God would have but one Altar 74 Answ 1. These Altars did typifie two things 1 That Christ was to be the only sacrifice 74 2 That all our services are accepted only in him ib. 2. That it might be the bond of the Church Other Objections Answered 76 Obs 1 Mans inventions in Gods Worship are rejected of God 77 Obs 2 There is no stop in superstitious worship 78 Obs 3 We are ready to imitate our forefathers in what is evil but not in what is good 79 Obs 4. Take heed distance of time make us not to fear the threatning the less 80 Obs 5 Every age ads something to Idolatry and false worship 81 Obs 6 What ever names we give to things it may be God will give other names and titles 83 Obs 7 When mens hearts are set upon fals waies of worship it is just with God to let them have their desires to the full ib. VERSE XII Obs 1 Whatsoever is urged or practised in matter of worship it must have warrant out of the written Word of God 85 Obs 2 We should look upon the Scriptures as concerning our selves 92 Obs 3 The things of Gods Worship are to be looked upon as great things 96 1 Because they are from a great God ib. 2 The lustre of the great God shines in them ib. 3 They are the mysteries of Gods will 97 4 They are of great concernment 98 5 They have great power on the heart of man ib. 6 They make all those great that receive them 99 7 They are great in Gods account ib. Obs 4 The word is matter for the greatest spirits to exercise themselves about 101 Obs 5 It is a special means to obedience to have high thoughts of Gods Law 102 Obs 6. The worship of God is a great matter 103 The Word of God accounted strange 1 As not concerning them 105 2 Strange in their apprehensions 106 3 There is no sutableness between their hearts and the Doctrine 107 4 They use the Word as a stranger viz. for their own ends 108 Obs 7 Superstitious people that are very zealous in their own way of worship are very negligent in Gods way 108 Obs 8 It is a dangerous thing for men to have their hearts estranged from Gods Law 110 The Degrees of the hearts estrangement from God 1 His delight in God abates 111 2 They are less frequent together ib. 3 He hath hard thoughts of Gods Word ib 4 He wisheth the things in the Word were otherwise ib. 5 He begins to listen to things that are against the Word 112 6 He will not search throughly into truths ib. 7 An engagement in some unlawful practice ib. 8 Weighty arguments now become weak ib. 9 He violently rejects the Word ib. Obs 8 That which mens corrupt hearts will not close withal they put it upon Christ as if Christ had delivered them from it 113 VERS XIII Obs 1 Men may continue in outward profession and yet the great things of Gods Law may be strange to them 115 Obs 2 Most men offer up nothing to God in sacrifice but flesh 116 Obs 3 To aim at Self in serving God eats out true devotion 117 Obs 4 If Self be regarded all is rejected 119 Obs 5 Men may be much in holy services and yet their sins stand upon the score nevertheless 120 Obs 6 Howsoever God may forbear wicked men a time yet he hath a time to remember all ib. Obs 7 God remembers the sins of wicked people especially in the performance of holy duties 122 1 Because we come into Gods presence ib. 2 Holy Duties are aggravations of sin ib. Obs 8 God visits mens sins when they think he neglects them most 123 Obs 9 Carnal hearts when God visits their sins plot which way to shift for themselves 124 Obs 10 It is one of the most dreadful judgments of God upon a Nation when he hath delivered them from one bondage to deliver them into the same again 125 Obs 11 It is just with God that those that inherit their fathers sins should inherit their fathers judgments ib. Obs 12 All places are places of misery when God forsakes a People ib. VERSE XIV Obs 1 God punisheth for sin when men are most secure 126 Obs 2 It is Gods favor that makes a man 127 Obs 3 The greater excellency God raiseth a man to the viler is his sin to forget God 128 Obs 4 When mens hearts are farthest off from God then are they forwardest in superstition 128 Objections answered 129 Obs 5 Men are more subject to secure themselves from outward things than from Gods wrath 132 Obs 6 When men bless themselves in their own thoughts they should consider what are Gods thoughts 133 Obs 7 Brave things are subject to Gods devouring fire 134 CHAP. IX VERS I. Obs 1 That 's a sad war where the Conqueror hath cause to be sad at the Conquest 137 Vse for England ib. Obs 2 Leagues wherein we much rejoyce may prove occasions of sorrow 138 Use Be not greedy of peace before the time ib. Obs 3 Carnal hearts bless themselves in in outward prosperity 139 Obs 4 When men be jolly and merry they should consider whether it be from God or not 140 Obs 5 We may prosper and yet have no cause of joy ib. Obs 6 Carnal hearts are immoderate in joy 141 Exhortations 1 Be not taken with the worlds jollity 142 2 Imitate them not in their waies of rejoycing ib. 3 Do not rejoyce as a People 143 4 Rejoyce not profanely ib. 5 Rejoyce not as having so much cause as others 144 Obs 7 Many that scorn mean men may not be in so good a case as they ib. Obs 8 Although we enjoy the same blessings that othess do yet we may not have the same cause to rejoyce that they have 144 Obs 9 It is a great argument of mens misery that others rejoyce when they cannot 145 Obs 10 That which we call little matter in corrupting Gods Worship God calls a going a whoring from him 147 Obs 11 A People may be free from the gross evils of another people and yet be in a worse condition than they 147 Proved 148 Obs 12 To be constant to evil principles is not so great an evil as to be false in good principles ib. Obs 13 The sins of Gods People are the greatest sins of all 149 Obs 14 Idolaters love outward prosperity because it is a reward of their service to their Idols 153 VERSE II. Obs 1 God often lets wicked men come near a mercy and then cuts them off 154 Obs 2 God strikes wicked men in those things their hearts are mâ—st set upon ib. Obs 3. The promises of the creature will lye the promises of the world will not 155 Obs 4 Men shall fail at last in what they think they to get in a way of sin ib. VERSE III. Obs 1 It is a great judgment of God to drive men out of a Land for sin 159 Obs 2 The state of the Church of God
Oh! you must not rejoyce as other people you look upon a Drunkard that reels in the streets and hear a Swearer blaspheme the Name of God yea but that may not be so great an evil as the vanity of thy spirit And why The loosness of thy heart and those secret sins thou art guilty of because thou hast so covenanted and bound thy self to God the Drunkard was never made sensible of his sin and wrath of God upon his conscience but the wrath of God hath been upon thy conscience and thou hast engaged thy self to God if he would shew mercy Oh! thou would'st walk holily and strictly before him Now doest thou think that thy sins are as the sins of other people They never had such Soul-quickning Ordinances but go up and down to Taverns and Alehouses and never know what a powerful Sermon meant upon their hearts and had they such means as thou hast then it 's like it would be with them far better than now and the Name of God is not so much polluted by them as by thee thou that art a Professor of Religion the eyes of all men are upon thee and in thy sin thou doest not only disobey God but thou doest pollute the Name of God thou art a stumbling block unto others and the cause of the hardning of many hundreds in their sins and therfore thy sin certainly is worse than others This would be a great Point to shew how the sins of the Professors of Religion are worse than others and therefore it is not enough for you to say We are all sinners No we must not excuse our selves in this that others are guilty as well as we Oh! but consider what aggravations there is of thy sin more than there is of the sins of others It is a sign of a very carnal heart to think to go away thus it 's true I sin and others sin as well as I do yea but a true penitent heart wil not only consider that he is a sinner but what aggravations are there upon his sin more than upon the sins of others and so will lay it upon their hearts It 's true such and such sin but had they what I have had it would not be so with them my sin that hath broken through so many terrors of conscience and that God hath sought by such means to keep me from my sin it is a sign of the violence of my spirit indeed that hath broken through so much as I have done it is therefore an abominable thing to make our profession in holy Duties a Medium to make our sins less Doest thou think that this is a means to make thee escape that wrath Certainly this is a great aggravation of thy sins We have a generation of men among us that because they are Beleevers therefore they need no sorrow for their sin they must have only joy Now certainly thy being a Beleever may aggravate thy sin so much the more and may make it so much the more vile and may pierce thy heart so much the more for if thou beest a Beleever thou knowest what the pardon of thy sins cost therefore certainly Gods mercies towards thee are the aggravation of thy sins The truth is suppose our sins were not so great as the sins of some other people are yet it is not alwaies an argument that we may rejoyce as other people Why so you will say Thus Suppose our sins be but equal or less than the sins of other people yet it is more than we know whether God will pass by our sins so much as by the sins of others What if God out of his Prerogative damn thee for a little sin and save others that have committed great sins We have such examples in Scripture as in the example of Saul the thing that God cast away Saul for in its self it was not so much as that which David had been guilty of he had been guilty of groser sins than that which God cast away Saul for Saul might have said this is an offence but is this like Murder and Adultry What if it be not God will pardon David and cast away Saul Oh! do not you think to rejoice as other people do Why may not God do with his mercie as he pleases it is his own God may pardon one and damn thee eternally And therefore let no sinner please himself with what others do for he is not to do as others do Now it follows Thou hast loved a reward upon every corn-flour Israel saw the Nations have a great deal of plentie upon their Corn flours which they attributed to the serving of their Idol gods therefore Israel thought to comply with them out of the love to the plentie they had and since the time that she had complied with the Nations about her she prospered more she thought and this she loved by this she was exceeding hardned in her waies of Idolatry and blessed her self in them This is the scope God made many Promises for provision for Israel in his service but they made accompt to get more in following the waies of the Gentiles than in following Gods waies Like Harlots though they have liberal provision from their husbands yet they hoping to get more by others they love braverie and jolitie and they see that other Harlots they live more merrilie and go finer in cloaths and can be whol nights in chambering and wantonness and have good cheer and they love this and though they have allowance enough at home yet they leave their husbands and follow whoremasters Just thus it was with Israel though she might have Gods care over her and provision for her in the waies of his Worship yet she beholding the Gentiles living more bravely she would follow after them At first as you heard she hired Lovers her self but now she loves a reward upon everie Corn-flour now she expects greater advantage this indeed was the matter that put her on the loving a reward upon every corn-flour she might have many pretences Why she did not see but that she might do such and such things and they were not directly contrary to Gods Word but whatsoever she did pretend in the altering the way of Gods Worship yet this was the great matter that prevailed with her heart it was The loving a reward upon every corn flour And thus it is with very many that are superstitious come and speak to them of their waies they will have very many fair pretences they think that they have this and that warrant out of the Scripture for it but all the the while there is a pad in the straw there is their living and trading and estates and friends that they have an eye upon and it is that which byasses their hearts and spirits But divers things have been spoken to the same purpose of this that we met withal before only this one Note Idolaters do love their Corn and outward
there you may see how these reformed and yet they suffered much difficulty Strange is the Counsels of God concerning men For the first That Judah is said to plow That is They shall endure a great deal of trouble in the reforming what is amiss among them From whence our Note is this That it is an honor for men to labor and go through difficulties for God while others are laboring for taking their ease Be not troubled that you see other people can take liberty to themselves to provide for their estates and comings in and to live bravely Doth God give you an heart in the mean time to be willing to go through hard work for God Envie not at them thou art in the better condition thou art plowing for God while they are providing for their own ease thou art doing God service and they are only providing for themselves Oh! thou art far the happier man the happier woman And then in the second place Take the plowing for the hard things they suffered for God aswel as the hard things they did for God Then the Note of Observation is this Let no men boast they live more at ease than others Others suffer more hardship than thou do not think that God loves thee more than others God loved Judah at this time more than Ephraim and yet Ephraim lived bravely and prevailed over Judah and Judah was brought under in such a manner as this Judah was Gods true Church and Israel did apostatize from God and yet one had more outward prosperity than the other Thus many times those upon whom Gods heart is more set they suffer hard afflictions And those that Gods heart is not so much upon they enjoy their prosperity Oh! I beseech you consider of this point for at this day how many of our Brethren in the Western parts Oh! the Plowers have plowed deep furrows upon their backs while we have been here as it were treading out the Corn let not us think that God loves us more than them they may be more dear to God than we Judah was far more dear to God than Israel and yet Israel must live jocundly and bravely Oh! consider of this you that are of greater rank all your life is treading out the Corn you see your poor neighbors endure much hardship Oh think not that you are higher in Gods thoughts than they they may be more dear to God than you and yet they may be put to difficulties and you may live bravely all your lives But that that may seem to weaken this Note is only this viz. They shall plow But the Hebrews do ordinarily make use of the Tenses the Future and the Preter promiscuously but if you put it to the Future that they shall plow hereafter they interpret it to signifie the Captivity of Judah that they shal be carried into Captivity and so be brought under by the Babylonians Yea but Jacob shall break his clods By Jacob we must understand the ten Tribes As if God should say here That Judah shall be put to some difficulties yet Jacob the ten Tribes must be put to more Judah shall be carried into Captivity yea but Jacob shall break the clods Though Judah shall plow yet the breaking the clods is worse than the plowing for that 's more servil For the Work-Master he is the chief he goes on in plowing but it is his Servant or Boy he may set to breake the clods after him So though Judah shall be brought to difficulties yet Jacob shal be put to more difficulties for the Captivity of Judah was great yet it was not so great as Jacobs Or others thus Judah shall plow and Jacob shall break her clods That is Judahs clods The expression we have here with the reference it hath to Judah seems to carry this with it That there shall be a time though now you that are the ten Tribes you are so delicate and proud above Judah Judah is lower than you and you despise them yet time shall come that you shall be glad to joyn with Judah and be as a servant to Judah to break her clods when God shall restore his people again Judah shall return from his captivity and shall be taking pains in the Service of God and it shall be well for you if you can but come and be as their servant Those that do forsake the true Worship of God though God may have mercy upon them afterwards to joyn them with his People yet it is well if they may come to be in the meanest condition among Gods People they should be willing to submit unto it those that have dishonored God and sham'd themselves in times of tryal to forsake the Truths of God it 's mercy that ever God will bring them to joyn with his Church again But if he doth bring them to joyn with his Church they should think it a great mercy and be willing to be in the meanest condition what must those men think to be Masters Lords that have forsaken God and his Truth and have been very false for their own ends to save themselves and states in time of tryal shall they think in times of Reformation to bear all before them Oh! it 's mercy if they may be but admitted to break the clods to joyn with those Servants of God that have been faithful and willing to serve him through difficulties It follows VER 12. Sow to your selves in Righteousness reap in Mercy THE holy Ghost still goes on in this Allegory of Husbandry continuing the metaphor that he had in the Threatning when he comes to exhortation In the midst of his threats he falls to exhorting Though the sins of a people be great and Judgments neer yet who knows what an exhortation may do who knows what an exhortation may do to the worst people in the world Oh! there were many things spoken concerning Israel that one would have thought it should have discouraged the Prophe to meddle with Exhortation But God would have him yet exhort one cannot tell what an Exhortation may do in the most desperate hardness of mens hearts and pride and stoutness of mens spirits therefore the Prophet exhorts them as if he should say Well if you would not plow if you would not come under the yoke and be put into the furrows as you were threatned before why then sow to your selves Oh! be willing to break up the fallow ground of your hearts and sow to your selves in Righteousness and so you shall reap in Mercy Sow in Righteousness and reap in Mercy I find some of the Antients they interpret this somewhat wildly Sow in Righteousness that is saith Hierom upon the place Sow in the Law in obedience to the Law and reap in the Grace of the Gospel that 's his Interpretation you shall sow in the works of the Law and reap in the Gospel This is far fetcht I find Luther
JEREMIAH BVRROUGHES Gospell-Preacher To two of the greatest Congregations in England Viz. Stepney and Cripplegate London Aetatis Suae 45. Câ—â—ss sculpt Iune 1. 1646 AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical Observations CONTINUED Upon the Eighth Ninth and Tenth Chapters of the PROPHESY OF HOSEA Being First delivered in several LECTURES at Michaels Cornhil LONDON By Jeremiah Burroughs Being the Sixth Book published by Thomas Goodwin William Greenhil Sydrach Simpson William Bridge John Yates Will. Adderly LONDON Printed by Peter Cole at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1650. To the READER VVHAT We have by way of Preface set before the Edition of the Fourth Fifth Sixth and Seventh Chapters may sufficiently serve for a Premise to these Eighth Ninth and Tenth Chapters as holding forth the Use and Scope of the whol Prophesie and the Authors Intentions in his Comment theron So as We shall only need now to give LETTERS of CREDENCE before the World to the passing of These as the best and most authentick Notes that could any way be obtained both as the Extracts of the best Notes of Sermons taken from his Mouth and chiefly his own Writings which were more brief Exspect shortly the Eleventh Twelfth and Thirteenth Chapters from the same hand We commit Them and the Reader to the blessing of God Thomas Goodwyn Sydrach Simpson William Greenhil William Bridge John Yates Will. Adderly THE CONTENTS Hosea Chap. VIII VERSE I Observation 1 MInisters must not only be trumpeters of Mercy and Peace but also of Judgment Page 2 Obs 2 Ministers must not be weary of their work though little good come of it 3 Obs 3 The denunciation of threatning in the Name of God is a terrible sound ibid. Obs 4 Men flatter themselves when danger is at a distance 4 Obs 5 All the swiftness of an enemy is from God 5 Obs 6. God doth not presently cast away a Church though it be guilty of many sins ibid Obs 7. It is an high expression of the Priviledge of a Church That it is the house of the Lord. 6 Obs 8 Though we be Gods house yet enemies may come upon us 7 VERSE II. Opened 8 Obs 1 In affliction men see their need of God 9 Obs 2 The vilest wretches in time of distress will call for help of God ibid Obs 3. Acknowledgment of God in a formal way is that Hypocrites think will comend them to God 10 Obs 4 Degenerate children look for favor for their godly parents sakes 11 Obs 5 They will think to have the same mercies their fathers had ib. VERSE III. Obs 1 The true Worship of God is the Good thing by way of Excellencie 12 Obs 2 Gods Worship is repelled by carnal hearts ib. Obs 3 Though at first men only leave God yet at last they cast him off with abomination ib. Obs 4 When the good of Duty is cast off the evil of punishment will come in 14 VERSE IV. Expounded 15 Obs 1 We may do the thing God would have done and yet sin highly against God 17 Obs 2 To go about great businesses without consulting with God is sin 18 Obs 3 Alteration in Civil Government is a great matter ib. Obs 4 When we are about great businesses we must look at Gods ends ib. Obs 5 We can have no comfort of Gods mercies if we stay not Gods time 19 Obs 6 When we have a mercy promised we must take it by lawful means ib. Obs 7 When we have a mercy we must improve it for God 20 Obs 8 God knows how to make use of mens sins 22 Obs 9 God many times suffers sinners to prosper a long time ib. VERSE V. Obs 1 Though Idolaters promise themselves safety by their Idols yet they will leave them at last 26 Obs 2 Take heed of Engagements in what is evil 28 Obs 3 If by custom in evil we have no power to get out this will be no excuse ib. VERSE VI. Obs 1 None are so soâ—â—ish in wicked waies as Apostats 30 Obs 2 To he devisers of evil in Gods Worship is a great aggravation of sin ib. Obs 3 Men stick close to their own inventions in Gods Worship ib. Obs 4 There is no sin more hereditary then Idolatry ib. Obs 5 Idols must be broken in pieces 34 Obs 6 Whatsoever may be broken in pieces we may not make our God ib. Obs 7 Deifying a Creature makes way for the destruction of the Creature 35 VERSE VII Obs 1 Idolaters are willing to take pains for their false worship 35 Use Let us take pains for the the true Worship ib. Obs 2 Idolaters sow in hope 36 Obs 3 Idolaters lay a ground for succession ib. Obs 4 Idolaters observe their season ib. Obs 5 Many sow the wind 37 Who sow the wind 1 Some Students ib. 2 Idolaters ib. 3 Formalists 38 4 Vain glorious ib. 5 Carnal Polititians 39 6 Such as serve themselves of sin ib. Use 1. Comfort for the Church that al their enemies do but sow the wind 39 Use 2. Ministers must beware of sowing the wind 1 If they bring empty words 2 Their own fancies to the people 41 Obs 6 They that sow the wind it is just with God they should reap the whirlwind 42 Obs 7 Sometimes wicked actions may seem to prosper though the curse of God be upon them 44 Obs 8 To have our desires satisfied for a while and then destroyed is a great judgment 45 VERSE VIII Expounded 46 VERSE IX Expounded 50 Object Why doth God compare the ten Tribes to a wild Ass Answ 1. To shew their stubbornness 52 2 To shew their contemptibleness 53 Obj Why doth he say Alone Answ 1. To shew they would be under no Government 54 2 That they were fit for no society 55 Obs 1 Where we place our confidence there our love should be placed ib. Obs 2 Idolaters wil not stand upon terms if they may have their Idols any way 56 Obs 3 It is an evil thing to be drawn to false worship 57 VERSE X. Obs 1. It is a great evil when wicked men seem to prosper more than Gods people in outward estate 59 Obs 2 Many times when men think they provide most for their peace they provide most for their ruin 61 Obs 3 People many times run headily on in evil waies that will destroy them 62 Text opened in diverse Particulars 63 Obs 1. When sinners have brought trouble upon themselves then they complain much 66 Admonition to England ib. Obs 2. Taxes upon mens estates is but a little burden in respect of being brought under the power of the enemy 67 Obs 3 Taxes are but little burden in comparison to the carrying of our brethren into captivity 67 Obs 4 It is Gods mercy to bring lesser evils upon us thereby to prevent greater ib. Obs 5. The consideration of little burdens upon us should move us to turn to God 68 Obs 6. Gods judgments against wicked men are the beginings of further judgments ib. VERSE XI Opened 69 Object Why
follow it is accounted by God as we brought the evil on purpose upon our selves Surely they set not up silver and gold on intention to destroy themselves but because destruction doth necessarily follow therefore God accounts it done on purpose in Jer. 7. 18. in Pro. 8. 36. All them that hate me love death Surely no man loves death but when you do cast off the instruction of wisdom you do as mnch as if you should say You love death as here that they might be cut off It follows VER 5. Thy Calf O Samaria hath cast thee off THY Calf O Samariah He calls the Idol a calf by way of contempt But why is it called the Calf of Samaria It was not set up in Samaria There is two Calves only that we reade of and yet here it is call'd the Calf of Samaria The reason is this that Samaria was the chief City and because the Calf was by the power and riches and countenance of the chief City of the Land maintained therefore it is call'd the Calf of Samaria Where that 's corrupted the whol Land wil quickly be corrupted where that stands right it goes well w th the whol Land that 's the reason why the Adversaries seek to corrupt and overthrow our chief Citie As all did depend upon what Samaria did therefore the corruption of false worship is attributed to Samaria it is thy Calf Oh Samaria And therefore if God had not moved the hearts of the People of this City but we had brought Popery in it might have been said it was the Popery of London and whereas on the other side if God please to work their spirits right to go on to the end the children not yet born may have cause to bless this Citie and say This is the Reformation that we may bless London for It hath cast thee off Hath cast thee off from me so some have it But rather as you have it in your books Thy Calf hath cast thee off Whence note That though Idolaters promise to themselves safety and protection by their Idols yet they will leave them at last All you that go on in the waies of sin know that those waies of sin of yours will leave you in the lurch at the last as they say the Devil leaves the Witches when they come to the prison when Judas went to the Scribes and Pharisees in the anguish of his spirit and cast down the money and said I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood What 's that to us say they see thou to that Therfore the best way is to cast off our sin and wickedness first But God will not do thus God will not cast off his People in the time of trouble and when our unbeleeving hearts do think that God will cast us off in the time of trouble we make God an Idol as if God would do as the Idols did cast us off We may in Gods Cause be brought into straights but God will never cast us off in them when we are ready to think our selves to be utterly forsaken in straights then God may be working the greatest good for us we have a most notable Scripture for that in Isa 49. 13 and 14. verses Sing Oh Heavens and be joyful Oh Earth and break forth into singing Oh Mountains for God hath comforted His People and will have mercy upon His afflicted But mark Zyon said the Lord hath forsaken me They were in a singing condition and God calls the Heavens to sing and the Earth to be joyful and the Mountains to break forth into singing because of so great a work that God was making for His People but Zyon said The Lord hath forsaken me And so it is with particular souls they are ready to say the Lord hath forsaken me but God will not do so Mine anger is kindled against them When wicked men are brought into the greatest straits then Gods wrath is hottest and then also Conscience belks and burns most hot as mens countenances change red and pale sometimes with anger so it is said here that even the countenance of God grow red and pale with His anger against this people Though superstitious men may think that outward pompous worshipping pleases God most yet we see here that it doth stir up the anger of God so that God grows even pale against them with anger How long will it be ere they attain to innocency Mens hearts are stubborn in their own waies they will not be taken off wicked men will be true to their own principles there is a stubborn constancy in evil as well as a gracious constancy in good How long will it be Again secondly God is very patient a long time Then Thirdly Continuence in sin is no excuse but an aggravation of sin to make it grievous to God when God chastises us we are ready to cry How long Lord Will he reretain his anger for ever Know that our continuance in sin is as great a burden to Gods Spirit he cries out when will they be made clean when shall it once be and in Jer. 4. 14. ver Oh Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou maiest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodg within thee Ere they attain to innocency The words are He cannot attain that is he is so deeply engaged that he cannot attain to innocency when men are engaged in evil waies they cannot get out Take heed of engagements in that which is evil Secondly If by custom and engagement in evil we have no power to get out this will be no excuse to us In 2 Pet. 2. 14. They have eyes full of adultry and they cannot cease to sin This is the aggravation of sin no excuse A learned man of late hath an excellent Note upon this They cannot bear innocency and indeed according to the Hebrew this may as well be added for explication for in the Hebrew there is nothing else but this They cannot innocency the word attain is not in the Hebrew and it may very well sute with the time wherein Hosea did prophesie and the meaning is this They cannot bear with those who will not joyn with them but will go to Jerusalem to worship and this provokes the Spirit of God against them because they cannot bear those that would seek to free themselves from defilements in the Worship of God there is nothing in the world wherein men cannot less bear one with another than in dissentions about the worship of God and commonly the Nocent party is the most bitter against the Innocent as the Lutherans they were worse in their waies than the Calvinists specially in the point of superstition but they were a great deal more bitter against the Calvinists than the Calvinists were against them it was an expression that Calvin hath Though Luther saith he should call me Devil yet I would honor him as a Servant of Jesus Christ The
outwardly better than themselves Oh! this was exceeding grievous to the heart of God and thence the Note is this That it is a very great evil when wicked men seem to prosper a little in their outward condition more than Gods People for those that are the people of God to begin to think that therefore those wicked ones are in a better condition than themselves this is an evil that doth go very much to the heart of God and very ordinarily it is in some degree or other among the People of God I appeal to your consciences in this very thing though at some time your souls have had sweet refreshing from the Lord in the enjoyment of communion with him but yet when Gods hand hath been out against you when you look'd upon others though you knew them to be wicked and ungodly yet they have prospered their Ships came home safely and richly and their trading goes on Do you not sometimes find such rising of your thoughts within you as if so be that these men were in a â—etter condition than your selves Oh! if you have but the least thought rising that way know it is that which doth exceedingly grieve the Spirit of God by which you are seal'd that because they have a few loaves more than you though you have all the riches of God and Christ though you have the inheritance of Saints yet that you should think them in a better condition than you are in As a child if he sees some stranger have a bit of meat better than he hath he should think presently that his father loves the stranger better than him this the father takes ill How ordinary is it upon this ground for those that have profest themselves to be godly rather to withdraw themselves from the afflicted Saints and seek correspondence with wicked men that prosper God would have his people see an al sufficiency in himself in their sadest condition so as they need not go out from him for help but still wait upon him and keep his way the Lord by his Prophet rebukes Jehoshaphat in 2 Chron. 19. 2. for loving the ungodly and helping them that hate the Lord. And is there not as great an evil to seek the love of the wicked and ungodly and help from them that hate the the Lord certainly the evil is very great it argues very little love that we have to God it charges God of unfaithfulness as if though he hath engaged himself to his people yet he would leave them in the lurch this encourages the wicked in their wicked waies and it charges God with that which is accounted one of the most vile things among men What is accounted one of the vilest things among men that a man should set another men about his work and then leave them in the lurch when they meet with troubles in their work It is as vile a thing as any is among men and we should look upon such men as should imploy others in any service and then leave them to shift for themselves in their straights we should look upon them as vile men unworthy to be dealt withal Now what would we but charge God with this even that which makes men to be most vile And this besides is a most desperaee folly so to do for when thou art thinking to provide for thy self by correspondence with ungodly men it may be thou wert just at the very point of deliverance at that very time it is Gods usual way to come to help his people when they are in the greatest straights and therefore it is the greatest folly that when we are in straights then to think of shifting courses so that then we must forsake our own mercy in thinking of shifting courses in straights above all times Christians should take heed of thinking of shifting courses because then above all times those are the times for God to shew his mercy and just then Wilt thou then be forsaking him Oh! it is that which should lie neer to your hearts if any of you have been guilty of this let but the Word of God bring this upon your spirits this day Oh! how do I know but at that very time when I took such a shifting course that was the very time that God was about to do my soul good and of doing good for my body and yet then I deprived my self of good that goodness and mercy of God It follows yet Now will I gather them This gathering among Interpreters hath reference either to the Nations whom they sought unto or to themselves I will gather them that is That Nation or I will gather you If to the Nation then the scope is thus Notwithstanding you hire the Nations yet I will gather them against you they shall be strengthened against you with the same money that you hyre them withal I will turn it against you and now you have provided fair for your selves have you not Many times when we think to provide best for our own peace we make the greatest provision for our own ruin God many times makes people work their own wo and ruin themselves and there is no means that doth more fully and directly tend to undo them than what they do themselves and thus God over rules the counsels and thoughts of men What a vain thing is it to plot against God when God can turn mens Arrows against themselves No men are greater instruments of Gods wrath many times against us than we are our selves yea and than those are that we seek most to correspond withal and it is just with God it should be so that if we wil leave him to seek correspondence with wicked men it is just with God that of all men in the world those should be the men that should be made the Executioners of Gods wrath upon us But now if it be to Israel I will gather them among the Nations Then the word here gathered is sometimes used for gathering dead corps in an Army when they are slain in Battel You go and think to have the Nations but you shall be as a company of dead corps in an Army and lie in heaps there But I find Calvin hath a further Note upon it and takes it as having reference to the former verse This people are wild and run up and down this way and that way to shift for themselves but I will gather them that is I will keep theâ— in so the words likewise may signifie I will keep them in I will gather-in their spirits there shall be some work of prudence or other to keep them in I will keep them from those waies wherein they would presently have ruined themselves People run many times headily on in evil waies that would certainly ruin them but when Gods time for the execution of his wrath is not yet come the Lord restrains them and keeps them in from such waies though their hearts be set upon such waies
they come to be born there they shall perish in their birth and so at every time my curse shall follow them from the conception from the womb and from the birth Yea and Fourthly Though perhaps some may escape in the conception and in the womb and in the birth yet it follows VER 12. Though they bring up children yet will I bereave them THE Curse of God is here threatned to pursue them and over-take them though they escaped the Curse that others are under Many think that when they have escaped some Judgment that hath come upon some others then they are safe enough and all is well But thy preservation from some Judgment that hath struck others may be thy reservation to greater Judgments that God intends for thee afterwards 2. It is a judgment to be deprived of children in the womb in the birth but when you have endured much pain in bearing and bringing forth your children much labor and trouble in bringing up your children when many a thoughtful care in the education of them much sorrow and grief they have cost you and now when they come to be hopeful almost to mens and womens estate and you think to have comfort in them now for God to take them away this is very sad unto parents it goes exceeding much unto their hearts to be bereaved then yet such things as these have befallen many heretofore and Parents though the condition must be acknowledged very sad yet they must submit to Gods hand in this Perhaps some of you have in the breeding of your children endured much and through many difficulties they have been brought till they have grown up to be almost at mens and womens estates and perhaps they have been towardly and hopeful you had hoped to have had them to have been the staff of your age and yet God suddenly hath made them fly away like a bird perhaps be drowned perhaps some other way in a most uncomfortable manner the Lord hath bereaved you of them You will say The condition is sad more than ordinary Therefore God calls you to Sanctifie his Name more than ordinary to exercise grace more than ordinary and the exercise of grace in such an extraordinary stroke of God upon you may be as great a good and comfort as great a blessing unto you as the enjoyment of your child would have been If a tender mother that through all her care and pain and labor after breeding and bringing up a child should have him taken away in some untimely death as you call it she would think her condition the saddest of any living Be it known to you perhaps some may be here or know others of their friends that have had such a hand of God upon them be but convinced of this one thing which I know you cannot deny That the exercise of grace sutable to this work of God that is now upon thee or against thee conceive it as thou wilt I say the exercise of thy grace sutable to this work of God is a greater good to thee than the life of thy child could have been it could never have done thee that good as the exercise of grace may do in this condition when it is sutable to this stroke of God upon thee and this indeed is the only way to make up any losses of children or loss of any goods be it a child be it a husband or the dearest friend a wife or thy estate yet the exercise of thy grace is better than the enjoiment of them all It follows There shall not be a man left I 'le bereave them when they bring them up the words are not a man and left is not in the Original that they be not men And sometimes God lets the children of men and women live and yet they never come to be men but strikes them in their understandings that they are bereaved of them so far that they never come to be men I remember it 's reported of S r Thomas Moore that his wife was mightilie desirous of a Boy that was her word and she had one that proved a fool and saith her husband to her You were never quiet till you had a boy and now you have one that be all his life a Boy I will bereave them that there shall not be a man left But I rather think the meaning is I wil take them away that they shall not live to be men strong men of war You boasted your selves that you had so many of your children that were such valiant men of war before but I 'le bereave you of them saith the Lord. Yea wo to them when I depart from them Surely even wo to them he puts a sureness upon this Wo to them when I depart from them As if the holy Ghost should say What do I threaten this or the other evil the great evil of all the rise of al evils is Gods forsaking them Wo also to them when I depart from them God departs from a people or a particular soul when he withdraws his goodness and mercy from them and the reason why wicked men for a time do enjoy good things it is because Gods time is not yet come to depart from them but when Gods time is come to depart from them then al vanishes suddenly As the light continues so long as the Sun is in the firmament but as soon as ever it is gon it grows to be dark the darkness of the night comes suddenly A man hath strength and health so long as his vitals hold but as soon as ever the vitals are struck the craseis of the body if that be strucken the strength and health goes The general presence of God with his Creature keeps strength and health it 's God in the creature that keeps its comforts and upon Gods departing al vanishes and comes to nothing Thou hast thy prosperity now and thou thinkest thou maiest enjoy it still but how canst thou tell but God may suddenly depart and then all is gone The alteration of mans condition is not only from Natural causes but heigher from Gods departing Carnal hearts think themselves safe if they do not see how Natural causes shall work their ruin they see nothing but as they have enjoyed much good from Natural causes so they see them working still for good to them Yea but know that thy prosperity or thy adversity depends not upon Natural causes but upon a higher cause though thou hast the confluence of all Natural causes working for thee as much as ever yet if God pleases to withdraw himself thou art a lost creature And so it is with a Kingdom When God pleases to depart from a Kingdom he doth then take away Wisdome from the Wise he gives them up to their own Counsels to perverse Counsels he blinds them that they cannot forsee their danger nor see means to help them but they shall take waies as if they intended to destroy
place where I shewed so much mercy to them they think to justifie their superstitious worship but I 'le have them know that I hate this There I hated them saith God I abhor this that they think to be justified by So that the Notes are Above all sins the sin of Idolatry is that that God looks upon as the great wickedness for which he doth hate and abhor a people Because in that sin men think by their own waies of worship to make God amends for their wicked waies and present their own waies of worship to justifie themselves in all other kind of wickedness And again For men to abuse that wherein God shews mercy For them to take advantage or occasion by that to turn it into sin against God this is that which God hates For there was much mercy they met withal at Gilgal and they made Gods mercy an occasion to their wickedness To make that which should engage us to God to be an occasion of wickedness against God this is abominable in Gods eyes As you reade in the Law that you must not seath a Kid in his mothers milk that which is the milk to preserve the Kid that must not be a means for a second death to seath or boyl it in saith God that 's unnatural and but cruelty so for us to deal with God to take those things that should be a means to engage our hearts further to God to be occasion of further sinning against God that 's abominable there saith God I hated them Concerning Gilgal Their Idolatrous Priests told them as 't is propable that that place was a holy place and surely God that had appeared so to them there would accept of their services in that place rather than any other and so though God had after chose another place yet still they doted upon this place Gilgal and that which was so famous for Gods Worship became as infamous for superstition and wickedness Polanus upon the text compares that Town in Germany Wittenberg to this Gilgal Those places where the Lord hath been more gracious to people the Devil seeks to corrupt those places most of all as in Wittenberg was the beginning of Reformation by the means of Luther and now saith he the Devil hath made it the Theater of divers Heresies and still makes it more and more that very place which was a place of Gods mercy to the Country so here that place that was the greatest place of mercy is here the greatest place of wickedness the Devil envies it so much the more and all their wickedness is here All their wickedness That is the chief wickedness their Superstition and Idolatry is the chief and the great wickedness that provokes God against a people not only because of the presumption in it but because it 's an Inlet to all other kind of wickedness Hence observe 1. Where there is false worship in any place all manner of wickedness follows And people do most stick unto their superstitious waies more than to any thing and therefore that 's the chief wickedness yea and they think to satisfie God with those waies for their other sins All their wickedness is there A further Note from hence is That to sin in face of mercies where there are the Testimony of Gods abundant mercies that is very abominable to God That 's a great aggravation of sin to sin in the face of the testimonies of the mercies of God what where so much mercy yet here wicked and abominable Doth God fill thy family thy chamber thy closet thy bed thy shop with the Testimonies of his mercy Take heed how thou sinnest there where there are abundant Testimonies of Gods mercy to witness against thee and to aggravate thy sin But I find some Interpreters and that not one or two but many and that makes me speak of this Interpretation that refer this wickedness to the casting off the Government that God had appointed and the bringing in of a new Government at Gilgal was the place where they would have Saul to be their King and cast off the Government by Judges that God had appointed among them Gilgal was the place now this was the ground of all their other obstinate wickedness and God remembers this a long time after and saith All their wickedness is in Gilgal and there I hated them From hence the Note is this That it 's a hateful thing to cast off the Government that God would have us under it is hateful to God the Jews had both their Civil and Ecclesiastical Government by Divine Institution they were both mixt in one there And though now we have not our Civil Government by Divine Institution but it 's left to the Creation of man according as in prudence men in several Countries shall think best but Ecclesiastical Governmâ—â—t certainly is as much by Divine Institution now as ever it was and it must be so because it is spiritual and nothing can work in a spiritual way upon the inward man but that that is by Divine Institution therefore whatever the Government be I will not meddle with the particulars yet we must take heed how we cast off that which is appointed by God for that 's hateful there I hated them we had need therefore search and examin to find what that is and if we think it be not so cleer as their Government was to them we must take so much the more pains to examin and not think it long that there is so much time spent iâ— seeking to find out what the Government should be do not think it a light matter many people they think it but a circumstance and things that we need not trouble our selves so much about and why should there be so much time spent in searching it out Learn from hence to look upon it as a great matter as a matter upon which the welfare or the evil of a Kingdom doth much depend for so it was here saith God because they cast off the Government that I would have there I hated them Thus you may take in both the meanings both the Testimonies of Gods mercies in Gilgal at first and the place where they cast off my Government and would have another I hated them there saith God Again There I hated them There are some sins that provoke God to anger and some to grief but some to hatred and that 's dreadful when our sins shall provoke hatred the Lord hates the works of iniquity This is the great difference between the sins of the Saints and others the sins of the Saints may anger God may grieve God but the sin of others they provoke God to hatred I hated them Again There I hated them There Sometimes God manifests his hatred in the very places where men do sin against him As a mans spirit will rise if he comes to a place where he hath been wronged by any If
if they have not mercy if they have not a Righteousness beyond their own If mercy comes not in to plead for them wo to Abraham Isaac and Jacob if mercy comes not in to plead for them if at the great day if they have nothing to tender up to God but their own righteousness they are certainly lost and undone for ever Al that we can do is infinitely unworthy of the Majesty of God Oh! the text that you have in 1 Chron. 29. 14. when the people did offer so much to God for the building of his Tabernacle Mark how David was affected with it Who am I saith David and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things came of thee and of thine own have we given thee And when David in 1 Chron. 22. 14. when David had provided a thousand thousand Talents of silver and an hundred thousand talents of gold for the building of the Temple of God besides brass and iron without weight yet when all comes to all Out of my poverty have I offered this so Arias Montanus turns it In your books it is In my trouble have I done this but the same word that signifies trouble and affliction signifies poverty likewise and saith David after al this yet in my poverty have I done this whereas this was a mighty thing that was offered I remember Sir Walter Rawleghâ— it is in the 17. Chap. of his 2 d Part and 9 th Sect. he reckons up the sum of what David did there prepare for the Temple of the Lord he makes it more than any King in the world is worth he makes it to come to three thousand three hundred and thirty and three Cart-load of Silver allowing two thousand weight of Silver or six thousand pound sterling to every Cartload besides threescore and seventeen Millions of French Crowns and yet when he had done all Out of my poverty have I done this As if he should say Lord what is this in respect of thee who art the great God If thou wilt but accept of this I shall be infinitly bound to thee Oh my brethren let us learn for ever after all our duties not to be proud keep your hearts low and humble before God Hath God enabled thee to sow in Righteousness our hearts are puft up presently Oh no thou must keep thy heart still under Alas such is the proudness of our spirits if we be but enlarged a little in Prayer we are ready to be puft up presently Oh! what 's this to the service that a creature owes to the blessed and eternal God hadst thou spent all thy daies since thou hadst any understanding night and day in the work and service of God hadst thou been the greatest Instrument of Gods service that ever was in the world yet thou hast cause to lie down at Gods Mercy-seat and cry Mercy Lord Mercy for a poor wretched vile Creature after thou hast done al we are so unable to do any thing our selves It 's an expression of Luther The very Act of Thanksgiving is from God And therefore be humbled and cry Grace grace to al that hath been And let all Publick Instruments not take too much upon them but lie low And there 's a man that 's worth his weight in Gold that can be an Instrument of great and publick work and yet lie low before the Lord. Oh! did we but know God we would be so after our duties we would be low There 's a notable story I find concerning Cyprian when he came to suffer martyrdom and you will say that was a great service to lay down his life for God In his last prayer he had these two expressions which are remarkable in it The first expression was this Lord saith he I am prepared to powr forth the very sacrifice of my blood for thy Name sake yea Lord I am prepared here to suffer any torment whatsoever These two expressions he had You will say Now surely this man might stand upon his terms with God But he goes on But when thou doest lift up thy self to shake the Earth Lord saith he under what clift of the rock shall I hide my self to what mountain shall I speak even to fall upon me As if he should say Lord though I be here ready to give up my body to be massacred for thee to give up my blood to be an offering and to suffer any torment yet when I consider what a God I have to do withal if thou shouldest deal with me as I am in my self Oh! I must cry to the Rocks to cover me and the Hils to fall upon me Oh! this should teach us to keep our hearts low and humble after we have done the greatest work whatsoever I remember one of the Germane Devines when he was full of fears and doubts when he was to die say some to him You have been so imployed and have been so faithful why should you fear Oh! he gives this Answer The Judgements of man and the Judgments of God are different I am to go before the great and Al-seeing God though it 's true God would not have us daunted with any terrible apprehensions of him but yet he would have us be possest with reverence so as to be humbled when we think what a God it is we have to do withal you must reap in mercy Oh! this shall be the song of the Saints to all eternity Mercy Mercy Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy Name be the praise And then the other Note from that expression that we have there is That God will give abundantly above our works Oh! it 's a point that hath very much encouragement to poor troubled sinners that are low raise up thy faith it 's not what thy work is though it be low and mean and though there be many failings in thy work yet is there uprightness are they seeds of Righteousness that thou hast sown thou shalt reap according to what shall honor the mercy of an infinite God at last I remember Alexander when he was giving a gift to a poor man Oh! the poor man dar'd not receive it it was too great yea but saith he though that be too great for thee to receive yet it is not too great for me to give So I may say to poor souls when they hear of the glorious promises to poor people Oh! their hearts are ready to think this is too good news to be true it is too great a mercy for thee to receive as thou art in thy self but if God will give according to the proportion of his mercy it is not too great for him to give Now that 's the way that God will deal with those that are in Covenant with him that have all their fruit to come from the seed of righteousness Christ in the heart I say there the Lord will
cast off bring punishment 14 Fulness of Duty what it is 315 See Sin Enlargement E Eagle Why the Eagle was unclean under the Law 4 See Assyrian Dove Wicked men Effigies An Effigies of the last times 339 Eli Eli's example urged 384 Emptiness Emptines is unatural to a Vine and why 304 Encouragement Encouragements to fight 385 Encouragements for men in mean employments 450 Encouragements for poor souls in mean endeavors 465 Engagement We must take heed of Engagements in evil 28 England England another Canaan 159 England more unfit for mercie now than at the first and why 263 England smitten as Sodom 281 See Admonition and Crosness Enlargements How we should use our enlargements in duties 312 Estrangement The degrees of mans estrangement from God 111 Eternity see Life Exhortation Exhortation to young ones 214 Exhortation to the Godlie 56 Excellency see Soul Excrements see Devil Experience An Experience worth the tryal 316 See Heason F Faces see Painted Faithful Faithful men discouraged and how 280 False worship False worship must be cast off 13 It is just with God to let False worship alone till it come to the full 82 See Ruin Feast Why a day is called a Feast to God 172 Faith How to encrease Faith for pardon in holy duties 120 Fly When a man may fly 182 Forms see Hypocrits Forraign Forraign Leagues are dangerous 46 Followed Our own waies are not to be followed 64 Fear Gods fear drives out carnal confidence 333 Forefathers We are subject to imitate our Forefathers in evil 79 Fulness see Duty Funeral Funeral mournings are hateful to God 166 See Gain Fruitfulness see Vines Furious Furious men do the least service 329 G Gain Gain at Funerals makes some rejoyce whilst others mourn 169 German The speech of a German Divine at his death 454 God Gods power shewed 42 Gods justice over such as sow the wind 43 God takes it ill we should go to Nations for help 58 God should be our delight 211 Gods delight is in young ones 213 God is the Saints glory 223 Gods departing is the cause of wo and why 250 We should labor to do what we can for God though he seem to leave us 253 God manifests his displeasure in the places where men sin 272 God cannot endure wickedness in his house 300 See Church House Worship Mercy Preservation Depart Generation see Spirit Gentry Gentry admonished 208 Good works Good works are excellent and why 30 Gospel Gospel-Righteousness is a most excellent thing 451 Government The danger of setting up new Government 23 Goverment is a thing of great consequence 271 See Agreement Pains Governors Governors are subject to establish false worship 44 Grace Hypocrits seek Grace for Comfort but Saints seek Comfort for Grace 485 Gregory Gregories speech to Theodorus 89 H Happinss see Beleevers Heart We ought to search our hearts 292 Help Helps against Injustice 377 See God Hemlock Injustice compared to Hemlock 370 Hemlock stalks springing up in England 375 House It is good dwelling in Gods house 272 Humiliation The benefit of humiliation 308 How humiliation should be preached 308 Hypocrits When hypocrits are in distress they see their need of God 9 Hypocrites stand much upon formal waies 10 Hypocrites think to fare the better for their parents 11 I Idolaters Idolaters are prophane but covetous men are worse 24 Idolaters promise themselves safety in their Idols 26 Idolaters are laborious in their Idol worship 35 Idolaters sow in hope 36 Idolaters lay a ground for sucession 36 Idolaters observe their season ibid. Idolaters love outward prosperity 153 We ought to do as much for God as Idolaters do for their Images 324 Idolatry Idolatry drives men against principles of reason 31 Idolatry is an hereditary sin 30 Idolatry continues in succession 80 Idolatry depends much upon Ancestors 258 See Succession Jeroboam What Jeroboam's sinne was 19 Jews The Jews custom in time of danger 412 Ignorance The miseries attending Ignorance 18 Images see Altars Invention There ought to be no invention of Man in Gods Worship 77 Injustice Injustice is sometimes like to Justice 370 See Hemlock Help Justice see Reformation Joy Means how to regulate our joy 142 See Prosperity Josephus Josephus his lamentable story 414 Israel Israel's Prerogatives 48 See Nation K Keep Examin principles wel first and then keep to them 292 Keys Four keys in Gods hand only and what they be 263 Kings Caution in imitating the Jewes Kings 15 Kings were made by men 31 The burden Kings are under 65 See People Kingdom see States L Labor Every one bound to LABOR 434 Lady Work for Ladies 436 Land see Ruin Lapsed The evil of lapsed Ministers 48 Latimer The speech of Bishop Latimer before Queen ELIZABETH 278 Latimer's notable story 178 Law What the Law of God is 95 The Law of God is great and why 96 The Law of God moves to obedience 102 See Saints Leagues Leagues of peace may prove occasions of sorrow 138 Leagues must not be made with wicked men 161 Learned see Opinion Life Life is the seâ—d-time for eteruity 39 Liberty Liberty is exceeding dangerous in yong professors 309 London see Popery Love Love is not to be bought 55 Lord It is a great mercy to have time to seek the Lord 472 See Quick-sightedness Luther Luther called by the Papists the Trumpet of Rebellion and Sedition 2 Lumpish Sorrow for sin must not be lumpish 168 M Mass The abominableness of the Mass 33 Malignants Malignants may have great Victories 206 Meditation Meditations for such as are weak in the fields 156 Meditations for parents 260 288 Meditations for Rich men 322 Meditations at going to bed 336 Men Men of mean breeding shold take heed how they behave themselvs when they come into Authority 66 Mens writings how they help to understand the Scripture 88 Mercy All mercies must be improved for God 20 See Free Grace Misery see Ignorance Ministers Ministers must not be weary of their work 3 Ministers that count such things as are laid aside only inconvenient will take them up again 203 Ministers must gain the Peoples love 220 What Ministers should rejoyce in 394 Ministers are Plow men 471 See Lapsed Wind Rule Motives Motives to continue seeking God 482 Mothers Tender-hearted Mothers admonished 259 Mothers fond love sâ—ayes their children 288 N Nation No Nation but Israel forsook their Gods 〈◊〉 148 Our Nation to be helped not to be fled from 182 See God National No National Church now 75 Nobility Nobility admonished 208 O Officers see Church Opinion The Opinions of the Learned are no rule for Religion 86 Opression Our Opressions are not to be removed but renewed 282 Ordinances see Christian Oyl What the Oyl in sacrifices signified 162 P Pains Pains must be taken about Government 271 Some take more pains to perish than others do to be saved 488 Painted Faces The evil of Painted Faces 433 Particular Particular persons must suffer not resist 18 Pardon see Faith Parents Parents must not be a
is excellent ib. Use 1. To shew the happiness of Beleevers ib. Use 2. To shew what a judgment it is to be cast out of the Church of God ib. Obs 3 Those that make Leagues with wicked men it is just with God they should be enthral'd in their abominations 161 Obs 4 When men are inwardly unclean God cares not for their outward cleanness ib. Obs 5 A great sin it is for the Saints to joyn with the World in evil worship 161 VERSE IV. Obs 1 Those that abuse their joy to lust it is just with God to take it from them 163 Obs 2 This makes the affliction bitter when the joy in Gods service is gone ib. Obs 3 It is a sad thing when a creature would seek to God and yet God rejects him 170 VERSE V. Opened 173 The perplexity of the wicked in the Lords day 1 All comforts are gone 177 2 God Himself fights against them ib. 3 Conscience terrifies them ib. 4 They know not whither to go for help ib. 5 The thoughts of God are terrible to them ib. 6 These miseries are but the beginning of sorrows ib. The Saints know what to do in a day of calamity 1 Bless God that ever they knew him 178 2 Exercise Faith in the Word 179 3 Sanctifie the Name of God in his Judgments ib. 4 Ease their souls by Prayer ib. 5 See beyond present evils ib. VERSE VI. Obs 1 Carnal hearts have alwaies some shifting thoughts how to provide for themselves 180 Obs 2 Carnal hearts will rather make any thing their refuge in affliction than God 18◠Obs 3 It is a great affliction to be forced to leave ones own Country and never return 183 VERSE VII Obs 1 God hath his set time for execution of Judgment 187 Obs 2 The apprehension of present evil terrifies the soul 188 Obs 3 Wicked men will not know till they feel ib. Obs 4 The knowledge men have of God in time of affliction is a working knowledge 189 Obs 5 In time of affliction men cry out that those are fools that seduced them ib. Obs 6 It is no excuse for men to be led aside by their Ministers 190 VERS VIII Obs 1 Many vile things are hid under glorious titles 191 Obs 2 When the Truth is cleer it is dangerous to seek the Opinions of others 192 Obs 3 No cause so ill but will be maintained by some learned 193 Obs 4 It is a great grief to those that have interest in God to see those that maintain that which is evil to pretend as much for God as any ib. Obs 5 You must have ground from Scripture before you submit to any thing in the Worship of God 195 Obs 6. Those that have interest in God rejoyce when they see faithful Ministers keep close to God 199 VERSE IX Obs 1 When superstition hath gotten deep root in the heart it is hardly got out 202 Vse to England ib. Obs 2 We may find wors usage from those that profess Religion than from those which profess it not 207 Use Take heed how you carry your selves towards your Brethren ib. Obs 3 God may behold those filthy who carry fair shews in Religion ib. Obs 4 For men to stand out impudently in wickedness committed is abominable in the eyes of God 208 Obs 5 To joyn with others to do so is wors ib. Applied to some of the Gentry and Nobility of this Kingdom ib. Obs 6 Such as do so may prosper a while 209 Obs 7 At last they shall all perish ib. Obs 8 The sins of the forefathers is an aggravation of the childrens sins ib. VERSE X. Obs 1 We should lay to heart Gods love to our fathers and seek to continue it to our selves 211 Obs 2 The greatness of Gods love is not enough to engage carnal hearts 214 Obs 3 There is no evil so shameful but a carnal heart wil forsake the glorious God to cleave to it 216 Obs 4 So to leave God and cleave to wickedness is abominable ib. Obs 5 It is usual for people to be of the Religion those are of whom they love 219 VERSE XI Obs 1 Multitude of children is a glory to a people 221 1 By them they are multiplied ib. 2 What excellency is in their children they look upon it as their own ib. 3 They have hope of continuation from generation to generation by them ib. Use Bring up your children in the fear of God ib. Obs 2 Godliness brings blessings swiftly and wickedness drives them away as fast 245 VERSE XII Obs 1 Many think all is well when they have escaped some judgement 246 Obs 2 It is a judgment to be deprived of children ib. Obs 3 It is God in the Creature that upholds it 248 VERSE XIII Expounded 253 Obs 1 God may depart from men or kingdoms in their greatest prosperity 255 Use Take heed when you are in your prosperity ib. Obs 2. God never shews so much respect to any but if they forsake him wrath follows 256 Obs 3 The curs of God goes forward from the Parents to the children 257 Obs 4 For the curse to follow from the parents to the children is an heavy curse 259 VERSE XIIII Obs 1. Mens sins oftentimes make Gods Ministers at a stand what to say in prayer 263 Obs 2 The fruitfulness or barrenness of the womb is from God ib. VERSE XV. Obs 1 Above all sins the sin of Idolatry makes a people hated of God 169 Obs 2 To take occasion to sin from Gods mercy is a thing which God hates 269 Obs 3 'T is a hateful thing to cast off the Government that God would have men under 271 Obs 4 Some sins provoke God to hatred 272 Obs 5. Sometimes God manifests his displeasure in the places where we sin ib. Obs 6 God cannot endure wickedness in his own house ib. Obs 7 Men in Authority think it a dishonor to be perswaded to alter their minds 276 Obs 8 Engagements work deeply in men when they are engaged in their honors ib. Obs 9 According to peoples interests so they are 277 Obs 10 Princes though they should be used with reverence yet they should not be flattered ib. Obs 11 When Princes successively are wicked there is little hope of good to that people 278 VERSE XVI Obs 1 God will not alwaies forbear sinners 278 Obs 2. If God leave Governors to revolt the people will be smitten 282 Obs 3 Compulsion of Authority doth not excuse sin 283 Obs 4. Tbe apprehension of Gods hand in smiting should humble the hearts of sinners 284 Obs 5 God hath his time to dry up the roots of sinners 285 VERSE XVII Obs 1. Let all the world forsake God a faithful soul will not 290 Obs 2 It is no presumption for a few to chalenge interest in God when the generality do not 291 Use Let thou be offended at the 〈◊〉 of those that keep the faith ib. Obs 3 It is a dreadful thing for wicked men to be declared against by the godly
Riches if all the men in the world were put together and all the wisdom and power of Angels joyned to it to extract all excellency in all things in all creatures and to make that which should have all created excellency in it yet this surely could not be a God to us I say if we conceive all art skill power and riches of all the world brought together into one man yea all the skill and power of Angels put into him too and if he were able to make an extract of all the excellencies of all creatures and put into one thing yet this could not be a God unto us because it was made And shall we say further God himself by his infinite power cannot make any thing to be a God to us I say God himself by his infinite power cannot make any thing to be a God to us if he himself were made he could not be God to us nay if God himself were made he could not be God therefore surely that which the workman hath made cannot be a God How vile then are our hearts and how do we debase our selves to subject our selves to every vanity as if it were a God when as that all the power in God himself cannot raise a created excellency to that height as to be a God to us how vain is the heart of men that makes pleasure their god as the voluptuous his belly that makes money his god as the covetous that makes honor and the applause of men as the ambitious to be a god unto us Bernice and Agrippa came with great Pomp they came with much Phansie as the word signifies the excellency that al their pomp had it was but that that phansie put upon them In this God shewes the excellency of an Immortal Soul that it is in that excellency that only an Infinite Eternal being that is of Himself can be a God to us Again This is an argument against the Idol of the Mass a vile Priest a filthy Whoremaster makes it a God What a Deity is that that is from his maker Is there any greater stumbling-block to Jews Turks or Heathens to keep them from Christian Religion than this That Christians should make their God and eat him when they have done That 's the first Argument It is no God because the workman made it Secondly But the Calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces No God surely He speaks here with indignation it is not God it is a Clalf as he doth in that of the Psalmist he made a Calf that eat grass It shall be broken in pieces it shal not be able to help it self much less help them it shal be as Dagon before the Ark broken all to pieces Hierom upon the place saith that he learned from an Hebrew this word broken in pieces the word is not a Verb but a Noun shall be breakings in pieces he learned from an Hebrew that this word signified a thin web like Spiders webs in the air As you see in some times of the year in the Fields thin Webs and upon the grass thin webs like Spiders webs that presently dissolves into Attoms so that their Calf shal be like unto those thin Webs like unto Spiders Webs that dissolves it self and comes to nothing All the confidence and hopes in any thing we set up in the place of God it 's such unto us What difference is there between such a thing and a strong Rock and an high Tower such as God is to his people And again The word signifies Saw-dust that comes from Timber that is sawn and so it shal be broken in pieces Look as the Calf in the wilderness was broken even to dust to pouder and Moses made the people drink of it so God will serve this Calf And then further observe Idols are to be broken in pieces so God commanded Exod. 34. 13. Deut. 7. 5. Ezek. 20. 7. with many other Scriptures and thus godly Magistrates have ever done broke Idols in pieces And blessed be God for that that hath been done of late among us that so many Idols and that great Idol that was in the eminent place of the City that God put a spirit into those that were in Athority to break it in pieces it must be done by the Magistrate I remember Austin in his sixt Sermon upon Christs Sermon speaking of that place in Deut. 1. 5. first saith he You must possess the Land and then you must overthrow their Altars And then notes That those which have the possession of the Land as now those Publick places men only in Authority have the possession of them and therfore it is for them to break the Idols in pieces In the City of Basil we reade that every Ash-wednesday as they call it is observed a Feastival instead of the Popish Fast on that day because of the burning of Popish Images and they account it a great mercy And though we have no such warrant to observe such a day as an Holy day yet certainly as a day of an outward civil rejoycing we have cause to observe those times wherein notorious and abominable Idols have been broken in pieces Again Whatsoever it is that is subject to be broken in pieces certainly we are not to make it to be our God Now all creatures in the world are subject to breaking your estates are in danger to be broken in pieces therefore they are not Gods that 's the argument of the holy Ghost here yea it may be many of your estates are broken in pieces already Oh what poor Gods were those that you made to your selves before and so any creature whatsoever therefore Oh let 's trust in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Isa 26. 4. The last note from hence is this That the putting too much upon a creature the bringing a creature too neer to God and Deifying of it makes way for the destruction of that creature The Calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces because it was made an Idol If you will make use of your estates as a servant to you to fit you for Gods service you might keep it but if you would set it up in Gods place it is just with God it should be broken in pieces Whatsoever you set your hearts upon and make a God unto you it 's just with God it should be broken in pieces if you set your husband your wife your child your friend in the place of God it 's the only way to undo them to undo them in respect of you at best Many great Instruments of God God hath been fain to break them to pieces because that men have set them up in the place of God and made even Gods of them It follows VER 7. For they have sown the wind and they shall reap the whirlwind SOwing is a laborious work and this Idolatrous people were very laborious took a great deal
will be the most grievous to an ingenuous spirit that possibly can be And there is a great deal of danger in them to grow more oppressing than other men that were born to greatness and their oppression wil be so intolerable as wil bring the greatest confusion that possibly can be if that be not well lookt to And therefore here when he would lessen the burden saith he you shall sorrow a little for tht burden of the King of Princes But what is it You shall sorrow a little They complained but saith God what do you complain of this this is but a little burden to that which you are like to have there 's another manner of burden a coming for you than this and from hence the Notes are these First When sinners have brought trouble upon themselves they will complain much exceedingly troubled but when they complain they are to consider that what they feel it is but a little to what 's coming after There are burdens upon you and you are complaining of these burdens as if so be that they were the greatest that ever were upon people Oh sinner consider of this when you are complaining of your burdens know that these burdens that are upon you may prove to be but very trifles in comparison of what 's like to come upon you afterwards for that 's the scope of the holy Ghost here They shall sorrow a little for this burden as if he should say There is other manner of sorrow coming after and so it did for afterwards the Assyrians carried them all away captives and the basest of all the people came even to set their feet upon them and therefore saith the holy Ghost This is but a little I speak to those that make not up their peace with God and do not upon those burdens that are upon them return to God As the mercies of God to his Saints that which now they have is but a little they may be said to rejoyce a little for the mercy that now they have And so the burdens upon the ungodly they are but a little but if they return not to God upon what they feel God hath greater burdens than those are that they so vex and fret under Secondly Taxes and Impositions upon mens estates are but a little burden in comparison of being brought under the power of the Enemy Though there be sore Taxes upon you as here there was fifty shekels of silver laid upon every man that was able but those Taxes are but little burdens in comparison of being given up to the power of the Enemy they would lay burdens indeed upon us burdens upon our Consciences all our Estates all our Lives all our Liberties whatsoever we are or have must be under their mercy now we are troubled but then their little finger will be more heavy than the loins that now we find to be upon us although we dare not say but some may find burdens very sore upon them for the present A third Note is this That as Taxes are a burden but a little in comparison so the carrying of our Brethren into captivity Though we enjoy our Estates our selves yet if God laies his hand upon any of our Brethren though in remote parts of the Kingdom Oh we should account this to be a burden As not only their Taxations was a burden but the carrying away of their Brethren that were beyond the River If there were no other sin among us it were just with God to bring the Enemy upon us and then we should find that there were other manner of burdens But there is another burden that we are not sensible enough of and that is the captivity of our Brethren in the remote parts of this Land Oh! how little sensible are we of it because we feel it not our selves The fourth Note from hence is this That it's Gods mercy when we are running on to our utter ruin not to suffer us to plung our selves irrecoverably into misery but to bring lesser evils upon us that by them we may come to bethink our selves and if it be possible to prevent greater You shall sorrow a little I will not undo you presently but return to me or else you are utterly undone but this is my Mercy I wil bring afflictions upon you by piece-meal and if you do not return to me then you shall be utterly lost for so this people were they were carried away captive and never returned to this very day Oh! doth God come to you in your family or person or estate Oh! let us consider of this And this is the last note from it The consideration of little burdens which is upon us to what might be should cause us to turn to God it should break our hearts and cause us to seek the face of God that we may prevent greater evils that otherwise will certainly come the Lord in his dealing towards us seems as if he were loth to lose us and that this Nation should perish Oh that this might work kindly upon our hearts to prevent greater evils that we might not be made a spectacle of the wrath of God to all the Nations that are round about us And yet further The words translated They shall sorrow a little are by some translated They have begun a little for the burden of the King of Princes And so in Deut. 2. 25. there is the word that comes from the same root That that they have felt it is but the beginning of what is like to come my wrath is let out upon them in some degree already and do not you see it how it is begun to burn upon them and that which was lately before your eyes by that you may come to beleeve my threatnings Gods judgments against wicked men are the beginnings of further judgments In Deut. 32. 42. I will make my Arrows drunk with blood and my sword shall devour flesh and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives from the beginning of revenge upon the enemy All this is but from the beginning of revenges when I come so terribly upon them it is but the beginning of revenges We are ready to think if there be miserable slaughters Surely God hath been revenged enough upon this people No all this may prove but the begining of revenges I may say so concerning our selves Though the Lord many times hath made the sword drunk with blood yet it may prove to be but the beginning of revenges truly we cannot say that from the time that these Judgments have been upon us that we have begun scarce to come in to turn to God yea thâ—â—â—ate of the Kingdom is far worse than it was at the beginning of this heavy stroke that is upon us In Matth. 24. 7 8. Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars and Nation should rise against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there shall be famines and pestilences and
that we should add to the praise of God Men desires to ad more and more to the States of their Progenitors and so your Children they will add a little to the estates that you leave them and so men account it their ambition to raise their families My Brethren we should have an holy Ambition by practice of Religion more and more in every age as Jehu said in 2 King 10. 18. Ahab served Baal a little but Jehu shall serve him much So others as he said of false worship though in a fained way we should say of the true Worship of God we have served the Lord a little but we will serve him more we have more mercies than they had more light than they had if they served God a little we will serve him more And then Ephraim hath made many Altars to sin God still remembers the first and the chief Actors in sin Ephraim he speaks to the ten Tribes and yet only names Ephraim because the Governors were of that Tribe The chief in a family by whom the whol family is corrupted and the chief in a Town or Country God hath an eye upon them and though others escape they shall not Ephraim hath multiplied Altars to sin they intended not to sin it was not their intention when they made Altars that they might sin they thought they pleased God but God accounts it â—n and a provocation to him And from thence the Note is only this That whatsoever names we may give to things yet it may be God will give other names and titles to them we may say that it is devotion God will say it is superstition we may say it 's good intention but God may say it is presumption we may say it is prudence and wisdom but God may give it another name and say it is temporising 't is time-serving God doth use to give other names to things than we do in the Scripture they call their Images their delectable things God calls them detestable things No question if you would ask them why they built Altars they would say to the honor of God but saith God You built Altars to sin And then Altars shall be unto him to sin Shall be to him That 's thus Seeing they will have them they shall have them they shall have enough of them let them go on in their way let them multiply their sin When mens hearts are set upon false waies of worship it 's just with God to let them have their desires to the full They shall have their way that they do contend for they keep a great deal of stir for it and have it they must they refuse to see the light they are prejudiced against the way of Gods Worship let them have what they would have saith God they shall have Governors to establish what they would have by their Authority and they shall have their Teachers that shall defend by subtil Arguments those things to be lawful they multiply Altars to sin and they shall be to sin even to harden them and so the Seventy seem to take the meaning of these words by their translation of them whereas you have it They shall be to sin their Altars shall be to love their hearts are set upon them and they will have them and love them and they shall be hardened in them and this is the heavy judgment of God to give unto men their hearts desires in what is evil and as it shall be to them for sin so it shall be to them for their misery for the fruit of sin for so sin is taken very frequently in Scripture for the fruit of sin they will have them to sin and they shall find the fruit of sin by what they are so eagerly set upon them And thus much for the eleventh verse It follows VER 12. I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing THIS Verse in the reading of it appears a greatness in the very sound of it and there is as much in it as the sound doth import and therefore though we pass over other things more briefly yet because there is very much of Gods mind in this and we should wrong the Scripture if we should pass over this too slightly I have written to him the great things of my Law This is made an aggravation of their sin they multiply Altars to sin and yet saith God I have written to them the great things of my Law they find no such things in my Law written to them this was against the very written Word of God and what that written Word of God against those many Altars was that you had the last day but in that from this connexion that these are made sins because they were against the written Word of God from thence the Note is That whatsoever is urged to us or practised by us in matters of Worship it must have Warrant out of the written Word of God It was sin Why because I have written to them saith he the great things of my Law and they counted it a strong thing though that which they did had a great deal of seeming devotion in it yet it was otherwise than that they found written in my Law This Question should be put to any that tender to us any way of Worship or Doctrine of Religion under any specious shew whatsoever Where is it written To the Law and to the Testimonie Isaiah 8. 20. If they speak not according to this Word it is because they have no light in them Oh they seem to be very judicious and wise but if they speak not according to this Word they have no light in them not only to the Law and Testimonies but to the written Law and Testimonies this must be the Standard at which all Doctrines and waies of Worship must be tried Many may put fair colours upon their waies that it is for Common Peace and a great deal of good may be done by it and the like But is it written Did I ever command it saith God Policy may say it's fit Reason may say it's comely and Experience may say it's useful But doth the written Law say it should be Nay it 's not enough to say That we cannot say it is forbidden But where is it written In matters of Worship this is a certain rule Saith Tertullian about the Crowning of the Soldier with Baies If it be said It is lawful because the Scripture doth not forbid it it may equally be retorted It is therefore not lawful because the Scripture doth not command it No matter what the thing be saith Luther in matters of Religion but who it is that bids it who it is that commands it we must look to that Never argue thus in any point of Religion I beseech you consider it is a point that hath been is and may yet
say therefore do I keep them but therefore doth my soul keep them Oh my very soul is in this in keeping thy Testimonies for I look upon them as wonderful things It 's a good sign of the Spirit of the great God in a man when it doth raise him above other things to look upon the things of his Word as the only great things that are in the world All flesh is grass saith the Scripture but the Word of God endures for ever there is a vanity in all things of the world but in that which the Word reveals Oh! there is an eternity there we should therefore admire at nothing so as at the Word and we should greatly delight in Gods Commandements an ordinary admiration is not sufficient for the Commands of God for the Law of God nor an ordinary delight is not sufficient but great admiration and great de-delight there should be in the Law of God And all things that are taken from Gods Law should be great arguments to prevail with you It may be there comes such and such temptations to draw you to such and such evils and you say they are strong temptations But that which is in the Law that should be a greater argument there is that which is greater in Gods Law than there can be in any temptation whatsoever Therefore know it is a dangerous thing for men and women to look at any thing in Gods Law as a little thing so as to despise it and to think it is no great matter though we do such and such things though we should go from the rule of the Word a little what great matter is it are we not all sinners Prov. 13. 13. Who so despiseth the Word shall be destroyed That is looks upon any thing in Gods Word as a light thing It was a speech of one that should say when he was convinc'd of a thing that was evil That he must make bold with God Almighty sometimes Do not you make bold with Gods Word and secretly jeer at those that are so nice they cannot venture a little remember this text in Prov. 13. 13. Who so despiseth the Word shall be destroyed take the least thing that you think so despicable in Gods Law and you will veture upon it but God will make it a great matter for when you have broke the Law in the least thing all the Angels in Heaven and Men in the World cannot satisfie God for that wrong if they should come and say Lord here 's a poor creature that hath broken thy Law but in this one thing that he thought to be a little matter we are content to be ten thousand yeers in torments to satisfie for thy Law Nay saith God this will not do it Therefore take heed of despising Gods Law or despising any thing that is reveal'd by him for certainly it will prove a great matter and when the Law hath been broken let us not think it is a little matter that it is but a Lord have mercy upon me at the last Again The Prophet is convincing them of false worship and upon this ground Because they would venture to make Altars to worship God in another way than God revealed in his Law from thence note That the Worship of God is a great matter every thing in Gods Worship is to be look'd at as a great matter They may think it a matter of indifferency whether they do it or no at least in some things My Brethren let us learn to know that every thing in the Worship of God is a great matter God looks much upon it God doth not say that he is jealous for any thing but for his Worship Vzzah he thought it a little matter for him to go and catch the Ark and especially having a good intention It 's true the Law of God is that it should be carried upon mens shoulders but may it not as well be carried in a cart he thought it but a little matter but it proved a great matter So that which we think little in Gods Worship is a great matter So Vzziah in 2 Chron 26. No question he thought it no great matter to go into the Temple and offer sacrifice Is it not as good that a King offer it as a Priest it was in the Temple and the true Worship and Vzziah because he was a great man he thought he might venture for there you find that he had an Army of three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred Soldiers A great Captain And Nadab and Abihu no question they thought it no great matter to go and offer strange fire and it hath not been forbidden in Gods Word this fire but it was a great matter before God for God came with fire from Heaven to destroy them Hence it is that God in his Word would set out the glory of his Worship to that end that he might take off mens hearts from all false worship he would have them to think the matters of his Worship great things that so they might not have their hearts taken with any false worship Ezek. 7. 20. The beauty of his Ornament he set in Majestie and hereby God aggravates their sin of Idolatry Oh my Worship and Service I made it as beautiful and glorious as could be but they worshiped their Images their detestable things So in Jer. 17. 12. A glorious high Throne from the beginning of our Sanctuary Mark what follows All that forsake thee shall be ashamed and they that depart from thee shall be written in the Earth because they have forsaken the Lord the Fountain of living Waters As if God should say Oh vile hearts of men when there is such a glorious Worship of mine that I present unto them yet they turn even to their own vile Inventions and not regard that glorious Worship of mine I beseech you Brethren labor to look upon Gods Worship as a glorious thing But now the Reprehension that follows But they were accounted as a strange thing Here 's the wickedness of people that though God shews forth his Glory in his Word yet they look upon it as a strange thing as a thing that they shall get little good by if they do obey or little hurt by if they do disobey We should now have shewed wherein this people did account Gods Worship a strange thing and what particulars of Gods Law they accounted strange things But especially this one among the rest they did count strange viz. That God should so stand upon it that He must needs be worshiped Jerusalem at the Temple and at no other Altar whatsoever came of it Now because they thought that if the people went to Jerusalem to worship it would be very prejudicial to the State this was a strange thing that which we can see no reason for So people are ready to think if any thing be propounded for the Worship of God out of the Word Yea but
Malefactor that hath committed a fact a long time since and he thinks it is forgotten if he should presume to come into the Kings or Judges eye this brings into remembrance what such a man is So wicked men when they come into Gods eyes are bold to draw nigh to God in an impudent way although their consciences tels them that they have not sought to do away their sins by faith and repentance this puts God into remembrance to speak of God after the manner of Men. Secondly Because their Holy duties are aggravations of their sin therfore God wil remember them then rather than at any other time as thus for the Jews in the text here to come to sacrifice for their sins certainly the language of which was this Lord I acknowledg I do deserve death my self for the sins which I have committed and I can only have peace with thee through the sacrifice of thy Son that I beleeve is to come now for them to come and say so and yet continue in their sin still this ads impudence unto their sin it was a sin of infirmity before it is a sin of presumption now So when men shall presume to come before God in prayer they have lived wickedly heretofore and now they come before God to testifie their respect that they profess they ow to God and yet their consciences tells them that they do wickedly depart from God in their lives when they come in prayer certainly they come to confess and name their sins before God and to tell God what sinners they are and yet still their hearts do close with their sins yea what an aggravation is this yea they came to judg themselves for their sins and yet still to continue in them Oh my brethren if you did but think of the aggravation that such prayer causes of our sins it would make our hearts quake and tremble But I speak only to those that are Hypocrites and live in their sins stil their Holy duties do but aggravate their sins and therefore no mervail though then God remember their sins in a more special manner We have cause to wonder that God doth not come upon some of us in his wrath while we are in the midst of our Holy duties as Pilat came upon the Galileans and mingled their blood with their sacrifices and so while we compare the lives of men with their prayers I say it is a mervail that God doth not mingle their blood with their sacrifice Oh take heed any of you that are conscious to your selves or your hearts closing with any known sin take heed the next time you go into Gods presence in prayer and confess your sins and judg your selves take heed that God doth not then remember your sins Now will I remember them even in the time of their holy duties you think that 's the time of our greatest pleasing of God but it may prove to be the time of Gods remembring your iniquities against you And visit their sins God visits either in Mercies or Judgments and in the godly visiting it is to be understood concerning those things that seem'd before to be neglected as in the 21. of Genesis God visited Sarah when God seem'd to have neglected her and so in Exod. 4. he visited the children of Israel that is when he seem'd wholly to have neglected them and so I will visit their sins though they may think I have neglected them yet I will visit their sins Whence observe God visits mens sins when they think they are most neglected by God God hath his time to make diligent enquiry for all their sins in Exod. 32. 34. In the day when I visit I will visit their sins upon them then all their sins shall come up together and that 's the reason that God is content to bear with wicked men and wink at their sins for the present why because God hath a day for to visit them this sin which they commit now they shall not hear of it till a great while hence but I have a day to visit and then this and the other sins shall come Daies of visitation heretofore were wont to be cal'd daies of vexation but the day of Gods visitation will be a day of vexation indeed to ungodly men Micah 7. 4. The best of them is a bryar the most upright is sharper than a thorn the day of the Watchmen and thy Visitation cometh now shall be their perplexity In Isa 10. 3. And what will you do in the day of Visitation and the Dissolution which shall come from far To whom will you flee for help and where will you leave your glory So I may say to many guilconsciences Oh thou poor wretched sinful creature what wilt thou do in the day of Visitation thou canst tell now thou canst go home and be merry and do what thou list but what wilt thou do in the day of visitation It follows They shall return or as some translate they will return to Egypt And so it notes their sin for which God will visit them and the course that they would take when God was about to visit them They will return to Egypt Whither will ye flee in the day of visitation We will fly into Egypt say they if the Assyrians power grow too great we will go into Egypt for help and this may seem to have reference to that story in the 2. of Kings 17. 4. The King of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea for he had sent messengers to So King of Egypt The Note from hence is this Carnal hearts when God is visiting them for their sins they have plots in their heads to shift this way and that way for themselves Vain deluded soul thy thoughts should be how should I make up my peace with God how should I seek the face of God thou art thinking of this and the other shift whereas thou shouldest only be thinking of making up thy peace with God And thus it is with Kingdoms when God is visiting Kingdoms you shall have many that sit at the Stern that all their thoughts are about carnal helps whereas their great thoughts should be how they might fall down before God seek to make peace w th God the Kingdom thus it was here I will visit them and they think to return to Egypt And if you take it as a Judgment it is threatned that they should return to Egypt in Deut. 28. at the latter end there it is put in the close of all the former Judgments That they should return to Egypt The Note is That it is one of the most dreadful Judgments upon a Nation after God hath delivered them from a bondage to deliver them to the same bondage again And as it was grievous to be delivered into the bondage of Egypt so more to deliver us into a spiritual Egypt If we should again come under the power of those that have persecuted us
of his children that were so eminent in office and were destroyed so with such a visible hand of God fire from Heaven when Moses was angry that the Priests had not eat of the sin offering saith Aaron If I had eaten of the sin offering to day should it have been accepted It would have been but as the bread of mourners I that have bin struck this day and am in such a dreadful condition Would God have regarded the sin offering God required joy in his services in Deut. 1â— 7. 18. verses and hence that profession was required in Deut. 26. 13 14. verses Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house and also have given them unto the Levite and unto the Stranger to the Fatherless and to the Widdow according to all the Commandements which thou hast commanded me I have not transgressed thy Commandements neither have I forgotten them And then in the 14. vers I have not eaten thereof in my mourning c. They were to profess this to God That they had not eaten thereof in their mourning this was to shew that sacrifices offered with a sinking heart in sorrow is not pleasing to God God loves a cheerful giver We must not pine away in our iniquities sullenness and dumpishness even in sorrow for sin it sowres our spirits and services and makes them unacceptable to God I say a sullen dumpishness of spirit though it be in sorrow for sin it sowres our spirits and makes our services unacceptable to God There is a groaning and a sighing one to another or rather against one another that is condemn'd in Scripture in Jam. 5. 9. the words in your books are thus Grudge nor one against another but in the Original Sigh not or groan not one against another you shall have many that in company with others have a pensive dumpish spirit sighing and groaning and making their society to be burdensom to others Saith the holy Ghost do not sigh and groan one unto another there is a sullen dumpish sighing of spirit and dejection of soul that is as unpleasing to God as it is unto men it polutes the heart and pollutes duty But you will say Is all mourning forbidden that here the holy Ghost should say Their offerings should be as the bread of Mourners Christ saith blessed are the Mourners and the Sacrifice of God is a contrite heart It 's true an evangelical sorrow is accepted but that hath sweetness in it it is not bitter that 's not a dejected spirit it 's not a mourning that causes dejection or sullenness or straightness of spirit but that mourning doth enlarge the heart and makes it active for God hence in Ezra 9. 5. although we reade before that Ezra was astonished at the sin of the people yet saith he at the 5. verse I arose from my heaviness at the evening sacrifice when the time came that I should sacrifice unto God my heaviness did not hinder me in holy duties But how many are there that sink down in their heaviness and when God calls upon them for any duty they cannot arise they are so over-burdened with heavy spirits There they sink down in a sullen way and shall God accept of such a service as this is You may please your selves in it and think it is humiliation but there may be much pride in dejection there is none so proud a spirit as the Devil is and yet no spirit so dejected as the Devil is Lead we know it melts soonest but it consumes in the melting and many times there may be such a spirit that may be ready to sorrow upon any occasion and to melt but it 's such a melting as consumes the strength of it that it is unfit for any service that God calls for now such services as you in such a mourning way tender up to God are not accepted of him Remember this text Their offering shall be as the bread of mourning Gualter hath a Note from this God would not accept of the offering of Mourners they were unclean yet saith he there are many that seek to get their greatest gain from Funeral mournings and fall of enveighing against them that get gain that way as their Priests and Officers that use to tend upon Funerals for gain he calls them Vulturâ— and Crows that do flock to dead bodies and Sepulchers Dogs those are his words that seek to get advantage by Funerals And we know heretofore what abundance of advantage there was gotten by Funerals scarce could you bury a child under three or four pounds such kind of fees there were and made them even rejoyce when others did mourn and getting a great part of of their livelihood from the bread of Mourners And Theophylact hath another Note from this place The bread of Mourners That is those things offered to God gotten by oppression as thus suppose a man or woman gets an estate and gets it in an oppressing way it may be they are at home and merry but it may be the poor children or widdow is mourning for those morsels that thou art rejoycing in but it is the first Note that is the most according to the mind of the holy Ghost the mourning that hath respect to the funerals and so especially at the dejection of spirit in holy duties It follows The bread for their soul shall not come into the House of the Lord. The bread for their soul That is When they are seeking God even for their very lives By Bread is to be understood their oblations more generally not only Bread but their Oblations As Malac. 1. 7. Ye offer polluted bread upon mine Altar it 's taken generally for all kind of offerings upon Gods Altar So The bread for their souls that is those offerings that they did offer for their very lives Now from thence the Note is this That it 's a sad thing when a creature would seek to God for his very life yet then God rejects him and his offering too Before these people they did reject the voice of the Lord at the Temple and they kept others from going to the House of the Lord they thought sacrifices elsewhere would serve the turn as well but now they shall be far enough from bringing any sactifices to the House of the Lord though they should desire to do it for their very souls Thus many who in the time of their prosperity do neglect the Worship of God and slight it and think there is no great matter in it but afterwards when they see their very lives their souls lie at the mercy of God then they would fain seek God for their lives they see they are undone if God be not merciful to them yet then God rejects them their offerings then for their souls shall not come into the House of the Lord that is will not be accepted
I have gotten by the Word and by prayer and by the Ordinances can enable me to do that that you cannot do that 's something that when a man in times of Tribulation can carry himself above all so that men or devils are not able to put him in such a case as he cannot tell what to do It follows VER 6. For lo they are gone because of destruction But do you say to us What will we do in such a day Why we know well enough what to do we have a way to help us if all your threatnings should befall us yet we can have help why 't is not like that all this misery and disolation that you prophesie of it 's not like that it will come suddenly then surely we know what to do we will get to Egypt that 's not far off and if we cannot live here in our own Country we will go to Memphis that 's a brave City and there we may live well enough Many of us are Merchants and Memphis is as great a place for Mercandize as where we live and we will get thither Thus carnal hearts have alwaies some shifting thoughts and some plots in their heads thinking of waies to provide for themselves and indeed it 's this that takes off the hearts of men from humbling themselves before the Lord and making their peace with him because they think they may shift off Gods strokes thus and thus therefore they do not fall down with trembling hearts before the Lord and cry unto him Lord what wilt thou have us to do but they know what to do themselves and were it not for this that their hearts were thus taken off by shifts Oh! what humiliation would there be then before the Lord what subjecting to him what seeking of him Isa 57. 10. Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way yet saidest thou not There is no hope thou hast found the life of thine hand therefore thou wast not grieved Thou thoughtest thou couldst tell what to do therefore thou wert not grieved When God doth intend mercy to men he takes them off from their vain hopes from all their shifting reasonings and then mercy is at hand When the hearts of men are brought to this to cry Men and Brethren what shall we do and as Jehoshaphat We know not what to do but our eyes are towards thee I say when mens hearts are taken off from all their shifts and they come to this pass As for any thing in our selves we know not what to do but only our eyes are towards thee then is mercy at hand and never till then And therefore all the time that you are reasoning thus in your own imaginations all that while you are far from mercy For lo they are gone to Egypt because of destruction The Prophet speaks here of a thing as if it were done already Although they were in Samaria and in the Cities of Israel yet saith the Prophet Lo they are gone to Aegypt the wrath of God was too hot for them in their own Country and away they are gone and got to Aegypt for a refuge Carnal hearts in straits will rather make any thing to be their refuge than God And my brethren just these for all the world have been I fear and it may be yet are the thoughts of many among us Why think they Ministers of God they threaten Judgments that God hath a controversie against us and we see now some tokens of Gods wrath upon us Well let the worst come that can we hope to shift some way or other we may get into Holland or Germany or France or New-England if the worst come that can I hope we may have time enough to get one way or other to make shift to live and these back-doors that their eyes are upon have made them less solicitous about and less helpful in the great things that God calls all with a loud voice to joyn together with al their strength that they may deliver their own Land from that heavie wrath that hangs over you Well notwithstanding mens thoughts are for shifting it will prove that all will be vain Saith God You think to shift to this place and the other you may be disappointed for Egypt shall gather you and Memphis shall bury you my wrath and sore displeasure shall pursue you thither It 's a vain thing for men to seek to fly from the presence of God But certainly in some cases a man may fly from danger As in regard of mens Relations and Stations they see that their work is done in one place and God by providence opens them a door to another though not out of distrust but if when God calls for further work here and there is no door opened by providence but what 's broken open by themselves out of a distrust and slavish fear only to provide for the flesh I say such may expect wrath to pursue them wheresoever they go their safest places may prove to be their graves Egypt shall gather them that is taken from the gathering of dead bodies Memphis shall bury them Memphis was a principal city in Egypt that now is known by the name of Grand Caer your Merchants and Marriners they know that City that here the holy Ghost speaks of by that name and then it was call'd Memphis upon the name as some think of one of the King of Egypts Daughters A City very famous in Egypt for the Pyramides and the Kings Sepulchres that were there and the City that stood very commodious for trafick because it stood upon the River Nilus and there was multitudes of streets I am loth to name you the number for indeed it is incredible only this thing is remarkable that generally all the streets had at each end of them two gates so that they might be lockt up as a Tower and it may be the holy Ghost may allude the rather to that in saying Memphis shall bury you because every place was shut up and it 's the same City that you reade of in the 19. of Isaih Now say they We will go to Memphis a brave place for trafick and a very commodious City a very safe City that hath all the streets like so many Towers and we will go and help our selves there Yea but Memphis shall bury you saith God From thence the Note is That it 's a great affliction to be forced to leave ones own Country and never to return again but to lay our bones in a strange Land The Lord hath sent many of his servants into other Countries to live among strangers some there are that have gone among strangers yet through Gods mercy they have not so gone but God hath given them libertie to return again and though their going hath been as you know much aspersed of late yet when more weighty work may give leave I make no question but you will be fully satisfied
people to the sacrifices of their gods So They were abominable as they loved that is they being inticed to bodily uncleanness by the Moabitish women these drew them likewise to the worship of their Idols And so their loves to their Whores was that which drew them to this wickedness They were abominable as they loved that is they setting their love upon these wicked women that did intice them to uncleanness according to that love of theirs were they brought unto the love of Idolatry Solomons wives drew him to Idolatry And it 's usuall for people to be of that Religion that those are that they love if so be that their hearts be taken with any if they love any it's usual for them to be of that Religion that those are of that they love according to their kindred according to their friends according to the stock that they marry in so is their Religion Many that have been forward in waies of Religion and yet marry into a carnal stock that hath no savour of Religion you shall find they will grow cold according to what their wives dispositions are according to what they love so their Religion either burns hotter or grows cooler as it was usually laid upon Ahab for his wickedness such a one was his wife and so other Kings the daughter of Ahab was his wife his Religion was according as he loved And my Brethren if those who are in a false way can draw whom they love to it then certainly those that are in the Truth should as wel labor to draw those who they love to the imbracement of the Truth Wives that are naught wil draw their Husbands to that which they love to Idolatry to false worship Popish wives have drawn more husbands to their Popery than Godly wives I fear have drawn husbands to the Truth Why should not gracious Wives labor to draw their Husbands to good by love as well as wicked Wives to draw them to wickedness by their love And indeed those who would gain others to good must first gain their love The women of Moab gained the love of the people of Israel and so gained them to themselves in the matters of Religion So if you would do any good to people first labor to gain their love let women that have evil husbands that they would â—ain gain how would you gain them not by reproachful speeches but do you though they be never so evil walk lovingly towards them that they may be convinced that your souls do love them and so do you by your loving carriage gain their love and that 's the way to gain them to your God by that means So divers of the women in the primitive times that had Heathenish Husbands we have many stories of them that by their gracious loving carriage to their Heathen Husbands they gained them to the Truth of Religion And so Ministers if they would gain people to God they must gain their love so walk before them in such a gracious holy loving way towards them as they may gain their love and then they will gain their souls if there be wrangling between Minister and People there 's little hope that they will gain and do any good among that people for people wil do as they love very much And so your neighbors and friends if you would gain them to God any way gain their loves to you for it 's a mighty motive in matters of Religion for people to do as they love And thus much for this tenth Verse VER 11. As for Ephraim their glory shall fly away like a bird from the birth and from the womb and from the conception AS for Ephraim A Pathetical expression he makes a stop at Ephraim Oh Ephraim how sad how much to be lamented is thy condition As for Ephraim their Glory c. By it is meant all their pomp riches strength prosperity but especially by Glory here is meant their numerous progeny in which they did so much glory Ephraim the ten Tribes did prosper very much and were a very great multitude more than Judah This Scripture hath reference unto the prosperous estate especially in the time of Jeroboam the second of which you reade in 2 King 14. Ephraim was in a very prosperous condition and had prospered very much Their Glory Children and numerous progeny is accounted a glory unto people That in which they do much glory in Prov. 17. 6. Childrens children are the Crown of old men the Seventy are the Glory of old men Parents use to glory and pride themselves much in their children saith one Oh! lovely pride of the Mother so it may be said of many sons and daughters of children Oh! the delightful pride of the Father and the Mother in such and such children They accounted it their Glory For 1. By their children themselves are multiplied And 2. They see what excellency soever there is in the child they look upon it as their own as themselves the cause of it and men and women love themselves much and because they are pieces of themselves therefore they glory in them And 3. They have some hope of continuation from Generation to Generation in their children and this is their Glory But let Parents learn to give God the glory of their children and to bring them up to the glory of God then they may rejoyce in them indeed as a great mercy of God In Prov. 10. 1. A wise Son maketh a glad Father but a foolish Son is heaviness to his Mother Why is a wise Son said to be the gladness of the Father Why Doth not a Mother rejoyce in a wise Son too And why is a foolish Son said to be the sorrow of the Mother Why Doth not the Father sorrow and mourn for a foolish Son The holy Ghost not without reason doth express himself thus A wise Son makes the Father glad First because the Father usually hath a more strict hand over his Son in his education to bring him to wisdom more than the Mother ordinarily Mothers are tender over their children and they coâ—ker them and so make them fools some they cannot endure that they should suffer any hardship and hence their children proves foolish and fit for nothing and great sorrows to them And secondly A wise Son is fit for imployment abroad in the world therfore rejoyces the heart of his Father but a foolish Son is fit for nothing but to be at home in the Chimney corner with his Mother and as he grows up grows stout and stubborn against her there And if children be a glory to their Parents they should labor to be such as they may be a glory and not a shame to them indeed There are many which instead a glory to their parents are a great shame to them as it was said of Augustus Caesar he had three daughters that were wicked and
give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts But rather according to most Interpreters I think this expression is rather an expression of Commiseration that is foreseeing the lamentable condition that the ten Tribes should be in ere long the Prophet pities their condition and would fain come in and pray for them and he begins Give them O Lord saith the prophet and then he makes a stop as if he should say but O Lord what shall I say for them Give them but Lord I know not what to ask for them I am at a stand when I consider what they are what the many mercies they have had already what warnings they have had how hardened they are in their sin and how thy word is gone forth but Lord give them shall I say Lord give them deliverance give them peace give them prosperity still Lord I dare not that I cannot ask all means have been used for to bring them unto thee and yet they stand out against the Lord thou knowest they are deer to me they are of my flesh and I should be glad that they might be saved but thy glory is dearer to me then they are and therefore for that I cannot pray and therefore the Prophet praies Give them seeing all this misery must befal them what shall the enemies be let out upon them shall they and their children be made a prey to the Murderer Lord rather let no more be born of them rather let those children that otherwise should have been born and might have lived in their own Land Lord God 〈◊〉 them not be born rather than come to live to so great misery so he doth not pray for a miscarrying womb and dry breasts absolutely but compartively From whence the Notes are First That mens sins make many times Gods Ministers and his Saints at a point that they know not what to say in prayer Truly though there hath bee a mighty Spirit of prayer through Gods mercy in the Kingdom yet considering that since God hath come to shew himself willing to deliver us and Christ hath been coming even upon his white Hors in peace to take the Kingdom to himself since that time such a spirit of Malignity hath appeared against Christ and his Saints as ever was in the Kingdom it puts many of the Ministers and Saints of God to a non-plus in their prayers and straightens their very hearts in the day of their fasting when they are to seek God that the Lord would give forth mercy The Lord knows that the condition we are in is more unfit for mercy than we were at the very first day Thus a Nation thus particular people may put the Servants of God to a stand in their prayers and straighten their hearts Oh! were it that people had gone on in the imbracing of Reformation as they seem'd to do at the first Oh! how enlarged would the herrts of the Saints have been in prayer Oh Lord give England mercy give England deliverance And then a second Note is this That the fruitfulness or the barrenness of the womb it is from God Give them give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts This is from God in Gen. 30. 2. when Rachel cried for children Give me children or else I die the text saith that Jacobs anger was kindled against Rachel and said Am I in Gods stead Paulus Phagius that learned man saith that the Hebrews have this speech that there are four keys that are in Gods hand that he gives not into the hand of any Angel 1. The Key of the Rain and that you have in Deut. 28. 12. The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure the Heaven to give thee rain unto thy Land in his season 1. There 's the Key of Food in Ps 145. The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing 3. There 's the Key of the Grave in Ezek. 37. 12. Behold Oh my people I will open your Graves and cause you to come up out of your Graves 4. And lastly The Key of the Womb and that is in Gen. 38. 22. These four Keys God keeps in his own hand and therefore Gods providence is to be observed in this and there ought to be a submission to his hand in it Thirdly Sin may bring such evil time upon a people as better those who live to such times had not been born or died before those times had come Give them a miscarrying womb and a dry breast if they should have children that should live to endure all the miseries of those times that are coming they had been better not to have been born or have died long before this time saith the Prophet We must take heed of wishing this upon every little affliction that doth befall us as it is the frowardness of many people even with God himself that if their children do but anger them to wish they had never been born or cold in the mouth many years ago I wish I had gone to your Grave Parents many times are ready to wish their children that they had never been born of them but this is frowardness against God himself and wickedness those that are so ready to wish their children had not been born they are the least sensible of the sin that doth cause the affliction upon which they do wish such a thing as that is Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts First There may be either such miserable slaughters as that Parents might even wish that they never had any Children Or Secondly They may live under such cruel tyranny for their souls and bodies Or thirdly They may be drawn from God by false Religion and so may be in a condition worse than if they had not been born Hence Parents to whom God denies children or takes them away they should quiet themselves in Gods dispose especially in such times as these are it may be God hath taken away your children to deliver them from greater evils as in the house of Jeroboam there was but one child that had any good in it and saith God That child shall die and gives the reason Because it had some good in it So that God takes away many that he hath the most love unto and lets others to live that he hath not so much love unto Yes some may say If I were sure that their souls were safe though God doth take them away if I were sure of their salvation then I would be content That 's true indeed If your children were saved what hurt is that to be taken away here and received to Heaven and there to live for ever with Christ not to sin or sorrow more but howsoever you may satisfie your selves in these three things First That they are under an indefinite promise though not an
universal Secondly Suppose he should not be saved then it were better that he should be taken away than to live to sin more against God he might have lived to have done a great deal of mischief in the world if he were one that God did not intend to save and therefore quiet thy self However God sees further than thou doest either when he denies theâ— Children or takes them away in such times as these are Further In times when publick evils are threatned they are good times to die in If better not to be born in evil time then certainly it is no great evil to die in evil times Good men are taken away from the evil to come As if a woman had her breast to be launc'd or cut off would not the tender Father take the Children out of the room in the mean time Who knows but God may have the breast of his his Church our Mother even to be cut off for a time yet may suffer heavier things than ever she hath done and if God shall take away his tender Children that will not be able to bear such a sight as that what great evil is it As we reade of God towards Moses when Gods Glory was to pass by he puts Moses into the hole of a Rock and truly the graves of the Saints are but as the holes of the Rock til the Glory of Gods Justice passes by a people And thirdly If the sins of Parents may be the cause of such things to Children as better they had not been born let those that have Children take heed that they lay not up such wrath for an Inheritance for their Children as that their Children afterwards should even wish they never had been born of such Parents especially if Parents be careless in the education of their Children not to bring them up in the fear of the Lord hereafter their Children may curse the time that ever they were born of them and say Oh! that I rather had been of the off-spring of Vipers or the generation of Dragons than that I had come of such Parents Oh! that my Mother had had a miscarrying womb or that she never had had breasts to give me suck Certainly this will be the voice of many children against their Parents one day Look to it that there be never a Father nor Mother in this place that may give cause to their Children thus to wish they had never been born of such Parents And certainly if the enduring of sorrows and misery in this world may put them into such a condition what then wil sin and being the authors of miseries to others do Those Children that are abominable and wicked in their lives and are causes of mischief to others how much cause is it that it had been said that it had been been better his Mothers womb had miscarried as it was said of Judas that it had been better that he had never been born And so it may be said of abundance at this day what abundance of evil are some at this day the cause of unto others What woful disturbances distractions and calamities do some men bring upon a nation had it not been better that their Mothers wombs to have miscarried and their breasts not to have given them such And again What horrible wickedness are some guilty of How many Mother 's this day have cause â—o say Oh! that my womb had miscarried of such a Child Oh that my breasts had never given such a Child suck Oh that ever one should come out of my womb to do so much mischief to take up Arms to fight against his COUNTRY to fight against the Saints to bring in Slavery and Tyranny that ever any out of my womb should have a hand in such a mischievous way as this is Oh! these breasts of mine every time I look upon them I wish they had never given such a one suck for it may be they wil suck my blood too Certainly if ever there were a time to wish their wombs had miscarried and their breasts never given suck these are the times many may do so And this seems to have allusion to that which Christ saith in Luke 23. 19. Blessed are the wombs that never bear and the paps that never gave suck I say concerning many particulars in the Kingdom in this time it might have been said Oh! blessed had the womb been that such men were in had they never been born and the paps that they suckt that they had never given suck This would not have been an interpretation but a good prayer if it could have been foreseen if any Prophet could have forseen this that thou shouldst have been a Child and he should have been an Actor in so much mischief as hath been done in this Kingdom of late if any Prophet could have forseen this thou wouldst have said Amen to his prayer Lord give this woman a miscarrying womb and dry breasts that she might never have born nor given suck to such an one It follows VER 15. All their wickedness is in Gilgal for there I hated them WHAT this Gilgal was I opened in the 4 th Chapter at the 15. Verse it was a very famous place for many remarkable things Stones were set up in remembrance of so great a mercy in coming over Jordan and there was the first Passeover that ever they had and there they were circumcised and the Lord said unto Joshua This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you from whence it had the name they were not circumcised in all that time in the Wilderness from whence it was called Gilgal because the reproach was rolled away I shewed abundance of mercy to them in Gilgal there they eat the fruit of the Land and there the reproach was rol'd away and the monument of my great mercy in bringing them over Jordan but now they have turned this place to the most abominable place in the Country for because there were such great things done in Gilgal they thought that it was a holy place and therefore they might justifie their superstitious waies though God afterwards did chuse another place for his Worship yet they thought to sacrifice and worship in Gilgal they thought it might be justified because it was a place where such great things were done Now saith God I never intended that all their wickedness is in Gilgal Superstitious men are proud to put holiness upon places that have had remarkable things done in them in reference to Religion This phrase we have had occasion to meet with before and therefore I pass it All their wickedness That is Their chief wickedness as if God should say there is a great deal of wickedness among them there are Murders and Thefts and abundance of other evils the breaches of the second Table but yet above all their wickedness is at Gilgal they think to make use of that
tough and stought spirits and therefore he still strikes with sharp rebukes and severe threats Israel is an empty Vine The Church is often in Scripture compared to a Vine in Psal 80. 8. Thou hast brought a Vine out of Egypt thou hast cast out the Heathen and planted it And in that known place Isa 5. 1. Now will I sing unto my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his Vinyard The Church is compared to a Vine First There 's no plant hath a more unpromising outside than the Vine hath the outside of it how mean is it looks as if it were weathered rugged grisled weak and hollow the stalk of it and this is the Church the out-side of it is very unpromising little beauty and comliness as Christ himself had little beauty and excellency in his outside But yet secondly The Vine is the most fruitful plant that grows out of the earth Pliny that great Naturalist tells of very strange fruitfulness of some kind of Vines in his 14. Book and 4. Chapter he tells of ten Culei that 's his word that an Acre of Vines brought forth in a year which comes to a matter of eighteen hundred gallons nay in the 1. Chapter of his 14. Book he tells of one stock one single Vine that was planted by Livia the Empress that yeelded an hundred and eight gallons of good Wine yeerly The Vine is a very fruitful thing though unpromising in the out-side And what fruit indeed is there brought forth to God in the world but by his Churches and God expects much fruitfulness among his people how ever as you shall hear they are charged with being empty Thirdly No plant requires so great care as the Vine What a deal of do is there in dressing the Vine and underpropping of it and pruning of it looking to it continually and the Lord hath the greatest care of his people of his Church himself accounts it no dishonor to be the Husbandman as he is said to be in John 15. and in Isa 27. 3. you have a most admirable expression of Gods taking care of his Church as his Vine I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day I will keep it and I will water it and every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it again night and day And this is the Vinyard that he speaks of in the beginning of this Chapter and it was the Vinyard that brought out red Wine the best sort of Wine Those that bring forth the best sort of Wine shall have the best of Gods care and charge and protection over them Fourthly The Vine it is the most depending creature in the world it is not able to under-prop its self but must have props more than other Plants and therefore Nature hath given unto it strings by which it catches hold upon any thing next it And so the Church the Church is weak in its self and is the most depending thing in the world depends upon its props that God affords unto it you have an excellent place to set out that in Isa 27. 2 3. ver there the holy Ghost speaks of a Vinyard of red Wine and in the 4. verse Fury is not in me which shews that there should come a kind of great storm and tempest but he would not have his People to be discouraged Fury is not in me And then in the 5. verse Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make his peace with me Let him take hold of my strength that is speaking to his Church as a Vine in the time when my fury is abroad yet do you like the Vine which catches hold upon a pole and there under-props its self so let him take hold of my power let him act faith upon my power in time of storms and tempests and he shall make peace though he hath never so much trouble abroad in the world with others yet he may he shall have peace with me That 's the nature of the Vine to catch hold upon that which is next it and especially in time of storms when the strongest Oaks are rent in pieces yet the Vine catching hold upon the props it hath rests there Fifthly If it be not fruitful it is the most unprofitablest thing in the world I suppose you know that place in Ezek. 15. 2. What is the Vine-tree more than any tree or than a branch which is among the trees of the Forrest Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon Behold it shall be cast into the fire for fewel It is not meet for any work the Vine is meet for nothing not to make a pin if it be not fruitful And no people in the world are so unprofitable as Professors of Religion if they bring not forth the fruit of godliness and the world may be rid of them better than any people else if they bring not forth their fruit unto God And then further in the sixt place A Vine is the most spreading plant that is that spreads larger than other plants and fills a great deal of room with the spreading of the branches of it and so you have the Promise of the Church in Isa 27. 6. Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the world with fruit And then lastly The Vine is the most tender soft plant and it is the Emblem of peace the sitting under our Vines it is to set forth Peace And so the People of God they should be of tender soft spirits not like the Bramble nor the Thorn full of pricks if we sit under Thorns and Brambles we may be prick'd with them but sitting under the Vine there is nothing but sweetness and delightfulness there Israel is a Vine yea but he is an empty Vine The word in the Original is a Participle an emptying Vine and yet the sense will come much to one an Empty Vine or an Emptying Vine that is Though there be much cost bestowed upon Ephraim so as he might be fruitful yet he makes himself empty This shews how he comes to be an empty Vine not because Gods mercy is scant to him but he makes himself so by his sin what juyce moisture he hath he doth empty it forth into other things and so is empty Israel was a Vine full of clusters refreshing God himself as you heard in the ninth Chapter that he was to the Lord as Grapes in the Wilderness as a Vine that did bring forth Grapes in the Wilderness that was so sweet to a weary and thirsty traveller Israel was once such a one yea but now he is come to be an empty Vine though he grows in the Vinyard of God and not in the Wilderness Empty and no mervail for as you have heard in the
in the feminine gender the she Calves that is in a way of Contempt of them The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the Calves of BETH-AVEN Why the inhabitants of Samariah The Calves were not there Samaria was their chief City as London is to England so Samaria was the chief City to the ten Tribes And Samaria shall fear Samaria was a very strong City And when the Assyrians came and carried away the ten Tribes captive they took all the Country round about before they took Samaria it was with Samaria as with London in these sad times when there hath bin wars round about in England London hath bin safe for these three years together And so when there was wars in al Israel yet Samaria continued safe yea not only when some Towns but when every Town was taken Samaria was so strong as to be able to endure a siege for three years together thus you shall find in 2 King 17. 5. That the King of Assyria came and besieged Samaria three years yet this it was and yet the text saith The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the Calves of Beth-aven That is though they were a strong City yet when we heard that their gods were taken away yea when they did but hear that Bethel and Dan were in danger to have their gods taken away Oh! they were sensible of this though they were safe for their outward condition for the present and had strength enough to resist the Enemies yet they were afraid that is there was a solicitous fear in them about the Calves of Bethaven before they were taken and when they were taken their hearts were daunted and knew not what in the world to do So you see the meaning of the words from whence the Note is this First That in times of danger our hearts should be most solicitous about the Worship of God It was so in the time of their danger their hearts were especially solicitous about Bethel Oh! that was the place where they had the Worship of their Gods So are Idolaters solicitous in time of danger not so much because of their outward peace it is not said that they were afraid because the enemies would come and take their Corn or their Estates but Beth-aven where the Calves were they were afraid of that When there is any danger that should go next to our hearts The honor of God his Church his Ordinances Thus it was with old Eli in 1 Sam. 4. 13. the text saith That Eli sat upon a seat by the way side watching for his heart trembled for the Ark of God Why he had his sons in the Army his heart did not tremble for them and that if the enemies should prevail he was like to lose his estate and there would come woful misery upon the Land for the outward condition of it No but his heart trembled not for that but for the Ark of God I appeal to you what was that which your hearts trembled most for in the time of our greatest danger Was it for the Ark of God was it because of his Ordinances Oh! if they prevail they will trample the Ordinances of the Lord and the Saints of God under feet the true Worship of God and the Power of Godliness did your hearts tremble because of this Certainly if your hearts were right they would do so What shall Idolaters tremble because of their Calves and shall not we have our hearts tremble because of our God 1 King 8. 44. If thy People go out to battel against their enemies whithersoever thou shalt send them what should they do and look towards the City which thou hast chosen and towards the House that I have built for thy Name then hear thou in Heaven They when they are in prayer must look towards the City and the Temple for the Temple was a type of Christ so the City was a type of Gods Ordinances where the people went up to Worship Oh! that should be in our eyes the City where the Ordinances of God are when we go to War let that be in our eyes and let that make us fight valiantly and when we are praying to God let us not pray so much that we may be delivered from our Adversaries as that the Temple and the City of our God may be preserved Again further In that it is said the Inhabitants of Samaria should thus fear From thence the Note is That Cities that are strong and safe themselves should be sensible of the miseries of others Oh! God knows how far we have been wanting in this very thing If a stranger should have come out of another Country into London and walk about the streets could he have imagined that there were such Civil Wars in this â—and as there is such wonderful desolations as hath been made in other parts Oh! how little did we lay the afflictions of others to heart because they were at some distance from us Oh! the mercy of our God that hath not brought us into the same evils and miseries this one sin had been enough to have provok'd God against us because we were so little sensible of other Countries and Cities that were about us This wicked Samaria yet when they heard that Bethel and Dan and their other Cities when they heard what dangers they were in Oh! they were mightily affected with it Learn we from hence to be humbled for our want this way and if ever the Lord should yet try us further let us learn to be sensible of the miseries of others that are about us Lastly They are afraid because of their Calves When their Calves are gone all their Confidence is gone and then their hearts are over-whelmed with fear There is no staidness of heart in resting upon any thing but upon the living God They that stay themselves upon any thing else if any afflictions or dangers falls out their hearts are fill'd with fear presently When men have nothing to rest upon but their own inventions their own waies no mervail though they fear in times of danger They begin to bethink now that all is vanity to them that they rested upon yea the service of God that men in times of prosperity can rest upon and can satisfie their consciences withal yet in time of danger it will not do no inventions of men nor no external duties of Religion especially such as are mixt with superstition they will not uphold the heart in times of danger but the heart will be overwhelmed it 's only the confidence in the living God the union of our souls with Jesus Christ and enjoyment of communion with him in his own Ordinances that can comfort our souls in time of danger But it 's said of the Godly in Psal 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. His heart is established and he shall not be afraid It 's again repeated let evil tydings come what
these poor people should desire here should be dreadful enough to have the Mountains fall upon them and the Hils to cover them Oh! but 't is not so dreadful as Gods wrath take all the terrors in the world they are nothing to the wrath of the Almighty when that is apprehended sometimes the wrath of God lies more heavie upon a mans Conscience than a thousand Mountains And my brethren if it be so dreadful in outward judgments how dreadful is it like to be when it shal come to be fully powred out upon the wicked and ungodly In Revel 9. 6. They shall seek for death and shall not find it they shall desire to die and death shall flee from them saith the text Oh! when Gods wrath appears against the ungodly it will be dreadful especially when the full vials of it comes to be powred out And further To live in misery is worse than present dreadful death to live in a lingring way of misery is worse than present death even in this world I remember Suetonius tels of Tiberius Caesar that there was one that he had adjudged to death and he that was adjudged to die petitioned to him that he might have his dispatch He answers him thus Sir you and I are not friends yet you must not die you must be kept in misery It is worse than death many times to be kept in a lingring way of misery it is so even in regard of the miseries of this world Oh! how much worse than death is it then to be kept under the wrath of God to all eternity How fearful is it to live in misery for ever then and never to die Why it 's better certainly Sence would apprehend it better for a man to be dispacht presently than to live in lingring misery yet if we did know all it were better to live in the greatest misery in the world for a wicked man than to die the fairest death thou wert better to live as a Dog a Toad yea as a stock-log at the back of the fire if it were possible than to die if thou knewest all being a wicked man but however hereafter in Hell then it were better if it were possible to perish than to live so as thou hast yet then thou shalt not die though it would be the greatest happiness to thee if thou shouldest after a thousand yeers cry to God Oh Lord that Mountains might fall upon me The Lord would answer You and I are not friends yet and if after a thousand years more thou shouldest cry Oh Lord that I might be crush'd to pieces the Lord would answer you still You and I are not yet friends Saith Bernard Oh! I tremble to think of that that I should fall into the hands of living death and of dying life where men do not die that they might for ever die saith he they do die that they may for ever die they are alwaies dying but never die but are kept by the Almighty power of God on purpose that they might be fewel for his wrath and subjects for his revenging Justice to strike upon Oh! consider of this you that are so ready to desire death because you are in a lingering misery at any time Is a lingering misery so evil Then what will be the lingering evil of eternity Fifthly observe The wonderful misery of wicked men in their affliction they have no whither to go for help they have not God they have no refuge but to the mountains and hills and what 's their refuge there but that they may fall upon them Oh the difference between a Saint of God and a wicked man in times of affliction When in times of affliction thou if thou beest wicked shalt rage and be mad and know not whither to go and the uttermost help that thou canst think to have is from the Hills and Mountains to fall upon thee but then the Saints of God shall be able to look up to Heaven and Cry Heaven is open for us open to receive my soul Angels come and guide it and bear it in Oh Arms of Mercy Bowels of Mercy spread open your selves to imbrace me here 's a difference And is not this better than to cry to mountains to fall upon thee and hills to cover thee And yet such a difference in mens estates doth sin and godliness make And then the last is Oh the wonderful evil of despair what a dreadful thing is desperation It suggests nothing else the greatest benefit it doth suggest it is to be crush'd in pieces so the help that many have it is a halter to strangle them a knife to murder them the water to drown them Oh desperation is a dreadful thing Francis Spira feeling the dreadfulness of desperation Cries out Verily desperation is Hell its self Upon all this Luther concludes with this exhortation Oh let us stir up our selves to the fear of God let us fly Idolatry let us beautifie the Word by our holy lives and pray to Christ that we might escape such things as these are that God inflicts upon the contemners of his Word If you would not come into this wonderful despairing condition Oh learn to fall down before the Word fear God now that you may not despair you that contemn and slight and scorn the Word now this may prove to be your portion ere long that this desperate cry may be the greatest ease that your forsaken souls can have VER 9. O Israel thou hast sinned from the daies of Gibeah O ISRAEL I am speaking this to you it meerly concerns you you have sinned from the daies of Gibeah you think there is no great matter in your sin why there should be these dreadful threatnings that you should come to this desperate condition Why say the men of Isrrel what means the Prophet to be so terrible in his threatnings pray what 's our sin Yes you have sinned as in the daies of Gibeah From the daies of Gibeah so it is in your Books or it may be read Beyond the daies of Gibeah or more than in them as Ezek. 16. 52. From the daies of Gibeah From what time was that You may reade the story of Gibeah if you reade the 19. and 20. of Judges and their sin I shall not need to spend much time now in opening what Gibeah was or the sin of Gibeah was because that in the 9. Chapter of this Prophesie and the 9. Verse there I met with those words that they had corrupted themselves as in the daies of Gibeah But it is not only the 19. and 20. Chapters where we have the story of that horrible wickedness of the abusing of the Levites Concubine but likewise that that we have in the 18. touching their Idolatry that there was among the people there was Micahs Idol so that the Prophet hath reference to the 18 19 20. Chapters of the Book of Judges Now you have sinned as in the
the daies they slew fourty thousand now having the first day this did hearten them yea they had the day the second time and that made them stout in their way Success will make men stand it out in their wickedness God manie times gives success on purpose to harden the hearts of men that they may stand it out unto their ruin for so it proved to the Benjamites Be not troubled at the success of Adversaries God gives them success to harden their hearts to stand it out that they may be ruined at last Or if you take it for the men of Israel There they stood I find abundance of strange apprehensions of Interpreters and variety about this and it would cost one a great deal of time the opening of this Verse to compose but the several Interpretations that men have upon this Text but I 'le only give you what I think may be the scope of the holy Ghost or at least what may be fairly hinted from the words The men of Israel stood That is according to some when they saw in their battel at Gibeah they did not prevail at first they saw their brethren stood out stoutly and they lost so many thousand men upon this they were at a stand There they stood they knew not what in the world to do to think that so good a Cause and a work that they had warrant from God to do yet they should have such ill success there they stood Men had need be very well grounded in a good Cause when they meet with much difficulty I beleeve since this Cause that we have been about in England hath bin begun many through unbeleef and cowardize have bin at a stand they stood and knew not which way to go Lord is this the Cause of God is this the Truth of God what to have such ill success Many are lost in their spirits only by success Or thus There they stood that is Though they were at a stand and somewhat troubled yet they persisted in their work notwithstanding any difficulties they met withall they would not fly off but there they stood to it they were resolved whatever ill success they had to go on in the work that God had call'd them to The battel in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them When they did fight against the children of iniquity yet this battel did not overtake them to wit the Benjamites not the first day nor the second day but they were foil'd twice Though I know others do give other Interpretations of this word yet this seems to be more genuine But why doth the Prophet bring it in here The men of Israel to whom Hosea did prophesie might say You tell us that our sin is as in the daies of Gibeah yea but may we have the first day and the second day we hope we shall do well enough Nay saith the Prophet your sin is worse you may not think that your case is so good as the Benjamites the Battel did not overtake them but it shall overtake you and upon this ground the Prophet brings in this that the Battel did not overtake them granting that which they would object yet so as it should not make for them but to take away their hopes to escape And thus you have the meaning The Observations are First That the children of iniquity may escape once and again Though men be children of iniquity yet the Battel may not overtake them It 's as famous a story to take away the seeming success in an ill cause and disappointment in a good Cause as any I know in all the Book of God it did not overtake them at first Gods wrath follows many men in this world and yet for a long time overtakes them not but God calls it back Psal 78. 38. He being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not yea many a time turned he his anger away and did not stir up all his wrath But at length Gods wrath overtakes men In Zach. 1. 6. Did not my words take hold upon your fathers I sent out my threatning words and you escaped a long time but at length my word catcht hold of them As the Dog that follows the Hare barking a great while but at length he overtakes it and ceases upon it and tears it So did not my Word take hold upon your forefathers Calvin he gives another Interpretation of these words and some other Notes upon it but I think that this is the main and Genuine scope of them VER 10. It is in my desire that I should chastise them IT is in my desire God speaks here as one that hath forborn a long time and now longs to satisfie himself Tremelius upon the place notes that the form of the word for chastising here it is unusual because saith he perhaps God would express some more than ordinary way of punishing them And Luther renders it Exceeding desirously will I chastise them It is in my will to chastise them Oh! blessed God do not we find in thy Word that the Works of thy Justice are said to be thy strange Works and that thou art not willing to grieve the children of men that mercy pleases thee but where do we ever find that Justice was so pleasing to thee It 's true though at first God seems to forbear the execution of Justice as a thing he hath no mind to yet if sin be continued in in a stubborn way now God desires it as a thing that there 's nothing more pleasing to him He is burdened with mens sins and desires to bring punishments upon them as a man under a great burden desires to be eased In Isa 1. Oh! I will ease me of mine Adversaries And in Ezek. 5. 13. you shall find there that God in threatning of wrath saith that he would do thus and thus and he would be comforted and in Prov. 1. he laughs at the destruction of wicked men it 's a thing that rejoyces him at the very heart And in the Revelations the wrath of God is call'd the wine of his wrath because he takes so much pleasure in the execution of it 1. Gods Justice is God himself as well as any other Attribute 2. God he doth delight to vindicate his honor therefore the word that is for Chastisement it signifies somtimes the vindication of a mans honor the honor of God is dear to him Your peace and comforts may be dear to you I but my honor is more dear to me 3. In Chastisements God fulfils his Word the Word of God would be slighted contemn'd else Now this pleases me therfore to chastise them to fulfil my Word upon them Oh! the fearful evil of sin that brings the creature into such a condition as Gods heart is delighted in every evil that sinful creatures suffer this must needs be a sad condition indeed
them into your hearts As first That such is the vileness of every sin as it seperates the soul from God and puts it under an eternal Curse This one Truth you must get this into your hearts and get it deep into your hearts it will help to unloosen the roots of the thorns and bryars that are there the setled apprehension of this Truth And then secondly This Truth That there is such a breach between God and my soul by sin that all the power in all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth is not able to make up this breach here is a sharp plow-share to get into the heart And then thirdly This Truth that by nature I am full of this sin my heart is full of it all the faculties of my soul are filled with sin that is of such an hainous nature Here is a sharp plow-share to get into the heart And then fourthly That every action that ever I have done in all my life in my unregenerate estate it is nothing else but sin nothing else but sin that hath such a vile nature Yea further That if any sin be pardoned to me it is by vertue of a price paid that is more worth than ten thousand worlds This Truth Now here 's the Gospel as well as the Law for the plowing is but the spiritualness of the Law the Truths of the Law in a Gospel way for you must take notice that the Law as Law accepts of no humiliation for sin it is as it is reveal'd in a Gospel way in a Gospel way it doth tend to humiliation for let men be humbled never so much the Law never accepts of them for their humiliation but the Law in a Gospel way so it comes to humble the soul so as to do it good Now therefore the Consideration of the Truths that the Law requires having reference to the Gospel they serve for the humbling of the soul Now get in these truths and see what they will do in thy Soul you must work them in And let conscience be put on to draw this plow These are as the Plow-share and the working of Conscience is the drawing of this plow while the plow stops as when it meets with a thorn and bryar now a strong Conscience will draw it on and will make the thorns and bryars to be rent up by the roots if the Conscience be put upon with strength to draw these Truths in the soul and though they put you to pain yet you must be content to draw them on in the soul And if these and the like Truths be got into thy soul and thou beest at plow and thy Conscience be drawing This is that I shall say God speed the Plow yea God speed these Truths that Conscience is drawing on in the soul for it may tend to a great deal of good to prepare thee for the seed that may bring forth Righteousness and Mercy to thy soul for ever I confess it is a hard work to be thus plowing Indeed for men and women only to hear Sermons and be talking and conferring of good things these things are pretty easie but to go to plow to plow with such Truths as these are to get up the thorns and bryars by the roots this is a very hard task but we must be willing to do it and to continue plowing as the fallow ground must not only be plowed once but it may be it may stand in need of plowing the second and third time before it may be fit for the seed to be cast in and so it must be with our hearts It may be some of you have got in some Truths and you have been plowing yea but since that time you have had many weeds and thorns grown up and you must to plowing again it may be it is divers yeers ago since you have been thus plowing and your hearts have lain fallow all this while do not think it enough that once you have been humbled but be often plowing up this fallow ground you were as good have the plow get into your hearts though it be sharp as to have the Sword of Gods Justice be upon you We have in these times a wanton generation that have risen up that cannot endure to go to plow they would be doing nothing but taking in the sweet as I told you before in a former Exercise Treading â—ut the Corn. But this plowing they cry out of meerly through a wantonness and tenderness of their spirits a sinful tenderness because they would have nothing but jolity and licentiousness in their hearts and waies yet the Scripture in Luke 9. 62. compares the Ministers of the Gospel to the plow He that puts his haud to the plow and looketh back is not fit for the Kingdom of God not fit to be imployed in the administration of the Gospel Though these men cry out so much of humiliation for sin which is as strange a Generation as ever have risen up that should cry out of that when there 's nothing more humbles for sin than the price that was paid for sin in the blood of Jesus Christ and there is no such sharp plow-share as that If I were to preach one Sermon in all my life for the humbling of men for sin I would take a text that might shew the great price that was paid for it and therein open the breach that sin hath made between God and mans soul But they will not make use of the Gospel neither so much as to be a plow to plow the heart for the work of humiliation Well God hath prospered this work heretofore and notwithstanding al the wantoness of mens spirits this way yet I say still God speed the plow God speed this way of plowing the hearts of men and getting in those Truths that do humble the hearts of men for their sins these were the Truths that God hath blest in former times and there 's none that ever did live to the honor of the Gospel so much for this generation that is come up they talk of the Gospel but they live not to the honor of it the Gospel hath not honor by them nor Jesus Christ hath not honor by them But the former generation of men though in some things they might fail yet certainly God blest them in their way so far as it was according to Truth No mervail though these men bring forth such little fruit of Righteousness it is because they sow among thorns presently they are up at the top and so confident presently in their way their seed is among thorns and therefore it doth not prosper And thus much for this expression about the plowing up of fallow grounds both in reference to general Reformation and Humiliation and concerning mens Souls in particular It follows For it is time to seek the Lord. It is time First Yet you have time to seek the Lord 'T is well for you that you have
time to seek the Lord It is mercy that there is any time at al to seek the Lord. It might have been past time with you for seeking the Lord God might have forc'd his honor from you in another way have fech't out his glory from you in your eternal ruin Oh! 't is mercy that God will be sought of you and therefore plow up your fallow ground and sow in Righteousness for it is time to seek the Lord. Oh! you that are the oldest and wickedest and yet live still Oh! remember this Scripture yet you have time to seek the Lord It is mercy that you have any time to seek the Lord If you did but understand what this mercy were ye would fal down with your faces upon the ground and bless the Lord that you have yet time to seek him What do you think those damned creatures in Hell would now give if it might be said of them That they have time to seek the Lord if they might have but one hour more to seek the Lord with any hope to obtain mercy from him What you are now they were not long since Oh! do you fear and tremble lest if you not seeking the Lord you ere long be as now they are that it shall be said of you Time is gon time to seek the Lord is past I will not now be sought of you Seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near It was a speech once of a woman in terror of Conscience when divers came to her it was in Cambridge divers Ministers and others coming to her in way of comforting of her she looks with a gastly countenance upon them and gives them only this Answer Call time again If you can call time again than there may be hope for me but time is gone Oh! that we had hearts to prize our time to seek the Lord therefore while he may be found And when thou goest home fall down upon thy face before the Lord and bless him that yet it is time to seek the Lord. It is time for the publick through Gods mercy it is time yet for us to seek the Lord. It might have been past time and who almost that did desire to know any thing of Gods mind for seven or eight yeers ago or more but did think that Englands time was even gone of seeking God But the Lord hath been pleased to lengthen out our time to seek Him and this we should prize and make use of Secondly It is high time to seek the Lord. For first God hath been long time patient towards you He hath been long suffering there is a time that the Lord saith He will be weary with forbearing and therefore the Lord having suffered so long it is high time for you to seek him for you to look about you lest the Lord should say That he would be weary in forbearing and forbear no more It is fit you should seek the Lord at all times but now it is high time when God hath been so long suffering towards you how do you know but that the time for the end of patience is at an end And that is the second consideration God hath been long patient And 2. Mercy it is even going for Judgments are now threatned by the Prophet as if the Prophet should say if ever you will seek him seek him now God is going and Judgments are at hand and therefore it is high time for you to seek the Lord. As a Prisoner when he is at the Bar he is pleading a great while when the Judg is at the Bench but if he sees the Judges ready to rise off the Bench and if they be gone then he is gone and undone for ever then he lifts up his voice and cries out Mercy mercy So it is high time to seek the Lord high time Mercy is going Judgment is at hand God as the Judg is going off the Bench now cry crie out for your lives or you are undone for ever Oh! this may well be applied to us both in the general and in the particular it is high time God hath shewn himself to be going and departing from us only there hath a company of his Saints been crying and as the Lord hath been going from us yet they have lifted up their voice and cried to the Lord so yet he grants us time And then thirdly It is an acceptable time because now God calls upon you and he holds forth the Scepter of his Grace towards you therefore it is now acceptable to seek God seek him now and he will be found 2 Cor. 6. Now is the accepted time the day of salvation while you do enjoy the means of Grace while God is offering mercy in the Gospel it is the accepted time therefore now is the time to seek the Lord The misery of man is great upon him for not knowing his time in Eccles 8. 6. There the wise man saith There is a time for all things but therefore is the misery of man great because he knoweth not his time Oh! 't is true in this regard we know not our time and therefore is our misery great upon us O that thou hadest known at least in this thy day those things that concern thy peace missing of time is a dangerous thing That may be done at one time with ease that cannot be done at another time with all the labor that possibly may be Thou canst not tell what may depend upon one day upon one minute perhaps even eternity may depend upon this moment upon this day A man goes abroad from his family and gets into company perhaps into an Ale-house or Tavern to drink and there spends the day in wickedness thou doest not know but upon that time the day of thy eternitie may depend it may be cast upon that day as Saul was cast upon that act of his saith Samuel to him The Lord had thought to have established thy Kingdom but now he will not so God may say Well notwithstanding all thy former sins I would have been content to have past by them if thou hadest sought me upon this day The consideration of this would make us take heed how we spend our time how one spends any day in ones life A Marriner may do that at one time that he cannot possibly do at another He hath a gale of wind and now he may quickly get over Sea but if he staies till another time if he would give his heart blood to get over he cannot and so sometimes thou hast such gales of the Spirit of God as may do good to thy soul for ever take heed thou doest not lose them if thou losest them thou maiest be undone for ever Oh! 't is fit to wait upon God for our time and if God gives us time take heed we do not trifle and say we shall have time hereafter therefore in Phil. 2. 12.
the Apostle saith Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling and it follows for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do What a connexion is there If God work the will and the deed what need I work at all Nay the connexion is thus Do you work out your salvation with fear and trembling take all opportunities you can let the fear of God be upon you so as to omit no opportunity for you do absolutely depend upon God that if he doth withdraw himself from you you are undone for ever for you can do nothing of your selves for it is God that worketh the Will and the Deed. As if we should say to a Marriner Be careful take your wind and sail for al your Voyage depends upon God if you neglect your opportunity you are gone It is time for the youngest of all to seek the Lord As soon as ever you begin to have the dawning of reason it is time for you then to seek the Lord Oh! that you did but know your time Oh! but what time is it for old ones for those that have neglected seeking the Lord the most part of their lives Is it not high time for you to seek the Lord who have spent so much of the time of your lives in vanity and folly as you have done The remainer of the time you have is uncertain and yet suppose you should have so long a time as in the course of nature you are like to live yet many of you cannot have so much time to seek the Lord as you have had in departing from God you cannot have so much time to honor God as you have had to dishonor him and therefore is it not time for you to seek the Lord I remember it is said of Themistocles that he died about an hundred and seven years of age and when he was to die he was grieved upon this ground Now I am to die saith he when I begin to be wise And certainly it cannot but be a grief to a man or woman though they should be godly to think Why through Gods mercy the Lord hath begun to work Grace I hope in my heart yea but assoon as I begin to know God and have any heart to serve him in this world I must be taken out of this world It was a proverbial speech once Weighty things to morrow you shall find it in Plutarchs lives Oh! take heed this proverb be not fulfill'd concerning you Weighty things to morrow take weighty things things of infinite consequence while you have time Let weighty things be regarded then It is time to seek the Lord. Time Certainly our time is now for the publick as much as ever to seek the Lord for never did God give us such an opportunity for honoring him as of late Never any Nation in the world had a greater opportunity for seeking God and honoring of him than we have had we were like to have been befool'd of our opportunity of getting mercy from God but the Lord hath given it us again and betrusted us with an opportunity again after it was got even out of our hands Oh! let us then catch hold of it now and bless God that we have it even restor'd to us again and let it be a strong argument upon us now to seek the Lord seeing we have an opportunity yet to do it we have the liberty of his Ordinances more fully than ever let us not be befool'd of it And certainly it is time in a more special manner now for us because that things are in so great a confusion that every body is at their wits end almost alas our wise Counsel that is at the stern yet they are fain to depend upon meer providences and casualties and the truth is there is such a confusion of things that if God should say to the wisest man in the Land Well do you contrive which way you think things should be best and I 'le do according to your contrivance they could scarce tell what to say or what to determine of if God should leave it to them such a confusion there is that in a rational way you could not tell how to determine of things Is it not time to seek the Lord then We thought it was time to seek the Lord when we were in great danger of the Adversaries that they would come to our gates Surely it is as great time to seek the Lord now to seek the Lord that when he hath delivered us from our enemies that we may not devour one another And when God hath given us some rest from them and said Well all that before you were afraid of was That the Enemies would prevail and then you could do nothing but I have queld their power in a great measure and now set upon the work of Reformation Oh! we are now at a stand and know not what to do and we go on in such craftie waies one against another that every one is at a stand Oh then it is time for us to fall down upon our faces to seek God to direct us to regard the great opportunity that God hath put into our hands We only now want light to know what to do and therefore whereas heretofore we have sought God for power that we might be able now we are to seek God for light that we may know how to improve our ability seeking God To labor to put our selves into such a disposition as God doth use to communicate mercy to his People in besides praying to God There 's those two things in seeking God Praying to him and laboring to put our selves into such a way and disposition wherein God doth use to meet with his people and communicate himself to his People Till I come and rain Righteousness upon you The word that is here translated Rain it doth sometime signifie to Teach it is of the same root and the Scripture makes use of that similitude of Rain for Doctrine because of the likeness of Doctrines distilling as the Rain therefore one word in the Hebrew is used for both And therefore I find divers in Interpreters go that way Ply the work until he teaches Righteousness and so it is a Prophesie of the Messias do you Sow Righteousness and plow up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord till the Messias shall come and teach you the Righteousness of God So they carry it But take it is it is here Vntil he rain Righteousnes And then there is these things in it First I 'le open what is meant by Righteousness and then Rain By Righteousness is meant First That God will deliver them from oppression that though they have unrighteous dealing with men yet they shall have righteous dealing with him And this is a great mercy to a people that God shall undertake that there shall be nothing but righteous dealings betwixt them and himself Secondly By
them to maintain that way of theirs they had countenance from men of Power they had strength enough to crush any that should oppose them That 's the Note that lies plainly before us When the outward strength of a Kingdom goes along with a way of Religion then men think it must needs be right and that all men are but weak men that appears against it Mark the connexion They trusted in their way that is as I find generally Interpreters go The way of Religion And then their Mighty Men these two are put together so that you see the Note is very evident before you that 's the way that generally men will trust in and men will go that way were the scale turn'd and the strength of the mighty men went another way As now Suppose that the strength of the Kingdom of the ten Tribes had been bent to go up to Jerusalem to worship and not to worship at Dan Bethel Do you think there would have been almost any considerable party that would not have gone up to Jerusalem but worshiped at Dan Bethel but when the strength of the Kingdom held the other way when the mighty Men and the way of Religion went both in one the generality of the people went that way that the mighty men went This is the vanity and the exceeding evil of mens hearts that which way soever the mighty men go that way they will trust in There are very few that will deliberatly say so I will go that way that I see the mightie men go in But this is a secret byass poise upon the spirits of men w ch inclins them to harken to what may be said for that way not willingly to what may be said for another And secondly It is such a poise upon their spirits as makes them to be willing and ready to let in any probability if there be but the least probability for the way that the mighty men go on in they take in that and when they have taken in one probability that makes way for another and another and so they drink in more and more so com to be strengthned for that way so as to put off the strength of any thing that can be said against the way except it be so apparent as whether they will nor no they must be forced to sin against their consciences directly if they go another way I say when the spirits of men are byassed by seeing the strength of the Kingdom go in a way though perhaps they may have some good lie at their hearts yet there is that corruption in mans heart that except we can make the other way so cleer that notwithstanding all shifts and all kind af reasonings that may be they shal be self-condemned in their own consciences that their consciences shall tell them they go directly against their light I say except we can come thus we cannot prevail with mens hearts when the sway of a Kingdom goes another way And there are many Truths of God that concerns his Worship that cannot be made so cleer but that a man may have such a diversion to satisfie his conscience in this That I in going another way do not go against my conscience God would have us that what is most likely to be his mind that way to go without any consideration of any outward respects Now if there be a temptation for outward respects that they will come into the ballance do but turn the ballance and suppose in your own heart that all outward respects were in the other ballance that all the mightie men were of the other way what would your hearts think In Revel 13. 3. That when Power and Authority was given unto Antichrist The whol World wondred after her So it is ordinary that way that the mighty men go that way mens hearts will generally go Oh! the little honor that Jesus Christ hath by us Our hearts are swayed for the most part by carnal Arguments and carnal Motives Again They trust in their way and in the multitude of their Mighty Men. Great Armies are the things that are the Confidence of Carnal hearts when they can get a great Army up of a multitude of Mighty Men let there be never such threats in the Word yet if they think they have strength enough to bear them out they bless themselves in that Oh! let us take heed of this Carnal Confidence Through Gods Mercie the Lord hath given us now that we have the multitude of Mightie Men on our side let us take heed that our Faith do not eb and flow as our Armies do and I wil give you one Scripture that shews how far a gracious heart is from making flesh his Arm Cursed is that man you know the Scripture that maketh flesh his Arm. But an example of a godly man to shew how far he was from trusting in an Armie of mighty men in 2 Chron. 14. 11. It is nothing saith Asa with thee to help with many or with them that have no power Why Lord though we have no power yet thou canst help us Why did Asa speak thus Had he no power You shall find in the Chapter a little before that Asa had five hundred and fourscore thousand valiant fighting men Almost six hundred thousand valiant men that he had at that time when he is pleading with God Lord thou canst save where there is no power We account it a great Army if we have twentie or thirtie or fourty thousand men he hath almost six hundred thousand men and yet goes to God and praies Lord thou canst help where there is no power And yet further from the connexion of these two Their way in which they trusted That is The way of Religion they thought that was good But had they had nothing else to trust in but that their trust would not have been very sure From thence the Note is this That those who trust to any way of their own had need of creature strengths to uphold them It 's a Note of very great use they had need of bladders to be under their arm-holes if they trust in a way of their own But now if the Way be the Way of God that a man hath confidence in why then though all outward helps should fail him though all encouragements should fail in this world though we should see the creatures at never so great a distance yet the heart that hath confidence in Gods way hath enough to uphold it here 's the difference between men trusting in their own way and in Gods way Indeed when men trust in their own way so long as the Sun shines upon their way that they have external helps they can go on confident but let outward helps fail and their hearts sink within them But now when the heart is upright with God and trusts in the Word and Promises then it is able to say with Habakkuk in Chap. 3. 17.
for doing so And in another place he tells that the Citizens suffered more by them than when the Enemies took it so that when the enemies took it they thought that it was rather a relieving of their miserie than bringing evil upon them because the evil of the Tumults was so great among them My Brethren we should rather bear much than be any fomenters of the raising of Tumults take heed of that you know not what the end of such things will be A Tumult shall arise among them In Amos 2. 2. Moab shall die with Tumult When God intends the sorest scourge of all utterly to destroy a people he suffers Tumults to be among them I find some take this word Tumult A Tumult shall arise that is only meant the Confusion of the hearts of people when the enemies should come upon them that they should be all in a Confusion not knowing what to do through fear and terror altogether As suppose on a sudden an Army should come against a Citie people would be wringing of their hands and running up and down from place to place and paleness in their countenances and not knowing what in the world to do all in perplexity and tumult Thus God threatens it should be with them As if he should say You are jolly and brave now but when the Assyrians come out upon you then your hearts shall fail and you shall all run together and not know what to do the women and children shall cry not knowing how to help your selves and so shall be brought into a confused Tumult This is the sense that some carries it in But the sense may very well go either of these waies It is a mercy that God hath not tried us this way We live in our houses and follow our tradings and lie down and sleep in quietness and rise again but we cannot imagin what woful distractions there would be in the spirits of people in the Citie if there were a considerable Army encamped round about it Perhaps some of you here have been in places where the enemies have come suddenly so that you know what this Tumult in the spirits of men and women means Bless God I say that the Lord hath delivered us from such Tumults as these And the Power and Providence of God in Government of the World by a few in keeping people from Tumulting and so bringing all to Confusion it is to be acknowledged and his Name to be sanctified The word that is translated Tumult it doth indeed seem to import this The crying of fearful creatures those that are terrified and scar'd it signifies the crying out of them Oh! 't is a great mercie for the heart of a man to be so stablished that when all dangers shall be apprehended yet they can find their hearts fixed in God and not in a tumultuousness presently A righteous man it 's said of him in Psalm 112. 7. That when he hears ill tydings his heart is fixed but it is a greater blessing that when we see the Armies before us and hear the neighings of Horses and clattering of the Speers then to be fixed Oh! we should labor in the time of peace to make our calling and election sure In Psalm 57. 7. My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Awake my Glory awake Psaltry and Harp I my self will awake early I will praise thee O God c. When was this that David cries to awake and to give Glorie to God and sing praise and that his heart was fixed It was when Saul persecuted him it was when he was in danger of his life when Saul pursued him to take away his life yet My heart is fixed my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise saith David even at that time So in Psal 46. 2 3. We will not fear though the earth be removed though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea though the waters thereof roar and be troubled though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof Selah This Psalm was wont to be called Luthers Psalm for in times of trouble he would say Come and let us sing the 46. Psalm Many Scriptures we might have to this purpose I remember the storie of Archimedes that when the Citie of Siracuse was taken and the enemies came in with their drawn swords and hack'd and slew whom they pleased and abundant of blood-shed there was yet he was so setled upon the drawing of his Lines being a Mathematition that when the Soldiers came in with their swords drawn he was drawing his Lines about his Art Which of you could if you were at prayer or any serious duty if you should hear of the breaking in of Adversaries Could you have your hearts fixed in a setled constant way fixed upon God in such a time as this is As outward Tumults in Cities and Countries are very great evils so are likewise Spiritual Tumults in the heart when God seems to come against the Souls as an enemy I have a place for spiritual Tumults that is the trouble and destraction of the heart in the time of the apprehension of Gods absence in Psal 40. 2. He brought me up saith the Psalmist out of an horrible pit Now the word is in the Original the very same word we have here From the pit of Tumultuousness Oh! it 's true as if he should say my heart was fixed indeed yet at other times I found my heart in a tumultuous condition when I apprehended God not coming in according as I expected yea but the Lord did bring me up out of the pit of tumultuousness Oh! hath not this been the condition of some of you in time of trouble of your spirit when you have apprehended the absence of God from you Your hearts have been all in a tumult hath the Lord delivered you Remember the Psalm The Lord hath delivered me out of the pit of tumultuousness I was in a tumultuous condition my heart was even overwhelmed but the Lord hath delivered me out of the pit of tumultuousness And then in Psal 61. 2. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Remember that Scripture likewise And all thy fortresses shall he spoiled What are strong holds for the safeguard of a people when the strong God is against them You have made Lines and Fortifications Oh! but the strong God is against you In Nahum 3. 12. All thy strong holds shall be like Fig trees with the first ripe figs if they be shaken they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater And now my Brethren blessed be God we know this Scripture to be true in a way of mercy God hath made our enemies so to us and not in a way of Judgment God might have made our strong holds so to them this
Scripture might have been fulfilled thus All thy Fortresses shall be spoiled that is though we have made Fortresses we might have heard first of this strong hold spoiled and the other strong hold in such a place spoiled this Castle taken and the other Castle taken and we might have been amazed with the news and have said How doth God fight against â—s that though we had such strong holds and men enough to man them yet for all that they might have been but as the first ripe figs that being shaken fall into the mouth of the eater How were our hearts dejected when we heard but of one strong hold being taken from us Bristol But I say through Gods mercy this Summer the Lord hath made this text good unto us all thy strong holds not all ours but all the Enemies How have they been spoiled generally Oh! the Lord hath appeared glorious this way and hath made this last Summer to be a continual miracle of mercy to us in this very thing All thy Fortresses shall be spoiled It follows As Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel Hierom reades it As Salmana was destroyed by the house of him that vindicated Baal in the day of Battel And so all that follow the old Latin they refer this to the story that we have in Judges 8. and think it hath reference to that the story where Gideon slew Zalmunnah the Prince of Midian and so they make Arbel to signifie the same with Jerubbaal though more short And the holy Ghost doth seem to make that great Judgment of God upon Salmunna to be exemplary he makes use of it afterwards in Psalm 83. 11. Make all their Princes like Zeba and Zalmunna But now the letters in the Hebrew do differ here and we do not reade of Gidion though he did use very much severity upon Zeba and Zalmunna yet we do not reade that he dasht the mother upon the children But Luther thinks that it is meant of some notable act of cruelty upon some that was very neer to them but the particulars whereof we have not recorded in Scripture but only here mentioned some notable execution of Justice it was upon a City Beth-arbel not long before that God sets forth as an example of his most dreadful wrath that they might expect against themselves this Beth-arbel we find it not in the Canonical Scripture but in 1 Maccab. 9. 2. we find mention of such a place and afterwards it was very famous for the great overthrow that Alexander the Great gave to Darius so that it is as if the holy Ghost should say Did you not hear of that horrid savage slaughter that Shalman caused in Beth-arbel when the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children they had no pity of any sex or condition the tender hearted mother imbracing of her children she was dashed in pieces upon them such dreadful wrath of God your Bethel may expect for so he alludes to that Beth-arbel signifies the House of the insnaring god the god of Policie and Subtiltie it seems the people that call'd this City by this Name they had a god that they honored for the god of Subtilty that would ensnare all their enemies they thought and so they trusted in this god And upon that called the City Beth-arbel the house of the Insnaring god But now this would not do the more they sought by subtilty to undermine their Enemies the more were their Enemies enraged and therefore when they came upon them they spoiled them and dashed the Mother upon her own Children We might from this very word take notice of such a meditation as that That we should not think by our plots and policies to prevail if God be against us Do not think to put off God by plots and policies and to avoid dangers that way this people did so because they had a Beth-arbel a God of Policy they thought to prevail but their misery was so much the greater Mothers and Children were dashed in pieces one against another If you make Arbel your God Policy to be your God you may expect so much the more rage of God and of the Instruments of His wrath against you And let men take heed how they seek to deceive cozen other men for there is no such way to encourage one man against another as this is when a man sees that he is sought to be undermined by policies do not deal by that way with your friends acquaintance and neighbors you will encourage them so much the more But oh the fury and rage of War when God lets it out to dash Mother against Children We reade in Psal 137. concerning the children of Idolaters that when the Lord lets out his wrath upon the parents he will let it out upon the children too Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones It 's a very strange phrase And in Isa 13. 16. Their children shall be dashed in pieces before their eyes I remember Vrsine in his Comment upon that place of Isa he quotes this 137. Psal and he hath first this Note That though God doth thus execute his Wrath yet usually because it is so dreadful and there is so much savageness in the thing in mans eye therefore God doth use to do it by wicked men and we never read that he made use of his own Saints to execute that wrath And then he answers that doubt I but is it not said in the Psalm Blessed are those that dash their little ones against the stones it may seem that it is approved of Now that is his answer and Calvins and others that he doth not mean Blessed that is That they are blessed in their persons or eternal blessings of Mercy but it is a Prophetical wish that they might have success in the work that they might have the blessing of success in the work as an execution of Gods Wrath and Gods Justice though the Instruments did sin in it they did it to execute their savage cruelty yet the Prophet doth look upon the Justice of God in it and wishes success unto them in such a work as that is that the Justice of God may go on and have its course speaking in the way of a Prophetical spirit The sins of parents you may see many times comes upon little ones What hath the poor Infant done Oh! you tender-hearted mothers consider of this how far your sin may reflect upon your children If ever you should see bloody Soldiers to come in in a terrible way as sometimes you have had fears that way and dash you upon your children consider this is your sin that hath done it But you will say Shall the children suffer for the Fathers sin Do not we reade that God will visit the sins of Idolaters unto the third and fourth Generation Indeed were your children innocent had they no original sin
then it were another matter but now considering they have enough in them to make them subjects of Gods wrath God may take advantage the rather because of thy sin and therefore take heed ane especially take heed to Gods Worship for we do not find in Scripture where any children are so threatned as the children of Idolaters are And then a further Note is this That the Judgments of God neer to us should awaken us we should think Why may it not be upon our selves This was a heavy Judgment of God upon some City neer and God would awaken them Oh! what have we heard hath been upon our Brethren in other parts and we have been sottish and not sensible of it because iâ— hath not just come upon our Gates the Lord expects when we hear of any dreadful evil upon others that we should tremble and fear before him And then one thing further note from hence As Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel The word that is here Shalman it signifies the name of one that is peaceable one that is peaceable and yet he shall exercise his cruelty so as to dash the Mother upon her Children this is not one that bears cruelty in his name not a Tyger but a Shalman a peaceable man as his name carries it and yet thus cruel when he comes to have power Oh! men who have peace in their names and peace in their mouths and peace in 〈◊〉 yet when they come to have power often times are very cruel We were like to have found it so if our adversaries should have prevailed especially this Citie might have been made a Beth-arbel Mothers dashed upon their Children It 's true when the adversaries did prevail in any place they did not do so but it was not through any ingenuity or pity but out of fear but had they gotten the day then we might have expected even dashing of the Mother against the children VER 15. So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness SO shall Bethel What shall Bethel rise up against the rest of the ten Tribes and come and destroy Mother and Children together That 's not the meaning But Bethel shall do it that is Bethel is the Cause of this that dreadful slaughter that is like to be among you it shall come from Bethel Who would ever have thought that Oh my Brethren Miserable Judgments do many times arise from causes we 〈◊〉 think of that 's the Note from thence I say miserable Judgments do many times arise from causes we little think of From Bethel there should come this slaughter and dreadful blood-shed And as that Note more generally so more particularly this That from places of Idolatry comes the greatest evils to Kingdoms As 't is very observable on the contrary from the places of Gods Worship comes the greatest good so from places of Idolatry the greatest evil In Psal 76. 2 3. In Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place iâ— Zion There brake he the Arrows of the Bâ—◠〈◊〉 Shield and the Sword and the Battel Did God break them there Was there a Fight in Zion and in Salem No that 's not the meaning but in Zion and Salem where Gods Tabernacle was those Servants of God that were worshiping of God in Jerusalem and in Zion and praying to God they got the Victory so we may say that such a place that was fasting and praying in the time of our battels there God brake the Arrow and the Bow in that place where they were praying and seeking God it was in Salem and Zion Where the true worship of God is from thence comes the good of a Kingdom And so in Isa 31. 9. Whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem The Lord is there threatning the Enemies of his people and he saith That his fire is in Zion and his furnace is in Jerusalem there God hath his furnace and from thence it shall go to destroy the adversaries And so on the contrary where Idolatry is set up and false worship maintained from thence comes evils and miseries upon us Because of your great wickedness The word is Because of the wickedness of your wickedness so the Hebrews express the suparlative degree by a genetive case the evil of the evil the wickedness of the wickedness From whence observe Other sins are great sins but this of false worship indeed is THE great sin that God is provoked against a people for Whence let us not make light account of the Worship of God for how little soever Gods Worship is in our eyes yet it is a great matter in Gods eyes and though you think that the sins against God in the matter of his Worship be but small yet God saith it is the great wickedness it is the wickedness of wickedness And great wickedness it may be call'd not only in respect of the nature of it but from many aggravations and long continuance in it notwithstanding all their means You may Note further from hence God takes notice not only of mens sins but of the aggravation of their sins Oh! let us do thus do not only look upon your sins and acknowledg your selves to be sinners but look upon the Aggravations of your sins Oh! this sin committed against so many Mercies so many Prayers and Resolutions and Vows and Covenants and so many Deliverances that I have had labor to lay the Aggravations of your sins upon your hearts and this is the way to humble your hearts before the Lord. Indeed the Saints of God they need not seek to excuse their sins be not afraid to lay the aggravations of sin upon your own hearts according to what great aggravations there may be Greaten your wickedness before the Lord do not so as ordinarily people do to extenuate your sins for if there be any extenuation that possibly can be Jesus Christ will find out that in his pleading Christ is your advocate who sits at the right hand of the Father and it is his work to plead your cause and therefore if there can be any thing to extenuate a sin he will do it you know that when he was here in this world when his Disciples did offend very much in that sleepiness of theirs that when Christ was to suffer they could not watch with him one hour that sin might have been aggravated with abundance of circumstances but saith Christ The flesh is weak but the spirit is willing he falls to extenuate and excuse Now that which Christ did there he wil be ready to do in Heaven for thou that art a Saint And then further According to greatness of sins so is the greatness of wrath great wickedness and great wrath they go together and therefore according to the greatness of sins should the greatness of our humiliation be For so it is said of Manasses That he humbled himself greatly and in Lament 1. 20. where the
shame to their children 222 Parents must give their children good education 266 Passions Disordered passions cause sad conclusions 284 Peace see Leagues People People give power to Kings 16 Common people follow the great Ones 381 Peace Many while they provide for peace provide for ruin 60 Perplexed Why the wicked are perplexed in the day of the Lords wrath 177 Persevere We ought to persevere in duties though we have no present comfort 428 Plow Wee should plow in hope all our lives 428 Wee must continue plowing 471 Plow-men see Ministers Policy see Reason Pomp see Superstition Popery Popery almost brought in at London 25 Pride There is much pride in dejection 169 Pride is the root of not hearing 295 See Stubborness Prayer Weak prayer may be strong 315 Preservation Gods preservation of us all our daies shewed 245 Princes Princes when they come first to the Crown promise faire 276 Princes are not to be trusted in 338 None so perfidious as Princes 338 Prophane see Idolaters Prosper We may prosper and yet have no cause to joy in it 141 Prosperity Take heed in prosperity 250 Professors Yong Professors should be kept down 308 Why Professors are empty 314 See Yong Question Q Question A Question answered by a Professor 180 Quick-sightedness The quick-sightedness of the enemy comes from the Lord. 20 R Racha The word Racha explained 303 Religion When Arms may be taken for Religion 21 Good acts in Religion may be evil in the doer 77 Religion is a Saints recreation 165 Reason Reason Pollicy and Experience may go one way and yet Gods Word another 85 Redemption see Sabbath Recreation see Religion Reformation Reformation cannot prosper except Justice be established 379 Revelations Revelations besides the Word are dangerous 91 Riches Riches in goods work is the best wealth 321 Righteousness What Righteousness is 479 Rod We must not chuse our sin and rod too 427 Romans see Crucifying Ruin Gods mercy prevents our ruin 67 False worship is the ruin of a Land 159 See Peace Rule A Rule to teach common people how to judge of their Ministers 197 Cautions to the same RULE 198 See Scripture S Sabbath The Sabbath was appointed for Commemoration of our Redemption 110 Saints The Saints prize the Law of God 100 The Saints should sorrow most for sin 151 How the Saints rejoyce in Gods vengeance 175 Saints admonished 219 The Saints should prize the enjoyment of God 251 Satan What Satans great design is 200 Scripture The Scripture is the Rule and the Expositor to understand the Rule 87 The Scripture should be looked upon as particular to our selves 92 Self People stick much at what comes from self 30 Self-denial God requirs self-denial in temporal things 119 Servants Great is the danger of servants at their own hand 54 Servants to great men exhorted 277 Service To be employed in publick Service is the making of a man 123 Service-book Service-book and Altars all some mens Religion 387 Sin God knows how to make use of mens sins 22 A man may commit the sin against the holy Ghost and yet continue in Duties 115 God remembers the sin of wicked men when they perform holy duties and why 122 See Altars Rod. Signs Signs of much wrath 126 Sound see Threatning Smiting Smiting with the Pen is worse than smiting with the Sword 281 Sinner God may damn a lesser sinner and save a greater sinner 152 Soul The Excellency of the Soulâ—â— 33 Soldiers Soldiers are Gods Priests 174 Sorrow see Lumpish Spirit The Spirit of God forsaw this generation 114 States States may judg of the right of a Kingdom 2â— Stubborness Stubborness is the fruit of pride 53 Strong Strong places are not to be trusted in 132 Success Sometimes God gives success in judgment 421 Succession Succession ads to Idolatry 80 Superstition How it was superstition in the Israelites to build temples 130 Who mourns most for superstition 391 Why carnal men contend for superstition 490 Superstitious Superstitious men regard outward pomp 27 A note to the Superstitious 204 Superstitious children admonished 258 Sword see Smiting T Taxes Taxes upon mens estates are but mean burdens 66 Teachers Teachers establish worship 84 Temple see Superstition Threatning The threatning of God is a terrible sound 3 Men should be sensible of the threatnings of God 68 Distance of time in commandements and threatnings is not to be heeded 80 Trumpet see Luther Themistocles The saying of Themistocles at his death Thoughts The shifting thoughts of carnal hearts in time of danger 181 Time Evil timâ— are good times to die in 265 Time for England to seek God 477 See Threatning V Vanity Scripture expressions of the vanity of great persons 403 Vessels Gods grace to the vessels of mercy 49 Vile Vile things are many times hid under glorious titles 191 Vileness see Diffidence Villany The villany of malicious Commanders against the Godly 257 Vine The fruitfulness of Vines 300 The Church compared to a Vine ibid. See Emptiness Unclean Why Mourners for the dead were so long uncleane 167 Use Use for the afflicted 440 W Waies see Follow Wealth Wealth is wicked mens glory 223 Wicked men Wicked men are as Eagles in their rage 5 Wicked men first serve their turns of the godly and then scorn them 47 Wicked men are wild upon their lusts 52 Wicked men are contemptible 53 See Perplexity Wind Who they are that sow the wind 37 Ministers must beware they sow not the wind 41 Rules how ib. See God Wine Wine in sacrifices what it signified 162 Wil-worship Will-worship an empty thing 303 Work see Ministers Works see Good Word It is a singular blessing to have the written Word 88 By whom the Word is counted strange 105 World see Christ Worship Gods Worship is an excellent thing 12 Gods Worship is cast off by carnal hearts ibid. Gods Worship must not be imitated 110 The Worship of God is a great matter 104 True Worship must be mourned after 388 See False and Invention Wrath The wrath of God is many times executed in answering our desires 150 The wrath of God called Wine and why 174 See Signs Writers see Men Y Yoke Christ's yoke easier than the yoke of the enemy 436 Young Young Professors their danger 45 Young Professors should be kept down 308 See Vine Young ones Young ones exhorted 214 Young ones the hope of a Nation Youth Youths sins are Ages terrors 121 FINIS 1. Text. 2. Apptic by paraphrase Obs 1 Luther called the trumpet of rebellion simile Pliny Why crucifying on a tree was so hateful to the Romans Expos 3. Obser 2. The paraphrase Obs 3. Luther Author The Assyrians Army why an Eagle Why the Eagle was unclean under the Law Obs Goâ— accepts not Eagles but Doves Obs 1. Gualt Applied to England Obs 2 Obs 3. Luther Author Obs 1. Obs 2. A true Church Use 'T is good dwelling in Gods house Ps 26. 8. explained Officers of the Church Obs 3. The good of Christians depends upon the Covenant
Expos Obs 1. Ps 78. 38 Zach. 1. 6. simile Calvin in loc pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à A communi regula discedit fortasse voluit inusitatum inuere castigationis modum insolitâ verbi forma Tremel * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In desiderio meo castigabo eos Valde cupidè eos castigabo So Luther See Buxtorf Lexic Heh in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 1. Ezek. 5. 13. 15. Prov. 1. Rev. 14. 10. explicated Reas 1. Use Use of admonition to those in whose will it is to sin 1 Pet. 1. 6. Expos 1. Expos 2. of the former part of the Verse * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. Iuxta desiderium meum corripiam eos vulg Oecolampad in loc Obs We may not chuse our sin and our rod too The Text very difficult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vincire eos in duobus aut succis aut pecatis aut occulis aut fontibus scribetur per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 legitur à masorethis per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sulci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquitates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oculi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fontes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Buxtoriâ— Lexicon Heb. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arias Montanus In corripere eos propter duas iniquitatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. Vincire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catigare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But in some Moods and Tenses they are hardly differenced Propter geminum peccatum ipsorum Luther * Qui erant ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oculi eoruÌ„ seu amasij Buxtorâ— in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ier. 2. 13. Hier. in loc See Diod. in loc Expos 2. Polanus in loc Expos 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos 4. Calvin As Engl. and Scotl. in the late war Obs Hooper Ridley Applied to professors now Expos Deut. 25. 4. Applied to the ten Tribes Obs 1. Obs 2. Vbi non vident quaestuÌ„ rident Christum ubi datur ut edant adduci possunt ut credant Ternov in loc Obs 3. All our life we should plow in hope In Duties we should persevere thouh there be no present coÌ„fort This â—1th Verse of special use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos Obs The evil of Bare necks and breasts Black Patches And painted faces Great Estates ill used Every one bound to labor Fair Skins foul Souls oftimes Alice Drivers Neck-kercher Act. and Monum Hard breeding fittest for Christian suffering Expos 1. * Quando à Deo dicetur semper plagas adversa significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs A caution Examples in our time of the truth of the text Isa 47. 1. 2 Vers 3. Tender ears Christs yoke easier than the yoke of the Enemy Ladies-work Tender spirits Isa 58. 14. Iob 30. 21 22. Expos Vide Pagnin Thesaur Majoâ— in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs Expos 2 King 18. 3-9 with 2 Ch. 28. 6. 2 Chr. 28. 6. a strang Scripture Expos 1. Obs 1. Use for workers Expos 2. Obs 2. Us for the afflicted The sufferings in the West A Consideration for men of quality Object against the ObservatioÌ„ Answered Expos 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Occabit ei Iacob 70. Expos 2. Obs Obs The Exposition of Hierom too much on the left hand Seminent in justitia i.e. in lege metant in misericordia id est in gratia Evangelij Luther too much on the right The genuine meaning The Text paraphrased Caution Quest Answ Obs 1. Obs 2. Plinie Obs 3. Obs 4. Obs 5. * Preached in October Obs 6. Obs 7. Use Levit. 27. 16. Applied Obs 8. Ps 126. 6. Prov. 6. 14. 19. Chap. 16. 28. This time most unfit to sow the tares of discord Expos 1. Expos 2. Opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad os misericordiae Levit. 27. 16. Exod. 16. 16. Men that are in mean imploymeÌ„ts encouraged Obs 1. Gal. 6. 7. Ps 126. 6. Gospel-Righteousnesse the most precious thing in the world The Reason Use Eccl. 11. 6 Pro. 20. 4. Object Answ 1 Chron. 29. 14. Chap. 22. 14. Arias Mont. translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in paupertate afflictione meaâ— Rawleighs Hist of the World part 2. C. 17. § 9. The quaÌ„tity of treasure that David offered 1 Chron. 22. 14. interpreted Use Ipsa gratiarum actio Luth. Cyprian's prayer at his Martyrdom * Paratus sum propter nomen tuum victimam sanguinis fundere quodcunque tormentum sustinere Cum elâ—vavâ—ris confringere terraÌ„ sub qua fissura terrarâ—Ì„ me absconsurus sum cui monti dicturus sum eadit super me cui collâ— tege me A German Ministers speech at his death Obs 2. Alexander An encoraging meditatioÌ„ to poor souls in their mean endeavors Expos The Coherence Obs 1. See Nath. Rogers's letter out of New-England concerning this point * Subjection is either passive and involuntary or active and willing Again Government may be false essentially and of it self or per accidents and by reason of some adjuncts Lastly some things are such as the corruptions of them may be sooner discerned by a consciencious eye others such as by reason of their similitude to Divine Institution or practice and their Antiquity and Prescription cannot so soon if at all be certainly concluded evil see Mr. John Cottons Letter in New-England to Mr. Williams printed London 1643. for Benjamin Allen in Popes-head-Alley Printed in Lond. for Christoph Meredith in Pauls-yard Jer. 4. 3. Isa 28. 24. explained We must continue plowing els weeds wil grow again though many years after Luk. 9. 62 Ministers are the ylowmen The probatum est of preaching the Law and pressing humiliation The Reason This whol discourse is opposite to that whereby some would comfort beleevers in their sins and sorrows The sum is that of our Lord Christ Repent and beleeve the Gospel and of the Apostle Repentance from dead works and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ Mark 1. 15. Act. 20. 21. Heb. 6. 1. Rom. 7. 24. 1 Cor. 11. 31. 2 Cor. 7. 9. 10. Chap. 12. 21. Expos 1. To have time to seek the Lord a great mercy Use The saying of a dispaiâ—ing woman in Cambridge Obs 2. Reas 1. Reas 2. simile Applicat Obs 3. 2 Cor. 6. Eccl. 8. 6 Luk. 19. 24. ex hoc momento Aeternitas An apt simile Phil. 2. 12 opened illustrated by a simile Themistocles saying at his death Graviora eras Plut. Time for England to seek God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jacere docere Expos 1. 2 preferred Righteousness what Rain what Obâ— 1. Prov. 11. 18. Obs 2. Obs 3. Ps 101. 2. illustrated simile Motive to continue seeking God Isa 30. 18 explained Mr Glover the Martyr Obs 4 Christoph Columbus Obs 5. Obs 6. Hypocrits seek Grace for Comfort chiefly Saints seek Comfort for Grace Obs 7. 1 Joh. 1. 9. Obs 8. Expos in general Prov. 21. 4. Job 4. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Micah 7. 3. Vt benefaciant Munster 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vel nitunter ut mala sua bonafaciunt i.e. justificent Some take more pains to perish than others to be saved yet complain of any difficulty in Gods waies Cardinal Wolsey See the Book of Martyrs Who cannot die in peace without serious repentance Expos in partiâ— Expos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is here meaÌ„t by inniquity Obs Why carnal men contend for superstition Lyes here what 1. Reasons for it 2. Comforts from it 3. Hopes by it 4. Interpretation of Gods blessings in it 5. Reports of the coÌ„trary party Expos 1. Partie Obs Judg. 2. 19. Prov. 12. 15. Jer. 2. 10. 11. opened simile A note of one conceited of his own way Prov. 21. 2. Use Expos Obs That way the mighty men go that shall be troden Rev. 13. 1 2 3. Obs 3. Applic. to Engl. 2 Chron. 14 11. observed Obs 4. Hab. 3. 17 The confidence of a gracious heart Use Examin John Baptist when men suffer for a way then they begin to question it Expos Obs Tumults a token of the great wrath of God The Causes The multitude not to be engaged in matters controversal An apt simile None so cruel aâ— the vilest of the people when they get power Pro. 28. 3 The evil of Tumults greater theÌ„ the evil of Tyranny Joseph de bell Iudic. l. 2. c. 11. Lib. 6. Cap. 11. Take heed of being occasion of tumults Amos 2. 2 Expos 2. Clamor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meticulosorum territorum Ps 112. 7. Ps 57. 7. illustrated Ps 46. Archimedes A Fixed heart in prayer Spiritual Tumults Ps 40. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Foveâ tumultus Ps 61. 2. Nah. 3. 12. Applied Bristol Expos 1. Sicut vastatus est Salmana à domo ejus qui vindicavit Baal in die prelij c. vulg Sic fere Graec. Ps 83. 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos 2. Luther 1 Macca 9. 6. At Bethel Alexander overthrew Darius As if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dei incidiatoris The god of subtilty Obs 1. Use Obs 2. Psa 137. Isa 13. 16. Ursin in Isa Ps 137. ult expounded Calvin Obs 3. Object Answ Obs 4. Applic. to Engl. Pacificus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paceÌ„ colere Expos Obs 1. Obs 2. Psa 76. 2 3. opened Applied Isa 31. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs 1. Obs 2. Matth. 26. 41. illustrated Obs 3. Lam. 1. 20. 2 King 17. Expos Hoshea the last King of Israel a wilful man Expos 1. The ExpositioÌ„ of this part of this Verse as of many other particulars in these Exercises appears to have been very Prophesies Expos 3. Obs Use for England Zach. 4. 7. compared with the text explained Amos 5. 8. Obs 4 Obs 5. sicut mane transit sic pertransit Rex Israel Ezek. 7. 5 6 7. Make our peace at night And seek God wheÌ„ we rise