Church when he is provoked by their disobedience See 1 Pet. 4.17 Judgment begins at Gods house So Jer. 25.29 Reasons are these First because amongst them Reasons by the Lords wise dispensation lye many wicked Hypocrites that by their secret sins provoke Gods wrath as Achan Josh 7. Secondly Gods care more over them than others Psal 89.31 32. as a good Father over his own Child Thirdly To prevent scandall in the Adversaries 2 Sam. 12.14 Vse 1 Let no man therefore presume of impunity because he is gathered to the Church of God and made one of his people as the Jews Jer. 7. The Temple of the Lord That they thought was a Bulwark against all afflictions fondly And at this day how take most men upon them Profession like bankrupt Debters a Kings Protection as those Hest 8. became Jews to enjoy their privileges and immunities But Beloved know we God spareth not his own in any age not Jerusalem not Israel but as David speaks Psal 89.7 God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints and will beare that in an Alien what he will not beare in his own House or People And therefore feare we and be not high-minded Rom. 11.20 Many excellent things are spoken of us in this Kingdom of England how long we have had the Gospell amongst us c. How many by it converted and this must thankfully be acknowledged But it is but a weak consequence collected thence therefore England shall be free from Gods wrath if it provoke him The Lord had a burthen for Israel and he hath a burthen for England also Vse 2 Secondly Doth the Lord then not spare his own people Much lesse then them that are not his people Jer. 25.29 1 Pet. 4.17 And this should comfort Gods Children in their Chastisements through expectation of heavy vengeance to be poured down upon the ungodly And withall it should terrifie ungodly men when they see the Lords heavy wrath against his own people of all men the ungodly have least cause to rejoyce in the Afflictions of Gods people See Micah 7.8 9 10. Against Israel That is against the whole people because generally all engaged in Transgression Observ so have common Transgressions common Punishments If any say Object that the Lord promiseth deliverance out of common Afflictions and Iudgments to his own Answer Answ From destruction not from afflictions Secondly All these Promises are to be understood with exemption of the Cross and chastisement for particular disobedience So Lot Gen. 14. taken Prisoner amongst the Sodomites to chasten his boldness in pitching his Tent amongst them whom he knew to be such exceeding sinners against the Lord. Thirdly Delivered out of Temptations Fourthly If more expedient permitted unto them Let no man promise himself immunity from common judgments who takes liberty to partake in common sins It is just with the Lord that they should be partakers in punishment that are partakers in transgression And if nothing else yet let this teach us to beware of the common sins of the Times I know it is common especially with the multitude to do as the most do that fewest may talk of them and that also to avoid singularity unjustly so censured prevailes over-much with Gods Children Well heare If all Israel sin All must beare their burthen yea if Gods Children give way to like corruption and streame of the Times let them look for a chastisement from the hand of the Lord. By the hand of Malachy Not to trouble you with the vaine speculations of the Rabbins what this Malachi was whether an Angell in an assúmed body whether Ezra the Scribe and those others of the exceeding beauty of his body things that perhaps have some truth but little use It is generally received that he was the last of the Prophets and that he prophesied in the daies of Ezra and Nehemiah as some gather by the things he specially deales against as corruptions in marriages with Idolaters whereof see Ezra 10. and Neh. 10. By the Ministery of Malachy not as the Executioner but as the Denouncer Hence observe Observ That the Lord hath ordained the Ministery of his servants the Prophets not only for Consolation of his people by mercies but also for their terrour by judgments See Ezek. 3. Isa 6. Ier. 1. c. And this should teach us that are Ministers to make conscience hereof the judgment for omission is fearefull and a Note of unsoundness Ier. 28.7 And secondly To you that are the people Learne you to submit not only to their Evangelical but also to their Legall Preachings sharp it may seem but surely it is wholsome Sundry reasons there are of it 1. It serves not to inflict but to prevent Judgments And it is but Satans policy to perswade the people there cannot be love where there is severity Cannot a Father chasten severely and yet love tenderly it serves likewise secondly To humble Gods Children Taxed here is the over-much delicacy of our people in hearing Vse who are all for Mercy Mercy Peace Peace whereas alas there is no peace as in the dayes of Amos so now Amos 7.10 The Land not able to endure or bear his words And that exception of bringing men to despaire is frivolous our Saviour himself how often hath he woe in his Mouth And againe know we That the best way to bring to sound hope is first to bring to a kind of despaire namely In respect of our selves or of our own sufficiency to compasse as meerly by our selves our own happiness VER 2 3. I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us was not Esau Jacobs Brother saith the Lord Yet I loved Iacob and I hated Esan and laid his Mountaines and his Heritage waste for the Dragons of the wilderness THe summe An Expostulation with the People And an Exprobration of their Ingratitude Parts three 1. Gods Protestation 2. The peoples Exception 3. The confirmation by an argument from the effect I have loved you Schoolemen have many curious enquiries touching Love whether it be in God Answ The love of God his very Essence 1 John 4.8 Yet this love in God is no Passion but implies these three things 1 Benevolence 2. Beneficence 3. Oblectation As hatred not to will good to will evill to work evill to detest The peoples Exception Wherein hast thou loved us The reason of it was their Affliction by Captivity as if it had been said we see not but we are afflicted as much as others therefore thou lovest us not Now mark here the corruption of Nature Observ instigated by Satan To conclude from Afflictions that they are not loved The reason is that Carnality in every one measuring Gods love by feeling and Temporal blessings whereas it should rather be measured by Spiritual Blessings Take we heed of this Temptation Vse Satan usually labours to perswade that we are not loved and advantage taken by afflictions as usually as by any thing Now note here for thy
are hard Rich blame the poor and its a plague for them few or none enters into his heart to say what have I done that all this wrath is come upon me Ier. 8.6 Whereas if we would not flatter our selves how many causes of these and far greater judgments should we find in our selves Oaths drunkenness abusing Gods graces to wantonness contempt of the word c. And I wish there were such hearts in us thus to do how should we finde the Lord true in the proof to remove his judgments and wrath from us and till this be done never look we for peace Levit. 26.21 c. 2 King 19.22 Again Observ note here how the Lord would have us behave our selves in those things that serve to maintain the worship of God Bring all c. Two things he commendâ— unto us 1. Voluntarines 2. Faithfulness Bring Even withour craving Al nothing detained When the tabernacle was to be erected mark what charge the Lord gives touching it and what manner of offerers thereto he required Exod. 25.2 of every man whose heart giveth it freely and 35.5 21 22. their practice followed in both kinds Exod. 36.5 6. So plentifull that they were fain to restrain bringing See also 2 Chr. 31.5 6. Herein especially that hath place The Lord loves a chearfull and liberall giver 2 Cor. 9.7 But ah brethren what times are we fallen into under the Gospell As an eminent Divine hath well observed our blessings are more in the meanes of salvation revelation clearness burthen less c. And yet how unwillingly come even a little to the painfullest Minister And those that upon a kinde of conscience pay other duties think all lost that goes to the maintenance of the Ministery and that with such repining as if that were money of all other worst bestowed And secondly scant-handedness this way how is it seen in the best that we need not wonder at it in those that never tasted the sweetness of the word of God at the building of the tabernacle they were fain to proclaim a sufficet and 2 Chro. 31.5 6. They brought it in by heapes when Hezekia'hs commandement went forth But I conclude this point with the saying of the Apostle Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reape life everlasting Follows now the reason Gods promise which is not barely propounded but in a Rhetoricall permission Prove me now with this as if he had said many means you have assayed to remove my judgments and to supply your penury and all to no purpose and it may be you think guessing by second apparent causes that this is impossible at least unlikely well prove me with this c. make tryall of this one meanes for recovery of my favour Two things 1. What the Lord permits to his people prove me 2. Wherein or how they should take experiment of him Prove me Make but a tryall and if the event answer not then say I have forgotten my truth Observ This kinde of speech is not frequent in Scripture some thing like it is that of David Psal 34.8 Where having set out the notable and to wicked men incredible priviledges of the Children of God at length he thus speaks tast and see how gracious the Lord is and you shall finde it true that blessed is the man that trusteth in him And beloved if those wretches that make a mock at the counsell of the poor because God is his hope and cannot be perswaded of the sweetness that is in religion would but make triall a little if they would but make proof how comfortable the service of God is how happy were they David Psal 4.7 Speaking of the joy the wicked had in earthly things professed that he found far more comfort and joy in the service of God then they had or could have in the encrease of their corn wine and oyle And if those sluggardish fooles amongst us that have a price put into their hands to get wisdome but have no heart would consider this They think it is too late to learn their wits and memories are grown dull Oh yet do but prove the Lord wait at the posts of his doors hear read confer pray God prove him a little he hath promised that they that seek wisdome shall finde Prov. 2.4 Prove him and see whether thou finde him not full as good as his promise There is an unlawful and damnable proving and trying of the Lord we call it commonly tempting God It is when men presumptuously make needless experiments of the truth of God especially in his threatnings The Lord hath given charge unto the people of Israel that they should on the evening of the Sabbath provide for that might suffice on the Sabbath and told them that on the Sabbath they should finde none notwithstanding there went out some Exod. 16.27 To gather on the Sabbath day they would try whether the Lord would be as good as his word So likewise a charge he gave that if the manna they gathered for every daies provision they should keep none till the morning yet were there some that would needs reserve for experiment to see what would come of it it was full of worms and stank He had likewise given strict charge unto the people that they should take heed of doing any thing presumptuously against the Lord and told them they should dye there goeth out one notwithstanding Num. 15. To gather sticks he would try what the Lord would do to him and the Lord caused him to be stoned And of this kinde of presumptuous proving the Lord the world is full The Lord hath threatened to him that encreaseth his riches by usury and unjust gain that he shall lay it up for another yet mark notwithstanding this be exemplyfied still in the course of Gods providence they will prove the Lord and they will see whether goods so gotten may not be permanent So likewise that the companion of Drunkards shall be cloathed with raggs how often see we it exemplyfied and yet how many are there that presumptuously will herein prove the Lord The Lord hath taught us that theordinary means to come by faith is by the word of God and that prayers are all cursed and abominable when that is despised Prov. 28.9 Yet mark how many presumptuously make trial of the Lord and they forsooth wil see whether by other means they cannot be saved He hath threatned that he that deferrs repentance when it 's offered shall never come to repentance Ezek. 24.13 Yet how many be there that herewith prove the Lord they will put it to the trial and see whether repentance may not come on the death-bed Beloved this is a fearful provoking sin and they that thus prove him shall finde him in the proofe a terrible God to them What then is this proof of the Lord herepermitted unto the people of God It is when a man in faith of Gods
are readier to add affliction See also Psal 69.26 They persecute him whom thou hast smitten and they talke to the griefe of those whom thou hast wounded Vse 4 Lastly Is it a burthen See then the stockish fencelessness of us in these Times Beloved The Lord hath laid load upon us long time in this Kingdome our burthen hath been Pestilence Famine Inundations unseasonable weather yea and yet behold the wrath of the Lord is not ceased but his hand is stretched out still And yet where is that man that once entreth into his heart ever to say c Jer. 8.6 What have I done How have I provoked the Lord that all this wrath is come upon me This shews us our stupidity And let us all be admonished to labour to feele it lest at length it overwhelme us The Promise is gracious ease and refreshing Mat. 11.28 The neglect thereof heavy it endangereth to have the wrath of God sevenfold encreased Lev. 26.21 Observ 2 Of the word of the Lord. First in word before in deed denounced ere executd God gives warning by his VVord before he proceeds to lay on Load for our Offences By Noah a Preacher of Righteousness to the old VVorld By Lots Example and Admonitions to the Sodomites By Jonah to Nineveh By all the Prophets to Hierusalem Reason 1 First That his Children may be brought to Repentance that the fierceness of Gods wrath may not light upon them Beloved it is true such is the corruption of every man so powerfull and prevalent the example of the most that Gods own Children are sometimes far engaged in common corruptions and were it not for the Lords care over them should taste as deeply of his wrath as others but herein appears Gods care over his own Saints that ere he strikes He gives warning that by his word he may rouze them that so they either may be freed from the judgements and common afflictions or else not hurt by them whiles by repentance they have laboured to turn the curse into a blessing the punishment into a chastisement Reason 2 Secondly To deprive the ungodly and obstinate offendors of excuse and to clear the Lord of injustice and severity See Isa 5.4 Judge saith the Lord what could I have done more And Hos 6.5 What shall I do unto thee I have cut you down by my Prophets and hewen you by the words of my mouth and my judgements have been in the light plainly revealed as the Sun it self therefore Justly are you now afflicted and left without excuse As a good Father first admonisheth and threateneth when that serves not takes the Rod See Ezek. 2.5 Vse 1 Doth the Lord thus and for this end that his children may be brought to Repentance Well then Beloved Let not us crosse the Lord in his end and intention The Lord hath thus dealt with us in this Kingdom a long time with us in this Congregation now long He hath hewen us by the words of his mouth to make us fit stones for his building Hence is his voice d Heb. 3.8 Harden not your hearts be lead to Repentance by the Word of the Lord It is true that our sins have been grand and grievous yet who knows whether the Lord will repent and leave a blessing behind him See Jonah where Nineveh repented and found mercy Learn by words be as loath to bear as the Lord is to impose the burthen of his wrath If not know for a certainty the Lord will not alwaies deale by speeches but as he hath spoken of a burthen so we shall feele it if we return not Vse 2 Secondly doth the Lord this and for this end that the wicked may be deprived of excuse Then surely are we utterly excuseless in this Kingdom and Congregation to whom the Lord hath so mercifully vouchsafed so long admonition before-hand justly might he send us down to the place of our Iniquity without giving us warning but rather would he we should convert and live Ezek. 18. If we will not heare what excuse shall we have in the day of his fierce wrath what will the Swearer say c. This be assured of the word of God hath his work one way if it bring thee not to repentance yet it shall bring thee to just judgment as the snow and raine Isa 55.10 11. It is the savor of life or death 2 Cor. 2.16 It either captivates thy thoughts to obedience or brings vengeance on thee for thy disobedience A second thing here observable Observ is the certainty of this judgment for it is the burthen of the Word of the Lord Hath he spoken it and shall not he do it VVas the Lord ever found false either in threatening or promise Peruse the whole Scripture and see whether ever there were judgement threatened against obstinate sinners that was not executed see in the old world Hierusalem c. Object 1 Object If any say Yes Nineveh was threatened and yet escaped Answ Threatnings are all to be understood with their condition of Repentance Answ Jer. 18.7 8 that performed the judgment stayed but yet God true in his VVord Ob. If any shall yet say Experience is ordinary against it Object 2 we have had Drunkards threatned with beggary Ans Differtur non aufertur Answ It follows not because the judgment is delayed that therefore it is wholly taken off Some are plagued in their Posterity Job 21.19 God layeth up the sorrow of the Father for his Children Or else they are punished in the Equivalent in spirituall judgments VVhat doth this teach us Vse but to tremble at the burthen of wrath denounced in the word of the Lord if the burthen be of the word of the Lord tremble at it and feat surely it shall come to passe what the mouth of the Lord hath spoken But we are fallen into a world of Despisers as Jer. 23.33 c. VVhen the Lord had sent his Prophets to tell them of the burthen of his wrath they began to play with the word of the Lord and scoffingly to say to the Prophets what is the burthen of the Lord Right after the fashion of our people what is the burthen of the Lord What is that Hell you so much talk of Hearken what the Lord answers The burthen of the Lord ye shall mention no more for every mans words shall be his burthen but thus you shall say to the Prophet what hath the Lord answered thee and what hath the Lord spoken That is whereas you now scoffe at the threatning of the Lords Mouth I will so press you with my judgments that I will bring you on your knees and make you in all humility and fear glad to heare a word of comfort and tidings of Reconciliation from the Mouth of the Lord. Beloved lay this to heart It is that every man professeth to believe the word of the Lord yet when we come to particulars nothing but Atheisme and godless Infidelity To Israel Gods own people Observ God spareth not his own
his meer good pleasure to magnifie his grace upon his own First then Follow not the Multitude for they go the broad way 2. Strive to enter in at the straight gate and let this warne thee to labour and endeavour the more diligently to strive to make thy Calling and Election sure And hated Esau That is Reprobated Esau Now that there is Reprobation appears because there is Election 2. God hath not Mercy on all 3. There are Vessels of wrath prepared to destruction Rom. 9.22 and Jude 4. ordained to this Judgement 4. Effects denyall of means to many for Salvation If any aske what it is Reprobation is an Act of God whereby he determines not to have mercy on some but to leave them to destruction for the glory of his justice For the moving cause of Election that that may be known we are to conceive the Acts of Reprobation to be two 1. A decree not to have mercy this Absolute and hath no other cause but the Will of God And let none say this is injury for God is bound to none Rom. 11.33 therefore Saint Paul refers all to Gods Will and admires the depth of this secret which had been vain if the cause thereof be foresight of sin and disobedience 2. The second Act is ordination into punishment and Damnation this hath some respect unto sin being an Act of Justice in respect of Execution And therefore though it be true that God refuseth to shew mercy only because he will yet he ordaines no man to damnation but for his Sin Judas damned for his sin Comparative why this not that no other cause but Gods Will. Of whom Of the greatest part of the world Ob. Means vouchsafed to all Answ Not so Mat. 11.21 22. and to whom vouchsafed the end is to deprive them of excuse Object Christ ransomed all Answ Not so Joh. 17.9 Inst 1. Pet. 2. Answ The place to be understood of the Power of a Master over his Servant Ob. Then God cause of Damnation Answ Deficient not Efficient being not bound besides betwixt the Decree and Execution comes sin Marvaile not at this That the most part of the world believe not Vse nor are converted God hath armed us against this Temptation 2. See here the endless love of God to us whom he hath chosen that leaving many nay the more part that had deserved as much as we yet chose us and left them Signs 1. Denyall of means finall 2. Cursing of the means unto them Isa 6.10 3. Their own contempt of the means vouchsafed 4. Apostacy finall Heb. 10.26 27. These not known to us wherefore we hope well of all till the Lord discover VER 3 4 5. And I hated Esau and laid his Mountaines and his Heritage waste for the Dragons of the Wilderness Whereas Edom saith we are impoverished but we will return and build the desolate places Thus saith the Lord of Hosts They shall build but I will throw down And they shall call them the border of wickednesse and the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever And your eyes shall see and ye shall say The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel 1. GOds Protestation 2. The peoples Exception 3. The Lords Confirmation of what he protesteth by an argument from an effect wherein he appeales to themselves for witnesses De hoc supra Hatred of Esau manifested by a sign their desolation where the Antithesis is understood Wilderness for Dragons that is without Inhabitant as Isa 34.13 Hence observe That externall afflictions are unto Reprobates testimonies of Gods hatred Reason Because no such are freed from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.19 branches whereof even those outward afflictions are Deut. 28. examples are extant Not the least Sickness Infamy Penury Famine Banishment Death all stand unto such in the nature of Curses as the Law propounds them A sign of which is For that they all work together for evill unto such whereas it is contrary in them who love God Rom. 8.28 They do but harden such as Pharaoh or cause blasphemy as in many bringing out into the eyes of men the hidden Corruption of the Heart Object If any shall say They are made testimonies of love Heb. 12.6 Answ So are they to Gods Children not to Reprobates To them they are fatherly Chastisements To these severe Punishments a sign whereof is That they are driven by them the farther from God Hence then it will follow Vse That from Corrections we cannot conclude certainty of Election or of the Love of God No man can thus reason The Lord follows me with crosses therefore he hath chosen me to Salvation For To some men they are pledges and testimonies of his wrath and hatred and as one well terms them Atrium inferorum And therefore vain is that conclusion of many from Corrections to Gods love As How often heare we it from profane men They doubt not they say but God loves them Why Because he follows them with Judgments never without one cross or another in Children Goods good Name Body Mind In summe These Externall things are ever to be measured according to Persons not Persons according to them It is true That Crosses to Gods Chosen are tokens of his love but crosses to a Castaway are Pledges of his hatred And though it be said That whomsoever God loves him he corrects yet is it not convertible That whomsoever God corrects him he loves Saul had his punishment as well as David his Troubles Ishmael Famine as well as Isaac c. Yet neither beloved God What then is to be done in this case for comfort If thou wilt have comfort in a Cross look to this Art thou chosen called c. Then Crosses are Comfortable If no token of Election suspect thy self I might apply this unto our selves unto many amongst us whom the Lord hath long followed with heavy judgments externall robbing of Children or heart-breaking with ungracious Children Beloved I say not where these are there the men are hated but yet where these things are amongst some they are tokens of Gods Hatred What then to be done in outward Crosses First Look to their issue and fruit that they have in thee As 1. If they humble thee for thy sins Jer. 5 3. 2. If they bring neerer unto God Hos 5.15 3. If they make thee feare before God not only while they are felt but after they are removed Pharaoh cries peccavi and promiseth amendment while the Rod is on him Esau howls whilest he is under the hand of God the wicked Jews Ezra 9. crouch whilest the hand of God presseth them but when a little ease is given them they break the Commandements ver 10. God otherwise corrects his own Children Observ otherwise Castawayes I meane in respect of the measure and weight of his Corrections Psal 118.18 So David The Lord hath chastened and corrected me but he hath not given me over unto death Israelites carried Captives as well as Edomites but
yet Israel returns Edom is laid waste Isa 27.7 8. Not smitten as he that smote her For 1. In measure 2. In the branches 3. To purge sin ver 8.9 Not so with the wicked See 2 Cor. 4.8 9. His own for a time Isa 54.7 8. His enemies for ever Mal. 1.3 The Reasons may be these 1. The Promise of God made of love to his people 2. The difference of their sins It is true that Gods Children are sometimes overtaken with the same sins that others are But though the same sins yet not in like measure committed One with an high hand The other of frailty And this should comfort Gods Children against all common judgments wherewith the Lord shall chasten Vse or visit us As what have we not cause to expect in regard of our sins Wicked men foolishly thus reason to the deluding of their soules Isa 28.15 though a plague run over all yet it shall not come nigh them for they have made a Covenant with Death c. Gods Children may better thus reason though they cannot assure themselves to be exempted from common Calamities yet from the measure of them For with the Lord they are at agreement Beloved What plagues we in this Land have cause to feare The Commonness and height of sin in our Multitude and that communication with them in a measure by Gods Children who seeth not And it is good for us all to prepare to meet the Lord by Repentance But yet this is our comfort there shall be a difference betwixt the Righteous and Wicked betwixt him that serveth God and him that serveth him not The means whereby the Lord provides for the comforts of his own Servants These 1. He delivers them from the Temptation as he did Lot Noah c. 2. Or else provides a mean for restitution Ez. 9. 3. Comforts inwardly in afflictions 4. Takes from evill to come 2 Kings 22.20 Edom saith we are impoverished but we will return Ver. 4. Observ and build the desolate places Mark here the nature of wicked men opposing themselves to the power of God and the course of his Judgments providence We are impoverished but we wil return build the desolate places Isa 9.10 Ephraim in the pride and presumption of their hearts say The Bricks indeed are fallen down but we will build it again with hewen stones the wild Fig-trees are cut down but we will change them into Cedars Pharaoh though he sees the more he oppresseth the more the people grew through Gods blessing yet ceaseth not to attempt their destruction And when Israel flies yet ceaseth not to pursue them till he be destroyed with his People Exod. 14. The Scribes and Pharisees though they see still the Disciples growing and the number of Believers to be multiplied yet cease they not to persecute So was it with Saul against David And Vse at this day How strive men with their Maker the Potsheard with the Potter though they see the hand of God against them yet still are fighters against the Lord See Act. 5.39 Gamaliel yet could thus say If it be of God ye cannot destroy it except you will be found fighters against the Lord But let Gods children learn to humble themselves for their sins under the mighty hand of God more prevalent to turn away Gods wrath is unfeigned Repentance than all the power and might of man It is excellently said of Job Cha. 9. v. 4. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength who ever was seen against him that hath prospered And how vain such contentions are he sheweth by his might in the mightiest Creatures This therefore let us do when as we shall see the Lord against us humbly deprecate his judgments but feare to stand out against him They shall build Observ but I will throw down When God means to destroy no man can withstand or hinder desolation The Ephraimites promised unto themselves Resting the Lord had denyed the contrary therefore they perish An 130 years after the death of Christ the Jews by the leave and help of Julian the Emperour attempted to re-edifie their City and Temple but mark how the Lord because his Counsels must stand and because he will be known to be true in his threatnings Ruffin l. 1. c. 38 causeth fearefull thundrings lightnings and Earthquakes to arise many of them slain and all driven from their attempts And other stories record many huge hosts of Jews attempting the recovery of their Holy Land and their dipersions The like ye may see in the Lords dealing against Antichrist many attempts have they made to destroy with the name of Luther and Calvin the whole truth of God and to re-establish their Kingdom of Idolatry but yet see we him blasted by the breath of the Lords mouth and though an utter consumption cannot be expected till the brightness of Christs coming 2 Thes 2.8 Yet this they can never hope for The recovery of their full power and dominion they once had in the Christian world What doth this teach us Vse but to tremble before the Lord when as we see his judgments begin to take course against us and to take heed how we harden our selves to his resistance that is to our own utter overthrow and desolation It is the fashion of many when they see the Lord crossing their attempts or weakening their State justly for their sins yet still to attempt their fortification without humbling themselves for their sins But it is vain to strive when the Lord will destroy In these days of security how many fond and profane speeches have been heard That they will not cease till they have brought Corne to such a rate c Beloved it were well to depend upon Gods blessing if we had turned from our sins But thus desperately to oppose against the will and decrees of the Lord without humiliation how vain is it And they shall call them the border of wickedness It may be demanded what was the cause of this irrecoverable desolation brought upon Edom These speciall sins we may see set down Num. 20.18 Ezek. 25.13 Jer. 49. alibi but specially if ye read the Prophecy of Obadiah where this judgment of God is denounced against the Edomites and the causes thereof specified One was unkindness to the people of God denying them in their passages common courtesies Num. 20.18 Another was Cruelty against his Brother Jacob in that not only they helped them not against their Adversaries but were partakers with them in their cruelty And thirdly Insulting over them in their afflictions ver 10. Now then mark here How fearefull a sin it is and how the matter of extreme desolations Observ cruell usage of the people of God The Lord delights in this Title The avenger of his people Luk. 18.7 8. and therefore as James hath it Chap. 5.6 Ye have condemned and killed the just therefore howle Beloved This is the common and crying sin of this Land unkindness and cruelty offered to the people
of God especially to the Lords Prophets and his Annointed and for which we have just cause to feare an heavy judgment And our own Congregation is not free How many lewd miscreants tollerated in the height of iniquity If any man make shew of Religion he only denyed common courtesie and happy he that is first in his Affliction and how triumph they in such a mans calamity Let such feare They become not a By-word Ver. 5. And your eyes shall see and ye shall say The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel We have here the use of this judgment amongst the people of God namely The celebrating and praising of the great power and might of the Lord in the destruction of the Enemies of his people Hence learn we To have our eyes open upon the judgments of God Observ That no judgment whether generall or personall may pass our observation The Reason is because they serve excellently to make our hearts stand in awe of the Majesty of God and to admonish us of our own danger in case of like misdemeanour See 1 Cor. 20. And here the blindness or negligence of our people must be blamed Vse Many are the judgments that we have seen and heard to be executed upon particular places That fearefull inundation those overthrows by thundring and lightning the beggary of Drunkards hardness of heart in Persecutors Our eyes should be open to take notice of this judgment partly for our own admonition partly for the praise of Gods mercy for exempting us And lastly To celebrate the praise of the power and justice of God in the desolation of his Adversaries Object May we then rejoyce in the overthrow of Gods Enemies Answ Not simply as their destruction but as manifestations of his glory See Exod. 15. Judg. 5. VER 6,7 A Son honoureth his Father and a Servant his Master If then I be a Father where is mine honour And if I be a Master where is my feare Saith the Lord of Hosts unto you O Priests that despise my Name ye offer polluted bread upon mine Altar c. THe second sin here taxed is The despising of Gods Name that is sleight regard of the worship of God Where first is proved that greater regard is due unto the Lord by a reason drawn from the double power of God Fatherly and of a Master If a Father I should be honoured but a Father The proposition is proved for A Son honoureth his Father 2. The sin and the parties to whose charge it is laid despising of Gods Name to the Priests 3. Their exception and deniall 4. The Lords reply by an instance ver 7. uncleane Bread 5. The doubling of the exception by the Priests 6. A second reply of the Lord likewise by instance Observ 1 The first Note we have here is this That Civill and Domesticall subjection is approved by God The authority of Masters and Fathers c. this is apparent For Masters Authority read Gen. 16.9 To Hagar Go and humble thy self to thy Mistris Mat. 8.9 The speech of the Centurion approved by our Saviour a clear point 1 Cor. 7.21 Eph. 6.5 Col. 3.22 That ancient error in the Appostles dayes reproved and their Reason from the quality of Masters If good then equall If evill what dominion I answer If good the rather to be obeyed 2 Tim. 6.2 And though there be equality of right to Gods Kingdom yet disparity of power in respect of externall state If evill yet to be obeyed 1 Pet. 2.18 1 Tim. 6.1 though not in evill the Reason it hinders not faith 1 Cor. 7.21 Contrary causeth blasphemy of Gods truth Observ 2 The next thing here observable is How God must be acknowledged not only as a Father but as a Master also and duties to him performed mingledly of feare and love As a Father we love as a Master we must feare therefore thus propounded 1 Pet. 1.17 Father which judgeth The Reason is because If without love or respect thereto it is slavish if without respect to Majesty sleightly Best duties done when both are mingled Rom. 11.22 both bounty and severity one causeth chearefulness the other reverence Now then Beloved Learn we to acknowledge the Lord to be such unto us Vse that in all duties performed those two vertues Love and Feare may meet together And what ever duty thou performest consider God not only as a Father to wink at imperfections but also as a Master to correct severely contempt But these ye shall see disjoyned in most mens practice Some talk of Gods love and mercy and he will spare as a Father but will you see what this naked consideration of the Love of God and his mercy breeds either absolute neglect or sleight performance of holy duties Some apprehend God as a severe and strict Master and that meditation wrings from them some services but slavishly performed and therefore not acceptable unto God He best doth duties that mingleth both thus heare beholding Gods love that makes thee cheerefull considering his Majesty that makes thee reverend Thus pray thus live 1 Pet. 1.17 That despise my Name How if any aske They offered uncleane bread that is profaned the worship of God Bread put Synechdochically for any Sacrifice For the understanding whereof know that there were certaine Beasts by Gods ordinance uncleane some cleane the distinction we have Gen. 6.7 some that God had sanctifyed to be offered in sacrifice some otherwise This their first sin That they offered such things as God had forbidden to be offered There cannot be a greater contempt offered to the Name of God than to offer unto him things prohibited Observ The Gentiles and Israelites condemned for this though full of Devotion they spared not their own Sons Daughters from offering them in sacrifice In 1 Sam. 15. Saul had reserved the Amalekites Cattell yea the fat of them for sacrifice yet is deprived of his Kingdom because the Lord had cursed them with a Curse And therefore Let this teach us to take heed how we Vse in the substance of Gods worship offer him any thing that he hath either forbidden or not enjoined Will-worship it is the common sin of our People Fasting in Lent the highest point of Devotion outward gestures a great part of their Religion their eye should be to what the Lord enjoineth and labour for a right understanding of the manner and ends of enjoyning And ye say wherein have we despised thy Name Note here the nature of an Hypocrite ready to justifie himself when the Lord himself reproves Observ and layeth sin to his charge gladly would they seem righteous in the sight of God and put off from them the Accusations laid to their charge Our Saviour layeth this sin to the charge of Pharisees Luk. 16.15 Ye are they that justifie your selves before men This was Eves fault Gen. 3. shifting her fault off to the Serpent Adam to the woman Saul I have obeyed the voice of the Lord 1 Sam. 15. The Reasons
impute to us the neglects of our people can any blame if we desire to keep off that burthen And let no man say The Minister is excused and the sin is only the Parties that adventureth This plea if it could have holden might have been made by the Priests of the Jews They offered such as the people brought had they brought better better they would have offered yet this made their sin because the Lord had forbidden the offering of such upon what pretence soever brought unto them VER 10. Who is there even among you that would shut the doores for nought neither do ye kindle fore on mine Altar for nought I have no pleasure in you saith the Lord of Hosts neither will I accept an offering at your hand REading in our English corrupt Better thus after Tremellius who is there amongst you that shuts the doore on free cost or do you kindle the fire on free-cost The Interrogation as above denies more strongly For the meaning we are to know That the Priests and Levites serving in the Sanctuary had their severall offices and places to serve in Num. 3. 4. 1 Chro. 25. 26. some to bear the Arke some to keep the Lamp some to make clean the Sanctuary and Instruments thereof some to dress the Sacrifices some as Porters to keep the doors of the Temple c. And to all these was appointed a portion of Tythes and Oblations for recomperce of their service The meanest door-keeper was to live of the Sanctuary and to have his portion for attendance The meaning then is this There is not the meanest of you that hath served me in the meanest place but I have provided him of maintenance as for recompence These words then contain an Amplification of those Priests and Levites sins That whereas the Lord had so liberally rewarded even the meanest of them for their services they had no more care to honour him and to preserve his worship from profane contempt Hence then may be observed Observ That there is not the meanest service performed unto God but hath his reward This not only in Ministery but in common life See Eph. 6.8 Col. 3.24 touching the offices of Servants to their Masters It confutes the speech of profane men Vse Mal. 3.14 Job 21.25 It is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Commandements and walked humbly before the Lord Their Reason They that work wickedness are set up and they that tempt God even they are delivered Surely there is no service performed unto God but hath his recompence howsoever performed Of Nebuchadnezzar the Lord thus speaks Eze. 29.20 Aegypt given him for wages for service done though unwittingly against Tyrus Of the Romans during the space of their first entrance into their Empire that they were renowned for Morall vertues Austin well observes that the Lord did for that cause enlarge their Empire And at this day who is there that can say He hath performed any service unto God but he hath selt the Lord a recompencer of him Distribute servants of God thus some there are that unwittingly do God service at profane men yet they lack not their reward in temporall things nor yet Hypocrites as Achab for externall humiliation plagne deferred sound worshippers of God though perhaps in things of this life more inferable yet in inward comforts in spirituall blessings Eph 1.3 In assurance of heavenly rewards recompenced for that Principle is infallible Heb. 11.6 God is a rewarder of all chiefly of them that dingently seek him Herde then It is not hard Observ farther to observe That Benefits received add much to the weight of unthankfulness and make neglects of duty more odious in them As ye shall see Isa 5.4 So Saul 1. Sam. 15.17 When thou mast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thine own eyes c. So to David 2. 〈◊〉 10. Take we heed there fore How Vse when the Lord provokes us by his blessings we then neglect fidelity in his service Surely if we take view of our state in this Church in generall we may many waies sensibly perceive that the Lord is not behind with us for recompence of our services As in peace prosperity means of Salvation c. would God we had not been too much behind in duties of obedience This shall be our just condemnation that the Lord having provoked us so by his blessings we have failed in the duties of thankfulness Wherefore Let us all remember to make use of the mercies and loving kindnesses of our God that they may be to us so many allurements to sincerity and soundness in our service I will not accept an offering at your hand What is the Reason Namely because they had offered unlawfully Hence then observe Observ That when once a man hath corrupted himself in the worship of God his lawfull services during impenitency have no acceptance with the Lord The Reason is Because the Sacrifices of wicked men are abominable and such mens persons are not reconciled unto God Rro. 21 27. And this may teach us what to judg of that opus operatum taught by Papists Vse when as they teach that good works by whomsoever performed are acepted of the Lord as justice in an Atheist is a good and acceptable work to him c. contra Heb. 11.6 Without Faith impossible to please God Sacrifice of wicked abominable for such men want the foundation of all acceptance namely Reconciliation with God Heb. 9.14 Nor can they performe services in acceptable manner As 1. Not as from the night fountain Love Nor a. As to the right and Gods glory Take we heed therefore How we corrupt ourselves in the Worship of God Labour especially to be at one with God in Christ See Heb. 11.4 Gen. 4.4 and repent especially of Corruptions in the first Table VER 11. For from the rising of the Sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles in every place incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure offering for my Name shall be great among the heathen saith the Lord of Hosts THe second judgment here threatned is The translating of the Kingdom of God and his worship from the Jews to the Gentiles A fearfull judgment to have the word of God Observ and his worship taken from us See Mat. 21.12 Isa 5. The Reason men thus deprived sit in darkness and in the shadow of death Mat. 4.16 are as without God in the world Eph. 2.12 they become more vile as Jews and Romenes yea from such as the Arke from Israel is the glory departed 1 Sam 4.21 Take we heed of this judgment and tremble at those things that may procure it As 1. Corrupting out selves in this worship of God 2. Receiving it vain 3. Cruell usage of the Ministers Mat. 23.37 Surely though I be half of his mind that taught that when Antichrist's Kingdom hath been runated it shall never again be re-established in full power But
liberty in sinning this oak they had Christ had made them free these wretches here took Moses permission for a warrant and a cloake for their sinning Like colours Vse and pretences see we even at this day in many of our people sinning See we a few of them 1. Yee shall see the examples of Saints pretended But let men enquire how lawfull or whether by priviledg or whether in the same manner upon like grounds For these cases often vary actions 2. Scripture abused its lawfull to do good on the Sabbath c. But remember they must be necessary good duties yet so as that it may not be thine own works they must ever be works of mercy 3. We must live saith the usurer Answ And thou must live in obedience to the law of God besides the strumpet and the thiefe may pretend the same 4. Humane law and connivence of Magistrates Answ Here the Lord tries thee whether thou doest indeed in sincerity fear God 2. Connivence in Magistrates warrants not transgression in the people 3. Distinguish we must betwixt permissions and commands 5. Commands Answ All such must have limitation in the Lord Eph. 6.5 See Hos 5. Therefore take heed to your spirit that ye deal not treacherously And admonition of three branches 1. A duty 2. A Reason 3. A meanes to perform the duty Admonition drawn out of the former words Sith this liberty of divorce is so cross to Gods ordinance so contrary to his intendment manifested in creation so hatefull to God so injurious to the wife with whom a covenant is entred therefore keep your selves in your spirits and transgress not Out of the illative thus made we may observe the reason why it pleaseth the Lord to convince of sins Observ and to use aggravations and it is for our admonition that we should take heed how by them we defile our selves The end of conviction is our admonition See Ezek. 18. and Ier. 18. Now Brethren the Lord hath dealt mercifully with us in this kingdome this way by many meanes labouring to work conviction and happy we if it might have this effect to work in us admonition and care to avoid sin The usuall meanes whereby the Lord convinceth of sin are these 1. His word 2. Afflictions 3. His vengeance on others 4. The controllement and check of our own conscience And in none of these hath the Lord been behinde with us as Paul sin is not imputed where is no Law and Rom. 5.20 The law entred that sin might abound Beloved in daies of blindness many sins were swallowed up that were most fearfull in the sight of God Idolatry blasphemy breach of Sabbath c. And those that are every where called works of darkness Now in these dayes of light the Lord hath shewed us what is good Mic. 6.8 and as well what is evill by the light of his word shall it not be our shame if being convinced of sin we continue therein Second meanes afflictions the smart whereof discovers also the hainousness of our sins in time of ease sins sometimes are known but scarce throughly considered afflictions Iob 33.16 Open the eare c. And how the Lord hath dealt with us this way if we have eyes we cannot but see following us with many of his plagues and heavy judgments even Pharaoh could then under affliction confess I have sinned Third meanes of conviction exemplary vengeance of which besides the records of Scriptures other stories are frequent and the Lord thereby would shew unto us how to esteeme and account of our sins Usurers many brought to beggary drunkards cloathed with raggs false swearers ruinated in their families adulterers brought to a morsell of bread these are our convictions would God they were our warnings Fourth meanes check of conscience The heart smites it self 1 Sam. 24.5 and 2 Sam. 24. As the Disciples of Christ did not our hearts burn within us Luk. 24.23 whilest he talked with us and opened unto us the Scripture The like question if I should propound unto us I know they would answer they have often felt it Beloved happy he whom the Lord thus chastens if he be thereby admonished and woe to us if being convicted of sin we still continue therein Beloved let me exhort therefore every one of us to whom the Lord hath been thus merciful to reveal our sins and to convince us of them that the Lord may attain his end in us to work in our hearts a care to depart from evil how are we convinced in our judgments by the Lords judgments of many fearful and crying sins Why resolve we not to leavthem Let me add reasons 1. Continance of sin after conviction as it hardens the heart so makes it the sin much more haynous in the sight of God If ye were blinde ye should have noe sin Joh. 9.41 Jam. 4.17 To him that knowes to do well and doth it not to him it is sin with an emphasis Every sin after conviction is doubled Ezr. 9.13 after all this we have sinned 2. Reprobates ascend thus far to see sin and acknowlelg it Pharaoh could say I and my people are sinners but forsaking of sin is that only that argues sound grace The fear of the Lord is to depart from evil to hate pride arrrogancy and every evil way Prov. 8.13 Wherefore beloved let us thus resolve every of us as it pleaseth God more and more to enlighten us to see our sins and rightly to know them so with all speed and earnestness to leave them I doubt not but Prophecy at this day hath in many of us the same effect that it had in the Primitive Church by Gods ordinance 1 Cor. 14. Would God! as it convinceth so it might work detestation and care to avoid sin Observ And hence may we observe an order to be kept of us in ministring admonitions unto the people First to convince Then to admonsh and exhort that is First to make sin known before we admonish to leave it and this that enjoyned 2 Tim. 4.4 with doctrine implying that doctrine must be the ground of all exhortations and admonitions And the practice of Prophets is First to labour to convince then exhort they to forsake Jer. 3.13 14. Know thine iniquity then turn again Reason of it conscience ever works upon principles of judgment till those be planted conscience never doth her office in accusing or condemning Therefore it is that an erroneous or ignorant conscience is never moved with any reproofe never so sharp any threatning never so severe persecution a grievous sin yet while not known to be such or thought erroniously to please God Ioh. 16. never moves conscience 1 Tim. 1.15 16. And therefore mark deal with an ignorant body that is not informed give him the best exhortations use the forciblest perswasions thou movest them no more then so many stones c. Now brethren let us learn hence the method of admonition it 's a duty every where injoyned unto us and that
imputation by instance In the accusation are two things 1. The fact 2. The mean By this weariness we are to understand two things 1. the Lords long patience even ad defatigationem usque towards the wicked and the abuse thereof by the people 2. His readiness to turn patience into wrath and to execute vengeance upon the transgressours Of the first of these This is that the Lord every where challengeth to himself and in common experience is seen to practise Exod. 34.6 Rom. 2 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea even towards the vessels of wrath Rom. 9.22 So after many long provocations yet he gives to the old world an hundred and twenty years so to the Amorites though their sins were ever crying yet four hundred years given them Gen. 15.13 And this is that that every one of us have had plentiful experience of What a long course of sinning ran we along in before our calling and how bountiful found we the Lord towards us And which even of the desperatest wretches amongst us can say that the Lord hath been hasty to take notice of or punish his rebellions The reason is to lead us to repentance if it were possible Rom. 2.4 or otherwise to leave the impenitent excuseless Now beloved this should teach us amendment of life and lead us on to repentance Vse but to see how this patience of the Lord is abused to wantonness because the Lord bears long therfore continue we in sin and heap up wrath See Eccles 8.11 12 13. Secondly this is propounded to us as a pattern to imitate in our own provocations Col. 3.13 2 Tim. 24.25 that we should bear patiently as good children And it condemns that hasty and rash desire in hastening unto vengeance in our personal injuries see Paul Tit. 3.3 we forward also till God called and many times the latter in calling outstrips the former in obedience God will not alwaies bear our provocations its true Observ that he bears long but at length he comes and puts end to patience that justice may take place So with the old world Ierusalem Egypt see Psal 50.21 22. One reason is that he may shew himself though he be a bearer of evil yet to be not lover of it 2. That we may know it is not an idle name of God but hath in him actual and active justice thereforegives he us continual experiments of his taking notice of mans sins and hatred of them Vse see Isa 1.24 And what may we learn hence but to take heed how we continue to provoke the Lord to wrath by our continued sins surely though the Lord keep long silence yet at length he reproves by his judgmens And as David saith Psal 50.21 22. Consider this ye that forget God lest he tear you in pieces like a lion and there be none to deliver The Lord puts upon him the habit of these violent creatures the more to terrifie Sometimes he seems to sleep and David saith The Lord awaked out of sleep but in the day of his wrath he is furious and none can stand before him And would God beloved ye could all lay this to heart swearers drunkards c. Surely the restraint would be much The mean followeth by their words So that words have their weight Observ and are marvellous provoking in the eares of the Lord yea brethren Audacter dicam works sometimes provoke not so much as proud and contemptuous speeches See Mal. 3.13 And would God these men that speak so lightly of their words that are most blasphemous would lay this to heart saying words are but winde And let it teach us all to pray with David to the Lord Vse to keep the door of our lips Sundry reasons there are of it 1. We are countable even for idle words much more for blasphemous Matth. 12.36 2. By them is our righteousness or unrighteousness declared a good man good things an evil man brings forth evil things Amongst all speeches first stoutness in words and desperate speeches 2. Blasphemies that impose upon the Lord any thing unbeseeming his majesty 3. Justifications of such speeches Yet yet say wherein Here is their apology Observ From whence we note how unwilling a wicked man is to acknowledg his sins and how he stands up to justifie himself even against God himself The reasons are 1. Secret hypocrisie in the heart none so wretched but he would fain seem religious 2. Ignorance of the will of God Ob. If any shall say that Gods children do thus sometimes Answ They are to be understood as speaking of particular righteousness in some particular cause wherewith they are burthened by men The distinction is usuall justitia personae justitia causae So David labours to clear himself of those particulars that Doeg and other adversaries imposed on him in respect of Sauls person and his aspiring to the kingdome 2. They thus speak as in respect of men not of God and therefore when they come to deal with the Lord they acknowledg their sins Ob. 2. Iobs example is alledged as justifying himself before God Answ Iob must thus be understood as speaking of his freedome from hypocrisie and that he was in the Lords service upright in the sight of God whereas his freinds condemne him of hypocrisie he challengeth to himself uprightness See Iob 8.20 9. per tot and therefore when he comes to speak of himself in respect of his infirmity he acknowledgeth his sins Iob. 9.2 3 20. And let this teach us to acquaint our selves with our own sins and corruptions to which purpose Vse 1. Know the Law of God and therein diligently view thy self 2. Compare thy self with God not with man Whiles we look on our selves and compare our selves with men we seem semidei as half Gods but look up to God and thy righteousness will appear unclean Iob 9.2 3. Consider there may be many corruptions which we see not I know not mine own soul Iob 9.21 When ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord Here is the instance Let us see their conclusion which is disjunctive either God an approver of the wicked or else no God of judgment that is regards not things done on the earth or else indeed there is no God at all Hear their medium Mal. 3.14 15. Because the Lord punisheth not but prospereth the wicked 2. Afflicts and delivers not his own children The like blasphemous thoughts are in wicked men Observ at this day which also sometimes they utter with their mouths they see not but the Lord blesseth hem in temporall things as well as others that are more nice and precise and stand upon points yea this that wherewith David confesseth himself to be much turmoiled to doubt of Gods providence love of the wicked and seeming hatred of his children Psal 37. 73. So Ieremy chap. 12.1 It shall not be amiss therefore a little to shew a mean to fortifie our selves against this Godless and blasphemous temptation
partly through Gods judgment upon such partly through Satans desire to bewitch them with such things God gives them over to these delusions that they may believe lies because they have not received the love and obedience of the truth 2 Thess 2.11 A second kinde of Sooth-saying or Magick is operative that is consisting in working things strange and beyond conceit because we see not the reason of them as we see in the sorcerers about Pharaoh and Simon Magus and the like perhaps at this day strange cures wrought by bringing inchanted napkins c. Now first by natural causes known to Sathan as of the lamp burning in the Temple of Venus without oyl a thing that hath a cause in nature as Pliny of a stone called Asphaestus once set on fire never quenched Secondly by deceiving of the sence as Pharao'hs Wizards by agility of their nature removing rods bringing in Serpents Thirdly perhaps also some marvels wrought true for their nature but false in their end Reasons 1. Gods judgment upon such as believe such things 2. That those that obtain such gifts might not be too much exalted 3. To teach us not rashly to receive doctrines thus commended but to bring them to the touch 4. That we might not too much admire this gift but labour for those rather that tend to edification and salvation And in this rank may I also reckon those so rife in every corner charmers and sorcerers would God our own congregation were free which is by procuring of words to procure speedy help or hurt and this is either plain or covert some meanes pretendedly used against which and all the rest See Deut. 18.10 11. Reasons 1. God cast out the heathen for these 2. Prophets ordained Against all which these rules must be observed 1. That they are all exercised by a secret compact with Sathan Reason they have no such force by nature divine ordinance or promise Ob. Prayers are good and prevalent Answ Made in faith according to Gods will But 1. What warrant to pray for cure without meanes or by meanes supernaturall 2. What reason why such a prayer rather then another 3. See such people known to be ignorant vitious of whom the Lord professeth he knows none such Ob. Gift Answ Extraordinary gift of healing now ceased Ob. Devill doth none good Answ Yes ease with a desire to hurt VER 6 7. For I am the Lord I change not therefore yee sons of Jacob are not consumed Even form the days of your fathers yee are gone away from mine ordinances and have not kept them Return unto me and I will return unto you saith the Lord of Hosts but yee said wherein shall we return HEre the true cause assigned why they were not consumed because the Lord is unchangeable And that it might not seem strange the Lord should in mercy so long forbeare them he makes it probable by promising a greater blessing the summe whereof is this that though they had gone astray so long and were not amended yet if now at length they would return the Lord promiseth to return to them Parts three 1. An aggravation of the peoples sins 2. An invitation to repentance 3. A promise of a blessing with a confirmation of it saith the Lord of Hosts From days of your Fathers That is ever since your fathers gave you that ungracious example and became patterns of disobedience ye have gone astray How prevalent with posterity the example of parents is especially in evill I might instance this Observ in the State of Ieroboam how many hundreds of years did idolatry continue in his lineage And succeeding Kings of his Stock went a whoring after the calves in Dan and Bethel as the leprosie of Gehazi clave to him and his posterity so the sins of Parents oft-times to their children Heare some reasons of it The 1. Is that proness in nature to imitate examples either in good or evill especially in children towards Parents as we see in common appearance in the least of our infants but newly crept out of their cradle speeches gestures c. how apishly imitate they them 2. But specially this comes to pass by a judgment of God upon the children for the fathers transgression threatned in the second commandement where he saith he will visit the sins of the fathers upon the children If a man demande how Answ By withholding his grace from them and giving them over to imitate their fathers sins and this how see we it verified in daily experience Popery how long continues it in families popish This should admonish all those of us whom the Lord hath made parents to take heed how we forsake the wayes of our God and walk after the stubbornness of our own hearts Sundry reasons I might give for this 1. Examples in evill are always prevalent like leaven 1 Cor. 5.7 how soon it leavens the whole lumpe we see so spreads the infection of an evill example 2. Me-thinks the very misery of our children should move us God hath made us fathers of their bodies Heb. 12.9 And very birth is in its own nature a blessing but yet if we shall bane them by our evill example better had it been for them never to be born how discomfortable is it to parents to see the shamefull ends of their children as sometimes on the gibbet Can we grieve at this Me-thinks that other misery of them their eternall damnation should move us murther of bodies odious much more of soules And therefore beloved let us all be exhorted to take heed how by a poysonful example we corrupt the souls of our children be diligent to bring up in the discipline and information of the Lord but be as careful to go before them in an holy example of practice Wouldest thou have children reverently use the name of God beware how thou prophanest it by ungodly swearing Longest thou to wean them from wantonness and love of pleasure and wouldest thou have them even in youth to renounce the vanities of life Redeem thou the time me-thinks it 's unreasonable that parents should spend weeks and moneths in pleasures and yet expect restraint from pastime at the hands of their children What is this but to binde heavy burthens and not to move them with the least of our fingers Secondly this should teach us to repent of our sins lest we bequeath unto them with our goods our sins also Riches and possessions they descend by inheritance sins also are sometimes hereditary Thirdy this should be admonition unto children to fortifie themselves against the means so powerful used by Satan to pervert them As much as for thine own grieve for thy fathers sins I never knew an ungracious father but he hath left behinde him some pledg of Gods displeasure amongst his children yea though they have seen their fathers sins and fled from them I speak now of temporal plagues by which it pleaseth God to visit the sins of fathers even in Godly children And therefore this doe when
God gives thee eyes to see the sins of thy parents and to fly from them Ezek. 18. Humble thy self even for thy fathers sins See Dan. 9. Neh. 13.18 But specially learn to fly from them and for this cause inform thy self by the word of God touching thy duty and ever set thy self these bounds to follow thy father no farther then he follows the Lords commandment great is the benefit of such wisdom Prescription in errour is no feasible plea in the Court of the Lord. What if thou couldest say Popery whordom covetousness c. had continued in thy lineage to a thousand descents This may aggravate thy sin but shall not excuse it And therefore observe every where how the Lord adds this as the aggravating circumstance Psal 95.10 Fourty years long was I grieved with this generation and Act. 7.51 Alwayes ye have resisted the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do ye And therefore Vse vain and hellish is that speech of prophane ones amongst us that because they are able to prescribe in sinning therefore procure themselves immunity from the wrath of the Lord. How often hear we those speeches from our people Thus have I alwayes used and my father before me Now brethren put it in some other case in sins against the second table and see how odious a defence this would be if a man should plead thus in his whordom thus my father hath used before me if in theft c. How should we abhorr him And yet in sins as vain as the excuse is must go for currant Psal 78.8 Be not as your fathers a disobedient and rebellious generation and Psal 95.9 in tempting God and hardness of heart Ezek. 20.18 Walk not in the ordinances of your fathers to defile your selves with Idols and for thâ—s cause see Zech. 1.5 Your fathers where are they and remember what Peter speaks 1 Pet. 4.3 It s enough if any thing were enough that we have spent the former part of our life in vanity ignorance c. To the dishonour of our God Sins never so long continued shut not out from mercy if repentance unfeignedly be performed Observ 3. Luk. 19.42 If thou hadst known in this thy day c. that is if after all this contempt of my word all this innocent blood of my Prophets shed amongst you if in this day thou knewest and wouldest embrace the things that concern thy peace happy wert thou Act. 17.30 The times of this ignorance God regarded not but now he admonisheth every man to repent The reason is nothing but the endless mercy of the Lord that knows no limits of time so be it repentance can be performed If a man turn whensoever he turn he shall live Ezek. 18. c. Now mark the forward use prophane men make of this doctrine Vse sith there is place for pardon after so long continuance in disobedience vain therefore to take thought too soon a little in old age or on the death-bed will serve the turn for Gods mercy never rejects repentance from pardon if at any time heartily performed Well beloved this is true But shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid Rom. 6.1 Know we therefore that that God who hath promised to give pardon whensoever repentance is performed hath not all-wayes given repentance when it 's sought for nay hath threatened to deny repentance to them that contemning it offered in the means respit the day of their conversion unto God How howls Esau for the blessing How fain would he come to heaven How bewailes he the loss of Gods favour with tears Heb. 12.17 and yet obtains it not and what saith wisdom Prov. 1 24 26. I called you heard not you shall call but shall not be heard you shall seek mee early but not finde mee And therefore mark what Esay saith Isa 55.6 Seek the Lord while he may be found Is there any time when the Lord will not be found Answ Yes no doubt not but that his mercy is everlasting but for that men cannot seek it when the time is over-slipt Ezek. 24 13. Hence then let us learn beloved that perhaps have lived long in our sins now at the length to seek God if he may be found of us And mark how lovingly the Lord invites us who have gone astray c. a long time yet return unto mee and I will turn unto you as if he had said yet at the length return there is hope of mercy and forgiveness Beloved the Lord is the same to us as he was to Israel and still saith to us as to them though ye have long gone astray yet if now at length we could return there were hope of mercy and forgiveness Let me thus apply it to every of us and let us all think this spoken to our selves Thou that art ignorant and lived thus all thy life long if now at length thou couldest be admonished to repent God regards not thy past sins upon performance of present repentance so to all other sinners and mark how the Lord protests he delights not in our death why will ye dye saith the Lord See Hos 13.9 And let not Sathan prevail with thee so far as to think as the saying is too late now for the promise of remission is made to repentance without all limitation of time person or number of offences and this be assured out of the word of God that howsoever there is no sin so light but deserves a thousand hells yet none deadly in the event but impenitency yea the very sin against the Holy Ghost were capable of pardon if capable of repentance And Observ 4. if these things move us not what shall we say but as the Lord by his Prophet thy destruction is from thy self salvation of me this only be sure of that thou bring repentance What that is we shall see anon if we shall first observe the state of man during impenitency which is the next thing to be considered in the text The State and condition of impenitency it s nothing else but a continuall straying from God as Ier. 2.27 They have turned unto me the back therefore 1 Pet. 2. ult We are said to go astray like sheep and the Scripture every where calleth it a wandring from God And beloved let this be holden of all men whose hearts are not turned and renewed by the Holy Ghost Let their civill honesty be never so great their zeal and devotion never so fervent till the heart be changed all is but celer cursus extra viam What learn we hence Surely to take notice of our own misery whose hearts the Lord hath not yet turned unto him we are as men in a wilderness fain perhaps we would finde the way to heaven but cannot nay the more we strive the further out of the way and this is the misery of every impenitent sinner Then hence learn all such to pray with Ieremy Chap. 31.18 19 Convert thou us O Lord and we shall be converted
Lam. 5.21 Secondly refuse not the Lords corrections but embrace them as the Lords love-tokens think they all cry unto thee saying as Elisha to the Assyrians 2 King 6.19 This is not the way and look how thou wouldest rejoyce if in a dangerous journey thou shouldest have one but to tell thee thou wert wrong c. 2. Because these are indeed but dumbe guides learn to depend on the Ministery of the word God hath given us all in our places to be guides and directors unto you as Paul Act. 26.18 God sends us to open the eyes that ye may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Sathan unto God See Act. 3. ult This should admonish every one of us to be diligent in admonition as Iam. 5.19 20. Look what we would do if we met with a travellour out of the way so c. especially strive we to be guides unto them by our example Heb. 12.13 Make strait steps to our feet lest that which is halting be turned out of the way The nature of repentance And that is here briefly described to be a returning unto God so every where Hos 14.1 Ioel. 2.13 Act. 26.18 therefore commonly the working of it is called conversion and men repenting are called converts as Nicholas the convert or proselyte of Antioch Act. 6.5 Let us all try our repentance by this that we may see Vse whether we have indeed repented we shall know it by this our hearty turning unto God Sundry notes there are of it First as preparatives there are these things 1. Knowledg of our sins and of our errours Ier. 3.12 13. The Lord thus exhorts the people of Israel thou disobedient Israel return saith the Lord and I will not let my wrath fall upon thee how may this be performed Know thin◠iniquity that thou hast rebelled against the Lord thy God 2. A second preparative is shame Ier. 31.18 I was ashamed Rom. 6.21 Whereof ye are now ashamed 3. A third is indignation 2 Cor. 7.11 I smote upon my thigh Ier. 31.18 4. Enquiry after God See Act. 2.37 What shall we do And Act. 16.30 What must I do 5. Deprecation Hos 4.2 Take unto you words and say receive us graciously 6. Thankfulness ibid. 7. As a sign of all this holy obedience in all things The last observation is the benefit of repentance I will return unto you Observ Sence The Lord is said to be with us when he favours us giving us testimonies and pledges of his love Isa 54.7 To go from us when he removes the signs of his favour and to return unto us when he restores us the comfortable pledges of his loving-kindness So that the meaning is this return to me by repentance I will return unto you that is whereas I have now a long time withholden the pledges of my love and by judgments inflicted have testified my displeasure against you return to me I will restore my blessings inward and outward This then the benefit of repentance it draws down from the Lord his blessings in abundance it turns away his wrath brings us the pledges of his love and favour And Vse let this teach us that have lost any of the pledges of Gods favour how we may recover them namely by unfeigned repentance Beloved in Christ we have long had the Lord averse from us as is apparent by sundry judgments which he hath inflicted upon us he hath withholden the former and the latter rain sent us cleaness of teeth and scarcity of bread and yet the Lords wrath is not ceased but his hand is stretched out still Isai 9.12 Wonder we at this Surely the cause is this our not returning unto the Lord by repentance would we recover the Lords favour return we then unto him let the wicked forsake his own unrighteousness Isai 55.7 Prove the Lord with this if he will not open us the windows of Heaven and pour down his blessings in a bundance Isai 1.26 The like say I of all other pledges of Gods favour whereof he hath deprived us health a blessing peace of conscience comfort in Gods service would we recover these We have here the mean And see the experiment of it in sundry examples of the Lords dealing with his people Psal 32.5 I said I will confefs my sin and thou forgavest the punishment of my sin But ye said wherein shall we return Their justification of themselves Whence we note Oserv that men deeplyest engaged in the guilt of sin are hardlyest brought to acknowledg their sin See Luke 16.15 You are they that justifie your selves but God knows the heart and what is highly esteemed amongst men is abominable in the sight of God Reasons hereof many but principally that very custom of sin wherein they have long lived brings blindness upon the Understanding insomuch that the grossest sins seem as no sins after custom in them See Eccles 4.12 They know not that they do evil 2. This falls by Gods just judgment giving them up to blindness as Rom. 1.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a minde voide of all judgment so that they speak evil of good and good of evil Isa 5.20 And therefore be we exhorted to take heed of that which brings this judgment upon us VER 8 9. Will a man rob God Yet ye have robbed mee But ye say wherein have we robbed thee In Tythes and offerings ye are cursed with a curse for ye have robbed mee even this whole nation THe Lord insisteth in their accusation by mentioning a new crime namely sacriledg or spoiling of God himself Where we note 1. The crime laid to the peoples charge sacriledg 2 Their apology or justification of themselves 3. The amplyfication of the sin they did as none would do no not Idolaters themselves 4. The proofe of it by instance 1. In tyths and offerings 2. By the signes and effects Gods curse upon them Where is also the generality of it in the subject This whole nation Observ 1 Will a man rob God Care of maintaining Gods worship is ingraffed in men by nature Will a man spoyl his gods Though Idolaters err in their apprehension yet when they have once conceived a god-head they are careful to maintain his worship and conscionably abstain from purloyning any thing that may thither serve This I might shew in the very heathen themselves How devout in dolatry How liberal in contribution to maintain their divine worship See what cost the Egyptians were at this way what store of crafts-men maintained by Idolatry How frets Laban when he loseth his gods So Micah Judg. 17. I might be infinite this way Reason is the fear of natural conscience this way which howsoever it erreth in particulars yet for the general holdes the conclusion that God must be worshipped And therefore sets up a stock and a stone rather than it will be without a god Then Vse Then hence learn what to judg of an Atheist or a prophane man he is is far worse than the vilest
promise useth those means prescribed for his comfort expecting by hope the performance of what is promised And it hath in it three things 1. A promise of God to rest on 2. Walking in the wayes that God hath prescribed 3. Expectation of performance in use of the means Or briefly thus when a man using the means prescribed waits for the performance of what is promised as in this place here is 1. Promise of plenty 2. The means repentance 3. Faith in use of the means prescribed Now when a man fails in any of these he proves God indeed but that proving is tempting As for example when a man throwes himself into an unnecessary danger he hath no promise of protection as the devil tempted Christ to do Matth. 4.6 He may make experiment of Gods truth so doing but indeed is a tempter of God So likewise when a man having holy means prescribed neglects to use them as having meat looks to be fed as Elias was by Angels that he may prove God this also is tempting of God See we the means with this now prescribed the observation will be A man that would have a comfortable experience of Gods truth in his promises Observ must tye himself precisely to those means that the Lord prescribes Act. 27.31 The Apostle had received a promise from God for preservation of him and his company in the shipwrack they seeing the ship like to break begin by means not prescribed to provide for themselves but the Apostle tels them that unless they tarry in the ship they cannot be safe And let it teach us to walk in Gods high-way if we look for comfortable deliverance Vse out of any troubles Reproved those that neglect the means vouchsafed as how many both in temporal and spiritual things there be that fain would be saved but means of their own they seek at least neglect use of means by God prescribed and vouchfafed unto them Secondly such as in dangers and extremities betake themselves to means of their own that have no warrant from God As how many in these dayes of scarcity to pilfering and stealing prophanation of the Lords Sabbath c. Though the Lord hath often protested that obedience is the best means of preservation Deut. 28. If I will not open the windowes of Heaven See Gen. 7.11 2 King 7.2 Meaning that the Lord would give them plentiful means and a plentiful blessing with them Where note the power of repentance how prevalent it is with God to draw down his blessings upon us it turns the greatest penury into abundance See this first in feigned repentance by Ahab it respits Gods vengeance though but counterfeit 1 King 21. ult In Nineveh Who knows saith the King whether the Lord will repent of the evil and return and leave a blessing behinde him See Jon. 3.10 See Psal 106. in the example of the Israelites Beloved let us prove God with this It hath pleased God a long time to follow us with his judgments Vse in this Kingdom as Amos 4. And what marvel Isa 9.12 13. If the Lords wrath be not ceased but his hand stretched out still sith the people turneth not to him that smites them nor seek the Lord of Hostes Now beloved that we could be perswaded by repentance to seek the Lord and would prove him a whiles with this as we have provoked him by our sins so we would prove him a little with repentance how easily could the Lord turn our penury into abundance It was a prophane speech of the Prince 2 King 7.2 Though the Lord should open the windowes of Heaven this thing could not come to pass And as prophane is the thought of our people because perhaps we see no means mens hearts we say are hardend c. But in whose hand are the hearts of men How moved he the hearts of the people that led Israel captive to pity them Psal 106.46 See Gods favour to Israel in the eyes of the Egyptians that before had oppressed them neither is his hand shortened Prove the Lord with this Observe again secondly how plenty and scarcity are all the works of God Observ be the means what they will as scripture abundantly evidenceth He turneth the rock into a spring he maketh a fruitfull land barren he maketh the earth iron and the Heavens brass Again he opens the windows of Heaven he brought grass-hoppers upon Egypt he calls for a winde and sweeps all away He sends the Canker-worm and grass-hopper to devour as his instruments to be avenged of our sins it 's he that rebukes them c. Amos 3.6 No evil to wit of punishment but the Lord doth it Now Vse this serves for the reproof of those Naturallists who ascribe all things to Nature and never look up to the God of Nature whose will these second causes fullfil and accomplish dearth and plenty with them all come from Nature drought and immoderate rain but who sends the drought who rain Is it not the Lord Elias prayes for drought it 's given prayes for rain it 's given also Iam. 5.17 18. So in these inundations of late the windes observed but God not seen in them though as David saith he brings the windes out of his treasures Well beloved let us learn to hear the rod and him that smites Mic. 6.8 Surely of all these means we may say as Elias of the still voyce the Lord is in them 1 King 19.12 And what else should be the reason that the same causes have not allwayes the same effects but that the first cause tempers and over-rules them Nature ever works constantly and to the utmost of her power Natural faculties are applyed and brought to action by the power of God And therfore take we the Prophets advice Hos 6.1 as the Lord hath smitten us so to him let us return it 's he alone that can heal us VER 11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes c. NOte we here Observ by how many mean instruments God can take vengeance of his people caterpillars and cankerworms creatures of no great power yet see how the Lord by them can avenge him of his people â— How dealt the Lord with the Egyptians by grasshoppers froggs lice flyes haile c. And let us learn hence to take heed how we provoke the eyes of the Lords glory Vse seeing by the meanest of his creatures he can thus be avenged of us thou that boastest of strength of body and promisest to thy self long life how soon can the meanest and vilest spider kill thee c. VER 13 14 15. Your words have been stout against me saith the Lord yet yee say what have we spoken so much against thee Yee have said it is vain to serve God c THe crime laid to their charge stout words against God In them consider the blasphemies themselves 1. Vain to serve God 2. Proud blessed Arguments whereby they prove it 1 From their own experience what profit have we had The interrogation
Prophet 2. The time of his coming namely immediately before the coming of that great and fearful day 3. By his effect he shall convert the action amplyfied by the subject and terms hearts of children to fathers and of fathers to children And by the end lest I come and smite the earth withour sing As touching the sense of the words the quaere is betwixt us and Pontificians what is here meant by Elias the Prophet Whether Elias the Thisbite in person or Iohn Baptist metaphorically and analogically called Elias Papists in the question touching the time of Antichrists comming generally understand it of Elias in person and hence thus conclude that Antichrist is not yet come because Elias and Enoch who must come in the time of Antichrist are not yet come in person Their conclusion that Antichrist is not yet come they go about to prove by six signes which must be of Antichrists coming Two foregoing 1. Preaching of the Gospel to all nations 2. Desolation of the Roman Empire Two accompanying it 1. The Preaching of Enoch and Elias in person 2. Bloudy persecution in such sort that publique worship of God shall cease Two following it 1. The destruction of Antichrist after three yeares and an half 2. The end of the world But none of these are yet accomplished Ergo. Now as touching this controversie at large my purpose is not to speak nor yet to deal with any other reason but this that they take out of this text In the dayes of Antichrist Henoch and Elias must come in person to preserve the Elect in the faith of Christ and convert the Jews but they are not yet come Ergo. To say nothing of Enoch but to insist in that they urge for Elias that he must live in the dayes of Antichrist they labour to prove 1. By testimonies of Scriptures and of Fathers 2. By reasons out of the text Their testimonies of scripture are three Mal. 4.5 Matth. 17.11 Rev. 11.3 c. We will first propound our judgment with the confirmation of it and then answer to the objections of Papists This then is the truth that by Elias is here meant Iohn Baptist the fore-runner of Christ Jesus And if any man ask why he is called Elias The Angel Luk. 1.17 gives the reason because he goes before Christ in the Spirit and power of Elias This likeness there is between them 1. In office reforming of the Church 2. Gifts of courage boldness liberty of speech 3. In habite not unlike 4. In people with whom they dwell First we have the testimony of the Angell Luk. 1.17 Alledging this very Scripture and applying it to Iohn Baptist 2. Exposition of our Saviour Mat. 17.10 11 12. Mat. 11.14 Ob. Their reason out of this place it s this this cannot be understood of Iohn Baptist because speech is here of Christs second comming proved because the day great and terrible but Christs first day called the acceptable time and day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 Answ This day of Christs first comming is called terrible in respect of the wicked Mal. 3.2 3. So also Mat. 3. Ob. Mat. 17.11 Elias must restore all things so did not Iohn Answ It s strange to see how they dare so violently to pervert the text vers 12. Christ by the testimony of Disciples speaks of Iohn Baptist these men will controule Christs own exposition 2. That restitution referred to reformation of religion and must be understood Inchoativè Ob. Rev. 11.3 Answ The things these spoken of cannot in any hand agree to Elias Reasons 1. He never saw death before his assumption unlikely therefore that after glory received he should dye 2. It repugnes the nature of a glorified body one dos whereof is immortality 2 Cor. 5.1 Ob. No other Reason can be given of their assumption Answ Though we know no reason yet would it not follow that that was the reason Other reasons are probably assigned as 1. Perhaps to prevent Idolatry 2. To nourish hope of immortality after this life ended However this reason concludes nothing And so have we freed the text from Popish glosses Now Observ what we may hence observe is this how the Lord according to necessity of times of the Church doth extraordinarily furnish his servants with the gift of his Spirit according to the calling whereto he assigns them When he first collected his Church amongst the Israelites what rare endowments where there given to Moses When all was overgrown with Idolatry an extraordinary Spirit put upon Elias the same doubled upon Elizeus Iohn Baptist hath them renewed the Apostles to plant a Church amongst the Gentiles greater then Iohn Baptist Mat. 11.11 And what a Spirit was that given to Luther of boldness courage zeal knowledg c. By this Vse then we may judg of all men who ever they are that undertake extraordinary works and employments in the Church of Christ As we have those in the Church of Rome the head of that Church takes on him the government of the whole Church of God a burthen not meete for any mens shoulders And yet as themselves confess of such they are men but of ordinary measure of gifts of knowledg wisdome or other abilities Now surely if the Lord had sent them to such a work we should see this seale set unto them gifts extraordinary meete for such a function It s true that Moses was called to the government of the whole people of Israel but consider and see how the Lord gifted him above his brethren And as our Saviour speaks to the sons of Zebedee yee know not saith he of what spirit yee are c. And let me apply it a little more generally you may judg of those that undertake the office of Ministers without any measure of gifts more then vulgar suppose a liberty to read c. Secondly this should teach us not to detrect any office or employment to which we shall see the Lord leading us directly For let us well be assured that whatsoever work he sends us unto he will fit us for See Exod. 4.12 Ier. 1.6 7. He shall turn the heart of the Fathers to the Children Vers 6. Quest How can this be ascribed to Iohn Baptist sith its the Lord that turns and enclines the heart Answ To God as the principall to men as the instruments And thus as we are instruments it pleaseth the Lord to grace us with the title of the work as 1 Tim. 4.16 Thou shalt save thou as the instrument From whence may these two things be concluded Observ 1. That the Lord is usually effectuall by those whom he calls to the work of the Ministery and that to the conversion of some more or less wheresoever he sends them Never is sent Minister unfruitfull or barren Lo me and the children that thou hast given me Isai 8.18 See Gal. 2.8 He that was mighty by Peter was mighty through Paul c. See Isai 55.10 11. As the snow and the rain so is my word it
are 1. A desire through hypocrisie to seeme righteous no man so vile but would gladly avoid the censure of Atheisme and profaneness 2. That they forget the Lord to be a searcher of secrets and trier of the hearts and reines 3. That opinion of righteousness and Religion they have obtained among men See Luk. 16.15 This sin through their gross ignorance rife among our People And Let it teach Gods Children better things The just man is the Accuser of himself Vse and free confession of sins his mark Ver. 7. Ye offer polluted Bread The Lord instanceth in particulars Observ So then Particularizing is the best mean to bring men to the acknowledgment of their sins So the Lord here So Samuel 1 Sam. 12.19 in asking a King So Peter Act. 2.23 The murther of our Lord So Stephen Act. 7.51 Their resisting of the Holy Ghost speaking in the Prophets John Baptist to Hâ—rod Mat. 14.4 Paul before Felix of Temperance Acts 24.25 The Reason is because it is naturall to every man to wind out of generall Accusations and when reproofes are ministred in gross they do little good such shifting there is from generalities Then see we here a Ministers warrant for particularizing the sins of his own people A course generally distasted Vse though most wholesome and the best means to make the Word work to humiliation 2. We are taught but so as we guid our words with discretion to whom the Ministry is committed to labour hereto for the good of our People 3. You that are the people To be content to have your particular sins the sores of your soules ript up and laid open 4. To apply generalls to particulars and so shall ye best profit in hearing A second sin laid to the charge of the Priests and people is sleight performance of the Worship of God So they sacrifice no matter how So then note this as an heavy sin For a man sleightly to performe the Worship of God Observ without regard to the Majesty of God or the holiness of his Worship yea though the things done be commanded for example To pray is a thing commanded but to pray sleightly or unreverently a thing abominable The Lord professeth Isa 1.12 that he had not required what they performed that is held them in as little esteeme as if he had not commanded them in regard of their bad manner of performance The Reason is because the Lord looks not so much to the outward work as to the inward Affection of the heart measures Religion by sincere Affection not by multitude or works done in the service of God Here then Vse see what our people may judge of all their services that unreverendly they performe This very sin is rife amongst our people whose whole worship consisteth in outward obedience pray they must how they pray not to be regarded Hence they think a duty receiving of the Sacraments c. But know Beloved That unreverence more displeaseth than outward observance can please Wherefore Let us all be admonished when we come before God to sharpen our affections and intentions to the utmost that the Lord may have pleasure in our sacrifices For this cause weigh 1. It is Gods work and remember who hath said Jer. 48.10 Cursed is he that doth the Lords work negligently 2. To whom to God himself a great King Mal. 1. ult 3. Before whom before God and Angels Act. 10.33 Hence learne we to humble our selves not only for the omission of duties but for the imperfect manner of our services Thou hast not all done in Repentance when thou hast bewailed thy gross sins and wilfull omissions but in every good duty thou hast cause of humbling in respect of the coldness of performance as hearing coldly praying coldly VER 8. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evill and if ye offer the Lame and Sick is it not evill offer it now unto thy Governour Will he be pleased with or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hosts NOte here the fashion of a wicked Hypocrite Observ To keep the best to themselves and serve God with that that is most despicable See Gen. 4.3 Cain brings an offering but as if he cared not what of the fruits of the groung Abel of the first fruits and of the fat of the Flock 1. The first fruits 2. The fat 3. The first born 4. The first day of the week And generall is this sin Vse at this day See the strength of youth given to vanity when old then they will bethink themselves of serving God Health to the Devill sickness to serve God when no other business then heare a Sermon understanding and wit in the prime bent to other studies Religion the last when understanding is gone Therefore mark how Gods judgment is upon such their services utterly rejected and themselves given over to prerish in their sins seldome or never see you any such become religious being forsaken of God And let it be an admonition to take heed how we thus serve God with the refuse A Child of God thinks nothing to deare an Hypocrite any thing good enough Observ 2 Apply these types to the truth they had a double signification they figured Christ that Lamb undefiled and without spot but withall figured some things to be regarded of us in our services As 1. The blind sacrifice was a type of ignorant services which are ever held abominable therefore S. Paul every where calls for knowledge to be ground of all service pray with understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 Sing with understanding and Rom. 12.1 services reasonable called for Whence it is evident that all blind devotion of ignorant people are abominable sacrifices See Rom. 10.2 their excuse is God knows their mind but he looks thou shouldst also know c. Lameness Is hypocrisie double-mindedness Jam. 1.8 and 1 King 18.21 Halting betwixt two when no consent betwixt the Affection and Action God did not allow sowing of the field with seeds divers nor Linfie-woolsie in garments nor yoaking together of an Oxe and an Asse wherefore damnable is all doubling in hypocrites See Isa 29.13 They honour me with their lips but their hearts are far from me Sick Or faint or languishing services that come from us faintly without cherrefulness the Lord would have the very strength of our Affections and Intentions the whole strength in his services given unto him those are faint and languishing that come coldly from us Another added Vnblemished Whereby absolute innocency signified in all those that worship him and not the least mixture of humane devices in Gods service So that the very Prayers of a wicked man are all abominable Last of all observe the Amplification of their sin what they would not dare to do to men Observ 3 that they presume to do unto God And see whether this be not right the disposition of our People If the King yea or a meane man should speak unto us would we gaze or sleepe or interrupt him A
Present to our Land-lord we carry with all submission To God we come hand over head To our friends Table we pass not humanity and before our Brethren we carry our selves reverently Coming to the Lords Table not regarded Ver. 9. And now I pray you beseech God that he will be gracious unto us this hath been by your means Will he regard your persons saith the Lord of Hosts A Denunciation of Gods judgment against both Priests and People in respect of their profaning of the worship of God The judgments denounced are these 1. The rejection of their Prayers and Sacrifices 2. The translating of his worship from them to the Gentiles The passage unto this Denunciation by prolepsis on this manner It is true that in these things we have been faulty but we will pray before God that he may have mercy upon us Sub By an ironicall permission or injunction well saith the Prophet do so I pray you pray before God for mercy And he gives a Reason E manu vestrâ est hoc as if he had said you indeed had need to pray for by your means that are the Priests all this profanation of the worship of God hath been committed amongst the people Had you better instructed them and rejected their lame Sacrifices profaneness could never have grown to such a head 2. A correction Will the Lord accept The interrogation implies the stronger Negation that is He will not accept your Persons that is approve you or your Prayers A heavy judgment of God it is to have our Prayers rejected from acceptance Observ therefore this set down here as one heavy punishment See also Isa 1.15 The Reasons 1. Our own indigency of all good that may comfort 2. Exposed to all dangers bodily spiritual 3. Prayer made the only mean to obtaine good things Mat. 7.7 To remove evills Jam. 5.13 Common judgments 2 Chro. 7.14 Take we heed of this judgment Vse In what state soever it pleaseth God to place me at home or abroad in liberty or bonds in plenty or want sickness or health methinks yet so long as free entrance stands open to the throne of grace and the Lord is ready to heare when I cry for help there is comfort And be my state never so prosperous in outward things while God turns the deafe eare towards me and is as one that heareth not I am miserable And as of the Judgment so of the causes Many I might reckon up as 1. Ignorance of the Mediatour 2. Asking things unlawfull or to ends unlawfull Jam. 4.3 More specially impenitent living in any sin Joh. 9.31 God heareth not sinners and Psal 66.18 If I regard wickedness in my heart the Lord will not heare me Mark the phrase If I regard wickedness in my heart if my affections and purposes be to abominations And let them all lay it to heart whose hearts and affections are entangled in the sins of the world Our people they are generally thus minded They may whore and sweare and drink and be drunken c. all the week and a little Sundaies Lip-labour in Prayer must serve to propitiate for all their week-daies abominations But know God hears no Whoremonger c ordinarily such Particularly Let me touch some speciall sins Amongst the rest these are eminent 1. Contempt of the publique Ministery See for this Pro. 28.9 and Pro. 1. Now then consider what we are to think of all that Lip-labour of recusant Papists they pray by number and think for that they shall be heard Recusancy in our people in forsaking the Assemblies either of desperate profaneness or as thinking private devotions are better services they can serve God at home just like as if some Justice of peace when he is called to some speciall service for the King at the generall Assize or Sessions should answer He would serve the King at home And how many present in the Congregation whose hearts tremble not at the Word A second particular sin in this kind is Pro. 21.13 Lack of commiseration of our Brethrens necessities though men so disposed make long prayers yet the Lord will not heare A third that here mentioned Careless performance of the worship of God this makes all services abominable Amongst other Sacrifices acceptable to God there was one especially pleasing namely The whole burnt offering Figuring perhaps that fervent affection that should shew it self in every service performed by us to our God See Rom. 12.11 other temper better fits in any thing than in the service of God Again Is it such a judgment not to be accepted in praying A heavy judgment therefore to be void of the spirit of Prayer and Deprecation as Zech. 12.10 And this the state of our people that cannot pray This hath been by your means That is the offering of blind lame c. And so you shall see in sundry Scriptures sins of People imputed to defects of Teachers If any demand why For default of better instruction and neglect of duty that way or 2. In regard of lewd life causing the people to abhor the offering 1 Sam. 2 17. and drawing them by example Or 3. By admitting the lame sacrifices without reproofe or rejection But thus we see That the sins of the people are imputed to the Minister Observ if he at any time be defective in duty ex gr their ignorance laid on the Ministers when they faile in instruction their profanations imputed to them when they faile in admonition Ezâ—k 3.16 17 c. The Reason whereof is this Principle What sin thou hinderest not within bounds of calling that sin is thine by participation and thine as if thou hadst committed it the Reason because there lay on thee a bond of duty to hinder it as Neh. 13.17 What evill thing is this that ye do in breaking the Lords Shabbath ye do because ye hinder not by authority and power of the sword And this should teach us to take heed 1 Tim. 5.22 that we partake not in other mens sins Vse and as by no other means fo neither by this admitting the lame and blind for sacrifices To apply it particularly This sin may we incur by admitting a blind Idiot to the Lords Table whose Sacrifice how can it but be blind when as alas He knows not what he doth neither is able to discerne the Lords Body Surely if the Lord impute to the Levites the profaneness of the people because they admitted their Sacrifices without difference how Ministers can be free from profaning the Lords Ordinance that admit the blind and lame to the Lords Table I see not And this methinks should stay the fury and malice of unreasonable and evill men against Ministers in this behalf that they are carefull not to admit hand over head every man that offers himself to the Lords Table Now Lord be mercifull to my personall sins I know if he should enter into judgment for the sins of mine own Person I am not able to abide it but if the Lord will also
Observ by acceptation See 1 Tim. 2.8 Lift up pure hands I say done in faith for otherwise all unclean to the unclean Tit. 1.15 and secondly in obedience when things are done that God commands I add last of all by acceptation to exclude that Doctrine of Papists touching perfect inherent Purity Now that they are not perfectly pure by inherence of inherence of purity appears 1. Because sanctification imperfect Rom. 7.20 2. Because Gods Children pray to be judged in mercy So David Psal 143.2 3. Cannot justifie Object But it proceedeth from the Spirit of God and grace of Christ I answer Yet through imperfect instruments which defile them The perfectest Scrivener marrs his proportions by an ill Pen The perfectest soul though it move perfectly yet cannot make a lame man to walk upright The cunningest Musitian makes not an untuned Instrument sound perfectly The purest water is defiled in a muddy Channell How then pure By acceptation as above 1 Pet. 2.5 And this should comfort Gods children in all their weak services thou they cannot do them Vse without many imperfections 1. If thy person be united unto Christ thou art judged as in Christ not as in thy self 2. If apprehension of Christ in every service 3. If there be striving against impurity 4. If bewailing of imperfections Lastly Observ the ground of pure worship apprehension of the greatness and Majesty of God Ever according to apprehension of greatness so is veneration performed Labour then to know the greatness of that God whom thou servest and that by experience otherwise thou canst never with that humility and reverence perform his services Heb. 12.27 28. Consider then the Power the Justice the endless Mercy of that God to whom thou performest thy due worship and service VER 12. But ye have profaned it in that ye say The Table of the Lord is polluted and the fruit thereof even the meat is contemptible c. IN the eleventh verse A judgment denounced against the Jews viz. the taking from them his Word and Worship and giving it to the Gentiles Here a Reason given of that judgment That they had polluted the Name of the Lord proved by particulars three in number v. 12 13. And ver 14. A Curse threatned The parts two 1. A Crime imputed 2. A Curse denounced The Crime polluting the Name of God amplified by specifying particulars 1. The Table of the Lord is polluted 2. His meat contemptible 3. That under the shew of devout service they served him with the basest Curse ver 14. with other reasons All comprised in the description of these Hypocrites 1. By their Title Deceivers 2. By their fair promises 3. Slender performances Table for Altar Altar for sacrifice and service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is polluted that is as a common profane work in performance whereof speciall reverence is not requisite Polluted my Name Ezek. 36. Not that any reall blemish can come to the Majesty of God but for that their Facts were such as in their nature tended that way So that the sence is My Name and Majesty which you should tremble at and reverence you have as much as in you hath layen blemished and dishonoured by your unreverend and unrespective behaviour in my worship and by esteeming so lightly those things that I have ordained for your maintenance It is an high point of dishonouring the name of God Observ either basely to judg of or perfunctorily to perform the worship of God The Apostle 1 Cor. 11.29 speaking of one part of the worship of God celebrating the Lords Supper thus notes the sin of such as come without due preparation to that Sacrament Their sin is that they discerned not the Body of the Lord that is whereas the Bread and Wine at the Lords Supper were separated from common use and set apart to represent the Body and Bloud of Christ and so ought with all reverence to be received They came to that holy Banquet as to a common drinking they discerned not the Lords Body that is put no difference betwixt those holy Elements and other ordinary repast but came thereto as to an ordinary banquet See the hainousness of the sin in comparison and in the punishment Ezek. 33.31 The Lord speaking of the sin of that people in hearing the Word of God notes their vile and unreverend practice that they came indeed to heare but how As if they had been to hear a Caroll or idle Song so far were they from trembling at his Word And mark whether it argue not a base conceit of the Majesty of God thus slubberingly to do his worship Take the Comparison that the Prophet makes Offer it now unto thy Prince Vse 1 See we then whether this high profaning of Gods Name be not rife in our people And Beloved consider it well ye shall see it generall It is a great part of the worship of God to hear as we ought the word of God read and preached unto us by his Ministers yet see whether that the Lord complains of by Ezekiel chap. 33. be not the generall sin of the people that Preaching seems to them Prating and the learnedst Sermons of no better esteem than old wives Fables The celebrating of the Sacraments an high part of Gods worship yet see how those in whom superstitious reverence is abolished profane contempt is evident not only by unreverent leaving them but by unreverend handling them we justly condemn Popish Adoration but it is too too evident that they scarcely sinned more In Idolatrous adoration then we in careless handling these holy mysteries In medio virtus Adoration of the hoast we must all detest as abominable Idolatry but profane irreverence should be as much fled from Prayer a principall part of the worship of God yet how sleightly performed that wandring of the eye and idle gazing in the midst of devotions argues unreverence c Yea let me aske the hearts of Gods own Children whether we have not all cause in in this point to condemn our selves and pray with Naaman The good Lord be mercifull unto us in this How leap many from their ordinary Callings into the Temple and rush illotis manibus ad sacra Vse 2 Let me therefore in the second place exhort as Paul Heb. 12.28 Let us have grace to serve God that we may please him How is that with reverence and fear Mark Reasons we cannot otherwise please God It is not babling in prayer but reverence in prayer that God accepts not hearing but trembling at his word Isa 66.2 Not receiving but discerning the body of the Lord. 2. Our God is a consuming fire that is though gracious unto his Children yet incensed even by them his wrath burns though not to their utter destruction yet to their heavy astonishment 3. Eccles 5.1 2. Gods Majesty our baseness 4. Amongst heathen a Principle Vt ne quis ad sacra illotis manibus They had their purgings and purifyings before they came to worship their Idols and they shall
stand up in judgment to condemn us that shewed more reverence to Idols than we to the living God 5. A note of a Child of God reverently and with fear to worship him 1 Thes 2.13 this that makes the word effectuall when a man considers whose word he hears Vse 3 Again hence may we take some light for our better direction in opening the Third Commandement the summe whereof is this that we pollute not nor disreverence the Name God This the Pharisees limited unto false swearing Mat. 5. Some of our people to vain swearing by the Name of God not to swearing in generall Now know that the Name of God is polluted not only when thou swearest falsely but when thou hearest unreverently when thou prayest unreverently In a word as here Malachy hath expressed two particulars 1. By careless performing or base opinion of the worship of God 2. By light esteeming the works of his mercy and providence over us in provision for our maintenance If thou pray unreverently thou hast polluted Gods Name If thou think or speak unreverently of the works of his providence c. thou hast polluted his Name And the fruit thereof even his meat is contemptible Here is a finding fault with the providence of God in our maintenance See the Text his Provenius that is those issues that come by Gods ordinance unto the Priests for their sustenance They counted it a base allowance and contemptible meat For the better understanding of the words we must know that of the sacrifices dedicated unto God there was a Portion due unto the Priests as 1 Sam. 2. Hos 4. especially in the sin-offerings where with they were maintained Now this is noted as their fault that the Lord having thus liberally provided for them they counted the allowance base and not good enough for them this their fault The same see in the Israelites when God had fed them a long time with Manna meat meet for Angells if they should eat mark how they murmure nothing but Manna they must have flesh and that of the daintiest The same Fault-finding with the Lords Portion and allorment is rife in our people The poor he grudgeth at his hard fare though he may live in it feele the Lords good providence in giving it strength to nourish and preserve in health beauty and strength of body The Labourer he grudgeth at the Gentleman that he lives at such ease though as Solomon speaks his sleep be a thousand times more sweet and quiet unto him And in a word go over all states and you shall find this murmuring against the providence of God in the means allotted by him for their maintenance Causes hereof two 1. An over weening conceit we have of our own worth and deserving we seem to our selves to have deserved better things at Gods hands whenas alas not the least morsell of the coursest bread is deserved by us 2. Lack of perswasion of Gods love in our designment to our particular states A man perswaded of Gods fatherly love thus easily resolves what state God placeth him in that is best for him knowing that if another were better for him God being a father would not deny it him Mat. 7.9 10. Well Let us hence learn to profit our selves in the understanding of the Law of God surely it is the end why the Law entred that sin that is the knowledge of sin might abound And that man that knows the infiniteness of his own misery by the Law is best fitted to comprehend what is the height and length and breadth and depth of the Love of God in Christ revealed in the Gospell Learn we therefore by this and the like Scriptures to make the full meaning of the Law familiar unto us It is one main cause of that sottish pride and presumptuous opinion men carry of themselves as that they know not what the Law means The First Commandement forbids worshipping other Gods free from this free from all breach of the Law wheras if we were acquainted with the meaning of the Law we should find a thousand transgressions of every Precept besides the gross sin in the particular specified See Mat. 5. VER 13. Ye said also behold what a weariness is is and ye have snuffed at it saith the Lord of Hosts And ye brought that which is torn and the Lame and the sick Thus ye brought an offering should I accept this of your hand saith the Lord HEre is the sin particular laid to the charge of these hypocrites First see the meaning Words diversly read Those that render it nearest the originall thus Ye say behold what weariness Whereas ye may even blow it away wherein the Prophet even residenceth the speeches of these hypocriticall Jews that whereas they brought unto the Lord for sacrifices the lightest and sleightest of their flock such as they might even blow away with a blast of their mouth Hyperbole yet they would pretend that they were even tyred with the weight of the Sheep and other Cattle that they brought for sacrifice Now This sence standing Observ affords us these two properties notorious in an hypocrite 1 That he proclaimes his Devotions to the world and thinks all lost in the service of God that mans eye sees not In the 2 King 10.16 When Jehu was going to the service the Lord employed him in in the destruction of the Priests of Baal and spared Jehonadab the son of Rechab Come with me saith he and see the zeal I have for the Lord of Hosts And this our Saviour notes in the Pharisees those grand hypocrites amongst the Jews Mat. 23.5 All their works they did To be seen of men as he gives instance in one particular It was the Lords ordinance Num. 15.38 that the people of God for the better remembrance of the Law of God should weare in the borders of their garments fringes and upon the fringe of their borders they put a Ribband of blew c. Now these Pharisees that they might be noted to be more extraordinarily carefull to preserve the memory of the Law of God and to deny their own wills in matter of his worship though they were indeed the most superstitious Traditioners that ever lived they made their Phylacteries broad c. The Action not evill but their Affectation damnable and the reason is that Joh. 12.43 They loved the praise of men more than the glory of God Let it be our admonition Vse to take heed of this practice of hypocrites as our Saviour warneth on another occasion Mat. 6. I say not but it is lawfull and necessary to manifest devotion that others may be drawn by our good example Mat. 5.16 But this to affect the sight of men and to call spectatours as Jehu to be witnesses of our Devotions that savours strongly of hypocrisie Heare Christs reason all is not lost that is done in secret though men see not God seeth and hath his book of remembrance written for those that feare him Mal. 3.16 2 Thy piety
will best be manifest by Gods reward In this life his blessings shall follow thee so that men shall say surely this man fears God though condemned by us for the Lord rewards him or else after this life And it reproves this vice so rife in all states whose own tongues must be the Trumpets of their own Praises but saith Solomon Let another mans mouth praise thee and not thine own Hast thou been bountifull to the poore Let their Lips bless thee and let thy works praise thee Prov. 31. and let it be thy desire to approve thy heart unto God to be upright Take heed of vainglorious ostentations they are the brand of hypocrisie A second property of an Hypocrite is this devoutest in pretence slenderest in performance Here they say they are tyred with bringing so heavy a sacrifice when alas So slender that they might blow it away read Isa 58. and the Pharisees Mat. 23. Emptiest Vessels sound loudest and the veriest Hypocrite pretends most devotion See this at this day in Church of Rome Vse none in pretence fuller none in truth emptier of sound devotion How many prayers have their Monks creep at midnight to their devotions to their Mass c. as if they were the devoutest men in the world And what are all their prayers but meer Lip-labour it being their rule that Prayers never so barbarous though without understanding are acceptable unto God And how many alas in the Church of God that would seem Pillars on whose shoulders the whole building of the Church rested indeed doing nothing either by Doctrine or life that tends to building like antique faces that ye shall see in Churches at the bottome of pillars that seem to bear all on their shoulders being nothing else indeed but the meer complements of building And amongst our people ignorant whose lips move faster in their private devotion Or whose prayers more idle and abominable Having neither knowledg of the Word to direct nor faith to assure them nor sence of wants to enflame their desires of obteining Well Beloved Let this ever be noted in a Child of God his performances most his pretences least and this the brand of an Hypocrite to pretend greatest and practice the least devotion If we take our common reading that varies from the originall Text though it be consonant to the Analogy of faith Two other notes of unsound people in the worship of God are here propounded 1. Wearisomness in the worship of God 2. Impatience and murmuring at divine impositions Wearisomness in the worship of God Observ A note of an unsound heart Amos 8.5 When will the new Moon be gone Reasons of this are 1. That their minds are setled on earthly things and they are their Treasure and thence it commeth that every thing is irkesome that deteyneth from them 2. Lack of love to the Majesty of God for surely to such as love God his Commandements are not grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 As it is said of Jacob that his seven years service seemed unto him a short time because he loved Rachel So c. 3. That they feele no sweetness in the service of God as Peter 1 Pet. 2.3 If they had ever tasted how sweet the Lord is they would long after the sincere milk of the Word Now see whether this note of an unsound heart shew it self in our People in hearing prayer c. See but the behaviour of carnall men At an idle Stage-play men can sit half days and nights at their Cards and Dice whole nights drudge after the world all their life long and never weary but when we come to a Sermon every minute beyond the houre seems tedious unto them their devotion spent and ever in Preaching and Prayer that is commended short and sweet Now this I dare say A man thus alwaies calling for shortness for that the service is wearisome gives evidence he never tasted of the sweetness of the Word of God A Child of God is of an indefatigable desire and unwearied endeavour Isa 58.13 They call the Sabbath a delight Psal 110.3 They came willingly at the days of assembling Psal 1.2 Their delight is in the Law of God and therein they meditate day and night And David again When shall I be satisfied with the pleasures of thine House Psal 42.2 And though it be true that upon the best of us sometimes such irkesomness creeps yet this I know is true it is bewailed of Gods Children and earnestly striven against by all means VER 14. But Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing For I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and my name is dreadfull among the heathen HEre followeth the second part of the Chapter A Curse denounced wherein these Particulars 1. The Curse 2. The Reasons First From description of Hypocrites Secondly Of Gods Majesty In the description of the Hypocrite we see 1. His Title A Deceiver Machinator a plotter and deviser how to deceive to wit with shews of devotion Deceivers they are 1. Of God in intention dealing cunningly with him in his worship vowing many things in extremities performance none or slender 2. Of men It shall not be amiss a little to note how First one cunning they have that they may seem holy and devout they are commonly first and sharpest in censuring and condemning others Mat. 7. In the mean time dissolute in their own lives and the least moats they can espy in another their own beams in the mean time dissembled our Saviour carped at for conversing with sinners and oppressors themselves notorious for rapines and extreme oppression A cunning sleight and rife at this day among many That they Censoriously judg of others take liberty over-enough in their own lives Whereas true love covers 1 Pet. 4.8 and is compassionate Gal. 6.2 A second cunning they have in deceiving men withall is externall conformity to the parts of the Worship of God when as in private life none more negligent or careless then they If a man had seen the devotion of Pharisees in their Prayers would he not presently have said behold a devout man yet in private life who more abominable measure thy self then by private carriage But their worst deceit is That by all this they beguile their own souls as Jam 1.26 failing of all their intentions And voweth Their second property is that they are forward to vow the best in their extremities when Gods hand is upon them nothing too dear for him but when Gods hand is removed as if they repented their forwardness they serve him with the corrupt This ye may see in Pharaoh when Gods hand was upon him Moses and Aaron sent for sin confessed great mind to let Gods people go when Gods hand removed then to limit and distinguish they might but their children must stay then they might go but their Cattle must stay behind See we whether this be not in our people when
fear of death oppresseth them then how carefull will they be If God restore them to health then all but delusion as in Achab A little for ease health restored no token of humiliation or repentance So in spirituall extremities whilest conscience affrights all the world for a conscience yet presently their old By as taken unto Generall vow made in Baptisme broken Now Beloved Let us beware of this mark and brand of Hypocrisie and what we vow let us make conscience to performe it is ill dallying with the Lord Let me add the Curse as a reason to press it Curse outward Eccl. 5.4 5. Inward in hardness of heart as we see in common practice their last end worse than their beginning And here I may take occasion to treat shortly of the Doctrine of Vows A Vow is a solemn What a Vow is and holy promise made unto God deliberately and with advisement whereby we bind our selves to do or omit something that we know is acceptable unto him I call it first A promise next a solemn and religious promise to put difference betwixt promises made unto men Thirdly unto God because this a part of Invocation and Confession The matter of Vows things acceptable unto God Whether they may be made under the Gospell I take it yes perhaps not that necessity now that then was but yet lawfulness the same because 1. Helps of devotion when rightly understood 2. A common Vow made in Baptism renewed in the Lords Supper after the ordinance of God 3. As testimonies of thankfulness c. Yet indeed sundry Caveats there are herein to be observed let me touch the principall First Some concerne the matter of Vows In this matter are two things 1. Lawfulness 2. Possibility Lawfulness for when we vow things unlawfull we profane the name of God nor can this be acceptable unto God Against this condition sinned those Jews that had bound themselves with Vow and Oath not to eat till they had slain Paul and those vile wretches amongst the people of Rome that with solemn receiving of the Sacrament bind themselves to the murther of the Lords Annointed Such those of our people our Gallants especially that vow revenge and that Vow once made no means of appeasement thus Vows that should be bonds of obedience become obligations to rebellion and disobedience 2. Possibility of things in our power that we have ability by grace or other means to perform for what a dallying were this with the Lord and how presumptuous on our part to vow what we have not power to perform Thus sin Papists at this day in vowing continency in single life A thing out of compass of mans power except there be speciall grace given of God And Object whereas they say so are repentance new obedience but by grace possible Answer Grace is of two sorts Answ one necessary to Salvation such repentance this promised to all Gods Children upon their endeavours The other speciall and given to none but by speciall priviledge 1 Cor. 7.36 A second Caveat to be respected is the state of our Persons namely That they be sui juris Free men Reason is because otherwise there is a disjointing of Gods Ordinance and a robbing of men of that honour which God hath given them Therefore Num. 30. when a Child or wife hath vowed any thing without privity and consent of Superiours the Lord gave them power to abrogate it And therefore they in the Church of Rome that allow unto children authority to vow Monastical life without free consent of their Parents abominable A third thing to be regarded is the manner and grounds of vowing See Eccl. 5.2 Be not rash with thy mouth c. Deliberation in this case much to be regarded as first of the matter wherein Jephtah sinned Judg. 11. Secondly Whether we have assurance of strength and power to perform what we vow 1 Cor. 7.35 otherwise we make them snares unto us and unnecessary entanglements Thirdly Whether God call us thereto or no for then may we assure our selves of assistance in performance And this calling is gathered partly by necessity partly by assurance of ability Fourthly the end not merit but as helps to us in obedience So if a man shall find a Vow may be a bridle unto him for some excesse or a spurr to devotion lawfull not otherwise Fiftly That it be done seldome and sparingly otherwise Satan gets advantage and such wounds are grievous Sixthly That we be void of presumption and therefore good in all Vows to interpose that condition if God will if God permit Many through presumption have fallen to their more grievous wound as Peter c. Last thing is performance of Vows every where urged as Eccl. 5.4 Psal 116.18 Vovete reddite vow and pay unto the Lord Vovete is hortatorium yet reddite imperatorium wherein ancient Divines require three things 1. Haste to performance Eccl. 5.3 Defer not to pay it this in the common vow of Baptism violated 2. That it be full payment without diminution See Eccl. 5.5 I did not foresee what would betide as Ananias Act. 5. Pharaoh and our people 3. Discretion this the sin of Jephtah as Hierom saith he was in vovendo stultus In reddendo impius Folly he shewed in vowing for if it were generally understood then if a Dog or an Ass had met him he should have performed it again as foolish in performance For 1. The Law of God had provided redemption of some even lawfull Vows 2. Being so fondly vowed rashness was to be repented but the Vow not to be performed Votum duplex absolutum conditionatum Lastly About dispensation with Vows the quaere is whether dispensable or commutable Answer is when as lawfully made unto God cannot be dispensed withall but by the Lord himself for none can dispence with the Commandements of God Therefore Papists here taxed And let the Use of all this be thus much unto us Vse That what we have vowed unto God we make conscience to perform and so to perform as we have vowed Eccl. 5.5 Vows are of two sorts publique and solemn singular and private c. I would be Author to no man to be hasty in vowing seriously weighing humane frailty but if he have vowed let him make conscience to perform For I am a great King First in largeness of command 2. In power of administring as appears that he hath all Creatures at his command therefore styled Lord of Hosts His Kingdom is of power of grace of power over the very wicked seen in restrayining in over-ruling in destroying his Enemies Of grace in collecting in protecting in glorifying his Church The Use is Vse that we therefore serve him with reverence and fear Heb. 12.28 According to greatness reverence usually proportioned It is fearfull to fall into the hands of the living God My name is dreadfull among the heathen His name that is Himself Dreadfull that is terrible and withall reverend Terrible to the Wicked reverend to
of duty most negligent And parts of the Priests duty this way are 1. To teach 2. To exercise Discipline Therefore how well they discharge Ministeriall Offices that are the foremost in corrupting the sincere worship of God consider we Corruptions in Religion are of two sorts 1. In matter 2. In manner In matter when means of worship not prescribed are brought in by men as Mat. 159. How full of such Corruptions is the Church of Rome In manner when abuses in the worship of God are tolerated Secondly See here what we have to answer to that common objection of the people That we meddle where we need not when we oppose our felves to corruptions in Religion As to insist in one particular Profane abuse of the Sacrament the common saying is The unworthy Communicant shall himself smart for his profaneness True yet the Minister also For to him is this Commandement given to inhibit as much as in him lyeth all profaning of the Lords holy Ordinances Proceed we to the threatning Observ Wherein we may observe how the Lord in threatning of Judgment interposeth condition of obedience and repentance which if performed the streame of Gods judgments is stayed See Jer. 18.7 8 9 10. Vse 1 See then how true it is what the Lord professeth of himself Ezek. 33.11 That he delights not in the death of sinners but rather would they should convert and live that every mouth may be stopped And see whether ever the Lord was hasty before warning to execute judgment upon any people The old world had corrupted their waies before God yet not suddenly swept away but Noah a Preacher of righteousness given to warn them So in Sodom Lots example and admonitions So Hierusalem often would the Lord have gathered them with our selves the Lord hath thus dealt Then that we may avert and turn away the judgments of God from us See our duty of two branches Vse 2 1. To hear that is with attention and regard to mark what the Lord requireth of us 2. To lay it to heart And this duty hath in it two things First Due consideration of what the Lord enjoynes Secondly Resolution and care to put it into practice the other without this nothing Lastly To give glory to God by reforming abuses crept in upon us Beloved The Lord hath come near unto us in sundry judgments Pestilence hath long dwelt in our Land Famine and scarcity have been oft amongst us greater Judgments may be expected if these be neglected and yet who cares to heare Or hearing who considers Or considering who reforms So that just must needs be our destruction whensoever the Lord shall bring it upon us See the Judgments 1. Curse their blessings that is weaken their abundance 2. Corrupting their seed so taking away hope of recovery 3. Cast dung upon their faces that is extremity of vileness and contempt And the cause of all this corruptions in Religion Corruptions in Religion cause of most judgments of God Observ See Neh. 13.81 Did not your fathers thus and all this wrath is come upon us Jer. 44. Their Incense-burning to the Queen of Heaven true cause of Gods judgments Hag. 1. The people wonder at their Famine the Lord sets them down this one true cause and reason of it His house lay waste ver 9 10 Exod. 32. The Calf incenseth him See we then to what cause we may impute all those heavy Plagues Vse wherewith the Lord hath so long followed us surely no doubt this the main Neglect of Religion and of the worship of God in Princes Priests People And this let us all be assured of Never to have peace till abominations this way be removed from us And therefore let us all be admonished for our particulars here to begin Reformation at the worship that it may please him to turn away his fierce wrath that he hath determined to bring upon us many are the corruptions that are grown in upon us this way Resolve we every of us with Josuah cap. 24.15 As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. I will corrupt your seed So then God is he that is the inflicter of all judgments Observ From him come Famine Poverty Infamy c. Amos 3.6 No evill in the City but the Lord hath done it So Isa 45.7 Job 5.6 Affliction riseth not out of the dust Manichees then are here refuted who dream'd of a double Vse or twofold beginning one Authour of good things The other of evill For the understanding whereof know we That nothing is summum malum inflicting of pains a part of Justice and therefore hath in it some respect of goodness Again amongst our people Luck and Fortune carry away all But though in respect of us that know not second causes some events may be termed casuall yet in respect of God all things are determined not a sparrow falls to the ground without our father Mat. 10.30 Some stick in second Causes impute famine to drought c. But though it be true that judgments are many times executed by second causes yet so as that the first Cause orders all barrenness comes of drought but the Lord makes drought Hag. 1.11 I called for a drought c. Therefore Learn we to whom in all judgments to resort See Hos 6.1 To the Lord it is he who smites and he only must heale VER 4 5. And ye shall know that I have sent this Commandement unto you that my covenant might be in Levi saith the Lord of Hosts My covenant was with him of life and peace and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my Name FOllow now the Reasons 1. From the speciall mercy of God bestowed upon them and their fore-fathers Gods Covenant was with them of life and peace Now Gods Covenant is of foure sorts 1. Generall made with all Creatures Gen. 9. 2. With the Church in generall 3. With the Church of the Elect. 4. With some particulars of some speciall graces of this last must this place be understood God having entred a Covenant with them especially to give them life and peace So then with Ministers especially hath the Lord made a Covenant of Peace binding himself especially Observ to be a mighty Protector and gracious rewarder of them And therefore ye shall see in evill times how the Lord hath given speciall charge of them Touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets no harme hath made speciall promise of assistance and protection unto them Mat. 18. and we see sundry examples hereof as if ye read the whole Scriptures you shall not see any to whom more speciall deliverances vouchsafed than unto them See in Jeremy Elijah Peter c. God was their portion And this should be our incouragement unto whom the Dispensation of the word is committed Vse 1 couragiously to do our duties Jer. 1.18 It is true that of all men we are most subject to the hatred of the world as being those whom the
Lord hath called to deale with the sins of men but yet if we shall look up to our God that hath made Covenant with us least cause have we of all others to fear the malice or power of Adversaries Vse 2 This should be an admonition unto the people to take heed how they attempt any malitious courses against them The Lord hath said concerning his people in generall he that toucheth them toucheth the e Zech. 2.8 Apple of his eye but more speciall care of Ministers hath he every where protested And would God this could sink into the hearts of those wretchless people amongst us whose indignities and wrongs no men taste more For the fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name Here have we Levi's behaviour in the Covenant declared by the cause effects and signs of it Feare of God is an affection of the heart whereby we reverence the Majesty of God What the fear of God is and flye from his offence in all things Of it there are three kinds 1. Meerly servile such in Devills Jam. 2.19 2. Meerly Filiall such in the Saints in heaven 3. Mixt of both which is that only whereof we partake in this life The first of these ariseth only from judgments either felt or feared and only in that regard restraineth The second from Gods goodness and feeling of his mercy Hos 3. ult and in respect thereof causeth to depart from evill The last from both partly from fear of judgment partly from sence of mercy But let us see the properties and effects of it 1. It causeth a reverence of the Majesty of God therefore the Lord called The fear of Jacob and sheweth it self partly in speaking reverently of God and his services partly in trembling at his words partly in a seemly carriage in all things as in the presence of God together with a constant care to depart from evill and a stout courage in good causes and courses Try by these things And I gave them to him Here we observe That fear of God is his own gift See Jer. 32.40 And Observ this appears by that generall depravation of nature whereby since the fall of Adam we are destitute of all saving grace Rom. 3.18 Naturall men are thus described No fear of God before their eyes apparent by effects contrary running into all excess of riot without any bridle or restraint till this gift of God be obteyned If this be so where is that Doctrine of free-will Vse taught by the Church of Rome And secondly see the excellency of this gift Jer. 32.40 set out in the Scripture by sundry Arguments 1. It is made the note of a Child of God therefore it is the usuall description of men Religious to be such as fear the Lord. 2. Blessedness promised unto it Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. 3. The immunity that such men have in common judgments Wherefore bless God if he have given it unto thee and think him more mercifull to thee in this than if he had given thee all the wealth of the world severed from it This indeed by earth-wormes commonly counted faint-heartedness whereas it is indeed The highest point of wisdom and courage VER 6. The Law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips He walked with me in peace and equity and did turn many away from iniquity A second reason why the Lord threatens to inflict those judgments upon the Levites was their swerving from those good precedents set before them by their Fore-fathers And it is handled in a plenary Comparison of unlikes The Protasis whereof contains an explication of Levi's behaviour The Apodosis expresseth their swerving from the pattern set them ver 8 Now before I proceed to particular handling it is fit First to remove the glosses of Papists Hence they infer That it is possible for some man in the state of this life to walk so inoffensively and perfectly before God that he may merit and deserve Salvation one argument for which they take hence indeed they confess that we cannot ordinarily live without veniall sins but without mortall sins that is such as deserve in their own nature death we may Now against the state of such perfection the Scripture every where speaks The Apostle Rom. 7.23 expressing the state of himself and others in state of grace confesseth that he was led captive to the Law of sin and least they should say they were veniall sins he acknowledgeth them deadly when as he calleth the corruption whence they proceeded to be a body of death And in many things we offend all shall we say venially Nay deadly Rom. 6.23 For The wages of every sin is death Hear the Reasons 1. Because but in part sanctified 1 Cor. 13.15 2. Knowledge in part 3. The perfectest fear tryall in extremity of justice which they would not do were their works perfect Psa 43.2 4. Taught to pray for forgiveness Wherefore if we may live free from mortall only with veniall sins why may we not perfectly expiate What then is that perfection that the Scripture speaks of Answer 1. Perfection in Christ 2. Perfection in Parts 3. Uprightness and sincerity of heart in all duties when we are free from hypocrisie And this is that here commended in Levi. In this verse then we have two things 1. The behaviour of Levi in two things In Doctrine and in life In Doctrine Truth and it only In life peaceable and equall carriage In both sincerity and uprightness before God Where 2. we have the effect of these two He turned many from iniquity See here the description of a true Pastor Observ in foure qualities 1. That they are Teachers 2. Teachers of truth only without mixture of errours or humane inventions 3. That they are men of inoffensive life 4. That they are upright in all these and walk as with God Their first good property is That they are Teachers therefore it is said that the Law of truth was not only in his braine or in his heart but that it was in his lips and in his mouth therefore we are called Feeders of others Joh. 21.15 Voices Mat. 3.3 Aaron had Bells on the skirts of his Garment and his sound must be heard when he goes into the Tabernacle Second property That as he taught so he taught truth and meere truth without wilfull mixture of falsehood or other corruptions therefore Paul as he bids us preach so to preach the Word 2 Tim. 4.3 4. and it must be wholsome Doctrine and Pharisees are blamed not for that they taught nothing but errour for some truth they taught Mat. 23.1 2. but for that they mingled errours and humane devices Mat. 16 6. as Leaven that soured the whole lump Third this That as he taught well so he lived uprightly and inoffensively a singular duty of a Minister See 1 Tim. 3. As much care takes the Apostle to instruct touching life as a liberty of teaching and Mat. 5.16
Let light shine by good works See 1 Cor. 9. ult and the mystery of Vrim and Thummim that is light and perfection that ought to be in the Priests Fourth That all this was done in sincerity and uprightness of heart this that Paul challengeth to himself 2 Cor. 1.12 and counts it his chief comfort walking with God that is when a man is not carried away with the streame of the times but keeps on a constant endeavour of approving himself and his heart to God Vse 1 Reproved here all such as in place of Teachers teach not at all and these of two sorts 1. Some for lack of ability as how many amongst our selves in this Church of England 2. All such as having ability yet use not their gifts to the good of Gods people See 1 Cor. 12.7 the gifts of the Spirit are given to profit withall called dispensers 1 Cor. 4.1 and 1 Pet. 4.10 As we have received so we must minister the same gift to edification Secondly Those that teach but teach unsoundly whether gross errours or quirks of their own wit The Apostle dealing against this kind of Teaching thus saith That their labour and reward is all lost 1 Cor. 3.15 They profane the Temple of God and the Lord shall destroy such Thirdly Those that teaching truths and nothing but truths yet walk inordinately to the disgrace of truth hinderance of the Gospell How many such are every where causing Christs ordinances as the Sons of Eli 1 Sam. 2.17 did the Lords sacrifices by their ungracious lives to be loathed Fourthly That are outwardly painfull and honest vet without uprightness of heart in the sight of God Phil 1.15 Some such spoken of that preached Christ indeed but it was out of envy or for filthy Lucre such an one was Judas And would God many such did not discover themselves dayly their sins cannot be hid 1 Tim. 5.24 Vse 2 Now this as it teacheth us in place of Ministry to labour to be such so you that are the people to pray God to give such Pastors unto his people Mat. 9. ult Pray God that he would thrust forth Labourers into his harvest Beloved How our Church groans under the burthen of such idle Idoll or profane shepherds we see and can talk of would God we could heartily bewaile and as becomes us pray heartily for redress no doubt we should see the work of the Lord goe faster forward And did turne many away from iniquity In this clause we have expressed the effect of these Levites thus demeaning themselves They turned many from iniquity Sense How is this said of the Ministry when conversion is made the peculiar work of God Answer As to Instruments because by them the Lord works conversion faith repentance c. Therefore we are said to save others 1 Tim. 4. ult to wit as Instruments because without us God ordinarily saves none and by us and the foolishness of Preaching saves them that believe therefore 1 Cor. 3.9 said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-workers with God and Instruments effectuall Ministers by whom ye have believed so to remit sins as Instruments and Ministers So then here observe That the Ministry of the Word Observ in the mouth of a faithfull Pastor is not ineffectuall but is Gods strong power to Salvation Rom 1.16 See Isa 8.18 Loe me and the children which thou hast given me 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God Heb. 4.12 mighty in operation 1 Cor. 14.25 Prophecy humbles and makes fall down The reason whereof is The promise of God and his good pleasure I will be with you that is not only to protect you and to assist and enable you but to bless your Ministry Object Sometimes ineffectuall Answer A double effect of the Minister 2 Cor. 2.15 16. Isa 55.10 As the show and the raine 2. Fruit may be that is not seen as in Elias his time seven thousand but invisible Rom. 11.4 Act. 18.10 much people in that City 3. Though blessing promised yet times and seasons kept in Gods power as Act. 18.10 The day of visitation is not come Vse 1 This should be our incouragement to whom the Ministry of the word of God is committed if we walk uprightly in the sight of God howsoever perhaps we see not at the first the fruits of our labours yet keeping our selves in the waies of God and waiting on him we expect a blessing It is truly a discomfortable thing to be a Minister to take paines where no fruit appears it made Jeremy resolve to speak no more in the name of the Lord Jer. 20.9 and secondly Paul shakes his raiment Acts 18.6 but is reproved of the Lord. Vse 2 This should teach us not to despise the Ministry of the word of God being ordeined to be so powerfull an Instrument to convert many such speeches there be of profane men they cannot remember that ever they were the better for any Sermon they heard It may well so be for this seed takes not root in all grounds But this I dare say He that with an honest heart hath heard Luk. 8.15 can say He seldome hath heard Sermon but he hath been bettered thereby how powerfull feele we it ripping up corruptions in humbling for sins in furthering with comfort c And let such as have not felt their power suspect their State VER 7. For the Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts GLoss of Papists Hence they deduce That Priests cannot erre how absurdly See ver 8. They had forsaken the way and caused many to fall Know we then That this no promise but a prescription of duty The Lord doth not promise that they shall be free from errour but prescribes what were their duties namely to labour to be even a treasure-house of knowledge for the people of God so also that place 1. Tim. 3. understood of Office not of Fact Hence then may we observe Observ What the Office of a Pastour is He must be such an one as is stored with knowledg of the will of God See Mat. 13.52 The good Scribe c. Those many offices required of us shew it as to be able to resolve all doubts to convince errours c. Tit. 1.9 This knowledg is of two sorts 1 Theoreticall 2 Experimentall both these necessary in a Minister And it should teach us Vse as Paul 1 Tim. 4.13 to give attendance unto reading c. Ignorance and Idleness fit not of all men else a Minister Secondly Pray God for such it is his great blessing when such are given Jer. 3.15 to feed us with knowledg and with understanding The next is the duty of the people in respect of such a Minister to seek the Law at his mouth Hence then we collect That it is Gods ordinance Observ the people shall depend on the Ministry of the Word See 1 Thes 5.28 Despise not Prophecying
Heb. 10.25 Forsake not our assembling together For this cause many difficulties and obscurities mingled in Scriptures many things hard to be understood f 2 Pet. 3.16 perverted by the unlearned and unstable of which we may say as the Eunuch to Philip Acts 8.31 How can I understand without a guide or an Interpreter And secondly For this cause it pleaseth God by little and little to give his graces a little knowledg a little experience Wherefore But that he may continually keep as it were an appetite and edge upon our desires Therefore also many decaies as in buildings Ephes 4. that what we seemed best to know we forget comfort and consolation not stable c. namely by this means to evidence the necessity of using an Interpreter Therefore Beloved Vse they are deceived and do deprive themselves of much comfort that content themselves with their own private meditation and study of the word of God and refuse or neglect publique Ministry That they use private endeavours I blame not but that they neglect the publique Ministry this is their heavy sin and unspeakable discomfort And yet I know a common opinion and practice of many that they are perswaded by private reading they may come to know God in Christ to Salvation Now Beloved I will not say simply but that some man namely such an one as to whom the Lord denies the publique Ministry may come to saving saith by reading no nor but that a man living in the Church may come to a great measure of discoursing knowledg But this I say A man that may heare and will not and contents himself with private duties he shall never come to know God to Salvation The Reason is God usually breaks not his ordinary course when it may be had 2. He hath cursed all private devotions where the publique Ministry is contemned Pro. 28.9 He that turneth his eare from hearing the Law his prayer shall be abominable his study reading all is accursed unto him And therefore mark when you will such men how it pleaseth God to give them up many times to foul and gross errors in judgment and life wherefore I say again Despise not Prophecying He is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts 1. His Office 2. The Author of it See we the message Rom. 10.15 2. Cor. 5.20 From whom sent from the Lord of Hosts Now this teacheth us that are Ministers sundry duties Observ 1. Not to add alter or diminish any thing of that Message the Lord hath put into our mouths this the office of a good Messenger Secondly You that are the people are taught with meekness and reverence to entertaine our Message howsoever distastefull unto you considering we are but Messengers Thirdly seeing Messengers of the Lord of Hosts you are taught reverence to us in respect of our Message The contempt of a Minister in respect of his Message is the contempt of him that sends Mat. 10.40 And that contempt the Lord will never suffer to go unpunished When f 2 Sam. 10. David saw how his Messengers whom he sent to Hanun to entreat of peace betwixt them were used or rather abused by him his wrath is enkindled and justly against him And let all those that despise Ministers lay it to heart Ye have heard of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah and how the Lord made them ensamples of his vengeance believe it for the mouth of truth hath spoken it very Sodomy it self is not a heavier sin nor more severely punished in hell than this of despising a Minister in the saithfull discharge of his Ministry VER 8. But ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi saith the Lord of Hosts ORdinary Pastors many erre Observ and teach false Doctrine For Explication Pastors of the Church are of two sorts some extraordinarily raised up by the Lord extraordinarily assisted by his Spirit such were Prophets and Apostles of whom Peter saith 2 Pet. 1. ult That they spake not of any private motion but even as they were inspired by the Holy Ghost Ordinary such as by ordinary calling are deputed to the Office of Teaching of these whether alone or collected it is true they may erre First That they have erred See Mat. 23. Scribes and Pharisees sate in Moses Chair had ordinary calling and succession without interruption yet had they Leaven mingled with their Doctrine Mat. 18.8 And lest any should say That Singularly they might erre but not Collected See Mar. 15.64 High Priest and all assembled and yet conclude of Christ He had blasphemed Secondly if not then because they spake infallibly by inspiration of the holy Ghost But this not for then it will follow that their decrees are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so of equall authority with the Scripture Thirdly if not this either in respect of Multitude or Wisdome or Holiness or Promise but first Multitude frees them not as in Achabs g 1. King 22. Prophets and that warning agree not with a Multitude Exod. 23.2 Secondly Not in respect of their Wisdome for they are not alwaies the wisest that are assembled in Councells Thirdly Not in respect of holiness for themselves confessing They may be as lewd as any 4. Nor in respect of promise If any alledge Joh. 16.18 Answer That promise in that measure made to the Apostles and that as well separate as collected Besides all this expetience sheweth it Concilium Laodicenum approves only the books that are now received Trident concludes the Apocryphall one must needs erre Councill of Neocasarea against second marriages and will have Priests put them to penance that admit them yet S. Paul warrants them Rom. 7.3 1 Cor. 7.39 Councill of Nice ordeined rebaptization for all that had followed Paylus Samosetanus Object The high Priest of the New Testament cannot Answer True if understood of Christ But if of the Pope ye shall see experience Liberius subscribed to Arrianisme John the 22 that the souls of the wicked should not at all be punished till the day of Judgment and this he sends Preachers to publish John the 23. That the souls of men are mortall and that there is no Resurrection not Life after this Honorius a Monothelite and this he did dogmatizare deliver by way and as in the nature of a decree What needs more Heare Reasons proving it 1 Ignorance 1 Cor. 13.12 2. Imperfect Sanctification 3. No promise of Infallible and incessant assistance that promise peculiar to Apostles Joh. 16.13 Let it teach us that wisdome that S. Paul prescribes Vse To try all things 1 Thes 5.21 1 Joh. 4.1 and even to fill our selves with knowledg of the Word of God And never so much admire any Minister be his gifts never so reverend as not to bring him to the common tryall and touchstone And if ever this Exhortation needfull now are the Times wherein you shall see a manifest going out of the way and a reviving of
of God was precious in those daies when there was no manifest vision how frequent was it with them then to ride many a skore miles to heare a Sermon setting apart all worldly employments But alas How are our people degenerated in this kind To whom when the Lord comes home even in every of our particular Congregations yet audience not vouchsafed Again How dear was the word of God unto them when for it and to maintain it in purity how many of them laid down their lives and shed their bloud Read the histories of our Martyrs set out for this end and you shall see how many of all sorts and conditions the Lord then crowned with Martyrdom and with what constancy they embraced the extremest torments for Christs sake But behold degenerate children How do we flinch even at the least verball persecution if it be but a scoff and what they counted their glory and that justly we now count our shame to be professors of the Gospell Besides in education of Children and in straight charging of them to maintain the truth which they sealed with their bloud how forward were they O we slow-backs in this necessary duty Time would faile me to speak of their temperance the just condemnation of our gluttonous times their peaceableness condemning our jangling their hospitality condemning our nigardly living to our selves These things we can oft talk of Lord that we did make conscience to walk and to tread in their steps we wonder as Solomon Eccl. 7.10 Why it is that former daies were better than these though we enquire not wisely of these things when our manners are so far worse than theirs More particularly I doubt not but many of us can say and that truly that God hath given us our own immediate Parents Patterns of many excellent graces Gravity Piety love of Religion Bountifulness c. shall t not be our sin and shame to degenerate and disgrace our families What greater shame can there be than for the Son to talk of his Fathers Religion himself living as an Atheist Of his Fathers bounty himself a niggard Of his Fathers zeale himself a luke-warme Monster Now surely as these sins are odious in whomsoever So most odious in those who have had so worthy Patterns as examples to go before them To conclud this point as Esay in another case Cap. 51.2 Consider Abraham your Father and Sarah that bare you Consider every of us and call to mind their commendable parts Surely of all things the Lord most hates degenerating Children In the second place we may hence well observe That the piety of the Parent shall not priviledge the degenerating Child from the wrath of God Observ but yet threatned as a judgment for swerving from their fathers footsteps In Ezekiel Cap. 18.20 The Lord purposely teacheh thus much when the unthankfull Jews began to justifie themselves and condemn the Lord of injustice for their affliction as if they had smarted for their Fathers sins only The Lord protesteth that the Son shall not dye for the Fathers sin nor on the contrary a degenerate Child shall not live by his Fathers righteousness except he walk in his fathers steps And this that the Scripture affirmes Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by his own faith Object If any shall say That the Lord hath somewhere protested That for Davids sake he would spare as Solomon Rehoboam c. 1 King 11.12 Answer It is true that it pleaseth the Lord remembring the righteous dealing of Fore-fathers sometimes to bestow outward mercies upon degenerating Children But then these are not to them in the nature of blessings such an one may have wealth but to his hurt as Solomon speaks Riches reserved to the hurt of the owners thereof 2. Not the Child but the Parent in them crowned And this should teach us not to trust Vse or vainly to put confidence in the righteousness and obedience of our forefathers as if we for that should escape the Lords wrath yet this Beloved is the conceit of many ungracious children that love to be telling of their forefathers piety and love and zeal and how many descents Religion hath continued in their families what their Fathers suffered for the truth c. And this is indeed a Blessing if men know how aright to use it It s a Blessing when the Lord permits a man a Religious Parent as above but shall we therefore thinke that we are priviledged from Gods wrath being degenerate nay rather not much more laid open to his fierce Indignation because of our declinings was thy father Religious Thou an Atheist Heavy is thy Condemnation Thy father frugall Hospitable c. Thou a spend-thrift Woe worth the time that ever thou wert born of so righteous Parents whose steps thou refusest to follow and walk in Object Promise made to parents and seed Answ Rom. 9.8 To the seed that are such by Imitation conditionally so that they Imitate and tread in their fathers Righteous steps As well as to the seed who are such only by natural Descent VER 9. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people according as ye have not kept my wayes but have been partiall in the law FOllows now the punishment of this their sin I have made you contemptible c. Wherein two things 1. The punishment 2. The cause of it Where Observ first observe we That base estimation amongst the people is a punishment even this to be vilely esteemed and disregarded amongst men is a punishment See vers 3. cap. 2. And surely if good Name and Reverence be a Blessing then is Contempt a Punishment Object If any shall say that this befell Christ Psal 22. A worme and no man Answ This a part of his humiliation Phil. 2. Object The Lot of the Apostles 1 Cor. 4.9 Answ With the wicked only for otherwise their feet are beautifull Rom. 10.15.2 Even they also have Sins to be chastened and this must be acknowledged as a part of the Curse Deut. 28.37 This should teach us Humiliation Vse under the mighty hand of God for our many abasures we are subject unto there is no blemish in good Name but comes for sin and he hath promised to Honour those that Honour Him It s true that the Lord turns these things unto the Best unto his Children and brings good out of them unto those that are his As 1. It seems to purge from Ambition and desire of vain-glory a great hinderance of sincerity Ioh. 12.43 2. It works in us a care to approve our selves the more to God that we may be glorious in his eyes 3. It makes us more dye to the world But yet it 's in its own Nature a Punishment and many times to Gods own children a chastisement Therefore The cause followeth whence we observe That vitious life breeds vileness of estimation this casts the salt of the earth to the dunghill Luke 14.34 35. and as its the Lord promise to Honour those that
honour Him so they that despise him shall be despised 1 Sam. 2.30 How did the Lord honour David in time of his uprightness How did that dog Shimei presume to raile at him when he had defiled himself 2 Sam. 16. yea and how did his own Son faile in duty towards him Vse 1 So then let us all here take notice of the true cause of that vile esteeme wherein at this day many live I speake of all sorts of men It s a common and most just complaint that many have in their mouths How much the dignity of the Ministery is in these dayes decayed contrary to that Reverence given by Cornelius unto Peter And to what cause think you do they impute it Some to lack of Authority Some to our poverty Some to decay of Auricular Confession But these not the maine Causes Apostles were never Confessours yet highly esteemed never abounded with wealth yet reverenced John Baptists rochet was of haire-cloath yet reverenced by Herod himself But this is that which hath exposed us to contempt namely the lewd life of many in place of ministers The like of Magistrates the like of Fathers the like of the Aged Children presume against the Ancients and no marvell when old age is not found in the way of righteousness 1 Tim. 4.12 Let no man despise thy youth but be thou then unto them that believe a pattern in good works Vse 2 See we here where a man must begin to lay the ground of Reverence and Reputation namely in an holy life Live holily then shalt thou live honourably if not amongst the wicked yet amongst Gods Children who honour such as feare the Lord Psal 15.4 While Adam stood in innocency the savage beasts did him Reverence when he threw off obedience they began to Rebell John Baptist feared of Herod because he knew him to be a just man Mat. 6 2â— If a punishment to be vilely esteemed then a Blessing to be honoured and justly well esteemed especially for Ministers good name a rich pearle and loving favour above silver and gold Prov. 22 1. Eccles 7.3 How prevalent this is for security how many times did this restrain the fury of Iewes against our Saviour The people held him as a Prophet Mat. 21.46 Besides the good that such may do rather then others True honour is that that is given by men rightly judging of the graces of God Hence then collect Vse that its lawfull for a man by good meanes to seek honour and good report from men See 1 Tim. 4.12 Let no man despise thy youth 1 Tim. 3.7 A testimony even from men without is to be laboured for And here that little regard of approving our selves to men justly taxed what men say or think they care not yet saith the Apostle Phil. 4.8 If there be any vertue if any praise follow things of good report Meanes 1. To be an Honourer of God 1 Sam. 2.30 in all carriage publique or private 2. To do the things that tend to good Report rather then simply to hunt after praise 3. Not principally to ayme at praise It is like your shadow the more you run after it the faster it runs from you But have been Partiall in the law A new reason of this judgment mentioned partiality in the Law This is propounded vers 9. 2. Confuted by a reason a communi principio and so from equality This uttered in a Rhetoricall Dialogisme Partiality what it is See we the nature of this sin Partiality is when without just cause one is preferred before another in matter of justice this is commonly called Acception of persons preferring one before another See 1 Tim. 5.21 Now not every such preferring is partiality For there is a preferring of one before another warrantable therefore it s added without just cause causes of preferring of two sorts just unjust Unjust as when a rich man is regarded for his Riches a poor man for his poverty See Deut. 1.17 Exod. 23.3 Levit. 19.15 Lastly in matter of justice as in punishment or reward in reproof or forbearing reproof So in kindness we may without partiality preferre 1. Our own before strangers 1 Tim. 5.8 2. Houshold of faith before others Gal. 6.10 but in matter of justice no such thing to be done This pressed upon Magistrates Vse that they especially observe it Deut. 1.19 we have the example of God himself Rom. 2.11 1 Pet 1.17 They are Gods Psal 82.6 nor may inferiour officers goe unpressed herein To ministers urged with a straite charge 1 Tim. 5.21 However it be imputation to my self To people Jam. 2.1 sundry reasons 1. God chuseth 2. Rich in faith 3. Heyrs of the kingdome 4. A breach of Gods Law 5. A cause of murmuring Act. 6.1 VER 10. Have we not all one Father Hath not one God created us Why do we deal treacherously every man against his Brothers by profaning the Covenant of our Fathers HEre is set down the Confutation Observ One common principall of all men Adam our common father Eve our common mother God our common Creator Christ our common Redeemer See Eph. 4.6 This should teach us vnity in judgment and affection Vse Eph. 4.3 It should abate pride teach to avoid partiality in any thing and would God in all things we could consider this it would be a bridle from many injuries and injustice VER 11 12. Iudah hath dealt treacherously and an abomination is committed in Israel and Ierusalem for Iudah hath prophaned the Holiness of the Lord which he loved and hath marryed the daughter of a strange God The Lord will cut off the man that doth this the Master and the Scholler out of the Tabernacles of Iacob and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of Hostes c. A Transition from the sins of the Priests to those of the people These are two both about Marriage 1. Vnequall yoaking themselves 2. Disloyalty vers 14.15 16 17. In the first we are to consider 1. The sin 2. The hainousness of it 3. The punishment 4. The amplifications by frequency and by Effects A hainous sin Observ for a Child of God to couple himself in marriage with a woman of contrary Religion with an Idolater See here how it is called a transgression an abomination a defiling of the Lords Holiness Reasons 2 Cor. 6.14 No communion betwixt light and darkness if none at all then not the nearest Reasons 1. An unequall yoke 2. The contrary nature of both 2. The speciall commandment of God this way Exod. 34. Deut. 7. with Reasons 1. Of corruption that may ensue and lest any presume in respect of graces received 1. No protection out of Gods wayes as appeares by Solomons example none like him beloved of God yet Neh. 13.26 strange women caused him to sin See also Gen. 6. Num. 25. 1 King 11. Ezr. 9.10 Where we reade of the judgment of God upon such 2. 1 Cor. 7.39 The injunction is to marry only in the Lord. 3. 2 Joh. ver 10. Not
in the sight of God See Ezra 9. 10. its hated by us in our own very children and servants Therefore this mark Gods Children have not been noted to have fallen twise in the same kinde except in matters of smaller weight I mean after once brought to see their sin by affliction or other meanes few or none examples of iteration shall be found of Abraham concealing the truth we read that it was done twise but of great and gross sins we read it seldome Indeed of Lot and Solomon we read they fell oftner but mark their acts were as it were continued acts and in the interim little or no remorse or chastisement but after once scourging you shall not I take it finde that they turned to their old sins Now then Vse let us be admonished to take heed of these sins or the Iterating of any sin whatsoever Its a grievous thing to fall into the hands of God and by one sin to provoke him but to fall again that is discomfortable once drunkenness or whoredome c. fearfull but once warned to fall again marvellous discomfortable I do not exclude such men from hope of pardon for I know the Lord is much in sparing and he that will have us to forgive seventy times seven he no doubt hath mercy in store upon repentance renewed But repentance in such cases hardly attained and admonitions contemned cause that the Lord withholds and permits to wallowing many times And therefore Let this be mine admonition to all those that have been in any one sin overtaken Hast thou sinned and hath the Lord had mercy on thee Remember who said Joh. 5.14 sin no more lest a worse thing happen unto thee the last errour worse then the first conscience deeplyer wounded Gods favourable Countenance more estranged And for this cause we must be exhorted 1. After such falls seriously and heartily to repent not to content our selves with superficicall cures but to have the wound searched to the bottome As it fares in the body so in the soul a wound superficially only cured the rottenes still remaining within breaks out again and the cause is evident so in spirituall diseases ordinary this the cause we see many fall again into the same sins 2. But specially keep watch over that affection or that occasion that was occasion to betray us surely as the divell ceaseth not every where to assault us so especially he there gives the onset where he hath once prevailed and there specially hopes for success If thou hast fallen once by lust look again to be assaulted there and therefore there-against specially arme thy self 3. Labour especially to shun all occasions of that sin and come not neere any of those meanes that have entangled thee if company beware it if idleness beware it the burnt child dreads the fire let it be true of thee 4. Labour especially to forget the pleasures of that sin 5. Be not behinde in any measure of humiliation publique or private Covering the altar of the Lord with teares Observ with weeping and with crying out c. The thing we may here observe is how even the wicked are sometimes grieved at the testimonies of Gods displeasure especially in rejecting their services from his acceptance One speciall instance we have Gen. 4. How doth Cain go drooping and hange the head when he sees the Lord give testimony of accepting his brothers rejecting his own Sacrifice vers 5. and Isa 5.8.3 The Hypocrites are brought in reasoning the case with the Lord why he should not respect their fasting And Heb. 12.17 and Gen. 17. As lightly as Esau esteemed of that favour of God in his primogeniture yet when he sees himself deprived of the blessing how weepes he and howls to think of it This one Reason of it there seems to me to be namely because there is not the wickdest man that lives but knows and thinks this that the top of blessedness consists in Gods favour and the testimonies thereof Balaam as vile a wretch as he was he could wish to dye the death of the righteous when he had seen the blessednes that God had provided to bestow upon his Church Num. 23.10 And I am perswaded howsoever we have many at this day that like Atheists mock at the counsell of the poor because he makes God his hope Psal 14.6 Yet he wisheth from his heart he were as many of them be so well acquainted with Gods will so sensibly favoured of the Lord and so highly assured of his love All the world for a good conscience in extremity Now hence it follows that every grief for the loss of Gods favour is no token of a childe of God because Vse even wicked men may have it a very cast-away may bewaile the loss of Gods favour as Esau did he may be discontented at the Lords testifying his displeasure as Cain and therefore let no man thus conclude It grieves me to think that the Lord favours me not therefore I am a Child of God And yet its true there is a kinde of grieving for the testimonies of Gods dis-favour that is a true note of a Child of God and therefore let us examine it Signes of that grieving for the lack of Gods favour that is a note of a childe of God are 1. A Childe of God that is indeed sorrowfull for the loss of Gods favour he is never at quiet till he have recovered the sensible tokens of it as Psal 32. When David had offended the Lord by those his fearfull sins see how he professeth of himself that he found no quiet in himself till he had recovered it conferr Iob 33. Sleep and all things are unpleasant to him with a wicked man it s not so ordinary though perhaps it may disquiet him some time yet the storme is soon blown over and you shall see such is the like esteeme of it that as they speak it shall never break their sleep they will never eate or drink less c. By this try thy self 2. Confession of sins as the cause of it Psal 32.5 And they will be the first who will accuse themselves and acknowledg that its just with God thus to plague them with a wicked man not so 3. A desire to remove all things that may offend and continue the Lords displeasure as Iosh 7. When it pleaseth the Lord to manifest his displeasure against Israel for their sin and the Lord hath made known the cause of it Ioshua presently goes about the removall Thus is it with all Gods Children and nothing so dear but they part with to recover his love Not so with a wicked man gladly would he have Gods favour but doth nothing to procure it if they may have his favour together with the pleasures and profits of their sins they are contented if otherwise rather then lose their pleasures farewell Gods favour 4. Instant prayer and that without ceasing as in David c. Not so with a wicked man hypocrites in heart encreaseth the
wrath for they call not when the Lord binds them Iob 36.13 5. Bitter complaint under that sad condition as Psal 42. 84. and Psal 74.9.10 Bewailing also and bemoaning themselves to every one that they think may do them ease 6. The means to recover it by diligence in Gods service are never slacked but rather encreased by it In those times above all most diligent to seek God Hos 5.15 With a wicked man not so but presently slacks he his devotion as those wretches Mal. 3.14 Cry presently it s in vain to serve God and what profit is it c. 7. A Child of God resolves even in the middest of feeling Gods displeasure still to continue his service what ever becomes of him Iob 13.15 16. Though he kill me I will trust in him and never forsake him he shall be my salvation With an Hypocrite and wicked man it s not so if the Lord be not presently mercifull again and at their beck presently they renounce him as 1 Sam. 28.6.7 When the Lord answered not Saul by dreames c. presently he flies off to a witch And would God this were not too evident amongst our people So long as any thing can be gained by Religion and the current of the times ruâ—â— that way who but they But if the Lord justly be displeased for hypocrisie so that they feel him not so gracious as in times past or perceive that he answers not presently to their call they then forsake and renounce him 8. A wicked mans at the loss of Gods favour it works envy and hatred against those to whom the Lord shewes most tokens of his love as Gen. 4. compared with 1 Ioh. 3.12 so in Saul 1 Sam. 18.6 7 12 28 29. With a childe of God it s not so That love of a childe of God is a permanent grace 1 Ioh. 3.14 And though they could wish to themselves the happiness of other of Gods children yet envy they not thereat but ever magnifie the grace of God to them shewen Vse 2 Is this so Is this a thing that even wicked men grieve at That the Lord rejects their services Then learn thou for ever to acknowledg Gods favour to thee in this when he shall give thee testimonies and evidences thereof And beloved this grace of prizing aright the favour of God and the tokens thereof is an excellent grace and the lack of it causeth so much misery to the dear children of God Doth God hear thy prayers Rejoyce in it as in the greatest happiness in the world doth he bless thy hearing and art thou bettered in knowledg and obedience Bless God for it and forget not this loving kindness of the Lord unto thy soul And for this end gather as many testimonies of them as possibly thou canst What are the signs of it False signs outward prosperity with the common appendices thereof but against this see Eccles 91. because they come not into misfortune as others therefore they applaud themselves in their evil Notes of Gods respecting our services are 1. Extraordinary such was that same sending down of fire from heaven 1 King 18. and 2 Chron 7.1 but thus the Lord deals not at this day Yet its true there are certain sensible tokens of Gods accepting us and our services at this day which Gods children may take and esteem as pledges of his love 1. Success in all things that thou puttest thine hand unto but here lest I be mistaken understand by success not that which the world so esteems a flourishing and prosperous estate but this call thou success when all things work to thy good Rom. 8.28 To thy true good furthering thee in the salvation of thy soul or when outward prosperity makes the full of good works and fearfull is the estate of those to whom these things work evill when prosperity puffs up the heart or when afflictions amend not when hearing betters not c. Fear then lest the Lord be angry with thee 2. When the Lord shall bless thee in spirituall things in Christ Jesus Eph. 1.3 That is when thou shalt feel this fruit of the service of God that thereby the graces of God be obtained and encreased that a token that God accepts thy service 3. Thou shalt perceive it by that inward testimony and certificate that Gods Spirit gives to thee in thy conscience God deals not now with us as he did with Cornelius Act. 10.3 To send an Angell from Heaven to tell us that our prayers and almes-deeds are accepted with God but this he doth he sends his Spirit into our hearts that assures us by the word of God that our courses please him these if thou feel bless God for them and thus think they are such as even wicked men sometimes would redeem with the loss of all that they enjoy Vse 3 Is this so Then mark what a miserable case such men live in as when the Lord gives many testimonies that he rejects both them and their services yet are no whit moved therewith Surely they come not so neer Heaven as Cain and Esau for they grieved at this which these wretches never do As how many are there that can say and saying deride all Religion that they could never perceive themselves to be any whit better for their prayers c. What nothing the better And findest thou no feeling of Gods love therein Wretched man that thou art what comfort then canst thou have in thy wealth pleasure honour c. Yea if thou had'st all the world what could it comfort thee But how much more miserable their condition that are the worse for it For example when God gives wealth they are the worse when he sends afflictions they are the more heardened when he gives preaching and they are the more blinded as Isa 6.10 What a wretched case live such men in except they should go down Observ presently to hell they could not be more miserable Insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more or receiveth it with good will at your hand Hence note we that during state of impenitency no sacrifice or service is accepted with God though performed with never so great devotion See Isa 1.12 Sabbaths and new-moons commanded yet in these people during impenitency most odious and abominable See also Prov. 15.8 Impenitency is of two sorts 1. Generall 2. Particular Generall impenitency is when a man lives in a continuall course of sinning without any conversion at all unto God as before calling and turning by the Spirit of God Particular is that which after the first conversion Gods children fall into as they sometimes go astray so for a time perhaps they lye unhumbled in their sins as David 2 Sam. 12. till Nathan comes to him Will you hear Reasons of it One is that extream hatred the Lord holds all sins in especially when they are thus lived in Hab. 1.13 It s true that the Lord bears many sins in his people so long as they are bewailed and striven against
sparing us even as a father spares his own son that serveth him And though there be in the dearest children of God abundance of iniquity and corruption yet whilest they are striven against the Lord sees them not that is he takes no notice of them Num. 23.21 He seeth none iniquity in Iacob nor transgression in Israel But when a man lives in his sins without repentance these sins even the least of them are most detestable unto him A second reason of it is because no obedience can be performed by such a man in singleness of heart and he doth but dally with the Lord and even mock him who comes before him with such services Isai 29.13 This people saith the Lord draweth neer me with their lips but their hearts are far from me Singleness of heart is that the Lord accepts A third Reason because such performe not the conditions of acceptation neither doth Christ during that state mediate for such It s one main condition the Lord requires in all that come neer him that they be holy even as he is holy at least in affection c. Vse 1 This then shewes us the cause why the Lord walks so stubbornly against us notwithstanding we seemed daily to seek him as Levit. 26.21 and as he speaks Iosh 7. When Ioshuah complains unto God for his wrath upon Israel what shall I say when Israel turns his back upon their adversaries It s because of some detestable sin amongst us Vse 2 Secondly let it teach us all with speed and singleness of heart to turn to our God that our services may finde acceptance with him upon this ground the prophet Isaiah chap. 1 18. Exhorts us comfortably inviting us then though sins be as skarlet yet shall they be as white as wooll as on the other side though services never so glittering and glorious prayers never so many and fervent all is to no purpose If I regard wickedness in my heart the Lord will not hear me Psal 66.18 Yea and let Gods children make use of it in this kinde for the comfort and assurance of acceptance of their services before the Lord. Vse 3 Thirdly see here the miserable estate of men living impenitently in their sins they glory perhaps in this that they serve God earely as those hypocrites Isa 58. But alas vain men all they do is unclean unto them God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9.31 No drunkard usurer c. Impenitently such and here by the way I might take notice how many deceive themselves with an opinion of repentance some think the buyers speech in Solomon is repentance It is naught It is naught and would I could leave it fondly for what is it verbally to dislike sin and affectionately to practise it Some cry God mercy as fondly some mourning for sin some confessing of sins some forbearing the outward practice when their hearts run after their covetousness some leaving off some sins living in others contra Ezek 18 28. Consider sin and turn from it VER 14. Yet ye say wherefore Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth against whom thou hast dealt treacherously yet is shee thy companion and the wife of thy covenant Yet ye say Wherefore So willing is wickedness to defend it self so hardly brought to serious confessing Observ and hearty detesting iniquity wherein They would fain still seem innocent and guiltless Job puts from him this sin Job 21.33 and withal expresseth the fashion of wicked ones and the cause of it if I have hid my sin as Adam concealing mine iniquity in my bosome c. So Adam and Eve so Cain c. And in this how right shew we our selves the Posterity of old Adam colouring and shifting and excusing our sins Vse even then when the Lord by his judgments findes them out Now brethren let us be admonished to take heed of this and to root out of our hearts this corruption so natural so usual in us The just man is the Accuser of himself And for this cause good for us to consider what a God the Lord is with whom we have to deal such an one as is about our beds and to whose eyes all things are naked and uncovered Secondly labour to acquaint thy self with thine own deceitful heart and bring sin out of its lurking holes And thirdly consider the benefit of open and free confessing sin accusing and condemning thy self See Psal 31.5 Because the Lord hath been a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth c. Here followeth the second sin laid to their charg a second violation of the marriage-bed in polygamy or multiplying of many wives through liberty of divorses where 1. The sin is propounded in general 2. Reproved 3. Confuted 4. Amplyfied The general propounding of the sin is vers 14. amplyfied by a prolepsis that howsoever they had so carried the matter as they thought that none could justly detect them of lust or cruelty in this manner of putting away the old and and marrying a new yet the Lord was witness between them The reproofe is vers 14. she is thy companion and therefore ought not to be thus sinned against The confutation 1. She is the wife of thy Covenant that is she with whom thou enterest covenant and that before God Pro. 2.17 therefore ought not to be thus despised 2. From the ordinance of God and his first Institution He made one and but one to be joyned unto one amplyfied though he had abundance of Spirit could have made more yet made but one 3. By the end because he sought a godly seed as if he had said what ever is born otherwise is not the seed of God but of the devil 4. The amplyfication God hates dismission yet they did it under pretence and colour of Moses law The Lord is witness So then Observ we have God a witness of our secretest sins most privately commited most colourably covered See Mal. 3.5 In this testimony or witneship of the Lord are three things 1. Knowledg and this is every where given unto God Psal 139. and 50.21 2. Record registring our sins as Mal. 3.16 A book of remembrance written for those that feare God so the Lord is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have a book of record and to keep a register of all our sins little and great Rev. 20.12 Jer. 44.21 did not the Lord remember 3. Evidence giving evidence to the face of all sinners of their trangressions Now what should we learn hence Surely not to sin in hope to be hid for though man cannot testifie Vse yet the Lord is both witness and judg against trangressours Psal 94.7 The wicked Psal 10.12 are brought in thus speaking The Lord shall not see neither doth the God of Jacob regard but mark how David reasons against this phancy God made the eye the ear c. teacheth man knowledg and Causa is not to to genere deteâ—â—â— effectâ— suo Yet this how evident a cause of many
and for the wicked these conclusions shall be proved 1. That it may well enough accord with the justice of God to forbear prosper bless in temporall things even wicked men Eccles 9.1 First of all know we that the will of God and his appointment is the rule of justice see this Rom. 9. in the case of Election and Reprobation God wills not things because they are just but they are just because he wills them This conclusion throughly seated in judgment stops the mouths of wicked men and restrains from many blasphemies so that though the Lord bear yet considering it 's his will who may finde fault The second conclusion that the Lord is an absolute Lord having free power to dispose of his blessings and no man may ask a reason of his counsells Rom. 9 11. Seeing then that these things are all his own who should ask him a reason of his dispensation See also Matth. 20.15 A third conclusion that what is lawful for men cannot but be much more lawful for God But man sometimes delayes and his delayes are not censured of injustice The Prince useth not allwaies martial law but in extremity when he fears outrage they are kept in prison till the day of tryal and conviction and after conviction and condemnation have a respite to prepare for death and thus the Lord deales with the wicked respitting and delivering them and therefore weigh by the end not by the beginnings A fourth conclusion that the Lord for good ends reserves the wicked to punishment and in the mean time prospers them with temporalll things as 1. For exercise of his children so Ashur Isa 10.5 deferred to execute Gods wrath upon Israel and Jerusalem so the Gibennites reserved to be Pricks in the eyes and thornes in the sides of his children and thus the Lord at this day reserves And beloved what would become of us were it not so 2. To declare his power 1. in preservation of his own children how wonderfully shews this the power of the Lord that notwithstanding all the attempts of the wicked yet still his Church is preserved as Exod. 1.12 The Israelites vexed but the more vexed the more encreased 2. In conversion Beloved it may be there are amongst the very wicked themselves some in whose conversion and salvation the Lord means to glorifie his rich grace Mat. 13.30 Not the tares but the wheat also If the Lord had taken away Paul in persecution his grace had never so much appeared and this that we see daily men brought from power of darkness to the kingdome of Jesus Christ 3. In their overthrow and confusion never had Gods name been so marvellous over the world if he had presently shewn his power in the destruction of Pharaoh but thus permitting him to fortifie himself and then to overthrow him this shewed his power like at this day when they are flourishing like Cedars then cuts he them down A third end this serves much to illustrate his justice when he thus beares and invites by all meanes to repentance and yet men turn not I gave her space to repent Rev. 2.21 Who cannot but acknowledg the justice of God in their condemnation Yea beloved what if wicked men are punished what if punished in these very things wherein they think themselves blessed These two things I will briefely evidence First that the wicked are never without punishment Secondly that the very blessings for which they applaud themseves are their punishments For the first know we that punishments are not all of one sort some are internal some external some Eternal Now for internal punishments we see them evident upon them as 1. Horror of conscience in many of them can there be a more fearful judgment This perhaps we see not but they feel in their inward restlesness Isa 57. ult See Cain flying if he could from himself Pashur a terrour to himself Ier. 20.4 Achitophel hanging himself as the Romans were wont to make the crucifyed carry their own cross so God hath made the wicked to carry this cross of an evil an accusing conscience Ob. If it be said they all feel it not Ans First that I much doubt of Secondly they have judgment much more fearful hardness of heart the fearfullest judgment that God in his wrath can inflict see in Pharaoh Thirdly sins themselves are fearful punishments Rom. 1.24 26 28. And what drudges they are what toil they take to enjoy the pleasures of their sins How unquiet sleeps what filthy belchings feels the drunkard Temporary are in their persons or in the things about them as sometimes graceless and unfortunate children besides these there are paenae posthumae surviving plagues The posterity smarts for the sins of the fathers Job 21.19 God layes up the iniquity of the father for the childe And their very outward blessings what curses are they unto them The riches of the wicked suffer them not to sleep fill them with cares and sorrows many and many their honours exposed to envy their pleasures have bitterness c. Eternal punishments are those that are respited till after this life Now brethren Vse see we the use of all this Hence may Gods children learn to stablish themselves against that common temptation wherewith Satan sometimes annoies them and labours to draw them from their confidence Differtur non aufertur wait but a while and thou shalt see the Lord manifest his justice in their punishment and overthrow And hence likewise let wicked men learn to terrifie and dismay their hearts c. For the second that it may well agree with the justice of God thus to afflict his own children First there is none so just but must be forced to confess he hath in him what deserves punishment no not Infans unius dici we bring corruption out of the womb and suck it from the breasts of our mother Psal 51.5 Rom. 5.12 It s true that Achans children perish with him but yet not without their own sin being corrupt by nature so of the dearest servants of God And who is there under any affliction but must needs say as that good thief on the cross I am justly in this condemnation Luk. 23.41 view them in their original or in their end they are good for Gods children Their end 1. Exercise 2. Chastisement as exercises 1. Firmant 2. Probant 3. Praeeunt 1. Firmant Afflictions are Gods schoole-houses wherein he traines us up to hardship skill in sailing is best learnt by tempest in warfare by fight as trees tossed with winde take deeper root so c. and those tenderlings unused to hardship how doth a little affright them 2. Probant Deut. 8. and without these men know neither the soundness nor measure of their graces affliction tryes how many please themselves in their graces whom affliction discovers to be but hypocrites They shew also what thy strength is 3. Praeeunt when as by example they draw others as Phil 1.14 and Abel's bloud still cryes to imitate his
whilest they live in their sins It s true that Christ is a Saviour of his people Mar. 1.21 but a severe judg of all disobedient and impenitent sinners It s worth the noting that Paul hath 1 Tim. 1.9 The law saith he is not given to the righteous namely as its the Ministery of condemnation or the hand-writing of ordinances against us but it s given to the lawless and disobedient and to them it stands still in force And therefore let this be the Exhortation as Psal 2.12 Kiss the son that is submit to his dominion suffer him to your saviour else surely you shall finde him your severe judge See we a little how Christ executed this office of judgment upon the earth in the dayes of his flesh Joh. 9.39 namely by blinding them that saw that is by giving men up to blindness of minde and hardness of heart that pleasing themselves in opinion of their own knowledg despised that knowledg of God which he laboured to teach them And thus we finde Christ daily to execute judgments amongst us in the Church of God though we see him not now executing outward vengeance upon the bodies of all ungodly men yet spiritual judgments we see on many in the Church of God many given up to blidness of minde and hardness of heart and so prepared to condemnation Now as meanes to avoid this judgment 1. Take heed of opinion of thine own knowledg Ioh. 9.39 1 Cor. 3.18 2. While we have light walk in it Ioh. 13.35 3. Shut not your eyes against it but what the Lord would teach learn to acknowledg See Ioh. 12.37 39. Next thing observable is that part of judgment Christ here executed in the dayes of his flesh Judgment hath four acts 1. Examination 2. Conviction 3. Sentence-giving 4. Execution Now of these this only is here noted that here he executed the second office of a judg which is to convince of sin Therefore it is said of the Father in Christ that he would be a swift witness against the sooth-sayers c. that howsoever he did not presently send them down to hell yet he would convince them of their sins For this is the office of a witness to convince and give evidence of sins committed Now this Christ did by sundry means First by his word whilest out of it he evidenced unto the conscience of them all their sins so by shewing the meaning of the law he convinced the Pharisees of their corruptions Matth. 5. By shewing the accomplishment of the Prophets predictions he convinced them of infidelity c. Secondly by his Spirit Ioh. 16.8 9. When he sent him down into his children and by a general work of the true Spirit of God in the hearts of very cast awayes Thirdly by his own holy and spotless life as also by the examples of his childrens obedience in whose hearts it pleased him to be effectual And thus we shall see at this day the Lord Christ execute that part of judgment committed to him by his Father It s true that the Lord hath long patience bears the very vessels of wrath prepared to destruction respitting their execution as we see in dayly experience But let no man say that therefore he doth sit still and not judg the wicked except we will say that the judg of assize performes no office of a judg but only when he delivers them over to be executed And see we beloved a little this truth daily evidenced unto us in the Church by the very preaching of his word which is his testimony 2 Cor. 10.6 How many times perswade I my self doth the desperatest contemner of God and all goodness finde that in himself verified 1 Cor. 14.24 25. that he is convinced of all men and judged of the ministry of the word as when out of the word of God we shew the haynousness of Adultery Sabbath-breaking c How stand such offenders like men arraigned at the barr and say secretly in their hearts they are guilty yea the very tryal of their countenance testifieth against them Again how doth the Spirit of God in the word smite them with fear and horrour that they tremble and quake at the noise of Gods judgments denounced against them Thirdly the very examples of Gods children Heb. 11. Whiles they submit themselves to the word of God convince them also of their sins The Use will best appear Vse if we shall consider the ends why it pleaseth the Lord thus to convince us They are two according as the persons are in whom this is wrought First in regard of Gods children it 's to humble them by giving them sight and feeling of their sins that renouncing themselves they may supplicate to their judg see Act. 2.37 Art thou then convinced in thy conscience out of the word of God of thy sins This do supplicate to the judg surely not all whom the Lord convinceth he condemneth but as a merciful judg though he arraign all at the barr of his conscience by the Word and Spirit yet whom he sees broken in heart purposing amendment earnestly begging for pardon to such he extends pardon and remission And therefore beloved if when thou art convinced thou canst thus do happy art thou and Gods children that finde these things in themselves have no cause to despair of pardon and salvation The end of conviction in castawaies is their just damnation for that when the Lord convinced them in judgment of their sins they still persisted in them And therfore beloved take we all heed how we live in our sins after conviction when the Lord once brings unto the barr arraigns us in our consciences by his word shews us out sins and the smart of them if after all this we shall continue in them heavy and just is our condemnation And this the state of many at this day as of swearing drunkenness c. they know the hainousness of them yet practise them and is it not just with God to condemn A thief arraigned convicted c. but by mercy of the judg reprieved upon hope of better behaviour if he shall still persist in theft all acknowledg his execution most just Well next let us see unto whom Christ is sent as a judg To soothsayers and adulterers c. Now we are not so to understand the Prophet as if he meant that Christ should be a judg of these particulars only but as Paul 1 Tim. 1.9 He includes all sins in general Wherefore then these mentioned only Answ Because most rife in the practice of that people Thence we learn who are Ministers Observ to apply our proofes and denunciations of judgments as generally to all sins so most specially to those particulars rife in our people It were long to evidence this by the practice of the Servants of God the Prophets See Iohn Baptist how excellenly he fits his prescripts to the nature of the people Luk 3.10 11. and when he comes to Herod he tells him of his particular sin Mat. 14.4
And Paul before Felix a bribing and incestuous person preacheth of justice and temperance Act. 24.25 It warrants like practice of ministers at this day Vse that bind themselves especially to the particular corruptions of their own people and therefore pleaseth it God to set us over particular congregations and to give us charge of them that we might redress their sins And howsoever that other course be most plausible unto carnall men I mean generall dealing in instruction admonition reproof c. as you shall hear such preachers that shoot at rovers in their Sermons much applauded yet this is the profitable kind of teaching And therefore in the primitive Church were there assistants unto the Minister in particular congregations to enquire and give information of manners and if we had now such as the household of Cloe 1 Cor. 1.11 No doubt we might more profitably a great deal converse in our Ministery that by the way First particular mentioned Sooth-saying Sooth-saying the word rendred by skilfull in originall languag proestigiatores as you would say juglers such as by deceiving the sence bring strange things to pass but Synechdochically under this name are comprized all such as exercise any of those divellish arts that cannot be exercised without contract either secret or open with the Devil which in one word we call Magick My purpose is to speak something largely of it and so much the rather because I see there is some kinde of this divellish art still in practice amongst our ignorant people Of it there are sundry branches but they may be all reduced to these two heads Magia Divinatrix Operatrix The first is that that is exercised about prediction of of contigent events not out of their causes but by wayes not sanctifyed of God and this is of two sorts according as the persons that use them one seemingly joyned with art the other vulgar these of divers sorts briefly of each First Pythones or Pythonissae such as by acquaintance with familiar spirits take upon them to reveale secrets and to foretell things to come of such read Levit. 20.27 Deut. 18.11 Beloved I say not we have such in our own congregation but this I fear is too common amongst us upon every occasion consulting with such if any thing lost or out of the way presently a messenger dispatched to the cunning man or the cunning woman any sickness dangerous enquiries whether they shall recover if a journey undertaken consult of success c. As the Lord saith Psal 50.18 Thou hast been partaker with the adulterer so surely such are partakers with Soothsayers And it were to be wished that as there are laws wholesome that way provided so those to whom execution thereof is committed would put upon them this resolation and imitate his practice 2 King 23.24 And let us all be admonished to take heed how we joyn with them 1. See what is noted of Saul before the Lord forsooke him he took them away out of the land when God had forsaken him then goes he to consult with a witch 1 Sam. 28.7 2. The Lord by strange judgments hath shewn his dislike of it See 2 King 1. Ahaziah was sick and as it 's the fashion of profane men to be more inquisitive touching the issue then to prepare for death he sends to Baal-zebub the god of Ekron to enquire whether he should recover mark how the Lord reasons against him 1. What a sin is this as if the devil in Ekron could better resolve then the God of Israel 2. He tels him he shall surely dye and accordingly it came to pass 3. Isa 8.20 The Lord taxing this sin prescribes us the right means how we should know what the success of our enterprises will be To the law and to the testimony When journeyes are so undertaken we have a promise of blessing when otherwise assure we our selves of a curse though all the devils in hell shall foretel a blessing A second sort are Astrologers or start-gazers who as Austin well saith though under another colour yet exercise their art of foretelling things to come by secret compact with the devil of these the world was ever full and at this day almost no place empty of them These are of sundry sorts 1. Genethliaci that by calculating Nativities and searching out the constellations and aspects of the starrs take upon them to foretel what should be the manners state of life death c. of men born under them 2. Such as of particular events in businesses undertake to fortel events of things in their own nature contingent These also not amongst us yet I fear every where consulters with such That we arme our selves against them let us see some reasons out of the word of God 1. starrs made to another end Gen. 1.14 namely to measure out dayes and nights summer and winter 2. That they make good creatures malignant 3. The houses themselves feigned things 4. They but universal causes and their influence mixt 5. Gemini or twins born in one hour have divers issues 6. Many other wayes doth the Lord descry their folly Isai 46. Ier. 10. shewing them to be but heathennish vanity I might add unto these those that by dreames take upon them to foretell things to come now it once pleased God by dreames to reveal particular events not so now So those that by looking on the hand take upon them to foretell what shall be mens fortune to these also may be added that same which they call Necromancy that is divination by consulting with the dead that is indeed with the devill in the habit and likeness of the dead Of all which ye may read Deut. 18.10 11. Vulgaris that which our common people in superstitious ignorance observe of things boding good or ill as how many such observations have they of dismall days wherein they say its dangerous to begin any work That when a man puts his shooe on the wrong foot that bodes ill if the salt fall towards us on the table ill luck that if the staff fall out of the hand a hare cross our way stumble at the threshold when we first go out of the house or if the garments be gnawn of the Rats of which Augustine well notes the answer of Cato an old wizard among the Romans A superstitious observer of such things came to him as a man full of heaviness more grieving saith he at the suspition of ill to come then for loss present and he would needs know what hard chance that might bode To whom the heathen answered merrily that is no strange thing saith he that Rats should gnaw cloathes the wonder had been if thy cloathes had eat Rats so did the heathen deride that folly and superstition And it should admonish us Christians to detest and abhorr such idle superstitious observations whereby as much as by any the devil ruleth in such If it be said that the event many times answers to their fear and expectation This comes
Idolater Notes of it are these 1. Such are abominable in life Psal 14.1 2. Call not upon the name of the Lord ib. v. 4. 3. Light esteem of the pledges of Gods favour Heb. 12 15. as amongst us of the word of God whereas a childe of God buyes the truth and sells it not Prov. 23.23 Observ 2 Idolaters sometimes more conscionable to preserve the worship of Idols then some in the Church of maintaining the worship of God See Israelites Exod. 32.3 Nothing so dear but they part with their very Jewels and earings to make a Calfe yea children themselves made to pass through the fire and Act. 19. How many craftsmen maintained by that Idol Diana Baals Priests how cut they themselves with knives and lancers 1 King 18.28 Compare us with Papists see we it not verified how liberal are they in maintaining the Idolatry among them practised What pains take they in Pilgrimages And none appears empty-handed before the Idoll Well beloved Vse this shall be the just condemnation of many in our Church that people doting upon Idols should be thus zealous for Idolatry and we so regardless of the worship of God See but their Priests how in a blinde zeal they hazard their lives to make a Proselyte shall it not condemn us that may safely labour settling in truth and neglect it How careful they that no contempt shall be shewn to their Idols Yet we with patience can endure the horriblest disgraces offered to the majesty of God they will rise up in judgment and condemn us see Matth. 12.41 Now before I come to propound the doctrine it shall not be amiss a little to handle the question that here offers it seif to be discussed lest we think this sin concerns us not Question of Tythes handled The question then is whether tenths be by divine right belonging to the ministry of the Gospel for their maintenance Answ herein Answ let me propound the judgment of sundry sound Divines both wayes and leave it to Gods people to be judged of Divine right therefore is doubly understood 1. Either that it is directly so by express and precise commandment or else 2. By consequent as having ground in the word of God The distinction is 1 Cor. 7.6 I not the Lord the Lord not I I have no commandment but give advice Now this is the judgment of some ancient and modern Divines That by Divine law the tenths of all fruites both predial and personal are due unto ministers of the Gospel by those very lawes that were given concerning the Levites Origen in Num. Hom. 11. This law of Tythes he thinks should be observed according to the letter Hierome upon this place accords with him Austin makes Tythes to ministers and tribute to Caesar of equal right Divines of late years accord with them Junius Tythes by all lawes of God nature nations have been hallowed unto God Gaulter in Matth. 23. Zepper de leg lib. 4.10 are peremptory this way and demand with what reasons it may be proved that the law was merely ceremonial Hear their reasons because payd before the law when ceremonies were not in force as by Abraham to Melchizédech this argument concludes not for even some ceremonies were in force before the law of ceremonies given in writing as sacrifices c. Better reasons are these First that we are not able to shew what was in this law ceremonial therefore not so to be esteemed Secondly Origen thus As Gods blessings under the new Testament exceed those vouchsafed unto the Jews so should our maintenance This proves thus much only that as liberal if not more is due to the ministers of the Gospel Thirdly greatest reason that of Iunius that by all lawes due very light of nature taught Gentiles to hallow the tenth unto God whence may thus be concluded That what by instinct of nature is due that is perpetual for this is one rule to discern judicial lawes of common equity from those of equity particular namely if they be universally received by all nations and accord with the word of God but thus it 's apparent that in all ages of heathen they were due Fourthly Ab absurdo it seems not likely that the Lord providing so liberally for maintenance of Levites would leave all uncertain to the devotion of the people under the new Testament but other certainty is not determined Ergo. These reasons are something urgent And I must needs profess to see no certainty of answer to them A second opinion is of them that hold them to be due by consequent from the law of God though no direct law given concerning them As 1. From the command of the Magistrate to whom they imagine the Lord to have left determining of particulars only with this generall so it be competent 2. By vertue of confecration that way either by vow or other wholesome ordinance And thus they think them due unto us so that he shall be guilty of sacriledg that withholds or alienates them Gal. 3.15 A mans testament no man abrogates Prov. 20.25 It s a destruction to devoure Holy things and after the vow to enquire A third sort think them utterly unlawfull to be either paid or exacted in as much as it was a part of ceremoniall law and for this cause amongst others abandon society with our Church because as they say we judaize in maintaining our Ministers by tenths These need rather pity in respect of their zeal then confutation of their judgment It being a principle holden amongst all Divines that judiciall lawes especially when there appeares not some evident cause why they should concerne only the State of the Iowes may justily be revived in Christian Common-wealths nay that Common-wealths are best governed that come nearest that plat-forme What my judgment is I will forbear to propose professing only an inclination this way that they are due by divine right for some reasons before specified To leave these Uncertainties See what the Scripture certainly teacheth touching maintenance of the Ministery First of all Observ that there is maintenance due unto them for their work sake 1 Cor. 9. 1. From common equity vers 7. 2. From voice of the Law the oxe not muzled vers 9. 3. Spirituall things are ministred therefore temporall things may be reaped 4. A pari they that serve at the Altar live by the Altar 5. A sanctione Christi God hath ordained c. vers 14. 2. That this must be a liberall maintenance 1 Tim. 5.17 18. double honour Gal. 6.6 Made partaker of all his goods 1 Tim. 3.2 How else given to hospitality due from all that partake in benefit of instruction Again this the word teacheth morally that magistrates are to be obeyed in things lawfull for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 3. That things consecrated unto Gods service may not be alienated to other uses out of case of necessity Prov. 20.25 Gal. 3.15 Out of all which I think this conclusion ariseth that Tythes of England are due by Gods
Law to the maintenance of the Ministery if not directly yet by consequent if not in specie yet in the aequivalent Whence this conclusion will soundly follow that to detain any thing belonging to maintenance of the Ministery is Sacriledg let it be coloured with never so goodly pretences Now Vse beloved where should I begin to reprove First those ingrossers of Ministers maintenance by impropriations c. I stand not now to dispute the question this only know things once consecrated are the Lords Levit. 27 30 31. and may not for ever be alienated 2. This holden by all Divines that so to alienate as that there be not a liberall maintenance for the Minister for all works of his calling is generally holden an accursed practice And what maintenance is this Micah's allowance Iudg. 17. A Livery dyet and ten shekells of silver surely the platform I think was first taken from that Idolater But beloved let such men consider how many souls perish for lack of Ministers I know what they say blame the law Be not deceived God is not mocked Gal. 6.7 There is a law of equity should guide every christian and they should be laws unto themselves Ob. Ministers covetous Answ So indeed they say who are deeplyest engaged this way but it will be hard to prove that desire of a competency comes under the censure of covetousness Secondly guilty of this sin also are all those that detain any thing due from the maintenance of the worship of God I know it will be said I am now in my own harvest But sith it pleaseth God to give so just occasion judg I pray you in charity that I preach of conscience not of commodity And this let me say from my own and other mens experience men most liberall to other profane uses think any thing too much that is given to the Ministery What should be the cause of it Surely 1. That root of all evill covetousness 2. Lack of feeling sweetness and comfort by the Ministery surely if Spirituall things were reaped temporall things would flow of own accord But to what cause should we impute the scanthandedness of men professing of Religion and the fear of God that they notwithstanding should so niggardly contribute and paying never so little look for a cap and courtesie from the Minister Let me add some Reasons for exhortation 1. It s an honouring of God Prov. 3.9 2. It argues that we have tasted sweetness in the word and are indeed partakers of spirituall things 3. Consider but the example of very Idolaters this way as of papists at this day and let it shame us Christians 4. Detaining brings Gods curse Prov. 20.25.5 Mark what the Lord here speaks it brings down scarcity and famine upon the land Ye are cursed with a curse The punishment the generallity of it obstinacy of the Jews notwithstanding thus afflicted Common sins draw down common judgments Observ All partake in sin all therfore in punishment Hence that exhortation Rev. 18.4 Go out lest thou partake of her plagues What doth this teach us but as Solomon saith Prov. 1.10 If sinners entice us not to consent unto them Quest What is then to be done Must we leave the world Answ There may be a just dwelling among sinners and wicked men 1. If there be mourning for their sins Ezek. 9.4 2 Pet. 2.8 2. If we partake not with them any way by consent countenance-giving fellowship in evill Eph. 5.11 3. If there be a reproofe of their evil within bounds of our calling 4. An hindering within bounds of our calling Neh. 13. Josh 24. Yet ye have robbed me Note here the amplyfication of the sin yet ye spoyl me This is ever an aggravating circumstance in sin Observ to persist in practice of sin when Gods judgments are upon us Neh. 13.18 Yet ye encrease the wrath Ezr. 9.13 After all this Jer. 5.3 Thou hast smitten them but they have not sorrowed And this the common sin of these times Vse God hath made his plagues wonderful amongst us and though his arrows have passed amangst us yet who hath regarded to enter into his heart and once to say what have I done Ier. 8.6 c. VER 10. Bring ye all the Tythes into the store-house that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Hostes if I will not open you the windowes of Heaven and pour you out ablessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it c. IN the former verse was a reproofe of sacriledg We have here a duty prescribed as a remedy for removal of that curse of God now upon them Wherein consider we 1. The duty Bring all the Tythes into my store-house 2. Reasons perswading the duty 1. Abundance promised 2. Means of their penury removed 3. That all nations shall call you blessed For the duty see we 1. What it is 2. Form of it Bring ye all my Tythes For this was the ordinance of God partly to free the Levites from distractions and partly to prove the fidelity and willingness of the people this way that they should bring the Tythes to the place appointed a store-house provided for that purpose Deut. 14.28 29. Whereas the Lord propounds this mean to remove his wrath we may observe what course to take Oserv when Gods hand is upon us namely to give our selves to practice of those duties for omission whereof Gods wrath is come out against us and this propounded Isa 1.16 So in Moses Exod. 4. Isa 9.12 13. Reason is because that cause remaining the effect must needs stay upon us The Lords wrath is compared to a fire Isa 10.17 Wicked men they are as the fewel impenitency as the bellows that blow it till it have utterly consumed This then let us do Vse when as we see the tokens of Gods wrath gone out against us every one as Ieremy Lam. 3.48 Search and try his wayes and turn unto the Lord. Beloved we have seen and do see the infallible evidences of Gods wrath upon us and just cause have we to fear lest greater plagues than these hang over our heads Surely as many evidences of it we see still before our eyes as any nation how the Lord hath gathered his Saints from evil to come Isa 57.1 How stubbornly and securely we walk still towards our God who seeth not Beloved these are the fore-runners of some heavy judgment Would we prevent it Remove the cause of it that is every man his own sins What duties we have been slack in let us learn now zealously to practise And to see the behaviour of our people in all these judgments it 's strange Some little wonderment we can make how it should come to pass that the Lord should be thus incensed against us never free from one judgment or another One while sword another while pestilence another while famine and one blames this cause another that Poor they cry out it comes from wealthy and their hearts
if this of all other things did least concern us Beloved this is the effect of Gods fear in the hearts of his children to be much affected at the dishonour of his name When Iehu approached neer unto Iesabel and espyed her in her window trimming her self after the fashion of harlots he cryes out to them with her Who is on my side who and the Eunuchs threw her down Beloved the Lord seems 2 King 9.32 sometimes thus to say to us in the extremities of the peoples blasphemies and he seems to cry unto us Who is on my side If then thou be silent that which our Saviour hath Matth. 12.30 will be here applyed who is not him is sure against him and so shall be accepted in the day of acounts A second property that they labour to edifie and exhort each other that they may preserve them from infection by those who labour to over-throw their faith as here these Atheists they begin to publish it it 's vain to serve God Now lest the people of God should hereby be poysoned they that fear God begin to confirm their brethren every one his neighbour as if he had said look not to these blasphemous wretches for surely the Lord hearkens and hears c. And this as it is the practice of Gods Saints every where so hath it the precept and commandment of God Jude 23. Edifie one another in your most holy faith Heb. 10.24 Provoke to love and to good works See Psal 34.8 And indeed it 's one end why God endues us with his graces namely to strengthen our brethren Luk. 22.32 See 1 Cor. 12.7 Let us then be all exhorted in these declining daies Vse thus to stablish one another in the perswasion of Gods truth as Saint Paul hath it strengthen the weak knees comfort the feeble-minded 1 Thess 5.14 Heb. 12.13 and provide that that which is halting be not turned out of the way but may rather be healed And beloved sundry reasons there are for it 1. The evilness of the times wherein we see it verifyed that the love of many waxeth cold 2. Look we to the carriage of all things and see whether we find it not true that these Atheists here speak of the wicked are set up so that if there were not an expectation of another life it were better to be any thing even the vilest miscreant then to profess the fear of the Lord. 3. Those many discouragements that we shall see raised up to the Children of God Beloved if ever that were needfull that our Saviour speaks strengthen thy brethren Luk. 22.32 Now are the days 4. And methinks if there were no other reason then that industrious and never wearied paines of the adversary to subvert the faith of Gods Children it should move us Shall the limbs of the divell be more painfull to overthrow then we to build up the Church of Christ Thus then let us do And let no man say they shall every one bear their own burthen for even to us shall be imputed their ruin if they perish through defect of our admonition Vse 2 If this be the mark of Gods childe to confirm in the truth what shall we judg of those that labour to pervert their faith And to spread even opinions of Atheisme it self into the mindes of men This is an evil that I have seen under the sun would God it were not found in Jacob even in our own congregation to say nothing of that opinion which our practice testifieth us to be possessed withall of overmuch strictness in the service of God How many such pestilent instruments hath Sathan every where that insinuate into the mindes of the simple and ignorant opinions of Atheisme yea perswasions thereto Whose damnation is just Third sign and property of them they think upon Gods Name For explication know we that Gods name is sometimes put for the Majesty of God himself sometimes for his glory whether sence we take it it matters not It s true that a man fearing God his property is alwaies Observ to have God before his eyes Psal 16.8 The Lord is ever and continually in his meditation Or if we take the other sence this also shall be found their practice they think upon his name that is that 's one principall part of their care and study how God may be glorifyed and his name kept from dishonour and blasphemy That whereas the uttermost care of a worldling is how he may grow great upon earth the care of Gods children is how God may best be glorifyed and he is ever devising something within the compass of his calling how farr glory may come to the Name of God When David was now at rest and sate in his house mark what thoughts his minde was possessed withall considering what an house he had built for himself to dwell in he thus speaks to Nathan his seer Behold saith he I dwell in an house of Cedar trees but the Ark of the Lord remains in the curtains it seems he more discontented himself that that had not been his principal and first thought that the glory of God should have been provided for By this also try we our selves and our uprightness in the sight of God Surely who so findes not this in himself that his principal thought and care is that God may be glorified I may boldly say of that man he is none of Gods Quest Is it then not lawful to think of the things of this life Answ No doubt yes but in getting of these this is the difference betwixt Gods children and another That which the man who feareth God aimeth at is this that God may be glorified so in sports no doubt lawful so be they are lawfully and moderately used but look that this be thy end that thou mayest be fitter to glorifie God and do him service else thou usest recreations as an Epicure not as a childe of God Well now hear what it is that they avouch A book of remembrance is written for those that fear God This is spoken after the manner of men for our capacity that as men use for better remembrance to keep a book of memorandum's that they may not forget See Hest 6.1 So this is attributed unto God to signifie unto us that he doth certainly remember the services of his children Hence then the collection is easie Observ that the Lord will never forget to reward the services of his Saints that serve him See Heb 6.10 God is not unrighteous that he should forget your work and labour of love which ye have shewed to his name Psal 16.8 Thou tellest my wandrings and puttest all my tears into thy bottle all things noted in the Lords register See Neh. 13.14 22 31. Yea Matth. 25 44. Those things that the Saints had forgotten the Lord remembers See Esth 9.32 This should encourage Gods children in his service yea though they see their services amongst men altogether to want recompence and reward and though the Lord long
delay yet at length in due time we shall reape if we faint not Gal. 6.9 This also should encourage Ministers though of all others their labours be most slenderly regarded amongst men as Isai 49.4 I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength nevertheless my judgment is with the Lord and my work with my God Thus should Magistrates encourage themselves though for conscionable discharge of duties they receive nothing amongst men but shame and reproach let it be enough as Nehemiah prayes that the Lord remembers thee in this So in works of mercy though perhaps thou fearest to lose it even as if thou shouldest cast it down the waters yet after many days thou shalt finde it Eccles 11.1 c. Again doth the Lord remember the good works and words of his servants No doubt he hath also then his remembrance-book his register for the ungodly See Rev. 20.12 The books are opened a glympse whereof we may see in that little book of the conscience which though in times of peace it be as a book shut up yet in judgments of God layeth open it self to the view of ungodly men Joseph's brethren a long time carried away the matter smoothly but at length in affliction mark how conscience sheweth its record Gen. 42.21 22. Now his blood is required Herod had slain Iohn Baptist with the sword Mat. 14. Mark how when he hears of the fame of Christ conscience is his remembrancer John Baptist's blood still runs in his minde Now beloved that this one perswasion might be setled in our hearts no doubt it would restrain many of our sins and those conclusions of Atheisme Psal 94.7 God seeth not or regards not or his memory oppressed with multitude forgets breeds all this Atheisme and profaness in practice Consider then beloved what the Lord every where teacheth Psal 50.21 22. I will set thy sins before thee in order Words we think are wind and with us soon forgotten yet saith our Saviour every idle word shall come to be reckoned for at the day of judgment Mat. 12.36 And let me say as David Psal 50.22 Consider this yee that forget God there is not an oath that thou swearest but the Lord knoweth it there is not an idle word but the Lord takes notice of it not a wanton look but the Lords eye seeth it c. And if this were thought of much wickedness would be restrained VER 17. And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Iewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him THe blessings of God upon those that fear him They shall be unto me a flock peculium cordis some read Res desideratissima or as some his chiefe treasure mark here the priviledges of those that fear God they are called Gods peculiar his lot and his inheritance Secondly that the Lord will spare them which is set down in a similitude The blessings that this includes 1. Singular protection there is an universal providence and protection that is vouchsafed unto all his creatures Thou Lord shalt save both man and beast There is a special protection which the Lord vouchsafeth unto men 1 Tim. 4.10 The Saviour of all men There is thirdly a singular protection which he carrieth over the Church and those in it that fear him specially of them that believe Besides the singular blessings and gifts that he vouchsafeth unto them there are common graces which he vouchsafeth unto all as general knowledg more special vouchsafed to them that fear him see Exod. 19.5 That which we learn hence is First separation from the wicked that as the Lord singles us out from the rest of mankinde to be his peculiar so should we separate our selves from the corruptions of the times see 2 Cor. 7.1 Secondly comforts that hence arise to Gods children as assurance of defence in all miseries and calamities The next priviledg promised is sparing or mercy see Psal 103.13 Whence observe we that remission of sins is a blessing peculiarly belonging to the Church of God Observ 2 for these Christ alone merited Ioh. 17. to these only God is a father And it confutes the opinion of such as make remission of sins a common gift for thought it be so in respect of offer and propounding yet is it not so in respect of actual performance Again this if there were no other thing sheweth a plentiful difference betwixt religion and Atheisme in that to the one is promised remission of sins to the other not This the treasure of the Church of God No sins are forgiven to a cast-away but every sin to a childe of God Psal 32.1 1 Joh. 1.7 And this should comfort us against our infirmities and imperfections that alas shew themselves in every best duty that we perform unto God and this that which most humbles Gods children their present weakness and imperfections considered but brethren consider we God is a father unto us and if he see in us but a striving to perform our dutyes acceptably that desire is accepted Heb. 13.18 1 Pet. 2.5 VER 18. Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not THat which in sum is hence observable is this Observ that the Lord will not alwayes suffer his children to be afflicted and the wicked to prosper but a day shall come wherein a sensible difference shall be put betwixt him that serveth God and him that seveth him not the justice of God and his truth requires it 2 Thess 1.5 Then shall Christ perfectly winnow the chaff from the wheat 2. In common judgments the Lord delivers his Ezek. 9.4 3. The finall consummation reserved for the time of the last judgment when the full separation shall be Mat. 25.32 And this should stay Gods children against that temptation which ariseth from that seeming confusion of things in this life See Psal 37. 73. Ier. 12.1 A thing that hath troubled the Saints of God in all times It pleaseth God for a time to grant the wicked prosperity and to exercise this Children with afflictions Reasons 1. To prove the patience of his Saints 2. To give the wicked their portion 3. To nourish in us the hope of another life But alas as their rejoycing is but short so the afflictions of Gods servant are but momentany 2 Cor. 4.17 Trust then in God and keep his way judg not of the happiness of Gods Children by things present but by their end and issue Psal 37.37 38. The wicked exalted but to be thrown down into utter destruction the godly afflicted but his end is peace CHAP. 4. VER 1 2 3. For behold the day commeth that shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and the day that commeth shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch But unto you
that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings c. THE former conelusion proved by divers effects of Christs comming to the wicked a black day set out in similitudes The time of accomplishment hereof its apparent by the place that it s to be understood of Christs first comming in the flesh and if any question how this verified then It was Inchoativè and by way of preparation then and shall be Consummatè in the day of the last judgment That Christ came not to save all Observ but to be a judg and destroyer of the wicked and ungodly this place concludes it See Ioh. 9.39 Luk. 2.34 and it appeareth 1. By the event 2. By Christs own profession Ioh. 17.3 By the sign in that grace is not given to all to receive the benefit And this reproves that fond opinion that Christ came to save all How is it then that all are not saved They answer because they will not but absurdly For 1. God hath power to frame mens wils if his will were such 2. How unreasonable is it that God should will to save and man disappoint his purpose Ob. Gods will was not absolute but conditionall Answ It s that the Scripture teacheth that the Lord had decreed something certain of those that he meant to save otherwise not likely that he would send his son and he submit himself to those indignities not having any certainty whether any man should accept this grace or no. 2. It s a great unlikelihood that the Lord should hang the fulfilling of his decrees upon the mutability of mans will And this that deceives many the fond and groundless opinion that the Lord hath sent his son to reconcile all unto him Ob. The world Answ Of believers only Ob. All men 1 Tim. 2.4 Answ Of all sorts Ob. God otherwise unjust Answ Not so 1. For he is bound to none 2. They willingly refuse the grace offered Let us rather labour to know whether we be of them that Christ came to save Signs 1. If Christ have redeemed us from our vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 2. Our esteem of Christ Phil. 3.8 3. The life of Christ manifested in us Rom. 8.4 4. Lively hope hope that hath life is operative 1 Pet. 1.3 1 Ioh. 3.3 5. Desire to win other Psal 34.8 Observ 2 Secondly observe hence how easily the Lord can destroy the wicked Gods wrath compared to a violent fire the wicked to the lightest things to stubble Gods wrath to the winde the wicked to chaff and the lightest dust Psal 1.4 Gods power to an iron rod the wicked to a pot-sheard Psal 2.9 It should teach the wicked to submit to Christs Scepter Vse and to serve him ni reverence and fear See Heb. 12.28 And withal it should comfort the righteous in the greatest pride and jollity of the wicked How easie is it for the Lord in a moment to consume them Be not affraid when a man is made rich and the glory of his house is encreased what though they grow up like Cedars in Lebanon See Nebuchadnezzar cast out amongst beasts Pharaoh suddenly destroyed in the Sea The rich mans soul taken away in a night Luk. 12.20 How this accomplished in Christs first comming Answ 1. Praeparativè 2. Spiritually in those flames of Gods wrath wherewith inwardly their consciences are filled Wherefore though we see not utter destruction presently executed upon the ungodly yet let this patient us to consider that God hath invisible and unseen judgments And if a man were but privy to those fears and inward panges that wicked men are plunged unto he would never envy them their outward felicity Ver. 2 3. In these verses are set down the benefits whereof men fearing God are made pertakers 1. The sun of righteousness ariseth unto them 2. Healing under his wings 3. Continuance of regeneration 4. Victory over their enemies Christ the sun of righteousness because righteous not for himself Observ but for us 1 Cor. 1.30 Divine righteousness proper to him as God humane by voluntary dispensation under-taken and performed for us This comforts against conscience of our own unrighteousness sith what righteousness Christ had Vse he had it for us 2. Because from him we receive righteousness as the light is derived from the sun Ioh. 1.14 Understand this 1. Of imputed 2. Of inherent righteousness Whence those are confuted who imagine man able to conferr something to his own justification And withal here we see whither we must resort to have all our imperfections and defects supplyed With health or healing under his wings The wounds of our soul are our sins Christ is the healer of those Observ who betake themselves unto him 1 Pet. 2.24 By his stripes ve were healed under such a distress then repair unto him Matth. 11.28 The next benefit is continual flourishing and increase of the graces of regeneration Ezek. 47.12 Trees planted in Gods garden are watered by the rivers issuing out of the sanctuary and bring forth new fruit every moneth And by this may we try the truth of our regeneration the seed is immortal and permanent 1 Joh. 3.9 and such as springs up unto eternal life Ioh. 4.14 Vers 3. The next benefit is victory over the wicked and all the wicked adversaries of our salvation Vers 3 Ye shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet c. If any ask how this is verified Answ First in Christ who is our head he hath overcome for us Secondly in us after a sort that they are not able to hurt us Rom. 8.28 Which is enough to comfort us in all afflictions Ioh. 16.33 Vers 4. Remember ye the law of Moses my servants c Admonition here given us Observ how to prepare for Chrsts coming remember the law of Moses What are the reasons of it 1. It s a means of humiliation Gal. 3.10 2. As a rule of life Antinomians reproved Vse that would have the law taken out of the Church of God where as great and manifold is the use of the law 1. It serves to discover sin Rom. 3.20 Rom. 7.9 2. Shews the punishment due to sin Gal. 3.10 3. scourgeth unto Christ Gal. 3.24 4. And is a perfect rule of obedience Hence then learn we all who would with benefit receive Christ to be diligent this way in labouring to see our imperfections Surely he bests knows and is best fitted to receive Christ that best profits in the law of God VER 5 6. Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Lord And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse A promise and prediction of Iohn Baptists coming where is 1. A description of Iohns person by his gifts set out in resemblance of him to Elias therefore called metaphorically Elias the