their hearts shall be encouraged and refreshed thereby and enabled to improve that mercy 8 As much and long continued trouble may give a sore crush to piety and weaken hands in the duties thereof So mercies and encouragements are then blessed when they make men active and lively in walking before God for so much also is imported in that being revived and raised up they shall live or walke in newnesse of life 9. As they who would approve themselves in duty ought to walke singlie as before God so his delivered people improving their deliverances for that end may expect to enjoy the favour and countenance of God and to live under his protection and care for both these may be held out in this we shall live in his fight or walk as before him and be refreshed in his favour and care Ver. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the LORD his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come unto us as the raine as the latter and former raine unto the earth In the third ground of encouragement which is an enlargement of that living in his fight ver 2. they promise unto themselves that by repentance and turning unto God they shall attain unto and grow in the saving knowledge of God which is the root of true piety and in the experimentall knowledge of the favour and love of God in Christ as the fruit and cherisher of piety The certainty and sweetnesse of this encouragement is further confirmed and illustrate from two similitudes shewing that unto the penitent there is a time of Gods manifesting himselfe like the morning light that comes after the dark night and the rain that comes after the drought So the knowing of God is to be understood here as comprehending true piety and godlinesse whereof this is the root See ver 6. Jer. 22.15 16. Hos 4.1 and 5.4 and likewise the experimentall knowledge of the favour of God It is also to be observed that in the originall this promise is not conditionall We shall know if we follow on to know though that be true also in some respect but absolute we shall know we shall follow on to know Doct. 1. The great encouragement of a true penitent is the hope of attaining to true piety which is an encouragement and reward unto it selfe and such as begin a true repentance may expect not to be disappointed in this for Then to wit when we returne and he hath revived shall we know to wit the Lord as is after expressed This is their sure hope and sweet encouragement 2. The summe and root and life of true Religion consists in the saving knowledge of God in Christ for so do they comprehend it we shall know the Lord. See Joh. 17.3 It is not onely a principall part in Religion 1 Cor. 2.2 but more doth flow from it for if God were better known in his power fidelity beauty terror and in his other attributes and his love in Christ it would produce more confidence encouragement obedience fear to offend and would allure hearts more unto him See Psal 9.10 Isay 51.12 13. 2 Tim. 1.12 Heb 12.28 29. and elsewhere 3. The Lord is for the most part an unknown or mistaken God in the world by reason of our naturall darknesse the distance bred by desertion the power of tentation our looking through the prospect of our own guilt and the want of sensible need of what is in him for here it is held out as a speciall priviledge of penitents We shall know the Lord. 4 The true penitent pursuing after piety shall not only attain thereunto but shall experimentally taste of the excellency and goodnesse of God to encourage him in his course He shall experimentally know how good God is and that it is not in vain to seek him Psal 34.8 Isai 45.19 He shall know his fidelity in keeping Covenant notwithstanding sad dispensations He shall be confirmed that his wisdome and power over-rules all dispensations for his good and that he hath thoughts of peace toward him in times of saddest trouble So much also doth this import we shall know the Lord. 5. Piety and the knowledge of God and the experimentall manifestations of him is an infinite and growing subject which cannot be all taken up at first Every step of our way may discover more of our short-coming and ignorance to us and when we have tasted most of his bounty there is still more to be communicate for when men know there is need to follow on to know the Lord. See Job 42.5 Prov. 30.2 3. 1 Cor. 8.2 6. As true and sanctified knowledge of God will be growing and make men desire more of it both for securing their own good condition to them Joh. 8.31 32. and that they may tast more of the sweetnesse of it 1 Pet. 2.2 3. So such as thus presse on to know God do prove that indeed they do know him how little soever they seeme to have For it is added We shall follow on to know the Lord both as an effect and evidence of their knowing of him 7. When penitents have done all they can by way of duty yet their living their knowing and enjoying of God must flow from his gracious and active manifestation of himselfe without which all their endeavoures would be uselesse for so much is held forth in the confirmation it is his going forth or manifestation of himselfe opposite to his going away Chap. 5.15 and his coming to us that is the cause of all this 8. The manifestations of God toward his penitent people are certain and in readinesse as being decreed of old for his going forth is prepared and ready See 1 Cor. 10.13 Psal 31.19 9. This similitude taken from the morning doth teach 1. That refreshment and deliverance is as certain unto penitents after their trouble as it is certain in the course of nature that the morning followeth the night Hence it is that these vicissitudes in the course of nature are brought in the Churches plea for the change of her sad condition Psal 74.16 17. 2. That the Lords manifestation of himselfe to his people will be as refreshfull after their trouble as the cleare morning is after the dark night especially to a wearied Centinell Psal 130.6 Doct. 10. The second similitude from rain c. Teacheth 1. The presence of God to his people parched with trouble and tentation will be as refreshfull as the rain can be to burnt up ground See Jer 31.12 2. Gods refreshing of his people will produce fruitfullnesse also and cheare up their decayed discouraged and blasted graces as the rain doth the fruits of the ground 3. The manifestations of God to his people will be seasonable when they are most needed and may be most usefull for so is the former and latter rain dispensed on the earth See Heb. 4.16 4. His manifestations will also be constant to his people to begin and carry them on to perfection for
revolters 5. Iniquity doth then become Nationall and land-destroying when it gets up upon the throne and from thence by authority and example infects the people For such was Israels case when they are to be cast off their Princes are revolters 6. Gods judgements may be very sad on a people in a succession of ill Rulers who keep up ill courses till destruction put a period to them For thus was Israel plagued all their Princes are revolters 7. It is but small matter what men think of their own way or how they mask it if God hate it as he will do wickednesse whatever men pretend for it so doth he prove their wickednesse in Gilgal which they made so plausible from an effect For or therefore there or for the sins done there I hated them 8. Whatever be the Lords pitty and compassion through Christ toward his own under their infirmities and daily escapes yet Idolatry and corrupting of Religion will meet with hatred and indignation For there I hated them 9. As God is provoked to take away his partition-wall and unchurch them who dare bring corrupt and humane inventions in the matter of worship into his house So this stroak is the capestone of a peoples misery and speakes Gods great anger Therefore it followeth I will drive them out of mine house 10. As the former effects of Gods love in outward things may be cut off from a visible Church without hope of restitution So the want of these will be sad however his love in them was little seen or acknowledged while they were enjoyed For it is a part of the stroak I will love them no more that is give them no more outward proofes of it for he speakes in their tearmes who would never think but God loved them so long as they prospered Vers 16. Ephraim is smitten their root is dryed up they shall beare no fruit yea though they bring forth yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their wombe They are further threatned again with cutting off of the Nation fathers and children as a tree that is withered in the root and hath no fruit or branches or if there be any issue as twigs rising about the root yet he threatens that it shall be destroyed This was accomplished on them as a Nation in their captivity in that however many of that Nation survived these calamities yet they were no more a people nor incorporation in their own land Doct. 1. Gods anger and judgements to come upon impenitent sinners finde but small credit with them and therefore must be oft inculcate as this repetition of former threatnings teacheth 2. Such as would have the right use of threatnings would look upon them in their certainty and as already performed Therefore saith he Ephraim is smitten their root is dried up 3. As the Lord can as easily root out a whole Nation as men do a tree so he is oft-times provoked so to do even to his own people who will be bettered or reclaimed by no milder rod For so doth this example applied to Ephraim teach 4. The natural affection of parents to their children will plead for no pitty to them at Gods hand when they despise the offers of his love but will help to make the calamity upon their children sadder to them For I will slay even the beloved fruit of their womb or the desires of their womb that is their children which they desired to have and delighted in Vers 17. My God will cast them away because they did not hearken unto him and they shall be wanderers among the nations The Prophet concludes all this doctrine with subscribing to Gods sentence and recapitulates it shewing that they should be rejected and made to wander in exile because they rejected Gods Word inviting them to return to him Whence learn 1. Albeit it be the duty of godly men to intercede in behalfe of a sinfull and perishing people yet they ought also to subscribe to the equity of Gods judgements and acknowledge his justice shining therein For so doth the Prophet hereâ— after his former intercession vers 14. 2. It is the commendation of men to cleave to God and his way and be zealous for him though they should do it alone and to make sure an interest in God when common calamities are imminent And God will manifest his interest in such in hard times Therefore doth Hosea name him My God whom he had owned and been zealous for when Israel had rejected him whatever they pretended and who would prove so to him in that sad time which followed 3. God will abhorre even his confederate people when they corrupt them selves and will prove it is so by rejecting them from enjoying his presence or favour in Ordinances or wonted mercies For my God will cast them away the word in the Original imports his abominating of them and upon this his rejecting of them 4. It is righteous with God that they who will not rest nor acquiesce in him should finde no rest otherwise or in other things and that they become vagabonds among Heathens who do not prize the communion of Saints or of the visible Church in her pure Ordinances For upon these grounds it is threatned against Israel they shall be wanderers or vagabonds among the Nations 5. As the contempt of the Word is a fountain of sin in men so it fills up the measure of iniquity and makes it incurable when people will not hearken to the Word inviting them to repentance and conversion from their evil way For it is the controversie here because they did not hearken unto him that is they contemned his Word and directions and so walked as they listed and particularly they would not hearken to the many messages of the Prophets sent to reclaim them before the stroak came 6. The Word of the Lord is therefore much contemned because men will not see God speaking in it but do only eye instruments or will not ponder the authority and power of God albeit they pretend to acknowledge him And all the indignity offered to the Word in the mouth of his Servants he interprets it as done to himself Therefore is their contempt described they did not hearken to him who spake in and by that Word CHAP. X. THis Chap. tends to the same scope with the former consisting of accusations and threatnings against Israel for their sins only they are sweetned with some more expresse exhortations to repentance upon hopes of mercy which in the former doctrine had only been implied in the accusations and sentences We may take up the Chap. in four heads or articles of accusations unto every one of which threatnings are subjoyned 1. He accuseth them for fruitlessenesse and bringing forth fruit to themselves and employing their prosperity to the advancement of Idolatry vers 1. and for their many divisions of heart v. 2. for which he threatens to take them with the crime and destroy their instruments of Idolatry v. 2. and to deprive
Imprimatur EDMVND CALAMY January 1. 1655. A BRIEF EXPOSITION ON THE XII Smal Prophets THE FIRST VOLUME CONTAINING AN Exposition ON THE PROPHECIES OF Hosea Joel Amos. By GEORGE HUTCHESON Minister at EDENBURGH HOSEA 12.10 I have also spoken by the Prophets and I have multiplied visions used similitudes by the ministery of the Prophets AMOS 3.7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the Prophets Ver. 8. The Lion hath roared Who will not fear The Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesy London Printed for Ralph Smith at the BIBLE in Corne-hill 165â— TO THE RIGHT REVEREND THE MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL IN THE CITY OF Edenburgh And the PROFESSOUR of DIVINITY in the UNIVERSITY there The Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ that great Shepherd of the sheep with grace and peace be multiplied Right Reverend ALbeit I sufficiently know you are not desirous of such addresses as this is nor is the Piece it self as to what is mine in it of such worth as to deserve the Patronage of so many Reverend and Learned men Yet the reasons that have moved me to present it first unto you and under your name to the view of the world have been so pressing upon me that I could not incline to make any other choice One of you was the first mover and solicitour of me to any undertaking of this kinde when I little dream'd of such a matter and hath continued a constant encourager of me in going about it Others of you have been particularly assistant and very refreshful unto me in your perusing this and the former pieces before they came to publick view and in your brotherly and free animadversions upon them according as ye saw cause which I do look upon as a very special kindnesse and favour And all of you have been so indulgent toward me while at any time I have been necessitate to retire my self for perfecting what I had undertaken that I should account my self very ingrate if I did not take hold of an occasion to give some publick testimony of my special obligations unto you upon this very account Next Seeing it is the will of God that the spirits of the Prophets be subject unto the Prophets I hold it my duty in this Piece to give you an account of the substance of some of my labours in the common work of the Ministery with you in this place as acknowledging that ye with the rest of the Reverend Presbytery and other Judicatories established by CHRIST are over me in the LORD and as a testimony that I look upon subjection and orderly walking as a very special ornament of a Minister of the GOSPEL Withall it is one of my speciall purposes in this work that not onely these of my particular charge might have presented to their view for their further edification what they once heard in publick But that as our work and charge in this CITY is in many respects common so I might make what was delivered to one Congregation common to all And I could not think of a more fit mean to render it acceptable to them then by its coming to them under your name and with your approbation Finally that I be not tedious I am much convinced of many obligations laid upon me to acknowledge the mercy of GOD toward me that in this dark time of much confusion and distemper he hath cast my lot in the society of so many faithful Servants of CHRIST whose Company Example Counsel and Encouragement hath been so often refreshfull and edifying unto me and that whatever differences there are the LORD hath keeped our Society free of many of these woful and scandalous distractions which have miserably rent this afflicted Church and which are a lamentation and if mercy prevent not will be for a lamentation even to those who for present look upon them with another eye This mercy hath so often refreshed me that I could not but upon this occasion leave my acknowledgement thereof upon Record as not knowing when I might again have the like opportunity As these reasons I hope will plead for your candid interpretation of this application and your favourable acceptance of this small token of love and duty So I purpose not to insist in prefacing upon any subject unto you to whom I rather professe my self a Scholar and Disciple Onely my desire is that as hitherto ye have received mercy not to faint in the exercise of this Ministery notwithstanding the times that have gone over some of you so ye may continue and abound more and more in feeding the flock of GOD which is among you and being examples to them in acquitting your selves as his wise and faithfull Servants whose aime is to advance the KINGDOME of CHRIST and the Truth of Piety and to follow Truth with Peace and Sobriety without a byass or selfish and carnal designe And my prayer to GOD for all of us shall be that we may be daily more and more rooted and established in the Truth and in these wayes that are well pleasing in his sight and may be made willing and ready to undergo any lot wherewith it shall please him to exercise us In which petition I know you will joyn with Your loving Brother and Fellow-labourer in the Work of the Gospel GEORGE HUTCHESON TO THE READER Christian Reader I Have now through the Lords assistance finished and do here present thee with this Exposition of these three Prophets which with the Piece formerly published do compleat the whole lesser Prophets according to my undertaking when I published the first Piece That I have published these last when yet they are first in order may I confesse seem somewhat strange to any who shall not consider according as I hinted in the Preface to the first that by a recommendation from a faithful Servant of CHRIST I was only desired to undertake Obadiah with some that follow it being expected that others should have done somewhat upon the three first and some of the last of these Prophets But finding that they could not for divers reasons prosecute what they had purposed I was stirred up to essay first these that followed after the Prophets I had undertaken and then these now presented to thee wherein it hath pleased the LORD to carry me on to this period I do acknowledge that beside the conscience of mine own inability and the incumbrance of many diversions from without I have encountered with two great impediments in prosecuting this way of writing especially in this last Piece One is that in these Holy Writings which runne much upon one straine and subject as divers of these Prophets do however the studying of one may contribute much light for understanding of another yet I conceive that the variety of gifts communicated unto empty men were needfull for searching out the Rich Treasures of Doctrine which are hid up in them and that one man especially being of mean parts will on
8. The fifth property in faithfulnesse if we take it more generally for firmnesse and stability and real truth of a thing as it is when joyned with mercy as Psal 57.3 it teacheth that however there be many impossible like things promised in the Covenant and all of it depending on free-mercy and however the confederate may be oft-times ready to faile and doth faile on his part yet considering the fidelity of God and that he undertakes for both parties it shall prove a firme and stable Covenant But if we understand the word more particularly for faith as it is used Hab. 2.4 then it teacheth that the condition required on mans part in this Covenant is true faith whereby he renounceth himself and layeth hold on the offer and by resting on the Word wherein the offer is made cometh at length to real performance of what is promised in the Covenant as Luk. 1.45 9. That which is subjoyned and thou shalt know the Lord may comprehend both Gods undertaking to work in them what the Covenant requires whether faith as this word imports Isa 53.11 or all other Covenant-dispositions or fruits of saving faith as Jer. 31.34 and the effects of their embracing the Covenant in experimental tasting what he is And so it teacheth 1. God is the undertaker for and worker in his people of all that is required on their part for entring in and keeping Covenant with him It is his promise thou shalt know the Lord. 2. A right and sanctified knowledge of God is the root and companion of all sanctified graces and Covenant-dispositions Therefore all are comprehended in this to know the Lord Faith gets that name not only because of the certitude and evidence it brings with it but because it is begotten by his Word and knowledge of him in it and is cherished and confirmed by taking him up still more as he is revealed there as Psal 9.10 2 Tim. 1.12 and other graces flow from this faith and are cherished by studying to know him with whom we have to do 3. When sinners get grace to close with God in the Covenant then he will communicate himself his hid Manna and rich love unto them the nearer they come to him they shall know the more of his excellency and fulnesse and they shall experimentally know what a partie he is with whom they are confederate how like himself in his dealing and how far above their shallow conceptions For then they shall know the Lord indeed See Num. 23.19 2 Sam. 7.19 Isa 55.8 9. Hosea 11.9 Vers 21. And it shall come to passe in that day I will hear saith the LORD I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth 22. And the earth shall hear the corne and the wine and the oyle and they shall hear Jezreel The sixth ground of consolation is a promise of plenty and outward meanes of subsistence which is a fruit of Marriage when he communicates as it were of his estate with her whom he betrotheth The Lord promiseth that all the creatures should so to say concurre to seek to be employed to furnish Israel and God should so blesse the order and influence of second causes as they should evidently see God blessing them who had been Jezreel the scattered of the Lord but will be then Jezreel the seed of the Lord as the next verse intimateth Whence learne 1. While the Lords people are within time they may read their own frailty in needing so many things to uphold even their outward man For they need a blessing upon heaven and earth to furnish food to them It were good so to be comforted by the promises as to read them still speaking humility to us 2. Outward mercies do so far follow on the Covenant as the confederate may be free of fear and anxiety about them For so much doth this promise assure all beside what it may promise to Israel after their conversion or what the Lord may give to his people at some time Albeit the Lord do not alwayes see it meet to heap plenty of corne and wine and oyle upon his people yet they get still as much as with godlinesse and contentment makes them not only subsist but be as well as when they have most and they may be as free of anxiety in greatest wants as if they had greatest plenty For when they seek the best things other things will certainly be added Matth. 6.33 when God hath given them his own Son he will not deny lesser things when they are needed Rom. 8.32 and his providence in hearing the need of creatures may ease them 3. God is so tender a respector of necessities that he hath an ear to hear the dumb cries of very insensible creatures in their need and that they may be useful one to another especially for the good of his people For when the heaven is made iron it hath a cry which he will hear for the good of inferiour creatures and of his people I will hear saith the LORD I will hear the Heavens The repetition holdeth forth the certainty of it 4. Gods reconciled people are to read not only Gods love in their plenty but that all the Creation which groan under mans sin do in their kinde with a good-will concurre to serve him who is now at peace with their Maker So much may be gathered also from their calling one to another in their order and to God that they may be blessed for the good of his people 6. The Lord sets a mark of excellency upon man and especially on his Church in that so many things concurre to serve them and provide for them For here heavens and earth concurre for this end 6. Whatever it be that one creature affords unto another or may be in the course of nature expected from it yet every creature in it self is empty and must be supplied by God before it satisfie any For let the Earth call to the Heavens for ordinary rain and influence yet they cannot afford it till God hear them 7. As the Lord is not to be tempted but waited on in his established order for any thing as here they must expect to be fed by corne and wine and oyle coming in Gods established course of nature So we are not to rest on any such order or course of nature but to see Gods hand in it who establisheth and blesseth it for such ends For the corne and wine and oyle hear Jezreel not answering any prayers made to them but supplying these necessities which they are appointed for and the earth doth bring forth these and the heavens give influence for that end yet so as it is God who maketh all these so to do and he is to be seen doing so Not that he hears only the heavens and then they hear all the rest of second causes but that beginning at the heavens he blesses their plenty in all the steps of second causes even to the putting a blessing in it when it is produced For
proves from the wickednesse that was to be found in particular places as Gilead ver 8. And particular ranks of persons as Priests ver 9. And in the whole Nation both of Israel ver 10. And of Judah who though they should be punished yet their trouble should end in restitution ver 11. Ver. 1. COme and let us returne unto the LORD for he hath torne and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up IN this first part of the Chap. the Lord insists on the future repentance of Israel and brings them in as doing what he had promised of them Chap. 5.15 Partly for the encouragement of the godly in that time to whom these sad messages and dispensations published by the Prophets and performed before their eyes could not be insupportable unlesse they had this ground of future hope And partly to prescribe unto the present generation a pattern of true repentance in the practice of these who after them should obtain mercy that so they might not please themselves with their own way of repentance but might let about the duty in earnest if so be there might yet be hope This verse containeth the mutuall exhortation and up-stirring one of another to repentance and their first ground of encouragement which is that though while they were impenitent the Lord had smitten and torne them sore Chap. 5.12 14. yet now upon their turning to him he would as a tender Chirurgion binde up and heale all these wounds Doct. 1. Where-ever there is true repentance there will be a returning unto the Lord which imports 1. That a true penitent will be sensible not onely of straying from God which hath made a distance betwixt God and him but that his straying hath begotten an aversenesse and turned his back upon God so that he needs to return And particularly he must be sensible of further straying under afflictions which were sent to reclaime him as was their case Chap. 5.13 See Isa 1.5 2. A penitent must have a deep sense that all other courses he hath essayed in his straying from God are but vanity that he hath been a loser thereby and that the Lord is onely worthy to be chosen and embraced and therefore he returneth to him as the onely excellent of choices See Hos 2.7 And 14.3 Jer. 3.22 23. c. 3. A penitent must have a through indeavour to make up this distance not being moved by affliction onely or by sin as it draweth on affliction but by the want of God whose favour he desires to enjoy and to come under his yoke and not contenting himselfe with motions or fits in this endeavour but studying to follow it forth till he come to a reall enjoyment of God and so return unto the Lord indeed which these penitents are yet endeavouring albeit already there be such an edge upon them as makes them stir up one another Doct. 2. As there is great need of upstirring for the right performance of the duty of repentance which is a duty far above our reach Isa 64.7 So however love may prevent the Lords people in their very dead condition yet the ordinary forerunner of a time of mercy is the Lords stirring up his people to seek him for here they are excited and exciting one another to this duty come and let us return and this is their temper in a time of love See Ezek. 36.37 Zech. 12.9 10. 3. As it is a sure evidence of true repentance when men are deeply convinced of the need of repentance and would have all to set about it as here they are and as true repentance and brotherly love exciting one another go together and want of love argues much impenitency So it is a sweet thing when the Lords people joyn hand in hand and by their example and encouragement stir up one another to seek God and times of mercy will be joyning times and unite the Lords people in the duties of repentance for such will be their way in this time Come and let us return See Zeph. 3.9 4. When a people once begin to decline from God ordinarily they become desperate in sin and are neere undone before they become sensible or be drawn to God for so is supposed here they are torn and smitten before they are brought to need repentance See Lev. 26.18 39. Amos 4.6 11. Apostasie once given way unto is not easily recovered sense of calamities and of sin procuring them is not soone attained the blessing of afflictions is not taken up at our foot our ill humors raised by afflictions in swelling against Providence doating after ruined Idols c. are not soone laid So that it is no wonder matters draw to this height 5. God is a severe purâ—urer of sin when once he begins to prosecute a controversie with a visible Church for he will both smite and tare and deale severely before they return not He is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 not to be provoked Heb. 10.31 His provoked love will end in jealous rage Hos 13.8 His sovereignty and power will not endure that men should refuse to receive correction from him or think to prove stronger then he in walking contrary to him Lev. 26. And his love will not want his people though he should pursue them with never so great severity 6. Sad strookes which have been long inflicted on the Lords people and yet they have continued stupid under them may at last be blessed and work upon them to make them sensible and seek to God for now they not onely feel but are driven to seek the true remedy of their afflictions which they did not before Chap. 5.13 Albeit our hearts and afflictions of themselves will never produce this yet the Lords free-grace and blessing accompanying afflictions will bring it about See Lev. 26.40 41 c. 7. As the afflictions of the Church are from God and to be taken as from his hand so the healing thereof must come onely from him for He hath torn and he will heal us c. God will not proceed in such a way of judgement toward his people as to deliver them from trouble when yet they are not led to him thereby or to obscure his own love which doeth for them but will blast all probable means till they come to him and be left on him and then he will cure what is otherwayes incurable and for which there is no balme beside 8. It is the duty of such as minde to set about repentance and conversion to God in earnest to do it with encouragement and hope and as we are to believe that the Lord not onely sends cleanly trials that he may get work and give proofes of his art but even corrections for sin as minding our good and that he may draw us to repentance and alloweth us to take even a stroak inflicted in wrath as an errand to come to him with and sent to drive us to his mercy when we want another argument So we ought to
preserve a people from being utterly consumed is a great proof of Gods mercy and ought to be acknowledged as such For this is held out as a fruit of his kindled repentings I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim c. See Lam. 3.22 That this may be well discerned 1. We would not only see what we suffer but consider what we deserve 2. We would take up the dreadfulnesse of the fiercenesse of anger against sin and how much mercy it speaks and how it proves him to be God that he doth set any bounds to it and that he doth not pursue with stroak after stroak till he cease to be but lets us subsist under our saddest condition 3. Though we be readily imbittered under present troubles and that we are not rid of them even by cutting off when there is no other present issue yet that is but our pride and our case would appear otherwise if we considered that preservation may portend much future good to be laid up for a people or for the Elect among them as the Lord here manifests afterward Doct. 5. It is the great mercy and advantage of the Lords sinful people that they have to do with God and not with man in their miscarriages For mans pity and mercy may be exhausted were it never so great but God is infinit pitiful and merciful men may for a time be so totally transported with anger as to do that which afterward they will repent of but he is the Lord not subject to such perturbations Man may change and his love turne into hatred He is the Lord and changeth not Man may think it dishonourable to agree with or spare an inferiour when he stoops not to him God is so far above the creature as he may when he will think him below his indignation and magnifie his mercy upon him and man in his executing justice is a creature and bound to a Law which he may not transgresse but God is Sovereigne and hath mercy on whom he will Upon these considerations it is that this is subjoyned as a reason of the promise and ground of their encouragement for I am God and not man 6. The Lords relation to and interest in a people may stand unaltered when yet he doth because of sin smite them with sore judgements drive them into exile and keep them long so under sad distresse For so is held out to Israel that notwithstanding all he was to do unto them yet he still is the Holy One of Israel or God of Israel in the midst of thee as to the standing of the Covenant-right to be manifested in due time Rom. 11.28 29. 7. God is so pure and holy that not only his anger against his people is without all mixture of any thing that may be an imputation to him but there shall be no cause of imputing to him any breach of promise however he afflict Therefore it is added the Holy One of Israel who can be charged with no blemish and who hath given his Holinesse as a pledge of the stability of his Covenant even when he afflicts most sharply Psal 89.35 Ver. 10. They shall walk after the LORD he shall roare like a lion when he shall roare then the children shall tremble from the West 11. They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt and as a dove out of the land of Assyria and I will place them in their houses saith the LORD In the second promise the Lord undertakes further that not only he will not consume Israel under their troubles but that after their rejection and exile he will convert them to follow him that the Lord will declare himself so terrible as none shall dare to hinder their return and themselves shall tremble to resist the call of God bidding them return but shall go as affrighted sparrowes and doves from all the places where they are scattered And that God will place them not only in the Church but as would appear in their land and houses to serve him in peace And this is a promise to Ephraim or the ten Tribes v. 8 9. Doct. 1. The Lords preserving of his people how long soever rejected and scattered may at last end in much good to them as this promise to Israel subjoyned to the former doth teach 2. Conversion unto God is the dawning of this fair day and here his purpose of good begins openly to manifest it self toward these whom he hath long preserved For this is the first visible effect of his mercy toward Israel They shall walk after the LORD or be converted 3. Such as are truly converted will take God for a teacher to follow his directions and for their captain to be employed where-ever he commands in doing or suffering and he will be a guide and captaine to such For so is their conversion described They shall walk after the LORD 4. When a people turne to God and follow after him he will manifest himself terrible to all who would stand in the way of their felicity For he shall roare like a lion not only by the voice of the Gospel working upon Israels hearts but shall manifest himself to the terrour of the world who will be alarmed by the conversion of Israel and their appearing on the stage again 5. The dreadfulnesse of God ought to work even upon his converted people to affright them from neglecting duty and to make them tender-hearted before him For when he shall roare the children shall tremble from the West They shall tremble as a bird and as a dove that is the dreadfulnesse of God shall not only make them with reverence flee to him but shall make them afraid to sit Gods call inviting them to return as appears to their land whatever difficulty there be in the way 6. The Lord will not lose his scattered people and especially Israel but will seek them and finde them to do them good in whatsoever corner they are For from the West out of Egypt and out of the land of Assyria that is in all quarters he will finde and bring them to restore them 7. The Lord is sufficiently able to settle his people in their wonted enjoyments after long tossing and for this Gods undertaking and promising of it is ground of hope sufficient For I will place them in their houses saith the LORD Ver. 12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lies and the house of Israel with deceit but Judah yet ruleth with God and is faithful with the Saints In this Verse which agreeth best with the beginning of Chap. 12. we have the third part of the Chap. Wherein the Lord rejects Israels and their Rulers excuses whereby they thought to cover their faults in Religion and conversation These they made a pretence of before God that they might prevent plagues and they did cast them up to the Prophets when they threatned but the Lord declares them to be but false and deceitful pretences And to
provoked him In all these respects this is their title when he pleads for them I will plead with them for my people and for my heritage His interest will make him plead and he will prove them to be so by pleading and he will not deal with enemies as plaguing a sinful people as Jer. 50 7. but as oppressing his people 7. Albeit that in Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Greek but Christ is all in all and albeit that Israel and Judah be now rejected as a Nation and enemies for the Gentiles sake yet not only are they still beloved as touching the election and the gifts and calling of God toward them without repentance Rom. 11.28 29. But in due time God will make them become an hereditary people unto him as a Nation under the state of the Gospel whereby he will revive their ancient right to the Covevant For in that day of their conversion he will plead for them as his people and heritage for my people and for my heritage Israel 8. The present enemies of the people of God are the true heires and successours of their former enemies and therefore must pay for all their cruelties and oppressions Therefore in that day will he reckon with them who shall then conspire against them as if they had lived in former times and had captivated and scattered them because they do then oppose them and hinder their restitution See Matth. 23.34 35. 9. Such as the Lord chooseth to be his people both they and their interests are dear to him and are his in a peculiar manner for respect and protection and for asserting thereof out of the hands of oppressours Therefore not only are they my people and their condition resented but the land is my land he will assert his right to what belongs to them when they cannot prosecute their own right 10. Scattering of the people of God and especially the dissipation of their Church-society is a quarrel which the Lord will not forget when he pleads with enemies For it is laid to their charge they have scattered my people and that among the Nations where they could not enjoy publick Ordinances 11. What the Lord hath impropriate to himself for the use of his people it is but folly for men to expect a blessed possession of it Therefore doth a challenge and Gods severe pleading follow upon this they parted my land 12. When the Lords people do sleight and provoke him it is just he give them up to get base and contemptible usage and that they and their children be at the disposal of enemies That so they may know the difference betwixt his service and their imperious dominion For such in Gods justice was Judahs lot the enemies did cast lots for them and divided them with the rest of the spoile to be slaves to them And they gave boyes and girles to harlots for satisfying their lusts and for drink that is either they gave the Boyes and Girles to be slaves to their harlots and such as would furnish them drink or they sold them and gave the price of them for these ends See 2 Chron. 12.8 13. Whatever be Gods justice in afflicting his people yet he will reckon with men for their immoderate use of victories and for their insolency towards his subdued people their putting them from their priviledges and using them unbeseemingly And especially he will reckon with them when they only serve their lusts with all their purchase and conquests as is their usual way For God pleads with them here that they have cast lots for my people made slaves of them and divided them as common prey and have given a boy for an harlot and sold a girle for wine that they might drink Vers 4. Yea and what have ye to do with me O Tyre and Zidon and all the coasts of Palestine will ye render me a recompence and if ye recompence me swiftly and suddenly will I return your recompence upon your own head 5. Because ye have taken my silver and my gold and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things 6. The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians that he might remove them far from their border In these Verses the Lord doth more particularly plead their cause with the Tyrians and Zidonians and the rest of the inhabitants of the Sea coast under which name all the nearest neighbours of Israel are to be understood who had done such injuries to his people as could not be recompenced but by their own destruction v. 4. This challenge he instanceth shewing that they had injustly taken away the goods belonging to his people or the Temple and put them in their Idol-temples v. 5. And that they had sold the Jewes unto strangers that so they might never return again to their land v. 6. It is like that as the inhabitants of these places did of old fall in with the Caldeans Ezek. 25.15 26.1 2. so did they afterward with the Romanes and shared in the spoile for which the Lord doth challenge their successors in opposition to the people of God as an injury that could not be compensed Whence learn 1. Such as by reason of propinquity in place may know most of God who revealeth himself in and to the Church and so ought to be friends to her may readily prove her greatest enemies especially if they be addicted to the love of the world and greedy of gain For so did Tyre and Zidon and all the coasts of Palestine prove being great traffickers and so set upon gain 2. Such will finde that God is their party who will resent the injuries they do and will be avenged For what have ye to do with me c. saith he and this he brings with a yea also as being especially offended at them for it 3. God will put enemies to give an account what their quarrel hath been upon which they did trouble his people and will reckon with them according as they voluntarily and maliciously imbarqued in that course and will let them know how base they are in his account because of it For saith he what have ye to do with me or wherein have I offended you and so some understand that will ye render me a recompence will ye requite any injury done by me to you by afflicting my people but I have given you no provocation The first words will also read what are ye to me that is what interest can ye pretend to in me or of what worth are ye to me that I should passe over this great injury 4. Though enemies do account basely of Gods people and think little of the injuries done to them yet they are so precious in Gods eyes that enemies cannot recompence him nor make restitution answerable to the damage done by them for albeit they think in easie to recompence and if ye recompence me yet saith he will ye render me a recompence he speaks of it as
will take them under his protection he will let them see ground of hope in himself and furnish them with hope to lay hold on it and with strength to bear them out 8. What the Lord hath been or will be at any time to his people Israel in performing spiritual promises that he will be to all who are indeed his people Therefore doth the promise run generally both to his people whoever they be and to the children of Israel Ver. 17. So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion my holy mountaine then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall no stranger passe thorow her any more The second promise is that by these and other experiences of his love they shall be confirmed of his interest in them and care of them no lesse then when of old he resided among them in the visible signes of his presence The third promise is that for fitting them to enjoy his presence he will make them holy by sanctification And upon this shall follow their preservation from the invasion of open enemies and that they shall not be exposed as a prey to them as formerly they had beene This also in Scripture-language is understood by their being holy as it is observed in Obad. v. 17. partly because of the ceremonial pollution that of old did accompany the invasion of their land by heathens beside that it did obscure their priviledge of being the Lords peculiar sanctified and set apart people But chiefly because as is usual in wars when prophane Nations invade the Cuhrch they did overturne holy ordinances and cast all loose and in confusion Doct. 1. Interest in God is the great ground of the Churches encouragement for it is held out as their great mercie I am the Lord your God 2. This interest is yet more sweet when it is evidenced by his presence and the gracious effects thereof among his people and he is not provoked to forsake them though they be his Therefore it is added I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion 3. It is an addition to all these mercies when not only matters stand so but the Church knoweth it and is convinced of it And this must be Gods own work without whose help they will neither see interest nor presence who yet in reality enjoy both Therefore he undertakes it to make their comfort and mercy compleat Ye shall know that I am the Lord your God c. See 1 Cor. 2.12 4. The Lord will in due time make his interest in and presence with his people convincingly clear by visible dispensations and actings for them for so by what I will do for you shall ye know that I am the Lord your God c. 5. Where God takes up his dwelling among a people all that concernes them becometh his and he takes care thereof for then it is my mountaine to wit Zion where he dwelleth 6. Gods presence with a people must be entertained and proven by their holinesse for then it is my holy mountaine and Jerusalem is holy See Psal 93.5 7. It is God only who can undertake for making his people holy and it is their duty to deny themselves and imploy him for that end for it is his promise then shall Jerusalem be holy 8. Where a people have real sanctification as a fruit and evidence of Gods presence they have also the promise that he will preserve them from the invasion of enemies for then shall Jerusalem be holy in this respect also that no stranger shall passe thorow her to wit in an hostile way And albeit this seeme to be a peculiar promise to converted Israel and albeit others even Judah it self when they have been upon the amending hand have met with sad stormes from enemies Yet certainly such have the promise of this mercy when it is for their good and what they meet with which seemeth contrary to it is but to stir them up yet more to the study of holinesse and in that respect they get a blessed issue from their troubles and will come to a compleat issue at last 9. It is a sad ingredient in the trouble of the Lords people when they are invaded by profane Nations that not only their priviledges are obscured thereby but that their invasion and the confusions occasioned therreby together with their corrupt principles and practices do cast lâ—â—se and overturne Religion and bring in a deluge of prophanity Therefore is the mercy of their deliverance from strangers set forth under the name of being holy as is before explained 10. Such as have been long molested by enemies though they will meet with trouble in one kinde and degree or other while they are within time yet they may attaine to this mercy to be free of molestation and trouble from invading enemies and not meet with it any more in the measure that formerly they have had for such is the promise to Israel and Jerusalem being converted there shall no strangers passe through her any more Whatever troubles they may meet with from enemies after that great day of vengeance formerly mentioned yet they shall not any more passe through them as formerly to subdue or rulâ— over them or carry them into captivity So that their greatest hazard then will be that quietnesse may breed security Vers 18. And it shall come to passe in that day that the mountaines shall drop down new wine and the hills shall flow with milke and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD and shall water the valley of Shittim The fourth promise is that God shall be so bountiful to converted Israel thâ—â— they shall not want abundance and variety of temporal benefits which are instanced in their mountaines and hills abounding with vines and with good pasture for the herds and flockes that they may afford much milke and that they shall have abundance of water which was oftentimes scarce in that land To this is subjoyned the fifth promise that this plenty should be accompanied with spiritual graces and refreshments conveighed by the Gospel and flowing forth not only for their own quickening and comfort but for the good of the Nations round about even of those whose condition seemeth most desperate To clear this promise a little we have first 1. The benefit it self compared to a fountain of waters flowing out whereby as is cleared on Zech. 14.8 is understood all spiritual graces and refreshments which are held forth and instrumentally communicated and conveighed to sinners by the Doctrine of the Gospel and applied and quickened by the Spirit 2. We have the fountaine and rise of this benefit it shall come forth of the house of the Lord. It is conceived that the speech alludeth to some conduits that conveighed water to the Temple some whereof came by the Altar to wash away the blood that was poured out there and so ran out again with it See Ezek. 47.1 and so it