that belong vnto thy peace These testimonies and the like whereof the Scripture is full serue to confirm the truth of this Doctrine vnto vs how hardly the Lord doth take it at our hands when wee neglect and contemne the meanes of our good The vses remaine to be handled Doth the Lord take it so grieuously to see his ordinances Vse 1 contemned when men will not bee humbled by his Word and by his iudgements Oh how then must hee needs bee angry with vs the people of this land who haue grieued his Maiesty by vile contempt of his holy Ordinances how little dooth his Word moue vs and how hard hearted are wee at his iudgements What Nation vnder Heauen is there who liuing vnder a Christian Prince hearing and professing the Word of God as wee doe amongst whom the sacred ordinances of God are more contemned then amongst vs. Nehem. 1. All the meanes God hath vsed to humble vs and to saue vs and to bring vs to repentance reformation of life Alas they fall to the ground generally no man taketh them to heart Daniel in his prayer acknowledgeth Dan 9.14 that the Lord did iustly plague them for their sinne because they had not profited by Gods iudgements Now if the Lord were sore angry and grieued with his people for the not profiting by the meanes and will hee not much more bee stirred vp to wrath against vs for the contempt of all those gracious meanes the which he in mercy vsed to humble vs yes no doubt Hos 4.1 and for the same cause the Lord hath a Controuersie against the inhabitants of the Land hath taken the Rodde into his owne hand and chastened and whipt vs diuers wayes and vnlesse we do meet him by repentance with prayers and teares surely hee will poure out euen the dregger of his anger against vs at last Vse 2 Secondly seeing nothing more grieues the Lord then to see his ordinance and gracious means vsed for our good contemned and lightly regarded so as wee profit not by them Oh how should this grieue vs and humble vs that wee haue been so exceeding carelesse to profite by the meanes Wee see that a louing child will bee loath to doe any thing to vexe his kinde and louing Father and if any child should bee so stubborne that hee would not bee reclaimed neyther by his Fathers kind promises dayly gifts nor yet by his rodde and correction wee would thinke him vnworthy to liue Well the Lord hee vseth many means to humble vs and hee is much grieued to see vs profite nothing by them but still to rebel and to be stubborn and therfore it should much grieue vs and humble vs to grieue our gracious and mercifull God Oh then let vs labour to bee humbled and to profite by the meanes the Lord vseth for our good Vse 3 Thirdly this checkes the carnall man who so long as hee liues an honest ciuill life and is neyther whore nor theefe thinkes God is not displeased with him they thinke all is well and hope to bee saued aswel as the best and doubt not of Gods loue but if thou bee not bettered by Gods iudgements if thou profite not by those meanes the Lord vseth to humble thee whether it bee the Ministery of the Word his mercies or his iudgements or the like thou shalt one day know that hee is highly offended with thee and therefore let vs not flatter our selues but let vs profite by Gods iudgements and labour to be humbled by them to seeke the Lord least by the neglect and contempt thereof hee bee moued to send more fearefull and that eternall damnation in the end Fourthly and lastly heere is matter of comfort consolation to the children of God and all those that Vse 4 take the iudgements of God to heart and profite by them to repentance and seeke to God for as the Lord is grieued with those that profite not by the means dislikes all contemners and despisers of them so on the contrary hee loues and likes and fauours them that profite by the meanes that hee vseth to conuert them When Nehemie heard that Ierusalem was waste Nehem. 1.9 that the people were in heauinesse and the Church afflicted Hee sate downe and wept and fasted Hab. 3.16 and prayed vnto God for them And againe When I heard Ezech. 9. my belly trembled c. How did the Lord commaund his seruant clothed in white with a penne and inke at his side to set a marke vpon all those that mourned for their own sinnes and the sinnes of the people Well then aske this question of thy owne Soule Hast thou beene grieued at Gods anger and mourned for the sinnes and rebellion of the land Doest thou take Gods iudgements to heart Oh then comfort thy Soule for the Lord will loue thee and set his Marke vpon thee Blessed are they that mourne for they shall bee comforted They are blessed that can mourne and weepe for sinne and can take Gods iudgements to heart to bee affected with them but alas how few are the number of those that are humbled for their owne sinnes to feare Gods anger and profite by Gods iudgements vpon others Thus much of the complaint the persons follow O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee THe persons then of whom the Lord complaineth thus The persons of whom the Lord complaineth is Ephraim and Iudah namely the whole body of the Iewes and the people of both the kingdoms Israel and Iudah the greatest Tribe being put for al the rest So then the complaint is very generall euen of the common people and all the multitude of both the Kingdomes except a very few that did repent and beleeue the Word as in the three first verses of this Chapter Concerning the persons Ephraim and Iudah there is the common people and generall multitude of both Kingdoms Deu. 8.7 seeing they were those whom God chose to be his peculiar people euen because he had a loue vnto them to whom belonged the adoption glory and the couenant and to whom did belong the seruice of God the worshippe and oracles of God and vnto whom all the Prophets were sent which had many priuiledges aboue all other Nations of whom it is sayd thus Hee sheweth his Word vnto Iacob his statutes and iudgements vnto Israel Ps 147.19.20 Hee hath not dealt so with euery Nation c. Yet of this people euen of Iudah and Israel doth the Lord complaine here that they were rebellious and therefore must bee destroyed and cast off Doct. 4 Wee learne hence this Doctrine that no outward priuiledge or prerogatiue whatsoeuer No outward priuiledge wil free a man from punishment when reformation of heart and life is wanting Psa 132.4 will keepe backe Gods anger deliuer a man from destruction if they liue in sinne and bee not reformed in heart and life There was neuer Nation or people vnder
Gods Word Hard heart the greatest iudgement that can bee layde vpon man nor profite by the meanes of saluation Oh it is the heauiest iudgement that God can lay vpon man in this life and it is a sure and certain fore-runner of eternall condemnation in the end for when the Word of God doth light vpon a hard heart oh it wounds it and kils it and giues many a mortall and deadly wound though the wretched soule of the sinner see it not or feele it not The Scriptures affoord vs diuers examples and all to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs. Gen. 4.5.6 This is clearely to be seene in the example of Cain how did the Lord deale with Cain both before hee had murdered his brother and afterward and all to haue kept him if it had been possible from that most horrible sinne of his Before how did God deale with him Cain why is the countenance of thy face changed If thou doest well shalt thou not be rewarded If thou doest euill sin lyeth at thy dore Had not this beene inough if Cain had had but the least sparke of grace to haue kept him and stayed him from committing that horrible sinne but when this preuailed not but Cain would needs shed the innocent bloud of righteous Abel How did the Lord deale with Cain afterwards Cain where is thy brother Abel but what now did Cains heart relent did hee confesse his sinne with Dauid and say I haue sinned Did hee resolue into teares of repentance with Peter No no but rather despised God to his face saying Am I my Brothers Keeper Oh fearefull and horrible speech What was his conscience so seared that neyther the shame of the world the innocent bloud of his slaine brother nor the glorious presence of the Lord could any whit astonish him Behold here an example indeed of a heart that is hardned and let the remembrance of the same euer possesse our soules to make vs watchfull ouer our owne hearts how we euer contemn the means of grace when the same is offered vnto vs. This is to be clearely seen in Pharaoh vnto whom the Lord sent seuerall plagues and iudgements vpon him his people one vpon the necke of another Exod. 9. ten in number yet all would not humble Pharaoh Exod. 7.23 but answered stoutly saying I know not the Lord neyther will I let the people of Israel goe This is taught by Iob Iob. 18.5 Zeph. 1.17 when hee sayth The light of the vngodly shall bee darkned and the wicked shall become blind because they haue sinned against the Lord. And againe Their hearts being fat their eyes heauy and their eares shut they shall heare indeed but shall not vnderstand they shall see and not perceyue And the Prophet Ieremie doth mow liuely set out vnto vs the wofull estate and condition of such a soule that is thus forsaken of the Lord and giuen ouer to sinne saying Ier. 7.16 11.14 Because you haue done these things and I spake vnto you you would not heare therefore thou shalt not pray for this people nor lift vp cry nor entreat mee for I will not heare Though Noah and Iob should intreat mee though Moses Samuel should pray vnto mee yet will I not heare neyther bee intreated This is a lamentable estate this is a fearfull iudgement for a man to bee thus left vnto himselfe giuen vp to Sathan and forsaken of God for euer Oh wofull is the estate of such a one let that exhortation of the Apostle bee precious with vs Heb. 3.12.13 Take heed brethren lest at any time there bee in any of you an euil heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God And of the Gentiles it is sayd Ephes 4.17 that they liued in the Vanity of their minds hauing their cogitations darkned strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their hearts So that you see that a hard heart it is the most fearefullest iudgement of God that can befall a man in this life for it is capable of no good eyther by the Word preached promises or threatnings mercies or iudgments The Word of God it is mighty in operation Ier. 23. â—9 it Diuideth the soule and spirit asunder This Word of God is called the Hammer of the Lord for by it the Lord doth breake in sunder the hard stony and flinty hearts of man This Hammer of the Lord is not able to breake the heart of a wicked man but as the bright beams of the Sunne doe harden clay and soften waxe so this most heauenly and eternall Word of God shall neuer returne in vaine but by reason of the different disposition in the Subiect it illuminateth it melteth the righteous it obdurates it hardens the wicked Now where the Word doth not preuaile with vs to humble vs there can bee no true repentance as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 2.5 when he sayth But thou after thy hardnes and heart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Now where there is no repentance there can bee no saluation Luk. 13.5 for so sayth our Sauiour Except yee repent yee shall all perish This is a lamentable estate indeed this is a iudgement with a witnesse for a man to bee left thus vnto himselfe to be giuen vp to Sathan and to be forsaken of God for euer Oh this this is the estate and condition of euery hard hearted sinner Oh happy then is that man or woman that sinneth least next he that returneth home by repentance soonest but most wofull is the estate of him that with Ieroboam hath solde himselfe to commit sinne for this man Rom. 1.28 1. Tim 4.2 Zach. 1.12 though hee would weepe with Esau and shed euen a fountaine of teates yet all will not helpe woe alas there is no recouery This may serue in the first place to reproue those Vse 1 that iustifie the wicked as in Malachy his time The wicked prosper and they that worke iniquity are set vp Mal. 3.13.14 They seeme to bee the onely men of the World they enioy their pleasures they seeme not to be troubled for any thing and who but they Alas alas what of all this If the heart bee frozen in the dregges of sinne they are of all men most miserable and of all men most to bee pittied For thou after thy hardnes and heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.4.5 heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Their damnation sleepeth not all this while but still they runne in score in Gods booke and when their iniquity is once full the Lord will then come with his iudgements and they shall pay full deare for their sweet pleasures euen the losse of their owne soules for euer and euer No greater iudgement can God inflict vpon the sonnes of men in this life then such a stony heart of all Gods iudgements
Oh let my soule bee free from this for To whom will I haue respect vnto sayth the Lord but to him that is of a contrite heart and trembles at my Word Esa 66.2.5 This Word is to the godly heart that is humbled for sinne the sweet sauor of life vnto life but to the seared heart the woful sauor of death vnto death and in this respect the Word is like to the thunderbolt the thunderbolt is of that nature that if it light vpon any soft matter it hurteth it not wounds it not nor breaks it not But if it fall vpon any hard matter as vpon a tree a stone wall it breakes it in peeces and rents it in sunder it will breake the bones and hurt not a mans flesh Euen so the Word of God it is of that nature that if it fall vpon a soft heart and tender heart it will doe it good it will comfort it and instruct it it will burne vp the drosse and filth of sin in that soft heart But if this thunderbolt of the Word of God light vpon a hard and stony heart it will wound it rend it yea kill it euen to eternall death vnlesse they repent This is the state of a wicked mans heart and therefore of al men he is most miserable Vse 2 Secondly doth the Word of God wound and kill to death eternall such rebellious and stubborne sinners doth it hurt none but such stony hearts doth the Lords thunderbolt kill none but stony hearts Oh then let vs intreat the Lord to free vs from this great and heauy iudgement of hardnesse of heart which makes the Word of God and all other meanes vnprofitable vnto vs and let vs labour to haue soft hearts broken hearts and brused hearts Oh let the Word of the Lord enter giue it passage that it may cut down sinne in thee that thy sinnes cut not thee down at the last Note this well for this bee thou sure of O man whatsoeuer thou bee that if thou find not out thy sinnes now they will bee sure to find out thee hereafter When the Lord speaketh of a great mercy that he would shew vnto a people hee sayth thus I will take away their stony hearts Ezech. 36.26 and I wil giue them hearts of flesh Oh that the Lord would take away our stony hearts and giue vs fleshy and tender hearts that his Word might not kill vs and slay vs to death eternall But alas though this hard heart bee the most grieuous iudgement of God that can befall a man in this life yet who thinks so of it who feeles it who complaines of it No no men and women haue no feeling of it yea though this hard heart and heauy iudgement of God raigne in most places and most men bee possessed with hardnes of heart and carnall security and so dead a sleepe in sinne that the Lord may thunder from heauen and his iudgements rattle about our eares yet by reason of this deadnesse and hardnesse of heart men are like the Smithes dogge sleepe still snort still though the flame and sparckles flie about his eares and sindge his haire and though men can complaine and rore at the paine of the stone in the Kidney and seeke send farre and neare for ease and say they are neuer able to endure it yet of this fearefull and most heauy iudgement The stone of the heart men feele no paine neuer cry for helpe to be eased of it Wee know Oh wee know euery man in his owne bosome the sinnes the which wee most secretly foster and will not let goe But as Saint Paul exhorteth the Iewes euen so will I you To conclude this Doctrine Take heed Heb. 3.13 Ezech. 36.26 Oh take heed lest in any of you there bee found a false and an euill heart to depart from the liuing God for of all the iudgements that Almighty God can lay vpon the sons of men this is the greatest from this estate the Lord of his endlesse mercy deliuer vs. Amen Amen Thirdly let vs marke heere how the Lord iudgeth Vse 3 of such as bee wounded and killed by his Word and cut downe by his iudgements published out of his Word the Lord accounts of this iudgement as that that is the most fearefull and terrible for the Lord heere inflicts it as the greatest punishment of all for their euill wayes their stubbornnesse and rebellion against the Lord and against all those gracious meanes that hee had vsed for their good for their hypocrisie and hardnesse of heart and the like horrible sinnes that were to bee found amongst them for the punishment of them all the Lord sayth I haue cut them downe and saine them but not with the sword not with the plague which are fearefull and terrible but with my Word q. d. I haue not onely taught and instructed you by my Word and shewed you what I would haue you to doe and what to leaue vndone but I haue by this plaine teaching of you and by my doctrine propounded vnto you euen pearced your very soules and consciences so as in spite of your teeth you must needs acknowledge though yee bee neuer so obstinate and rebellious that you haue been wounded and haue felt the force of my Word to kill you to conuince your consciences of your sinnes and rebellions and that my iudgements are most iustly brought vpon you Hence wee see what a fearefull iudgement of God it is for those which liue in sinne and delight in sinne when as they heare their sinnes condemned out of the Word of God they know that they doe euill they must needs confesse that the Word of the Lord hath conuicted their consciences of their sinnes and euill wayes so as they know it and haue felt their soules beaten and wounded and euen slaine by the power of the Word of God This is a grieuous sinne indeed to sinne against conscience to sinne against knowledge to sinne presumptuously with a high hand it is a high step to the sin against the Holy Ghost when men hearing and acknowledging the Word of God to bee true feele their consciences to checke them for their vile and wicked wayes and yet they will walke on still against knowledge and against conscience and so draw downe Gods iudgements vpon themselues Oh then if wee heare the Word of God and perceiue the Lord to touch our hard hearts so as we must needs acknowledge this Doctrine that the Lord smites thy hard and benummed heart as that thou canst say I am guilty of this sinne I heare God will punish it seuerely and cut me downe by his Word and slay mee I say Oh then especially take heed how thou liuest in thy sinne still against knowledge and against conscience It is the high way to the sinne against the Holy Ghost which cannot be pardoned but let vs rather leaue our sinnes and forsake them and take heed of going on in the same for certaine it is it is but
the Word of God continually to frequent Sermons to listen to the Doctrine of God to beleeue that they heare to yeeld vnto it and to lay their hearts open and naked that this Sword of Gods Spirit way wound them for sinne for though thou beest a notorious sinner a monstrous blasphemer a common drunkard a filthy whoremaster yet if thou shalt heare this Word and giue credite to it it is able to wound thy Soule and to pearce thy heart and experience teacheth that the Word of God hath done great things it hath conuerted most fearefull and monstrous sinners as Dauid 2. Sam. 12.1 Act. 9. Rom. 1.16 Saul Peter Mary Magdalen Zacheus c. And therefore wayte on the meanes attend on the Word heare Sermons and thou shalt find in the end that the Word of God shall bee the power of God to saue thy Soule if thou doe not harden thy heart against it And as for those the which do despise the Word and will not goe to the dore to heare it truly such men and women doe euen wilfully cast away their owne soules and suffer themselues to bee led euen blindfold to hell but if with care and conscience thou wilt attend vnto it as Lydea did and not cast it vp againe as those that haue queasie stomackes doe wholesome Physicke surely thou shalt find great power in the Word to saue thy soule By my Prophets and the words of my mouth HEre is layde downe now the meanes and the instruments which God vsed for the effecting of his iudgements namely his seruants the Prophets The Instrument I haue cut downe by my Prophets that is I haue brought vpon you those plagues and iudgements which were threatned against you by my faithfull seruants the Prophets euen those iudgements the which they haue denounced against you in my name I haue inflicted and brought them vpon you to slay and to destroy you for your sins Seeing the Lord did effect and bring to passe Doct. 5 those iudgements the which the Prophets pronounced against his people for their sins to slay them The Word of God in the mouthes of his Ministers shall bee accomplished and to destroy them Hence wee learne that the Word of the Lord in the mouthes of his Ministers it shall be accomplished Looke what iudgement they pronounce against sinne in the name of the Lord if men will not repent they shall certainely bee accomplished and come to passe howsoeuer men regard them not and will not beleeue them Indeed many times his iudgements are deferred and his punishments are prolonged because hee is a patient God would not the death of a sinner Mat. 14.35 yet hee is euer iealous of his Word that not one iot or tittle of his Word shal not passe but shall hee fulfilled This is clearely to be seene by the examples of Gods iudgements in all ages Gen. 2.17 3.7 Consider this truth in our first parents God threatned them that if they tasted the forbidden fruit they should die the death and did not God accomplish the same yea all their posterity do to this day feele the smart of the same curse When all the World were disobedient in the dayes of Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse 2. Pet 2.5 Gen. 6.3 God gaue them time space to repent in euen a hundred and twenty yeares and when they repented not the Lord did not fayle to bring his Iudgement vpon them A most cleare and liuely example of this wee haue in the booke of Iosuah Iosu 6.26 The man is cursed there before the Lord that should attempt the rebuilding of the City Iericho and this is the curse that should passe vpon that man namely this That hee should lay the foundation of it in his eldest sonne and in his youngest sonne shall hee set vp the gates of it This was the irreuocable curse that almighty God had threatned against the man that should attempt the building of that City Now afterwards when this threatning seemed to bee quite forgotten God is still mindfull of his Word and time is not able to weare that out 1. Reg. 16.34 for when Hiel the Bethelite did goe about to erect the same God doth bring his former iudgement to passe vpon him What shal wee say of Ahab and of Iezabel vnto whom many fearefull and terrible iudgements were denounced by Elias the Prophet of the Lord 2. Reg. 9.37 That the carkas of Iezabel shall bee as dung in the field of Israel This did God in his due time bring to passe vpon Iezabel and vpon the whole house of Ahab according to the Word of the Lord. So that we may safely conclude this point Num. 23.19 Sam. 3.19 and say with Moses that seruant of the Lord God is not as man that hee should lie or the Sonne of man that he should repent Gods iudgements threatned may seeme to vs as vnlikely as the plenty the Prophet spake of seemed to one of the Princes of Samariah Though the Lord would make Windowes in heauen could it come so to passe But what sayd the Prophet Behold 2. Reg. 7.2 19.20 thou shalt see it with thy eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof and so it came vnto him for the people trode him in the gate and hee died Thus did our Sauiour foretell the destruction of the City Ierusalem which came so to passe accordingly within the space of forty yeares after our Sauiour his Ascention Mat. 24. And is not the Word of God as true now in the mouthes of his Ministers yea whatsoeuer iudgement they shall proclaime in the name of the Lord and by vertue of the Word of God it shall certainly come to passe As they haue a long time threatned famine pestilence and the like iudgements and hath not the Lord brought these iudgements and the like most iustly vpon vs for our sins doe not wee feele the truth of it yea this Winter and Summer last when the Lord seemed to stoppe his eares at the prayers of his seruants and would not a long time be intreated And therefore let all wicked and vngodly wretches lay this Doctrine to heart that are ready to say Where is the promise of his comming and where bee those iudgements our Preachers haue so long spoke of Oh they shall know euen to their eternall shame and confusion at the last that the Lord will make good his Word bring to passe all those iudgements that haue been denounced against them And as it is true of Gods iudgements against rebellious sinners so is it true of the gracious promises of the Gospell to all them that doe truely repent Iesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God Rom 15.8 Ps 89.33 And againe I will not falsifie my Truth my Couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lippes This was that worthy resolution of the Prophet long before Christ was
the Lord. Seeing then the Lord is not easily drawne to the Vse 1 execution of iudgement before hee hath offered many meanes of repentance and reconciliation Oh let vs apply this Doctrine to our selues Let vs looke backe vnto our former times Let vs take notice of Gods mercifull dealing with vs Hath not the Lord warned vs by many meanes and proued vnto vs that there is a necessity imposed vpon vs that wee must needes Returne vnto him I appeale vnto thy conscience whosoeuer thou art that readest this Haue wee not beene told plainely of our sins that liuing in that course wee doe at this present we cannot be saued hath hee not againe warned vs of his iudgements by his Ministers wee know wee know euery one in the secret of his owne bosome that the Lord hath spoken vnto vs warning vs of iudgement but when this means would not serue to bring vs home to himselfe by repentance nor to returne vnto God Now the Lord hath met vs with iudgement euen this vnseasonable weather that makes the creature to mourne vnto vs to teach vs to mourne besides how many particular afflictions chasticements hath the Lord layd vpon vs in our bodies goods and good names wife children cattell and the like do not they al summon vs to repentance and cry aloud in our deafe eares that the Lord is at hand with his udgements Oh let vs bee warned betimes to seeke vnto him by repentance lest the Lord vsing all these meanes vnto vs to bumble vs and wee remaine rebellions and hard hearted still bee take occasion euen therehence to lay the heauier iudgement vpon vs. Let vs then acknowledge the Lord to bee a iust God that giues vs such warning and when his iudgements shall lye heauy vpon vs let vs not accuse the Lord of any hard dealing but rather accuse the hardnesse of our owne hearts which would not bee warned by his Word and Iudgements Dan. 9. Daniel confesseth that because the people would not beleeue the Lords Prophets and faithfull seruants therefore they were iustly plagued for their sinnes Let vs do the like and take heed that wee doe not neglect the checks of our owne conscience reprouing vs of our sinful waies for the time commeth apace and wee know not how soone when this conscience of ours the which now doth checke vs shall iudge vs and this heart of ours the which now doth reproue vs shall torment vs and that because wee haue wilfully neglected the meanes of our owne saluation when the Lord hath offered the same vnto vs. Vse 2 Secondly seeing the Lord doth vse so many means to humble vs and to bring vs home to himselfe by repentance wee are taught hence that if any doe perish in his sinnes hee must not impute the fault vnto God but vnto himselfe for the Lord may iustly say vnto vs as somtimes to the people of Israel Esay 5.4 What could I haue done more to my Vineyard that I haue not done so what should I haue done more to the soule of this sinner that I haue not done my Word my Iudgements my mercies the motions of my Spirit all these haue I vsed to humble them So that in all our plagues and iudgements in all our woes and miseries whether in this world or in the world to come the whole blame must light vpon our selues whose hearts are so hard that they will not repent from this fearefull iudgement or hardnesse of heart the Lord keepe vs all for his Christs sake VERSE 6. For I desire mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings THe Lord hauing threatned this rebellious people by his iudgements manifested his anger for their sinnes disobedience especially because they would not bee reformed of their euill courses and bee humbled by his word Now the Lord doth preuent an obiection which this people might or did make The preuention of an obiection and takes away all colouâ— of excuse For thus they might say why should the Lord bee thus angry with vs and thus to chide vs to cry out vpon vs to threaten vs by his Prophets Doe wee not serue God doe we not kill our beasts to offer them in sacrifice to God Do wee not thus and thus but wee can neuer please him hee will neuer be content with vs let vs doe what wee can though wee offer neuer so many sacrifices and burnt offerings yet the Lord is alwayes chiding and finding fault with vs. To all this the Lord seemes here to answere I passe not for these outward Ceremonies and outward worship vnlesse you ioyn true faith and obedience to God and true loue and charity vnto men Duties of piety to God ioined with the true knowledge of God and true reformation of our hearts and liues together with iust honest and vpright dealing with men Hence then first of all wee may obserue what account Doct. 1 the Lord makes of Sacrifices and Burnt offerings that is of all the outward seruice of God God esteemes not of our outward seruice when it is not performed in faith and obedience the outward actions and ceremonies belonging to the same seuered from the knowledge of God true repentance and hearty obedience with loue and iust dealing with men hee professeth here that hee cares not for them hee hath no delight in them they stinke in his eyes are abominable vnto him What haue I to do sayth the Lord with the multitude of your sacrifices Esay 1.11.12 I am full of your burnt offerings of Rams and the farre of fed beasts I desire not the bloud of Bullocks nor of Lambes nor of Goates When yee come to appeare before mee who required this at your hands to tread in my Courts Where wee may see that although Almighty God commanded these sacrifices for a time as aydes and helpes vnto this people for the exercise of their faith to leade them to Christ yet because they offered them vp without faith or repentance God detested them and they were abomination vnto him This is cleared by the same Prophet in another place Esay 66.3 Hee that killeth a Bullocke is as if hee slew a man hee that sacrificeth a sheepe as if hee cut off a Dogges necke Hee that offereth oblation as if hee offered Swines bloud hee that remembreth incense as if hee blessed an Idoll yea they haue chosen their owne wayes and their soule delighteth in their abominations This people heere thought themselues holy by offering of their sacrifices though they performed them neyther in faith nor repentance therefore the Lord sheweth them in this place that hee doth no lesse detest these Ceremonies then hee doth the Sacrifices of the Heathen who offered men dogs and swine to their Idols which things were expresly forbidden in the Law Ier. 7 9. This is taught by the Prophet Ieremy where he sayth Will you steale murder commit adultery sweare falsly burne incense vnto Baal and
Doct. 1. HVmiliation for sinne must goe before the sanctified knowledge of God Fol. 109 Doct. 2. The true knowledge of God in Christ is giuen onely to the Elect after their conuersion Fol. 114 Doct. 3. It is God himselfe that is the obiect of a sanctified knowledge Fol. 122 Doct. 4. Ignorance of God and his Word in matters of Religion is dangerous Fol. 128 Doct. 5. Labour and paines required in all that will get sauing knowledge Fol. 739 Doct. 6. Perseuerance and constancy is required in seeking for sauing knowledge Fol. 141 Doct. 7. A godly man seekes after knowledge willingly and chearefully Fol. 144 Doct. 8. Gods children labour for an encrease of knowledge dayly in them Fol. 146 Doct. 9. Howsoeuer God doth humble his children for a time hee forsaketh them not for euer Fol. 150 VER 4. Doct. 1. GOd doth not proceed in iudgement before hee hath offered all meanes of mercy Fol. 160 Doct. 2. Wicked men continue still in sinne notwithstanding all meanes to the contrary Fol. 167 Doct. 3. The Lord takes it hardly that the meanes of our good should bee contemned Fol. 170 Doct. 4. No outward priuiledge will free a man from punishment when reformation of heart and life is wanting Fol. 174 Doct. 5. Though God doth offer the meanes of saluation vnto all yet few receiue them Fol. 180 Doct. 6. It is the property of hypocrites to minde more the outward part of Gods worshippe then the inward Fol. 184 Doct. 7. The wicked haue sometimes good motions in them but not lasting Fol. 187 Doct. 8. Sincerity of heart and perseuerance in godlinesse a true note of the child of God Fol. 194 VER 5. Doct. 1. TO contemne the meanes of saluation is a grieuous sinne and neuer goes vnpunished Fol. 199 Doct. 2. The Lord is the author of all punishments for sinne Fol. 204 Doct. 3. Hard heart the greatest iudgement that can bee layd vpon man Fol. 208 Doct. 4. The Word of God is able to pearce the hardest heart Fol. 215 Doct. 5. The Word of God in the mouthes of his Ministers shall be accomplished Fol. 219 Doct. 6. God neuer strikes with his iudgements before he giue warning Fol. 227 VER 6. Doct. 1. GOd esteemes not of our outward seruice when it it is not performed in faith and obedience Fol. 233 Doct. 2. Lawfull things must bee done lawfully Fol. 238 Doct. 3. Property of an hypocrite to content himselfe with the outward parts of Gods worshippe Fol. 247 Doct. 4. Wicked men make Religion a cloake for sinne Fol. 253 Doct. 5. God doth preferre the duties of loue and mercy to men before his owne worship Fol. 256 VER 7. Doct. 1. THe breaking of our couenant with God the cause of all iudgements Fol. 258 Doct. 2. Man by nature vnconstant in any holy dutie Fol. 271 Doct. 3. That which is most excellent in the sight of an hypocrite is most abhominable in the sight of God Fol. 272 VER 8. Doct. 1. THose that haue the greatest meanes of knowledge should abound most in holy duties Fol. 278 Doct. 2. Those places that haue had most meanes shall be most seuerely punished for the neglect thereof Fol. 280 Doct. 3. For no worldly respect must men be drawn to peruert iustice Fol. 285 VER 9 Doct. 1. MInisters that teach not at all or else teach erronious doctrine no better then theeues and murderers Fol. 289 Doct. 2. Nature of the wicked to deuise all the mischiefe they can against the godly Fol. 292 Doct. 3. Councels may erre and Magistrates and Ministers in matters of Faith and Manners Fol. 294 VER 10. Doct. 1. AS the Minister is so is the people Fol. 299 Doct. 2 Ignorance will excuse none if they liue in sinne Fol. 304 Doct. 3. It is a heauie iudgement of God vpon a people when the chiefe gouernors bee Idolaters Fol. 308 VER 11. Doct. 1. MEn by nature are apt to sucke in Popery and superstition Fol. 312 Doct. 2. Sinne is very fruitfull Fol. 316 The End of the Table The Contents COme let vs returne to the Lord for hee hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will bind vs vp 2 After two dayes he will reuiue vs and the third day he will rayfe vs vp and we shall liue in his sight 3 Then shall wee haue knowledge and endeauour our selues to know the Lord his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come vnto vs as the raine and as the latter raine vnto the earth 4 O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iuda how shall I intreat thee for your goodnes is as the morning cloud and as the Morning Dew it goeth away 5 Therefore haue I cut down by the Prophets I haue slain them by the words of my mouth and thy iudgements were as the light that goeth forth 6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings 7 But they like men haue transgressed the Couenant there haue they trespassed against mee 8 Gilead is a City of them that worke iniquitie and is polluted with bloud 9 And as theeues wayte for a man so the company of Priests murder in the way by consent for they worke mischiefe 10 I haue seene villany in the house of Israel there is the whoredome of Ephraim Israel is defiled 11 Yea Iudah hath set a plant for thee whiles I would returne the Captiuity of my people AN EXPOSITION vpon the sixt Chapter of the Prophesie of HOSEA HOSEA 6. VER 1. 1. Come let vs returne to the Lord for hee hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will binde vs vp THe Lord our God Exod. 34.6 Ier. 31.20 as he is gracious and mercifull flow to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and truth and therefore not easily drawne to punish and to take vengeance vpon hard hearted and impenitent sinners So when hee punisheth and afflicteth any man or woman as a most gracious God and louing Father he aimes at their good and seekes the saluation of their soules that being tamed and truely humbled for their sinnes they might turne vnto him by true and vnfained repentance that so he might haue mercy vpon them in pardoning their sinnes and sauing their soules And as this is manifest in the whole booke of God so it is very apparent out of this place when as the Lord had threatned the people of the Iewes with present destruction by and by he beginnes to exhort them to true repentance shewing this to be the onely way both to auoid the anger of God and to saue their owne soules This 6. Chapter contains two generall and principall parts Parts of the Chapter In the first is set downe the godly practises of true repentance and the fruits thereof in the person of the beleeuing Iewes from the first verse to the end of the third the which we must carefully imbrace and follow In the second is set down the
remembrances vnto them and his corrections are their instructions and the Lord thus exercising his Children in the Schoole of afflictions doth thereby breake in them the power of sinne let out as it were the superfluous humour of pride and selfe-loue which are ready to corrupt euen our best actions So that albeit afflictions bee grieuous and bitter yet they are not vnprofitable to those whom God hath chosen to better graces The mercies of God indeed ought to leade vs to repentance and the more aboundantly the Lord doth bestow his mercies vpon vs the more should bee our obedience But alas it fareth otherwise with vs for his blessings and benefites are vnto vs many times occasions of euill insomuch as wee turne the grace of GOD into wantonnesse And therefore farre better were it for many in respect of the good of their soules that they had alwayes beene held in the bedde of affliction then enioying health peace prosperitie strength of body c. they should abuse the same to the great dishonour of God and the ruine of their owne soules Vse 3 Seeing that afflictions when the Lord doth lay the same vpon vs to this end to better vs in obedience are so auaileable that they worke a reformation in the whole man We are hereby put in mind of our duety how wee ought to behaue our selues vnder the hand of God that if the Lord hath humbled vs by long and tedious sicknesse by losse of goods children friends c. or by any other meanes whatsoeuer that then we trie and examine our hearts what reformation these things haue wrought in vs whether they haue made vs to call our owne wayes to account and straightly to examine our owne hearts what euill thoughts corrupt words or sinfull action hath passed from vs that hath thus made the Lord to strike and to punish vs and when wee haue taken as it were a Catalogue of all our sinnes if it were possible then let vs try our sorrow whether wee be truely humbled for them Lam. 3.39 or no This duty is vrged by Ieremie Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sins Let vs search and trie our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. For surely this is the marke that God doth ayme at not by affliction to destroy vs or to confound vs for euer but to make vs to call our owne hearts to account to see our sinnes and to bring vs home to himselfe Vse 4 And last of all wee are taught here not to measure the fauour and loue of God towards our selues or others Eccle. 9.2 eyther by prosperity or aduersity for as Salomon sayth All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked And as the Apostle sayth Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God standeth not in meat and drinke c. So that if wee desire some euidences of Gods fauour and loue towards vs we must not seeke for it in our outward peace and tranquility of body mind heere or in continuall aduersity both which are common to the iust and vniust to the good and bad onely try them by the effects of affliction for in the godly they bring forth the quiet fruit of repentance whereas they make the wicked but the more obdurate and hardned in their sinnes the godly in their sufferings communicate with the Crosse of Christ Psal 126.6 whereas the wicked in their sufferings communicate with the curse of sinners and take this for a rule that neuer fayleth That the Crosse if care bee had to profite thereby neuer departeth but it leaueth a blessing behind Come let vs returne Here we may see what is the counsell that they giue one to another in affliction namely to make speed to turne vnto God whose wrath and heauy displeasure they had prouoked against them by their sinnes and whose iudgements were already gone out against them they were assured that there was no other way or meanes to pacifie the wrath of God Luk. 13.5 but onely to breake off their sinnes by repentance and therefore they call one vnto another Come let vs turne c. Here wee are taught this lesson for our instruction Doct. 2 euen from the example of these beleeuing Iewes What counsell it is that wee must giue to others in aduersity stirring vp one another in the time of affliction to return againe vnto God by repentance from whom they had departed by their sins What is the counsell that wee must giue one to another in affliction namely to exhort men to turne vnto God to confesse their sinnes to bee grieued for them Dan. 4.24 and to beg the pardon of them This is the counsell that Daniel gaue to Nabuchadnezar namely to breake off his sinnes by repentance Wherefore O King let my counsell bee acceptable vnto thee and breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by mercy towards the poore c. Again the Prophet Ieremy obserues the same Lam. 3.39 Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne Oh let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. And surely this is the best counsell that any Christian man or woman can giue to another in affliction namely to breake off their sinnes by vnfained repentance and turning vnto the Lord This is the right way to stoppe the breach of Gods wrath and to call in his iudgements Many men haue sought other meanes and wayes to preuent the Lords iudgements but alas as the cause of all iudgements are our sins Our sinnes turne many good things from vs And a fruitfull land maketh hee barren for the wickednes of them that dwell therein So vnlesse they be taken away by true vnfained repentance wee doe but weary our selues in vaine for we must first remoue the cause of Gods iudgements our sinnes else the hand of God cannot bee remoued Wee see in a lacke so long as the weight hangs vpon the corde it moues the wheeles but take off the lead and it will cease Our sinnes bee as a mighty Milstone to plucke downe Gods fearefull iudgements vpon vs now remoue our sinnes then Gods anger shall cease but let vs know till wee cease from sinning Leuit. â—6 Hos 4.1.2 the Lord cannot cease from smiting Nay if wee walke stubbornely against him and will not turne hee will euen whet his sword and neuer cease smiting till he make an end of vs. Yea the Prophets and holy men of God in such times when we lye open to Gods wrath haue called vs to repentance stirred vs vp to prayer moued vs to humiliation and acknowledgement of our sinnes which haue deserued such chasticements What is the reason that the Lord sends such barrennesse vpon the earth vnseasonable weather immoderate raine surely our sinnes our ignorance contempt of the Word our abuse of the Sacraments yea our abuse of plenty in drunkennesse whoredome swearing c. Now what 's the way to haue
plenty and aboundance how may wee remoue the anger of God and his iudgements eyther already vpon or else eminent ouer our heads Surely remoue the cause of Gods iudgements namely sinne else the hand of God cannot bee remoued And therefore let vs all practise this counsell and wisely consider what the Lord hath against vs and wherefore hee is angry with vs that so wee may bee reconciled vnto him and brought into his fauour againe This Doctrine Vse may serue to condemne that preposterous course that many men doe take eyther for themselues when they lye vnder the Crosse or with others For themselues If the hand of God lye vpon them with long and tedious sicknesse how many are there that leaue the Lord and resort to Witches and Wizards that looke againe more to the meanes then they doe to the Lord without whose blessing they can doe vs no good So in time of Famine Pestilence Warre and the like how many are the windings and turnings in the heart of man to preuent the iudgements of God they will leaue no attempt vnattempted for their deliuerance But to trie their owne hearts to find out their sinnes which are so many rebellious Ionasses in the shippe of their own soules that haue moued the Lord to send those stormes of afflictions Oh this they neuer thinke vpon And as they themselues fayle in the maine point of all that is to try their owne hearts to looke into their wayes and to turne vnto the Lord by vnfained sorow So deale they with others for what is the counsell else they giue vnto others in time of sicknesse but this Be of good cheare Eate warme meats Vse good physicke c. Oh! this is not the counsell we should giue but to say with the godly heere Come returne to the Lord Repent of thy sinnes beg the pardon of them at Gods hands This is the counsell wee must giue to the afflicted and not to seeke helpe from men before wee haue sought forgiuenesse of sinnes of God Come let vs returne vnto the Lord. Heere we may see the fruit of true conuersion they seeke not euery man his owne good but the good of their brethren and therefore vse godly motions and christian perswasiōs one to another to returne vnto God Doct. 3 From whose godly practise and religious example wee gather a further poynt of Doctrine It is the duty of euery christian to labor to draw others to god that it is not inough for a man to goe to heauen himselfe but it is the duty of euery Christian to labour to draw others with them as these holy Seruants of God say heere Come let vs returne these bee their godly perswasions one to another they labour to goe hand in hand in their repentance as we say to men women Come will yee goe to the Market fayre c. So in Religion we must call one vpon another to draw men to God and as one wicked man seeketh to make another like himselfe so hee that is truely conuerted will not rest in that inward comfort of his owne conuersion but will labour by all meanes to conuert others vnto GOD and labour to make them partakers of the same comfort which they themselues haue receiued from God This thing is very apparant in the conuersion of the godly when Andrew was brought to Christ hee found his brother Simon Io. 1.41.43.45 and said vnto him We haue found that Messias that is Christ So when Christ called Phillip and said vnto him Follow me Io. 4 28. Phillip found Nathaniel and sayd vnto him Wee haue found him of whom Moses did write in the Law and in the Prophets Iesus the sonne of Ioseph that was of Nazareth The like appeares in the woman of Samaria when Christ had reueiled himselfe vnto her and offered her to drinke of the water of life after which she should neuer thirst agane shee ran into the Citty and said Come see a man which hath told mee all things that euer I did is not hee that Christ being moued her selfe she labours to moue others And this doth the Prophet Dauid promise vnto the Lord that if hee would restore him once more vnto the ioy of his saluation that then he would become a Preacher Ps 51.12.13 Ps 66.16 Ps 116. Gal. 3 2. Cor. 1.4 Esay 38.19 Luk. 22.23 and Proclaimer of the same mercy vnto others And surely this is a speciall fruit of faith and true repentance to labour by all meanes possible to conuay grace vnto others and to shew them what God hath done for our soules and to draw out the blessings which God hath bestowed vpon our selues to the good and benefit of others The Prophet Dauid doth labour herein Come sayth he and I will shew you what God hath done for my soule And the Elect are called vessels of mercy because they being themselues filled with the mercies of God should draw out the same as good liquor for the vse and comfort of others Saint Paul sayth God had mercy on him that he might shew mercy vnto others The child of God is not like vnto Nabol All for himselfe but he is taught of God to loue his brother And thus wee see how wee ought to behaue our selues in respect of Gods gifts we must not hide them in the ground or in a napkin but wee must imploy the same to the good of others This may serue to reproue that common conceite Vse 1 in mens minds that so long as they doe well themselues they need not care how other◠doe whether they sinke or swimme whether they goe forward or backeward grow vpward or downeward to God or the Diuell but it is impossible for any Christian man or woman who hath truely tasted of the worke of grace in his owne heart but hee must communicate the same to the good of others Indeed most men little regarde this they cannot be perswaded that they bee bound to saue the soules of their brethren and therefore they say euery man for himselfe and God for vs all but the truth is that when euery man seeks himselfe the Deuill gets all To saue soules to draw men to Christ Oh wee thinke this is the Ministers duety it belongs to him alone it belongs not to vs. True it is that it belongs especiall to the Minister to labour to saue mens soules and therefore they are especially bound to labour by continuall teaching and preaching of the word of God as also by their godlie life to draw men to God to exhort them to call vpon them to turne vnto the Lord and if they bee negligent and carelesse the flocke of Christ must needs go to ruine yet many there are that feed themselues to the full but regard not to feed the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made them Ouerseers These are they that liue of the Altar but care not to minister at the Altar They will bee sure to reape carnall things but they haue no
committing of some euill if the Deuill can but spie the casements of thy soule to bee open thy eyes thy eares c. hee will then easily wind himselfe into thy heart if hee can but preuaile so farre with Dauid as but to cast his eyes vpon naked Bethshaba the battell then is halfe wonne Thus did this wilie Serpent deale with our first Parents First hee presented vnto the view of Eue the forbidden fruite Secondly shee desired it Thirdly shee tasted of it Fourthly shee gaue to her husband and he did eate Thus the Deuill by degrees doth steale vs away from God from one sinne to a second from a second to a third and from a third to a fourth as by so many steppes vntill at last hee hath euen plunged vs into the gulfe of perdition Oh that men would consider this betimes when they commit sinne lying swearing stealing whoredome drunkennesse c. By this sinne I turne my selfe from God I run from God and serue the Deuill The Lord stands on the right hand the Deuill on the left the Deuill he cals mee by pleasures profites and preferments If I listen to Sathan I shall turne away from God Oh if men had this consideration in their hearts what a bridle would it bee vnto them to keepe them from many sinnes Vse 2 If thou hast gone from the Lord by committing of sinne and seest now that there can bee no peace nor comfort vnto thy soule but a fearefull expectation of iudgement Follow the counsell of the Prophet Ieremie O search and try thy wayes and turne vnto the Lord Lam. 3.39 Endeuour by all meanes possible to returne to God again from whom thou hast departed the which thou shalt the better performe if thou haue respect to that way the footsteps whereof thou hast left behind thee and which are abominable vnto the Lord and by which thou wentest from God Follow the aduice of the blessed Apostle Cast off lying and speake euery man truth vnto his neighbour Eph. 4. He that hath stolen let him steale no more but rather labour and worke with his hands that hee may giue to him that needeth If thou hast beene a proud man by which sinne thou hast made a departure from God become now humble and lowly of mind For God resisteth the proud but giueth grace vnto the humble If thou hast made a departure from the Lord by drunkennesse returne againe by sobriety the vncleane to be chaste the couetous to be charitable yea if wee haue made a departure from God by any sinne whatsoeuer let vs draw neere vnto him againe by a reformed life holy manners godly conuersation that it may bee spoken of vs as Paul speaketh of the Ephesians Eph. 2. Yee which were a farre off are made neere Come let vs returne vnto the Lord. These words containing in them the effectuall conuersion of a sinner to God shew withall wherehence it proceedeth namely from affliction and from the knowledge and feeling of our owne misery Let vs returne say they and therefore it is a token they knew themselues to haue gone astray and that there was no true comfort to be found in those pathes of sinne in which they walked and howsoeuer before they thought well of their estate when they committed Idolatry and made conscience of no sinne yet now by the mercy of God hauing got to the sight of their sinne they call themselues to remembrance they see there is no sound comfort but onely in the fauour of God this is the matter that they debate amongst themselues and conclude of this To turne againe vnto the Lord. The Doctrine then which by the authority of the Doct. 5 Text is this namely A right vnderstanding and a true acknowledgement of our own misery the first step to Saluation that there ought to bee in euery one that desireth eternall life and saluation a right vnderstanding and a true acknowledgement of his owne wandring And to this end in the Word of God the Lord there oftentimes cals vpon men to consider their wayes to call their liues to account that so they may attaine to the sight of their own sins Know thy sinnes Ier. 3.13 Zeph. 2.1.2 O Ierusalem The like speech is vsed by the Prophet Zephany Fan your selues Oh my people Yea the Prophet Ieremy doth oftentimes put vs in mind of this duety Lam. 3.40 Oh let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. Yea common reason doth require the same before a man can frame himselfe to enter into a right course hee must throughly bee resolued and perswaded within himselfe that he hath been mistaken in his former course of life for why else should this man alter his former course if hee were not mistaken Reason it selfe will perswade vs to this Yea what meaned God in those his variety of demands to our first Parent when hee had sinned but that God laboured to bring Adam to the sight of his sinne Gen. 3. Where art thou Who tolde thee that thou wast naked Hast thou eaten of the tree Dauid lay a long time in his sinne 2. Sam. 11. and neuer sought vnto God for mercy but being at last awakened by the reprehension of Nathan hee sought the Lord incontinently yea the Lord by the Prophet doth assigne this as a reason of all those rebellions of the people of Israel euen ignorance of their estate saying The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne Esay 1.3 Luk. 15. Esay 46.12 Psal 16.12 my people vnderstand not The Prodigal sonne a true patterne for all sinners hee neuer seekes to his Father till at last that Hee came to himselfe which is a token that he went farre astray and was as it were in a swound of sinne but being a long while in a traunce at last hee reuiued and that his disordered life vpon his vnderstanding thereof he reformed calling himselfe to better remembrance what kindnesse he had in his Fathers house now what misery he had brought vpon himselfe by his own wilfull disobedience I might easily multiply examples of this kind but these may serue to shew that the sense apprehensiō of our own wandring from God is the onely way and meanes to bring vs to God And this was the happy condition of this people here who being for a time intangled insnared in sinne It pleased the Lord by affliction to humble them and to bring them to a true sight of their wandring that now they resolue incontinently to turne vnto the Lord. Here we see the maine cause why there is so little Vse 1 faith and true repentance in the world why men are no more humbled for their sinnes and doe not repent for them poore soules they know not that they doe euill they eyther cannot Lam. 3.40 or do not search themselues they neuer call their hearts to account Now then going on in security seeing and fearing no
set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within mee my repentings are rolled together So that the words shew vnto vs how that the Lord is as it were troubled and perplexed in himselfe that he could not tell what course to take when the sinnes of the people stirred vp his displeasure on the one side the hainousnes of the peoples sinnes prouoked him to punish them and to make them as Sodom and Gomor but on the other side his fatherly loue and tender compassion moued him to hold his hand Iudg. 10.16 and to stay his iudgements And in another place it is sayd That his soule was grieued for the miserie of Israel Euen as a tender hearted Father doth many times correct his child when the teares stand in his owne eyes Psal 89.33 So that we see that true of the Prophet That the mercy of God is ouer all his workes and that in iudgement he remembreth mercy yea hee hath promised that though hee whip and scourge his children yet his mercy hee will neuer take from them And howsoeuer for the present time no affliction is ioyous but grieuous yet if we haue grace to submit our selues vnto it It bringeth with it the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Thus haue wee seene with what affection the Lord doth chasten vs as also that all iudgements whatsoeuer layde vpon vs should moue vs to repentance And the reason is Reason because by repentance and amendment of life all perils and dangers are preuented and wholly remoued away from vs according to that of the Prophet But if a Nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse Ier. 18.8 I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them This appeares by the example of Nineueh whom we named before and the like and therefore let all such as lye vnder any chastisement alwayes search out their wayes and descend into their owne consciences to see how they haue moued God to wrath prouoked him against them This is the onely practise that the Prophet doth prescribe vs to take vnder any iudgement or calamity whatsoeuer Lam. 3.39 Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne Let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. This is the right way to stop the breach of Gods wrath and to call in his iudgements when they are gone out against vs. This Doctrine may serue to direct vs Vse what wee ought to doe and how wee ought to carry our selues in all manner of iudgements and calamities whatsoeuer namely not to bee gazers to looke vpon Gods iudgements but to take them to heart and say surely the Lord is iust in his visitation for the Lord hath vsed al means to do vs good by his mercies and by his iudgements famine sword sicknes and the like but where is the man that makes the true vse of Gods chastisements that is humbled by them that doth meet the Lord by vnfained sorrow for sinne Alas this is little thought of by many as appeareth by their seuerall windings and turnings that are in their hearts to escape the iudgements of God but yet neuer resolue of this which is the onely way of all To turne vnto the Lord. Oh let vs therefore be admonished hereby to search our wayes to suruay our owne hearts and to proue by the touchstone of the Word our owne thoughts words and works that we haue conceiued spoken and done that hath moued the Lord to proceed so in iustice against vs and when wee haue found out our falles and infirmities we are in a serious manner to mourne for them and to turne vnto the Lord with all or hearts This duty is vrged by the Prophet Ieremy Lam. 3.39.40.41.42 Heb. 12.5.6.10.9 Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinnes Oh let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. Let vs lift vp our hearts with our hands vnto the God of heauen saying we haue sinned and haue rebelled therefore thou hast most spared for surely this is the onely marke that God shooteth at and this is the end of all his chasticements namely this to bring vs home to himselfe and not to destroy vs for euer He hath spoyled he hath wounded Doct. 3 Marke here how the people of God doe acknowledge that it was the correcting hand of God which had thus afflicted them All chasticements and afflictions come from God and brought all this wofull misery vpon them they do not say it was the Assirians that had spoyled and wounded them but they looke higher and attribute all to the Lord and say The Lord hath spoyled and hee hath wounded vs. From whence wee obserue a third point of Doctrine namely that all chasticements and afflictions iudgements and corrections come from the Lord alone hee sends them imposeth them and layes them on his people he moderates them at his pleasure for so sayth the Prophet Is there any euill in the City which the Lord hath not sent That is any iudgement or punishment sicknes Amos. 3.6 pouerty crosses afflictions or calamities but they come from the Lord he sends them and layes them on his people his Quiuer is full of these arrowes Exod. 9.32 Psal 148.8 Ier. 25.9.11 he hath the sword to strike vs he hath the pestilence to consume vs he hath famine to pine vs yea he hath all creatures at commaund to humble man and being sent of God they shall preuaile As the Flies Frogs Lyce did preuayle against Pharaoh his people yea Fire and Hayle Snow and Vapors Deu. 4.27 Stormes and winds doe execute his wurd If it hayle in Egypt God sendeth that haile on Pharaoh If an east wind bring in Grashoppers Hos 2.6 a west wind driue them out Moses tels vs that both come from the Lord what iudgements chastisements or afflictions soeuer light vpon man they come not by chance or any blind fortune but they come to passe through the soueraigne power of the Almighty Creator I will send sayth the Lord and take to me all the Families of the North and I wil bring them against this land And againe I beginne to plague that City where my name is called vpon And againe when the Lord would bring his Church from Idolatry hee sayeth Behold 2. Reg. 19.6 I will stoppe thy wayes with thornes and wake an hedge that shee shall not find her pathes So Esay comforteth the messengers of Hezechiah against the blasphemy of Senacherib So shall you say to your Master Iob. 1.12 2.6 Mat. 8.31 Thus sayth the Lord Bee not afraid of the words which thou hast heard Behold I will send a blast vpon him c. And wee see in the History of Iob that the Deuill could not slay the seruants of Iob with the sword burne vp his sheepe with fire spoyle him of his Cammels by robbers destroy his children with winds nor touch his person with byles
Father preuented him with his loue he went out to meet him and when he met him such was his ioy that hee fell on his necke and kissed him This Father of the Prodigall is indeed God our Father and his loue and kindnes remembred in that Parable is recorded for all posterities to the end of the World to assure them of Gods mercifull dealing towards those that doe truely repent and turn vnto him that hee will receiue them againe into fauour which is heere meant by The sight of God or his presence And the Prophet Dauid sayth Ps 16.11 In his presence is life and fulnesse of ioy and happinesse for euermore And thus wee see that howsoeuer by our sinnes we make a separation betwixt God and vs and cause him to plague and punish vs heere yet His mercy is ouer all his works And vpon our repentance hee will receiue vs againe into fauour Reason And the reason of this the mercifull dealing of God is especially for the comfort and reioycing of Gods poore people that none to the end of the world should despaire of obtaining mercy for the mercy of God in Christ is aboue all his works hee extendeth it to thousands it is infinite without measure And the Lord is not content onely to promise mercy and fauour vnto penitent sinners but also confirmes vs in the assurance of it by the examples of his manifold mercies shewed to others before vs When we looke vpon them let our weakenesse bee strengthned and let vs not thinke that the Lord will shut that dore of mercy vpon vs ere wee repent who hath opened the same to so many before vs Hee hath beene found of them that sought him not sayth the Prophet Hos 11.4 and will he hide himselfe from vs if forsaking our sinnes wee seeke him in Spirit and truth His mercies shewed to others must be vnto vs Cords of Loue to draw vs amongst the rest vnto him The Doctrine being thus cleared Let vs now come to the vses of it First seeing there is mercy in store for the Penitent and howsoeuer by sinne we deserued vtterly to bee cast out of Gods fauour yet if wee can repent and Returne vnto him he will receiue vs againe into fauour And we shall liue in his sight It requireth of vs speedily to repent and to Turne vnto him and not to deferre our repentance from day to day lest it come to passe that our hearts be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin As no sinne is so great but vpon repentance it is pardonable so no sinne is so small but without repentance it is able to plucke vs downe to the bottome of Hell Let vs then take heed that wee abuse not his goodnesse nor to take occasion of liberty Rom. 4.2 to turne his grace into wantonnesse for wee doe not know how soone the threed of our fraile life will bee cut off when there shall bee no place for Repentance though with Esau wee seeke the same with Teares Heb. 12. Luk. 12.20 1. Thes 5.3 Luk. 17.27 There was but a little time betweene Soule eate drinke c. and Thou foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee And againe the Apostle sayth When men shall say peace peace then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction The olde World neuer thought themselues more secure then when the floud came vpon them G 9.23 The morning was faire when Lot went out of Sodom and yet before night were the Sodomites destroyed Act. 12.23 Well was it with Herod when hee beganne his Oration but before it was ended the Angell of the Lord smote him that hee was eaten vp of wormes Oh let vs lay these examples to heart And whereas wee haue by our sinnes turned away the louing kindnesse of God and caused him to turne away his fauourable countenance from vs and haue drawne downe his heauy iudgements vpon vs Now that the Lord hath denied vs the deawes of heauen Zach. 1.3 so as wee are cast out of his sight Oh let vs labour to be reconciled to him againe let vs pray much and often that hee would lift vp the Light of his countenance vpon vs as in times past Let vs Turne from our sinnes and the Lord will Turne vnto vs. And this duty wee would the sooner practise if we could but consider the wofull and miserable estate in which wee stand vntill such time as wee bee reconciled to God If a man were conuicted of high Treason against his Prince for the same were condemned to some cruell and shameful death and that euery moment of an houre hee expected the execution of it who could expresse the griefe of heart of this man What comfort could he take in wife or children in lands or goods in meat or musicke surely nothing in the whole World could cheare his dead heart saue onely the pardon of the Prince such a Traytor is euery impenitent sinner conuicted of hie Treason against the King of Heauen and earth and he is within an ynch of death hell there wants nothing but the execution of Gods iudgements which is sure and certain to come without repentance Good Lord who would not now labour for his peace with God Before the decree come forth Yet we are in the way we may now make our peace with our Aduersary but if wee bee once arrested by Gods Serieant Death and wee bee cast into prison there is no departure to be hoped for till wee haue payde the vtmost farthing Secondly seeing it is so blessed a thing to enioy Vse 2 the fauour and comfortable presence of God To liue in his sight How should this moue vs to Turne to God to auoyde all sinne and euery euill way and to take heed that wee doe nothing that may auert turn away his louing countenance from vs If it be a matter of great honour to liue in the presence of an earthly Prince and to be in his fauour how much more to be in the fauour of the Lord to Liue for euer in his sight 1. Reg. 10.8 and to enioy his loue fauour If the Queene of the South did truely pronounce Salomons seruants happy that stood in his sight and heard his wisdome Oh how much more are they happy men and women that liue in Gods presence and be in high sauour with the Almighty Oh that wee could labour for this priuiledge Well let vs pray much and often that the Lord would lift vp the light of his countenance vpon vs and cause his face to shine vpon vs that wee might draw neare vnto his presence by true repentance and holy obedience Thirdly wee may hence conclude the blessed estate Vse 3 of all that liue in Gods fauour Hee is counted happy in the world that hath the fauour of a Prince indeed they bring with them many Priviledges and preferments but alas they are but temporall neither last they for euer for they are most vnstable and vncertaine
troubles calamities in wife children goods good name the Lord hath many of these wayes to humble vs that by them perceyuing his angry countenance towards vs wee might be humbled for our sins and sue to him for mercy and whensoeuer the Lord is constrayned to take this course with vs hee doth it vnwillingly with griefe of heart as is manifest by that notable place in this Prophet Hos 11.8 How shall I giue thee vp O Ephraim how shall I deliuer thee O Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within mee and my repentance is rolled together The iustice of God in this place requires vengeance the mercy of God requires pitty and compassion and betwixt them both God seemeth to bee straighted which shewes how hardly he is drawne to punish that notwithstanding the sinnes of Ephraim Israel did require that the Lord should punish them as he did Sodom and Gomorrah the Cities about them yet his fatherly loue and tender compassion towards them stayed his iudgements Vse 1 Now let vs come to the vses of this Doctrine This serues in the first place to reproue condemne the desperate behauiour of al wicked and vngodly sinners that neglect and contemne if not stubbornely resist all the meanes of their good that the Lord doth offer vnto them so as the Lord may iustly complain of them as of Ephraim and Iudah heere O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I entreat thee His word his mercies his iudgements what means soeuer the Lord may vse for their conuersion they frustrate them all If hee doe cry in their eares by his Prophets through the preaching of the Word which is the power of God Alas how many be there amongst vs that Like the deafe Adder stop their eares at the voyce of the Charmer charme hee neuer so wisely Psal 58.4.5 but this Word the which now they seem so much to despise shal leaue such an impression in their soules and consciences that at the last day if there were no witnesse to accuse them for their contempt thereof yet their owne consciences would hayle them to iudgement or else if they doe hearken vnto it and attaine to some knowledge by it yet they hate to bee reformed by it Psal 50.4.5 and so by that means procure vnto themselues the greater damnation Againe if God allure them by his gracious benefites how many bee there amongst vs that most carelesly and most wretchedly abuse them That turne the grace of God into wantōnes or if the Lord proceed further to correct them they are neuer the better by it but with wicked Ahaz Trespasse yet more against the Lord 2. Cor. 28.22 so that the Lord may iustly complaine of them as sometimes hee did of the old rebellious Iewes I haue corrected them but they haue not been humbled And I would to God that this complaint might not iustly bee taken vp of vs the people of this land vnto whom the Lord hath vsed euery one of these meanes His faithfull Ministers that haue cryed vnto vs almost these threescore yeares together besides how many blessings haue wee enioyed liberty peace abundance euery man may sit and reioyce vnder his owne Vine besides this many times againe Hee hath hedged in our wayes with thornes as famines pestilences sicknesses Hos 2.6 vnseasonable weather as this Winter and Summer last doe testifie And now againe hath turned our sorrow into ioy by giuing vs a happy season this latter part of the yeare so that in these respects the Lord may say vnto vs as hee sayd sometimes of Israel What shall I doe vnto thee that I haue not done or as my Text sayth here Oh Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee Oh Iudah how shall I intreat thee Neuer age had more experience of the goodnesse of God towards them then this age wherein wee liue if wee eyther regard the preaching of the Word his iudgements or his mercies by some of them the Lord hath still sought vnto vs and yet alas as though all this were nothing Esay 5.12 wee passe our time in carnall security and sinnefull pleasures Neuer regarding the works of the Lord nor considering the operation of his hands So that now the Lord may iustly take vp that complaint against vs Esay 5.4 as heere hee did against Ephraim Iudah O England what shall I doe vnto thee O England how shal I intreat thee And therefore we may well feare that he that thus called vpon vs Pro. 1.24.26 and that by so many meanes and wee refused that the time shall come that we shall cry and call vpon him euen till our hearts are ready to breake within vs and hee will not heare vs but bee so farre from pittying vs in time of our distresse as that hee will rather laugh at our destruction Secondly this may serue to admonish vs all in the Vse 2 feare of God that whensoeuer the Lord shall call vs by any meanes whatsoeuer be it by the Ministery of his Word bee it by his mercies or bee it by his iudgements or any other means whatsoeuer that we be not of a dead and senselesse heart that will not stoupe vnder Gods hand but labour to make a sanctified vse of euery one of them for if they preuaile not with vs to humble vs for sinne and to make vs seeke vnto God by true and vnfained repentance alas our case is most miserable and desperate Oh then in the feare of God let vs heare his voyce when he speaketh vnto vs in his word and pray vnto him that hee would open our hearts as he did the heart of Lydia if that doe not yet let his mercies wherewith hee doth as it were follow vs at the heeles most rebellious wretches as wee bee moue vs and mollifie our hard and stony hearts if not his mercy yet let his iudgements preuaile with vs to make vs to stoope vnder his mighty hand Otherwise if wee will needs bee desperate and harden our hearts against all such blessed meanes Oh then let vs assure our selues that that iudgement shall come vpon vs overtake vs Ver. 5. that heere hee threatned against Ephraim Iudah I haue cut them downe by the Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth that is because no meanes that I could vse would doe them good but they did harden their hearts against the same therefore now those threatnings of my Propbets shall come vpon them and I will make good the words of my mouth that is bring to passe all my iudgements threatned against them Secondly in that the Lord complaineth here that Doct. 2 no meanes that hee could vse Wicked men continue still in sinne notwithstanding all meanes to the contrary could doe them any good saying What shall I doe vnto thee how shall I intreat thee Wee may heete behold how desperate the case of
this people were and their maruellous obstinacy and rebellion in that though Almighty God did vse all meanes to humble them and reclaime them yet they could by no meanes bee brought to goodnes to bee humbled but notwithstanding all the gracious meanes God vsed they continued rebellious and stubborne still And this appeares by the Lords complaint in vpbraiding them with sinne still q. d. I perceyue thou wilt bee stout against mee thou wilt not yeeld thou wilt be brought to no good passe thou art exceeding obstinate and rebellious and thus doth the Lord complaine of them in another place Wherefore should I smite them any more And againe Esay 1.5 Thou O Lord hast striken them but they haue not sorrowed thou hast consumed them Ier. 5.3 but they haue refused to receiue correstion for they haue made their faces harder then a stone and wil not returne Amos. 4.6 And againe by the Prophet Amos hee complaineth thus I haue giuen you cleannesse of teeth in all your Cities and scarsenes of bread in all your places yet haue yee not returned vnto mee sayth the Lord. If wee looke vpon examples Gen 4.6 wee shall finde diuers in the Word of God that proue the same as that of Cain albeit the Lord did forewarn him of that wrath hee had conceiued against his brother Abel that hee would neuer be at rest till hee had killed him And this is clearely seen in the old World when the Lord saw the wickednesse of man to waxe great vpon the earth Gen. 6.3 hee stirred vp Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse to warne them of iudgement to come yet they continued still in their sinnes The like may bee sayd of Sodom and Gomorah of Pharaoh Iudas and the like So that it appeareth to bee an euident truth that wicked men continue stil in sinne notwithstanding all the means that God doth vse to the contrary Pro. 27.22 according to that of Salomon If thou bray a foole in a morter yet will not his foolishnes depart from him And this thing so comes to passe in them because God in his iust iudgement hath giuen them ouer to a reprobate sense Reason according to that of the Apostle Paul God gaue them ouer vnto vile affections Rom. 1.26 to worke filthinesse against nature c. And as it was sayde of the sonnes of Ely 1. Sam. 2.24 They would not heare their Fathers voyce because the Lord would destroy them Vse 1 Seeing wicked and vngodly men continue still in sinne notwithstanding all gracious means to the contrary This may be a terror to all wicked and vngodly wretches to consider that as their hearts are hardned and their consciences seared so great shall bee their iudgement and by this means they doe but increase their punishment Rom. 2.4.5.6 and hoard it vp as a treasure against the day of Gods wrath Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnes and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth thee to repentance but thou after thy hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath In which words wee may see the wofull and miserable estate and condition of all those that runne from euill to worse that their damnation all this while sleepeth not but when the measure of their iniquity is once full the Lord will bee sure to bring his iudgements vpon them Againe to apply this doctrine somwhat more neerly Vse 2 vnto our selues was this the desperate estate of this people and damnable rebellion against all the gracious meanes God vsed Alas if we compare our estate with theirs wee shall find our case to bee farre worse for the Lord hath vsed more means to humble vs then them but yet we are hard hearted stil we are not humbled wee haue not melting hearts how did the Lord smite the creatures this last winter by frost and snow that many thousands of them perished in euery place and corner of this land besides for this summer which is the pleasantest time in the yeare hath not euen now the creature mourned vnto vs to teach vs to mourne What fearefull and lamensable fires haue hapned within these few yeares in most peaces of this land and yet good Lord how few are the number of those that lay these iudgements of God to heart Well let vs take heed that if these humble vs not least the Lord send such iudgements and plagues amongst vs that the very Sorcerers of Egypt if they were amongst vs would acknowledge it to bee the finger of God When that Moses smote the Rocke it gushed out with water the Lord hath often smitten our hard and flinty and rocky hearts with the rodde of his iudgements and stil smites but all in vaine for we are stubborne and rebellious still So that wee may iustly feare that as he cast off this people slew them consumed them and destroyed them euen so will hee deale with vs in his anger and that because wee haue not profited by his iudgements nor yet no meanes that hee hath vsed can preuaile with vs to bring vs to repentance If we contemne so great saluation how can wee thinke to escape Doct. 3 Thirdly out of this patheticall and compassionate speech of the Lord The Lord takes it hardly that the meanes of our good should bee contemned O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee Wee may learne that it is a grieuous thing vnto the Lord and vexeth his spirit to see all the meanes hee doth vse in mercy to doe vs good and to saue vs to bee carelesly regarded and lightly esteemed or proudly and desperately contemned of vs for the Lord hath tryed all possible meanes to doe them good yet they regarded them not but lightly esteemed them and passed them ouer and therefore the Lord takes vp this pittifull complaint O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee It is all one as if he should haue sayd It grieues me right sore to see you so stubborne against mee This Doctrine is cleared in diuers places of the Holy Scriptures as that speech of Almighty God himselfe when hee sayth to the people of Israel Deu. 5.29 when they had made that solemne promise to obey Moses the seruant of the Lord in all things Oh that there were such a heart in them to feare mee to keepe my commandements alwayes that it might go well with them and their children for euer Psal 81.13 This affection the Lord expresseth in another place when he sayth O that my people had hearkned vnto me and Israel had walked in my waies Yea our Sauiour himselfe doth expresse the same affection in him in the dayes of his flesh Luk. 19.41.42 And when hee came neare it hee beheld the City and wept ouer it saying Oh if thou haddest knowne at the least in this thy day those things
that they which runne in a race runne all yet one receiueth the prize So runne that yee may obtaine So then wee haue seene this Doctrine cleared that the wicked themselues are not so farre giuen ouer to themselues but that at somtimes they haue som touch of conscience and remorse of heart for sinne as this people heere then seemed to bee humbled vnder Gods iudgement and they seemed to repent for their sinnes but all this was but for a time it was not durable and lasting but as the Morning cloud and as the Morning dew it went away God graunt the same be not our sin Now this thing comes thus to passe in the wicked Reason because their consciences taking notice of all their sins doth assure the sinner that God is iust in punishing of sinne and therefore when the Lord shall but shake the sword of iudgement ouer a wicked man hee cannot but be humbled for sinne for the time present though they harden their hearts like an Adamant and their faces like flint yet when the stormes of Gods iudgements shall arise Act. 24.25 they shall quake and tremble as Felix did Seeing that many beginne well and yet proue but as the Morning cloud which is quickly gone We may Vse 1 from hence conclude the wofull miserable and wretched estate of all those that shrinke away that begin in the spirit and end in the flesh Surely I may say of them as Christ sometime sayd of Iudas It had beene good for them if they had neuer been borne This the Apostle Peter setteth downe fully when hee sayth If they after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the World thorough the acknowledging of the Lord 2. Pet. 2.20.21.22 and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet tangled therein and ouercome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning for it had been better for them not to haue acknowledged the way of righteousnesse then after they haue acknowledged it to turne away from the holy commandement giuen vnto them But it is come vnto them according to the Prouerbe The Dogge is turned to his owne vomit and the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire Oh that all wicked and vngodly sinners would consider this aright how the holy Ghost doth esteeme of them euen no better then dogs and swine Let them seeme neuer so holy and religious if they doe not perseuere in piety and religion alas they are neuer the nearer heauen but hauing beene acquainted with Gods Word Sacraments and Prayer the greater shall bee their torment at the last for the abuse thereof Yea it is a righteous thing with God to giue ouer such men and women vnto a reprobate sense taking his spirit from them so that they shal grow by degrees to be worse and worse as wee may see in these Iewes vnto whom the Lord had vsed many meanes to humble them and to bring them home by repentance as his Word in the mouthes of his Prophets his blessings and benefites besides all this his iudgements one vpon the necke of another yet all would not serue to humble them but all labour was lost and all cost was ill bestowed Well what was the end of all this did they not grow to bee the greatest enemies to the Gospell and Crosse of Christ And thus fared it with Iudas being an Apostle became a most desperate reprobate And thus doth Almighty God as a most iust reuenger of sin many times punish one sinne by another Oh let these iudgements of God vpon the wicked breake in sunder the hard and stony hearts of the wicked that so they may anew renue their Couenant with God that he may haue mercy vpon them and that they may liue in his sight Secondly wee are taught heere that it is not innough Vse 2 to beginne well to entertaine holy thoughts godly purposes but we must withall nourish and cherish them that so wee may haue comfort by them at our latter end this people beganne well but they ended ill Oh then let vs looke to our owne soules and try whether our repentance bee like to theirs or not if wee find it vnsound that it comes not to the heart but rests in outward shewes and that it is soone vanished away then truely it is nought Dauid was humbled for his sinnes all the dayes of his life And it is reported of Peter that after his repentance Stella in Lucam hee rose euer at the call of the Cocke to prayers and other the like duties of piety and religion And so must it bee with vs otherwise God cares not for it and it will stand vs in no stead in that day of Gods searching account Now if wee may iudge of your Repentance by your life and outward behauiour truely it is to bee doubted The great drought that it is little better then the repentance of this people not worth a button but counterfeit and fayned For doth not the Lord euen call men to fasting weeping lamentation and mourning to amendment of life and true repentance and how do men performe this who layes the iudgement of God to heart who mournes for Gods anger vpon the land nay rather doe they not make this time of fasting a time of feasting Many seeme to repent and to hang downe their heads like a bul-rush and cry Lord helpe vs but truely it is but lippe-labour but forged from the teeth outward it comes not from the heart but as this people in this place Men are like to Schollers and Children when the rodde is vpon their backe they cry and yell and promise to doe so no more yet as soone as the rod is remoued doe the same things againe Euen so fareth it with most men amongst vs while the iudgements of God are vpon them and their consciences are vpon the racke they are ready to cry to the Lord for helpe and deliuerance but if the Lord doe but remoue his hand you shall see them with the dogge to the vomite and the Sow to the myre couetous still cruell still ignorant filthy and vncleane still Is not this the common repentance of our times And is not this like the Iewes heere which the Lord so highly condemneth Oh alas it is and therefore the Lord must needs bee as highly offended with vs as euer hee was with them And therefore it is now hie time to looke to our selues to ioyne to our outward profession true reformation of heart and life to build vpon the Rocke Christ and for the time to come to lay a sure foundation and be sure of an honest heart that it bee sound in the worshippe of God for the Lord prefers such a heart that comes in faith repentance and obedience before most glorious and goodly shewes when sincerity of heart is wanting And truelie it is greatly to bee feared that many now professing the Gospell in these dayes of peace if the Sun should wax hote if stormes should come and tryall
forwardnes in you in sanctifying the Sabbath and hearing the word diligently since which time who doth not perceiue a decay of zeale a decay of hearing in a great many of this congregation that will scarce now vouchsafe God your presence in the assembly of his people once a month The full soule sayth Salomon loatheth the honey combe Reu 3.14 I feare you are full euen of spirituall pride with the Church of Laodicea Well bee warned betimes lest your footings that you haue taken so oft in your bowling Allyes surmount your steps into Gods house and so the Lord lay this sinne of ingratitude to your charge that hee should offer vnto you such gracious oportunities and ye should so carelesly neglect the same Vse 2 Secondly this condemnes the common repentance of most men and women that it is not sound nor sincere because though they condemne sinne know it to be sinne yet they neuer proceede so farre as to leaue and forsake it Mar. 6. Herod could not bee brought to leaue his Incest Demas made a fayre shew for a while but by and by left all fell into loue with the world so many men will for a brunt serue God and seeme very forward both to heare the Word read pray c. yet the strength of their owne corruptions and the loue of the World steales away their hearts so as it comes to nothing but sure it is that the grace of God when it hath taken possession in a mans soule it will throughly purge the same though not altogether from sinne for the Flesh will euer rebell against the Spirite yet from the power of sinne so as that man that is truely sanctified shall not from henceforth become a seruant vnto sinne for a purpose to continue in sin and the grace of God cannot abide both in one Soule but of this before And thus much of the Complaint the Iudgement followeth VERSE 5. Therefore haue I cut downe by the Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth and thy iudgements were as the light that goeth foorth HAuing heard of their sinue now wee are to speake of their punishment which the Lord inflicted vpon them for the same namely fearefull destruction and vtter ouerthrow In speaking of their punishment we are hence to obserue foure things Parts of the Text. First the Author of it I that is the Lord himselfe Secondly the greatnesse of it Cut downe and slaine them Thirdly the Instruments the Lord vseth My Prophets my word Fourthly the equity of it namely that the Lord made his iudgements as cleare as the noone day vnto them so as they could not plead ignorance or want of knowledge Therefore haue I cut downe Therefore that is because I haue on my part done what I can to reclaim you and bring you to some good passe but you refused and hardned your hearts and contemned my words for then the cause of Gods iudgements is their rebellion against the meanes and their contempt of the Word of God and preaching of his Prophets Doct. 1 Then hence wee learne what a grieuous sinne it is to contemne the meanes of saluation To contemn the meanes of saluation is a grieuous sinne and neuer goes vnpunished Gen. 7.10.11.12 to contemne the Gospell of Christ Iesus it neuer goes vnpunished When Noah had preached repentance to the people of the old World for the space of one hundred and twenty yeares together and the people had despised the same what followed in the end but a fearefull destruction euen a generall Deluge which swept them all away When Lot spake to his sonnes in Law which married his daughters and warned them to escape out of Sodom for the iudgements of God were at hand to bee layde vpon that City The Text sayth Gen. 19.14 that Hee seemed to his Sonnes in Law as though hee had mocked but what followed did not they perish with those sinnefull Sodomites And Iob makes this one of the marks of a reprobate They say vnto God Depart from vs Iob. 21.14 for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes not that there are any so desperately wicked as to vse such speeches against the Lord but the meaning is that men declare so much by their liues they liue in open contempt of the gracious meanes of their saluation whatsoeuer they pretended in words their deeds declared that they cared not to bee acquainted with Gods will To the same purpose is that complaint in the Psalme My people would not heare my voyce and Israel would none of mee Psal 81.11.12 The Lord had often spoken to that people by his seruants the Prophets but they regarded them not much like to our people in these times but what followed the Lord would neuer put vp this great ingratitude at their hands but sayth in the verse following Ver. 12.1.1 So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnes of their owne hearts and they walked in their owne councels And this is further cleared by that speech of Almighty God by his Prophet Ieremy where hee sayth Ier. 7.13 I rose vp earely and spake vnto you but when I spake yee would not heare me neyther when I called would ye answere Behold here the desperate estate and condition of this people that notwithstanding God had dealt so graciously with them from time to time to offer vnto them so many gracious oportunities of their saluation following them as it were at the heeles with the same sometimes by his Word sometimes by his mercies sometimes by his iudgements yet they neglected them al they contemned thē al. But afterward the Lord made good the words of his seruants he brought his iudgements vpon them and their Temple Verse 14. in the which they seemed so much to trust vppon the Lord made it as Shilo and as the same Prophet complaineth in another place That the wayes of Sion lamented Lam. 1.4 because no man came to their solemne feasts all her gates are desolate the Priests sigh c. It was not their outward priviledges that would now stand them in stead that they were the posterity of Abraham that they had amongst them the Arke of Gods couenant the Mercy seat Psal 132.14 the Temple of the Lord and that the Lord had appointed that for his rest for euer Seeing they contemned his Prophets Ier. 6.10 delighted not in Gods voyce but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And this is that our Sauiour layes to the charge of the people of Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 How often would I haue gathered you together and yee would not Behold now your habitation is loft desolate Mat. 11.21 Yea our Sauiour Christ tels them of Capernaum that it shall bee easier for the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for them so then we may safely conclude this doctrine with that speech of the Apostle 2. Thes 2.10.11.12 Because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they
sinnes and rebellions Wee learne hence this point of Doctrine Doct. 2 That the Lod is the Author of all punishments for sinne The Lord is the author of all punishments for sinne though hee vse secondary causes and some outward meanes yet hee is the Author of all iudgements and punishments vpon men and women Indeed hee vseth sometime men to do his will as his rod to punish his people for so is Ashur called the Lords rodde Esay 10.5 to whip his people and his Staffe to beat them The Lord vseth sometimes the Deuils themselues to afflict his people Iob. 1. as wee see in Iobs affliction yet so as the Lord was the chiefe Author thereof the Deuill but an instrument Euen so al iudgements come from God hee imposeth and inflicts them on his people for their sinnes Excellent is that place of the Prophet Esay to this purpose But now Esay 43.1.2.3 thus sayth the Lord that created thee O Iacob and hee that formed thee O Israel feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by name thou art mine when thou passest thorough the waters I will bee with thee and thorough the flouds that they shall not ouerflow thee c. And againe Shall there be any euill in the City and the Lord hath not done it This point is fully declared by Moses when hee sayth If yee will not obey mee nor doe all these commandements Leu. 26.16.17 I will appoint ouer you fearefulnesse a consumption and a burning ague the sword famine and pestilence to destroy you and to make you few in number Let this schoole vs if the Lord so deale with vs If the Crosse come to vs as a thing iudged fit of God Let vs not set him a stint to say thus much will I beare and no more but leaue the same to his owne good pleasure expecting and enduring euen one vpon the necke of another taking hold of his promise by a liuely faith that Hee will neuer lay more vpon vs then wee shall bee able to beare but will giue vs a happy issue vnto them all that wee shall gaine more in the Spirit then we can lose in the flesh and that the Crosse in Gods due time shall depart to our aduantage to leaue a blessing behind it This Doctrine haue I cleared in the first verse of this Chapter Let this suffice for this Text. Wee come to the vses of it Let vs all take knowledge of this Doctrine that Vse 1 the Lord is the Author of all punishments whatsoeuer by what instrument soeuer it pleaseth him to vse for the accomplishing of the same Iob the faithfull seruant of the Lord acknowledgeth this when he saith The Lond giueth the Lord taketh away yet wee know that it was the Deuil and wicked men whom the Lord vsed as his instruments to afflict this his holy seruant And let vs learne to acknowledge that all punishments sent of God come from his hand and he imposeth and layeth them vpon vs eyther as punishments of our sinnes Iob. 2.10 as heere in this Text or else for the triall of our faith patience and the like graces But of this before Secondly this may serue to condemne those foolish Vse 2 men that impute all to fortune and chance all their troubles miseries crosses sicknesses losses and the like that happen vnto them in their bodies children goods cattell they impute them all to blind Fortune and chance and neuer looke vp to the hand of God to see his angry countenance turned towards thē by reason of their sinnes and horrible impieties Here is Ignorance with a witnesse Where is the prouidence of God all this while which rules and gouernes all things that are in heauen and earth Oh let vs labour to reforme this common fault amongst vs and looke higher euen vnto God himselfe from whence they come This knowledge and acknowledging that God doth inflict his iudgements punishments and afflictions vpon vs for our sinnes it is a good meanes to bridle vs and to keepe vs from impatiency murmuring and muttering against the Lord. The Lord sent Shemi to curse 2. Sam. 16.10 who dare say then why doest thou curse mee so Iob The Lord giueth the Lord taketh away blessed bee the name of the Lord And the want of this is the cause why men bee so impatient in sicknesse and misery because they do not consider that it is the hand of the Lord layd vpon them for their sinnes and so they neuer make any vse at al of Gods iudgements thinking eyther that they come by chance lucke or fortune or else looke onely vpon the outward means and instrument and not vnto the Lord himselfe Oh let vs learne to bee wise to lift vp our eyes higher to see that it is the hand of the Lord I draw my sword I kill and make aliue I send the plague and pestilence to consume to destroy And the knowledge of this is a good meanes to humble vs and to make vs to confesse our sinnes that the Lord is holy in all his wayes and righteous in all his works the which is acknowledged by the Prophet Dauid when hee sayth I know O Lord Psal 119.75 that thy iudgements are right and that thou hast afflicted me iustly And if wee can but once truely apprehend this that it is the Lord that striketh it will make vs euen to blesse God when hee seemes to deale with vs most hardly giuing him the prayse of equity as Dauid doth here acknowledging that his sharpest corrections are not so great as our sinnes And these two things will bee great motiues to patience in trouble if wee consider that the same affliction is measured out vnto vs from the Lord Who is faithfull and will lay no more vpon vs then we are able to beare And next that our stripes are not according to our sinnes for if he should beate vs with as many rods as wee haue grieued him with sinnes hee should adde yet ten times more vnto our greatest afflictions I haue cut downe and slaine them THe second point is the indgement and punishment it selfe and the manner of it The iudgement it selfe which shewes that the same is no small iudgement but a very grieuous punishment For I haue cut downe and slaine them as though the Lord should haue sayd whereas they would not receyue my Doctrine nor beleeue my Word that they might bee brought to repentance and so bee saued I haue now cut them down slaine their soules by my Word and wounded them euen to death eternall for as my Word which I would haue made the sweet sauour of life vnto life is now by their rebellion and stubbornnesse turned vnto them to bee the wofull sauour of death vnto death Hence wee may obserue that of all the iudgements Doct. 3 of God that befal a man in this life there is none more grieuous or feareful then an hard heart that wil not stoupe to
the fore-runner of some fearefull iudgement vnto the soule of that man I haue cut them downe by my Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth IN that the Lord doth threaten this iudgement of al Doct. 4 other as the greatest that hee could bring vpon them namely to Cut them downe and to slay them The Word of God is able to pearce the hardest heart and that not by an ordinary meanes or slaughter but by his Prophets and Word that is that he would make good his Word in their mouthes and bring to passe all those terrible and fearefull iudgements that they had denounced against them from the Lord. Hence we see the great power of the Word of God it is able to pearce the hardest heart that is The word of God makes mention of two sorts of swords The sword of the mouth and the materiall sword as that place in the Hebrewes The Word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then a two edged sword Heb. 4.12 entereth thorough euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the Soule and the Spirit and of the Ioynts and the Marrow and is a decerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart The people of the Iewes before that Peter spake vnto them were full of hardnesse of heart yea their hearts before were as hard as steele nothing could pricke or pearce them Act. 2.37 they had committed monstrous murder they shed innocent bloud euen the bloud of the sonne of God and yet they were neuer touched in their hearts for that sinne But when Peter came with his weapon namely the Word of God and told them that they were those that had crucified the Lord of life this wounded them to the quicke as that they cryed out in the bitternesse of their loules O men and brethren what shall wee doe to bee saued Oh tell vs tell vs whether there be not some course yet to be taken that wee that haue beene such desperate sinners might yet againe obtaine Gods fauour and bee saued This was a blessed battel that was fought with them behold then in them the wonderfull power of the Word of God It cuts the throat of sinne and makes men become dead vnto sinne that they might become a liue vnto God Ier. 23.29 Is not the Word of Iehouah like vnto fire It is able to melt and mollifie a heart of steele it is like a hammer that breakes the hardest stone euen so this Word of God is able to bruise a stony heart which is as hard as flint Rom. 15.16 I am not ashamed sayth the Apostle of the Gospell of God because I know that it is the power of God to saluation to all them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1.21 Yea it is compared to a sacrificing knife Ephes 2.1.2 which will kill and cut the throat of sinne and make the most rebellious heart to breake It will put spirit and life in the dead hearts of dead secure sinners euen such as lay dead rotting in sin If it enter not into thee to the rooting out of sinne and the cutting downe of thy vncleannesse for then it pearceth for thy good to life eternall It wil bee sure to wound and to pearce thy dead and benummed soule to the hardning of thee in thy sinnes to death eternall Esay 55. for it neuer returnes in vaine but is eyther the sauor of life vnto life or the sauor of death vnto death The Lord sent his word vnto Pharaoh againe and againe by Moses and Aaron but hee would not bee humbled by it Exod. 9. â—7 1. Reg. 22.8 therefore hee became the more hardned in sinne And Ahab was then the deadliest enemy to his owne soule Mich. 2.7 when hee hated Michai for not speaking to his fantasie but warned him faithfully of the iudgement which afterward came vpon him Zach. 7.11 The Word of God is an aduersary to none but to such as are aduersaries to themselues Note this well neyther doth it condemne any but such as without repentance assuredly shall one day bee condemned of the Lord. And therefore let the wicked wretches of the world stoppe their eares neuer so much from the hearing of the threatnings of the Word yet they shall neuer stoppe that iudgement which the Word hath threatned There is a cry that will come at Midnight and will waken the dead But Oh blessed are they who in time are wakened out of the sleepe of their sinnes before that dreadfull iudgement come This serues to commend vnto vs the excellencie Vse 1 and power of the Word of God which is able both to kill sinners and to make them aliue again and puts a manifest difference hetweene the Word of man the Word of God All the wisdom learning eloquence and wit of men is not able to wound the hard heart of a wicked obstinate and rebellious sinner onely the Word of God can doe it euen the plaine and simple preaching of the Word can doe it 1. Cor. 1.21 Psal 19. The Law of the Lord is perfect to conuert the soule There is more power in the plaine rude and simple preaching of the Word of God to conuert a sinner then in the most learned and excellentest eloquence in men nay Rom. 10.14.15 it is impossible for all the eloquence in the World to saue a Soule it is peculiar onely to the simple preaching of the Gospell nor all the Writings of men cannot turne the heart vnto God vnlesse the Lord doe blesse the preaching of the Word to doe it and though nothing bee so contrary to our Nature as the Word of God yet nothing is so powerfull to conuert as is this word by Gods blessing vpon it being his owne ordinance appointed to that end Secondly seeing the Word of God is of this power Vse 2 that it will enter and pearce into stony hearts and seeing if it cut not downe sinne and corruption it will wound to death eternall all rebellious and hard hearted sinners Oh then let vs submit our hearts vnto it let vs suffer the Word to pearce and wound our hearts for sinne to cut downe all sinne and corruption in vs here or else it will bee the Lords Sword of the Spirit to kill vs and to wound vs to death eternall Ephes 6.1 Hee will smite the earth with the rodde of his mouth and slay the wicked and rebellious with the breath of his lippes that is the Lord will make good all those feareful iudgements which his seruants haue denounced against them in his name Esay 11.4 And as the raine that fals makes the earth more fruitfull or else more barren so it fareth with the Word it eyther cuts downe sinne to our amendment or else leaues most deadly wounds in our soules euen to death eternall Now then seeing the Word of God is so powerfull Oh how should this stirre vp euery man and woman to the hearing of
Thirdly seeing the menaces and threatnings of Vse 3 God shall bee accomplished vpon the wicked and vngodly so is it true of the blessed promises of the Gospell so as looke what promise God hath made there either of pardon of sinne or of life and saluation they shall likewise bee performed wee are not to doubt of it for will God keepe touch with the wicked and will hee not much more remember his promise to his children this were iniurious to the Spirit of God so to thinke Oh then let vs learne to depend vpon God 2. Cor. 1.20 and to wayte duely vpon his gracious promises Knowing that all his promises are yea and Amen and Hee is faithfull which hath promised Let vs learne then to rest vpon him for the pardon of our sinnes the hearing of our prayers the resurrection of our dead bodies and life euerlasting the Lord is iust and true in all his promises Oh what a comfort is this to poore distressed soules Doest thou mourne for sinne and desirest to feare thy God and walke in his wayes wel assure thy soule that whatsoeuer gracious promise hee hath made vnto thee in his Word it shall be performed Heauen and Earth shall passe but one iot or tittle of my Word shall not passe away but a◠euery iudgement and plague pronounced against sinne and sinners shal bee brought vpon them to destruction euen so euery gracious promise made to Gods Church and people shall bee performed to their eternall comfort and saluation and therefore let vs beleeue this and rest vpon it that the Lord will perform his Word in the mouths of his Prophets and Ministers Whatsoeuer yee bind on earth I will bind in heauen Mat. 16.19 and whatsoeuer yee loose on Earth I will loose in heauen And thy iudgements were as the light that goeth forth The equity of the iudgement IN these words the Lord shewes that they could not pretend ignorance of the will and Word of God for the Lord had taught them and declared vnto them manifestly and apparantly what hee would haue them to doe for by Iudgement in this place is meant the doctrine of God taught vnto them by his seruants the the Prophets q.d. my Doctrine in the mouthes of my seruants where I shewed and layde open before your eyes the way to lead holy liues and to serue mee it was cleare as the light as the Sunne-shine at Noone day when there is no cloud so as you haue now no excuse at all for yourselues but must needs acknowledge that my iudgements are now iustly inflicted vpon you and that you haue of malice with a hie hand and most rebellious heart sinned against mee So then you see what is heere meant by the iudgement of the Lord namely the cleare and manifest doctrine of God to direct vs in the way to life eternall Seeing the Lord doth heere professe vnto his people Doct. 6 that his Iudgements that is the Doctrine of God wherein hee would haue taught them how ro liue well and blessedly was cleare and manifest God neuer strikes with his iudgements before hee giues warning and that they could alleadge no excuse of ignorance Hence we learne that the Lord doth neuer strike with his iudgements but hee first giues warning so as if men would bee wise to beleeue his Word and to amend their liues they might auoyde his iudgements but if they will bee so rebellious and hard hearted that they will not amend they must needs acknowledge confesse that they are most worthy to bee plagued and punished This was Gods mercifull dealing towards the people of the old world vnto whom the Lord vouchsafed one hundred and twenty yeares to repent in before hee brought his iudgements vpon them besides all which time he vouchsafed vnto them Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse Gen 6.3 2. Pet. 2.5 warning them still of a iudgement to com to this end that they hearing from Noah what iudgement the Lord had intended against them if they repented not their condemnation might be so much the more heauy vpon them Thus dealt the Lord with those sinnefull Sodomites Gen. 19. vnto whom hee sent his seruant Lot Exod. 9. Whose righteous soule was vexed from day to day Thus dealt hee with Pharaoh and his people vnto whom hee sent Moses Aaron againe and againe and still againe to admonish him to let the people of Israel goe When this preuailed not he sent iudgement vpon iudgement and all to humble the hard heart of Pharaoh What shall wee say of Ahab and Iezabel vnto whom the Lord sent Elias such is the goodnesse of God towards the sonnes of men that hee will euer warne before hee strike and admonish before hee correct for so did the Lord deale with this people as in the former verse Oh Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee Hos 11.8 Oh Iudah how shall I entreat thee Meaning thereby that the Lord had vsed many wayes and meanes to humble them if it might bee before he proceeded in iudgement against them This is most liuely set out vnto vs in the booke of the Prouerbs Pro. 1.20.21 where Salomon brings in Christ Iesus the wisdome of the Father sometime by his Ministers and sometimes by himselfe calling and crying vnto vs to heare his voyce and to receyue instruction and if this fayre meanes that the Lord shall vse will not serue to humble vs the Lord doth there threaten That the time shall come when wee shall cry and call vpon him and hee will not heare vs Yea hee will bee then so farre from pittying in the time of our distresse as that hee will then Laugh at our destruction and that because wee did not chuse the feare of the Lord. This was the mercifull dealing of God towards the Niniuites Ion. 3.4 vnto whom hee sent his Prophet Ionas to bring them home by repentance and thus dealt hee with Ierusalem Mat. 23.38 vsing all means possible to humble them before the iudgement came foorth For if God would reclaime vs by his Word hee would neuer take his Rodde But of this before And the reason of this Doctrine is cleare Reason because the Lord by this meanes will leaue the wicked and those that are reserued to destruction without all excuse for this doth the Apostle declare Act. 14.16.17 when he sayeth In times past hee suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes Neuerthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that hee did good and gaue them raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with ioy and gladnesse Now if the giuing of them showers of raine the dew of Heauen bee vnto them the Lords witnesses and the Testimonies of his power Oh how much more thē is the word of God which is the sauor of life vnto those that beleeue Surely this warning that the wicked haue heere hence shall much more leaue them without excuse in the day of
Couenant with our God when wee were baptized the Lord then receiued vs into the bosome of his Church vpon this condition that wee would become his people and walke in his wayes hee gaue vs his couenant a gracious couenant full of many gracious and heauenly promises of pardon of sinne of life eternall This Couenant hee sealed and confirmed by the heart bloud of his owne Sonne that he would bee our gracious God and louing Father that hee would pardon all our sinnes receiue vs to fauour and bestow eternall life and saluation vpon vs. Wee on the other side haue couenanted with our God that wee would bee his people and become his obedient seruants that wee would renounce the Deuill and all his works the stinking pleasures of the flesh and that wee would not suffer our selues to bee ruled by them but would manfully fight vnder the banner of our Lord Iesus Christ against the Deuill the world and the flesh Now if wee examine ourselues how wee haue kept this Couenant wee shall find that the Lord may iustly say vnto vs as hee did here vnto this people Yee haue broken my Couenant yea we haue denied our obedience to Christ Iesus and his Word and wee haue serued sinne and Sathan and the world Gods deadly enemies and we haue liued in pleasures in vanity in couetousnesse and in many other sinnes against our promise to God Oh then in the feare of God let vs take knowledge of this that wee are vile and miserable couenant breakers wee haue fayled in our promise to God and haue not walked in his wayes as wee haue made a solemne Couenant with him And now let it make vs ashamed that wee should deale thus vilely and decitfully with our most gracious God If it bee a matter of shame to breake couenant with an honest man and wee bee grieued for the same how much more should this grieue vs and make vs ashamed that wee haue dealt thus faithlesly with our gracious God And thirdlie as wee must bee grieued that wee Vse 3 haue thus fayled and broken our Couenant with God heretofore so now wee must bee more carefull to keepe our Couenant with him in time to come manfully to fight vnder his banner against sinne Sathan and the world his vtter enemies and yeeld him obedience in heart and life to deny all obedience to the Deuill and our owne lusts and say with the Prophet Dauid Psal 119 10â— I haue sworne and am stedfastly purposed to keepe thy righteous iudgements Oh let vs take a solemn oath of our selues and purpose both in heart life to keepe his righteous iudgements neuer to sinne against our God as wee haue done but in all things to do his will and to walke in his wayes And there is good reason to perswade vs hereunto for if wee shall keepe our Couenant made to God in our Baptisme then the Lord will take vs for his people and will bee our gracious God and louing Father then hee will performe all those gratious promises of pardon of sinne Deu. 28. and life eternall and euery other gracious promise that hee hath layde down in his Word for our good and the further increase of our happinesse it shall then goe well with vs in life in death and after death But if wee refuse to heare his voyce and will not regard our vow and couenant made to him in Baptisme then hee will withdraw his mercy and gratious protection from vs he is no longer tyed vnto vs to doe vs good then wee shall keepe his Couenant and then what shall become of vs if the Lord once forsake vs if hee leaue vs alas wee shal then lye open to all misery both of soule and body if God bee angry with vs who can do vs good Fourthly and lastly this may serue to reprooue Vse 4 those men that vpon some particular occasions as in time of warre sicknesse necessity trouble or any other danger haue beene ready to enter into couenant with God so that God would free them and deliuer them they will become new men if they haue fallen into whoredome or fornication they vow they will bridle their lusts and they will neuer delight in the Harlots company any more If they haue fallen into drunkennesse they will vow and enter couenant with God Luk. 14.8 that they will abstaine from the hatefull house of that sinne and all other prouocations to the same The Oppressor is ready to promise more mercy to the poore and so of all other sinnes Dan. 4.24 the sinner is ready to enter Couenant with God when his conscience is vpon the racke that hee will leaue his sinne and that for the time to come they will walke with God in better obedience so that God would but deliuer them set them on foot againe When a man hath most vainly and sinfully spent his time in drunkennesse riotousnesse idlenesse wantonnesse enuy hatred contempt of Gods Word c. If God strike such men with sicknesse as I haue known many that they haue feared death for vnto such is the remembrance of death a terror Oh how then doe they tremble and quake Note then send for Moses and Aaron in haste send for the Minister who before this time of all men they esteemed the most vile and then good people pray for me Oh I haue beene a great and grieuous sinner I haue offended God many wayes I haue been a most beastly drunkard a most vncleane liuer I haue dishonoured God many wayes by my vsury oppressing of the poore vniust and vnconscionable dealing with men by fraud and deceit I haue made no conscience at all how I haue spent the Sabbath but haue been at bowles and Tables or drinking in vaine company when I should haue beene present in the Congregation of Gods people Oh if God vvill but now forgiue mee this sinne onely I will neuer offend in the like againe I will become a new man for no mans pleasure will I be brought to dishonour God any more by these sinnes These and the like are the clamours and the crying out of many men when God doth touch them by sicknesse or some other calamity and then are they very forward to enter into Couenant with God euer to bee thankfull and obedient vnto him and then to begin their repentance and amendment of life But O alas is not this the best day that God hath of them and the best seruice that euer they performe vnto him It is it is for when God doth free them and set them at liberty 2. Pet. 2.1.2 they Turue with the Dogge to the vomite and with the Sowe to the mire Well God will neuer put vp this great ingratitude at their hands but being found to bee Couenant breakers with their God all those iudgements which Almighty God hath threatned against such sinners shall most surely come vpon them Deu. 28. and ouertake them Like Men. HEre is layde downe the manner
counterfeit repentance of Hypocrites from the fourth verse to the end of the Chapter which was neither sound nor sincere nor yet durable and lasting whereof wee must take heed and labour to auoyde all hypocrisie in the seruice of God who as hee is a spirite so he loues truth in the inward affections And will bee serued in spirit and truth Psal 51.6 The three first verses containe a most holy and christian perswasion of the beleeuing Iewes Text diuided to turne vnto the Lord from all their sinnes especially from that vile and horrible sinne of Idolatry And in the same we are to consider three things First the motion and godly perswasion which the children of God make one to another Come let vs returne c. Secondly the reasons and arguments which they vse to enforce their godly exhortation to perswade each other to turne vnto the Lord and they bee two especially The first drawn from the iustice of God in these two words Hee hath spoyled hee hath wounded The other drawne from the mercy of God in these words Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp And because this argument taken from the mercy of God is a reason of all reasons and such an argument as Paul makes choyse of aboue all others saying I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies Rom. 12.5 c. As if he should say If the manifold mercies of God both for soule and body if the bloudshed of Iesus Christ will not moue a man to turne vnto God he is in a wofull case I say because this argument is of speciall force to moue hard-hearted sinners to turne vnto God The people of God in this place vrge it further and amplifie this argument by two other circumstances First The shortnes of the time After two dayes hee will reuiue vs and the third day hee will rayse vs vp If wee draw neere vnto him by true and vnfained repentance The other circumstance is taken from the greatnesse of Gods mercy Hee will reuiue vs Hee will rayse vs vp answerable to the two former words He hath spoyled vs he hath wounded vs So here the mercy of God exceedes his iustice for it is not sayde that hee had kilde vs or cast vs away but onely spoyled vs and wounded vs with a blow or stripe or twaine But his mercy is aboue all his workes for though he had vtterly killed vs yet he will reuiue vs Nay hee will rayse vs vp though wee had layne not foure dayes but foure hundred dayes in the graue of sinne yet his mercifull right hand can and will rayse vs vp againe The third speciall thing in these verses is the fruits of repentance and of true conuersion If we doe truly repent and draw neere vnto God by Conuersion The first fruit of our Repentance is this That as wee draw neere vnto God by true and vnfained Repentance so he will draw neere vnto vs and Wee shall liue in his sight that is in his fauour and in the light of his countenance Nay wee that are truely conuerted shall liue and behaue our selues as euer in Gods presence and before his blessed face The second fruit of our true Conuersion and sincere Repentance is Ioh. 17.3 That wee shall haue knowledge The Lord will in mercy poure into our hearts the true sauing knowledge of himselfe euen the knowledge of the whole Trinity Father Sonne and holy Ghost Nay wee shall not onely haue this heauenly knowledge poured into our hearts by the Spirite of Iesus Christ but as a man in a dropsie the more hee drinkes the more he thirsts and desires drinke so Wee shall indeuour our selues to know the Lord That is wee shall hunger and thirst after this heauenly knowledge as the food of our soules and neuer to be glutted with it but labour to abound more and more in it The third fruit of our Conuersion is in the third verse That as wee doe by true and vnfained repentance draw neare vnto our God So will he be most ready to helpe and to comfort vs. The Lords comming foorth is prepared as the morning True it is that the sense and feeling of Gods mercy is oftentimes extinguished in the hearts of his children as the comfortable light and beames of the Sunne vnder a thicke cloud or when it is gone vnder the earth So as oftentimes wee thinke that God forgets vs and hides himselfe from vs But his comming to helpe vs is Prepared and therefore most certaine and he shall come as the Morning most comfortably vnto vs. Euen as the bright beames and cleare countenance and face of the Sunne after a windy tempestuous stormy and boysterous night is very comfortable So the bright beames of Gods mercies breaking foorth and shining vpon our hearts after a darke and cloudy night of affliction it is most comfortable to glad and reioyce the distressed Soule of a poore sinner Nay in the second similitude hee shewes that the comming of the Lord shall bee not onely ioyfull and very comfortable but most effectuall to a wounded Soule that lyes languishing vnder the heate of Gods wrath that as helpe long looked for and in time of greatest danger is of al other most welcome so when the Lord shall come with helpe and deliuerance after great danger and long expected this is most set by and most esteemed And therefore the Prophet sayeth The Lord will come as the raine euen as the latter raine vnto the earth Now as moderate raine is welcome at all times so especially in the heate of summer after a great and a long drought when the earth is scorched with the heate of the Sunne and begins to capper and gape for want of moisture so then a gracious raine a sweet shower is most welcome then it doth most good not onely to cherish the thirstie and scorched earth but also to ripen the fruites of the field and to bring them to perfection Euen so when a poore Soule doth pant and breath vnder the burthen of his sinnes and is scorched with the burning heate of affliction then if the Lord in mercie send a gracious storme and comfortable raine into our thirsty soules and send a heauenly shower of his blessed mercy Nay if he distill but one little droppe of his mercy in the burning heate of affliction this is most welcome this is most comfortable to asswage and to comfort the heate of a sinner scorched and tormented for feare of the burning anger and wrath of God against sinne Thus much briefly for the vnfoulding of the words and the meaning of them in generall IN the former Chapter the Lord told them Coher that hee would bring great and grieuous Iudgements vpon them vntill such time as they would turne and seeke him confessing their sinnes and amending their euill liues And in the last verse of the former Chapter the Lord saith In their afflictions they will seeke me diligently Shewing
that there is nothing better to turne the pride of mans heart then afflictions So Manasses a wicked Idolatrous King 2. Cro. 33.12 yet in his afflictions hee sought the Lord and prayed vnto the Lord his God whom he dishonored before Psal 1 19. Lam. 3 27. Luk. 9.23 And Dauid confesseth that it was very good for him that he was afflicted for before he was carelesse of the seruice of God Yea the Prophet Ieremy saith that a man can neuer begin too soone to suffer the crosse It is good that a man beare the yoake of afflictions from his youth And our Sauiour himselfe saith That we must take vp the crosse dayly and in very deed nothing is better for young or old man or woman then affliction if God sanctifie the same vnto vs and giue vs the true vse of them they will make a man search his heart and call his former life to accompt they will humble vs and make vs see our weaknesse they will compell vs to run to God by most earnest and harty prayer to deny our selues to put our whole trust confidence and affiance in the mercy of God in Iesus Christ Now the Lord had no sooner spoke the word that in their afflictions they would seek him but heere we see it is effected Come say they let vs returne vnto the Lord c. Doct. 1 Afflictiōs are of excellent vse to turne vs to God So that the first point of Doctrine we obserue from the text is this That afflictions are of excellent vse to turne vs to God the Church of God in generall and the seruants of God in particular when they cannot profitably vse prosperity and beare themselues thankefully in the dayes of peace doe learne in aduersity to turne vnto God and are therby brought home againe and this comes to passe not by meanes of the crosse for in it selfe it is a curse but in that the Lord doth sanctifie the same vnto his it comes to passe that the state of affliction is a safer estate Iudg. 14.14 Rom 5.3 2 Cor. 4.13 Heb. 12.11 then the estate of prosperity It is true that as the Philistims could not vnderstand Sampsons riddle how sweete came out of sower meat out of the eater so cannot worldlings vnderstād that tribulatiō bringeth out patience that our light momentany afflictions cause vnto vs a far more excellent and eternall waight of glory But the Children of God they find it true by experience that albeit no visitation bee sweete for the present yet afterwards it brings the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them who are thereby exercised Esay 26.16 Psal 107. Luke 15.18 and that there is more solide ioy in suffering rebuke with Christ then in all the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season Gen. 21.16 This the Prophet setteth downe in the song of the faithfull Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastising was vpon them yea the people of God the Israelits in the time of their afflictions were humbled and sought the Lord Ionas 1.5 Lam. 3.27 Psal 119.71 Io. 15.2 who in time of prosperity forgat him and the mighty workes that he had done for them They wandred in the desart and found no Citty to dwell in Then they cried vnto the Lord in their trouble and he deliuered them out of their distresse The Prodigall sonne neuer intended to returne home againe to his Father vntill a famine had met with him and he was pinched with want then he resolued with himselfe to acknowledge his fault to entreat for pardon Hagar was proud in the house of Abraham and despised her Mistresse but in the wildernesse humbled by want Ionas sleepeth in the ship but in the belly of the Whale watcheth and prayeth It is good therefore saith Ieremy for a man to beare the yoake in his youth and Dauid acknowledgeth it was good for him that he was afflicted yea our Sauiour saith Euery branch that beares fruit my heauenly father purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit All these testimonies and examples of the seruants of God as euident and direct consents of the Scripture do teach vs that afflictions are of speciall and singular vse to turne vs to God Amos 3.6 And this comes to passe by reason they are the workes of Gods hand there is no euill in the Citty which the Lord hath not done He hath his Quiuer full of arrowes to strike vs and to punish vs the Sword Famine Plague Pestilence yea he hath all Creatures at a beck at a cal to humble the rebellious hart of man to this end we may pray to the Lord that so he do still remember the promise made to the Sonnes of Dauid I will visite them with rods if they sinne against mee 2. Sa. 7.14.15 but my mercy will I neuer take from them that rather then that wee should bee frozen in the dreggs of our owne naturall corruptions and spend our daies in a carelesse security without the feare of his holy name that God would chang our estates and awaken vs with the touch of his owne hand purge vs with fier and chasten vs with his rods Vse 1 First seing that chastisements and afflictions are of such excellent vse to turne vs to God and that the Lord doth vse the same to bring vs home to himselfe heere wee may clearely behold the mighty power of God that can by so many waies and meanes turne the hearts of men humble them and bring them home vnto himselfe Indeed the preaching of the word is the ordinary meanes whereby God doth breake in sunder the stony heart of man Esay 5.4 Iob 33.16 Rom. 11.13 but when that will not serue but that his patience long suffering is abused and his word contemned the Lord hath sundry iudgments in store which being sent from God are powerfull to turne our hearts and to make a way for Repentance Oh the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out Let vs then here acknowledge the greatnesse both of the mercy and power of God in working out the saluation of mankind so wonderfully and that by so many meanes bringing light out of darkenesse and good out of euill Seeing that afflictions are of such excellent vse to Vse 2 turne vs to God when the Lord doth sanctifie the same to that end vnto vs Here we see the cause why the godly runne not into all euill as the Horse rusheth into the battell euen as the children of this world do into the same excesse of ryot Surely the reason is not because there is ought in them by Nature more then in other men No no wee were all warmed in vncleane bloud and the best wee haue drawne from our mothers breasts hath beene rebellion but God calleth them backe by his hand his afflictions are
euill life surely the beginning of all euill is this to turne away from God It was the case of the Prodigall Sonne and in him of all sinners that when hee had receyued his patrimony Luk. 15. Hee tooke his iourney into a farre Country farre away and yet hee thought not himselfe farre inough from his Father but who willed him to depart was hee put out of his Fathers house Surely no but he himselfe of his own accord would needes bee gone Euen so doth a sinner make a voluntary separation betwixt God and his soule God doth neuer forsake till hee bee forsaken Now a sinner is sayde to depart from God in two respects First by an opposite and far different disposition Gods volo being mans nolo Gods will being mans nill by omitting that which hee should commit and by committing that which hee should omit As when wee see two sitting and talking together and the one varieth from the other in opinion we say the one is farre from the other and in the same respect is a sinner said to goe farre from God Secondly a sinner is said to goe far from God in regard of the greatnesse or the multitude of his sinnes that he doth commit which the more they are the farther they leade a sinner for euery sinne being a departure from God a sinner may rightly bee said to depart lesser or farther according to the number quality of the sins they commit Some being the sinnes of infirmity some of ignorance some of malice and some of presumption but Hee that hath eyes like a flame of fire Reu. 2.18 doth still behold them and although Adam doe goe about to hide himselfe amongst the thickets of the garden from the presence of God yet was hee still in Gods presence neyther could hee escape Many thinke they cannot runne farre inough from God Psal 1 39. of whom the Prophet speaketh Whither shall wee flie from Gods presence shall wee flie into heauen It is no part of our thought shall wee flie into the vtmost part of the earth the whole world is vnder Gods gouernment shall wee take a voyage by Sea it may bee God will send vs farther then we are minded to flie for little did Ionas thinke by flying from God that God would vexe him with all his stormes But if wee will not venture so farre but onely flye into the darkenesse we must know that with God The darkenesse and light are both alike There is no distance of place betwixt God and a sinner but alas the cause of all is this we know not the mischiefe that will follow by our departure from God how many sighes and groanes euen of our dearest hearts it will cost vs ere wee can get into fauour againe This did Dauid finde by wofull experience that hauing left the Lord and made a departure from his God by walking in the broad pathes of vngodlinesse Psal 51.1.2 Psal 6. adultery and murther did not the Lord bring him backe againe by the weeping Crosse that hee lay a long time wala-daying his griefe of heart ere hee could be perswaded that God would receiue him again into fauour Gen. 16. What found Hagar out of Abrahams house but want and sorrow What found the Prodigall child Luk. 15. being departed from his father but want and pouerty When Cain went away from God there was no more account made of him then of a vagabond and odious person Behold saith Cain to God Gen. 4.14 thou hast cast mee out this day from the earth and from thy face shall I bee hid and shall bee a vagabond and a runnagate vpon the face of the earth and whosoeuer findeth me shall slay mee This is the danger fearefull estate of them which committing sinne depart from God Oh that wee were wise then would wee consider our latter end Deut. 32. Reason of the Doctrine Now let vs see the reason of the Doctrine that so it may worke the deeper impression in euery one of our soules We haue heard that sinne is a departure from God and that a sinner hauing left the wayes of life finds no comfort nor peace till with the prodigal son they return to God again The reason is nothing can satisfie the soule of man but God himself as a pottle or a gallon cannot be filled with the measure of a pinte so are the pleasures of sinne but as a graine of muster-seed in the belly of an Elephant The desires of the soule remaine infinite and must haue an infinit God to satisfie them whereas the profites and pleasures of this world haue their bounds so that there is no other remedy for vs in this life but to remoue our minds from the desire of these earthly things and to transport the same vnto God that there they may rest content and be satisfied for the grace of God and the heauenly gifts of his spirit they are the onely comforts vnto the soule because his presence and goodnesse is most agreeable thereto being created after the likenesse of God as for all other things they are but death and famishment as stones and grauell are to the body Hence then let all men learn to be warned betimes Vse 1 Thou that takest liberty to thy self to liue in sinne Oh know that thou art now departing from God In whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there is pleasure for euermore And now thou art trauelling with the Prodigall sonne into a farre Country wandring from God to serue sinne and Sathan Well know O man that if thou wilt needes goe that thou doest now runne vpon manifest hazard danger for who can tell whether in this thy disordered course thou shalt come to mischiefe or to some miserable end or whether thou shalt haue that mercy granted thee to call thy selfe to better remembrance Oh goe not then after thy concupiscence nor follow not the inticement of thy lust let reason iudgement take place Pray with the Prophet O Lord Psal 17. lighten my darkenes that I sleepe not in death The Iewes hauing their choyce desired rather Barrabas to be deliuered vnto them then Christ the Sauiour of their soules O follow not the example of so bad Marchants to make a worse choyce then they for if thou yeeldest thy selfe to sinne and wandrest from God refusing Christ Iesus the saluation of thy owne soule goest a whoring after sinne and Sathan hereby thou shewest thy selfe farre worse then euer the Iewes were in their choyee And albeit thou goest not from God all on a sodaine yet thy departure will steale vpon thee by degrees as a man goeth far steppe by steppe First there may creepe vpon thee a dislike of goodnesse of preaching prayer c. Then to the loathing of it and so by little and little to bee drawn away from godlinesse And thou which sometimes wast an earnest professor shalt grow key colde in Religion And so for the
vnto himselfe Wee are deliuered out of the hands of our enemies that wee might serue God In righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of our life Luke 1.57 1. Cor. 6.20 And againe the Apostle sayth Yee are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit for they are God So that God must haue all we may not take so much as one houre no not so much as a minute of an houre to bestow the same vpon the world the flesh Tit. 2.11.12 or the Deuill Excellent is that place to Titus The grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that wee should deny vngodlinesse and would by lusts and that wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world The meaning is that the doctrine of saluation is preached vnto all not to embolden men in sinne but to vrge them to lay aside all prophanesse and to renounce their owne lusts and to haue their fruit in holinesse as they hope to haue the end euerlasting life And to these may be added that of the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 1.17 Passe the time of your dwelling here in feare knowing that we were redeemed not with corruptible things c. And therefore in all these respects you see wee must immediately without any further delay apply our hearts to wisdome to seeke those things which doe concerne the glory of God onely and to take no more care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof So that nothing is to bee preferred before the Lord but the Lord before all things so that our repentance is not to bee deferred any time but the works thereof are to be done out of hand that so God may haue his due and right in being serued and obeyed before all things as hee ought to be The vse of this Doctrine serueth to reproue those Vse 1 that are negligent in the performance of this duety who haue had many good purposes in their hearts but for want of timely prosecuting of them alas they haue proued but as the morning cloud Hos 6.4 quickly dispersed I haue knowne many that while they haue beene vnder the Ministery of the Word haue beene touched with sorrow for their sinnes their consciences being conuinced and for the time present they haue purposed to forsake them Act. 26.28 So that as Agrippa sayde to Paul Thou hast almost perswaded me to be a Christian So they haue almost beene perswaded to a better course but alas how sodainely it hath been forgotten it may appeare by their falling into the same sinne againe for so soone as they haue beene out of the Church they remember it no more but returne to their former courses As the dogge to the vomite 2. Pet. 2.22 Others againe when the hand of God hath been vpon them by sicknesse losse of goods c. and when their consciences haue beene as it were vpon the Racke they haue then made vowes vnto God and promised reformation of life that they will neuer doe as they haue done but that they would become new men and walke more carefully and conscionably then euer they did before but as soone as euer the Lord hath remoued the rod and set them at liberty they neuer remember it more And herein they deale with the Lord as the people of Israel did who Psal 78.33 when God brought any iudgement or calamity vpon them then presently they returned and sought God earely but when the iudgement of God was remoued they started aside like a broken bow Then the swearer maketh great protestation to leaue his swearing the drunkard his drunkennesse the whoremaster his whoredome c. But if the Lord restore them to their health againe they fall a fresh to their sinnes againe which they made shew to haue forsaken Oh then let vs not deferre the time of our repentance but so soone as euer we heare our sinnes reproued and the iudgements of God threatned against them that our consciences are conuinced Oh let vs then with speed addresse our selues to performe it If we should heare of a man that hauing committed treason against his Prince and for the same should die vnlesse he would seeke to pacifie his wrath and to stay the execution against himselfe that would deferre it from time to time and make light account of it would not all men condemne him and say hee were worthy to die Well this is the folly or rather extreame madnes of many a poore soule who though they know how to asswage the anger of God that is kindled against them for their sinnes yet deferre the same and put it off from time to time And herein the Deuill deales with men like a racking Vsurer who is wont to giue day after day of payment vnto a man vntill at last hee winde his inheritance into his hand Euen so doth the Deuill deale with sinners hee doth harden them on still from day to day in their sinnes vntill at the last hee hath gotten them into his owne inheritance and made them partakers of eternall darkenesse with himselfe for euer Oh let vs not then giue place to the Deuill and strangle our good motions by prophanesse but let vs immediately prosecute them that they may worke the good effect of grace in vs. Here we are taught that if we haue hitherto fayled Vse 2 in the performance of this Christian duety of repentance that we deferre the same now no longer but while it is called to day to spend the time of our being here in the practise of it and indeed the end of all our endeauours while we liue should bee this Luke 13.5 to gette a roome in the Kingdome of God which wee can neuer haue without repentance and he which omitteth the present occasion when it is offered can neuer repent This made our Sauiour to weepe for Ierusalem Luk. 19.42 and say Oh if thou haddest knowne at the least in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace And againe Shee knew not the time of her Visitation Now then if thy conscience tell thee that thou hast not yet repented and that thou art not yet a liuely member of Iesus Christ Oh delay no longer no not one minute of an houre but with all speed repent and turn vnto God bring forth the fruits worthy amendment of life that thou mayest haue comfort when the houre of death Gen. 22.3 or the day of iudgement shall be And as Abraham rose vp earely in the morning to sacrifice his dearest sonne which made much for the commendations of Abraham that hee went about the commandement of the Lord so cheerefully so doe thou likewise it is not thy sonne that thou art to sacrifice but thy sinne which otherwise will cut the throat of thy soule Oh rise vp earely with Abraham deferre no time this shall bee the best sacrifice that euer we offered vp vnto God Now all of vs doe
point let no conceit in the world nor perswasion whatsoeuer hinder vs from a present conuersion vnto God but out of hand while it is called To day let vs turne vnto him Thus much for the Exhortation The Reasons follow For hee hath spoyled and hee will heale vs he hath wounded vs and hee will bind vs vp WE haue heard already the godly perswasion of the beleeuing Iewes one to another Reasons to inforce the former exhortation to turn to the Lord from whom they had departed by their sins Now followes the reasons of their exhortation and they are twofold The first is drawn from the iustice of God in these words He hath spoyled vs hee hath wounded vs. q. d. We haue beene plagued and smitten Well it is the Lord that hath layd these heauy iudgements vpon vs it is the correcting hand of God that hath brought these grieuous afflictions vpon vs therfore let vs now Returne vnto him The second is drawn from the mercy of God in these words Hee will heale vs hee will binde vs vp q. d. Though the Lord hath smitten vs yet hee will helpe vs and heale vs if we will seeke to him for succour And surely these two reasons ought to be of force to moue euery one of vs to turne vnto God if his iudgements cannot compel vs yet his louing mercies ought to draw vs and allure vs to turne vnto him Doct. 1 Whereas the people of God in this place do not onely perswade one another simply to Returne vnto God Mans nature so corrupt that it stands in need of many reasons to perswade to holy duties but vse reason vpon reason to induce and to perswade them thereunto Hence wee may obserue the frowatdnesse and the vntowardnesse and great backwardnesse that is in all men by natuae to perform any holy duty That wee thus stand in need of so many arguments and so many reasons to perswadr vs thereunto In the whole Scriptures it is the vsuall manner of the Prophets and Apostles and holy men of God when they exhort to any vertue or dehort from any vice to adde sundry reasons that by the force thereof they might draw men to obedience This is practised of the Prophet Dauid when hee perswaded his sonne Salomon to haue a care to learne and practise the will of God 1. Chro. 28.8 And thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind And hee addes reasons to perswade him thereunto For the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts if thou seeke him hee will bee found of thee but if thou forsake him hee will cast thee off for euer Again when Moses doth exhort the people of Israel to obserue to keepe the commandements of the Lord how many forcible arguments and reasons doth hee alledge to moue the people and to perswade them thereunto some taken from the mercies of God If thou shalt obey the voyce of the Lord thy God Deut. 28.1.2.3 v. 15.16 c. Leuit. 26.14 Mal. 2.2 and obserue all his commandements which I command thee this day all these blessings shall come on thee and ouertake thee Blessed shalt thou bee in the City and blessed in the field c. Others taken from the iustice of God But if thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe and to doe all his commandements and ordinances which I command thee this day Deu. 6.5 cursed shalt thou bee in the towne and cursed in the field c. And in all Pauls Epistles it is his vsuall manner Rom. 12.1 where he exhorts to any vertue or dehorts from any vice to adde sundry reasons that by the force thereof he might the better preuaile 2. Cor. 9.7 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God And againe As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue not grudgingly or of necessity for God loueth a cheerefull giuer And in the Ephesians Eph. 5.22.23 exhorting diuers estates and degrees of men as husbands and wiues Parents and children masters and seruants to the performance of the duties of their seuerall callings he doth still second the same exhortations with diuers arguments and reasons Eph. 6.5 Col. 3.22 1. Pet. 2.11 Wiues submit your selues to your husbands as to the Lord and he ads a forcible reason thereto For the husband is the wiues head as Christ is the head of his Church and so likewise of husbands seruants c. This course is likewise practised of the Apostle Peter when he sayth I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the Soule These and the like examples whereof the Scriptures are plentifull serue to manifest vnto vs the corruption that is in our nature that are so backward in the performance of any holy duety that we stand thus in need of reasons to perswade vs to the same Now this comes to passe by reason that the Theoricke part of man his will Reason vnderstanding and knowledge since the fall of man is so blinded and corrupted that it vnderstands not the things that are of God but the will and vnderstanding are so depraued of grace that now they are direct opposite to Gods will And this is the cursed nature of all men vnregenerate as the Apostle sayth The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God Rom. 8.7 for it is not subiect to the law of God neither can be Where the Apostle shewes plainely that the wil of a natural man 2. Cor. 3.5 that liues in sinne vnregenerate Phil. 2.13 Gen. 6. Rom. 3.7 is flat contrary nay Enmity it selfe against God and neyther will nor can be subiect to Gods will So that whatsoeuer God wils man wils not Wee are not able of our selues to thinke a good thought It is God alone that must touch our hearts and worke in vs power either to will well or worke well Nay the Lord sayth more Pro. 14.12 That the whole frame of mans heart is altogether euill continually The whole frame of mans heart the mind will vnderstanding conscience reason affection yea the whole frame of mans heart is euill onely and that continually so that it is cleare our wils are contrary to Gods will by nature and wee can no more set our selues to the performance of any good duty then a dead man can of himselfe rise out of his graue and performe any action but our wils are so infected and poysoned with sinne that we now onely seeke and desire that which is euill and against the will of God and the good of our owne soules Vse 1 Oh how should this humble vr when we shall consider what wee are by nature Euen vnto euery good worke Reprobate that we are not able not so much as to moue one finger to
the performance of any spirituall duty Ibo 42.6 This should make vs to Abhor our selues in dust and ashes Oh in the matters of the world we are quicke of conceit If a man should tell vs how we should get some profite or enioy some pleasure or come to preferment These things are wee ready to conceiue of They shall not need to alledge any reasons to perswade vs to seeke after them nor arguments to moue vs. But how eagerly doe we hunt after these temporall things and that with great delight but when we shall be taught out of the Word of God how we may attain that true treasure that the rust and moath cannot corrupt and which shall neuer be taken from vs euen the Kingdome of heauen and the euerlasting saluation of our owne soules how carelesly doe we listen after it Nay the Ministers of Gods word had need to vse reason vpon reason and all to little to perswade vs to seeke after them Oh that wee should be so carelesse when we are exhorted to Returne vnto the Lord for the pardon of our sins that wee should thus sleepe still in sinne and blesse our selues in our euill and vngodly wayes Nay that which is worst of all how many bee there that when they are exhorted to any holy duty that are so farre from yeelding vnto them that they obiect against them fleshly reasons as it were laying stumbling blockes in their owne wayes to keepe them from God! We see this cleare in many who being exhorted vnto a new course of life and told of the necessity of labouring to get knowledge and hearing the Word of God They can obiect for themselues I shall then lose my time neglect my busines hinder my estate make my selfe a laughing stock vnto the world These are like those Guests in the Gospell Mat. 22.5.6 Mat. 13.22 who being bid to the banquet made excuses and would not come but made light of it Yea our Sauiour teacheth that when the Word of God is preached vnto vs the cares of this world the deceitfulnes of riches and the lusts of or her things choke the Word and it is made vnfruitfull Oh let vs beware that wee be not led aside by the subtilty of Sathan and these corrupt imaginations of our owne hearts but when the Word of God reproueth any sin in vs though the same seem neuer so sweet vnto the flesh Oh stride ouer all the rockes of offence that stand before vs to make vs fall that so we may hearken vnto the voyce of God and that God may delight in vs and take pleasure in our obedience proceeding from the heart Vse 2 Secondly as this shewes the backwardnes and vntowardnes that is in mans nature to the performance of any holy duty that we stand in need of so many reasons and arguments to perswade vs So it shewes vs also what course the Minister of Gods Word must take in preaching the Word That is not onely simply to propound and shew men their duties but hee must exhort them call vpon them nay he must study how hee may speake and vse all perswasions reasons and arguments to draw men to obedience to Turne vnto the Lord Ioh. 15. Mat. 13. Ioh. 10.1 Mat. 3.10 Luke 8.4 they must exhort they must intreat they must perswade and vse reason vpon reason and argument vpon argument and all will bee too little to draw men to seeke vnto God and to obey his blessed Word This hath beene the course which the Prophets from time to time haue obserued in their Sermons vnto the people that haue stooped downe to the capacity and vnderstanding euen of the simplest raising diuers Similes and Comparisons to illustrate the doctrines vnto the people to presse the same with diuers reasons and arguments to the end that all men might be left without excuse that as the Apostle sayth 2. Cor. 4.3 If the Gospell be hid it is hid vnto them that be lost He hath spoyled vs he hath wounded vs. Now we are to come to the words themselues And it is all one as if they should haue said Behold wee are grieuously spoiled we see how the Lord hath been offended and angry with vs for our sins how he hath for our rebellions thus spoyled vs of our liberty spoiled vs of our Country of our goods possessions yea and spoyled vs of his mercy and fauour hee was wont to shew vnto vs Nay he hath wounded vs and that grieuously he hath laden vs with the grieuous burden of afflictions Wee see it is the correcting hand of God for our sinnes and therefore let vs Returne vnto him by true repentance that he may heale vs helpe vs. Seeing then that they vse the remembrance of Gods Doct. 2 anger and of his iudgements vpon them as a meanes to draw them to God Gods iudgements must moue men to repentance and to bring them to repentance Wee may hence learne what is the end of all Gods iudgements eyther generall vpon a whole land or priuate vpon any particular man or woman What hath the Lord any delight to punish and to plague men and women with his heauy iudgements no verily the Lord doth not punish vs willingly Lam. 3.33 he takes no delight to afflict the children of men God sent his Prophet to cry in the streets of Nineueh Yet forty daies Ionas 3. and Nineueh shall be destroyed They made the true vse of Gods iudgements threatned against them when they fasted and prayed did put on sackcloth from the greatest of them to the least of them and did turn from their euill wayes and from the wickednes that was in their hands 1. Reg. 21.27 When Ahab had heard the iudgements of God threatned against him and his house Psal 78. Psal 107. He rent his clothes and put on sackcloth vpon him and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went softly So did the rebellious Israelites from time to time when the iudgements of God were vpon them they sought the Lord. This appeares likewise by the example of the progigal son when iudgement followed him at the heels had ouertaken him as it is the wages of al sin he then came to himselfe resolued of a return home to his father Whensoeuer therefore God shal lay his rod vpon our backes eyther in our owne persons in our goods or in our good names or in our wiues and children or any other that are deare vnto vs it is for this end that feeling the smart we may humble our selues vnder his hand And withall let vs know that whensoeuer our stubbornnes and disobedience shall driue the Lord to take this course with vs it is neuer without his great griefe as that place of the Prophet Hosea is worth our best consideration Hosea 11.8 where the Lord sayeth How shall I giue thee vp O Ephraim how shall I deliuer thee O Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I
before the Lord had sayd vnto him Loe all that hee hath is in thy hand but saue his life The like we see in the Gospel when Christ had dispossessed the two possessed with Deuils which came out of the graues they had not the power of themselues being dispossest to enter into the heard of swine before that Christ had giuen them leaue So that the tyranny of Sathan himselfe and of all his wicked instruments be it neuer so great yet it is bounded within the lists and limits of the power of God All these and the like examples whereof the Scripture is full serue for the confirmation of the euerlasting truth of this doctrine that all iudgements chastisements and afflictions whatsoeuer they happen vnto vs nor by chance or fortune as men say but they come from God And this is acknowledged by the godly Iewes in this place where they say The Lord hath wounded vs c. And the reason is this because the prouidence of God ruleth all things both in heauen and earth as well the smallest as the greatest so that there is no roome left for chance or fortune but by the speciall prouidence of God doe all things come to passe This doth our Sauiour teach most clearely when he sayth Are not two Sparrowes solde for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father yea the hayres of your head are numbred Now if the prouidence of God be in such small things as in Sparrows the haires of ones head how much more in weightier things This is acknowledged by the Apostles in the Acts Doubtlesse Act. 4.27 against thy onely Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed Both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together to do whatsoeuer thy hand and thy councell hath determined before to be done So that the Apostles of Iesus Christ doe there acknowledge that whatsoeuer hapned vnto Christ Iesus both for his apprehension arraignement condemnation it came not to passe alone through the trecherousnes of Iudas nor the malice of the whole nation of the Iewes but that God in his eternall decree had fore-ordayned the same So then if we looke vnto the prouidence of God which ruleth al things both in heauen and earth and without whose prouidence nothing can come to passe ir must needs cleare this Doctrine vnto vs that all iudgements chastisements and afflictions come from God Now let vs come to the vses of this Doctrine Seeing that all iudgements chastisements and afflictions Vse 1 whatsoeuer happen vnto vs come from God This may teach vs patience vnder the Crosse not to murmur and grudge against them but to beare them patiently seeing they come not by fortune Gen. 15.13 Ier. 25.11 Io. 19.10 Luk. 22.53 or by the malice of the Deuill but by the most wise decree and purpose of God yea the yeares and dayes the very houres and moments of time touching the afflictions of the godly are determined of God Oh let vs then learne to possesse our soules with patience whensoeuer God shal humble vs in our bodies goods or name by any iudgement or calamity eyther inward or outward assuring our selues that if the fault be not in our selues the crosse when it doth depart will leaue a blessing behind it and we shall be sure to gain more in the Spirit then we can lose in the Flesh And howsoeuer the wicked may persecute the godly here yet they are but the rod of God and they cannot passe the bonds of their commission granted them from the Lord they cannot shorten one moment of our life or adde vnto our afflictions more then what God hath purposed And in the end God will cut them off when it pleaseth him that they shall proceede no further Secondly this may condemne those that neuer Vse 2 looke vnto the hand of God but thinke all things come by fortune or else do onely look on the means but neuer looke vp vnto God who smiteth by them like a dogge that snatches the stone but lookes not after him that flung it Iob. 1.21 Iob was of another mind hee doth not so much as looke vpon the Caldeans Sabeans or the Deuill that had spoyled him but Iob acknowledgeth that it was the Lord that had done all this Not like many amongst vs in these dayes who if they haue any losse in their cattell or sicknesse in themselues wiues or children by and by they be bewitched and so runne to the Deuill for counsell How farre was this from godly Dauid when Abishai the son of Zeruiah would haue killed Shemi for cursing Dauid What haue I to doe with you yee sonnes of Zeruiah sayth Dauid hee curseth because the Lord bade him curse mee 2. Sam. 16.10 And surely this must needs be the notable policy of the Deuill that men not considering that it comes from the Lord should neuer seeke to him for remedy And here we may take occasion to reproue one common fault amongst many who thinke that Witches haue power to destroy mens goods to afflict mens bodies lame their cattell kill their children and the like Deu. 18.10 whereas if we consider the matter aright wee shall find it otherwise Indeed there are Witches which vpon their conuiction are to die and not to be suffered to liue but withall wee must obserue for what cause they are to die not because they destroy mens goods afflict mens bodies or kill mens children for the Scriptute neuer attributes these iudgements to come from Witches but from God whose purpose and prouidence is in all things but they are to die because they haue made a league with the Deuils which are Gods enemies and because they seduce the people of God and draw them into error and into many diuelish practises to leaue God their Creator and to seeke for helpe from the Deuill or his cursed instruments Amos. 3.6 whereas indeed all iudgements and afflictions whatsoeuer layd vpon our bodies goods and children come from God and there is no more nor lesse hurt done then if there were no Witches at all neyther can the sending of the Deuill by a Witch giue him any power or commission to doe any thing more then that for the which hee hath receyued commission from God But here is the policy of the Deuill Note and here is the iudgement of God vpon sinners that will bee deluded the Deuill when he hath receyued commission from God to hurt he will not by and by execute the same till if it be possible some Witch or Sorcerer doe send him seeming all this while vnto them to be their seruant and slaue whereas indeed al this while they are his vassals and bondslaues vsing them as his cursed instruments not to receiue helpe by them but onely for a colour that hee might by that meanes draw many to seeke helpe from him and so carry them headlong into eternall condemnation for indeed the
Deuill is more forward to do hurt then any Witch can be Oh then let vs labour to become so spiritually wise that wee may discouer the policy of the Deuill herein and to helpe vs herein let vs assure our selues that All power is of God Mat. 28. that neyther the Deuill nor the Witch can kill man or beast at their pleasure till they haue authority first from God for it is the Lord alone by whose wise prouidence purpose all things both in heauen and earth come to passe onely our sinnes prouoke him to chastise and afflict vs God giueth the Deuill leaue as an executioner of his vengeance to correct and scourge vs for our sinnes and when he hath obtayned leaue of God he seeketh to doe it at his best aduantage as may further his owne kingdome and delude the simple For he hath spoyled vs hee hath wounded vs. We haue heard before how that they do acknowledge Doct. 4 all those iudgements that lighted vpon them to haue come from God God doth chastice his own children when they sinne against him and that most iustly for their sinnes especially for their sinne of Idolatry Before we leaue the words of this their first reason wee are to obserue one thing more from the persons afflicted He hath spoyled vs c. Euen they that were the Church and people of God whom God had honoured aboue all other nations and people vnder heauen yet when they fell away from God by Idolatry God did not spare to bring euen vpon them many and grieuous iudgements and afflictions Hence we obserue this point of Doctrine that God will not spare to chastise his owne children if they sinne against him although he take not his louing kindnes from them nor suffer his truth to fayle Numb 11.33 Yet hee will visite their transgressions with the rodde and their sinnes with scourges The history of the Israelites in their iourneying towards Canaan their manifold murmurings and rebellions is a plentifull witnesse of this truth when they lusted for flesh and loathed Manna How did God smite them with exceeding great plagues euen iudgement vpon iudgement vntill hee had consumed the greatest fort of them We may fee this in the example of Salomon when his heart was turned away from the true God the Lord was angry with him therefore the Lord stirred vp one aduersary against Salomon 1. Reg. 11. and afterwards another aduersary which did much mischiefe and euill against Israel When Ionas had disobeyed the voyce of the Lord being sent to preach against Nineueh how did the Lord vexe Ionas with his stormes Ionas 1.2.3 that the shippe could haue no rest till she had disburdened her selfe of Ionas The iudgements of God as a Serieant pursued Ionas to arrest him as a fugitiue seruant so that albeit Ionas fled from God yet the hand of God followed after him and ouertooke him Num. 12.10 When Miriam the sister of Moses contemned Moses because she was not a Prophetesse as great in authority as himselfe although Moses meekely suffered it yet the Lord reuenged the wrong and stroke her with a Leprosie that for a season shâ— was shut out of the hoast When Dauid had falne into his sinnes of Adultery and Murder though he were a man beloued of God yea 2. Sam. 12.9 a man after Gods owne heart yet the Lord did stir vp euill against him out of his owne house yea Christ Iesus himselfe vnto whom sinne was but imputed for he neuer committed any hee was afflicted with sorrowes for our defaults he was bruised for our iniquities and the chastisement of our peace was layde vpon him Esay 53.5 and by his stripes we are healed The like may be sayd of Manasses Iehosaphat Iosiah Hezechiah and the like Al which serue to confirm vs in the truth of this doctrine that God will not spare no not the godly themselues bee they neuer so neare or deare vnto him but will bring vpon them many and grieuous iudgements if they sinne against him And this did this people in this present Text find to be true by wofull experience for sinning with a high hand against God and committing Idolatry the Lord did bring most heauy and grieuous iudgements vpon them for the same And the reason is Reason that all the world might take notice of his iustice that he is no respecter of mens persons but will shew himselfe vtterly to hate an sinne whensoeuer wheresoeuer or in whomsoeuer hee findeth it The Lord hath euer in all ages shewed examples of his iustice against sinne to the end wee might quake and tremble at the committing of it he is not a God that loueth wickednes neyther shall any euill dwell with him for he hateth all them that worke iniquity bee they what they will be if they be found to commit sinne against God God wil not spare them He accepteth not the persons of Princes saith Elihu nor regardeth the rich more then the poore Io. 34.19 They being all the works of his hands This doth the Prophet Dauid acknowledge when he sayth Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned 1. Sam. 16.7 Psal 51.4 and done euill in thy sight that thou mayest bee iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest So that if men breake his statutes and keepe not his commandements God will bee sure to visite their transgressions with the rodde and their sinnes with scourges and all to manifest the truth of his owne Word and to make good those threatnings gone out of his mouth against sinne yet wee must know that there is great difference between the children of God and the wicked when the Lord corrects his children they are bettered by their afflictions they are humbled confesse their sinnes and bewayle them they labour to reforme their liues and to Turne vnto the Lord by true Repentance but the wicked the more the Lord spoyles and wounds them they are the worse by it whereas the children of God take occasion by affliction to Turne to God the wicked are by them driuen the further from God they eyther see it not that afflictions come from God and so repute them to fortune or chance or some secondary causes or else they murmur and breake out into impaciency as we may see in Pharaoh the more the Lord plagued and spoyled him the more he hardned his heart Vse 1 Here then we are first of all to confesse that great is the wrath of God against sinne seeing he will not spare no not the Elect themselues those that are as neare and as deare vnto God as the apple of his owne eye as we haue seene by the example of the Israelites Gods people of Miriam Dauid Salomon and the like Oh then what miserable wretches are wee that wee should presume of Gods mercy seeing wee haue such fearefull spectacles of his iustice for the Lord doth lay to heart the sinnes of the godly more then the sinnes of the wicked
There can be no greater despite done vnto a man then when his own children rise vp against him Euen so what greater dishonour can be offered vnto the most high God then when his sonnes by adoption and grace shall rebell against him from whom he expecteth the greatest honour And therefore if they sinne against God God doth euer take it hainously at their hands and will assuredly punish them for the same And if this be the course of Gods iustice against the Elect how safely may wee thus conclude that the wicked and vngodly shall not escape howsoeuer the Lord beare for a time with the vessels of wrath according to that of the Prophet Ieremy Thus sayth the Lord of Hoasts Ier. 25.29 Yee shall certainely drinke for loe I beginne to plague the City where my name is called vpon and shall you goe free Oh how may this terrifie all vngodly wretches to consider that howsoeuer God spareth them for a time and let them run on in their vngodly courses yet their damnation sleepeth not all this while their transgressions are recorded in the booke of God and are layde vp in store for them against the day of reckoning This is that which Salomon calleth to their remembrance when he sayth Behold the righteous shall bee recompensed in the earth Pro. 11.31 how much more the wicked and the sinner And to the same purpose sayth the Apostle Peter 2. Pet. 4.17 The time is come that iudgement must beginne at the house of God And if it beginne at vs what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell of God If the righteous bee soarsly saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare Vse 2 Secondly seeing the Lord doth chastise his owne children when they sinne against him as we see in this present example Hence we may note that afflictions be not alwayes tokens of Gods anger neyther may wee measure the fauour or loue of God towards our selues or others by outward blessings or outward crosses by prosperity or aduersity for as Salomon sayth All things happen alike to all Eccles 9.2 and the same condition is to the iust and the wicked We may not then condemn those on whome wee see the Lord to lay great and grieuous afflictions as many naturall men vse to do Nay on the contrary seeing the Lord corrects euery one that he loues wee may rather iudge afflictions tokens of his loue as if wee see a man beat or correct a child and let another goe we will iudge him his sonne whom he corrects Oh then art thou spoyled and wounded in thy soule bee not any whit discouraged if thou be one of Christs Lambes thou must be content then to bee spoyled of thy Fleece and to haue the bloudy knife at thy throat all the day long but if thou be a Sheepe to be solde then thou shouldest bee pastured and fatted in the best grasse Mat. 3. The children of God be the Lords Wheat Now then they must bee content to be cut with the Sickle to bee carried into the Barne they must vndergoe the blowes of the Flaile they must be fanned and grownde to powder with the Milstone of afflictions and baked in the Ouen and Furnace of a wounded conscience before they can be bread for Gods Table Oh that we could see how our poore and miserable soules bee spoyled and wounded by sinne and Sathan Oh we haue many a deadly wound in our soules by Sinne and this is the reason why so few seeke vnto Iesus Christ the good Physitian of our soules and why so few runne to God for the pardon of their things namely because they see not themselues spoyled they neuer feele the bleeding wounds of their poore soules and consciences Oh that the Lord would open our blind eyes to see our misery how wee bee vtterly spoyled and touch our hard hearts to feele the bleeding wounds bloudy issues of our soules surely it is the beginning of all grace to feele themselues wounded at heart for their sinnes Alas the blind and carnall men of the world if they see one spoyled or wounded at the heart for sinne they by and by condemne him for a wicked man as the Heathen men did Paul Act. 26. Psal 6. 130.77 Iob. 13. Esay 38. Act. 2.37 But who euer were more spoyled then the dearest Saints and Seruants of God haue beene Looke vpon Dauid who euer was wounded both in Body and Soule as Iob was who thought that God had become his enemy he sayth that the Lord shot his arrowes at him as if hee had beene his marke to shoot at and that the very venome of his arrowes pearsed his soule and drunke vp his spirit Looke vpon good King Ezechias he sayth that the Lord broke his bones like a Lyon and wounded him sore Who euer was so spoyled and wounded as the Son of God himselfe and therfore we may not take them as tokens of Gods anger no no Iudgement begins at Gods house and if God doe not try men by crosses and afflictions let them suspect themselues that they be rather Bastards and not Sonnes for the Lord doth chastice them he loueth and if he suffer men to runne on in their owne wayes without breaking and taming them as young Coltâ— and vntaimed Heyfers it is a signe rather that God cares not for them Well then let vs confesse the hand of God in all our troubles and withall confesse our sinnes as the procuring cause of all Gods iudgements and turne seeke to him for mercy and forgiuenesse and take his fatherly corrections as tokens of his loue that he would thereby humble our hearts purge our soules draw vs to loue him and to seeke to him for mercy Vse 3 Here we are taught which is the right way to bring men to God namely to spoyle them of all hope in themselues to bring them to a flat nothing in regard of themselues that they may say I am the greatest and the chiefest sinner Oh miserable man who shall deliuer mee from this body of sinne Men must be thus wounded else they cannot be healed and as for them which neuer felt themselues spoyled and wounded at the heart for their sinnes they are not yet truly called they be not yet truly conuerted therefore let it be spoken to euery soule heere present if you neuer felt your soules wounded neuer felt your hearts pricked and your consciences touched grieued and afflicted for your sinnes Alas you are not yet turned to God you neuer had as yet true grace wrought in your hearts But those which feele the smart of sinne and feele their hearts wounded for sinne they will esteeme more of one droppe of Gods mercy for the pardon of the same and of one drop of the bloud of Iesus Christ for the saluation of their soules then of ten thousand worlds if they were offered vnto them whereas the secure and hard hearted Sinner which finds not himselfe to be spoyled and
wounded doth make no account at all of the same nor neuer seekes vnto God for mercy Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp NOw followes the second reason drawne from the mercy of God For though hee hath spoyled vs and wounded vs yet he will heale vs and bind vs vp againe And these be the most gracious words of God himselfe Behold I am hee and there is no God but I Deu. 32.34 1. Sam. 26. I kill and make aliue I wound and make whole againe And therefore this reason drawne from the mercy of God seeing hee offers himselfe to heale vs and to bind vp the wounds of our soules Oh it ought to moue vs greatly to turne vnto him So then the point of Doctrine that offers itselfe to Doct. 1 be considered of vs is this The mercy of God must lead men to repentance that as the iudgements of God must alluremen to repentance and to returne vnto God so must his mercies I remember the speech in the Prophet where the Lord is pleased to make vs the better to conceiue of his mercy to take to himselfe the affections of a man Ier. 31.20 Hos 11.8 His bowels were troubled for Ephraim And againe How shall I giue thee vp Ephraim how shall I deliuer thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within mee my repentings are rowled together It is all one as if the Lord should haue said Oh it goes neare me O Ephraim Exod. 34.6.7 O Israel that I should euen be forced by thy rebellion and horrible impieties to deale so straightly with thee And the Lord tels Moses Psal 86.15 that he is a Mercifull and a gracious God slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands and forgiuing iniquity and transgression and sinne Hee is called againe of the Psalmist A pittifull God And the like is intended in the language of the new Testament That when hee saw the multitude dspersed as sheepe hauing no shepheard his bowels earned within him Mat. 9.36 These examples and the like whereof the Scriptures are full all serue to confirm the euerlasting truth of this doctrine that God is a God of mercy that his mercies ought to allure men to repentance for though the thundering out of the threatnings and iudgements of the Law be a meanes to awake a secure heart yet nothing will so much affect a mans mind euen melt a mans soule to make a man returne vnto God as the due knowledge and consideration of the vnspeakable riches of Gods mercy and therefore it is no maruell though the Prophet here doe vse this as one forcible reason to stir vp men to make their returne vnto God by vnfained repentance for that he will bee ready to Heale our sores and Bind vp the bleeding wounds of our soules which we haue made by sinne if we will repent and returne vnto him And indeed this is one of the maine differences betwixt the godly and the wicked The iustice of God doth sometimes so farre preuaile with the wicked as that they feare and tremble but it is not for the losse of Gods fauour but for feare of torment But on the contrary the goodnesse and mercy of God doth euen cause the seruants of God to quake and to tremble lest by any means they should depriue themselues of the comfortable enioying of his loue according to that of the Prophet Dauid Psal 130.4 There is mercy with thee O Lord that thou mayest be feared Oh blessed feare when the mercy of God doth beget it in a mans Soule So then we see that the mercy of God is infinite his compassion is higher then the heauens it is the greatest dishonour done vnto God that can be to doubt of his fauour and to call his louing kindnesse into question Let vs build vp his promises as a sure foundation that shall neuer be remoued Heauen and Earth shall passe away but his word shall not passe away We haue the Word and the Oath of God as two vnchangeable Witnesses so that it is impossible he should lye or be deceyued Againe we haue the Sacraments of God as two Authenticke Seales to ratifie his promises and to make them most sure vnto vs. Mat. 5.18 Heb. 6.18 Rom. 8.16 And we haue withall the earnest penny as a pawne left vnto vs and all to assure vs of his fauour and loue and therefore this reason of the Church and people of God drawne from the mercy of God seeing that he is so ready to pardon sinne and to entertain poore penitent sinners that sue to him for mercy it ought to be most forceable vnto vs to moue vs to Returne vnto him Now let vs come to the vses First seeing that the Lord as hee doth wound vs chastice man for sinne so it is he alone that is the spirituall Vse 1 Physitian of our soules Hence then we are directed to whom to seeke for remedy euen vnto God alone who as he wounds so he heales as he breaketh asunder so hee bindeth vp If a man haue some dangerous disease in his body or other deadly wound if hee know any man to be of skill and a faithfull Chirurgion he will seeke to him and let him out and laâ—nce him Well this is our case we bee spiritually sicke euen vnto eternall death in regard of ourselues our soules be grieuously and dangerously wounded what shall we now doe but runne to Iesus Christ the blessed Physitian of our soules who is most able and willing to cure vs and heale vs And as the poore Begget vnlaps his legges and shewes his grieuous sores to those that passe by and all to moue compassion So let vs not be ashamed to lay open our soules to Iesus Ghrist let vs confesse our grieuous and manifold sinnes Let vs not be ashamed to let him see our spirituall wounds but let vs make our moane to him and craue his help and begge as for life death for the pardon of them and if wee can get but one drop of his precious bloud it will bee a plaister to heale our wounds and cure the deadly diseases of our soules When the children of Israel had grieuously sinned Num. 21. the Lord sent fierie Serpents amongst them now many of them by the stinging and biting of them were so inflamed that they died and could not be cured But when they repented and cryed to God in their misery behold he commaunds that Moses should make a brazen Serpent set it vpon hie that so many as were stung with those fiery Serpents might cast their eyes immediately vpon that brazen Serpent and so might bee cured Euen so all of vs are stung by the fiery Serpents of our sinnes and we newly wallowing in the bloud of our soules Yet see Oh see the mercy of God who hath giuen vnto vs his owne sonne who is the brazen
as a Leprosie as red as Scarlet and as filthy as dung yet if God giue repentance and wee can beleeue here wee haue the promise of Gods mercy yea assurance of forgiuenes Let vs returne vnto the Lord and hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp Oh then let none bee discouraged from seeking vnto him for mercy but let them seeke it rightly and that by Repentance and they shall obtaine assuredly VERSE 2. After two dayes hee will reviue vs and the third day he will rayse vs vp and wee shall liue in his sight IN these three verses we first obserued these three speciall points First a most godly and christian exhortation of the beleeuing Iewes wherein they perswade each other mutually to Returne vnto the Lord. Secondly the reasons that they vse the better to moue and induce one another to performe this duty of Repentance the first drawn from the iustice of God in these words He hath wounded vs Hee hath spoyled vs The second drawn from his mercy Hee will beale vs hee will bind vs vp And because this reason drawne from the mercy of God is a reason of all reasons yea a most speciall reason to moue any one to turne to God that hath any sparke of grace therfore the the holy Ghost doth amplifie this reason by two other circumstances the first drawn from the shortnesse of the time wherein the Lord afflicts his people it is but for a day or twaine or at the most for three dayes a short time the Lord will not alwayes be angry with his children but howsoeuer he shall chastice them for a time it will bee but for a time Heauinesse may indure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning The second taken from the greatnesse of his deliuerance that though he hath spoyled vs yet hee will Reuiue vs and though hee had grieuously wounded vs yet he will bind vp all the bleeding wounds of our soules if we will patiently abide his leasure The third speciall point is the fruit of true repentance which are three The first is that if wee haue once beene spoyled of our owne righteousnesse and wounded truely for our sinnes and beene healed and wrapped vp by the mercifull hand of God We shall then liue as in his presence in all holines and righteousnes Secondly he will power into our hearts that knowledge which will bring vs vnto eternall life to know his will how hee is affected towards vs and this knowledge shal direct vs to walke wisely before his face so that we shal desire to grow in this knowledge and study dayly to attaine to a greater measure of it We shall endeuour our selues to know the Lord. And the third and last fruit of Repentance is that if we will draw neare to God by true repentance hee will draw neare to vs to comfort vs set out by two similitudes the first of them is in these words The Lords comming is prepared as the morning for indeed many times it comes to passe in the Ver. 3 hearts of Gods children that the sense and feeling of Gods loue and fauour is oftentimes extinguished as the comfortable heate and light of the Sunne is taken away by reason of some thicke cloud that doth passe betwixt the Sunne and the earth so many times we thinke that God forgets vs hides himselfe from vs but his comming to helpe vs is prepared and therefore most certaine And he shall come as the morning and therefore most comfortable for as the bright beams and cleare countenance of the Sunne after a windy boisterous night is very comfortable Euen so when after a cloudy night of affliction wherein wee haue beene wounded and broken in our soules for our sinnes the bright beams of Gods mercy breaking then forth shall bee most comfortable to glad and reioyce the soule of a poore sinner This then is the first fruit that shall follow our true conuersion vnto God The Lords going foorth to comfort vs and to deliuer vs is prepared the Lord hath purposed it and determined it of folde that those that repent and Returne vnto him shal find comfort and refreshing The second similitude which sheweth the second fruit of repentance sheweth that the Lords comming shal not onely bee comfortable but also most effectuall and most welcome vnto the soule of this same poore sinner that as helpe and deliuerance in time of greatrst danger is most welcome So when the Lord shall come with great and effectuall comfort and bring helpe and deliuerance in time of greatest affliction danger Oh then it will be most set by and esteemed and to assure the poore child of God of this comfort in time of need the Prophet saith that the Lord will come as the Raine euen as the latter raine vnto the earth Now as moderate raine is welcome as at all times so especially in the heate of summer after a great and a long drought when the earth is scorched with the heat of the Sunne and beginnes to capper and gape for want of moisture then a gracious and sweet shower is most welcome Euen so when a poore soule doth pant and breath vnder the burthen of his sinnes and is schorched with the burning heat of affliction then if the Lord in mercy send a gracious raine an heauenly shower of his blessed mercy in this heat of affliction this would bee most welcome this would bee most comfortable and this doth the Lord promise and assure his Church and children if they will Returne vnto him Of the exhortation wee haue spoke of before as also of their reasons the first drawne from his iustice Hee hath wounded vs hee hath spoyled vs. And the second drawne from his mercy Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp Now because this reason or argument drawn from the meccy of God is the chiefest of all other as Paul teacheth when he sayth Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God therefore the holy Ghost here amplifies this reason first by the shortnesse of time wherein the Lord afflicts his people it is but for a day or two a very short moment After two dayes or at the most in the third day hee will come vnto vs if we humble our selues vnder his mighty hand After two dayes It is all one as if they should haue said True it is the Lord hath grieuously spoyled vs for our sinnes and wounded vs for our iniquities so as his hand seemes grievous vnto vs yea let vs breake off our sinnes by repentance and let vs Returne againe vnto him from whom we haue departed by our sinnes and the Lord will soon remoue his iudgements from vs. In this verse note three things first the person from whom all helpe comfort and deliuerance doth come He. Verse diuided Secondly the circumstance of time in the which the Lord will deliuer vs After two dayes or at the most the third day Thirdly the deliuerance it selfe with the seuerall fruits of
to Stockes and Stones pretending therein humility that they will not bee so bolde to come to God themselues but vse the mediation of such as are about him Yet let vs know that Abraham Isaack and Iacob Moses and the Prophets were as humble men yea more humble then any Papist can be yet their humility did no whit hinder their holy boldnesse to come into Gods presence and to sue to him for grace and fauour The second generall obseruation is the circumstance of time in the which the Lord will deliuer vs After two dayes and the third day hee will rayse vs vp q. d. True it is the Lord hath grieuously spoyled vs for our sinnes and wounded vs for our iniquities wee haue tasted and felt the powerfull hand of God vpon vs there is no way to escape his iudgements but to breake off our sins by true and vnfained repentance and 〈◊〉 the Lord wil quickly remoue his iudgements 〈…〉 After two dayes c. Circumstance of time 〈…〉 we gather that the afflictions that are layd 〈…〉 children are neyther very durable for Doct. 2 〈…〉 day or two neyther altogether incurable or intollerable Afflictions layde vpon Gods children are neyther durable nor incurable Esay 54.7.8 2. Cor. 4.17 for God will raise vs out of them all This doth the Lord himselfe make cleare vnto vs by his Prophet when hee sayth For a little time haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger hide I myselfe from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee The holy Apostle Saint Paul teacheth vs that our light afflictions which last but for a moment bring vnto vs a farre more excellent euen an eternall weight of glory Where note how the Apostle cals all our afflictions first light Mat. 11.28 for Christs yoke is easie and his burthen is light And secondly Momentany lasting but a very short time a day or twaine as the Text sayth here Hereunto commeth the saying of the Psalmist Psal 30.5 Hee indureth but a while in his anger and in his fauour is life heauinesse may indure for a night 1. Cor. 10.13 but ioy commeth in the morning Againe They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy So that the afflictions of Gods people last but from euening till morning Heb. 12.2 from sowing time till haruest and howsoeuer God maketh the wicked men his Rodde Psal 37.74 yet the Rodde of the wicked shall not alwayes rest vpon the lotte of the righteous Psal 125.3 Though the Lord appoint his children for a time to be afflicted yet it shall bee but for a time Heb. 18. Gen. 47.14 And which shall come will come and will not tarry This point of Doctrine is further cleared by the example of Ioseph the Israelites in Egypt of Dauid of Daniel and of many of the Saints and deare seruants of God Exod. 12.41 who suffered shame indured the Crosse were some of them tryed by one iudgement and affliction some by another yet the Lord awaked at last as a man out of sleepe and as a Gyant refreshed with wine when the time of refreshing came they were deliuered So that by this that hath been sayd Dan. 6.23 we may safely conclude of the truth of this point that how 〈…〉 â—he Lord may humble his Church and people 〈◊〉 some Crosse for a time yet hee will neuer leaue them destitute of his helpe and comfort but at last deliuer them out of all And the Reasons are plaine for first the Lord is Reason 1 priuy to our wants and to our weakenesse Hee knoweth whereof wee bee made hee remembreth that wee are but dust What Father but will pitty the wants of his Child and when it is ready to fall into danger wil not helpe it the Lord is more tender to his children then any earthly Father can bee towards his child Mat. 6.7.11 Now if yee which be euill know to giue your children good things how much more will your heauenly Father And therefore saith the Apostle That God is faithfull which will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able 1. Cor. 10.13 but will euen giue the issue with the Temptation that wee may bee made able to beare it Secondly his eares are alwayes open to the cries Reason 2 of his Children and he putteth their teares into a bottle of remembrance hee is priuy to their wants and he heares their cries I haue seene I haue surely seen sayth the Lord the troubles of my people I haue also heard their cries and I will deliuer them So long therefore as wee haue a voyce to call vpon God or a heart to sigh and grone vnto him wee need not to doubt of our deliuerance so that whether wee consider that the Lord is priuy to our wants or weaknesse and alwayes heares the prayers yea the sighes and grones of his children we need not any way to doubt but that the Lord will put an end vnto all our troubles heere The vses follow Seeing then that the Lord our God in afflicting Vse 1 vs layes no more vpon vs then wee shall bee able to beare but in the middest of all our troubles giues a blessing and if wee seeke vnto him hee doth manifest his loue in deliuering vs. This may teach vs all a profitable lesson namely to possesse our soules with patience and to wayte the Lords leasure for if we seeke to him by true repentance and hearty prayer Hee that shall come and will come Luke 21. and will not tarry This must be our comfort that after two dayes or at the most three dayes hee will visite vs and rid vs out of our trouble and affliction if the Lord do see the same to be good for vs And let vs take heed that we fall not to murmur against God to repine and grudge at his chastisements much lesse to charge God of cruelty no he afflicts but with light affliction and such as bee but for a moment a very short time and therefore let vs runne to God patiently endure his trials kisse his rod and his hand that smiteth vs seeing hee afflicts vs for our good and seeks onely our reformation comfort and saluation Obiect But here I know it will bee obiected How can this be true that the iudgements and afflictions of Gods Church and children are so short that God doth reuiue his children after two dayes or at the third day at the most Do we not see many good Christians that are the deare children of God haue grieuous afflictions some sicknes some pouerty some imprisonment some exercised with the griefe of a wounded conscience and they pray earnestly for remedy yet the Lord doth still continue them in their misery how then doth this stand that afflictions last but a day or two or some short time An. True it is indeed that the Lord oftentimes
vse all careful diligence in Preaching the Word in season and out of season in labouring and vsing al careful diligence to saue mens Soules to teach them to Catechize them and to instruct them that so they may be saued Vse 2 Secondly for the people they are to know and to bee assured that Ignorance of Gods Word is a great and feareful sin The Hearers duety and a heauy iudgement of God vpon this Land it abounds wonderfully with ignorance and so long as men be ignorant they wil bee prophane I would to God I had no iust cause to complaine of this our people but the truth is that though wee bee the Lords Vineyard and hee hath hedged vs about and planted a Vine-presse euen the Preaching of the Gospel to water the Land yet as Paul sayth Mat. 22.29 1. Cor. 15. I speake to your shame some haue not the knowledge of God Now if Paul might say so to the Church of Corinth surely this may as well bee verefied of many in our Church I speake to your shame some haue not the knowledge of God Nay that complaint of the Holy Ghost in another place may iustly bee taken vp against vs Whereas concerning the time yee ought to bee Teachers yet had yee need to bee taught the Principles of Religion Euen so whereas the most of vs if we respect the long time God hath taken in teaching vs we might haue been teachers yet the truth is the most had need to be taught the a. b. c. euen the principles of Christian Religion Oh then I beseech you in the feare of the Lord that you would now at last looke into your estates It is not the least of Gods fauours towards vs that hee hath spared vs so long that he hath not cut off the thred of our life in the dayes of our ignorance and blindnes as many haue been before vs Let vs now make hast to Returne vnto the Lord repent of this sin That wee may liue in his sight Thus much for the second fruit of our conuersion and sincere Repentance Wee shall haue knowledge Now it is further added And endeuour our selues to know the Lord. AS a true liuely Meaning of the words and sauing Knowledge is a fruit of true Repentance and Conuersion vnto God so in these words Wee shall endeuour our selues to know the Lord is heere layde downe the fruit of sauing knowledge namely to hunger after more knowledge as the Man of God had no sooner cast his Mantle vpon Elizeus but hee ran after him so if the Lord do but cast one dramme and put one sparke of this sauing knowledge into the heart of any man or woman it wil make them to run after the Lord with an earnest desire and endeuour to get more knowledge The Word heere translated Endeuour it signifyeth to prosecute earnestly Three things required to get this sauing knowledge and to hunt after the knowledge of the Lord euen with no lesse paines nor lesse perseuerance nor with no lesse pleasure then the Huntsman doth follow his game So then this word commends three most excellent vertues vnto vs in seeking after the Knowledge of God for as those which follow the game take great pains run through thicke and thin And secondly they perseuere and continue from morning till night and wil not leaue til they kil and thirdly take great delight in their paines Euen so should wee in seeking this blessed knowledge of God vse these three First vse all pains diligence Secondly persist and continue in seeking And thirdly take pleasure in it Hence then out of the first of these Doct. Labour and pains required in all that will get sauing knowledge we are taught this Doctrine that a Christian man or woman must not bee secure idle or slothfull but vse all possible paines diligence and labour for the attaining of this sauing knowledg We shall endeuour our selues to know the Lord sayth the Text that is wee shall vse al possible meanes to attaine to this sauing knowledge of the Lord Iesus For it fares with this heauenly knowledge as with a man in a dropsie the more hee drinks the more he thirsts and desires drinke so Wee shall endeuour ourselues that is wee shall hunger and thirst after this heauenly knowledge as the foode of our Soules and neuer bee glutted with it but labour to abound more and more in it And for the further confirmation of this point of doctrine the Scriptures afford vs diuers examples of Gods children who haue been content to take great paines to seeke this knowledge of God 2. Reg. 4.23 When the Sunamite would goe to the Prophet Elizeus her husband answered Why wilt thou goe seeing it is neythor New Moone nor Sabboth day Out of which words it appeares that vpon such dayes they vsed to goe yea farre iourneys to be instructed in the Word Lâ—k 8.1.2 Act. 8.27 Luk. 13.24 So in the Gospell wee shall read that the people tooke long iourneyes and great paines to heare our Sauiour Christ It was not the tediousnes of the weather the distance of place nor the weakenesse of their Sexe being many of them women that could any whit discourage them from seeking after Iesus Christ the Sauiour of their soules And we read of the Eunuch who went a long troublesome and costly iourney to Ierusalem to get this knowledge of the true God And it is the Precept of our blessed Sauiour himselfe That wee striue to enter in at the straight gate These examples and the like whereof the Scripture is full al serue to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs that diligence labour and paines are reqvired in all those that would attaine to this blessed knowledge It is not for a Christian man while he is heere to cast himselfe vpon a bed of ease as Iezabel vpon her bed of fornication and to promise a rest vnto himselfe heere but there must bee a continuall growth and proceeding of knowledge faith repentance and the like graces And if a man to gain worldly riches or honour or knowledge or the like will goe farre and neare by sea and by land how much more ought a Christian man to take paines to obtain that knowledge which will bring vs to eternall life and puts vs into a reall possession of Gods Kingdome This doth most iustly condemne many amongst vs of great contempt and damnable negligence Vse who wil not take any paines to get this Knowledge nay though it be brought vnto them yet many vngratefully trample this blessed Knowledge vnder their feet Alas if wee could see the want of this Knowledge what a dangerous thing it is euen that which brings endlesse confusion Io. 17.3 and also the good and gain which comes by it namely eternall life and saluation then surely wee would seeke far neare for it as the people of God doe and haue done But of this before Secondly Doct. this word Endeuour
ioyous Heb. 12.11 but grieuous yet there is a time when it shall bring the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them that are exercised therby Deu. 8.16 In regard hereof Moses the man of God sayth That the Lord humbled his chosen people and proued them that hee might doe them good at their latter end And in my poore iudgement a man may gather farre more vndoubted assurance of Gods euerlasting fauour towards his soule by these inward afflictions then by any outward prosperity in the world whatsoeuer the Lord grant vnto his poore afflicted seruants that their troubled soules which with sorrow for sinne are cast downe so low that they may reape this gracious blessing It followeth And hee shall come vnto vs as the raine euen as the latter raine vnto the earth IN these words the Prophet doth yet more fully expresse the mercy of God towards poore distressed soules by the later rain that fals vpon the earth that euen as raine is most welcome to the scorched parched earth in the time of summer after a long drought to coole the heat and to quench the thirst thereof as our owne experience this last summer hath taught vs as also to ripe the fruits of the earth and to bring them to perfection Euen so when poore soules be wounded and spoyled of all sense and feeling of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ and lye bleeding in their miseries scorched tormented with the heat of Gods anger for sin euen when men seem to be past hope then if the Lord send a gracious raine and a blessed shower to quench the heat of their poore afflicted soules for sin it shal be most welcome for then is mercy most welcom when men haue felt the bitter smart of sinne But of this more largely the doctrine before Now The ends wherefore the Lord doth defer his helpe if any aske wherefore the Lord lets his owne people lye oftentimes so long soking in misery before hee helpe them and then helps them when as there is least hope of helpe I answere he doth this First for the tryall of their faith whether they will depend and hang vpon him also for the exercise of their faith and patience Secondly to make them see and know that they bee nothing in themselues but that the strength they haue is in Christ Thirdly to stir them vp to seeke and pray vnto him more earnestly for helpe and succour And lastly to make them highly to esteeme of his mercy for such things as bee easily come by are lightly esteemed but things which be long in getting cost much trouble and paines and likewise such things as come in time of great trouble and need they must bee most set by and therefore the Lord defers his mercy often to the last gaspe that so it might bee the more esteemed This may teach vs to continue our patience and to wayte still his leysure though hee deferre long and seeme to forget vs yet Wee must liue by faith We must hope for life in the midst of death and say with Iob Though thou kill mee yet I will trust in thee So though the Lord defer his helpe and comfort many yeares yet wee must neuer let goe our hold but still hang vpon his mercy with the hands of faith And thus much for the first generall part of this Chapter the godly practise of true repentance and the seuerall fruit and effects thereof The second followeth VERSE 4. O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee for your goodnes is as the morning cloud and as the Morning Dew it goeth away The second generall part of this chapter IN the Chapter going before the Lord hath threatned many great grieuous iudgements against Ephraim and Iudah as verse 14. I will be vnto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a Lyons whelpe to the house of Iudah I euen I will spoyle and goe away I will take away and none shall rescue it And in the three first verses of this Chapter wee haue seene what fruite it had in the beleeuing Iewes namely that they were truely humbled for their sins feared Gods anger and Returned vnto him by true and vnfained repentance Come say they Let vs return vnto the Lord c. In the second part of this Chapter is set down what fruits and effects Gods denuntiations and terrible iudgements threatned against sinne had in the vnbeleeuing Iewes namely a most vile and stubborn rebellion against all the meanes that the Lord vsed to conuert them ver 4. Secondly the punishment of their rebellion ver 5. So that the summe of these two verses is nothing else but a pittifull complaint of the Lord for the stubbornnesse and rebellion of the Iewes that could not by any meanes the Lord vsed be reclaimed The summe of these two verses O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee for your goodnes is as the morning cloud and as the morning dew it goeth away Secondly the iust punishment of almighty God vpon them for the same ver 5. Therefore haue I cut down by the Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth and thy iudgements are as the light that goeth forth In the first of these we are to note 3. things 1. The complaint What shall I doe vnto thee how shall I intreat thee 2. The persons of whom the Lord complaineth thus Ephraim Iudah 3. The cause of the complaint or the thing wherof the Lord complaineth Your goodnes is as the morning cloud and as the morning dew it goeth away In the second wee are to note 4 things 1. Who was the author of their punishment and did inflict it I haue cut c. 2. The greatnes of it I haue cut down and flaine them 3. The meanes or instrument God vsed in punishing them By my Prophets the words of my mouth 4. The equity of this iudgement and punishment inflicted vpon them For thy iudgements were as the light So cleare and so manifest that no man could complaine or excuse themselues by ignorance they were in the view of all men Of these in order and first to beginne with the complaint What shall I doe vnto thee how should I intreat thee THese words containe in them the complaint the Lord takes vp against these rebellious Iewes it is as much as if he should haue said I haue for my part vsed all the meanes that possible I could to humble you and to bring you to repentance but now alas I know not what to do vnto thee more or what course to take to doe thee good yet I can bring thee to no good passe but all is in vain that euer I haue done vnto thee and therefore in great griefe pittying thy wretched and forlorne estate I can but mourn for thy misery Doct. 1 Hence we see in the dealing of God with this people the wonderfull mercy of God towards
them in that hee shewed himselfe so mercifull God doth not proceede in iudgement before hee hath offered all means of mercy as first to vse all the meanes hee could to conuert them and humble them before hee punished and destroyed them If the Lord had but shewed one meanes as the Word preached it was his great mercy for hee might iustly take all aduantage at our hands to cut vs off in the height of our sins damne vs presently for the same but in that he vseth so many meanes so long a time it shewes his wonderfull mercy to these people in that he sayth Oh what shall I do how shall I entreat It shewes the Lord had vsed all the meanes hee could his word his mercies his iudgements threatnings punishments and yet all would not humble them So that hence we may obserue the wonderful mercy of God towards his people in that hee vseth so many meanes to humble them for their sins ere hee cut them off The truth of this Doctrine is confirmed by diuers places of Scripture Ier. 7.13 as that of the Prophet Ieremy I rose vp earely and spake vnto you but when I spake yee would not heare mee neyther when I called would yee answere And that of the Prophet Esay Esay 68.2 I haue stretched out my hand all the day long vnto a rebellious people Ioel. 2.13 This is further confirmed vnto vs by the Prophet Ioel when hee sayth Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God for hee is gracious mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse Ezech. 33.11 and repenteth him of the euill And so much doth God himselfe teach vs of himselfe when he sayth As I liue sayth the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue 2. Sam. 12.1 When the Prophet Dauid had committed very haynous and horrible sinnes how graciously did the Lord send vnto him his Prophet Nathan to awake him out of his sinne and to call him home by repentance And againe afterwards 2. Sam. 24.10 when in the pride of his heart hee had numbred his people hee sent the Prophet Gad vnto him to humble him for the same Yea the Lord is so rich in mercy that hee offereth the same vnto the wicked themselues though they in their prophanesse neglect and contemne the same When Cains heart beganne to boyle in malice against his brother Abel Gen. 4.6.7 the Lord sayd inough to him if hee had had grace to haue kept him from that horrible sinne of murder Why art thou wroth sayth Almighty God to Cain and why is thy countenance cast downe If thou doest well shalt thou not bee rewarded c. And after that Cain had slaine his brother the Lord left him not Gen. 6.3 but laboured to bring him to remorse when hee asked him Cain where is thy brother Abel And againe The voyce of thy brothers bloud cryeth from the earth And when God was purposed to destroy the olde World 2. Pet. 2.1 Gen. 19. 2. Reg. 21.28 what meanes did hee vse first to reclaime them hee gaue them a hundred and twenty yeares to repent in and all this while sent vnto them Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse to warne them of that iudgement to come yet they repented not So dealt hee with the filthy Sodomites by placing iust Lot amongst them to labour their conuersion Mat. 27.19 and was so farre preuailed with by Abraham that if ten righteous soules had beene found in those Cities God had spared them for their sakes The like may bee sayde of Ahab and of Pilate yea the Lord offered his mercy vnto Iudas when as before any thing was effected Christ put him in mind of his bloudy thoughts against him making it manifest that hee was the man that should betray him Thus haue wee seene cleared the truth of this Doctrine that God is a God of mercy that hee will not easily proceede in iudgement before hee hath offered all meanes of mercy What shall I doe vnto thee how shall I intreat thee The meanes by the which the Lord doth humble men Now the meanes by the which the Lord doth humble men are diuers First and principally the Ministery of his Word Thus dealt the Lord with his seruant Dauid as wee heard before sending his Prophets vnto him to bring him to the sight of his sinne 1 The Ministery of the Word and to this end hath the Lord commaunded his Prophets and Ministers to cry aloud Esa 58.1 Pro. 8.1.2.3 9.1.2.3 and to lift vp their voyces like Trumpets to preach the Doctrine of repentance and to shew the people their sins And Salomon in diuers places of his booke of Prouerbs bringeth in Christ Iesus the wisedome of God sometimes crying aloud in his owne person and sometimes by his Ministers to summon men to repentance Thus dealt hee with the Nineuites sending vnto them his Prophet Ionas to preach repentance vnto them that there rested but forty dayes Ion. 3.4 and then without repentance Nineueh should lye in the dust And hence is it that the Apostle Paul calleth the Ministery of the Word The power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth And in another place hee sayth Rom. 1.16 that howsoeuer the seeming Wisemen of the World do account of Preaching but as foolishnes yet it hath pleased God By that foolishnesse of preaching 1. Cor. 1.21 to saue them that beleeue And this Word of God is called the Lords Hammer Ier. 23.29 whereby he knockes at the dore of our hard hearts and this is the most principall the most powerfull and effectuall meanes being Gods ordinance to conuert sinners and to bring them to repentance Secondly his manifold mercies and blessings the which hee Renueth towards vs euery morning 2 His Blessings and by this meanes doth the Lord seeke to wooe and winne our hearts to him hee giues vs life and health meate Lam. 3.23 drinke apparrell lodging hee keepes vs from many dangers and poures downe thousand blessings vpon vs and euery one of these giue a knocke at our hearts and cry aloud in our eares that the Lord by them doth labour to draw and winne vs vnto him this was that that made Dauids sinne exceeding sinnefull namely That God had annointed him King ouer Israel 2. Sam. 12.7.8 and had deliuered him out of the hands of Saul and had giuen him his Lords house and his Lords wiues into his bosom c. And would if that had been too little haue giuen him much more and therefore his vnthankefulnesse must needs bee the greater to sinne against so gracious and mercifull a God Thirdly by his corrections and chasticements which God doth lay vpon vs His iudgements by these doth the Lord ring many a warning peale in our eares sometimes by long and tedious sicknes diseases crosses losses
let this moue vs all to bee grieued for this sinne Let vs amend it Esay 1.16 Pro. 15.11 Let vs labour to come with penitent and obedient hearts else all our prayers and all things else that we doe in Gods seruice Ier. 7.7 is but Abomination to the Lord. And indeed when men are once come to this passe that they thinke they haue knowledge inough faith and repentance inough and are forward inough so long as they come to Church and heare the Word when men are once come to this passe many meanes and great meanes can doe them no good This people of the Iewes had many means the Lord sent his Prophets earely and late Ier. 7. but they could not conuert them and why because they cryed the Temple Mich. 6.6.7 the Temple and trusted in lying vanities So the Lord sent his Prophet Mica threatning them with iudgements yet they were not reformed and the reasons is because they contented themselues with these outward shewes of repentance and thought their outward worshippe was inough and that God would bee content with their sacrifices And again he heard the Prophet Ezechiel preach and denounce Gods Iudgements Ezec. 33.31.32 yea they commended him and were forward to heare him yet this vile thought and perswasion being in their hearts that it was inough to heare though they went no further stopt their hearts so as they could not repent Mar. 6. â—0 This was Herods sin who was come to this height of impiety that if Iohn Baptist would bee content with his hearing so it was but reformation of life especially of his beloued sinne hee should neuer see in him Reu. 3.15 And surely this is that that makes all good things vnprofitable to vs because men thinke they are wise inough and good inough Is it not a wonder that men should liue so many yeares vnder the meanes heare so much and read so much and yet profite so little Indeed it could neuer bee so if men did see their wants and come with penitent and obedient hearts Oh then I beseech you in the feare of God lay aside this proud conceit lay aside this vaine perswasion that you should thinke your outward seruice and worship of God is inough that you know inough and are good enough rather thinke the worst of your selues and desire more grace that yee may seeme good with more feeling and comfort Secondly in that the Lord compares their repentance and goodnes all their piety and seruice of God to a Morning cloud and to the dew before the Sunne he shewes that their Repentance was not onely vnsound but also vncertaine of no continuance some good motions came into their minds and some prickes of conscience for their sinnes but yet they would not leaue their olde sinnes and turne to God with al their hearts From whence wee obserue a further point of Doctrine Doct. 7 that the wicked themselues haue somtimes good motions in them howbeit they bee not lasting The wicked haue sometimes good motions in them but not lasting When Gods hand is vpon them by long and tedious sicknes how ready are many to make solemne vowes vnto the Lord of reformation of their liues but alas this is but while their consciences are vpon the racke but when that his iudgements are remoued it may be sayde of them as of wicked Ahaz 2. Chr. 28.22 They trespasse yet more against the Lord. This was the desperate estate and condition of this people the Lord threatned them with many great and grieuous iudgements as in the former chapter vnder the which they seemed to bee humbled for a time but alas it was but for a time for it quickly vanished away euen as the Dew when the Sun shines hote vpon it This was the case of the people in Moses time they made a fayre shew for a time Deu. 5.27 saying to Moses the seruant of the Lord Goe thou neare and heare all that the Lord our God sayth Num. 23 10. and declare thou vnto vs al that the Lord our God sayth vnto thee and wee will heare it and doe it Balam that false Prophet that loued so the wages of iniquity as that hee would haue done directly against the commandement of the Lord yet hauing his mind inlightned desired that hee might Die the death of the righteous which was in it selfe a good and a godly prayer had it not proceeded from a wicked and a gracelesse heart but it was not constant in Balam but as a sudden flashing of a lightning quickly vanishing away Exod. 9.27 What shall wee say of Pharaoh who cryed out I haue sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked This appeareth further in the Iewes who wished to come to happinesse if that would haue serued the turne Io. 6.34 Lord giue vs euermore this bread they had grieuously sinned against the Sonne of God and yet in a certaine remorse of conscience they wished to be partakers of eternall life This the Apostle condemneth in the Galathians Gal. 5.7 Yee did runne well what did let you that yee did not obey the truth Was not this the case of Hymeneus and Philetus 1. Tim. 1.10 2. Tim. 2.18 2. Tim. 4.10 were they not held to bee great Christians in their times and obtayned a good report in the Church of God in the which they liued yet afterwards fell away making shipwracke of faith and a good conscience What shall wee say of Demas PhilemoÌ„ 24. who went so farre in Religion as that hee suffered imprisonment for the truthes sake and yet fell in loue with the world What did it profite Iehu to bee zealous for the Lord in slaying the Priests of Baal seeing he Departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam 2. Reg. 10.25 v. 31. What did it profite Lots wife to goe out of Sodom commanded by the Angel Gen. 19.26 accompanied by her deare husband seeing shee looked backe and was turned into a piller of salt Wee must therefore contend for more faith for more knowledge and for more grace that wee may finde in our selues a dayly increase in the same for not to goe forward in Religion is to goe backeward and not to increase in spirituall graces is certainely to decrease and decay in them Wee haue in the Scriptures many lawes to incite and prouoke vs to goe forward to perfection to walke to labour and to striue for godlines but wee haue none to giue liberty to sit still to bee idle or to loyter to bee carelesse or secure This doth the Lord himselfe teach vs when hee sayth If a righteous man turne from his righteousnesse Ezec. 18.24 and do the thing that is euill all the righteousnesse that hee hath done shall bee no more thought vpon but in the wickednesse that hee hath done in the same hee shall die 1. Cor. 9.24 And this is taught by the Apostle Paul when hee sayth Know yee not
may be saued therefore God will send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lyes that all they may bee damned that beleeue not the truth but take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse The Lotd graunt vs more sanctified hearts that wee may make better vse of his gracious oportunities that hee doth offer vnto vs that for the time to come we may make more righter steps to his kingdome This Doctrine maketh First for the iust reproofe of all Papists and all such Vse 1 as are popishly affected as such as the Lord may most iustly taxe with this great ingratitude of contemning the meanes of their owne saluation that will rather hearken to erronious and hereticall doctrine then to the truth of God contained in his holy Word Let them stand neuer so much of their works of piety and deuotion as Fastings prayer almes c. they are without the Word but abhomination to the Lord the Lord hates them and his soule abhorres them being not done in faith repentance and true obedience as Salomon sayth He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law euen his prayer shall be abhominable But oh the iust iudgement of God vpon them they haue refused to embrace the loue of the truth and haue beleeued lies and therefore it is a righteous thing with God to giue them ouer to hardnesse of heart and rebrobate minds to be deluded by Sathan and so to perish with him for euer Secondly this Doctrine doth nearely concerne Vse 2 vs all Wee see here what a fearefull sinne it is before the Lord to contemne his Word to neglect his Doctrine and lightly to esteeme of the meanes of our saluation it is of that nature that the Lord cannot at any hand put it vp but will most surely punish the contempt therof as we haue seene before by the examples of the old world the Sodomites the people of the Iewes and the like And yet alas wee see it a sinne too too common so as men doe generally neglect contemne if not desperately despise the means of their saluation the most glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ making no account of it but trample it vnder foot esteeme no more of the Word preached then they do of their old shooes they wil not go to the dore to heare it but rather lye vpon their beds sit by the fire talke in the streetes play in their bowling Allies and to doe any base or vaine thing then to come into Gods house to heare his Word whereby their poore soules might be saued Oh horrible impietie Well I remember that Saul obserued Dauids seat when hee was wanting much more doth the Lord take notice of our emptie seates and solitary Pewes when wee are wanting Will you heare how the Lord hath grieuously punished such contempt yea the neglect of holy meanes and hath not the Lord met with vs for this sinne yes questionlesse as the plague and pestilence is sent for sin so I am perswaded no one sinne of the land hath been a greater cause to prouoke the Lord to anger and to plague our land so often with the pestilence and other grieuous iudgements of vnseasonable weather the like then our long our generall and our continuall contempt of his most holy Word and prophaning of his Sabbaths so as the Lord may say to vs for this cause haue I cut you downe euen by hundreds and thousands for the contempt of the gracious means I haue vsed to do you good Oh then I beseech you in the feare of God let vs lay this to heart and seeing the Lord will neuer suffer the contempt of his Word goe vnpunished let vs now at last repent of this sinne let vs esteeme better of the Word let vs receiue it beleeue it and bee more carefull to heare it otherwise if wee liue in the open contempt of it as now wee doe I say vnto you in the name of the Lord and from the warrant of his sacred Word by the which wee shall al bee iudged at the last day Mat. 11.21 that it shall bee easier for the men of Sodom Gomor then for vs yea the time may come when wee shall weepe and howle crie out and say Oh that I were a Sodomite Oh that I had beene borne one of Gomorah and enuy the felicity euer of the Sodomites in comparison of our own torments Heb. 2.3 If now wee neglect so great saluation Thirdly and lastly seeing the Word preached and taught is the ordinary meanes of our saluation and the neglect and contempt thereof doth draw downe Vse 3 such heauy iudgements vpon vs as we haue heard before how may this teach vs all according to godly Salomon his aduice to take heed to our feet when we come into Gods house and as our Sauiour sayth Eccl. 4.17 Mat. 13. Luk. 8.18 to take heed how wee heare It is not to bee accounted a light matter that we haue this liberty to come into Gods house that wee may heare him speake vnto vs in his Word for if wee benefite not by these holy exercises of religion and draw nearer vnto heauen wee are made by them the more hardned in sinne to our greater confusion at the last let vs not therefore come for fashion sake or for custome but for conscience sake before God in obedience to his commadement And to this end wee must learne to prepare our selues before wee come by heartie prayer to God both that he would direct the tongue of the Minister his seruant that hee may deliuer the Word truely and powerfully as also that hee would open our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydea that wee may attend vnto those things that shall bee taught which godly preparation if it were carefully obserued of our hearers it could not bee after so much and long teaching they should remaine so ignorant and barren of Gods Worke as generally they bee Well to conclude this Doctrine let this be for our present instruction that if we would bee free from the accusation of wicked graceles and prophane persons let vs labour to bee willing and well affected hearers that wee come with hungring and thirsting desires vnto the spirituall food of our soules that it may bee vnto vs a sauor of life vnto a better life and that the Lord may neuer bee constrained to vse the same as here hee did to this people namely as an instrument to Cut downe and a meanes of our further condemnation at the last would wee not haue beene loath to haue beene in Sodom when God rained downe fire and brimstone from heauen vpon their heads Oh Lord how should wee quake and tremble to thinke of this slaughter that the Lord threatneth here namely To cut downe by his Prophets and to slay by the words of his mouth I haue cut downe IN that the Lord professeth here that he was the author of their punishment The Author of this iudgement and did inflict this iudgement on them for their
borne Thou wilt performe thy truth to Iacob Micha 7.20 and mercy to Abraham as thou hast sworne to our fathers in olde time Tit. 1.2 Psal 102.27 And as this was accomplished touching the comming of the Messias In the fulnesse of time So the same holds true concerning all other the promises of God made vnto his Church and people And the reason of all is this because God is of an vnchangeable nature Reason Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not Whatsoeuer he hath sayd shall be done and whatsoeuer hee hath spoken shall bee accomplished For with him is no variablenesse nor shadow of change Vse 1 This checks those proud spirits and despisers of the Prophets of the Lord who esteeme of Gods seruants and messengers as the scumme of the world will not giue any credite to their Doctrine make iests of them and if they pronounce iudgements against sin Tush wee hope it is not so as these Preachers tell wee hope wee shall doe well enough for all their threatnings They haue denied the Lord and sayd It is not hee neyther shall the plague come vpon vs Ier. 5.12.13 neyther shall wee see sword nor famine And the Prophets shall bee as wind and the Word is not in them Like to them are many of our people amongst vs they make but a Tush of all those threatnings that Gods Ministers doe denounce against them in the name of the Lord till they come vpon them then they can acknowledge they had a fayre warning Read that place diligently in Zachariah and the Lord giue vs a right iudgement in all things Zacha. 1.4.5.6 the words are these Bee yee not as your Fathers vnto whom the former Prophets haue cryed saying Thus sayth the Lord of hostes Turne you now from your euill wayes and from your wicked works but they would not heare nor hearken vnto mee sayth the Lord Your Fathers where are they and doe the Prophets liue for euer But did not my words and my statutes which I commanded by my seruants the Prophets take holde of your Fathers and they confessed and sayd As the Lord of Hoasts hath determined to doe vnto vs according to our own wayes and according to our works so hath hee done vnto vs. See heere how the Lord sends these rebellious Iewes to former times euen to looke vpon Gods iudgements vpon their forefathers q. d. Though your Fathers bee dead yet my iudgements in punishing them ought still to be before your eyes and though the Prophets bee dead yet their Doctrine remaineth for euer Behold yee then the force of my Doctrine in punishing your Fathers and feare yee the threatnings contayned in the same and declared a fresh vnto you by my Prophets Oh may not this bee a fayre warning to vs that yet liue to admonish all those that despise the Word of the Lord in the mouthes of his Ministers to take heed how they contemne Gods faithfull Ministers which esteeme their words but as wind for if they speake in the name of the Lord and haue the Word for their varrant it shall certainely bee accomplished Shall I spare such a people sayth the Lord shall I not bee auenged on them Ier. 5.14 Behold fayth the Lord to his Prophet I will make my Word as fire in thy mouth and this people shall bee as wood and it shall deuoure them Euen so shall the Lord vse his Word in the mouthes of his Ministers as the sword of his Spirit to Cut down slay and will bring to passe his iudgements proclaymed by them so as all wicked and vngodly men at the last shall confesse and say Oh I had a fayre warning I was told of this long agoe if I had beene wise to beleeue it and now I see the Word of God is true in the mouthes of his Ministers Oh what shall become now of all rebellious and hard-hearted sinners who seeme to haue Made a Couenant with Death Esay 28.15 and an agreement with the graue which go on in sinne and feare no danger but what followeth Your Couenant with Death shall bee disanulled and your agreement with hell shall not stand c. Their hopes shall faile them in the end God will not bee mocked they shall bee sure to pay full deare for their contempt when it shall bee too late to amend Oh let vs not then harden our hearts through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Esay 55.6 but Let vs seeke the Lord while he may bee found and call vpon him while hee is neare Secondly wee are taught heere not to bee dismayed when wee see the wicked to prosper and to flourish heere spreading themselues as the greene Bay-tree Vse 2 for loe God doth set them in slippery places their damnation sleepeth not Gods iudgements are gone out against them they are determined with God there wants nothing but the execution of them the which in Gods due time shall bee accomplished euen by an irreuocable decree Now what if in the meane time they rufle it out with great words and shewes and who but they Alas their estates are rather to bee pittied then enuyed because Gods Word is against them their sinnefull courses and by it at the last they shall bee sure to bee Cut downe Psal 2. Pharaoh and the Egyptians may take crafty counsell together against the people of God But hee that dwelleth in heauen doth laugh them to scorne And this Pharaoh which seemed for a while to bee so terrible his end was most fearefull And what if Ahab and Iezabel plotte together and abuse their authority for the winding in of Naboths Vineyard into their owne posession and Naboth is slain 1. Reg. 21. Gods Word went out against him therfore by his Prophet Elias and it was not his walled Pallace that could keepe backe Gods iudgements A man that had seen Lazarus a poore begger Luk. 16.22 destitute of all helpe and comfort lying at the rich mans gate his mind possest with cares with his body full of sores whilest the rich man within was clad of the finest and fed of the daintiest a man I say that had beheld these rwo if hee had had no more then naturall reason would easily haue concluded the begger to bee miserable and the rich man to bee happy But God sees not as man sees neyther are his thoughts as mans thoughts for euen in this great misery of this poore begger hee was a happy and a blessed man notwithstanding the great pompe of the other in the middest of it all hee was but wretched and miserable Then let vs not rest in beholding the present face of outward things but possesse our soules with patience considering that All things happen alike to all Yet in the end it shall goe well with the iust And howsoeuer the wicked prosper wel in the world Psal 73.17 yet they are set but in slippery places Gods threatnings in Gods due time shal be inflicted vpon them
abound with all maner of sinne and impiety And if it went so hard with those that were Virgins Mat. 25. and went with their lampes to meete the Bridegroome wanting the oyle of grace in their hearts then what will at last be the doome of all those that are not Virgins but Adulterers and Adulteresses euen those that haue committed spirituall fornication Iam. 4.4 with sinne and Sathan which yet neuer went out to meete the Bridegroome of their soules Certainely these mens iudgements doth not sleepe and when it ouertakes them woe vnto them Oh then seeing that hypocrites seeme to draw in the same yoake with the children of God in respect of the outward Ceremonies of Gods worship but want sincerity of heart life Let vs looke to our selues that those things may bee repayred in vs that is wanting in them that so the Lord may accept of vs and our sacrifices Againe in that the Lord sayth here I desire mercy Doct. 2 and not sacrifice condemning the outward sacrifices of his worship when they proceeded not of faith towards God and loue towards man Wee learne hence that lawfull things must bee done lawfully Lawfull things must bee done lawfully for the Lord looks not so much vpon the outward face of his worship as hee doth vpon the intent of the worshipper This appeares clearely in this people they seemed to bee humbled for sinne aswell as those beleeuing Iewes spoken of in the three first verses of this chapter they came into the Temple they made great shewes of humiliation for sinne yea they were very forward to bring in their Peace offerings vnto God thinking indeed that they had now done inough to satisfie Gods anger and to appease his wrath but because it was but as the Morning Dew neyther durable nor lasting nor sound and sincere the Lord doth reiect both it and them Gen. 4.5 This is further cleared by the example of Cain who offered sacrifice aswell as Abel but because hee performed not the same in a holy manner in faith repentance and true obedience the Lord esteemed not of it but the same sacrifice of Cain added vnto the number of Cains sins This may bee seene in that inditement which Christ brings against the old world Mat. 24.38 They did eate and drinke marry and gaue in marriage All which were lawfull in themselues yet because they were not done in faith and repentance they added vnto the measure of their sinnes for they minded onely their pleasures their heartes were onely set vppon carnall delightes they eate and dranke without feare without prayer and thanksgiuing Iude. 12. 1. Tim. 4.4.5 as if they were not beholden to the Lord for the same besides they abused the good creatures of the Lord to surfetting drunkennesse these and the like corruptions in vs do turne eating drinking into sinne And the like may bee sayd concerning Marriage Heb. 13. it is in it selfe a holy ordinance of God vnto those that are holy and vse the same holily but for the sons of God to ioyne themselues to the daughters of men for beauties sake riches honour Gen. 6.2 or any such carnal respects Luk 17.28 when the same is not found in the way of vertue this becomes an horrible sinne vnto vs. And the like is alleadged by our Sauiour against the Sodomites They bought they sold they builded things lawfull in themselues but when they bought and sold with couetous desires and oppressing their brethren and builded not for necessity sake but to shew their pride and vanity These made the same become sins vnto them These and the like examples whereof the Scriptures are full all serue to confirm the euerlasting truth of this point of Doctrine vnto vs that lawfull things must be done by vs lawfully otherwise the same become sinnes vnto vs. Now let vs come to the vses This serues for the exceeding terror of all wicked Vse 1 and vngodly sinners If these people in this place sinned so highly euen in offering of sacrifices which were duties required at their hands when they proceeded not in faith and repentance not done in an holy maner then how shall they bee able to stand hefore God in the day of his searching account that haue heaped sinne vpon sinne and one iniquity vpon another that haue not onely done good things in an euill manner but euill things in a worse manner Againe how many bee there that content themselues with an outward ciuill life that come to Church heare the Word and receyue the Sacrament thinking that all this while they haue done God good seruice neuer looking into the manner of doing them nor neuer disquiet themselues for their hidden corruptions alas what of all this when faith and loue is wanting Faith towards God and loue and mercy towardes our brethren when these thinges are wanting in vs Vse 2 This serues in the second place to teach vs aboue all things to take heed vnto the manner of our actions that wee content not ourselues with the outward matter of Gods worship and seruice but especially to looke into our heartes that wee come vnto them in true faith sound repentance and holy obedience for this is that that will cause the Lord to approue of all wee doe in his seruice as the Mite of the poore Widdow was accounted a maruellous great gift with our Sauiour and why not in it selfe for what is a brazen token in Gods account but because the same proceeded in faith the Lord doth therefore account most highly of the same the like may bee sayde of a cuppe of cold water that shall bee giuen to a Disciple of Christ which Christ doth promise shall not goe vnrewarded The manner not the matter of Gods seruice is that which hee especiallie lookes after I will haue mercy and not sacrifice THe Lord doth not heere complaine of them for Doct. 3 that they offered no sacrifice vnto him no for herein they were as forward as any Property of an hypocrite to content himselfe with the outward parts of Gods worship but for want of faith towardes him and loue towardes their brethren Hence wee may see a liuely picture of an hypocrite and a counterfeit Christian namely such a one that contents himselfe with the outward parts of Gods worship as this people did who thought themselues religious inough forward inough so lōg as they offred their sacrifices brought their beasts to the altar praied in the temple kept their holy daies times of prayers as our Papists doe at this day and performed the outward ceremonies of the Law but as for the knowledge of God as for faith repentance obedience reformation of their liues and iust and vpright dealing with men they made no bones of it Esay 1.12.13 had no regard of those things and yet thought all was well When yee come to appeare before mee sayth the Lord Who hath required this at your hands Bring no more oblations in
Lord thus loue mercy and brotherly kindnes Vse 1 betwixt neighbour and neighbour that hee prefers it before all our outward shewes of religion nay al that we do is but abhomination without it Oh how should this affect vs all how should it inflame vs to loue one another to pardon one another to shew mercy one to another Would you doe that which pleaseth God which hee desires so much it is this that thou shew mercy to thy brother Mat. 5. to pardon him to forgiue him to shew thy loue to him Bee yee mercifull as your heauenly Father is mercifull Some there are who in the outward exercises of religion are very diligent in repairing to the Congregation in hearing Gods Word and conforme themselues indifferently vpon the Sabbath day to other Christian dueties but looke on them concerning their duties to men there you shall finde them exceeding guilty proud disdainefull malitious cruell Oppressors all for themselues without any respect to others Oh let vs looke vnto it that wee separate not those thinges which God hath ioyned together holinesse towards God and righteousnesse towards men Art thou a louer of Godâ— Word delightest in the publike duties of Gods worshippe and seruice thou doest well it shall bee thy comfort in life thy comfort in death and thy ioy and reioycing after death Well then looke vnto this that thou make conscience of equitie towards men Doe to others as thou wouldest haue another doe vnto thee else all thy deuotion is but hypocrisie for God hath ioyned these two together Seeing the Lord compares yea prefers Mercy Vse 2 before Sacrifice that is loues and delights in mercifull dealing and honest and faithfull dealing more then in all outward sacrifices yea hee so esteemes of it that they which want mercie towardes their neighbours they cannot please God How doth this condemne those which are so hard-hearted and so straight laced that they can shew no dramme of mercy to their brethren but boyle in malice and are so inflamed with anger and reuenge that they cannot shew any mercy not speake a kind Word nor thinke one good thought of their Neighbour Marke what the Lord sayth I will haue Mercy and not Sacrifice I had rather haue thee shew mercifull and kind dealing then to haue sacrifice and outward Ceremonies nay thou mayest offer thy Sacrifices with Cain but if thou haue a bloudy Gen 4.5 a cruell and malitious heart the Lord cares no more for thee or for thy sacrifice then if thou shouldest kill a man How canst thou heare the Word and receyue the Sacrament How canst thou pray Forgiue mee as I forgiue my Brother Doest thou not craue a iudgement yea a plague from God vpon thy owne soule that as thou wilt not pardon thy brother so God should neuer pardon thee Oh then remember what Christ sayth If yee loue them which loue you Mat. 5.46 what reward shall yee haue doe not the Publicans euen the same Let vs goe beyond the Publicans inlouing euen our enemies and shewing mercy vnto them for this is that which God is well pleased withall VERSE 7. But they like men haue transgressed the Couenant there haue they trespassed against mee IN this Verse and the rest that follow to the end of the Chapter The summe of the rest of the Chapt. the Lord beginnes to lay them out in their colours and to paint out their rebellions And first in this seuenth verse hee sheweth in generall that they had broken that league and holy Couenant which hee had made betwixt him and them That holy Couenant which had beene so solemnly agreede vpon Gen. 17.7 Exod. 19.5.6 wherein the Lord had promised hee would be their God and they had promised to bee his people this Couenant they had wilfully broken cast it behind their backe and shaken off the yoake of their obedience In the eight verse the Lord comes vnto them more particularly and names Gilead which was one of the Cities of refuge Iosu 20.8.9 This City has inhabited of the Leuites and the Priests and therefore should haue been a mother City a Nurse to Religion and Piety And these Priests and Leuites should haue shined as stars by holy life and pure Doctrine but the Lord complains that euen Gilead was a City full of all impietie full of bloud and cruelty and if it fared thus with Gilead what could bee hoped for of other places but that they did match her or were farre worse then shee In the ninth verse the Prophet doth not onely complaine of the common people but shewes the miserable impiety of the Priests whom hee compares to Murderers and Robbers because they were full of cruelty and oppression couetous and giuen to all manner of vile dealing The Prophet spares none but especially they might bee compared to Robbers and Murderers because they did murder the poore soules of Men and Women And in the two last Verses hee sharpely reproues the Idolatry of the people which was established hy Ieroboam and his Counsellers so as wee see the Prophet hee spares no estate hee beganne with the common people then comes to the Priests and now hee layes open the vile dealing of the King and his Nobles who neglected the true worshippe of God and set vp Idolatry and worshipped Baal In this seuenth Verse wee haue three things to be considered of vs The Text diuided First their sinne They haue transgressed the Couenant a great sinne to breake Couenant with God Secondly the manner of it namely Like men that is when I meant in good earnest to make my couenant with you and promised that I would bee your God and gaue you my lawes you most vnfaithfully and rebelliously haue cast oft the yoake of obedience haue broken my couenant and reiected my laws would not stand to your promise as I thought yee would Thirdly wherein they sinned namely in that they did most glory and most of all rely vpon There haue they transgressed against me that is euen in your very sacrifices to the which you sticke and thinke that I am beholden vnto you for them your sacrifices of Lambes and Beasts are the things I desire being done in an holy manner but you boast your selues of these outward Ceremonies as though you were as good worshippers of God as could bee Euen in this I condemne you because whereas I gaue them vnto you to helpe your blindnesse and rudenesse and to leade you to Christ the true sacrifice you casting aside repentance and duties of faith and amendment of life thought that these outward things the bloud of buls and sheepe might satisfie my anger and purge you from your sinnes without the bloud of Christ the son of God And therefore you haue grieuously broken my Couenant broken my lawes and vtterly abused my ordinances Thus much of the Sense now of the Doctrines But they like men haue broken my Couenant q. d. I gaue them my Couenant promised them
I would bee their God Their sinne and they promised they would be my people Well I gaue them my lawes and commandements and my ordinances which were as a payre of Indentures betweene mee and them I set to my Seales and bound my selfe vnto them to stand by them to keepe and defend them from their enemies And for my part if they had kept Couenant I would for euer haue beene their God and they should haue beene my people but they haue quickly start out of the way they haue forgot their couenant made with mee broken my lawes and cast aside my commandements and haue abused my ordinances The Couenant what Gen. 17 7.8 Gen. 18.9 10 Exo. 19.5.6 Rom. 4.17 What this Couenant was these places shew Moreouer I will stablish my Couenant betweene mee and thee and thy seede after thee in thy generations for an euerlasting Couenant to bee God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee And I will giue thee and thy seede after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger Euen all the land of Canaan for an euerlasting possession And I will be their God Doct. 1 Thus had God bound himselfe by Couenant vnto them to bee their God The breaking of our couenant with god the cause of al iudgemēts And in that they had most vnthankefully violated the same the Lord layes here this great ingratitude of theirs to their charge So then the first point of Doctrine which this Text doth afford vs is this We may here behold what is the cause that God forsaketh any people and withdraweth his mercifull protection from them and layes them open to all miseries calamities iudgements and distresses namely the breaking of our Couenant with God for this doth highly offend God and prouoke him to anger to see his Couenants so lightly regarded and so wilfully transgressed as it doth appeare in this people whose sinne was no small sinne but a great and grieuous sin for in keeping of their Couenant with God did consist their euerlasting weale and kappinesse for then the Lord had bound himselfe that if they would keepe his commandements and lawes that hee would bee their God to defend them from all their enemies yea to confound all their aduersaries and so long as they were mindfull of their vow and couenant and walked in his wayes none could doe them harme yea they could want no blessing or mercie of God as it doth appeare by Gods own words Deut. 5.29 Deut. 28. Oh that there were such an heart in this people that they would feare mee and keepe my commandements alwayes that it might goe well with them and with their children after them for euer so on the contrary the breaking of this couenant was as much as their liues were worth for then the Lord was not bound to bee their God nor to keepe them any longer but they were naked of Gods protection and lay open to all miseries and calamities were a prey to their enemies and then all those curses pronounced against Couenant breakers Deut. 28.15 must needs fall vpon them If thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe and to doe all his commandements and his ordinances which I command thee this day then shall these curses come vpon thee and ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou bee in the towne and cursed in the field cursed shall bee thy basket and store the fruit of thy body c. Exod. 32.25 When the people of God had committed idolatry and made them gods to goe before them it is sayde by Moses The people were naked for Aaron had made them naked to their shame amongst their enemies It was their sinne of Idolatrie that depriued them of Gods protection for as keeping his Couenant men are guarded from all dangers so breaking the same he naked to all iudgements and calamities When Achan had stolne the Babylonish garment and the wedge of gold the whole Host of Israel was punished for the same fault till the sinner was found out for because of the sin of Achan Iosu 7.24 the whole host of Israel were before their enemies but as naked men vtterlie destitute of Gods lpeciall protection Wee see this in Salowon 1. Reg. 11.14.23 when his heart was turned away from the true God and his hands were holden vp to strange gods the Lord was wroth against Salomon Then the Lord stirred vp one aduersary vnto Salomon and afterwards another which did much mischiefe and euill against Israel And this is likewise cleare by the example of Rhehoboam the sonne of Salomon who when hee had once forsaken the Lord and all Israel with him the Prophet comes with this message from the Lord 2. Cron. 12.5 Thus sayth the Lord Yee haue forsaken mee therefore haue I left you in the hands of Shishak These examples and the like whereof the Scriptures are full all serue to confirme the Doctrine now deliuered that sinne is the cause of all miserie and the breaking of our Couenant with God the cause of all calamity And good reason it should bee so for it is a iust thing for God to depart from them that depart from him to forsake them that forsake him whose departure from vs is the cause of all those iudgements wee suffer here Reason and shall make vs one day to taste of the bitternesse of his iudgements which last to confusion for euer Now let vs come to the Vses Vse 1 This teacheth vs first of all to acknowledge that all iudgements which are layde vpon vs here are most iust and righteous with our God whose iudgements are alwayes iust that howsoeuer the particular cause is not alwaies discerned vnto vs why the Lord doth strike vs and chastice vs yet certain it is that if the stormes of Gods iudgements doe arise some Ionas or other is in the shippe some secret sinne or other lyes lurking in our soules that hath caused the Lord to be so angry with vs according to that of the Prophet Ieremy Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne Oh let vs search and trie our wayes and turne vnto the Lord where wee may see the cause of all iudgements our sinnes Secondly the remedy To search and trie our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. Oh then let vs euer acknowledge the Lord to bee iust in all his wayes and righteous in all his workes yea let vs in the middest of Gods iudgements conclude Lam. 3.39 and say It is the Lords mercy that wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not The Lord might iustly take all aduantage at our hands but his mercy is ouer all his works in the middest of his iudgements he remembreth mercy Well let vs apply this Doctrine to our selues Vse 2 see whether wee can excuse our selues that we are not Couenant breakers against our God There is none of vs all but wee haue entred a solemne league made a solemne
was one of the sixe Cities of refuge whither if a man had slaine a man at vnawares Iosu 20.8.9 and as wee say by chance medley then he was to flie thither and there the Priests and Leuites making inquiry of the fact if they found that the murder was of ignorance and that hee hated not his brother in times past but slew him against his will then the murderer was to stay there til the death of the high Priest and then he was at liberty againe Now this City What City Gilead was it was the place where the Priests and Leuites did dwell which were set apart to teach the people to instruct them to offer sacrifice for them to pray for them for they were to bee the light of the world they must carry the Vrim and Thummim light and perfection And Gilead should haue beene as a speciall Sanctuary for holinesse piety and true religion a Nurse and Mother City to direct others and as a fountaine from whence pure religion the knowledge of God should haue beene deriued into all the land But alas the Prophet complaines of Gilead that it was so farre from being a Nurse to Religion that it was rather a cruell steppedame to banish Religion and piety so farre from a holy City and Sanctuary of the Lord that it was euen a denne of theeues a harbour for all villany impiety and prophanesse Now this was a wonderful thing that the Priests and Leuits in whom there ought to haue shined great holinesse that should haue bin an example to the common people that all men seeing their good example their holines and piety might the rather haue followed them that they should bee euen Captaines and ringleaders to all impiety cruelty and miserable abhominations Then wee see why the Prophet is so sharpe to inueigh against Gilead and to cry out against this City namely because it should haue heen a Sanctuary of the Lord full of knowledge piety and godlinesse but the same was rather a denne of deuils and an harbour for all manner of sinne and impiety Thus hauing seene the meaning of the wordes now let vs see what Doctrines doe arise from them This is a grieuous accusation of the Lord that that City of whom the Lord might expect most care most holinesse and duties of religion who should haue been most instructed in the wayes of God hauing bestowed so many meanes vpon them that they should thus degenerate and grow more vile then any other to be the harbour of all sin and impiety Doct. 1 Then hence wee learne that those places which haue great meanes of knowledge of instruction and therfore should abound in all holy duties Those that haue the greatest meanes of knowledge should abound most in holy duties If they grow more wicked and abound more with sin their iudgement is fearefull and very grieuous Wee see this in Gilead here how the Lord complaines of it here that those that should haue beene euen a Nurse to religion yea a Mother City from whence religion should haue flowed into the Country was notwithstanding a wicked Citty full of bloud and full of all manner of iniquity Euen so whensoeuer the Lord comes to iudgement against a land or against a kingdom those Cities Townes or Parishes vpon whom the Lord hath bestowed most meanes if they profite not by them but bee like vnto Gilead here full of bloudie sinnes pride swearing lying drunkennes whoredome couetousnesse vsury oppression the like then the Lord doth shew his anger and displeasure most against them as Gilead here that should haue gone before others in piety and religion hauing so many meanes seeing they become so vile as that they went before others in sinne they went before others in punishment And this wee shall find to bee most true by the course of the whole Scriptures that those which haue had most meanes of knowledge and instruction and so should goe before others in knowledge and Christian piety if they haue not made a sanctified vse of the same they haue euer receyued a greater measure of iudgement then others The Lord in the punishing of Ierusalem Ezech. 9.7 bids them begin at his Sanctuary because they should haue heen most holy and were found to bee most wicked So againe in another place The enemy hath stretched out his hand vpon all her pleasant things Lam. 1.10 for shee hath seene the heathen enter into her Sanctuary Ierusalem that was called the beauty of perfection and the wonder of the World when shee became full of sinne and vncleannesse then the Lord made her a spectacle of his iudgments aboue others This Doctrine is further cleared by the grieuous threatnings denounced by our Sauior Christ against those Cities where his Word had been preached and professed most and the greatest part of his miracles had beene wrought and shewed Mat. 11.21.22 Woe bee to thee Corazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great works which haue beene done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sydon they had repented long agoe in sackcloth and ashes Mat. 23.38 but I say vnto you it shall bee easier for them in the day of iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp to heauen shalt bee throwne downe to Hell for if the great works which haue beene done in thee had beene done amongst them of Sodom they had remayned vnto this day But I say vnto you it shall hee easier for them in the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for thee These Cities of Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum they were such places as Christ had honoured aboue Tyrus Sydon and Sodom both in respect of the preaching of the Word as also in respect of the myracles that were wrought amongst them yet because they made no sanctified vse of them but abounded in all manner of sinne and iniquity therefore our Sauiour tels them that their iudgement shall bee heauier then those places that neuer heard the sound of the Word And Gilead which before other Cities was honoured to bee a City of refuge a Nursery of the Priests and Leuites by which meanes the Lord might haue reaped much honour by it Gilead being found a Citie of iniquity must bee made a spectacle of Gods iudgement aboue other Cities Againe let vs behold and marke where the Doct. 2 iudgements of God are in most grieuous manner executed and wee shall see that in those places especially which haue had more excellent meanes then others Those places that haue had most meanes shall bee most seuerely punished for the neglect thereof where the Prophet of God and the Ministers of the Word haue a long time taken pains to instruct them in the wayes of God there I say wee may behold the greatest calamity and distresses because the Lord cannot abide that Gilead that is any place where hee bestowes much meanes should so degenerate and grow worse then others and that such places
should abound in sinne This is the reason why the Lord taxeth Gilead here euen because it was one of those sixe Cities of refuge Mat. 23 38. Luk. 19. because it was the Nursery of the Priests and Leuites This wee may see of Ierusalem for there had our Sauiour bestowed his greatest paines continually teaching and preaching amongst them in Ierusalem he wrought there the greatest part of his wonderfull heauenly miracles there hither his Prophets and Apostles were sent to teach and instruct them in the Word of God and to bring them home to Iesus Christ yet for al this our Sauiour was constrayned to weepe for the wofull misery of this City yet for all this Ierusalem must be destroyed defaced and extinguished and made a spectacle of his wrath to all posterities for euermore This is clearely to bee seene by those seuen Churches of Asia Reu. 2.3 that sometimes were so famous in the world in the dayes of Saint Iohn What is become of Ephesus Philippi Constantinople and Rome so glorious Churches sometimes in the world Are they not gone and become the Cage of vncleane birds 2. Thes 2.10 euen of Antichrist himselfe who preuayleth in them that perish because they receyued not the loue of the truth that they might bee saued And therfore God hath sent them strong delusions to beleeue lyes Surely God in all ages of the world hath declared the same vnto vs now peace now persecution peace being abused the Lord hath not fayled to bring his iudgements vpon the sonnes of men But of this before Well seeing this is the righteous dealing of God Vse 1 that those places which hee hath most priuiledged aboue others and bestowed most meanes on aboue others they shall drinke deeper of the cup of his anger if they bee wicked and vngodly liuing in sinne then others that haue not enioyed the like fauours from God Then it must teach vs all in the feare of God to looke about vs that according to the meanes God doth bestow vpon vs wee labour to bee answerable to the same in fruites in knowledge in faith in repentance and obedience zeale patience c. But aboue all things take wee heed that wee doe not degenerate and grow worse then others to abound with iniquity and impiety with lying deceit swearing couetousnesse c. For then let vs know that the Lord will make our punishment answerable to Tyrus Sydon yea to Sodom Gomer yea their iudgements shall be lighter then ours as our Sauiour sayth Mat. 11.20.21 Ezech. 16.46.53 It shall bee easier for Sodom in the day of iudgement then for you And the Lord by the Prophet Ezechiel threatneth thus that because the iniquities of the people of Israel were like vnto the Sodomites Therefore will I bring againe their captiuity and the captiuity of Sodome and her Daughters and the captiuitie of Samaria and her daughters euen the captiuity of thy Captiues in the middest of them And surely if wee shall grow worser then other places and abound in sinne more then other men how can wee but looke to reape a greater measure of punishment thē other There is no sin greater then the contempt of the Gospell nor no mercy greater then the peaceable enioying of the liberty of the same and therefore no punishment or reward of sinne shall be more horrible then the punishment that shall bee infflicted for the neglect or contempt thereof Oh take wee heed then least we contemne the Gospell and so being found guilty of one of the greatest sinnes wee incurre Gods wrath against vs and cause him to bring vpon vs his greatest punishments Secondly seeing the Lord doth threaten heere Vse 2 euen Gilead one of those sixe Cities of refuge and the Citty that was inhabited with the Priests and Leuites Religion is not tyed to one place that euen Gilead should bee cut off and slaine as in the fift verse going before that is that God would bring to passe vpon Gilead all those threatnings which his seruants the Prophets had denounced in his name Hence wee see that Religion and the worship of God is not tyed to any place to any kingdome towne or City no longer then they doe walke in the duties of Religion and of the true seruice and worship of God yea if Ierusalem that holy City the wonder of the world that place which God himselfe had chosen fall from God and beginne to forsake his son Christ and to contemn his sonne Christ Ierusalem then must looke for heauy plagues and grieuous iudgements yea if Gilead that was so priuiledged aboue other Cities and places of the world will not walke holily and beare themselues thankefully in the daies of peace the Lord will not fayle to bring euen vpon Gilead many plagues and grieuous iudgements against sinne Oh then if all things that are written bee written for our learning then let the iudgement of God vpon this City bee a warning to vs all Wee haue by Gods mercy the pure seruice and worship of God his Gospell sincerely preached and taught amongst vs almost these threescore years together Now let vs see whether our case bee not like the state of Gilead they were grieuous sinners so are we amongst them were found many great and grieuous sinnes a Citie that abounded with all manner of iniquitie as swearing lying deceit murder oppression vncleanesse c. and are not wee guilty of the same sinnes yes yes they were neuer more plenty in Gilead then they are in England and therefore wee may well feare that wee that haue beene like to Gilead in sinne shall one day be like to them in their punishment The Lord by his Prophet Amos hath threatned there a great and a grieuous iudgement against the neglect and contempt of his Word and other the gracious meanes that hee doth vouchsafe vnto vs for our good Behold the dayes come sayth the Lord Amos. 8.11 that I will send a Famine into the Land not a famine of bread or thirst of water but of hearing the Word of the Lord. Oh it is greatly to bee feared that wee may one day feele the smart of this iudgement the want of the Word and glorious Gospell of Christ that made so light account of the same in the time of peace then shall wee mourne then shall wee lament then shall wee lye in the dust then wee shall weepe and wayle and wring our hands and wish that wee might heare if it were but one Sermon to comfort our distressed Soules And in very deed if wee consider Gods dealing towards vs wee may see that these blacke stormy dayes are drawing on Doth not the Lord picke out from amongst vs the most renowned men from Church and common wealth the pillars of the Church and stayes of Religion doth not the Lord euen by this meanes giue vs a faire warning that vnlesse we amend and become sincere Christians and bee zealous in his seruice and worshippe and more highly
rauening Wolues and cruell murderers of soules for then it may bee sayd Like Priest like people an ignorant prophane couetous Minister a vile ignorant and prophane people and therfore in the three first Chapters of the Reuelation wee shall find that what fault soeuer the Lord finds there with the Minister the people are guilty of the same If the Minister be reproued they are reproued If the Minister be praised so bee they And on the contrary to haue a carefull Moses or a painefull Paul to bee set ouer vs it is counted a singular testimony of Gods loue a great mercy of God for if the Minister bee painefull and carefull to teach in season and out of season it must needs be that the people will bee wise full of knowledge zeale patience and all heauenly graces Oh then let vs pray vnto the Lord to remoue that iudgement if it bee on vs and intreat the Lord to shew vs that mercy that we may not haue a cruell murdering Priest of Baal but a true Prophet of God that may watch ouer our soules as one that must giue account of them at the last day Io 21. Act. 28.20 Ezech. 34. that may feed the sheepe and Lambes of Christ with the pure and wholesome food of Gods word and not with the stinking trash of mans inuention Doct. 2 Againe seeing those Priests of Baal which were but theeues and murderers in the sight of God set themselues to inuent cursed councell against the Prophets and people of God Nature of the wicked to deuise all the mischiefe they can against the godly to deuise mischiefe against them then to practise it as occasion was offered we may from hence obserue the nature of false Prophets whom Christ cals theeues and murderers They seeke to deuise all the mischiefe they can against the true Prophets of God and to the vttermost of their power practise and effect it That of Amaziah against Amos doth manifest the same Amos. 7 1â— and that conspiracy against Ieremy when no means else could serue Come let vs deuise some euill against Ieremy Ier. 18.18 and smite him with the tongue So they confesse Dan. 6.5 they could find no fault against godly Daniel vnlesse it were the worshipping of his God they sought out many things against him but nothing could they find but euen his piety and religion and when all other meanes fayled that was matter sufficient to worke vpon but their mischiefe fell vpon their owne pate and they spunne a threed to hang themselues withall Alike plotte and practise against the Church wee see in the dayes of Mordecai and Esther when Haman was exalted Hest 3.1.6.13 his seat set aboue all the Princes of the Kingdome hee thought it too little to lay hands on Mordecai and therefore hee layde his plotte to destroy all the Iewes young and old in one day And this is plentifully taught vs in the booke of the Lamentations Lam. 5.4 Our necks are vnder persecutors wee are weary and haue no rest c. These places teach vs that the enemies of Gods Church howsoeuer many times they couer the depth of their hearts are full of all vnrighteousnes wickednesse enuy murders haters of God without naturall affection mercilesse without humility and humanity But of this else where Let all such men as be like to Ieroboams Priests that Vse 1 set their cursed heads a worke against the Lord and against his true and faithfull seruants let them know that this mischiefe the which they now so craftily deuise is not so much against man as it is against God Hee that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee So that they doe but striue against the streame and shall in the end draw downe the heauie wrath of God vpon them And let it admonish all those which doe deuise euill against Syon against Gods truth and against his holie Seruants and the professors of his name let them know that they doe it to the dishonour of God and he will one day call them to account for it Touch not mine Annointed and doe my Prophets no harme And this their mischieuous imagination against the Lord and his truth shal not prosper Vse 2 Secondly seeing this is the portion of Gods children to find such hard dealing from the wicked wee are here to consider the cause of it it is not for euill but for goodnesse sake Esay 59.5 Whosoeuer refrayneth from euill maketh himselfe a prey This was the estate of the Church euen from righteous Abel whose bloud cried for vengeance Consider then what manner of Religion it is that wee take vpon vs to professe euen that the which hath the Sunne Moone and Starres against it Our Sauiour himselfe telleth vs what will follow the profession of the Gospell I came not to send peace into the earth Mat. 10.34 but the sword For I came to set a man at vaiance with his father c. We must take notice of this aforehand before wee giue vp our names to Christ that this must bee our entertainement in the World and at the hands of wicked men that so these crosses which shall happen vnto vs heere may not any way daunt vs but that wee bee still prepared for them By Consent Doct. 3 Note here that it was not the sinne of one or two or some few of the Priests Councels may erre and Magistrates and Ministers in matters of Faith and manners that had thus sinned against the Lord but it was the sin of the multitude of them they all confederate together and ioyne in one both in condemning the innocent and iustifying of the nocent From whence wee learne that Rulers and Ministers of a particular visible Church may erre in matters of faith and manners and that councels haue been against the Lord and against his Church Which Doctrine is very cleare by diuers places in the booke of God as that of the Prophet Esay Esay 6.10 The Watchmen are all blind they bee a sleepe and delight in sleeping Now in what state could this people be in when their Watchmen were blind those that were the heads and guides of the people Againe 2. Chr. 36.14 All the chiefe of the Priests also and of the people trespassed wonderfully according to all the abhominations of the Heathen and polluted the house of the Lord which hee had sanctified in Ierusalem And this doth the Prophet Ieremy shew when hee sayth Ier. 3.5 I will get mee to the great men and will speake vnto them for they haue known the way of the Lord and the iudgement of their God but these haue altogether broken the yoake burst the bones This is cleared by the Prophet Hosea Hos 7.7 when hee sayth They are all hote as an Ouen and haue deuoured their Iudges all their Kings are fallen Mich. 6.16 there is none amongst them that calleth vpon mee sayth the Lord. This is that which
the Apostle confesseth in his prayer Why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine things Ps 2 1. Act. 4.25.26.27 Mat. 26.66 The Kings of the earth assembled and the Rulers came together against the Lord and against his Christ For doubtlesse against thy holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues together In the daies of Ahab did not all the men of Israel euen the Elders and Gouernours thereof the Nobles and others assembled themselues together and pronounced death against innocent Nabaoth for his Vineyard sake the which hee had before denied vnto Ahab surely the Scriptures are full of examples to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs. Reason Now this thing so comes to passe in the wicked because as our Sauiour sayth No man can gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles they themselues being euill can they performe that is good Surely as Saint Iames sayth Out of one fountaine cannot come sweet water and bitter Besides this our knowledge is but in part now ignorance is the mother of error Vse 1 The Doctrine being thus cleared as a certaine truth that Councels may erre in matters of Faith and Manners this may serue in the first place to conuince the Doctrine of the Papists which teach and maintaine that their Church cannot erre nor a Councell being the representatiue Church as though the Spirit of God were at their commandement and were tyed to places and persons or being present did lead them into all truth as it did the Apostles but what did not foure hundred false Prophets aduise Ahab to that which was contrary to the Will of God I but sayth the Iesuite they were not assembled by the High Priest but onely by the King But what say yee then to that Councell that was assembled by the High Priest and haue erred most fouly In Iohn we haue mention made there of a Councell that met together Io. 9.22 Mar. 14.64 and decreed to excommunicate all that professed Christ Iesus Tell mee did not they erre And therefore it is but a vaine thing of the Papists to say and affirme that the Spirit of God is tyed to the Church of Rome and that shee cannot erre but there was neuer so famous a Church since the Apostles time but haue erred in some thing or other in Doctrine of Faith or Manners and therefore Rome hath no such a priuiledge as shee pretends to haue but hath and doth erre most fouly yea as blinde guides leading poore blind soules shall at last without Repentance fall into the pitte of destruction together Vse 2 Seeing that the wicked plot and combine themselues against the Church Wee are taught here our duety namely to bee solicitors and remembrancers vnto God in the behalfe of his Church that it would please him to bee mercifull to his Church and to bee vnto them a Tower of defence And surely now is the time that wee are to ply the Lord with prayers because wee see his enemies to increase dayly the malicious and bloudy Papists whose Religion as it is a Religion of bloud so is their practice the practise of bloud Yee shall know them by their fruites a Religion to be abhorred of euery true Christian being the Nurserie of Treasons Gun-powder Treason and the Mother of all abhominations yet wee see how the number of them increase dayly and wee cannot but for euer remember their horrible Treasons pretended against the Lord and against his Church and Gods mercy to vs in our Deliuerance Well it cannot bee that they will bee quiet long their good Maister the Deuill or his deare Child the Pope will haue some imployment for them They cannot but go whom the Deuill driues Oh let it bee our wisedome to intreat the Lord to stand still by his Church and to giue vnto all Christian Princes the Spirit of zeale and of courage to rise vp against Antichrist and his followers that so they may the better assure themselues of their owne peace both with God and themselues for sure it is the more strict a Papist the more grounded Traytor Thirdly and lastly wee may hence obserue Vse 3 the difference betweene the Elect and the Reprobate The wicked doe not onely thinke euill and deuise mischiefe but they doe most eagerly practise the same Now come to the Child of God hee hath in him indeed wicked thoughts and sinnefull desires yet so as they doe bridle them curbbe them and restraine them and not suffer them to come into action they sinne not with greedinesse as the wicked doe who are neuer well till they are eyther deuising mischiefe or working iniquity Oh then let vs take heed that wee commit not sinne with delight and greedinesse for sure it is this is a note of a gracelesse heart and no better indeed then a brand of a Reprobate VERSE 10. I haue seene villany in the house of Israel there is the whoredome of Ephraim Israel is defiled THe Prophet now comes to the common people and doth accuse them of villany and vile Idolatry against God I haue seene villany in the house of Israel there is the whoredome of Ephraim Israel is defiled First for the coherence of this verse with the former When as the Lord had accused the Priests before to bee wicked and exceeding bad men And now comes to the common people and layes open their sinnes to bee like vnto the Priests ful of abhominable and vile Idolatry Wee learne hence that if the Priests be naught Doct. 1 if they bee vile and filthy persons Children of Belial it is not possible the people should be as they ought to bee for Like Priest like people As the Minister is so is the people This is clearely to bee seene in this place the Priests were like to theeues and murderers and the people were monstrous blinde and abhominable Idolaters So hath it beene in all ages Pro. 29.18 The words of Salomon are most true Where vision failes there the people decay It is the Decree of God touching Priest and people Mal. 2.7 The Priests lippes shall preserue knowledge and the people shall heare the Law at his mouth Now then when this Priest is ignorant blind and vaine Alas in what wofull estate must this people needs bee in the Prophet Micha doth declare Mich. 3.11.12 saying The Priests teach for hire And the Prophets prophesie for money yet will they leane vpon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst vs no euill can come vpon vs. This was the behauiour of the Priests in those dayes their hearts were so set vpon Couetousnesse that they spake pleasant things vnto the people and layde to please them more then God But what followed they by this drew the iudgements of God not onely vpon their owne heads but also vpon the heads of the people Therefore shall Sion for your sakes bee plowed as a Field and Ierusalem
shall bee a heape and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the Forrest The false Prophets did not onely procure Gods wrath against themselues but the common people were punished for their sakes It is that which our Sauiour himselfe concludeth of If the blind leade the blinde they both fall into the ditch And in the Reuelation Reu. 3.14 that Church being committed to a wicked man they were guilty of the same sinnes with their Pastour And in those Epistles sent to the seuen Churches in Asia where the Pastor is commended for any vertue so are the people and when the Pastor is reproued for any vice the people also haue part in the same reproofe For such as the Pastors bee such bee the people such as the Shepheards bee such bee the Sheepe In them lyes the bad or the good estate of the Flocke For where the Minister is blinde ignorant and dumbe that neyther can nor will reach where hee is carelesse and vnconscionable liues solely and wickedly how can it chuse but the people must needes bee ignorant blinde and vnskilfull in Gods matters prophane wicked and irreligious This is proued indeed by wofull experience in the World Goe to any Towne or Parrish in the land where there liues a carelesse and vnconscionable Minister an ignorant sot a beastly liuer a miserable worldly man that seldome or neuer preacheth and when hee doth so colde and so raw as good neuer a whitte as neuer the better You shall finde generally sinne to raigne in that place the people like their Pastor blinde ignorant rude so simple and so ignorant in Gods matters that they know nothing of the Scriptures what Faith Sacrament Repentance or New birth meanes no not the meaning of one Article of their Faith or petition in the Lords prayer Seeing the state of a Congregation doth depend Vse 1 so vpon the Pastor This serueth to reproue all such Ministers as take this charge on them and yet not as Gods Ministers to preach the Word to bring good tyding of the Gospell doe seldome or neuer preach the Word of God These the Lord doth not esteeme as Ministers but Murderers not Shepheardes but Wolues they will take the dignity but doe no duty The Prophet Esay cryes out against such Pastors Io. 21. Esay 66. calling them Dumbe Dogges that cannot barke They looke to the Fleece but not to the Flocke Secondly this reproues such as leaue the sincere Milke of the Word of God and teach their own fantasies their owne dreames Toyes and Fables which doe not labour to make the people to vnderstand the sense and doctrine of the Scriptures and hence it comes to passe that though they teach and preach yet they finde little fruit few conuerted because they teach not Gods Message but their owne deuises Thirdly such as are reprooued as in bringing the Lords Messuage and deliuering it to the people seeke not the honour of God and the credite of their Master that sent them but their owne credite and honour Neyther doe they desire to preach Iesus Christ plainely in the euidence of the Spirite but in the intising Words of mans wisedome Yea whereas Saint Paul had rather speake fiue wordes in a knowne tongue to edifie 1. Cor. 14. then fiue thousand in a strange tongue Some there bee who thinke they neuer speake wel vnlesse they speake so as none can vnderstand And here also wee may note the folly of our common people who doe they esteeme and account of as a good Preacher but hee that speaketh eloquentlie in a strange tongue him whom they vnderstand least they commend most And no maruell for they learne nothing at such a Sermon therefore they admire it and commend the man least they should seeme to say nothing Vse 2 Seeing this is so Like Priest Like People Wicked Priest Wicked people carefull Pastor good Sheepe for Knowledge Faith Repentance and Obedience Then wee see that a good Gouernour Pastor and Minister is a singular blessing of God that not onely can but is willing to take all possible paines to doe good to teach in season and out of season to bee like a Cocke first to awake himselfe by reading meditation and prayer and secondly the people by his Crowing like a Candle that spendes himselfe to giue comfort to others such a one is a maruellous blessing of God when hee is bestowed vpon a people for when the Lord would shew his loue to the people hee sayth I will giue them Pastors after my owne heart Such as should watch ouer their soules to feed to instruct and to comfort them Oh how should men with thankefull hearts blesse God when they haue such set ouer them But on the contrary part it is a feareefull iudgement of God to liue vnder such as bee blinde ignorant vnconscionable prophane wicked and irreligious for how can they teach and instruct others that are ignorant themselues And how can they seeke to conuay grace to others Mat. 18. Ier. 3. â—4 that haue not tasted of the worke of grace themselues If the blinde lead the blinde they both fall into the ditch together And by the Prophet Ieremie the Lord there threatneth this as a grieuous plague to giue them naughty Ministers It seemes the Prophet had no reason to accuse the poore people and to complaine of them alas Obiect they did but as the Priests taught them they meant well Answere Neyther the euill life Answere and ignorance of the Priests nor yet their owne intent and purpose could any whit excuse them so long as they liued in sinne But wee see here that the Lord complains of them that hee saw villany in the house of Israel There is the whoredome of Ephraim Israel is defiled Hence then wee learne that neyther the wickednesse of the Priests and Gouernours nor yet the good intent and meaning of the people can please God or any way excuse themselues if men liue in sinne in impietie and prophanesse They are farre wide that thinke their ignorance will excuse them Doct. 2 Ignorance may excuse indeede à tanto but neuer à toto Ignorance may lessen faults but not change their natures Ignorance will excuse none if they liue in sinne sinne shall still be sinne though a man doe the same neuer so ignorantly for as men are commaunded to take notice of the Princes Lawes and being found to trespasse against them their ignorance shall not excuse them so the Lord hath straightlie commaunded vs to take notice of his Lawes that so we may performe our obedience vnto him The Commandement of God to this end is very staight These words which I commaund thee this day Deu. 6.6.7.8 shall be in thy heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy Children and shalt talke of them when thou tarriest in thy house and as thou walkest by the way when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a signe vppon thy hand
c. Behold here what a straight charge the Lord hath giuen vnto the people of Israel and so vnto vs all to this end that no man should bee a Stranger vnto the Word And it is the commandement of our Sauiour Io. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for they are they that testifie of mee Act. 17. It was the great commendations of the men of Bereah that they searched the Scriptures to see whether those thinges were so as Paul deliuered they would not presentlie entertaine that Doctrine of theirs vpon the first view but brought the same to the Touchstone of Gods Word neyther would they reiect it though they had not before heard of the like 2. Cor. 4.3 What meanes that place of the Apostle Trie the Spirits whether they bee of God And againe If the Gospell bee hidde it is hid to those that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds So that it is most cleare that Ignorance of the Word and glorious Gospel of Christ in such as ought to know it is a most fearefull sinne and a most certaine fore runner of destruction for if this bee life eternall Ioh. 17.3 To know thee to bee the true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Then on the other part it must needs bee the beginning of eternall death in those especially in these dayes that are ignorant of the true God and Iesus Christ whom hee hath sent So that wee see clearely that it is not our good intents and meanings that will goe for payment at Gods handes in that the Lord doth require that all men should take notice of his Will reuealed in his Word This condemnes the horrible practise of the Vse 1 Papists that maintaine all Idolatry and superstition their Masse Inuocation of Saints Prayer for the dead Worshipping of Images c. And they thinke that so long as they meane well and haue good intents and purposes all is well God cannot but bee pleased with them But wee are taught heere another Lesson namely that that is not good which we thinke good but that the Lord allowes and aproues of for good And therefore seeing the Lord abhors all Idolatry and superstition as most abhominable in his sight and that therein the whole seruice and worshippe of God amongst the Papists doth consist It shall little auaile them one day that they stand vpon their good intents and meanings All these shall not bee worth a button if the Lord can say of them as hree of this people I see villany amongst them Idolatry worshipping stockes and stones praying to Saints c. This is villany in Gods account and then what will their good meaning stand them in stead Had not Vzza a good intent to stay the Arke from falling but the Lord doth not so take it at his handes for it cost him his life And therfore sayth Samuel vnto Saul To obey 1. Sam. 15. is better then Sacrifices and to hearken is better then the fatee of Rams Oh then remember that thy ignorance will not excuse thee nor thy good meanings will not goe for payment at Gods hand to say though I doe this and this I meane well as the best of them all but if the Lord like not of it nor approue of it bee thy intent what it will bee all is in vaine the same is an abhomination to the Lord. Vse 2 Secondly this may serue to condemne a great many amongst vs that notwithstanding wee liue in such an age and time that both knowledge and grace is euen thrust vpon vs yet alas doe not the very body of our Congregations remayne ignorant still This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light Ioh 3.19 because their deedes were euill It must needes bee a strange darknesse that cannot bee driuen away by the bright heames of the glorious Gospell of Christ And surely God doth euen now sitte in iudgement vpon such persons and by this their ignorance especially in these dayes makes knowne their reprobation and finall perdition The excuses of men are but vayne I am not booke learned and I hope God will beare with me Thus I am taught and instructed by my Teachers I. but what if thy Teacher bee a blinde Guide wilt not thou trie the Spirits whether they be of God Surely such persons conclude their owne iudgement and giue sentence against themselues that they want grace and are in a most fearefull condition for now to bee ignorant in the cleare light of the Gospel it argues that Gods wrath and vengeance hath taken hold on such persons as the Apostle sayth 2. Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell bee hid it is hid to those that are lost in whome the God of this world hath blinded their minds that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto them Oh then seeing it is so fearefull a iudgement of God to be ignorant of his Word and Will and that it will not excuse when God shall enter into iudgement with vs Let vs I say seeke for knowledge as for treasures Let vs search the Scriptures that in them wee may finde eternall Life Let vs labour to haue the Word of God dwell plentifully in vs which is able to make vs wise vnto saluation Let vs vse all holy meanes both to begette as also to increase this Knowledge in vs that so wee may not bee ledde aside by blinde guides to commit Idolatry with this people here but that God may bee still our God and wee his People I haue seene the villany of the house of Israel and the Whoredome of Ephraim Idolatry the sinne of this people THe sinne that Almighty God doth heere accuse them of it is Idolatry and that in most vile manner ouerspred generally the whole body of this people euen all the Ten tribes which sinne to shew the vilenesse of it the Lord cals Villany whoredome things abhominable to the Lord and such as hee loathes And hee cals it Whoredome because as an Harlot or an Whore doth forsake her owne husband and commits filthinesse with another man euen so Idolaters forsake God and marry themselues to Idols It is called the Whoredome af Ephraim because Ieroboam which came of the Tribe of Ephraim had set it vp amongst them 1. Reg. 12.28 to worship the Calues in Dan and Bethel Doct. 3 Now the Doctrine wee gather hence is this that it is a wofull and an heauy iudgement of God vpon a Country or Kingdome It is a heauy iudgement of God vpon a people when the chiefe gouernors bee Idolaters 2. Sam. 6.1 when the chiefe Gouernours be men voyd of religion and giuen to superstition Idolatry We see this in this present Text for here the Lord complaines of Ephraim and the ten Tribes because they were poluted with miserable Idolatry which was set vp