled and they are defiled by defiling my worship From whence the Note is That Obs Defiled worship exceedingly defiles the souls of people Nothing defileth the souls of men more than defiled worship Defiled worshid And among other defilements in worship the mixing with wicked and ungodly men in waies of worship the mixing with such as God would not have come into the waies of his worship Object But you will say Doth the mixing of wicked and ungodly men defile the worship of God or defile others in it Is the Sacrament of the Lords supper the worse if there be wicked men partake and mix in that worship Am I the worse for it or is the Sacrament the worse is that worship defiled How may we refer this defilement of Israel to our defilement at this time Is there any Church in the world but hath wicked ones in it And will you say that they are defiled and that the worship is defiled because there are wicked ones amongst them Then we can go no wherein the world but we must be defiled and the worship must be defiled Many men think they have a good argument of this to say all Churches are mixed there is a mixture in the best Churches therefore if mixtures make the Communion defiled then all are defiled It comes fully in my way to speak a word or two of this and it shall be but a word or two Answ 1 First I know none living on the earth hold any otherwise but that the best Church in the world may have
wicked men creep in amongst them and be amongst them Who knows the hearts of men when they come in and therefore the best Churches may have wicked men amongst them This I say all men do hold therefore this Objection Will not there be wicked men in the best Church can have no strength in it for there is no man denies it and therefore they that make it fight with a shadow Answ 2 But secondly I lay this for another position which I think all men whatsoever wil grant also That the Sacrament is not defiled to the receivers meerly for the presence of wicked men there I verily beleeve every one will grant this I know none in the world for my part denies this to be a truth namely that the Sacrament is not defiled to the right receivers of it meerly because wicked men are present there No man affirmâ— the contrary to this but all that I know of that are the strictest in the way of Church order and discipline will grant this to be a truth that the Sacrament is not defiled to true receivers meerly because wicked men are there But what then you will say Quest How shall we distinguish mixture of communion or mixture of worsâ—ip Not meerly because wicked mâ—n are there But first then Answ 1 a Congregation is defiled if they do not use the power that Christ hath given unto them As he hath given a power unto every Church let the Church-state be what it will to cast out all the scandalous persons that are amongst them Now if this Church shal under what pretence soever as saying they have no power or that the power is taken from them or the like neglect the duty of it viz to cast out those that are unworthy then the Church cometh to be defiled when and how a Church and the coÌ„munion of it is defiled by the presence of wicked men 2 Cor. 5. opened aplied and their communion to be defiled So that their communion is not defiled because the wicked are there but because they neglect their duties of casting out the wicked from thence For let a man be wicked let him be a hypocrite it is not the duty of the Church to cast out that hypocrite until he discover himself but if that hypocrite discover himself if then the Church perform not her duty as it ought in casting him out then it cometh to be defiled And the example of the incestious Corinth in 2 Cor. 5. is a plain place for it A little leaven saith the Apostle leaveneth the whol lamp What is that lump there It is the Church communion and the leaven there is the incestious person and the Apostle gives order to cast him out now saith he while this leaven continues if you do not do your dutie to cast out this scandaloâ—s person your 〈◊〉 up your whol communion will come to be defiled So Churches come to be defiled 2. How paâ—â—icular persons Again further Not only Churches come to be defiled but secondly particular persons and communicants come to be defiled in this if they neglect the duty that belongs unto them as Christians That is thus Christ requires this If thy brotâ—er offend thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone but if he will not bear thee then take with thee one or two more And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church Now if thou hast done this thy duty to all scandalous persons in the Congregation then the sin be upon the Church thou maist receive the Sacrament with comfort though wicked men be admitted there So that though the communion be defiled that is defiled to those that are guilty to those that have neglected their duty wheresoever the power lies in a Church whosoever in that Church neglects their duty of casting out those that offend they defile the communion so farr as in them lieth and if any of you that are particular members neglect your duties so far as in you lieth the communion is defiled by you but if you do your duty once then though wicked men may be there you may receive the Sacrament with comfort For though the communion may be defiled in respect of others that have neglected their duty yet it is not defiled in respect of you that have done your duty Now then to conclude this with that place in Psal 119.1 Blessed is the man that is undefiled in the way Blessed are those men that in their way in the course of their lives keep themselves from defilement and especially keep themselves from defilement in the waies of Gods worship Blessed is he whose heart is cleansed from secret filth that by the vain carnal plots reasonings and cunning fetches of wicked men he doth not defile himself in his way Again A further Note from hence is this Obser A defiled Nation near to ruin A defiled Nation is neer uâ—â—â—â—â—â—n Israel is defiled He speâ— srael that is ready to fall for so it follows verse 5. Israel aâ—â— Ephraim shall fall and here just before he tels us that Israel is defiled When cloathes are filthy and nasty and wil not be purged are not worth the cleansing simile we usually cast them upon the dunghil so when there is defilement and filth amongst a people and they will not be purged and are grown even rotten in their filthiness the Lord casteth them upon the dunghil While a Nation is purging there is hope simile While God is indeed purging of a Nation I beseech you observe it there is all that while hope of that Nation As for example though a piece of cloath be very soul yet if you see the servants of the house washing that cloath you will say surely this piece of cloath is not intended for the dunghil It is soul indeed and it is noisom but you see there is care taken and cost bestowed upon it for the purging of it and that is an argument that there is an intention for the preserving of it So while the Lord is taking care and bestowing cost to purge a Nation there is much hope that the Lord intends to save that Nation And we may comfortably hope that this is Gods intention toward us God knows we have been a defiled people England and have defiled our selves never a one of us but may lay his hand upon his heart and say I have been defiled and so may deserve to be cast upon the dunghil But behold the Lord is bestowing cost upon us and He is cleansing and purging of us and therefore we may hope that the Lord will not cast us off But no mervail that the Lord letteth us and our brethren lie abroad in frosty nights Frostynights Many complain of much hardship our brethren many of them are sent from their houses where they have had their beds and fire and now are fain to lie in the fields in the cold No marvail I say this Nation hath