thus doth help us to see God in his glory as much as any way whatsoever and few people apprehend this but look upon God as a Creature and so they think God is some excellent thing that hath so many Excellencies in him but to understand that all that is said of God is God Himself and therefore it is all but one being in God it doth appear divers to us Wisdom Mercy Justice Power Life Holiness and Faithfulness appears many things to us but in God all is but one Excellency As now The beams of the Sun appear divers to us they shine through a blue glass and there 's a blue reflection and a green glass and then 't is green and a red glass and then 't is red but all one beam So the Infinit First Absolute Being of al things appearing in the several workings of His in the several Administrations of His this way or that way seem to be several but it 's all but one being that is in himself and this is signified by the Name Jehovah And further By the Name Jehovah is signified to us That all the being of the Creature depends upon God is from God originally and so depends upon God every moment every time you hear the Name Jehovah you should be put in mind of this That as all creatures had what they had from God at first so they do absolutely depend upon God every moment for their being and for all the good they have And then lastly In this Name is signified thus much That the Lord will give a being unto all his Promises and to all his Threatnings And therefore when he did appear to Moses to tell him that he would fulfil the Promise made to his people to bring them out of Egypt then he doth tell him that indeed though he did appear to Abraham by the name Elshaddai God-Alsufficient yet he did not appear to him by the name Jehovah which is as much as if he should say yea indeed when I spake to Abraham I made a Promise to him that I would give him such a Land and thus and thus but I did not give a being to the Promises but now I come to make way to the fulfilling of this Promise now I appear to be Jehovah thus Jehovah is Gods memorial that is every time you reade of the name Jehovah it might very well be wish'd that the very word Jehovah had been kept in your English Translation but almost alwaies when you reade the word Lord it is Jehovah every time therefore you reade the name Jehovah or hear that name then you should meditate this and contemplate of God it will help your meditation of God very much God Jehovah the Lord he is a Being from himself the First-being that is the Supream of all an Infinite being that hath no bounds at all it is he that is such a God as is of himself whatsoever is in him it is his own Essence it is his Being an Eternal Being and from whom all creatures have Being and do depend and it 's he that will give a Being to all his Promises so all his Threatnings all this is contained in the Name Iehovah which is the memorial of God And thus for the opening of these Two Names Now then for the Observations from them The first is this Though God be never so strong and terrible in himself never so great and glorious yet faith hath strength to wrastle with this God it 's brought in to this end Iacob he prevailed with God God what God The Lord of Hosts Iehovah even this God that is the Lord of Hosts the Lord of all Armies that hath al power that is so terrible in all the Armies in Heaven and Earth and is this Iehovah this Infinite Glorious Supream Eternal First-being of all things and yet Iacob wrastles with this Lord of Hosts God Iehovah and prevails with him So that hence Christians should learn to raise up their spirits when they have to deal with God if God hath given them faith they should not be daunted with Gods terror or with Gods greatness thou sometimes lookest upon God as the great Creator of Heaven and Earth the great Lord of Hosts the infinite Iehovah the lustre of his glory seems to amaze thee be not afraid Oh thou beleeving soul if thou beest a seed of Iacob notwithstanding all the terribleness there is in God and all the glory that there is in God the infinite distance that there is between him and us which his Name Iehovah sets out unto us yet thou mayest wrastle with this God even with this God and prevail with such a God as this is Many poor Christians are much daunted and discouraged with the sight of the greatness of God but this text is a very great help to us that we should not be daunted and discouraged with the apprehensions of Gods greatness indeed it is for ungodly men to whom God is an Enemy they are to be daunted with the apprehension of the greatness of God but to the seed of Iacob even when Iacob prevailed it was with this God that is the Lord of Hosts whose memorial is Iehovah The Second thing is this That the greatness and glory of God in these Names of his is a great aggravation of sin for to that end it 's likewise brought to aggravate the sin of this people in departing from this God Oh! the Lord is infinitely terrible he is the Lord of Hosts and he is Iehovah and yet you wretched creatures have departed from this God you have sinned against this God Oh! 't is a fearful aggravation of mens sin that their sin is against such a God that is the Lord of Hosts whose Name is Jehovah there is nothing that can humble the soul of a sinner more than the sight of the Lord in his glorious Attributes when thou comest to know what a God it is thou hast to deal with this will make thee to see thy sin to be great therefore the Prophet sets God in his Glory before this people that they should come to see their great sin and that there should be a stop given to the course of their hearts that were running on in the waies of sin Thirdly Which is very useful Look what Glory and Excellency of any Title or Name or Work that God hath ever appeared in to our Forefathers the same we may have God to appear in to us if we forsake him not That 's the Third end why the Prophet here brings these Titles The Lord of Hosts Jehovah as if he should say He was thus to your Father Jacob the Lord of Hosts and he was Jehovah and his memorial is still the Lord of Hosts and Jehovah and therefore you might have this God to appear the Lord of Hosts for your good as well as he did to your Forefathers and you might have God appear to be Jehovah for you as well as
had there it 's impossible but flesh and blood would suggest many thoughts to Abraham to keep his heart in suspence But what took Abrahams heart off from suspence to resolve fully what to do in such a case the text saith The God of Glory appeared to him it was not only God but the God of Glory My Brethren when God is calling you off from all Creature comforts from all things that may quiet your hearts in the world and you have strong temptations to keep you in the waies of sin let but the God of Glory appear to you and this will take up your hearts this will bring your hearts to a full resolution Oh! blessed blessed are those souls though they have continued long in suspence yet at length the God of Glory appears to them in the midst of their doubts and temptations and hangings off And if there be such a force in this then learn to present before thy soul that is in such a suspence the Glorie of the great God look up to this great God 't is the infinite high God that I am called to Oh! thou suspending thou wavering soul look up to this most high and answer this call of God unto himself answer it thus Oh Lord Thou art an Infinite Blessed Glorious Being the Supream Being of all I am a poor vile worm that lie under thy feet it 's mercie that thou wilt vouchsafe to look towards me thou mightest have let me gone on in base waies and perished to all eternity without giving me any call to thy self but now that thou shouldest give me a call to thy self the high and glorious blessed Lord this is mercy Lord I come and with fear and trembling fall down before thee saying Lord what wilt thou have me to do Those who have been wavering and afterwards setled they have found that this hath been the thing that hath setled them some dreadful authoritie of the high God that hath come to their hearts in some truth beyond what formerly he hath done and this hath fully taken off their souls to him And then Fifthly The true Worship of God is an elevating thing Then are they called to the most high when they are called to the true Worship of God for it raises the soul to the most high Mens inventions are low things are base and unworthy things Oh consider whether thou findest this in the Worship of God doest thou find thy soul raised up to the most high in his Worship thou doest never worship God aright except thou findest in some measure thy soul raised up to the most high in his Worship let no man look upon the Worship of God as a low mean thing know when thou art to come to worship God thou hast now to deal with the high God whom Angels worship and adore 't is that God who is far above all Creatures in Heaven and Earth thus thou art to look upon the Worship of God Oh! how far are most men from this when they are worshiping of God! very few there are that lift up their hearts to the most high even in the duties of Worship And so it follows in the words None at all would exalt him Why If God be the most high God how can he be exalted I answer He is so high as he cannot be more high than Himself God cannot be more excellent than he is in Himself God cannot make Himself better than He is nor more glorious in Himself than He is Therefore no creature can make him more than he is all that all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth can do for God can ad nothing to him In Nehem. 9. 5. He is exalted saith the text above all blessing and praise Yet then God accounts Himself to be exalted First When he is known and acknowledged for the High Supream First being of all things when we fear Him as a God when we humble our selves before him as before a God when we are sensible of the infinite distance there is between him and us when we are willing to lay down what we are or have or can do for the furtherance of his praise when his Will is made the Rule of all our waies and especially of his Worship when we make him the last end of all when 't is the great care of our souls and work of our lives to do what possibly we can that he might be magnified lifted up in the world and when we account the least sin a greater evil than can be recompenced by all the good that Heaven and Earth can afford unto us and now God accounts Himself exalted by us And this is the Work that all of us have to do to give up our selves to the exalting of the Name of this blessed God He is worthy so worthy of honor from us creatures that though ten thousand millions of Men and Angels should perish eternally for the furtherance of the least degree of his honor he is worthy of it all so high is this God and therefore know it to be our work to endeavor in our places to exalt him and blessed is that man or woman that when they are to die are able to say Oh Lord thou hast been high in my heart thy Wisdom I have adored and submitted mine unto it thy Will I have honored and yeelded mine likewise to it and it hath been the great care of my soul that I might do somthing in my place to lift up thy Name according as I have been able I say thou maiest go out of the world in peace as having done in some measure that thou camest into the world for Oh! you whom God hath exalted let it be your care to exalt this God and especially the Saints of the Lord know God hath exalted you on high and expects that you should lift up his Name he hath lifted up you out of the depth of miserie from the nethermost Hell he hath joyned you to his Son he hath made you one with his Son He hath loved you with the same love wherewith he loveth his Son he hath made you Heirs Co-heirs with his own Son he hath given his Angels to be ministring Spirits to you he hath made it his great design to honor himself in your eternal good the greatest work that God hath to do in the world it is the honoring himself in your Glory he hath prepared a Crown of glory for you Oh then do you joyn together to exalt the Name of this God who hath lifted up you who were such poor vile worms let the high praises of this God be in your hearts and mouths for ever in Psal 108. 4. Thy mercy is great above the Heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the Clouds mark what follows in the 5. verse Be thou exalted O God above the Heavens and thy Glory above all the Earth Oh Lord we see thy mercy is exalted above the Heavens and thy truth
hath not entred in here thus yet Oh! let not our sin cause a meroiful God to go out and a provoked God to enter in VER 10. They shall walk after the Lord He shall roar like a Liyon THey shall not walk after their own inventions any more nor after the lusts of their own hearts nor after the examples or the counsels of men but after the Lord they shall see God before them their hearts shall be drawn after him as they shall see God in his various administrations so they shall turn this way or that way which way soever God leads them though in paths they have not known before yet now they shall walk after him though in paths that few others walk in yet Through fire and water though in difficult paths never so dangerous to outward appearance though God should lead them from their dearest comforts sweetest contents though it did not appear to them whither the way tended what God meant to do with them yet seeing God before them they shall be willing to walk after him they shall account that way God is in the best way the safest way the most comfortable way Revel 14. 4. These shall follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth these were redeemed from among men being the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. They shall walk in a constant steady course of obedience after the Lord. It is the Lord the blessed glorious God whom their souls love whom they desire to honor to whom they have given up souls bodies lives liberties names estates whatsoever they are have or are able to do When Peter heard it was the Lord he threw himself into the Sea that he might walk after him there Thus the soul converted to God loves to walk after him But this is spoken of the Church as walking after the Lord in times of Reformation especially that famous time of the restitution of all things when God shall call home his people the ten Tribes who yet are scattered up and down wandring and groping in darkness They shall walk after the Lord the Lord shall be a Captain to them leading them along as his redeemed ones working by them glorious things in the earth and bringing them through all opposition to places of rest and fulness of all good God shall appear in such visible administrations of his so as they shall say Lo this is our God this is the Captain of the host of the Lord yea it is even the Lord himself we will joyn together and follow him whose wisdom faithfulness and courage is infinite we will follow no other but him and in subordination to him The sight of such a Captain going before them shall put life courage and magnanimity into them whatsoever they were before Hence note Obs It is the infinite goodness of the Lord to be the Captain of his people Obs It is the honor safety happiness of the Saints to have God before them to be walking after him He shall roar like a Lyon If God appears thus it will make them fly from him No they shal notwithstanding this walk after him Obs That the majesty and terribleness of God in his wonderful and dreadful works causes the wicked guilty conscience to fly from him But the Saints shall follow after him and cling unto him Isa 33. 14. The sinners in Syon are afraid fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites Who amongst us shall dwell with devouring fire who amongst us shall dwel with everlasting burnings He that worketh righteously and speaketh uprightly Act. 5. 13 14. Of the rest durst no man joyn himself to them And Beleevers were the more added to the Lord multitudes both of men and women Psa 46. Luthers Psalm 2. We will not fear though the Earth be moved though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea though the waves thereof roar though the Mountains shake Vers 6. The Heathen raged the Kingdoms were moved be uttered his voice the Earth melted The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our Refuge Nahum 1. 2. The Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance of his adversaries Vers 3. The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm Vers 5. The Mountains quake at him the Hills melt and the Earth is burnt at his presence Who can stand before his indignation who can abide the fierceness of his anger his fury is powred out like fire and the Rocks are thrown down by him Vers 7. The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Joel 3. 15 16. The Sun and the Moon shall be darkened and the Stars shal withdraw their shining the Lord shall roar out of Syon and utter his voice from Jerusalem The Heavens and the Earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the Figtree shall not blossem c. yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Oh! the blessing of a clean Conscience it looks on th 〈…〉 Terror of the Law and of God with comfort Where there is neighing of Horses beating of Drums ratling of Pikes foaring of Cannons yet if a friend be the General we fear not Al the terror there is in God is comfort to the Saints the wicked have the dark side of the Cloud the Saints the bright Deut. 33. 2. From his right hand went a fiery Law Vers 4. Moses commanded us a Law even the inheritance of the Congregation of Jacob. Nehem. 9. 32. The great mighty and terrible God will keep Covenant and Mercy Psal 47. 1 2. Shout unto God with the voice of Triumph for the most high is Terrible Be godly and keep Conscience clean in these latter times train up your Children in waies of godliness Shall roar like a Lyon The roaring of the Lyon invites the rest of the beasts there is something for them Quest But when was this Answ Many think when the Babylonian Monarchy was broken by Cyrus then Belshazzars knees beat together and then the Captivity returned and that divers of the ten Tribes joyned in the return But this is spoken of the Body of them and if any such remarkable return had been Ezra would not have left out their Genealogyes Others refer it to the times of the Gospel Heb. 12. 26. Yet once more I shake not the Earth only but also Heaven The voice of the Gospel Repent and he that beleeves shall be saved but he that beleeves not shall be damned was a Terrible voice When secure minds saith Luther hear that salvation belongs to none but those that are baptized and that beleeve in the Name of Christ they indeéd tremble and are solicitous concerning their salvation Junius when he read the first Chapter of the
I remember the kindness of thy youth saith God For yong people to love God Oh! God loves that God loves the love of yong ones the love of children how sweet will old age be to thee if thou canst say thus Lord through thy mercy I have loved thee from a child and that 's an evidence that thou didest love me when I was a child How many are there now that are old whom God loved when they were yong that would give ten thousand worlds if they had them that they had known and loved God sooner than they have done Though it 's true I lived in wickedness almost all my daies and yet at length God manifested himself to me and by that I know God hath loved me from eternity but Oh! that I had loved God from a child I say those whose eyes God enlightens and hearts God converts to himself would give ten thousand thousand worlds that they could but say this Oh that I had but loved God from a child You who are children and yong ones do you begin betimes to love God that if you live to be old you may say that God loved you from a child It was an excellent speech of Austin when God pleased to work upon his heart Lord I loved thee too late And so it will be with any that do begin to love God they will say that they loved God too late and it will be the great burden to their souls that they loved God so late as they did And called my Son out of Egypt I call'd him that is by Moses and Aaron I sent them to call them out of Egypt and bring them from thence and this seems to have reference to that Scripture in Exod. 4. 22. where the Lord saith Israel is my Son even my first born Moses comes to Pharaoh in the Name of God to have Israel out of Egypt and he coms to Pharaoh after this manner and Tell him that God saith Israel is my son even my first born so in Jer. 31. 9. I am a Father to Israel and Ephraim is my first born My son The Seventy have it in the plural My sons his sons out of Egypt but in the Hebrew it is in the singular I called my son out of Egypt and although the holy-Ghost speaks of al the people in general yet he puts them in the singular number and in their very community they are cal'd the son of God The Church that 's the Note from hence is related to God as a son to the father yea the very first-born what God speaks of the people of Israel is especially intended towards his Saints which are the true Israel of God they have the priviledg to be sons unto God to be children Is it a light matter saith David to be the son in Law to to a King but then what do you think it is to be the son to the King of Heaven and Earth and the Heir of Heaven and Earth Is Ephraim my dear son Jer. 31. 20. Ephraim my dear son This is the priviledg therfore of the Saints that God deals with them as sons I 'le spare them as a Father spareth his own son that serveth him in the third Chapter of Malachy the 17. verse And the special priviledg that they have from this is that they are not under that Law that slaves are under in reference to God those that are in the state of slaverie they are under this Law Do or Die if thou doest offend but in the least thou shalt perish for ever the curse of the Law is upon thee But the Sons of God are brought into another condition not to be under that Law they indeed if they do offend may be corrected and chastized but they are never under the Law of the sentence of eternal death for their offence there 's a great deal of difference between the administration of God towards Slaves and towards Sons This is the great priviledg of Son-ship That thou art not under the Law thou art brought under another Law under the Law of Jesus Christ that though thy sin indeed of its own nature if God should deal with thee in Justice would be enough to put thee under an eternal Curse yet being a Son God puts thee under another Law and doth not deal with thee by that Law that pronounces a Curse against every sin They are Sons Secondly Let wicked men who have to deal with Gods people when any of the Saints of God are under their power let them take heed how they use them For they are Sons they are not Slaves they are the Sons of the eternal God in Jer. 2. 14. Is Israel a Servant is he a home-born Slave why is he spoiled How comes it to pass that Israel is dealt withall so as he is What is not Israel a Son When as any of the people of God are under the power of any men God looks upon them as Sons and if they deal hardly with them God will enquire and will say thus Is such a one a slave had he been a slave I would not so much have car'd for your dealings thus with him but he is a Son You find in the Acts that they were afraid when they heard that Paul was a Roman When thou knowest thou hast to deal with a Son of God know that thou hast not so much liberty to misuse him as thou hast to misuse another man though no liberty to misuse any Thirdly The Saints are not only Sons in their particular relation but in their Community they are sons too Take them joyn'd together as the members of the Church and so the whole Community of the Church now is but as one Son I called my Son out of Egypt He speaks of the whole Body of Israel Now the Lord looks upon the Community of his Church as one Son in the singular number There are many priviledges that do belong to the Church of God in their Community as well as in their particular relation And they should labor to unite themselves much together seeing God puts them altogether in the singular number Oh! the Lord loves unity in his Church Though a Son yet in Egipt That 's the Note further from thence That Gods Sons are not free from sore and grievous evils in this world though they be Sons yet they may go into Egipt In Jer. 12. 7. I have for saken mine house I have left mine heritage I have given the dearly beloved of my Soul into the hands of her enemies Though the dearly beloved of Gods Soul yet given into the hands of enemies Though Gods Son yet goes into Egypt So the Church under Antichrist for above twelve hundred years God gave up his Sons into that spiritual Egypt We must not think therefore as soon as we come under greivous afflictions that God hath cast us off from being Sons though they were in
blasphemy whatsoever but when I see that such and such things are no other but that may stand with Godliness and godlie and peaceable men may have many doubts among them and especially seeing I hold this now of late and did not see it heretofore as now I do I will do possibly what I can with a good conscience that my brethren may enjoy thy Ordinances in what liberty thou wilt afford unto them this savours like the Spirit of a Christian indeed And likewise you that are Governors seeing God account it his Glory to take off the yoke from his people Oh! be you tender towards them that are under you as Majestrates so all Governors Parents and Brethren and Neighbors not to lay too heavie yokes upon Children and Servants Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath and Masters they should be gentle towards them that are under them knowing they have also a Master and therefore give them what libertie may be without sin even outward libertie not to keep them continually at work but some times of recreation some times of refreshment it 's true your Holy-daies are taken aken away but surely there was no such way and means to bury them in Oblivion that they should never be thought of again then to have some set times for Servants and Children to have their recreation It were the only way to keep the Sabbath pure for if they have it not in the week day they will have it on the Sabbath or otherwise they will keep up that which they were wont to have in their former Holy daies The beast must not alwaies be plowing sometimes the yoke must be lifted up and must have some refreshing It follows I laid meat unto them Luther I so wrought for them as they should eat their meat quietly as if he should say You did not provide for your selves your meat I prepared it for you and came and laid it before you thus God laid meat before them when he rained Manna from Heaven when the Quails were he provided it Whence observe Mercies prepared and provided for laid before us are to be prized When we come to have a mercy I say that did not cost us much when it is prepared and set before us this is to be prized How many of you have all your mercies prepared for you When you go abroad about business now you take no care for provision at home in your families you do but dress you and go abroad it may be to a Sermon or other company and return home again you have your Tables spread and find full Dishes upon your Tables without any care of yours it 's all prepared for you Oh! consider of the mercies of God towards you in this thing Whenas many poor people they are fain before they can get bread to be working hard to prepare food for their families their wives and children but the Lord laiet meat before you God is to be acknowledged in this The propriety of the word is I made it to descend it came down from Heaven it was neither too high nor too low but it came just to you fitted for you which teaches us thus much In the receiving of our food we must look up to Heaven we are more beholden to the Heavens than to the Earth for our bread God is to be acknowledged in that he satisfies the poor with bread yea and that he satisfies the rich with bread you that are the richest of all you are to see how it comes from Heaven I made it to descend I say our very food we should look from whence it doth descend it doth descend from Heaven lift up thine eyes to Heaven when as thou art eating meat be not as the Swine under the Tree that looks downward to the Achorns but never upwards towards the branches of the Tree from whence the Achorns fall but look up to Heaven from whence thy meat and provision did descend I took off their yoke and I laid meat unto them I made their service easie and I made their provision comfortable It 's quite otherwise with many ridged and cruel Governors they make the service of those that are under them hard but their provision to be very scant quite contrary The service of Gods people is easie and their provision is bountiful Now the service of your servants is hard and your provision is very penurious you would have your servants to do your hard labor and yet provide little food for them Oh this is a baser cruelty than any to put their servants to hard labor and yet not to provide comfortably for them for their food But my brethren the main thing that I would note from hence is How great the Mercies of God is to us who hath eased our yoke this day and laid meat before us too my brethren who would have thought four years since that there should be Civil Wars for almost four years together in our Land and such cruel bloudy Wars and so overspreading the Kingdom as they have and that yet we should at this day have provision so plentiful as we have Did not all say even at the first year when the Wars began Surely things would be very scarce many began to lay in Corn and other provision and we had cause enough to have feared it but behold the bountifulness of the love of God that hath eased our yokes and hath laid meat before us that the poor is satisfied with bread there is no complainings in our streets we have not only our bread but our Tables fi'ld What difference do you see upon the Tables of men now from that they were in former times If a stranger should come into this Kingdom hearing what miserable Wars there hath been as bloody and cruel as in any Kingdom and yet come to see every mans Table so fill'd he could not but stand and wonder Certainly strangers think our condition to be far more sad in respect of provision than it is let 's not be wanton with our plenty we were wont to say if we might have but Bread and Cheese and the Gospel it were good cheer Now my brethren we have outward food and the Bread of life too What Is this sweet to be freed from outward bondage and to have meat laid before us how sweet is it then to be freed from spiritual bondage and to have the food of life laid before us yet this is our condition Our blessing is specially in having our spiritual yokes taken off from us and having the Bread of Life laid before us in a more plentiful measure then ever we had Was there ever a time that this City had so much meat laid before it for the soul as at this day the misery of other parts of the Kingdom is your mercie the Lord grant that you do not loath your Manna and despise it God hath waies enough to cut you short VER
5. He shall not return into the Land of Egypt but the Assyrian shall be his King because they refused to return He shall not return TO give you first a short paraphrase of the words for there 's no difficulty in them and then the Notes of Observation It is As if the Prophet should say Howsoever he thinks to help himself with ease to shelter himself there yet he shall not but he shall go into Captivity into Assyria for all means that have been used would not bring him to return So then the Observations First That which hardens mens hearts against threats in their sin is some shifts that they have in their thoughts let the worst come that can be yet I have such a relief My Brethren it 's a great mercy of God to take mens spirits off from all their vain shifts and hopes so as to be throughly convinced that there 's no help in any thing in the creature in Heaven and Earth but only in my turning to God and casting my soul down before Mercy if that saves me not I am undone for ever when the heart comes to this I say God is in a gracious and merciful way working I see my sin my affliction that is upon me and feel it though my heart would be shifting this way and that way yet God hath convinc'd me nothing can do me good but I am lost and undone what ever course I take except I return to God and humble my soul before him and seek his face and obtain meroie from him Secondly He shall not return to Egypt It was a verie strange perverseness to think of this shift to go back to Egypt why was not Egypt the place of his bondage and the Egyptians still retained their cruelty and yet they thought of this help that they would turn to Egypt rather than to God From whence the Observation is A stout heart cares not whither it goes rather than it will return to God As the Prodigal will rather go to the Swine to feed upon husks than to his father like some stout children they care not what miseries they suffer rather than they will come and humble themselves to their parents They will hang themselves and drown themselves and seek their fortune as they use to say rather than be perswaded to come in and submit themselves No never as long as they live though they die yet they will not and thus their hearts are stout and while they think they are stout against their parents they are stout against God too yet God hath waies to bring mens stout hearts to yeeld Thirdly A stubborn heart though God be in any way of mercy God calling them to waies of mercy yet if any thing crosses them they will foolishly and desperately wish their return to their former condition of misery If you make any thing that God doth an argument to a stubborn heart for duty if it pleases him not he will reject all that 's done for him and say he had rather be as he was before let me go into Egypt again stubborn hearts if they meet with any cross in their way this is their unthankfulness that because they are vext and crost in some one thing they will I say foolishly and desperately wish that they were in the the condition that heretofore they have been in Oh! thus it is with many of us how foolishly how wickedly have we thought and said it was better with us heretofore then now let us return to our former condition This is thy folly and thy desperat wickedness But saith the text He shall not return though he thinks of returning as if the holy Ghost should say do not please your selves to think it is but to return to Egypt you cannot be worse than now you are for God hath worser things for you And my brethren this is our case this day let not us think of returning to our former condition certainly if we should take such a course to return to our former condition we should be far worse than we were before our danger would be far greater this is certain to the view of any men that have their eyes open that our condition in England must either be far better than it was or far worse than it was There 's many say Oh! we were thus and thus in former times and if we were but as we were we should do well enough Oh! let 's not think of that we must certainly either be far better or far worse than we were for if we think of returning it will not be to Egypt but to Assyria which will be worse The Fourth Note is this God knows how to cross wicked men of their wills to spoil them of their plots they please themselves with this and the other thing they will do thus and thus if they be put to this shift then they have a second and a third yea but there 's a God in Heaven that hath determined otherwise Never were wicked men more cross in their plots than they are at this day They have said that they would do thus and thus but God hath said they should not and they have not done it Now God in his Mercy crosses his people of their wills that are set upon sin but when the wicked are crost upon their sin it is because God hath other waies to bring about greater evils to them To bring them to Assyria Well then whatsoever any mans thoughts and desires are the Lord deliver us from turning into Egypt again And likewise the Lord grant the Assyrian may not be our King It follows The Assyrian shall be his King The Lord deliver us from both That an Assyrian may not be our King Why an Assyrian why was he threatned to be their King You shall find that he was one of a cruel stout heart an hard heart and a proud heart the Assyrians were so They were a generation of men of cruel proud stout hard-hearted men Isa 10. 5. Oh Assyrian the rod of mine anger saith God and in the 7. verse It is in his heart to destroy saith God of the King of Assyria and in the 12. verse When the Lord hath performed his whol work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks Oh! 't is a sore evil to be put under the rage of a proud and a stout hearted man who will set his heart against God himself who though God fights against him yet will stand it out though his design is crost yet he will not come in he will not give glory to God though his will cost him the blood of many thousands yet he goes desperatly on he regards more his own will and lusts than the blood or lives of millions For people to have such a stout heart armed with power raised with pride enraged with
Gospel of John was terrified But I take this rather to be meant of some notable work of Reformation and calling in these ten Tribes to joyn with the Church The Lord will roar to terrifâ— the hearts of their Adversaries that they shall not be abâ—â— to hinder their return Hence note That when Gods time is come for a through Reformation and bringing in his people he will roar terribly in the world he will appear in such Majesty Glory and Justice that he will make the earth tremble Psal 102. 16. When the Lord shall build up Sion he will appear in his Glory It hath been his way in his appearing for his Church Psal 76. 1. Thou even thou art to be feared and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry Thou didest cause Judgment to be heard from Heaven the Earth feared and was still 〈…〉 God arose to Judgment to save the meek of the Earth 〈…〉 12. He shall cut off the spirit of Princes he is 〈…〉 Kings of the Earth Isa 34. 4. All the host of 〈…〉 be dissolved and the Heavens shall be rolled together as 〈…〉 and all the host shall fall down as a leaf for my Sword shall be bathed in Heaven Ver. 6. The Sword of the Lord is filled with blood it is made fat with fatness Ver. 7. The Land shall be soaked with blood Ver. 8. For it is the day of the Lords vengance and the yeer of the recompences for the controversie of Sion Ezek 17. 10. Shall it not wither when the East wind toucheth it At the raising of Christs Kingdom Psal 45. 4. Thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things Revel 6. 15. The Kings of the earth and the great Men the rich men the chief Captains the Mighty men hid themselves in the dens the rocks of the Mountains and said to the Mountains and Rocks Fâ—lâ— on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Thron and from the wrath of the Lamb. Dan. 12. 1. There shall 〈◊〉 a time of trouble such as was never since there was a Nation all that time thy people shall be delivered Lactantius Lib. Cap. 15. as then Egypt imitten so now all places as then signs and prodiges so now admirable wonders in all the Elements of the World Earth Sea Air. 1. Because the ungodly have been cruel against the Saints Psal 74. 4. Thine Enemies roar in the midst of the Congregation 2. The wicked will be secure yea his own people and will stand in need of roaring to awaken them 3. The Adversary will be stout and proud Consundetur omne jus Leges perilunt All right will be overturned and Laws perish 4. The difficulties will be great so as when Christ comes shall he find saith on the earth namely that ever his work shall be brought about Luke 18. 8. There will 〈…〉 ighty changes of things Hence observe 〈…〉 ir not though wicked men strengthen themselves 〈…〉 uch God can soon make mighty alterations 〈…〉 14. Be not afraid remember the Lord which is ve 〈…〉 and terrible Deut. 7. 21. Thoushalt not be afrighted at them for the Lord thy God is amongst you a mighty God and a terrible Again Hence learn to prepare for thosetimes When he shall roar the children shall tremble from the west Amos 3. 8. The Lyon hath roared who will not tremble There shal be mighty stirrings of heart Mens hearts shal shake within them so as there shall be way made for people whose hearts are awakened to come into the Church There is a trembling of the Enemies they shall be struck with such astonishment that they shall not hinder Their violence and rage shall be abated They shall say 〈◊〉 once the Egyptians Let us take heed what we do the Lord 〈…〉 t s for them And the hearts of those that God intends to call shall 〈…〉 wakened the slightness and vanity of their spirits shall be taken off The fear upon their hearts shall make them fear they shall be roused from their sluggishness they shall make hast to come in to joyn with the people of God Fear causes hast so the word here signifies and is rendered by some Men delay and trifle till God strikes their hearts with fear Spiritus sanctus nescit tarda molimma The holy Ghost likes not lazy laboring Isa 49. 17. Thy children shall make hast The children shall tremble from the west Those afar off which were most unlikely Isa 42. 4. Legem expect abunt Insulae The Isles shall wait for my Law The Mediterranean the Mid land Sea is in the west Isa 49. 1. 12. Hence note that There are like to be great stirrings in the Western parts VER 11. They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt and as 〈…〉 out of the Land of Assyria BEing strucken with fear they shall hasten so the word advolabunt they shall fly This some think to be fulfilled when divers of the ten Tribes joyned with Judah in the return of their captivity for the Monarcy of the Assyrians was subdued by the Persians whose King was Cyrus Therefore it is thought that the fame liberty was given in Assyria for the ten Tribes as in Babylon for Judah And not long after Cambyses the son of Cyrus overcame the Egyptians as Herodotus Lib. 8. Justinae Lib. 〈◊〉 saies And it 's like he would be favorable to the ten Tribes as his father had been to Judah But Ezra as was noted above in likelihood would not then have omitted their Genealogies Howso 〈…〉 in the great Restauration of things this will be fulfill 〈…〉 The Jews were strongly set to go to Egypt now they shall as strongly desire to get out to joyn with the Churches Fly as a bird not come as a snail get over all difficulties having their spirits elevated raising them from earthly drossie things they have no consideration of them Now all their desire is to joyn with the Saints that they together with them may follow after the Lord. And as a Dove out of the Land of Assyria 1. Doves are sacred there Euseb Preparat Evang. Lib. 8. 5. 2. They are terrified with the least noise Terretur minimo penae stridore Columba 3. Doves fly swiftly Oh! that I had the wings of a Dove saith the Psalmist Psal 55. 6. 4. They fly by flocks Isa 60. 8. Who are those that fly as a cloud and as the Doves to their windows 5. It may be from those Countries Doves come at certain times of the yeer as several sorts of Fowls do to to us in their seasons And I will place them in their houses saith the Lord. i. e. I will provide lockers for them he followeth the the former metaphor of Doves Gods people have been tossed up and down they have had no abiding in their houses But God hath his time to place them in their houses in rest quietness and safety to
upon my breakings No but I will rest upon the breakings of Jesus Christ who in the daies of his flesh did send up mighty cries with tears to God and was heard he prevail'd He made supplication Supplieation or prayer it is the great prevailing Ordinance with God that 's the Note It hath been the great Engin that hath carried things on in the world Prayer in Revel 8. 4. The prayers of the Saints were offered up and voices of Thunder and Lightening and Earthquakes followed when they were offered Prayers of the Saints can move Heaven and Earth they can prevail with the God of Heaven and Earth The Praying Legion was called the Thundering Legion And Luther saith of prayers they are our Guns our Cannons our Prayers can prevail more than Cannons The Saints have alwaies put their great strength upon Prayer It 's a very observable Scripture Psal 109. 4. For my love they are my adversaries but what then But I pray it is in your books But I give my self to prayer but the words Give my self you may observe printed in another distinct Character which is to note that those words are not in the Original but added by the Translators and in that they dealt faithfully but if you reade it as it is in the Hebrew it is For my love they are my adversaries but I pray as if he should say that 's my refuge I account prayer to be the great help that I have when they are my adversaries and rail upon me I will not rail upon them again when they oppose me I will not oppose them again but I pray I 'le pray to my God and I make account I have help enough there to resist my enemies that I have Jacob prevailed over the Angel by suppication It 's a good sign of a gracious heart to lay the weight of business upon pra 〈…〉 But I will not enter into this common place of the excellency or power of Prayer and Supplication but only this It 's not every prayer that will prevail so with God What prayer will then Such a prayer as Jacob's was in Gen. 32. 9. there 〈◊〉 shall find how your Father Jacob prayed and there 〈◊〉 excellent Ingredients saith the text And Jacob said O God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac c. That 's the First Ingredient to Prayer Faith in the Covenant of God upon that the strength of any prayr most depends Indeed to have strong Expressions and Affections in prayer are good but Strength of Faith in the Covenant of God is the greatest strength of prayer and it was with this strength that Jacob did prevail Oh! God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac as if he should say Oh! thou God that hast entred into Covenant with my Father Abraham and Isaac O God remember thy COVENANT O God I rest upon 〈◊〉 COVENANT the COVENANT of Grace that 〈◊〉 hast made with them for so certainly that with 〈◊〉 hans and Isaac was the same for it 's said That Circum 〈…〉 sion was the sign and seal of the righteousness that he had 〈◊〉 Faith And in Thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be bl 〈…〉 There was the Covenant of Grace Now O Lord 〈◊〉 it is the Covenant of Grace that I rest upon in the 〈◊〉 straits When you are in any strait and go to Go 〈…〉 prayer if you can have recourse to the Covenant 〈◊〉 Grace and act your saith upon Gods Covenant with you Oh! that will be a strong prayer When there are but words in prayer they vanish as the wind but when there is much saith in prayer that makes it to prevail the prayer of faith that 's prevalent saith the Apostle James that 's the first ingredient in his prayer he made supplication and exercises faith in the Covenant And then the second was His appeal to God that he was 〈◊〉 the way that he had set him He could appeal thus to God which saidst unto me Return unto thy Country and to thy Kindred Why Lord am I out of my way am I not in the way that thou hast set me I met with difficul 〈…〉 in my way but Lord thou saidest to me Return 〈…〉 to thy Country thou bidest me return so that 's an excellent ingredient in prayer and ads much strength when the soul in prayer can come to God and say O Lord there is this and this difficulty befallen me but Lord I am in the way that thou hast set me I am doing thy work I am not out of my way For any man or woman to be out of their way that God hath set them in will mightily damp their hearts in prayer And it 's a mighty encouragement to prayer and carries it on with mighty strength when the soul can appeal to God Lord whatsoever straits I meet withal yet I am in thy way Then the Third thing in prayer It is the pleading of â—particular Promise And I will deal well with thee God 〈…〉 de a Promise to Jacob in particular that he would deal 〈◊〉 with him in his journy that he went And the 〈◊〉 faith we have to take hold upon particular promises that concerns the particular business we pray about 〈◊〉 we pray about any business though it 's true the 〈◊〉 strength is in the great Promise the Covenant of 〈…〉 But then it ads much strength likewise to have 〈…〉 f particular Promises that concerns the very business we are about and it 's a very good thing when we go about a business that hath difficulty in it to search the Word and to see what Promises there are that doth more particularly concern the business we go about The Fourth Ingredient it was his Acknowledgment and Sence of his own unworthiness and vileness in ver 10. I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewn unto thy Servant When the soul comes with humility before God in Prayer and is truly sensible of its unworthiness of any mercy Lord I am not worthy of the least crum of bread but rather worthy to be cast out from thy presence for ever it 's an easie matter for men and women to have such words in their mouths but to have this indeed in their hearts in prayer ads very much strength to prayer The Fifth Ingredient in his prayer it was The acknowledgment of the mercy that he had received and of the truth of God in fulfilling Promises and both ads much strength to prayer to take notice of what God hath done for us to take notice how God hath fulfil'd his Word in great measure for us when we are praying we many times are sensible only of what we would have but not of what we receive and the vehemencie of our desires after what we would have doth take away our apprehensions and hinders our acknowledgment of the
of God in Angels and we know that the appearing of Angels hath struck terror into many men But now saith Paul The Angel said Fear not If it be the Angel of God whose I am and whom I serve then I need not fear yea let God muster up all his Hosts and appear to one that hath turned to him if he can say thus Whose I am and whom I serve these Hosts will say Fear not Therefore turn unto the Lord because he is the Lord of Hosts Thirdly Because God is JEHOVAH therefore turn unto the Lord. There 's a great deal of force in this Name to cause sinners to turn to him because he is Jehovah for this Name JEHOVAH hath as much terror in it to a guilty ungodly soul as we reade of in all the Book of God I say put all together that we reade in the Book of God yet if we did but throughly understand the Name Jehovah we should see as much terror in it to a guilty conscience and a sinful soul that goes on in the waies of wickedness as almost all that is mentioned of God that might be terrible As thus JEHOVAH If he be Jehovah he hath power over every thing that hath a being to torment thee with it for he hath all being in Himself al being is from him and the dispose of all therefore whatsoever thing hath any being in it this God hath the power over it to make use of it to torment thee withal Do but consider how some little creature if it be in some part of a mans body what power it hath to bring torment a little gravel in the kidneys or stone in the bladder that 's but a poor weak creature in its self but being in that place what tortor doth it bring now if a little gravel or stone hath that power to torment thee then what power hath all things in the Earth and the infinite God that hath all essence and all being and can dispose of all things as he pleases to bring pain misery and torment to a sinner It 's a very humbling consideration to a sinner And on the other side If there be any power in any thing that hath a being to bring any comfort to a man or woman it 's all in God for God hath all in him eminently As now one Creature hath power to torment in one way another in another way and so one Creature hath power to comfort us one way another another but all this is eminently in God the gravel torments one way the humor in the veins in the gout that torments another way and fire torments another way and the Sword torments after another manner and burning feaver torments in the body fire without and burning feaver within the stinging of Serpents torments after another way now all power of all things is in God Eminently the quintessence of all things is in God and therefore the power of God is able to bring all sorts of torments at one time in one thing As now suppose several herbs that have several vertues one hath a vertue in one kind another in another but if these herbs were all distill'd into one water then a drop of that water hath the same vertue and efficacy that it may be forty several herbs hath so now all creatures that have their several kind of efficacies and vertues distilled into one If I may compare this distillation unto God he hath all kind of power in himself and is able to put it forth in one instant all the power and efficacie that there is in all creatures in Heaven and Earth either to torment or to comfort us If one herb hath one sweetness and a second another and the third another the distillation of them all together how sweet will that be Now all these being in God eminently Oh what comfort is there in God than to the soul So that look either way to the Name Jehovah we may see an argument to humble us for sin the dreadfulness of the wrath of God appears in this more than in any one meditation that I know of Neither do I know any meditation that may stick upon the heart to comfort and encourage the heart to turn to God and to rejoyce in God so much as this That there 's all being in God eminently and all depending absolutely upon him therefore turn to God because he is Jehovah Thus you see the connexion of these two Further When the excellency of the Saints or glory of God is set before us we should make it an argument to turn to the Lord when both together the Exccellency of Jacob and the Excellency of God this is set as an argument to turn to the Lord Turn to me But they might say Do not we turn to God we do serve God That may be another Note That whatsoever Services men do perform to God yet if they be not in Gods way they do in the midest of them all depart from God and do not turn to him They did worship God after a fashion but God did not account that worshiping of him but departing from him therefore turn to God But turn Thou to God That is Every one of you do not stand objecting and cavelling against what I say but turn to God every one of you turn Thou to God Thou art Israel Thou art the posterity of that great prevailer with God therefore turn Thou to God That 's the Note of Observation from hence and if you lay it to heart you will find it of very great use Every one should consider what peculier arguments there are that concern him in particular to turn to God Therefore Turn thou to God O Israel There 's a great deal more reason why thou shouldest turn to God than others Oh that every one of us here in this place would but in our meditations labor to recal all those particular arguments that concern our selves that might turn us to God do not take it in the general Turn to God because he is your Creator turn to God that you may be saved this concerns all but consider what special arguments thou hast as thus Consider what special manifestations of God there hath been to thee Consider what special offers of Grace there hath been to thee Consider what special workings of the holy Ghost there hath been upon thy heart Consider what special illuminations of Gods Spirit there hath been in thee Consider of what special dangers thou hast been in Consider what special Vows and Covenants thou hast made to God and yet hast departed from him afterwards Consider what special engagements thou hast had These are but the hints that men and women may lay to heart all the arguments that may concern them especially to turn to God Turn Thou to God therefore Do not thou look upon others and think thus I do as others do yea but thou hast more reason to
to the Clouds then Lord be thou exalted above the Heavens that is in our hearts and in our lives Oh! that God may be exalted in an answerable way above the Heavens in what we do for Him as He hath been exalted above the Heavens in what he hath done for us let 's all exalt Gods Name he will be exalted in spight of your hearts My brethren God hath exalted Himself of late in our eyes in a glorious manner in Psal 21. 13. Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength Oh the Lord hath exalted Himself in His own strength but mark what follows So will we sing and praise thy Power Oh! let us sing and praise the power of God who hath exalted Himself in his own strength and for the good of his own people so of late But none would exalt him saith the text God hath little honor in the world men seek to exalt themselves but none to exalt God every man follows his own way his own lusts but the blessed and glorious God is exalted by few or none Men will appear to lift up Antichrist to exalt him the Kings of the Earth they will give their power to the Beast but none will exalt the Lord. Oh! let this grieve the hearts of the Saints to see that the blessed God so blessed in their eyes should be exalted by so few And consider every one of you how little he hath been exalted by you in all your waies And why should you vex and fret that you have not honor and respect when as the blessed God who is so infinitely worthy of honor and glory yet none almost respects Him Well let this be the Meditation from it The less glory I see God have from the children of men the more let me labor to honor him None would exalt him So the words are read in your Books and I think that is the most proper sense Yet I find Luther hath another reading and so others and that might likewise stand with the Original for if you observe the words him is not there But it may be saith Luther there is none that lifts up himself he and others turns it thus That 's thus Men are in a sleepy sullen mood that when God calls them they will not stir up themselves to listen to Gods Call and so Luther makes use of this similitude As a stuborn servant or child when the master cals him he will not stir and lift up himself to his call There 's none will lift up themselves drossie base drousie spirits that are sleepy and sink down to base low things they will not lift up themselves when they are called to the most high God It 's a great evil to give way to a dead dull and sullen heart not to lift up our selves when God calls When you come to the Ministry of the Word you come with hearts dead and sinking down with discouragements Now when God cals you should stir and lift up your hearts to close with those Truths of God that do concern you and it 's a great evil in many when they hear excellent Truths that might do them good yet they do not lift up their hearts to close with those Truths And now we come to the Eighth Verse which is a Verse very full and if in any you will give me liberty a little to enlarge in that Verse VER 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together HEre according to Luther ends the Eleventh Chapter and the Twelfth begins at the next Verse For the words themselves we have not a more full expression of pathetical Affections of Mercy and Compassion in God in all the Book of 〈◊〉 than here How shall I give thee up I beseech you observe God was in the midst of his threatnings of Judgment charging of them with their sin saith he The Sword shall abide upon their Cities and consume their branches because of their own Counsels And when they were called to the most high God yet none would exalt him How not one would com in What would follow One would think Now let wrath pursue them let the curse of the Almighty overtake them one would wonder that it did not but mark a greater wonder that after the charging of them for this wickedness and in the midst of Gods threatnings of the most dreadful judgments to consume them by the Sword How shall I give thee up Ephraim c The Lord here takes upon Him as it were the person of a loving Father towards a stubborn and rebellious child the child hath gone away from the Father and hath continued in slout waies It may be the Father sends after it it will not come it will not return but goes on stubornly the Father hath many workings in his heart to cast it off he shall never be a peny the better for me let him beg his bread from door to door he is unnatural to me yea but when he is in the midst of these resolutions and hath these sad thoughts towards the child yet there comes a turning of his bowels on a sudden Oh! but how shall I give it up how shall I disinherit it how shall I do it It is my child though stuborn why may it not return why may not yet God work good upon it It 's very evil but how shall I give it up I know not how in the world to bring my heart to it Thus the Lord breaks out here Here we have in your books four How 's How shall I give thee up Ephraim How shall I deliver thee Israel How shall I make thee as Admah How shall I set thee as Zeboim I confess in the Hebrew there are but two but yet for the sense of it the Interpreters put in the other and they have the sense of four How How How How shall I do it there are four Interogations here and four Answers Four Pathetical Interogations that God asks as it were Himself First How shall I give thee up Ephraim Secondly How shall I deliver thee Israel Thirdly How shall I make thee as Admah Fourthly How shall I sâ—t thee as Zeboim God is here Interogating Himself in these four Interogatories that come from his own bowels And here are four Answers to these As thus First Mine heart is turned within me Secondly My repentings are kindled together Thirdly I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger Fourthly I will not return to destroy Ephraim These are the Four Answers and the Last Answer hath Two Arguments First I am God and not Man Secondly The holy One in the midst of thee Now what the force of the Arguments are we shall see when we come to them But first to give you the brief opening of the words in a way of paraphrase and