work upon them Satan Oh let me put it on as much as I can The Devil doth so when he see us in a framable disposition to sin he setteth tempters on work to improve it and we know it was the way of Idolaters Idolaters when they saw England in a framable disposition to Idolatry what abundance were sent amongst us to improve it Oh the mercy of God toward England that when we were framing our doings to return to Idolatry the Lord cometh and putteth the frame of England more from thence than before it was Oh let not us lose this framableness though it is not so much as we desire yet let not us lose what it is England would be in a lamentable condition if it should lose what it hath got from God already Yet further They will not frame their doings The Note from hence is That Obser Apostates seldom have any inclination to turn unto God No meltings of spirit no yeildings but their hearts are hardned and they depart further and further from God for so he speaks of Israel as an apostatizing people I dare almost challenge you all when did you ever know a notorious Apostate turn unto God very rarely I will not say it is impossible but especially for Apostates that are men of parts and have gone far from God if they have but proceeded so far as to turn to be persecutors of the truth or contemners of it as these Israelites here were when did you ever know any of them to turn unto God They will not frame their doings To turn unto their God Their God 1. By profession 2. Their God who hath shewed much mercy to them and hath done them much good 3. Their God who is yet willing to be their God They will not return unto Him This is the aggravation of their sin that they will not turn to such a God What not turn unto Him whom they profess to be theirs whom they flatter with their mouthes and they say that all their good and happiness is in Him Not to Him that hath done so much good as He hath done to them all their daies Not to Him who is yet willing to be reconciled unto them O this is a sore and bitter evil indeed that they will not turn unto this God But yet there is a furthâ—r thing observable here Their God that is this That True repentance it is not only to leave evil and to do good Observ True repentance to turn to as our God but to turn unto God as our God To turn unto God as a God in covenant with us as a God in whom is our portion and happiness as a God willing to be reconciled Here indeed is the very formality of repentance A man may by the terors of the Law turn from the practice of a sin not to live wickedly so as he hath don heretofore he may by the strength of natural conscience and self ends set upon good duties but here is no true repentance True repentance is this When we look upon God as a God tendring Himself unto us in the way of a covenant in Christ and so we turn unto Him In Jer. 3.22 Jer. 3.22 explained Return ye back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will heal your back-sliding Now mark the answer of true penitents Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Here is true repentance When God shall call upon a sinner O wretched vile sinner return O return unto the Lord for He is willing to be your God in an everlasting covenant He manifesteth His grace toward you in His Son and offereth mercy there yea He is willing to heal all your backslidings He is willing to be your portion He iâ— willing to be the happiness of your souls When a sinner shall answer unto this cal of God Bâ—hold we come unto Thee for Thou art the Lord our God True indeed we have sought after vanity but here is not our happiness and our portion Our good our happiness is in Thee We come unto Thee the Lord our God It follows For the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of her Here is the reason why they turn not unto the Lord The spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of her Expos 1 First That evil unclean spirit that did possess them So I find divers do take the words And then the Note is That Obser The danger of forsaking the truth It is Gods just judgement to give men over to the Devil to be blinded and hardâ—ed when they sâ—all forsake Him and His Truth Do not excuse thy sin by saying it is the Devil that tempts thee for this may prove to be the agravation of thy sin that by the just judgment of God thou art now given up to be under the power of the Devil and to be acted by him As in Eph. 2.2 the scripture speaks of the miserable estate that men are in by nature Dead in sin the children of wrath and amongst other aggravations of their misery this is not the least they walk according to the spirit that now workâ—th in the children of disobedience The word translated working there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the greatest activity that can be the spirit that is the unclean spirit Satans temptation may be an aggravation of our sin the prince of the power of the air that now worketh in those children of disobedience This is an aggravation of their misery and not any excuse unto them for their sin Thou hast rejected the good Spirit the holy Spirit of God and now the spirit of whoredome an unclean vile spirit hath possest thee Expos 2 But rather thus The spirit of whoredoms A violent inclination of spirit unto uncleanness to spiritual and bodily uncleanness that they have got by custom We have had this phrase before in Chap. 4.11 The spirit of fornication that impetus of spirit that violent inclination of spirit So then saith the Prophet they will not turn unto the Lord for there is a violent inclination of spirit an impetus with which they are carried on in the waies of wickedness but there is little hope of turning them unto God The spirit of whoredoms that is that efficacy that there is in that wicked disposition of their hearts that carries them on so violently In 2 Thes 2.11 2 Thess 2.11 the Scripture saith that because men love not the truth the Lord gives them up unto the efficacy of error God saith he for this cause shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye so it is in your translations but the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie the greatest active efficacy of errours to carry on with the greatest strength unto error that possibly may be We find sometimes men that are carried on to erronious opinions and come to speak with them about them and you shall perceive such an impetus of spirit such an efficacy of the error
command of Christ who saith That he which forsakes not father and mother for my sake and the Gospel Matt. 10.37 Christs speech of neglect of parents expounded and follows not me is not worthy of me Here now is a mistake in this Is not worthy of me that is if your parents should counsel advise perswade intice or command you to the practice of evil to the omission of any good to the breach of any command and upon your refusal they should be angry with you that you will not obey them but follow the command of God and not go out of Gods way in this case father and mother is to be forsaken for Christ and the Gospel but in no case if they stand in need of your help this is grounded upon that text in Mark 7.11 by Mark 7.11 which text I shall open to you but ye say If a man shall say to his father or mother It is Corban that is to say a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me he shall be free Now what is the meaning of this word Corban Corban The word signifies a gift consecrated to God now the Jews thought that if they could say the word Corban they were exempted from all duty to their parents in this kind 't is true I had an estate but I have consecrated it to God and Church services and though I owe duty and respect to you as my parents yet more to God as my Creator this is most vile and abominable and reproved by Christ himself Possidonus in the life of Austin Austin reports that Austin condemned parents who used to give their estates away to Monastries and pious uses as they thought and neglected their children so for children to neglect and slight parents in the time of their necessity and think to excuse it with this they have given to the Church and now they are not able to do any mâ—re this will not do it and this was the old way of Papists to get people to give to their Mother the Church I find cited a tradition by some of the Jews used by them when they fell out and were throughly angry one with another they would tell him he should never have any benefit in any thing which they had and this they called Corban and this in Mat. 15.5 is called a gift The gift of the Altar therefore some of the Heathens forbad this Oath Corban and yet this was the Oath that these did swear by and by some is used upon the matter even at this day as an Oath as thus when any that we have relation unto having throughly angred us we use to say well you shall never be a peny the better for me this is no other than this oath Corban which they used to swear by in this place In the case of the good of souls and this is Christs case Mat. 9.13 Go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance though men ought to prize Ordinances and to set a high esteem of Gods worship yet if it should so fall out that instituted worship and mercy to souls come together and both cannot be done together instituted worship may be left undone so not slighted and the work of mercy to the soul must be vallued before it we are ready to think that nothing must give way to instituted worship but certainly immortal souls are of more worth than Ordinances Paul was of such a disposition that he could wish himself out of Heaven and become an Anathema for his brethren that souls might be saved In case of humane societies and for the quiet state of Kingdoms and yet this no prejudice to Gods Ordinances God hath allowed to men the art of Navigation we reade Solomon sent ships to Tharshis to fetch gold which were it not for this text I could not see any warrant there were for that imployment of Navigation Navigation when men shall be three or four yeers out perhaps and never hear Sermons nor receive Sacraments and yet it is lawful upon this ground that God will have the peace of Sates and quiet of Kingdoms preserved and maintained he will rather suspence with men in the use of his own Ordinances for the prosperity of Civil States therefore Solomon is not reproved for sending Ships to Ophir for gold In the case of Church societies when the People of God are scattered and cannot meet together God is content in such cases His people should be without Ordinances and yet no sin to them as is cleer in the case of the children of Israel all the time the Church was in the wilderness even for fourty yeers together they wanted Circumcision but when they came into Canaan that they enjoyed any settlement than they were circumcised again and had the Passover which before they could not partake of so that in some cases and upon some grounds the people of God may be without Ordinances and that for a long time and yet without sin to them and upon this ground in the text I will have mercy and not sacrifice therfore this may be the reason of those words which Christ spake to His Disciples I have many things to say unto you but you are not able to bear them so may we say Christ hath many truths to reveal which yet people are not able to bear therefore he with-holds the revelation of them until that time In case of mercy to our bodies And this is Christs case in the 12th of Matthew 7. verse If ye had known what this meaneth ye would not have condemned the guiltless yet I will have mercy and not sacrifice Gods care of the bodies of men is such that he will rather have men do the one than the other He wil rather have mercy than the duty Christ doth not plead here for the Disciples that this was not a breach of the Sabbath but the case was such that their bodies required it it was a case of mercy and now God would rather have mercy than the duty A servant perhaps thinks much to stay at home to tend a child or look to the house upon the Lords day he objects Why should not I go to the Church Is not my soul of greater worth and price than this child or this house Now these people go upon a good principle yet here they er in their acting of it as to instance A father commands his child to do two services for him the one to wait on him at the table simile the other to make clean his shoos to wait upon his father at the table he is willing to do because this is creditable but the other he grumbles at and is disconted now in which doth he shew most obedience in Surely in obeying of the meanest command So God requires of us two sorts of Duties one the more honorable the other more mean yet perhaps the
the Ordinances and Communion with God But yet know that the maintainance of the subject is to be more regarded than the comfort of it though it be spiritual but now have a care of turning what I have said into poyson do not ye say that you may now do any thing for the preservation of the subject we must not do the least thing that can be by which an Ordinance may be polluted and defiled To be serviceable in publick use is more than to enjoy Ordinances as for a Minister to preach Jesus Christ to a people is a greater mercy than his particular good can be and this hath been the judgment of all the Churches yea it hath been the practice of the Churches to send forth men to preach the Gospel and to open the things of the Kingdom to them in which time they could not enjoy the Ordinance of the Sacrament Paul would have been content to have been Anathema for his brethren the being of publick use for the Churches good was a greater good to him and more in his esteem than private Thus far of the objections the observations follow answerable to these Ten. Obs 1 That carnal hearts who make little conscience of their duties towards men and are very cruel in their dealings towards them yet may be contented to submit to instituted worship This very Scripture I will have mercy and not sacrifice is a secret rebuke unto such people as these such were those in Jer. 7.4 who cried The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord yet very wicked in their dealings Isa 58. those Hypocrites they could be content to submit to instituted worship frequent in solemn duties of fasting and prayer yet were such as did smite with the fist oppress and grind the poor Ezek. 24.21 Ezek. 24.21 the sanctuary was accounted their strength opened the excellency of their strength and that which their eyes did pitie and yet these very wicked and in the 28. verse their minds were on it their hearts did love it yet themselves carnal Reas Because men may be exercised in instituted worship without any power of godliness it is a very easie work to flesh and blood there is little difficulty in it in respect of the outward act of performance 2. Because it hath the most shew of the power of godliness they seem to be as sincere as any in their worship there is a great shew in the flesh in the outward man whereas Gods worship is inward soul worship which carnal hearts cannot endure nor do they desire it 't is outside worship which they prize now God forbid that any should have low conceipts of Ordinances because wicked men joyn in them Obs 2 Carnal men by joyning in outward Ordinances think thereby to satisfie their consciences Thus did they in this place think to put off God and their own consciences by living in the external acts of worship and yet live in the love of known sinne what a deal of stir had the Prophet to convince these Hypocrites of this their wickedness Obs 3 God and mens consciences will not be put off with this God will despise both it and them the Heathen gods would not be put off with such outsides Plato in Alcitiade even the Heathens had such a conceit of their gods one saith What a vile thing is it to think that the gods will be put off with gifts no these are despised by them they look that the souls should be just Seneca And another saith It is not fat sacrifices but inward performances that God looks at The Lord hath a high esteem of mercy and it appears in this Obs 4 that he will have it preferred before sacrifice and this is called an acceptable sacrifice and a sweet savour in Gods nostrils Phil. 4 18 Chrysostom Chrysostom saith That he had rather work a work of mercy than a miracle and surely that must needs be high in Gods eyes and esteem which he paies so dear for Oh Christians immitate God in this Use Exhort to mercy let your esteems of mercy be raised higher than ever before from this that you have heard concerning the excellency of it The works of mercy are gloriouâ— works there is more in such acts of mercy than in those acts of religion which men think are more spiritual I speak the more of this because it is a scandal which is laid upon godly men by the men of the world that they are miserable and close handed now in this we should labor to convince the world by the practice of mercy It is the Christians skill when two Duties come together which to Obs 5 chuse This is a snare in which many Christians are caught and foiled they think both must be done at the same time when as the one is the duty the other not Though the object of an action be spiritual yet it is not a sufficient Obs 6 ground to prefer it before another action whose object may be but natural The Ordinances of God have God for their object and the enjoying of communion with him yet in other actions which may be only natural I may shew more obedience to God in the doing of them than in offering up of sacrifice If Gods own Worship may be forborn in case of mercy how much Obs 7 more mens institutions and inventions Oh what a vile spirit is there in those men which will not suffer their superstitious vanities to give place to mercy men must be undone in their bodies and estates rather than their wills be disobeyed the Prelates faction have confessed themselves that the Cross the Surplice and the rest of that trash were their own institutions yet Ministers must be silenced bodies imprisoned families starved and thousands of souls destroyed rather than their wills should not be fulfi'ld Oh the intollerable pride of these men had they been Gods institutions yet in this case they might have been forborn what did these men say in plain English but thus much Let Christ never be revealed to millions and thousands of souls rather than these ceremonies shall be omitted or neglected Obs 8 If God will have mercy rather than sacrifice Certainly he will have mercy rather than disputing about sacrifice Suppose there be a truth in that which is disputed about yet God in this case will have mercy rather than sacrifice rather than mercy shall be neglected he will have sacrifice omitted we have Ordinances and plenty of preaching but the Lord knows how soon we may be deprived of them let us not dispute and wrangle away our mercy Object But must we not enquire after truth and at this time also Answ God forbid we should deny or speak against any which shall search into or enquire after truth yea at this time when it is a case of mercy As in young converts as thus when young converts are taken off from fundamental truths and led into errors and souls hindered from coming
than to think to have strength enough to repel them when they come Thus in general And then As Kingdoms so particular persons they should lay to heart Gods judgments neer to them As thus Dost thou see Gods hand upon thy neighbor after thee O sinner thy turn may be next what is Gods hand stretched out upon your fellow-servant upon your brother upon your deer friend after thee O sinner thou art guilty of the same sin thy turn may be next Is Gods hand out upon thy companion after thee O sinner Oh lay this to heart think with thy self my turn may come to be the next and it may soon come to be my turn The very thought of this when God hath struck some with sudden death in a fearful manner God hath sanctified this to some what thought they if God strike me next such a one is sent down for ought I know to his place I may be the next the thought I say of this hath been so setled upon the heart of some that it hath been a meâ—ns of their conversion The Lord make it so to every sinner that sees his fellow his neighbor sinner struck before him VER 9. Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke among the Tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be IN the words before you heard that the Lord by the Prophet did not only threaten war but summon the Cities of Israel Judah and Benjamin as if war were at the gates But what if troubles do come we shall do well enough they will have an end and blow over again we shall wear them out we have been delivered out of great troubles and so we may be out of these No 't is otherwise now Ephraim shall now be desolate Ephraim that is the ten Tribes shall be desolate Leshamnne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies a most stupendious thing the the hand of God shall be upon them even to amazement they shall come into desolation in the time of his rebuke in the day of his trouble The words are plain the Notes from them are these That the day of Gods peoples affliction is the day of their rebuke Obs 1 See this proved in Numb 12.14 Moses saith If her father had spit in her face should she not be ashamed When God afflicts His people he doth as it were spit in their faces and ought not they much more to be ashamed what ever that wanton generation think or say that God never chastiseth his people for sin there is nothing more frequent in Scripture than this that God chastiseth His for sin But they tell us it was in the old Testament Old Testament and herein they shew their weakness and a meer cavel but that which seems to have some shew of strength is this They tell us Obj. That it derrogates from the satisfaction of Christ But the force of this is nothing Answ for Christ satisfied for them under the Law as well as for us they were saved by the same satisfaction that we are therefore if it now derrogates from Christs satisfaction under the Gospel it did then also under the Law A second Note is God hath his set times of rebuke As they have Obs 2 their daies of sinning so God wil have his daies of correcting you have your daieâ— of prosperity now riches honor plentie in abundance but remember it may be the day of rebuke is coming 'T is good to put this very case to our selves I have mercy now both for soul and body and Oh how comfortable is it and how happy is my condition but is there not a day of rebuke coming when all these will be taken from thee and then what wilt thou do Oh my soul Isa 10.3 and what will you do in the day of visitation When wicked men stand out lesser judgments and corrections they Obs 3 have cause to fear a day of utter desolatiâ—n Ephraim had daies of lesser chastisements but slighting them God would try him no more there are times in which God wil utterly pursue sinners to destroy them not for instruction but destruction the Lord hath his houses of instruction correction and execution when the first cannot effect Gods end the third shall and yet the Lord be just and righteous for the Lord hath no need of us what is it to him if we should perish everlastingly He could have his glory from us in our damnation That is a dreadful time when the Lord comes so to rebuke a people Obs 4 as tâ— destroy them when the hand of God shall be so upon them as he is resolved never to take it off again even as it was upon Ephraim at this time I intend not to mend him but to ruine him this now is a most dreadful time For Reas 1 1. All that wrath which they have treasured up breaks in then upon them Now as wicked men treasure up wrath so doth God Rom. 2.5 Now God lets out the floudgates of His wrath against such a people Reas 2 2. Because then all a mans sins comes together into Gods remembrance Exod. 32.34 In that day I 'll visit for this saith the Lord God It may be you are for the present spared but the time is coming that God will visit and then look to it Reas 3 3. In this day the cries of justice prevails against such men I speak of wicked men mingled and intermixed with the godly In this day God will not call back His anger there are times in which God doth not stir up all His wrath as in Psal 78.38 Many times Gods anger is coming against a Nation family or person but God cals it back again but in this day of rebuke God wil not call it back again but let it forth to the uttermost Reas 4 4. Because in this day Mercy leaves such a people and wil never own them to to them any good Ezek. 7.5 An evil an only evil behold it is come But that place is most remarkable for this Ezek. 22.20 I will bring you into the fornace and there I will leave you God brings His people into great troubles sometimes but never leaves them there But there are some whom Mercy leaves and forsakes in their troubles and this is a most sad condition for by this God shews that He will have no more honor by them in their servings of Him but in their sufferings God saith thus Seeing they would not give Me My glory in a way of duty I will extract and force it from them in a way of suffering Reas 5 5. Because the Lord then intends hurt to such a people the Lord perhaps brings you out of an affliction but in that deliverance He intends your hurt and no good at all Jer. 24.9 I intend nothing but hurt to such a people in all My dealings Reas 6 Because then al Creatures leaves such an one and dares not own him God being against thee the Creatures cannot help
and lumpish And as God smiles Use 2 when we humble our selves So should we look cheerfully upon our children and servants upon their submission having committed a fault Obs 3 Gods people account their life to be in Gods favour not so much in what they receive from God as what they are in Gods favour and presence Hypocrits desires are only for the enjoyment of mercies if they obtain their desires they are contented though they have no presence of God at all in them but the Saints if they have precious mercies and no presence of God with them it contents not them if they have health and not Gods presence in it if they have peace and not their peace with God it satisfies not them this is their cry Lord let us hear thy voice let me see thy face Cant. 2.14 for thy voice is pleasant and thy countenance comely Obs 4 When the Lord delivers his repenting beleeving Israel he settles mercy upon them and settles their hearts in the possession of mercy He doth not only give them hints but real possessions of mercy We are revived and raised yea but we may die again No we shall live in his sight we shall live before him Mercies to the Saints are not the fruit of Gods patience for then they would not be setled mercies But they are such mercies as comes from the Covenant of grace and so they come to be setled therefore called the sure mercies of David Isa 55.3 Obs 5 Faith is such a grace as raises the soul high and will not be contented with small mercies He will revive us and He will raise us up A carnal heart Is that all No but we shall live in his sight It is an argument of a very carnal heart to be contented with low mercies when a man will be put off with any thing It pleaseth God very well when his people will not be put off with smal mercies Caution though it 's true we must be thankful for the least mercie and content with it in oppâ—sition to murmuring yet we must not rest therewithal satisfied but if thy faith be true it wil expect more and if it hath got a promise from God it wil improve it to the utmost extent that the promise wil bear and when it hath one promise fulfilled it wil look out for the answering of another we do not approve of such a craving disposition in a beggar but God is much delighted with it in his people Gods people rejoyce much in this That God sees them they Obs 6 have much comfort from Gods eye whereas 't is the greatest terror to the Hypocrites hypocrits that God sees them that they are continually in Gods eye Job 24.17 If one know them they are in the terrors of the shadow of death if man being a spectator is so terrible how much more is Gods eye It 's no wonder they would fain hide themselves from his presence for the face of the Lord is against them that do evil but his eyes are over the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer 1 Pet. 3.12 The Saints account it their priviledge that God sees them and it 's a very good sign of sincerity when the soul is not afraid that God should see him when the soul can look upon the cleer beams of the Sun of righteousness without dazeling simile as the Eagle when she would prove her young ones holds them up in the sight of the Sun and if they can endure the shining and look upon it then are they of the right Obs 7 kind It is the great care of the Saints to walk as in Gods sight and to have their eyes in Gods sight Psal 16.8 I have set the Lord alwaies before me because he is at my right hand I will not be moved I will not fear I have set him before me this text is spoken chiefly of Christ as a Prophetical expression of him And if Christ must be kept from falling Use by setting the Lord alwaies before him much more must we not that he was in danger of falling as we are but this is to be understood as that text is he learned obedience by his sufferings he looking at God helped him to obey and to stand in obeying as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 2. ult What we speak it is as in the sight of God in Christ that is what we say it is in the power and efficacy of Christ but how comes this to pass that they thus preach why as in the sight of God We thus preach his power enables Obs 8 The eye of God upon his people is their safety and security The forenamed place testifies it 1 Pet. 3.12 The eyes of the Lord are the safety and guard of the righteous simile as a child thinks it self safe if it be in the parents eye so the Saints should look upon themselves very secure in the sâ—ght of God A Philosopher could say in danger of Shipwrack in a light starry night A notable speech of an heatheÌ„ in danger Surely I shall not perish there are so many eyes of providence over me Could a â—hilosopher say thus and may not a Christian say so much more that he shall not perish seeing Gods providential eye is over him 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 rain as the latter and former rain unto the earth THIS Scripture is very full and hath much sweetnesse in it As an egg is full of meat so full are these words of marrow and sweetness and there is little difficulty in them We shall know if we follow on to know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Incumbamus in id ut cognoscamus Dominum If is not in the original but it is thus read And we shall know and we shall follow on to know The word signifies to prosecute and persecute to follow one as eagerly as a man which persecutes another and persecutes him as Paul did the Saints with all intention and affection when men thus follow on to know God will reveal Himself more Luther applies these words to Christ and the Gospel revealing him setting mens minds on fire by the truth so cleerly discovered and inflamed with such love to it that they followed on to know it But although these words have reference to Christ yet first they are to be understood of Gods delivering his people out of Captivity Then they shall know What shal they know that they shall live in his sight When God delivers them then they shall know 1. Gods faithfulness in his Covenant made to our fathers What the saints shal know wheÌ„ they follow on to know the Lord. 't is very little that we know of it now but the time is coming that we shal know it cleerly 2. The works of Gods wisdom al working for his peoples good in
duty Use let us bring forth fruit unto God in season Seasonablenesse cōmend duty as the godly man in the first Psalm is said to do herein consists the excellency of service when it is in its place Therfore it is no other but a temptation of Satan that when men are cald to exercise in their callings they are then stirred up to prayer or hearing but these are not the motions of the Spirit for they are seasonable for God never puts the soul upon extreams the performing of two contrary duties at one and the same time A note o◠a good heart It is an excellent sign of a gracious heart to account a season for service a mercy and a misery to want an opportunity Certainly it is a great judgment of God upon a man to be unserviceable in a season of service Jude 12. A great judgment to be unservicable in times of service Jude describing those corruptions of the Gospel by life and doctrine in his time saies they were trees withered twice dead plucked up by the roots trees corrupt in the time of autumne then when their fruit should come in Even thus it is with many men at that time when God expects the most fruit from them show themselves most corrupt and vile These are such as mightily provoke God Reproof and how many such have we among us at this day who when God cals them to service manifest the rotteness which is in their spirits Many when they are in a poor condition think Oh had I such a mans estate what a deal of good would I do with it had I such parts and abilities as some have and so much time and many oportunities given as they have how would I lay them out for God Many that are now servants have many good resolutions Oh what will they do for God when God calls them to it O foolish hearts who when they can do nothing would do most and when they may do most do nothing at all Obs 4 Gods mercies to his people are according to the variety of their necessityes the former and the latter rain Towards the seed-time they wanted rain and God sends it them now let our duty be according to the variety of mercies God may call us to variety of service let not us content our selves in that we have don somthing in such services we have had our heads hands and purses such and such have been idle let them now appear Oh say not so be not weary of wel-doing God hath imployed thee this day in one service he hath another to do the next be willing and ready to be set on work and blesse God he will imploy thee in service Obs 5 When God hath begun in mercy with his people he will go on with them and will not leave them If God should give only the former rain it would not bring up the seed the seed would not fructifie and increase without the latter rain Faith will beleeve that God will not lose the glory of former mercies for want of succeeding mercies Faith beleeves that God wil never begin a work and there leave it Use Now let not us begin in waies of obedience with God and then leave off and lose all that we have done let us consider that the vows of God are upon us and many prayers we have put up now let us not lose the return of them How many in the daies of their youth followed on to know God and they found the sweetness of the Word to be as the former and the latter rain unto them Do not now lose all which you got in your youth by denying him service in your age let not slothful age lose the sweetness of those things which in youth through christian diligence we found sweet Obs 6 Gods mercies to his people procure much good They are not empty shels there is that good in them to the ful which they promise to have these Notes are observable from the words thus understood but now put al the sense of them together and then they afford us two or three usefull Observations more Obs 7 Note That Gods peoples deliverance comes from Heaven They spring not out of the earth if ever Gops people are delivered there must be a Divine Almighty power put forth else it will never be a deliverance in mercy Gods peoples deliverances cannot be hindered no not by all the Obs 8 powers in Hell or Earth Why because they come from above they are as the light of the Sun and as the rain that comes upon the earth who can hinder the Sun from shining the rain from falling who can interupt night and day so who can hinder the rain of mercy from a people prepared for it We should make a spiritual use of Gods works in his creatures We Obs 9 see after the coldest winter there comes a summer after a drought a spring-tide they take their turns let not us in the times of cold and dark afflictions which God may bring us into conclude that mercy is quite gone that God hath shut up his loving kindness in forgetfulness No but rest assured that there will be a return of mercy for thee again which shall revive thee VER 4. O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I do unto thee for your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away LUTHER upon this place Luthers Exposit carries on these words as a further expression of mercy to this people Israel and not in any way of reproof to them as if the Lord had said to them thus Oh Israel my people I have been very good and gracious to you in the Land of Egypt and delivered you from that tyranny and oppression which you were under and I have been with you in the wilderness and I have brought you into the Land of Canaan but what are these all but temporal mercies I have greater mercies than these to bestow upon you the Gospel it shall reveal other manner of things to you He carries it all along as in a way of mercy but if this be the meaning then this objection will arise What shall we understand by the next words your goodness is as the morning cloud how can this be said Luther to this answers thus Your goodness that is the goodness of God which is yours by Covenant and purchase prepared for you this mercy of God shall refresh your parched souls as the morning cloud doth the earth after a long drought thus he carries it declined But the words passing away and their goodness being but as the morning cloud taking these together the sense runs another way viz. to a breaking off from the discourse about the promise of mercy to a convincement of the generality of Ephraims and Judahs formality in their greatest pursute of reformation they al passed away as the morning cloud which vanisheth away and as the early dew that
punished Oh the sad cries of many people in their sicknesses and death-beds How many times have I been warned by the Word but I slighted warnings I did not regard them warnings have been no warnings to me therefore justly am I in misery Use Oh that the consideration of this might be more prevalent and work more upon us than ever Gods quikness in His judgments wrought towards those that stand out against a quick searching Ministry VER 6. For I desired Mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings THis being a great Scripture having much of the mind of God in it and much difficulty in the understanding of it ConexioÌ„ I reade no further at this time Here we have a reason of Gods severe expression in the former verse where it was said that God had hewed them by his Prophets and slew them by the words of his mouth Why was God so severe against them it was because he would not be put off with their sacrifices they boulâ—tered up themselves with these objecting against the Prophet when he pressed them to mercy and to the knowledg of God Why are not we abundant in serving of God burnt offerings are not neglected by us and why should not we be accepted No saith God I desired mercy and not sacrifice never tell me of your sacrifices and burnt offerings so long as there is no mercy among you Therefore have I hewed them by my Prophets slain them by the words of my mouth you are so glued unto these outward things that I must hew you off from them This sentence is most famous quoted twice by Christ himself in the new Testament which we do not find of any place again which notes the eminency of it the first time it is quoted you shall find in Mat. 9.13 and the second in Mat. 12.7 For the meaning of of the words Exposit For I desired mercy the word signifies to desire and to will a thing with a great complacency or delight as if God should say mercy is a thing so pleasing to me that I desire it at my heart the word in the Original is fuller than is exprest in our English translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing in the world is so pleasing unto me as mercy There is Gods great mercy in reconciling the world unto himself by Jesus Christ and this is more worth than al the sacrifices in the world but this is not the mercy meant in the text Heb. 10.5 6 Burnt offerings and sacrifices thou hadst no pleasure in but a body hast thâ—u prepared there is no mercy like this the mercy of God in his Son Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy goodness and rigâ—teousness But the mercy here meant in the text it is the mercy of man and the word here mercy is the same word in the Original with that in the 4. verse your goodness is as the morning cloud that passeth away so that I desire mercy that is not the mercy of God but mercy to Man and that mercy to our selves so Chriâ—t interprets it in Mat. 12.7 Iâ— ye had known what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice ye would not hâ—ve condemned the guiltless As if Christ should say God in some cases would have men provide for themselves though they neglect the keeping of the Sabbath I will have mercy as to our selves so to others mercy to men either to their bodies or to their souls mercy to the body every one will grant but it ought to be especially to the soul warranted from Christs other quotation of these words Mat. 9.13 Go ye and learn what that meaneâ—h I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance This word mercy Mercy is a synechdoche comprehending all the duties of the second Table under one I will have mercy and not sacrifice Sacrifice by sacrifice is meant synechdocically all instituted Ordinances and Worship all the affirmative precepts of the second and fourth commandements all Ordinances commanded them then or that ever should be commanded them hereafter are included in these commands and this appears to be so by Christs applying of the text in Mat. 12.7 where it is applyed to the sanctification of the Sabbath and in Mat. 9.13 there Christ applies it and quotes it under an Ordinance whether true or not humane or divine it matters not the separation of the Jews from publicans and sinners it being unlawful to eat with them yet in a case of mercy they might having thereby an opportunity to do good to their souls so that from these two texts you see a cleare warrant for the interpretation of this text Now in the further cleering of it I shall answer some questions satisfie some objections and lastly raise certain observations Quest 1 What is an instituted Ordinance There are natural Ordinances and instituted Duties Now what is the difference between them for natural worship God stands so much upon it that He will have it before all kind of mercy inform us therefore of the difference of these two Answ For the unfolding of this know that by Natural Duties we understand 1. Natural Duties such Duties as we ow to God as God and to be performed by us as to a God Then there are other duties to be performed by men as unto men which if there had been no law to bind them to the performance of them yet they would be performed by men they were bound to perform them they are radicated in the heart such Duties as the first Commandement binds us unto Duties of Natural worship To have no other Gods but the Lord to fear this God and Him alone to love Him before all and above all to trust in Him for help at all times these are Duties to be done as unto a God Nature it self teacheth a man to perform these Duties Then there are Duties to be performed unto men Natural duties of humanity As honoring of parents speaking the truth not deceiving one another defiling mens bodies these Duties are radicated in the heart that were there no Law of God to bind men yet it were in mens hearts to do them Natural duties must not yeeld to mercy 2. Instituted duties Now these Duties must not yeild to mercy But for instituted worship such which if God had not revealed had not been duties neither could men be bound unto them As for their sacrifices under the Law by Bullocks and Goats these kind of sacrifices were they not revealed by some Prophet to be the mind of God they had not bin bound unto them So for our Church Ordinances of Sacraments Christian Admonition and the like are such as flow from Gods Prerogative and not so much from Gods Nature the other duties lie in Gods Nature and Holiness and are to be performed unto Him as to a God so holy But how
it our consciences would have upbraided us the generation to come would have cursed us the Nations about us and our very enemies would have scorned us and derided us for our base cowardliness for our sordid spirits for an unworthy generation that should see it self and posterity sinking into misery and brought under slavery and out of base fear and sluggish litherness of spirit and effeminate softness should suffer all to be brought into bondage to the humors and lusts of a few men We can therefore with comfort and boldness stand at Gods Tribunal and plead the uprightness of our hearts and justness of our cause in this Controversie whatever becomes of it But in the controversie that God hath against us there we fall down at his feet and acknowledg our selves guilty before him yea we come with sackcloath upon our loins and ashes on our heads with ropes on our necks and plead only mercy for our lives And this is the work that we have to do in all the daies of our humiliation to seek to make an Atonement between God and our souls and the Land in regard of that dreadful controversie he hath against us Now blessed God because thou tellest us in thy word Because I WILL do this therefore prepare to meet thy God O Israel Thou threatnest hard great and sore evils and thou callest now to us because Thou wilt do this England O England prepare to meet God We come Oh that this might be our answer we come Lord and meet thee with our souls bowed towards thee with our hearts bleeding that we have provothee to cause so much bloodshed of our brethren amongst us O Lord our hearts are open to thee and with trembling spirits we cry to the Lord what wilt thou have us do If thou proceedest against us in thy controversie we are undone we are undone Oh Lord forgive Oh Lord arise and be merciful we beseech thee for by whom shall Jacob rise for he is small by whom shall the people arise by whom shall the power of godliness and thine Ordinances be maintained How happy were we think some if the controversie between the King and us were at an end that we might have peace Oh if the people were happy that were in such a case how happy the people that were at peace with the King of Heaven If the controversie between God and us were at an end we should be happie indeed The Lord and the Land is at a controversie and this controversie makes us cry out unto God but yet wo unto us here is the misery we yet keep our sins that make the controversie Jer. 35. Will the Lord reserve his anger for ever will he keep it unto the end Mark what the answer is Behold thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest Thus you have said but what is the fruit of this You have done evil as you could We in the daies of our Fasts cry Lord wilt thou reserve thine anger for ever wilt thou keep it unto the end Behold thus we speak but yet we continue to do evil as we can Isa 59.9 We looked for light saith the text but behold obscuritie for brightness but we walk in darkness we grope for the wall like the blind We indeed grope as if we had no eyes and we stumble at noon day as if it were night Men to this day are ready to cry out and say what shal we do as if the way were not cleer before us what we should do The way is cleer enough if we had hearts but we grope as if we had no eyes and we stumble at noon day as in the night In many places of the Kingdom they roar out as bears and they have cause to do so For they are miserably spoiled their wives ravished their houses plundered themselves imprisoned and for the rest of us we mourn like doves night and day and we look for judgment and there is none and for salvation but it is far from us Mark what follows For our transgressions are multiplied before thee there is the ground of al the controversie between God and us and as for our sins they testify against us and our trangressions are with us Surely my Brethren God is willing to be at peace with England again the controversy is great and sore yet we may confidently speak that the Lord is yet willing to be at peace with England and the sufferings of England go as neer the heart of God as ours Oh that we knew then what it is that is the great make-bate between God and us that we might get rid of it Would you know it 2. Sam. 20.21 saith Joab there Deliver us Sheba the son Bichri and we will depart from the Citie and go every one unto his tent If amongst us Delinquents were punished as they ought if the hearts of people were prepared to have the remainders of superstition and Idolatry cast out if they were willing to receive Jesus Christ as King among them the sound of retreat would soon be heard the controversie would soon be at an end and except this be the foundation of our peace either there will be no peace at all or it will not hold long In our raising of forces therefore to help our selves and our brethren seing we pretend we will do more than before and it is time we should if we be not a people destinated to destruction and ruine be sure we begin here let us do more than ever we did before to make up this controversie with God It is reported of Achior one of Holopherness his Captains that he counselled Holopherness to enquire first whether the Jews had offended their God before he attempted to make war against them for if they had he then assured him that that would be their ruine and he might go up and overcome them but if he could not hear that they had sinned against their God it was in vain for him to strive against them Truly it concerns us neerly to make up our peace with God that when our adversaries come out against us they may not indeed be made use of to avenge Gods quarrel upon us for then they will easily improve all their advantages this way and say indeed that they are not come out against us without the Lord Every victory they now get they are ready to please themselves in this and say that God fighteth against us and God approveth them they tell us the reason they prevail is because God is against us and so we know Rabshekah did though a foul railer yet saith he Are we come up without the Lord And the enemies of David Psalm 71.12 Mine enemies have said God hath forsaken him now persecute and take him for there is none to deliver him Thus they will be ready to say upon any occasion now the Lord hath left them now let us take them And certainly if the Lord should suffer them to prevail many of them would think
they do God good service to slay and to root out that generation of Gods people that is here in England and they would be confident that it is the mind of God that they should be rooted out Therefore we had need look to it to make up our peace with God that the controversie between him and us may not prove to be their victory The Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the Land There are only two notes to be further observed hence God having to deal with poor earthen creatures he might presently have let his wrath out against them and destroyed them But Mark God is willing to have his cause pleaded with vile creatures so that all the while he is pleading there is time and space for them to come in This teacheth us this excellent lesson Observ That men should be willing that the cause that is between them and their inferiours should be pleaded and not stand so much upon their superiority and scorn to humour an inferiour so much as to have any matter debated between them As husband and wife if a controversie be between them though the one be superiour and the other inferiour think it not much to debate it between themselves with meekness and love Job 31.13 profest he did not despise the cause of his man-servent when he contended with him but he would have that pleaded and made out Jehovah the mighty God condescendeth to put his cause to a suit he will not pass sentence upon poor creatures til it come to a tryal Be not surly and scornful towards your inferiours Another Note The inhabitants of the Land lies a little more couched The inhabitants of the Land what Land The inhabitants of the Land of Canaan a controversie with them Mark God fulfilled his promise in bringing them into the Land of Canaan and now he pleadeth with them for the forfeiture of their promise Psal 105.44 45. he tells them that he had given them the lands of the Heathen that they might observe his Statutes and keep his Laws that was their condition God fulfilled hiâ— part he bringeth them into the land but when they were in the land they minded not their part You know God often gave them charge when they came into the land to do this and this they promised they would do it but when they were once brought into the land they forgot it they forsook God God now comes and pleads with the inhabitants of this land As if he should say I have done my part in bringing you into the land now I come to plead with you for breaking your promise and covenant Take this note from hence Whatsoever mercy you have from God you are to look upon it as a fruit of Gods faithfulness to you if you be Gods and as a ground of your obedience to him Observ and his pleading with you if you walk not answerable to it The inhabitants of the Land Hierome hath another note upon it but that is further off I will only name it Rightly saith he are they called to answer and to judgment that are the inhabitants of the land and do not look upon themselves as sojourners and strangers in the land But he that can truly say with the Prophet I am a pilgrim a stranger here such a one can never do that which may cause God to have a controversy against him This is the reason men do that which causeth God to have a controversie with them because they look upon themselves as possessors of the land and not as pilgrims and strangers But this is too far off The second part followeth God declareth A sute first is entred against such a man when the Court day comes there is calling for a declaration the Lawyer declares God doth so and the Prophet is Gods Lawyer and here are three Articles put in thiâ— declaration Because there is no Truth no Mercy no knowledg of God in the land First in general that there is a declaration take these two useful notes from thence First God contendeth not with a people without a cause How many are there that strive and contend one with another without any cause at all they vex and rage contend and sue and great controversies there are but if we come to examin the cause we can find nothing at all great dull is raised but whence is it if we look to the bottom and examin wherefore it is we can see just nothing they themselves know no cause they can give no rational account of all their pleading one against another As David said to Eliah his eldest brother 1 Sam. 17.29 when Eliah came and wrangled with him saith David What have I now done is there not a cause Eliahs spirit was up through his envy chiding and wrangling with David but what have I done saith David have not I cause for what I did Thus many have their spirits up chiding and wrangling but examin the cause and they can show none at all How many are there of bitter spirits who even go about like mad-dogs snarling at every one even at those they know not with whom they had never any thing to do yet cry out against them railing upon them every where Ask them do you know the man can you prove any hurt against him The truth is they know him not they are not able to make good what they say only there is a general noise of such and such men that they do thus and thus and so they bite and snail and rage against them but when all comes to all they know no cause Such and such men they say disturb the Kingdom and trouble the people a greaâ— deal of cry but little wool the foundations of the earth are out of order but what hath the righteous done You would think when you hear such railings and cryings out against such and such men that they were the most monstrous men upon the earth but examin what it is that they have done there is nothing God doth not so with you God never contendeth with man but for a just cause Secondly Because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledg of God in the land but by swearing and lying and stealing c. From whence in the general there is this God contendeth not against a people for little things Obâ— when God saith he hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land it is not for trifles for ordinary infirmities for dayly excursions but for great notorious things Not that little things do not deserve a controversie but it is from the vertue and fruit of the Covenant that this comes to passe in others that are not in Covenant little things make a controversie but between Gods children and himself they are not little things that make a controversie But men are of froward spirits every trifle is enough to make a controversie between them Yea usually thâ— greatest controversies between neerest friends is some trifle or
prohibiteth this Deut. 12.13.14 Take heed to thy self that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest but in the place which the Lord shall chuse in one of thy tribes there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings God would limit them the place of his worship When the Ark was made and the Tabernacle they were bound to come to that and sacrifice there and no where else and so when the Temple was built they were bound to come thither and to sacrifice there and no where else Yea then the Lord commanded them to pull down the high place and to cut down the groves and trees Deut. 12.2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the Nations which ye possess served their gods upon the high mountains and upon the hills and under every green tree When once God had appointed a place of worship then they were to destroy the other places where the Heathens were wont to worship their gods The Note is this from it When once God chuseth places or things when God once putteth a stamp of holiness upon places or things Obser then no men may chuse places or things and put such a stamp of holiness upon them as God hath put If God appointeth a way of worship of his own this stops us from all other of our own If God makes a place holy this stops us that we must never make any place holy but that so it is true of things of ceremonies any thing if once God sets a stamp upon a thing to make it holy we must confine our selves to that and not think to immitate God in it to make any thing of the same kind to be holy as God hath done It was now a sin for them and God stands much upon circumstances we see in his worship You shall have many men plead why should men be so strict and scrupulous to stand upon circumstances what must we have every circumstance in the word of God commanded My brethren that which is natural and moral and may be subservient to religious things may be left it's true unto prudence but whatsoever hath any Religion in it though it be but a circumstance God stands much upon it and we must have a Divine rule for it Natural circumstances moral civil circumstances prudence is enough to guide us in but any religious circumstance we must have a rule for it Here they are not accused for sacrificing the things they ought not to sacrifice no question but they offered those sacrifices which they were commanded sheep and beeveâ— and the like but only in the circumstance of place they did not sacrifice where God would have them sacrifice therefore God charged them in this thing that they went a whoring from under their God It is true we reade sometime of some godly mens sacrificing else where Gideon under an Oak Judg. 6. and Samuel upon an high place 1 Sam. 2. and so David in the threshing floor of Araunah 2 Sam. 24. Now to all those instances the answer generally is given by Divines that they could not be any way lawful for them to do thus but by some special dispensation of God himself some special revelation from God to give them order to do it there or elf it could not but be a sin For the Kings of Israel and Judah they also are charged for their sacrificing in the high places Even Solomon himself in 1 King 3.3 where when he is commended for loving the Lord and walking in the Statutes of David his father at first yet the text saith Only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places And amongst other high places we reâ—de in 2 Chron. 1.2 that Solomon went to Gibeon that was a great high place And though some excuse him because it is said the Tabernacle was there therefore he might go to Gibeon that great high place to sacrifice yet for al that Austin in his Questions upon Judges he thinketh Solomon is to be blamed though the Tabernacle was there Austin for he it seems sacrificed in other high places besides and though the Tabernacle was there yet it seems he put a more than ordinary respect upon that high place wherefore else is it called the great high place and he went there not only for the sake of the Tabernacle but became it was that great high place therefore he is to be blamed So that we may go to Gods Ordinances but if we do go to the Ordinances of God where yet there are other mixtures and we do the rather go and esteem of them because there is some addition of mans inventions Obser this is a sin against God And further this is observable though Solomon were blamable for going unto that high place though the Tabernacle were there having some more than ordinary respect unto that high place yet we find that God revealed himself unto Solomon in a wonderful gracious manner even in that place and bad Solomon ask what he would Solomon had very graciâ—uâ— manifestations of God unto him when he went to that high place though there was evil in it and he put more respect upon it than he should So certainly many of Gods people have found God so far indulge them that though sometimes they have been in the use of Ordinances where there hath been such mixtures as they have sinned against God that Ordinance hath been polluted unto them by those mixtures yet 〈◊〉 Lord hath been so gracious unto them that he hath accepted of the uprightness of their hearts and they have had many sweet manifestations of God unto them even in these Ordinances they can remember those times when they have been at Sacrament and they have known how they offended against God by reason of some pollutions yet they have found for all this God letting out of abundance of mercy unto them refreshing their souls with comfort and joy in the holy Ghost This was Gods meâ—cy Do not you think therefore that there was no evil in it because God let out himself so far unto you Use There was evil in Solomons respecting this high place so much yet God let out himself abundantly unto him Other Kings there were that are exceedingly blamed that they did not take down the high places which were all one with these mountains here spoken of Yet there were some of the Kings that were very careful in this thing As amongst the rest Hezekiah and Jehosaphat Hezekiah in 2 King 18.22 where he is charged by Rabshekah for taking down the high places Is it not he that hath destroyed the high places and Altars of God saith he God approveth of it well though Rabshekah thinks he hath done ill Oh saith he Hezekiah do you trust in him he hath taken down the high places He thought that Hezekiah had been an enemy unto Religion and to the worship of God for taking down the high places Thus it is with ignorant people at this day that do not know the
not in duties The Tabernacle a type of the Ordinances of Gospel First If God be to be found any where he is to be found in his Ordinances in the performance of holy duties These sacrifices they were materially good but yet they should not find God in them Exod. 29.42 43. When the Lord appointed the Tabernacle to be erected a type of the Ordinances we now enjoy saith he There will I meet with thee and there will I meet with thee again the second time If God be to be found any whereit is in the performance of holy duties But secondly The end of all holy duties we perform unto God it should be to find God in them Obs 2. End of duties to find God in them It should be so They pretended that end here When either God is coming unto us in mercy or when we are drawing neer unto God in duty we must be restless till we find him Especially in the latter Many men and women I beseech you observe this one thing perform duties but they do not look at finding God in them They do not examin after the duties are done Have I met with God in this or that duty Have I met with God this day in the word I have been in my closet and there I have prayed have I found God in prayer Found God what is that You should never be quiet in the performance of holy duties till you meet with God one of these two waies Either that you find God coming to you in the communication of himself and the sweetness of his love and mercy to you Or at least till you find your hearts got neerer unto him And either of these waies we find God Thirdly God will not be alwaies found when he is sought Obs 3. God will not be alwaies found 1. when superstitiously sought They shall go with their flocks and their herds but shall not find me As thus Men are never like to meet with God First When they seek him in any superstitious way These kind of formal superstitious worshipers of God they did much they spent much time in Gods worship I appeal to their own consciences and unto all men that knew their lives did any thing of God appear in them It may be manifested in their frothy vain and carnal conversations that they never met with God in those worshipings When God is sought and not in his own way he will not be found And then secondly When we seek our selves rather than God 2. when our selves chiefly 3. when not as God then he will not be found And thirdly When we do not seek God as a God that is when we tender him only external services and not soul-services also when we seek him not with the uprightness of our hearts when we seek him not with our whol heart when we seek him not with those high and reverent apprehensions of him when we have not that fear of his Name as is sutable to such an infinite God as the Lord is then God will not be found 4. when too late And then lastly When we seek him too late There may be a seeking of God too late Seek Him while He may be found Oh then we had need lose no opportunity of seeking God for He will not be alwaies found And this is just with God for God often seeks unto us when we will not be found and therefore it is just that He should not be found when we seek Him And then it follows He hath withdrawn Himself from them Exposit When the Saints of God seek Him in a holy way He is presently found Esa 58.9 They shall cry and he shall say here I am Perhaps they do not take notice of God he is many times with us and standeth by us He is present and we do not know that he is there But now that we may know that he is there he makes that promise that when we seek him as we ought to seek him he will say here I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath withdrawn himself The word that is here translated withdrawn himself may as well be translated Divisit se or Eripuit se He hath divided himself yea snatched himself from them that 's the propriety of the word they go to seek him and cry after him God snatcheth himself from them as one that refuseth their friendship he turns his back upon Obs 1 them This noteth That God hath no delight in the services of superstitious and formal professors God delights not in formal professors But to the humble and contrite heart he delighteth to be with them The flocks and the herds of the wicked are rejected and God withdraweth himself from them but small things from the Saints are accepted As you shall observe in 1 Sam 7.9 when holy Samuel there did but offer a sucking lamb for a burnt offering unto the Lord presently followed that the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistins and discomfited them and they were smitten before Israel Here are herds and flocks and yet God withdraweth himself but Samuel there offers but a poor sucking lamb and presently the Lord thundereth with a great thunder upon their adversaries So you have it Revel 8.4 Rev 8.4 opened after the the Incense with the prayers of the Saints were offered up there followed voices and thundrings and lightnings and an earthquake Great things are done by smal services of the Saints when done in uprightness but the greatest services of Hypocrites and formal Professors God regardeth not but withdraweth himself from them And then observe It is a heavy and sad condition when Obs 2 God withdraws himself from his creature seeking him yea seeking him and that in a time of distress As in 1 Sam. 28.5 when Saul was seeking God and God was departed from him mark what Saul saith I am sorely distressed for God is departed from me And in the 9. Chapter of this Prophesie vers 12. Wo unto them when I depart from them saith God Oh that is a sad condition It is a sign First of a dishonor that God puts upon a people as I Reas 1 shewed you more largely when I spake of the rejecting of their sacrifices What greater dishonor can it be unto a people than for God to take more pleasure in their howlings under his wrath than he doth in their cryings unto him for mercy And yet to such a condition may a people a particular soul be brought into I say that God may take more pleasure in your howlings under his wrath than in your cryings unto him and that in your Temples if you do not reform as well as cry unto him and for that you have that evident place in Amos 8.3 Amos. 8.3 opened In that day saith the Lord shall the songs of the Temple be howlings As if he should say the songs of the Temple were loud but I will take more pleasure in their
now and you that have prayed before quicken up your diligence and double your care How much better it it to seek God than men to cry to God for mercy than to cursed men God might have made your condition to have bin the condition of your brethren How many are this day running for their lives and begging of their lives at the hands of barbarous merciless blood-sucking monsters and you are yet in peace seeking your God for your selves and them But it may be asked Why should we seek God Quest Can we do any thing to move God Will God be ever the sooner intreated by us I answer No that is not the meaning of the words Answ that we can alter or change Gods mind but such exhortations as these are to make us fit and to prepare us for mercy to boyl and raise our spirits to a sutable frame and disposition for mercies expected and looked for And thus we leave this rich Mine of the fifth Chapter which hath been so fruiâ—ful in affording many choice truths and come to the sixt Chapter a rich Mine also of heavenly and most seasonable Directions no less useful than the former THE CONTENTS CHAP. VI. VERS I. Observ 1. WHen Gods time of mercy is come He puts a spirit of seeking into men Page 531 Obs 2 A joynt turning to God is very honorable Ibid Obs 3 Times of mercy are joyning times Page 532 Obs 4 A true penitent heart seeks to get others to joyn with him ibid Obs 5 A penitent heart retains good thoughts of God in time of suffering ibid Obs 6 A penitent heart is not discouraged Page 534 Obs 7 When God intends good to a people he leaves them intimation of his love Page 536 Obs 8. Apprehension of mercie causes the heart to turn Page 537 Obs 9 The Saints make their healing not a fruit of their returning but of Gods mercy ib. VERS II. Opened Page 538 Obs 1 Gods own people may lie for dead in their own eyes Page 540 Use 1 Do not draw dark conclusions from Gods dealing ibid Use 2 Be not impatient in prayer Page 541 Obs 2 Gods reviving his people is not long in Gods nor the Saints eyes Page 542 Obs 3 Faith makes Gods reviving real in the saddest condition ibid Obs 4 Mercies after two daies death are reviving mercies Page 544 Obs 5 The real sight of deliverance puts the soul upon returning Page 547 Obs 6 The apprehension of the death and resurrection of Christ is a special help to faith in affliction Page 549 Obs 7 When God grants mercies he would have his people to be of lively spirits Page 549 Obs 8 When God is reconciled to a people his face is towards them ibid Obs 9 The eye of God upon his people is their safety Page 550 Obs 10 Gods peoples life consists in Gods favor ib. Obs 11 Faith raiseth the soul high ibid Obs 12 It is the care of the Saints to walk as in Gods sight Page 551 VERS III. Obs 1. True penitents turn to God that they may know God Page 554 Obs 2 No man can turn to God but as Gods face is towards him Page 555 Obs 3 The knowledg of God is a very comfortable thing to the Saints ibid Obs 4 The more men turn to God the more they shall know of him ibid Obs 5 Those that know somthing of God desire to know more Page 556 Obs 6 A gracious heart endeavors strongly after the knowledg of God ibid Obs 7 It is a blessed thing for a man to take notice of Gods revealings Page 557 Obs 8 Those that follow on to know God shall know more of him ib. Obs 9 One mercy makes way for another Page 558 Obs 10 The times of Gods delivery is in the morning Page 561. Obs 11 The Church hath no afflictions but there comes a morning after them ibid Obs 12 It is Gods presence that makes the morning to the Saints ibid Obs 13. Gods mercies to his people are prepared and decreed Page 562 Obs 14 The Saints in affliction comfort themselves that morning is coming ibid Obs 15 The Saints night is darkest a little before their deliverance ibid Obs 16 Gods delivery is by degrees ibid Obs 17 Gods deliverance is like rain to the corn ibid Obs 18 Gods mercies to his people are seasonable and sutable Page 563 Use Let us be seasonable in duty Page 565 Obs 19 When God hath begun with mercy to his people he will go on Page 566 Use Let us do so with God in obedience ibid Obs 20 Gods mercies to his people procure much good ib. Obs 21 Gods peoples deliverance comes from heaven ib. Obs 22 Gods peoples deliverance cannot be hindred Page 567 Obs 23 We should make a spiritual use of Gods works in his creatures ibid VERS IV. Obs 1 God doth not willingly grieve men Page 569 Obs 2 We should not think much to lose our pains with others ibid Obs 3 It it a speceal means to humble men to consider what means hath been used to do them good Page 570 Obs 4 God many times seems to be in a straight what to do with men ib. Obs 5 The condition of people is sad when no means will do them good Page 572 Obs 6 It goes nigh the heart of God to see men perverse ibid Obs 7 For a man to make good beginnings and let them fall is grievous to God and dangerous to a mans self Page 581 Grievous to God 1 Because God is holy Page 582 2 He is unchangable ib. 3 It stifles the conceptions of the spirit ibid 4 Such people cannot be trusted ibid 5 There is no fear of God before their eyes ibid 6 It pollutes Gods Name ib. 7 Religion is looked upon by such as a thing indifferent ibid 8 They never had good beginnings ibid Dangerous to a mans self 1 Because we lose many opportunities Page 583 2 We shall never grow to any eminency ibid 3 It hardens the heart ibid 4 It aggravates sin ibid 5 It spoils the acception of our services ibid 6 It damps our hearts in duty ibid Means to persevere 1 Trust not in suddain flashes Page 584 2 Get your hearts off from earthly engagements Page 585 3 Take heed of secret sins ib. 4. Take often accompt of your hearts ib 5 Never trust your hearts after reviving ib. 6 Humble your selves after good desires Page 586 7 Rest not in beginnings Page 587 VERS V Obs 1 When God comes against false Prophets he looks the people should not be led by them Page 588 Obs 2 Inconstancy in Religion provokes Gods anger Page 592 Obs 3 Many mens hearts are like knotty timber Page 593 Obs 4 Gods Ministers are hewers ibid Obs 5 When Ministers hew God hews Page 594 Obs 6 Gods Ministers are Gods tools Page 595 Obs 7 Gods Ministers are Gods mouth Page 596 Obs 8 The Word of God is of great power ibid Obs 9 Gods judgments lie dark when men go on in a
together in an unanimous way saying Come and let us set about the Lords work with one shoulder every one encouraging each other then there is hope the times of mercy are nigh that people Use a sad presage to But this is our misery the divisions and the rendings that are amongst us being diâ—-joynted each from other Oh the wantones of mens spirits now among us for which God is much displeased and certainly is one great stop in the way of mercy that notwithstanding God hath us in the fire and threatens even our consuming yet that we should not joyn and unite together Obs 4 True penitent hearts seek to get others to joyn with them Oh how glad are they to see any comming on to seek the Lord with them and how careful are they to give encouragement example they perswade them with al gentleness saying Come let us go up to the house of the Lord we have found the Lord very gracious to us Oh come he is good still yea and good to you if you wil come into him if the husband have found God good to him he will perswade the wife the child the servant to come to Christ Thus much of their resolution to return the reason follows For he hath smitten us and he will heal us Hence observe Obs 1 That in times of the greatest sufferings a true penitent heart retains good thoughts of God God hath torn wounded and smitten us what then run away from God think hardly of him No think well of him and bless his Name even when you God in former times have practised Nehemiah Ezra Ezra 9. Neh. 9. Dan. 9 Psal 44. and Daniel in all their miseries how careful were they to acquit and cleer God to be just in all that was come upon them yea the Church in the time of her desertion retains Christ as a King and calls him so so that they have as high esteems of God now in their low condition as in their prosperous estate and as they dare not entertain hard conceipts of God so neither of his Cause nor his People they are not sorry that they have been so far engaged for them Many people are like bad servants simile Use of reproof who while they have every thing fitting that becomes them can give their masters family a good report but let them be crost of their minds and go away in a discontent Oh how vily do they speak of it and as sturdy beggers while they find releef and succor they can give good words and they are their masters and best friends but let them be sent away empty and then what name is bad enough for them so when things goes well with the cause of God and his people they will be on Gods side Oh take heed of being sorry that ever you were engaged so far as you are or thinking to draw back that it had been better you had not been so forward as you have been this is a base and vile spirit see but how low the Church was in affliction and yet with what a gallant spirit she carried it out Psal 44.12 13.15 and 17. verses in these times how is this text fulfilled in the 15. verse how do they complain that men do blaspheam deride and scorn them and in the 17. verse All this is come upon us What then Is not God good and his Cause good that we maintain No God forbid such a thought should enter into us Although all this evil be come upon us yet have we not dealt falsly with thee in thy Covenant Oh let us lay up this truth and it would be a mighty comfort and stay to us in these times and it would be a very good rise to prayer for mark in the 23. verse Awake why sleepest thou Oh Lord arise and help us Those can pray to purpose who in the sorest afflictions can manifest the most fear of God and exercise the most love towards God and his waies notwithstanding Obs 2 A repenting heart is not a discouraged heart It is such a heart as sinks not down in discouragements saying as some do we are a lost people and undone there is no hope we had been better never to have ventured so far as we have but give over what we have done it dares not draw conclusions from what hath been to what is and what will be this is too much presumption for any man David in the Cave can trust in God and hide himself under Gods wing Psal 57.1 So long as there is a God in Heaven this soul will expect help from him a true penitent will expect mercy notwithstanding Gods severity and justice the severity of justice in God cannot keep him from waiting for and expecting of what God hath promised if the soul can but get over this difficulty the deep gulf of Gods justice it will easily get over all other dreadfulness of mens displeasure a repenting heart is a purged heart and therefore not a discouraged but a supported heart those which are unclean of foul and filthy spirits are alwaies jealous of God and his dealings towards them Oh let it appear that we are not of discouraged and sinking spirits by the cleanness of our lives and the purity of our conversations carnal hearts are not discouraged when they have carnal helps to underprop them and shall we be afraid of any difficulty who have God for our help Remarkable is that place The Philistines motive to courage in the battel 1 Sam. 4.9 concerning the speech which was made to the Philistims upon the coming of the Ark into the camp of Israel what a fear were they put into yet how do they encourage themselves Let us fight valiently for our wives and children and estates that we and our little ones be not slaves to the Hebrews So say I let us be couragious in these times and fight for our Liberties Laws and Religion Did we but spend that strength in returning unto God which we do in discouragements Oh how soon would help come for us were we but thus resolved Now though we must not be discouraged when helps and means fail but yet humbled we must be for our sins which cause these breaches see how the Prophet Habackuk mannages this disposition c. 3. v. 16 17. we should improve our humiliation as they did Judges 20. who though in a good cause Judg. 20. a cause which God approved of yet lost fourty thousand men at two battels in the prosecution of it what do they now leave it off and run away No but put on courage and resolution fasted and prayed and humbled themselves before the God of their fathers and then they prospered Oh let us be humbled that we may not be discouraged And as we must not be discouraged so must we not falsly encourage our selves as they said The bricks are fallen down but we can build with hewen stone so say not this Army is lost but we can raise another quickly
Let us only encourage our selves in the Lord our God let us take heed of the goodness of our cause thereby too much to rest upon it 1 Sam. 4.3 the people said Let us fetch home the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord that when it cometh it may save us they thought the bare having of that among them would deliver them Know that it is not the goodness of our cause that can bear us up and carry us through difficulties if we do not turn to the Lord. Now that your spirits may not sink under these troubles Motives to courag let me give you a few props to lean upon If we have been faithful in our work we may have this testimony that what iâ— our place to do as creatures is performed by us Gods part is only remaining to be done and know though there were much weaknesses in our performances yet we have to deal with a God who loves sincerity in infirmities If we suffer God suffers more this should mightily encourage us in sufferings when God is contented to be our partner Know that God sees further than we and knows what is best for us when the wars first began we promised our selves a present end of them and we thought it would be best but God saw it was not had we had peace at the first we should not have known what to have done with it it would even have undone us by that time Consider things are no more difficult now than they were at the first unto God God knows as well how to deliver in the greatest straits as if there were none at all God usually works by contrary means bringing light out of darkness saving Israel in the red Sea when in the greatest danger of drowning Know that God will be seen in the Mount God hath his time his set time to appear for his people and before that time come he will not shew himself the soul is very prone in misery to run into a double extream either of presumpâ—ion or dispairing by unbeleef presumption that puts the evil day far off and unbeleef that puts the good day far off therefore take heed of both these Object But could we have the encouragement of this people could we say that we have returned it were something Answ Now for this know that if the consideration of Gods healing mercy is more prevailing with us to turn than any misery whatsoever if we are willing and desirous to turn the other may be made good that God is willing to heal and bind us up Can we but make out the first part of our turning I dare affirm the second of Gods healing though perhaps it may be very painful the Lord hath put a deep tent into us to eat out our putrified flesh therefore we ought more earnestly to desire a through and sound healing than an easy and sudden cure Obs 3 When God intends good to a people he gives them an intimation of his love to them How did this people know that God would heal them and that He would bind them up Thus they argued it out from Gods goodness from his Name and from his Covenant Oh would God but put into our thoughts to consider the mercy of God to us in the Covenant Quest But I fear this would be presumption in me may some say Answ I answer No if thy beleeving and resting upon the promise sanctifies the heart and not make it secure if thy laying hold upon the promise doth more break the heart and make it humble and submissive it is a right supporting the heart upon the promise and not presumption Os The apprehension of what mercy is to come will readily cause the heart to turn to him Many say God will not be gracious mercy is past there is no hope therefore we will give over waiting No but we will seek him still and wait longer for mercy to come Lastly This people being turned to God do not make the hopes of Obs 5 their healing a fruit of their returning but a fruit of Gods mercy Many poor souls think that they must not beleeve till they are so far humbled and so much broken This is an errour we should exercise our faith more upon Gods healing than our returning and this will cause us to be humbled Works Faith humiliation will soon follow after this Good works are a good nurse to faith but if we make works the mother of faith that faith is not right it 's a bastard faith VER 2. After two daies will he revive us in the third day he will râ—ise us up and we shall live in his sight GODS Works are Comments upon his Word and it hath been so frequently in the opening of this Prophesie as Christ said of that Scripture Luke 4.21 This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears so may I say of this Scripture at this time how hath God litterally fulfilled it The last Exercise you heard of Gods wounding and of his healing How hath he healed us in a gracious manner and how are these words fulfilled in the litteral sence After two daies he will revive us But two daies after our humiliation he revived us and the third day we lived in his sight and if we follow on to know the Lord we shall know more of his counsel and though the darkness of the night be not yet over yet the morning is prepared But may we have such ground to think so as this people when any people may apply the promise that God will revive uâ— and that we shall live in his sight If we can prove our turning unto God and our returning from sin the other may be made good that he will revive us in our sorrows The scope of these two verses is to express a further confidence scope and sum of repenting beleeving Israel in Gods goodness before he smote them and now he would revive them but before this reviving comes perhaps we may be as dead men yea lie a day that is a certain time as dead men forsaken of God quite out of his minde yea we may lie the second day also that is a second time wherein we expected help yet then also the enemy may triumph over us yet shall we live in his sight that is all shall see that the eye of God was on us for good he will revive us and God shall be in our sight as we shall be in his glorious things is he about to make known to us though it be night now yet know his mercy is a coming even as the morning followeth the dark night this is the sum of these words Yet for the further opening of them know that interpreters differ they keep a great stir to know what 's meant by two daies some think it spoken of the Jewish captivity others of the second coming of Christ the Messias therefore Luther Luther seems to contemn their inceties saying he thinks them not worthy to
strengthens himself In all the Scripture I know not such a short text so full for the strengthning of faith as this is and it is the special work of faith to make God to be ours in all these relations Ps 18.2 An eminent prop of faith Oh how beautiful would our praises for reviving mercies shew could we but exercise our faith thus upon all these titles of God as ours The real sight of deliverance from evil and the apprehension of Obs 6 certain mercy a coming is a strong argument to put the soul on to turn to God This people did make this use of mercy coming to them What wil God after two daies deliver and revive us Come then and let us return unto him let us not any longer stand out but come in that he may revive us and raise us up When the soul sees mercy coming it beholds God out-bidding all other temptations and over-powering all difficulties when men by sence can behold mercy coming they will then think it best to turn to God happy are those who by faith can see mercy coming a great way off and thereby are stirred up to turn to God when God lets such thoughts as these into the soul and settles them upon the spirit I am now in a very good condition well and in health for the present but where may I be within two daies I enjoy peace and have every thing that heart can desire both for necessity and delight but within a short time where may I and these be These are dreadful thoughts to consider of But on the other side to beleevers these words are very comfortable and full of sweetness I am in great extremity of misery but after two daies they will blow over then oh where shall I be in heaven in joy and blessedness for evermore at rest with my Savior dreadful are the meditations from these words to all the wicked but very sweet and comfortable to the Saints of God as any text I know This consideration made Paul over look all his afflictions 2 Cor. 4. â—7 he thus considered ' â—is true I am under great afflictions but they are but light and 't is but for a moment and what shall I have then An eternal waight of glory Therefore Christians should not be alwaies poring upon their afflictions but look up to mercy behold that which may comfort them as well as what may discourage them consider that within two daies God will raise us up again and this wil mightily raise our spirits and quel the tumults in our hearts as we should be sensible of Gods hand to be humbled for our sins the cause of it yet should we take care that we do not destroy our selves by our fears Obs 7 The apprehension of the death and resurrection of Christ is a special means to help faith in the times of the greatest afflictions Many things may help faith in this case but the consideration of Christs resurrection is the chief when the soul shall exercise faith thus I am thus and thus afflicted and in misery so was Christ and much more although he were the Son of God the first begotten of the Father and so blessed for ever he was delivered up into his enemies hands scorned persecuted and contemned nay he was crucified and put to a shameful death but my condition for the present is not thus but if it should be so it is no more than Christs was in this his great misery all his frinds forsook him which aggravates their misery which are in straits in so much that those two Disciples which went to Emmaus said We had thought that God would have delivered Israel by this man What a low condition did God bring Christ unto and yet this was the greatest work that ever was done and such a â—ork as brings God the most glory of any work in the world Christ therefore become miserable for our consolaâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 the Church ever in a lower condition than Christ himself was yet Christ was raised and delivered out of them all yea this was a special end why Christ was brought into such a low estate to be a comfort and a pattern for his Churches that may come into the same condition which he was in and seeing this is held forth unto us in a cleerer way than it was to the Jews under the Law we should make more use of it than they did was Christ so low that the wrath of God was upon him for satisfactâ—on even to death this surely was a very low condition and now is there any hope that ever he should be raised from this yea now was Gods time to shew his power and to diclare him to be his Son God be speaks his people in all their strâ—its thus Did my power raise my son in such a low estate it is able also to raise you as the Apostle argues in the 1 Cor. 15. If Christ be not risen the dead are not raised c. so from thence I also infer That the Church must rise because Christ is risen if the Church does not rise Christ is not risen and if so then our preaching is in vain and your faith is to no purpose therefore raise up your sadded spirits upon thiâ— ground wel Christ is risen and I also shall rise with him It was wont to be the salutation of the Christians in ancientt time Christ is risen tâ— antient form of salutatio among christian Christus resurrexit Christ iâ— risen so the Saints may conclude though brought very low yet that power which raised the head will in his time raise the body and make it glorious with himself And we shall live in his sight As Israel was repenting so it was beleeving Israel also Faith anâ— repentanâ—â— muâ—ually act one another and as their beleeving furthered their repentance so their repentance furthered their faith they were confident that they should live in his sight When God grants mercies to his people he would have them of Obs 1 lively spirits to be quick and vigorous and of active spiriâ—s And this is the scope of the holy Ghost in this text however the Saints may seem as dead men when wicked men prevail over them yet when God gives rest and life they shall be lively and full of spirit God loves not to see his people of a sad fullen pensive disposition when that they have matâ—er of the greatest joy in the world When God is reconciled to 〈◊〉 people his face is then towards his Obs 2 people he looks then upon them and loves them Apoâ— 22.4 And they shall see his face God doth nor deal with us as David did with his son 2 Sam. 14.24 And the King said Let him not see my face any more But if God be once reconciled all the frowns in his face are turned into smiles he is all lovely towards them Use 1 Now how incongruous a thing is it that when God smiles we should lowr be heavy
decree with day and night morning and evening cald a Covenant because it is sure and certain so also is the Covenant which God hath made to Christ and to his Church firm and sure and this is a ground of strong consolation to the Saints to consider that mercies which they want are set and decreed mercies therefore with patience wait for them Obs 6 The Saints in the night of their affliction can comfort themselves in this That the morning is a coming It is night yet but the morning will come 't is approaching the assurance the morning is coming upholds the Saints spirits in the night of their sorrows the Marrener in tempestuous storms in the dark night the traveller in his wearisom and dirty journy comforts themselves with this the morning light is a coming 't is far better to be in darkness and know the morning light is a coming than to be in the light and to know or fear that darknesse is a coming and light never to returne more Obs 7 A little before the Saints deliverance out of their greatest disturbances of miserie and trouble the darkness of their night is the greatest As a little before the dawning of the day the darkness is the thickest and the most terrible thus it was in Egypt a little before Israels deliverance and their return out of captivity and this should mightily encourage us not to be disheartned in these times though our miseries should encrease for the darker the cloud is and the bigger it grows the neerer it is to its period therefore wait with patience Obs 8 Gods delivering of his Church is gradual by degrees not all at once as the day breaks by degrees so the Saints shine gradually in their lives answerable to the light which God hath let into them We would have deliverance at an instant light and perfect noontime presently but this is not Gods way of dealing with his people a child does not know that it is day till it be very light indeed simile but wise discerning men can see day at a little hole as we use to say Oh that we were so wise to discern Gods dealings in the workings of providence towards us It follows His going forth is prepared as the morning Text And he shall come unto us as the rain God glories much in this creature of Rain Rain in so much that he wonders when men do not fear him who is the giver of rain They did not say in their hearts let us fear God who gives rain there is so much of my glory in this very one creature that mens hearts must be very hard that will not give God glory for it Jer. 5.24 God is stiled the Father of rain this speech the mention of it here hath reference to that country in which the Prophet spake to Canaan where they had rain not so frequently as we have but twice a yeer especially viz. at seed time to soften the ground and a little before harvest to plump and fill up the Corn in the ear The Apostle James seems to allude unto this Jam. 5.7 Jam. 5.7 illustrated The husbandman waiteth patiently for the fruits of the earth so should we for Gods time of delivering his people Gods deliverances to his people shall be as seasonable as the former and the latter rain The Notes of observation from these words are Look what the rain is to the Corn so is Gods blessing to his people Obs 1 We have the same dependance upon God for blessing mercy that the seed hath upon the rain for growing and encrease without the rain the Corn will be but as the parched ground in the wilderness which is the curse and brand upon wicked men Jer. 17.5 6. hence we may see what poor creatures we are having our dependance upon such a poor creature as the rain is in its self and by the dependance which we have on this creature we should learn to consider what dependance we have upon the infinite God for all the good things which we enjoy Obs 2 As the Church is parched and dried up without the rain of Gods blessing so on the other side all the earth and flowers in the field are refreshed and a beauty there is put on them by the rain that coms from the Heavens it makes them to encrease And as the earth is not unthankful for the rain Use but sends forth Corn Grass and Flowers so should we alwaies after the receiving of mercies return unto God in duties we would think it strange if the earth after all the cost man hath bestowed upon it and after the sweet and seasonable showers of rain it should be barren and fruitless Oh man condemn thy self the word is compared to rain and how many times hath the sweet showers and droppings of the word lighted upon thee and yet thou barren all cost hitherto being lost upon thee Deut. 32.2 Obs 3 Gods mercies to his people are both seasonable and sutable this promised in the text They should come as the latter and former rain The Lord comes to wicked men in a general way of providence but to the Saints as rain in seed-time and harvest with much fulness how should this teach us our duty to wait with patience upon God with the husbandman Jam. 5.7 for the appointed weeks of harvest so should we till mercies come seasonably if mercies should alwaies come when we would have them they would prove judgments to us that which in its self is a mercy coming untimely proves an affliction God sent his people Israel Israel a King but he proved a heavy judgment to them simile if a woman should be delivered upon every pain and throwing she feels what mishapen birth would she have It is Gods mercy unto you to prolong your births till the full time we cry out Oh our troubles are great and continue long we had thought to have seen a period to these times our wars at an end and peace setled in our Kingdom Oh know that if they had ended sooner when we would have them what a plague would it have been to us Saints experience in this how many that observe Gods dealings can say that if such a mercy had come when they desired it they had been undone by it it had ruined them therefore Gods time is the best time hence we find that the Saints have often blessed God when he hath crossed them in their desires and hath denied them the thing which they so importunatly desired The Lord hath sent us the former rain at the begining of the summer in its season to prepare the earth for fruit but now there are scorching heats in the Kingdom heats of displeasure in the Country in the City nay almost in every family Now let us with patience wait and the latter rain in its season will assuredly come Is God so seasonable in his mercies for us Let us be seasonable and sutable in our
comes to nothing And Jeroms Hierom thinks that it is Gods mercies towards them which doth thus pass away he would not leave them quite without hope they should have some mercy but it should not abide nor stay with them But the genuine sense of the words I conceive to be The genuine meaning according to the English the generality of their formality in their pursute of reformation therefore O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee As if the Lord should say you put me to a stand you even non plus me in this thing what therefore shall I do unto thee Obser Here in the general we may observe the change of the Prophets voice in the beginning of the chapter it is all mercy and their repentance sweetly joyning with the mercy promised them but now he falls to upbraid them for their hypocrisie incorrigiblenels and unconstancy in the waies of God a very good pattern for Ministers For Ministers who have to deal with varieties of people But now to open the expression of the words more particularly Expos 1 What shall I do unto thee The manner of the expression is either in a way of compassion or expostulation compassion as if he should say Oh Ephraim it is in my heart to do thee good but nothing will work upon thee therefore O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee Like that expression in Isa 5.4 What could I have done more to my vinyard that I have not done were there any other course further to be taken any thing else to do I would do it Now from this sense thus taken of Gods compassionating of them we may note That God doth not willingly grieve the children of men he is even Obs 1 forced to it at that very time they are grieved by afflictions at the same time is God troubled for their miseries Can any tell me men of Angels nay I appeal to your selves can you tell me what I should do more to you than I have done If you can I would do it God expostulates with them he comes not suddenly upon them punishment is the last way God takes with his people And so it should be with us to those that are under us Use all means before correctioÌ„ as to children or servants all means must be tried to prevail with them before correction exhort advise reprove and pray for them have you first taken this course else you can have little comfort in correcting them this is Gods way though you perhaps see it not God here meets with an objection which repining Israel might seem to make we are such as do beleeve to whom the promise doth belong why might not the Lord bring mercy to us without using such means of smiting wounding killing and parching of us no saith God I could not bring about mine own ends but by this way Oh therefore let us check our selves at such thoughts as these God brings us low by afflictions he could do it by mercies but then his end which he aims at would not be so fully accomplished We should not think much to lose our pains in the use of means to others Obs 2 God he hath taken pains and been at cost with this people and he hath lost all God seems to mourn for the loss of his charges I have used this admonition the other counsel yet still hypocritical Oh what shall I do unto thee but yet Gods does not leave them or grow weary of his pains he persists still in the means to do them good In this should the Saints imitate God! if this course will not prevail use a second if not this use a third perhaps that may and if it does do good it will pay for all the pains And thus much of the words by way of compassion Expos 2 Now by way of expostulation and so they are to be taken to humble them or to convince them of their sin Hence observe Obs 3 That it's a speciâ—l means to humble men for sin to put them to it to consider what means they have had used to do them good Would we be seriously affected with sin and humbled for sin then go alone and call our souls into examination whether means have not been used sufficient to do us good consider what means they have been judgments national domestick and personal Mercies reproofs out of the word admonitions from friends terrorâ— and checks of conscience c. when you have done thus charge conscience to speak and tel thee the truth Form of expostulatioÌ„ with a mans own foul and when it doth tell truth give it leave to upbraid thee thus what so unprofitable so stout and stubborn so froward and impatient so unthankful and so unbeleeving for all this This would be a singular means to shew the soul a view of sin in its colors But alas most men put off and shun such a course as this is and the Devil he knows the prevalency and efficacy of such a way as this and he strives what he can to put the soul off from such a course and puts men upon such excuses as these Had I such and such means as others have I should be more fruitful I was reprooved but it was too open And of mens excuses had it been in private and with more love by such a one and in such a place it would have done more good Infinite are the reasonings of a base heart either to put it off with the want of means or some defect in the means and this is Satans subtilty in the soul but when the Lord comes truly to humble the soul that soul will charge it self home throughly for its sins in all the circumstances and aggravations of them Obs 4 These words What shall I do unto thee notes unto us that God was as it were in a straight at this time about this people the observation from them is That such is the perversness of men hearts many times that God knows not almost what to do with them God was here even at a stand he was fain to consult with himself about them see in other Scriptures how God expresses this Ezod 33.5 Therefore now put off thy ornaments that I may know what to do with thee and Deut. 32.5 They have corrupted their waies they are a perverse and a coooked generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contortiss of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luctori contorquer i The words there signifies the way of wrastlers who wave up and down that if the one thinks to have the other here he is winded the other way so did this people when God dealt with them this way they put him off another way Therefore Acts 2.40 we are coÌ„manded to save our selves from this untoward generation such a people that none can do good unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crooked piece no marvail then Gods Ministers are put to a stand with people many times who are so crooked and gainsying
like those in Christs time who put him to a stand they were so difficult and cross that neither John nor Christ himself could please when John came they cryed out of him that he was ridged and harsh and when Christ came he was mild and gentle and of him they said he was a winebibber and a friend of publicans and sinners John had that which Christ had not and Christ had that which John had not and yet neither of them could please these But it may be objected God knew not what to do Object how is that he could have put forth his almighty power and turned their hearts and that presently how then is it said God knew not what to do To this I answer that God was not bound to do this Answ for God had used all means to prevail with Ephraim and Judah which the most loving and compassionate friend could have done Suppose a man were in such a condition that for his cure there were all the Doctors of Physick in the Country where he lived gathered together and these should consult advise and pâ—â—pound things for his recovery and nothing do it you would wonder what the matter should be would not all this aggravate and set forth the danger of the disease and the difficulty of the cure All this is in God and much more and it is put forth for the good of souls I have put forth more power wisdom love and mercy than man can do now shall this be an aggravation in respect of the creature and not of the Creator all means to do you good have been put forth excepting my almighty power and yet the work is not done Obs 5 The condition of that people is very sad when no means can do them good then that fearful judgment may be pronounced upon them Jer. 6.30 Reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Ezek. 24.13 Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged any more until I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Obs 6 It is a thing that goes very neer the heart of God to see those that are nigh unto him to be perverse in their waies What for Judah to forsake me It is sad to find crosses and untowardness in Ephraim but to meet with them in Judah where my Ordinances are in a special manner and they so neer unto mee and I so tender of them 't is much to behold of what knotty crabid spirits Gods own people are A piece of wood may be sound yet full of knots and very tough What goes neerer a man than to find crossness in his wife his children or friend 't is not so much from a stranger as from one in relation Even so God takes the unkindness of his people to heart more than the wickednesses of the ungodly Obs 7 It is not enough to worship God better than others if we be of perverse spirits This was the sin of Judah because they had the Ordinances in a purer way and worshiped God better than Ephraim Applicat for Engl. they thought they might continue in this their sin Oh that this were not Englands sin at this day Let us be humbled for it that we may escape their judgment For your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benegnitâ—s miscricordia Also Sanctitas pictas vestrum vel est ri Vide Kimchi of kercher Your goodness That is your kindness or your mercy as the word signifies in the Original it is chesed the same word which we have in the sixt verse your mercy I will have mercy that is your piety and godliness in the strickt signification of it but mercy in the large sense The Seventy Translators render the words your mercy your goodness but why your goodness yours because either of Gods goodness towards them or their goodness their holiness which was in them Gods goodness towards them which is called ours somtimes Gods goodness as in Rom. 11.31 That through your mercy they might obtain mercy by that mercy which God bestowed on you you may encourage the gentile to come in 2. Their goodness which is double either to their brethren or their piety holiness both these were as the morning cloud or as the early dew that goeth away If the first signification of them be taken then the sense runs thus Gods goodness to them was as the morning cloud that is They by Expos 2 their sin had drove away Gods mercy and goodness from them even as the wind carries the dust before it God was in the way of mercie to them in appearances and they by their sins put them all away from them Bernard Bernard saith that the wind of their unthankfulness did drive away the flouds of mercy from them much more the dews of mercy Now God forbid that this should be our condition the clouds of mercy are over us and the dews of mercy are upon us now should we by our sins drive these away from us what a woful case should we be in Therefore let us not only pray to have the dews of mercy but also the clouds to shower down rivers of mercy Though I do not think this to be the principal scope and sense of the words ye it may be noted and afford us useful Expos 3 meditation but the proper meaning of the words seems to signifie their own goodnesse which may betaken 1. more strictly for mercy and compassion towards one another because in the sixt verse God calls upon them so earnestly for mercy notwithstanding all their shews and promises of reformation it was but in hypocrisie like those in Jer. 34.15 16. of whom God saith That they were turned and had done right in his sight in proclaiming liberty to their servants but they had polluted his Name again by causing those servants formerly set at liberty to return and bringing them into subjection so that people which are for a time pitiful and very merciful afterwards grow cruel and hardhearted Let us take heed of such a disposition which is so great an evil Appâ—iâ— we when together sometimes can joyn in love and unity pittying each other and bearing with each others infirmities bearing Christian admonition patiently but these good words and fair shows are vanished come to nothing where are those refreshing showers of love friendship which you were wont to water each other withal in your Christian societies In the room of these there now grows nothing but the lusts of pride passions and sad dissentions among us which parch and dry up all these good seeds of love and gentlenesse I desire to presse this the more because the Scripture is pleased to make use of this expression of the dew to set out the sweetness of a Christian spirit Psal 133.3 Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwel together in unity How
that he tendered up to God it was more than a prayer Answ Daniels case special Daniel at this time was cal'd to manifest Jehovah to be the true God for he was forbid at this time by a Decree to pray to any God or ask a petition of any man save of the King in thirty daies now had he done this he had denied the true God and acknowledged Nebuchadnezzer to be God the thing he had to profess was higher than the sacrifice it was a duty of the first commandement a manifestation of God to be the true God and the case coming thus who is the God that must be praid unto Daniel resolves the case saying I 'le pray to no God but the true God And surely in this high case profession is to be made whatever becomes of mercy yea in a lesser case of sacrifice than this if it comes to profession it is turned from a duty of the second Table to a duty of the first and must be done as a duty of the first as thus Suppose a man be forbid the doing of such a duty which formerly he hath constantly performed and held lawful and his forbearing of it shall be to them a testimony of his denial of that truth which he formerly held in such a case he is cal'd to suffer the hardest things that can be yea life it self if it come to it rather than to omit that duty or to do the least thing that may be which to the enemies of the truth may interpretatively be a sign of denial the doing of such a duty against such a command is a witnessing to the truth and not offering up of sacrifice it is not alwaies that a man is cal'd to this but if it ever come to this case interpretatively to deny a truth of God then must we suffer rather than obey in such a thing though never so smal and this was the case of the Primitive times they would rather suffer the loss of life estates and all than do that which interpretatively should be a profession of the denial of any of the least truth of God TertuliaÌ„ De Coronâ miletes Turtullian reports of a Soldier who when all the rest of his fellows carried Baies on their hats in testimony of their worship to the false god he carried a sprig in his hand and being asked the reason why he did so he answered thus I am a Christian and this manifested him to be so and being further questioned about it he at the last suffered for it rather than he would yeild How many among us would think this a smal matter and had it been their case they would have done it yet this man considering it was a note of distinction chose rather the loss of life than yeild to do it and this act of his was approved of by learned and godly men to be lawful if we should have lived in those times as many of our forefathers did that the question should be who is a Christian or who is not and this by way of distinction the case is different changed from a sacrifice to a precept and duty of the first commandement there was a time that the Saints would not assemble together because of the persecution Acts 8.1 but at another time they would not forsake ioyning together whatever become of them when their assembling was made a note of distinction who was a Saint who not who held for such a truth who would not in this case for them not to have assembled together had been a great sin in them and interpretatively a denial of the truth Obj. 4 But if God will have mercy in case of outward things saving our estates and preservation of our persâ—ns rather than his own Ordinances Is not this to prefer the body before the soul c. Answ The preservation of a mans outward estate and condition is to be considered in a threefold respect As it is in its self and when a man shall love his estate only in reference to its self certainly it is sin to regard it before sacrifice It is to be considered as it enables us to do service for God and our brethren and this is in a higher respect than the other of loving our estates for our selves It is to considered as a duty in such and such cases that so I may be made more serviceable for God and for his people Now in this case it is an act of Religion the saving of our estates as well as praying or hearing of a Sermon in this case it is act of sacrifice for I do it in obedience to God for Relious ends though the thing it self be an outward act yet thus done it is an act of Religion for by this I manifest both my love to God and Religion Obj. 5 But is not a man bound to part with much of his estate yea and to suffer much for the enjoyment of the Ordinances Answ Yea certainly very much we ought both to give and to suffer much for the enjoyment of Ordinances yea we should chuse rather to live in a poor condition so we may enjoy the Ordinances in their purity than to be in a rich condition and want the Ordinances we are to be liberal our selves and careful in putting on others to be so even till it come to the case of unmercifulness and then God will have mercy and not sacrifice Quest But when may it be said to come to a case of unmercifulnes in which God will have mercy and not sacrifice Answ 1 When a subsistance is so denied that the subject would be destroyed in this case God will rather have mercy than instituted worship performed to him Answ 2 When a greater opportunity is denied to do good to our own souls and brethren than this is of enjoyment of the Ordinances then surely God will have mercy and not sacrifice it is impossible to give particular rules in every thing this is left to the sanctified prudence of the Saints But is not this the justifying of and consenting with those that took Obj. 6 up Innovations and read the Service book I answer No Answ This Scripture gives no warrant for any such for there is a great difference between the yeilding to that which may pollute and defile the Ordinances and to forbear an Ordinance we must not do any thing to pollute an Ordinance though it were to save our lives but the forbearing of an Ordinance and that for long time may be and yet without sin But is it not a greater mercy to enjoy Ordinances than estates we Obj. 7 think it a great merey yea and we have many mercies in the enjoyment of them though we suffer many hard things in the mean time we enj y communion with God and Jesus Christ in them Certainly the mercy is very great Answ and much communion is thereto be had with God in his own Ordinances rightly administred and happy are those souls which find this effect by
197 Cause A good Cause may be lost by too much depending on it Page 388 Comfort see beasts Commands Commands to superstition usually find obedience Page 473 Communion How communion is defiled by the presence of wicked men Page 373 Creature The good or evil of the creature depends upon man Page 67 Contend God contends not without cause Page 21 God contends not for little things Page 22 Condition The condition of the person offending aggravates the sin Page 118 The poor condition of such as are rich only in this world Page 434 Conscience How pride of conscience may be discerned Page 395 Contempt Contempt of the word a constant companion to Idolatry Page 363 Controversie Controversies between them that are neer are grievous controversies Page 2 The controversie of Gods with sinners is very grievous Page 5 Gods controversie against England Page 8 Gods controversie with Covenant-breakers is dreadfull Page 26 Covetousness The covetousness of Priests Page 93 Counsels Perplexed counsels are a fearful judgment to a Nation Page 170 Court see Evil Curiosity see Superstition Carnal see Agreements Carthaginians The Carthaginians Law concerning Magistrates Page 660 Christ Christ became miserable for our consolation Page 548 Christs speech of neglect of parents expounded Page 604 Choice see Spirits Clouds Clouds and dew passing what it implies Page 576 Communicative see Nature Consolation Consolation to those whose friends have perished in Gods Cause Page 589 Comfort see God Consideration What considerations move men best to turn to God Page 536 Correction see Means Court see Idolatry Church see Assemblies Courage Motives to courage Page 535 Covenant The Covenant which God hath made with man is three-fold Page 622 The portion of Covenant-breakers Page 686 Cut-down How to know when a man is cut down Page 595 D Danger The danger of forsaking the truth Page 386 The danger of depending upon duties Page 403 Dangerous It is dangerous to venture upon the beginnings of false worship Page 354 It is dangerous to be deeply rooted in superstition Page 355 Defiled Defiled worship defiles the soul Page 372 Defiled see Nation Defilement A twofold defilement Page 371 Deny We should deny our selves to promote the true worship of God Page 357 Disappointment Disappointment brings shame Page 326 Distinction There ought to be a distinction made between the children of wicked and of godly Ministers Page 130 Disrespect Disrespect breeds shame Page 325 Divination How the Heathens were wont to divine by staves Page 134 Dogs Wicked men are dogs Page 73 Duty What the duty of Ministers is Page 141 What the duty of Christians is Page 474 Dying What a dying and terrified conscience is Page 500 Danger Danger see Night Daies see Festival Difference Dangerous It is dangerous to men to let good beginnings fall Page 583 See Hypocrisie Daniels case in prayer opened Page 611 Deliverance All deliverance comes from heaven Page 566 Destruction see wilfulness Difference Difference between Gods setting daies apart and mans setting daies apart Page 661 Discovery see Morning Duties see Natural Drunkenness Drunkenness brings diseases Page 663 E Education The custom of the Romans concerning the education of their children Page 421 Emperor Emperors called and accounted the Popes Dogs Page 117 England England admonished Page 86 A warning for England Page 375 see Controversie End The end of duties is to find out God Page 411 Evil The reason why there was so much evil at Court Page 115 See Punishment Example The example of wicked parents is not to be followed by their children Page 429 Excellency The excellency of grace makes sin the worse Page 179 Experience Experience of our late Prelates Page 358 Emperor An Emperor may be kept from the Sacrament Page 577 England The men of England of perverse spirits Page 572 Englands superstition reproved Page 589 England guilty of blood by calling murder manslaughter Page 627 Englands wickedness Page 641 Evil see Slander Excuses Mens excuses Page 570 Exhortation Exhortations to mercy Page 615 Experience The Saints experience Page 564 Expostulation see Form Expressions Scripture expressions against formality Page 621 F False worship The evils false worship doth in a Nation Page 138 Families The families of wicked Ministers are many times forgotten Page 97 Failings God looks not at the particular failings of a State Page 382 Flower The glory of the world is but as a flower Page 64 Formal God delights not in formal professors Page 412 Framing Notes of framing ones heart to the will of God Page 381 Faith Faith makes God real in the saddest condition Page 542 An eminent prop of faith Page 548 See Unworthiness and Repentance False Prophets False Ptophets are not to be followed Page 588 False Worship False Worship is to be trembled at Page 633 Festival daies Festival daies are usually distempering daies Page 664 Form A form of expostulation with ones soul Page 570 G Gilgal Wherein Gilgal was famous Page 183 Given A dreadful thing to be given over of God and why Page 207 Glory see Flower God God is a God of truth Page 23 God is no respecter of person Page 118 We should seriously mind what God doth Page 338 Gods pleading with man is not to be neglected Page 345 How God rebukes men Page 363 God will deal with men according to their present waies Page 370 God is not engaged to any Page 402 God delights most in his second right Page 405 God will not alwaies be found Page 411 God never smites a people before he warns them Page 452 God is a moth and rottenness and how Page 477 See Real Controversy Contend Punish Wrath Holiness Good works The good works of the Saints shall return unto them Page 121 Governors Governors of families should be careful of their families Page 154 The Governors of the people are usually the causes of the evils of the people Page 198 See Rulers Grace see Excellency God God will have glory from men Page 516 Gods usual way of comforting his people Page 520 God works by contraries Page 540 God doth not willingly grieve men Page 669 See Heart Keep Leave Penitent Mercies bound Governors see Wicked Great-men Great men are not easily reformed Page 577 Grounded We must be well grounded in the cause we suffer for Page 540 H Hard Hard truths are hardly born Page 2 The signs of an hard heart Page 515 Heathens Why the Heathens sacrificed undrr trees Page 149 A notable speech of an Heathen Page 552 Heart The secrets of mans heart are known to God Page 367 The heart of man is knotty Page 593 See Framing Argument Hard Note Herod Herods mercy in time of famine Page 30 Holiness God putteth a stamp of holiness upon the places he chuseth Page 143 Hope There is little hope of private means when publick means fail Page 85 Humble An humble man knows much of the mind of Christ Page 396 Help We should help those that suffer for a good cause Page 574 Heal How God healeth Page 640 Hypocrites see
Page 345 Riches How riches are fatal to Church-men Page 100 Rule The rule of our actions must be known and why Page 341 Rulers Rulers and Governors should be men of good mettle Page 229 Romans see Education Resurrection We live in Christs Resurrection Page 543 Relations What relation God stands in to the Saints Page 547 Revealing We must take notice of Gods revealing himself to us Page 557 Reformation see Hypocrisie Religion see Unconstancy S Saints see Good works Sacrifices The sacrifices of the wicked are slaughters Page 3â—â— What sacrifices should be rendred up to God Page 332 Satan Satans way to get in false worship Page 469 See Temptation Admonition Sensual see Ministers Sensuality Sensuality is a besotting sin Page 129 Self-love Self-love is sinful Page 409 Sermons Sermons must be preached to the life Page 439 How to know when a Sermon works really Page 440 Ministers in their Sermons must denounce war if peace be slighted Page 441 Secret sins see Beware Services Former services are not to be presumed on Page 402 Shame Causes of shame what they are Page 326 Sin Sin causeth a controversie between God and man Page 4 Sin not mortified will break out again Page 59 God punisheth sin with sin Page 152 Sin after rebuke is very sinful Page 363 Sin acts more on the will than on the power Page 376 Sin see Controversie Stealing What stealing is Page 52 Strife Strife against God is dreadful Page 7 Strive see priest Striving Striving against God is vain Page 6 Scornfulness Scornfulness reproved Page 19 Scripture see Papists Society The Society of the Saints is to be improved Page 196 State A State is hard to be stood out against in matter of Religion Page 365 State see Failing Subjects Subjects suffer for Princes sins Page 490 Superstition Curiosity to see Superstition is dangerous Page 187 See Preaching Command Superstitious How Superstitious men look upon Gods Ordinances Page 325 Superstitious people must be heeded when they come with greatest shew of reason Page 358 Superstitious people are abundant in services Page 406 Superstitious people spare no cost in their services Page 407 See Admonition Stubborn Stubborn people have base spirits Page 194 Swearing Whence swearing proceeds Page 41 The evil of swearing Page 42 Swearing in its self is lawful Page 189 See Lying Salutation The ancient form of the Saints salutation Page 549 Saints What the Saints shall know Page 553 See Experience Sacrifice see Mercy Scornful Evil men are scornful Page 665 Seasonableness Seasonableness commends duty Page 565 Service see Judgment Sin Sin disturbs Heaven and Earth Page 511 Slanders The evils of slanders Page 659 Sluggish A Sluggish spirit in the men of our times Page 556 Soul see Form Suffer see Help Steward see Vertue Superstition see England Spirit God hath sent choice spirits to London Page 590 T Take heeed How men ought to take heed to the Lord Page 126 Ten Tribes Why the ten Tribes had never a good King Page 469 Temptation Satans Temptations are an aggravation to sin Page 386 Terrified see Dying Thought Our Thoughts must be accounted for Page 120 Toys Men contend about toys Page 23 Threatnings see Real Treachery Treachery against God is dangerous Page 419 Treachery is the greatest sin Page 420 Trust see Avenged Truth Suffering truths go hardly down with Ministers Page 94 A hint of Truth prevails much with a subdued heart Page 389 See Hard Terror Terror to Hypocrites Page 551 Thoughts see Penitent Tryal see Repentance Turning Joint turning to God is very honorable Page 531 U Understanding What evil want of understanding doth Page 167 Ugly The ugly face of sin Page 63 Unfaithfulness Unfaithfulness provokes God to cast men off Page 96 Universities Univers ties corrupted Page 628 Why Universities are corrupted Page 116 Unlawful We can never expect unlawful undertakings to prosper Page 124 Vertues Vertues requisite in a steward Page 609 Unbeleef Lay up for time to come against unbeleef Page 546 Unconstancy Unconstancy in Religion provokes God Page 592 Unworthiness Faith sees worthiness in our unworthiness W Way When God is in a way of wrath he can reach the most remote creatures Page 68 Wicked The different spirits of wicked men in prosperity and adversity Page 64 Many wicked Parents are loth their children ' should be wicked Page 156 Wicked men shall need God Page 407 See Children Dogs Wickedness Thoughtful wickedness is the worst wickedness Page 120 God remembers wickedness a long time Page 649 It is a wickedness to flatter Princes Page 653 It is a wickedness to obey unlawful commands Page 653 See Apostates Whoremongers Whoremongers and plausible Ministers are alike Page 124 Works see Good Wine How Wine takes away the heart Page 130 Worship In point of Gods Worship we must not do as others do Page 177 By whom the Worship of God is disesteemed Page 325 See Institution Will Will-worship is abominable to God Page 360 The more will to sin the greater is the sin Page 472 Willing see Obedience Wrath No creature can help in time of Gods wrath Page 68 Wicked men Wicked men are led aside by their Governors Page 653 Wicked men are of no use Page 690 Wilfulness Wilfulness after enlightning is a note of destruction Page 579 Worthiness see Unworthiness Word How the Word slaies Page 590 The Word slaies either the sin or the soul Page 596 Worship see False Y Young Young Converts and weak Christians are soon deceived Page 409 Young ones Young ones are the hope of a Nation Page 429 Young ones must not be corrupted Page 430 Young ones are subject to m scarry Page 578 FINIS
baked and therefore proved abortive and came to nothing and we have cause to bless God Applic. to England who gave them up to this violence of rage Those in Jeroboams time were wise enough to carry on their designs with moderation policy and secrecy and so got the day though our enemies were not And as wicked men do stay and are contented to wait till the fittest time is for the accomplishment of their wicked plots so the Devil is contented to wait Satans temptat he first tempts the soul to sin and when the temptation hath prevailed he staies a while and lets the sin work a while therefore take heed of letting a temptation prevail do not roul them up and down in your thoughts saying what if I should do such a thing what if I should not now know that the Devil is a leavening your hearts and when your hearts are thus leavened the Devil will come in with such strength of temptation that you shall not be able to resist him therefore as Christ bad his Disciples to beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees so take heed of the leaven of Satan in this kind and in this the Devil deals as God doth with a sinner in the Gospel the Gospel is compared to leaven in Mat. 13.33 God he leavens the heart with some truth or other and there lets it lie and soak a while in the soul God casts into the soul some truth and doth not presently urge it with violence upon the soul putting them presently upon difficult duties which they are not capable to perform at the first but lets these truths lie soak and spread in the heart till such time as the disposition and savor of the heart be moulded and changed into the truth and then the Lord comes in with other truths and works them upon the heart which it was neither fit nor capable of before and it were wisdom in the Ministers of the Gospel to take this course not violently to urge strict and hard duties upon new converts which they are not capable of as to say this must be done and the other must not be neglected but press the Gospel to them and there let it lie and soak a while upon the spirit and blessed is that soul which is thus levened The Lord wil carry on this work to perfection these beginnings the Lord in his time will finish VER 5. In the day of our King the Princes have made him sick with bottles of wine be stretched out his hand with scorners THere is no preposition in in the Hebrew 't is only The day of our King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The people being leavened with Jeroboams Idolatry they now make their acclamations in honor of their King The day of our King and rejoyce in the way of their worship which they had from their King which he his Princes had set up would not regard the requests and petitions of some few who desired it might not be established and though they were bound in conscience to go up to Jerusalem yet notwithstanding the King would send forth his Edicts to tell the people there should be no more going up to Jerusalem but to Dan and Bethel now at this they rejoyce and cry out Oh the day of our good King which hath set his good people at liberty and eased us of our great journey to Jerusalem to the danger of the Kingdom and is an enemy to those precise people This day of their King was either the day of his birth or his coronation day or the day in which he set up the Calves at Dan and Bethel Now it cannot be imagined but that there was some murmurings amongst some of the people they were not all of a mind to give their consent to the setting up of the Calves therfore they did it by a strategem with all the mirth and triumphing in the day of their King pleasing and pampering the flesh drowned al the discontents by this way of pleasing the flesh caused all things to be carried before them Or thus If the people were not throughly levened by this means they would take this course Come we wil go set up our King and magnifie our King and this will prepare the people to receive any thing he enjoyns Let the Citizens be in their gowns and the Gentry in their bravery and let the King be amongst them and shew himself courteous and loving to the people and now let us cry out Oh our good King This is the day of our King Those who carry this day to the day of his birth Kings birthdays have this Note That we never read in Scripture of any godly King that ever celebrated his birth-day but of three wicked Kings of Pharoah Gen. 40.20 and of Jeroboam in this text and of Herod in Mark 6.21 not that it is altogether unlawful to celebrate or observe a birth-day or a coronation day if it be observed with two Cautions So that it be not made as a holy day wth what cautiō to be celebrated so there be not put a holiness in it for God never gave that power to man to set a day apart as holy for his use Then it may be here objected Object What may not man set daies apart for Humiliation or Thanksgiving Yea he may Then what is the difference between Gods setting of dayes apart for holy uses and mans setting of daies apart for holy uses The difference lies in this Answ Time and things set apart by God for holy imployments and services besides that they make the duties more holy and the Ordinances more solemn and spiritual than they are upon a day which man doth appoint for mans appointment puts no holiness upon the duties which are done upon those daies there is a holinesse in them when out of their use as in Ministers c. but there no more holiness in daies and times set apart by man for God than there is holiness put upon the paper which the Bible is printed upon the Printer takes out so many reams of paper from his heap and sets them apart to print the Bible now will any man think this paper is more holy than the rest There may be a day kept yet so as God do not at that time call for some other duty or service from us man must not so tie himself by any institution of his own as to crosse Gods providence as supose I have set a day apart for thanksgiving at that very day providence may so fall out that God may call for a day of humiliation now if I should keep a thanksgiving day and so crosse providence being cal'd to humiliation I should sin in the thing These two things being observed I know nothing to the contrary but that it may be lawful to observe a day a man may remember his birth-day in this kind to be humbled for not doing the work we are called unto so men
married may at the revolution of the yeer bless God for the mercies they have enjoyed in that Ordinance entred into on that day but how many are there who have little cause to remember either that or their birth day nay may they not rather with Job curse the day of their birth Suppose you should hear a voice from heaven this day that you must die and not live that this must be the last day you should live tell me then could you bless God for the day of your birth would the thoughts of it be delightful to you 'T is reported of Philip the third King of Spain Philip the 3 of Spain who lived so strictly that he never committed any gross crime never committed any known sin willingly yet when he came to die cries out Oh that I had never reigned that I had lived a private life in the wilderness that I might not have the sin to answer for not doing the good or hindering the evil which I might have done It is a sad thing when men come to die that they cannot look back with comfort to their lives spent that they have not discharged their places had Jeroboam kept his birth day in this manner there had been no evil in it but his keeping of it was only to satisfie the flesh till he himself was sick with wine in such daies Bachus and Venus have the greatest portions Obs 1 Festeval daies are usually made distempering daies daies of provocation It follows With bottels of wine This wine is like that in Deut. 32.33 Their wine is the poyson of Dragons and the cruel venime of Asps this wine of Asps it makes the spirits warm and the body sick Job knew the danger of feasting therefore when his children were a feasting he was in sacrificing They made the king drunk with wine This was the way which they took to gain the King And is not this the course which is taken now in our daies to betray the young Gentry into base filthiness This was the plot of these Priests first to make the King drunk and then they could do any thing with him could get any edict from him to serve their base ends and intentions to suppress the precise people Drunkenness is an old Court sin See how the Prophet Isa Obs 2 28.1 fills his mouth with woes and threatnings against the drunkenness of Ephraim Wo to the Crown of pride to the drunkards of Ephraim The Court the Crown of Ephraim was at Samaria A miserable thing it is that those which have the most opportunity for God should spend their time in such beastly vanities and do to their bodies and souls as Richard the third Rich. 3d to his brother drown them in a Butt of Sack Drunkards courses brings diseases Be not amongst wine-bibbers Obs 3 amongst riotous eaters of flesh Drunkennes brings diseases for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty how many are there which carry about with them the marks of their lusts as Paul carried about him the marks of the Lord Jesus men will venture much for their lusts but if Christ call them to suffer any thing for him then they are tender and sickly but let their estates healths and credits stand in the way to hinder them in the pursuance of their desires in sin they will break through them all now a shame is it for a Christian not to do more for God than these men will do for their lusts Timothy is commanded to drink but a little wine and that for his refreshment to help nature but when men drink make sots of themselves by it what diseases doth this bring men into See Mr. Sa. Ward his wo to drunkenes as the falling sickness disfiguring their countenances making them to look more lik swine than men c. The Scripture tells us that the Saints bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost do you think that such a body as this is like to be a Temple no but rather like matter for the very sinck of hell where all filth shall be fuel for everlasting burning How canst thou answer the weakning of thy strength by this lust when God deserves all thy abilities It may be thou wilt say thou wert never dead drunk but wert thou never so distemperd as to weaken thy abilities and make thee unfit for service how sinful then is the practice of those that drink others healths till themselves are sick through excess Drunkenness is vile in any but most of all vile in Governors men of place and power Prov. 31.4 It is not for Kings to drink wine nor for Princes strong drink It is not for them and why because they are above us and how can any man endure to be under drunken beasts they are gods and how vile and abominable is it to have drunken gods The law of Carth. Therefore the Carthaginians made a Law that none of their Magistrates in the time of their Magistracie should drink any wine Obs 4 It is much more vile to make others drunk than to be drunk our selves Therefore in Esth 1.8 the drinking was according to the Law none did compel for the King had appointed to all the Officers of the house that they should do according to every mans pleasure none were compelled to drink more than they were willing you may think they express a great deal of love to you in drinking to you and pressing you to drink and when they have overcome you then will they laugh at you and make you a scorn especially if they can get you who are professors of Religion to be overtaken Therefore you had need above all men to take heed of this sin for if you fall Religion suffereth and the Name of God is evil spoken of by your means therefore Christ bids his Disciples themselves to take heed of surfeting and drunkenness Therefore you that are professors had the more need to take heed of this sin and mind this exhortation of Christ Obs 5 That drunkenness is vile at any time but especially when we pretend to praise God When God shall shew thee mercy and thou pretendest to praise him for it and then take liberty to be excessive in the creature this is most abominable we have had many daies of thanksgiving to praise God for his mercies if we have been excessive in the use of the creatures be humbled 't is an ill requital of God for his mercy It follows He stretched out his hand with the scorners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Septuagent translate this word Scorners by divers words as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First Pestilent people so in Psal 1.5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the Congregation of the righteous because every scorner is a plague to the family place and town where he lives Prov. 22.10 Cast out the scorner and contention will go out yea strife and reproach shall cease Hierom translates these words