contention in its purity convey it unto our posterity you take care that they shall inherit their Fathers Liberties and Honours be as careful that they inherit their Fathers Ordinances also else contend by prayers put in thy stock for them there also Rom. 15.20 say not that it is too late now 1 Kings 8.42 Thirdly honour it Adorn the Doctrine of God and our Saviour in all Titus 2.16 it is but reason that we should honour it which doth so highly honour us First by studying it despise all other knowledge in comparison of it with the Angels stoop down to pry into it Secondly prefer it above all your own counsels set it up in your hearts as the only rule to walk by Thirdly have recourse to it upon all occasions as your only refuge as the Anchor of the soul in every spiritual Tempest as a staff to lean upon in your greatest darkness as the ministration of righteousness for thy Justification the Instrument to convey grace for sanctification as the Golden pipes to convey the oyl of grace from the two anointed ones Zac. 4.14 by looking into which glass thou art transformed from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3 ult Fourthly walk worthy of your honour as it becomes the Gospel Phil. 1.27 great honours stand not with base courses sedes prima vitaima dignitas in indigno quid est nisi ornamentum in luto Salvian Salvian It is not agreeable to your honour who are exalted up to heaven that you should walk as if you lived in hell not for you that are honoured as Christians to live as Heathens for know the Lord is now come nigh unto you for his truth his Gospel and the honour thereof if you walk not answerable will make your sins more filthy it is like a Taper in the hand of a Ghost which makes him appear the more gastly it will ripen them the sooner they are like to summer fruit Amos 8.1 and all the glory of it will be unto you but as pitch to the barrel it will make you burn more fiercely in those eternal flames Fifthly strive to have the excellency of every Ordinance there is a special power in every one powerful preaching 1 Cor. 2.4 Iam. 5.16 Content not thy self with the Letter without the Spirit be of Elisha's mind here is the mantle but where is the God of Elijah they are wells that must be drawn Isa 12.3 breasts that must be sucked Isa 66.11 Sixthly be sensible of the spiritual absence of God the Ordinances continued and they saw nothing but the Prophet saw the glory of the Lord departing and he departed not all at once but by degrees a soul should strive to be sensible of each degree of his removal when the waters encrease a soul should take notice and so when they decrease and grow low amongst a people Ezek. 47.34 Seventhly Lastly take heed of those sins that may cause your glory to depart and may provoke God to remove the Candlestick take heed of all but there are some sins in a special manner That cause God to go far from his Sanctuary Ezek. 8.8 First when men corrupt the Ordinances with humane inventions Ezek. 10.4 set up the Image of jealousie Secondly when the Ordinances become a burden to a people this is the burden of the Lord Jer. 33.33 Thirdly when men set up their lust against them Psalm 78.58,59 The Lord was wrath so that he greatly abhorred Israel and forsook his Tabernacle in Shilo Fourthly unprofitableness and unfruitfulness under Ordinances even that ground that drinks in the rain and brings not forth fruit answerable is nigh to cursing Heb. 6.8 even those sins which may seem small in mens account for them God will come and remove the Candlestick except you repent Rev. 2.5 for know this in Conclusion The foundation of all true peace and tranquillity in a Common-wealth is from the Gospel and from them that shew forth the power thereof and therefore if by sin you provoke the Lord in the Gospel to depart from you you must expect it will not depart alone but all prosperity with it Rev. 4.5 Out of the Temple proceeded Lightening Thundering and Voices the Lord saith Ezek. 10.2 before the destruction of Jerusalem sill thy hand with coals from between the Cheruhims and scatter them over the City the Jews gloried in their Temple and they thought Ignem Sacrum tantum valere ad scelera expianda that it did serve for nothing but to expiate their sins but the Lord will manifest also that it will serve to burn the City The two COVENANTS Preached in Bartholomew Lane Iune 22. 1652. GAL. 4.21,22 Tell me you that desire to be under the Law do you not hear the Law For it is written Abraham had two sons the one by a bond-maid and the other by a free-woman which things are an Allegory c. IT was sometime the complaint of one Drex de cultu consc that this is a misery that befalls us in the Ministerie above all other callings whatsoever that we can never find our work as we leave it let a Plowman sow his seed and as he leaves his field so he finds it after dolabra semel dedolares c. let a Joyner plain a board and when he returns he sees the fruit of his former labours but if a Minister sow the seed of the word after his departure the enemie comes and sows Tares let him take never so much pains to plain and fashion a people yet after a while he finds a rough-cast of corruption over them let him take never so much care to lay firm the principles of the Doctrine of Christ yet he shall find them soon moved away from the truths of the Gospel It was the Apostles case here he had with much labour and many travelling pains planted this Church but after his departure there arose men of corrupt minds speaking perverse things defaming his ministery and opposing his Doctrine In this Epistle the Apostle justifies his person against their calumnies Chap. 1.2 and confirms his Doctrine against all their Cavils Chap. 3.4,5 The principle that they oppose is Justification by the righteousness of Christ without an addition of the works of the Law for it hath ever been the manner of false Teachers they have loved mixture This principle the Apostle labours to confirm them in in these words by setting before them the miserable condition that they must needs be in that are under the Law in matter of Justification they thereby become subject to bondage children of the bond-woman and forsake the liberty wherein Christ hath made them free and this he proves by setting before them an antient and known history wherein he tels them a spiritual mysterie was contained the history this Abraham had in a manner two wives of different conditions the one bond and the other free and by these he had two sons of like condition with their mothers for the rule is partus sequitur ventrem the son of
 13 26 2 5 91 1 Thessalonians 2 6 271 5 12 101 2 Thessalonians 2 7 477 3 1 10  14 124 1 Timothy 1 15 329 3 10 96  16 694 2 Timothy 2 26 30 Titus 2 16 330 Philippians 3 2 195  19 ibid Hebrews 1 5 92  6 ibid. 9 12 See p 247 after p. 248 10 27 18 12 14 31 38  27 377 13 5 57 Iames. 1 18 696 1 Peter 1 12 35 2 5 743 4 7 271 2 Peter 1 5 44 3 16 11 194 1 Iohn 2 16 529   545  18 206   271 5 19 42  21 483 2 Iohn 5 10 54 Iude.  3 189 192  4 191  6 550 Revelation 1 13 682  20 686 2 1 685  4 582  5 ibid.  21 452 579 3 8 716 4 00 579  3 682  6 567 6 22 669  2 683  12 to 14 723 8 27 688 9 1 196  2 ibid.  10 197  14 718 10 7 288 12 15 196 13 00 190 378 16 9 11 80 17 12 73 18 2 to 13 63 70 78 19 1 84 358 21 22 3 4 22 1 282 FINIS Books Printed for and sold by Francis Tyton at the three Daggers neer the Inner Temple Gate THE several following books of Mr. Richard Baxters Aphorisms of Justification with their explication annexed wherein is opened the nature of the Covenants satisfaction righteousness faith works c. in 12o. The Saints everlasting rest or a Treatise of the blessed state of the Saints in their enjoyment of God in glory in 4 o. Plain Scripture proof for Infant-Baptism in 4 o. The right method in 32. directions for getting and keeping spiritual peace and comfort in 12 o. The unreasonableness of Infidelity manifested in four discourses the subject of which follows viz. 1. The Spirits Extrinsick witness to the truth of Christianity on Gal. 3.1,2,3 With a determination of this Question Whether the miraculous works of Christ and his Disciples do oblige those to believe who never saw them 2. The Spirits internal witness to the truth of Christianity on 1 John 5.10 3. For prevention of the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost a Demonstration that the Spirit and works of Christ were the finger of God or the Holy war between Christ and Satan on Mat. 12.22,23 A Postscript against Mr. Lyfords exceptions 4. The arrogancy of reason against divine revelation repressed or proud ignorance the cause of Infidelity in 8 o. Christian concord or the agreement of the associated Pastors and Churches of Worcestershire with Mr. Baxters explication and defence of it and his exhortation to unity 4 o. A defence of the Worcestershire petition for ministery and maintenance 4 o. The Quakers Catechize 4 o. An Apology against the modest exceptions of Mr. T. Blake and the digression of Mr. Kendal whereunto are added animadversions on a late dissertation of Ludiomeus Colvinus alias Lodovicus Molineus M. D. Oxon. and an admonition of Mr. W. Eyre of Salisbury with Mr. Crandons anatomy in 4 o. A confession of faith especially concerning the interest of repentance and sincere obedience to Christ in our Justification and salvation in 4 o. Parliamenti Declaratio 23. May 1649. Duke Hambletons case argued by Mr. Steel now Lord chief Baron of the Exchequer in 4 o. The Levellers design discovered by Henry Denn in 4 o. The Collection of Orders of Chancery with the alterations and additions agreed on by the Lords Commissioners of the great Seal and Mr. of the Rolls in 8 o. The anatomy of Iohn Lilburns spirit and pamphlets in 4 o. A short discourse between Monarchical and Aristocratical Government in 4 o. The grand Case of Conscience stated in 4 o. A discours concerning the engagement or the northern subscribers plea in 4 o. Heart-bleedings for professors abominations in 4 o. An English translation of the Scottish Declaration in 4 o. A discovery of some thoughts wherewith many precious souls are burdened by Daniel King in 4 o. English Law or a survey of the houshold of God on earth with an Essay of Christian Government folio The false Brother in 4 o. The rise growth and fall of Antichrist together with the much desired and waited for succession of our Lord Jesus Christ by Edward Haughton Minister of the Word A vindication of Infant-Baptism and singing Psalms by Mr. Sydenham Minister at Newcastle Gospel-mysterie Gospel-life and light by Dorneford A Commemoration Sermon on the fith of November before the Parliament in 4 o. A Commemoration Sermon on the fifth of November before the Lord Maior called a Voice from Heaven in 4 o. Heavenly Treasure or mans chiefest good in 12 o. Communion with God in Ordinances the Saints priviledge and duty in 12 o. XXXI Select Sermons on special occasions in 4 o. All by William Strong Minister of the word of God The horrid bloody Spanish Inquisition in 12 o. Spiritual Barrenness EZEK 47.11 But the myrie places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed but be given to salt THey are great things which the Lord hath spoken of the latter days which are called by the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The ends of the world so you render it but Grotius renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 1.10 The fulness and perfection of times Grotius Deus in omnibus actionibus prisci seculi semper ob oculos habebat tempâ—r a Messiae c. In which there shall be a perfection of Ordinances and of Churches and of Prophesies for the mysterie of God is in the latter days to be finished Rev. 10.7 There is a Kingdom of God which the Lord will set up or cause to arise Dan. 2.44 Which though it shall begin in the days of those Kings in the times of the Roman Monarchies yet it shall be the great Instrument in the hand of God to destroy the Monarchies for Iacob is in the hand of the Lord as a threshing instrument in the middle of the Nations either as dew from the Lord or as a Lyon amongst the Beasts of the Forest the Angels they poured out the seven vials full of the wrath of God which are the seven last plagues they came out of the Temple Rev. 15.6 And this Kingdom of God shall not come to perfection it shall not arise unto its greatness till judgement sit and dominion be taken away from the fourth beast to consume and destroy it unto the end Dan 7.26,27 It s true that the Church of Christ hath a mighty efficacy upon the world but it is secret invisible and comes not under humane observation Nisi oratione doctrina sustentaret Ecclesia mundum uno momento perirent omnia Luther on Gen. 30 But there will come a time when the power and glory of the Church shall be visible The mountain of the Lords house shall be exalted on the top of the mountains Lactantius when the prophesie of Lactan. p. 579. shall be
bosom to mourn with them and have compassion over them and this he is to do not only for some of the great ones but he is to do it impartially over all the flock For God makes no difference in respect of any mans title or place but he that hath the best heart is the best man in Gods account and in Church members those should be esteemed by us that have the greatest graces not the greatest places Fourthly it is the Pastors duty if any man in the Church walk disorderly or inordinately he is to mourn for them Jer. 13.17 My soul shall weep in secret for your pride and Phil. 3.18 Now I tell you weeping c. Their miscarriage should be to him as the errors of a child unto a tender Father he should bewail them with bitterness to consider how they thereby go about to destroy themselves should exceedingly affect the Pastor as Christ when he beheld Ierusalems sins he wept over it and many times there is nothing left for a minister to do for a person but to shed tears Secondly he is to admonish them and that authoritatively â— Thes 5.12 Know them which labour amongst you and are over you and admonish you in the Lord that is by vertue of the authority that is commited unto me by Christ I do admonish you in the Lord and this is to do a thing in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 5.4 Yea reprove them sharply and so Paul doth propose it unto the Corinthians Whither he should come to them with the rod or in the spirit of meckness Thirdly if nothing else will do they must together with the Church in which they are have the main hand they are to stir them up to cast out such a person and to represent it to the Church according to the power that is committed unto them by Christ for the Churches edification Rev. 2.3 they must not bear them that be evil they must be cast out they should look upon it as their Burthen that any amongst them should deserve to be cast out from the Church yet they must do their duty this is the rule that they have over you in the Lord Heb. 13.17 Fifthly they must walk as examples to the flock 1 Pet. 5.3 Go before them in a holy life 2 John 10. it is said Christ is the Shepherd and he goes before the sheep and his sheep do follow him the meaning is he went before them in a holy conversation for he hath in all things given us an example a Copy to write after that we should walk as he hath walked Pastors should be a living Scripture and walking Bibles more then any other men and yet ye are to take this as a rule be you followers of us as we are of Christ and mark them who so walketh as they have us for an example Philip. 3.17 Secondly for the dispositions with which all these duties are to be done which I will lay down in six particulars First from a tender love and care God doth put this care of the flock unto those whom he calls to be their Over-seers in mercy and he doth give them graces sutable Pastors graces 2 Cor. 8.16 God did put the same care into the heart of Titus Phil. 2.26 Epaphroditus that was their Pastor he doth long for them exceedingly and his love was so great that he would not have them so much as grieved and therefore he was sorry that they had heard that he had been sick there was in the heart of our Lord Christ a Law of love written thy Law is in the middle of my bowels as there should be a love amongst the members so in a special manner in those that are Pastors and Fathers to a people their bowels should yern over them Secondly all this is to be done with the spirit of meekness in a way of Ministry and not in a way of Majesty For we are but your servants for Christs sake and we are not to rule as Lords over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 and therefore pride and imperiousness must be avoided for all that we have to do is by the word and we can rule no other way Thirdly all things must be done without self-respects and to make a gain of the people we must feed the flock not for filthy lucres sake that though the Pastor is to eat of the milk of the flocks and though it be the peoples duty 1 Cor. 9.14 God hath ordained that they should yet this is not to be the end propounded by the Minister or Pastor unto themselves for them to have such a low end as this put me into the Priests office that I may eat a piece of bread no we are to seek you and not yours and to expect our crown of glory at the appearing of the great Shepherd of the sheep 1 Pet. 5.9 Fourthly it must be with faith and an expectation that God will in a special manner bless their endeavours and labours unto that people over which God hath put them over which the holy Ghost hath made them overseers for with the call of God there doth go the blessing of God and if God do put a man into any office he may expect a blessing upon him in that imployment he doth call Christ and he doth promise him the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand and Christ sends forth the Apostles and he promises to be with them to the end of the world Math. 28.19 the people are to expect a greater blessing by them because God hath put them over them Heb. 13.17 they watch for your souls So the Ministers also that go forth with faith to preach the Gospel the Lord will make them a blessing to the people where he sends them Fifthly it must be done as those that give an account for your souls that are the people committed to his care Heb. 13.17 there are great accounts that men have to give for talents and opportunities of doing good and of Riches that God hath entrusted them with and Honours and the day of grace but the greatest account is that of souls which are precious unto all those to whom their own souls are precious and as the Lord Jesus himself comes in at the last day before the Father Here am I and the children that thou hast given me Heb. 2.13 So also this will be the work of the Ministry at the last day they will give an account of your souls O what a great thing is it for a Minister to be able to say I prayed for such a soul I instructed such a soul he was blind before and God used me as an Instrument to convey light to him I watched over such a soul for it is your souls only that we have to do with all and its only with reference to your souls that we watch over you Sixthly the Pastors of a people do their duty as those whose crown of glory it will be at the last day
fallen upon all the Nations round about because they saw that God did fight for them the Lord hath gone before them and the God of Israel was their rereward and therefore he hath given them the necks of their enemies and no weapon formed against them hath prospered every tongue that did rise up in judgement against them hath he condemned but if this state shall now fall in love with her own beauty and greatness and shall say this is Babel that I have built and my hands have gathered the riches of the Nations if this state shall now trust in an arm of flesh and say wee 'l have no more care of the truths of God and the Ordinances of God they are upon Civil and Politick respects that we stand the Lord will surely depart from them if they shall say we are Lords we will come no more at thee their Rock will sell them their wonted presence will depart from them and the Lord will take pleasure to bring them down whom he hath before exalted and to destroy them after he hath done them good 3 Yet for the further opening of this point it is necessary that we discover what it is for a person or people to forsake the Lord and what it is for God to forsake them and when he is said in Scripture so to do First What it is to forsake God and when the Lord is said to be forsaken First they that forsake the Law and truths of God forsake God wicked men that live without God are described by Psa 119 5â— forsaking the Law of God the wicked that forsake thy Law Jer. 9.13 they have forsaken my Law which I set before them and have walked after the imaginations of their own hearts and after Baalim which their fathers taught them c. For it is God that we have to do with in the word the word is mighty Heb. 9.12 13. and all things are open and naked before him with whom we have to do therefore the word hath as it were the properties of God attributed unto it it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a discerner of the secret thoughts and intents of the heart which belong unto God onely but it is not from the power of the word alone but from the presence of God therein for in the word it is him with whom we have to do therefore if in the word we have to do with God then they that do forsake the word of God forsake God and men do forsake the Law of God first when they depart from the foundation there is a twofold foundation that the Sâ—ripture holds forth fundamentum doctrinae personae its true a personal foundation can no man lay any other then what is laid Jesus Christ but there is also a doctrinal foundation which is called the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Eph. 2.20 and this is that pattern of wholsome words that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that form of Doctrine and that which the Apostle mentions of the foundation which he himself hath laid Heb. 6.1 and this the Church of Christ in the purest times shall not depart from for Rev. 21.14 the walls of the City shall have twelve foundations and upon them written the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb c. that Antient standing of Truth let it be preserved and all superstructures let them tend to the cleering and establishment and not to the subverting of them let men build as high as they can so as they hold the foundation sit verè profectus fidei non permutatio Lyren And in this the people of God have been always fearful quo quis sanctior eo promtior novellis adinventionibus contraire c. we are now quite contrary the more holy any man seems to be the more open hâ—s ears are and the more ready he is to close with every novelty or call all into question Satans great design in this age is to keep all men in uncertainties two ways Satan hath one way in the time of peace and another in the time of persecution in the one cogit homines negare Christum in the other docet Austin he doth force them in the one he doth teach them in the other but his great aym is at fundamentals for there is such a connexion of these that a man cannot deny one but he overthrows all the rest It was the rule that Luther gave Spiritus Sanctus scepticus non est and therefore it is to be feared that under these great pretences of the Spirit there is very little of the Spirit of Christ in men when it tends to Scepticism not to Christianity Secondly Men forsake the Law by putting false interpretations for he that hath not the spiritual and true sense of the Law is without the Law Rom. 7.9 Psal 11â—… and so men are said to make void the Law of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not Palam ex professo but it is fecretly under hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have unlorded the Law by your traditions and they that take away the mind of the Law they do destroy the Law and this is the greatest sacriledge in the world men are called by Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that do steale away the sense of the Scripture from the words of the Scripture and take them not according to the scope of the place or the intention of the spirit of God in them but in Allegories and mystical senses now this way and then another as it chimes into their fancies We blame the Papists for making of the Scripture a nose of wax if ever it were so it is so made by many of our Teachers at this day and by this means it shall serve to usher in and to patronage any invention that our own hearts can present unto us there are great pretences of love now held forth that men should love one another though they differ in opinion upon the point of saintship c. the same thing we also say and press that we love one another but let it be with the Apostles assertion 2 Ioh. 6. This is love that we walk after his Commandments and let it be also with the Apostles Injunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth it in love Eph. 4.15 steal not away Truth from us under the shews and pretences of love in vain have the endeavours of Conciliators been that have sought to unite men whose principles in respect of Truth were contrary It is a great honor to be as Nazian of Athanasius he was dissentientibus magnes c. but yet so as we are to consider that Truth is primo-primum in Religione without which all motives unto union though in a moral construction good and coming from a good intention will never prove in any measure effectual it is speaking Truth in love that will onely make men grow up into one body in the Lord and it was the dishonor of that great
a labourer in Gods Vine-yard shall not go away without his penny Mat. 20. God will say Call the labourers and give them their hire yea to shew that he loves righteousness the unholy services of unsanctified men shall not go unrewarded only indeed as their heart is not perfect with God in the service so neither is his perfect with them in his reward for with the perfect only he will shew himself perfect Psa 18. but the reward shall hold proportion to the service the service unsanctified seemingly a service but really a sin so the reward shall be in it self a blessing but unto them a curse the service temporal only so shall the reward be Thirdly the person censured by the Lord though God approve and reward that which is good yet he doth not justifie that which is evil neither can his love to the one blind his eyes towards the other his eyes behold and his eye-lids try the children of men And therefore though he had done this great service yet in all that he had done the Lord saith to him he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord but not with a perfect heart he took no heed c. Grace is the Law written in the heart Jer. 3.33 the Table fleshly the heart the Ministers the pen the Spirit the Ink and Christ the Scribe which is the Apostles Metaphor 2 Cor. 3.2,3 the word is a mould Rom. 6.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or into which you were delivered therefore answerable to the cutts in the mould such must be the impression of the thing moulded by it Now in the Law the mould there are two things Precepts enjoyning duty and Prohibitions forbidding sin now Jehu had not the Law written in his heart and therefore his heart was not right with God in either of these First for the Precept his heart was not right for he took no heed c. Secondly for the Prohibition his heart was not right for he departed not from the sins of c. The first part of the censure is upon the unsoundness of Jehu in respect of the Precept but Jehu took no heed and therein are four things setting forth his unsoundness First his inadvertency and inconsideracy he took no heed Secondly his partiality he took no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord integritas objecti Thirdly his inconstancy some steps he did set in this way but it was not his walk Fourthly his insincerity he took no heed to walk with his whole heart Many duties that his conscience was convinced of he neglected there was his partiality The duties which he did were perfunctorily performed therein he was heedless in the best duties that he did he had self-ends his whole heart was not in them there was his insincerity and the duties that he did set up he did take them up and lay them down as might stand with his own worldly and by respects he did not walk in them therein is his inconstancy and in them all his hypocrisie Before I come to these particulars I will speak a word to the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It may be rendered And Iehu but because it sets forth the unsuitableness between Gods dealing with Iehu and his towards God therefore our Translators have fitly made choice to render it here by the discretive particle but God had of an obscure Captain taken Iehu from amongst his brethren and set him upon the Throne of Israel admitted him to the highest earthly honour neither was this honour personal barely as some of the Kings of Israel was but hereditary God had as it were intailed it to his posterity and spake of his house for a long time to come to the fourth Generation for which David was so thankful but yet Iehu took no heed Doctrine All the outward blessings in the world will never allure an unsanctified heart to serve God in sincerity unless Gods grace and Almighty Power go with them Doctrine Not to serve God with a perfect heart after a man hath had experience of the Profitableness of the service is a wonderful aggravation of his sin Who would not have reasoned God hath for one service raised me from a meer man to be the head of all the Tribes of Israel what will he do for me if I go on to serve him if a temporal reward be so sweet what is an eternal if he so far rewards an unsound what will he do a sincere service wherein my heart should be perfect with him surely the Holy-Ghost hath not said in vain the merchandize of wisdom is better then silver c. Prov. 3.15 and all thou canst desire cannot be compared to it and what cannot a man desire Mountains of Gold Alps of Gold sholes of pearl but yet the trading in it and the returns by it are more profitable then any temporal thing a man can imploy himself in yet so blind is the heart of a natural man that he cannot deduce out of such premises such a plain inference such an easie connexion Behold first a great engagement we hold our selves bound to all services that are lawful unto our benefactors God had set Iehu in the Throne and then he took no heed c. Secondly behold a great encouragement he that hath found one way gainful will be encouraged to the same again and he that hath found a service profitable will afterward in the same service be more abundant and though he had found one service so gainful to him as a Kingdom yet he took no heed either he took no care at all to do the service or else which is more probable he took no heed to do it acceptably to serve him acceptably with a reverent and godly fear as the Apostle speaks Heb. 12.28 But I come to the words themselves and in them to the first part of Iehus censure his inadvertency he took no heed in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies to keep or observe with exactness or the greatest diligence that may be Iosh 6.18 and ye in any wise keep your selves from the cursed thing Psal 30.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou shouldest observe or straightly mark what is done amiss who shall stand and the Septuagent puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is commonly used by Christ in the New Testament for all manner of heedfulness diligence and exact observation Iehu did not take heed he did not observe he did not strictly and carefully mark what he did in the service of God that so he might walk before him with a perfect heart Here is therefore First an evil thing he di◠take no heed and that was his sin Secondly an evil sign he took no heed and therein did manifest his hypocrisie and unsoundness of his heart First it is an evil thing he took no heed and that was his sin now because omnis negatio fundatur in affirmatione therefore here is the neglected duty supposed also And so we have
imagine that when the cup of fury that is in the Lords right hand hath gone round and all nations have tasted of it and yet that we shall not drink thereof Ier. 25.15 may it not be as truly said of us as of our brethren Ezek. 12.4 thou hast caused thy dayes to draw neer thou art come even unto thy years there is a time for Judgement the text tels you upon a Nation and he that is wise shall know and discern both time and Judgement Eccl. 8.5 Now as I have before shewed you thâ—… Ministers are Servants so also they are the Prophets of the Nation and therefore preaching is called prophecying and the Ministers of the Gospel are called Prophets 1 Cor. 4.32 though not in so full and compleat a sense as the Prophets antiently were yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quadam by a true resemblance and analogy though not a fore-telling yet a fore-speaking things to come for that God that had made all things by his word doth uphold all things by the word of his power Heb 1.3 governing all things by the rules of the same exactly dispensing punishments and rewards according to the tenour of the promises and threatnings therein recorded so that as he hath appointed the Sun Moon and Stars to rule by day and by night over this natural world Psal 19. so he hath stretched forth the Expansum of the Law over the rational world Rom. 10.18 all things being ordered according to the precepts promises and threatnings thereof Now as a man that is skilful in the one by observing and calculating the influences and aspects and conjunctions of the one can foretel in many things what is to come in the natural world So the other by observing the promises and threatnings and the special aspects that is in them both can in a great measure fore speak what is like to come to pass in the rational world also sutable hereunto the Prophet here tels â—s that there is First a time for Judgement Secondly that this time may be known Thirdly the ignorance of this time makes a man more bruitish then the unreasonable creatures For the scope of the place seems to be this that such is the wisdom of unreasonable creatures the Stork Crane and Swallow that in winter they flie from cold and hard places unto those where there is a more temperate and moderate air they knowing the seasons and the appointed times for this they flie away before and by the instinct of nature to make provision for a natural life Now God had made man wiser then the Beasts that perish above the beasts of the field and he hath appointed a time for Judgement and he hath foretold it shall come and yet man is not so wife for himself as either to prepare for it or to flie from it and this is meant by not knowing the Judgement of Jehovah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Judgement of God is either Directive as the Law written in the Book or the Law written in the heart as Mat. 12.20 bring forth Judgementto Victory Secondly Corrective Thirdly Destructive and this last is meant here it is spoken of the Judgement of utter ruine and desolation upon whom the former Judgements neither the directions of the word nor corrections of Gods rod had taken its due effect its proper work Neither is it meant of the Judgement it self only that it should be utter destruction the fatal blow the last and utter ruine of that people but also the time of this Iudgement which was at hand and this the people knew not and so much the word in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies tempus certum constitutum a certain and an appointed time Gen. 17.21 My Covenant will I stablish with Isaac which Sarah shall bear unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at this set time in the next year and this seems to be intimated by the subjects the Stork and the Crane know their times but my people know not the Judgement that is not only the Iudgement it self but not the time of Iudgement that is at hand that which the Prophet had so often told them and that which they were continually admonished that it was neer cum in re tam clara dilucida coecutirent therefore here the Prophet doth justly complain that they were more bruitish then these unreasonable creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they know not verba sensus significant cum affectu effectu In the count of the Holy-Ghost in Scripture a man knows no more then he believes and is affected with and makes use of they knew not they considered not believed not were not affected with neither did they make use of it either the Iudgement it self nor the time of the Iudgement either to fear it or to flie from it so that the Iudgement and the time of Iudgement was appointed this they should and they might have known believed and been affected with but they were more unwise for themselves and for their temporal and eternal safety then the unreasonable creatures they knew not the Iudgement of the Lord. Hence the observations that I purpose to insist upon are these two First that there is unto a sinful Nation a set and an appointed time of Judgement Secondly that this time may and should be known or else in vain are they blamed for not knowing it First Doctrine Doctrine There is unto a sinful Nation a set and an appointed time for Iudgement a time when Iudgement shall infallibly come and God will bear with them no longer God being the antient of dayes he is the Lord of time and the great Land-lord of the world and he hath set unto every thing a season or an appointed time to every thing under Heaven Eccl. 3 1. but in reference to the point in hand it will be requisite that we consider of a six-fold time appointed by him that is Lord of time First there is a time of sinning a set and an appointed time for there is First a fulness of sin appointed by God that it shall have its period it shall not grow in infinitum Gen. 15.16 The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full and as there was a fulness so there is a time appointed to fill up this measure to fill the Ephah Zach. 5.6 where the measure of the sin of the people of Israel is set out for the greatness of it by an Ephah the greatest dry measure amongst the Iews and there was a time for the filling up of the Ephah before it was carried into the Land of Shinar Secondly there is a measure of wrath which every vessel of wrath shall treasure up for all shall not have the same measure and the Reason is because all do not treasure up the same measure unto themselves Rom. 2.4,5 Now seeing it is a Treasure that doth grow by degrees and several additions there must be a time for the filling and the gathering of this Treasure some Exchequer daies
Mat. 16.3 It is that Christ reproves in the Pharisees they could discern the true face of the sky but could not discern the signs of the times one might have been done as wel as the other if they had applyed themselves to the like care and industry But may it be known as the Lord governs the world by the Sun Psal 19.1 Rom. 10.18 and in nature doth many times cause Comets and blazing Stars as tokens of some dangerous and dismal accidents approaching in nature so hath the Lord set forth by the Book of the Word some signs also hat are as so many Comets to the world if a man doth wisely behold them by a spiritual eye and a right judgement resulting from them for the waies of God are unchangable he is not wearied with process of time neither can he be ever won to give his blessing in one age which he hath cursed in another and therefore that which hath been a sign of Iudgement in one age must needs be so in another for the word of God is like to a well-drawn picture that casts an eye upon every person and every Nation alike It is necessary therefore to enquire what be the signs foregoing Iudgement which the Scripture doth set down I will only mention these two which I desire every one that is wise will lay to heart that so he may be able a little to discern the signs of the times First a fulness of sin that is made the sign when Iudgement was to come upon the Amorites Gen. 15.16 when their iniquity was full and this is made the ground of bringing Iudgement put in thy sikle and reap for the harvest is ripe Ioel 3.16 So Jer. 1.11,12 An Almond tree hath the first ripe fruit of any tree and it notes the hastening of them to ripen their sins and the Lord saith as they did hasten their sins to a ripeness so he would hasten to ripen his Iudgements so that this is a certain sign foregoing Iudgement But when is sin full when is it ripe in a Nation I know Divines commonly and truly set forth the fulness of sin by its universality impudency and obstinacy but I will not insist upon these But let us look into this Nation of Iudah of which our Prophet speaks here and see what did ripen their sins and brought them to that fulness that brought the Iudgement see what it was amongst them that filled the Epha and made way for the women with the wind in their wings to carry them away First when a people seeks to make void the Law then it is time for God to work that is to execute Iudgement so David saith Psal 119.126 the word in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies irritum facere non palam ex professo sed oblique not by open opposing but by secret undermining it is fitly exprest by our Saviour Mat. 13.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have unlorded taken away the ruling power of the Law by your Traditions how this hath been done in this Nation in these latter times is not unknown unto them that know any thing of the Doctrine of this Church sometimes by opposing Scripture to Scripture sometimes by subtile distinctions grounded upon Scriptures in a show by misinterpretations and frigid expositions put upon Scripture by false conclusions and Paralogismes drawn out of Scripture and by customs and Church traditions put upon it as the practise of the Primitive Church the Iudgement of the learned and all that the wisdom of men and not the Law of God might rule but when men come so far that they dare not only to change the Laws of men but to temper with and un-lord the Law of God it is time for the people of God to pray and then it is time for God to work Secondly corrupting the worship of God by humane inventions that have a show of wisdom and will-worship to hold correspondency with Idolaters Jer. 2.33 Why trimest thou thy way to seek love he speaks it of their correspondence with Idolaters sometimes with Egypt and sometimes with Assyria◠they did so order things in Gods worship as might best further their Politick ends now this triming did please and then another and all was to please their Lovers How much triming hath been used in this Nation of late years we must have Altars Crucifixes Copes Tapers Basons sometimes we have been taken with the French sometimes the Spanish and sometime the Italian fashion what is this but to trim our way to seek love Thirdly Confederacy with Idolaters of a contrary Religion Ier. 2.36 why gaddest thou about to change thy way sometimes they went down to Egypt sometimes they did slie to Assyria c. this is called the fornication of the Nations Ezek. 16. The gadding of this Nation of latter times in this kind I need not speak of that it is too well known unto most Nations in the Christian world but all that ever we are like to get by it is the same that was the gain of this people Ahaz made a confederacy with the King of Assyria 2 Chron. 28.20 and he came and distressed him but strengthened him not Fourthly abusing the Messengers of God 2 Chron. 36.16 They mocked his Messengers and they mis used his Prophets till the wrath of God rose up against them that there was no remedy How far this hath taken place in these latter daies is not unknown to all many of them imprisoned disgraced deprived and those that did enjoy their liberty for the most part Prophecied in Sackcloth Rev. 11. in much affliction and full of doubts and fears every one suspecting whether what he did would please or no. Fifthly not laying to heart the afflictions of our Brethren Amos 6.6.7 They drink wine in bowls and stretch themselves upon beds of Ivory therefore they shall go into Captivity with the first that go Captive how far we have been affected with the distresses of our bretheren in France formerly the desolations in Germany and the present unheard of cruelties in Ireland our hearts know very well and it will be well if in the day when the Lord makes in juisition for blood some of this blood be not found bound up in our own skirts These were the evils that ripened the harvest of sin with them and moved the Lord to say unto the Executioner of Judgement put in thy sickle and reap oel 3.13 and how can we expect but that it shall be so with us also for God measures all Nations with the same line and the same plumet Isa 28.17 Secondly the beginnings of Iudgement are an evident token that the time of Iudgement draws neer When the Fig-tree puts forth leaves you say summer is neer so when you se these things come to pass say it is neer even at the door Lu 2.30 3 For he saith in Judgement when begin I wil also make an end 1 Sam. 3.12 as former mercies be pledges of future and meat for the