God Me thinks I find all the blood as it were and my spirits so working and stir'd that I find my heart even turning up and down within me when I come to the execution of wrath And then My repentings are kindled together It is a very notable phrase Here by Repentings I take is meant those thoughts of God by which he came to do such things as men do in their repentings My repentings together That is All the thoughts that I could as it were possibly muster up that could be mustered up together for to turn my heart from the waies of Truth to the waies of Mercy they are all come up together to me saith God and being all joyned together they make a fire and have set my heart on fire As a company of brands being laid together make a great flame so all those thoughts that possibly may be any means to work my heart to good to this people they are all presented together and being come and joyned all together in one they set my heart even of a flame and mightily are stirring in my heart Oh! this is the goodness of God to his people to have all things that any way may be a motive to do good to his people to come up all together before God all in one and when they come in one there to make a fire in the very bosom of God all the reasonings as it were of my heart being joyned together for them have kindled a fire so that I cannot hold but I must needs vent my self thus How shall I give thee up Ephraim But you wil say Why doth God express himself thus God might without any more ado pardon and help or deliver why should he express himself in this manner It 's the Answer of Mr. Calvin here He doth accommodate himself saith he to our rudeness God who disdained not to take mans nature upon him disdained not to act in the person of a man who being much wronged is reasoning in himself what to do his heart is full of pity his bowels yern and he would fain find a way for mercy and when provocation of execution comes in in his mind it is as a dagger to his heart Oh! how shal I do this As if you would imagin any merciful man in the world that were put to a straight would fain have a way for mercy to save a wretched sinner God takes upon him the person as it were of this man and saith How shall I do it God doth as it were in this bring Mercy and Justice both together to plead the Case both against and for Ephraim Justice comes in and pleads Lord their Sins are great and many their Mercies have been great their Means that they have had hath been exceeding much thou hast been exceeding much thou hast been patient a long time towards them and this hath been abused their hearts are still hardened thy Name is blasphemed because of them These Arguments come up against them But now there comes up Arguments for them I but than Mercy steps up and pleads But Lord art not thou a God thou art a God These actions indeed may overcome men but shall they overcome thee And this is Ephraim Are not they thy People are they not in relation to thee are they not in Covenant with thee Spare them Lord for their for fathers sake for Abrahams sake for Israels sake who was so mighty with thee remember Lord the kindness of their youth the wonders that thou hast done heretofore for them when they were stuborn and rebellious Lord thou hast many of thine Elect among them and therefore wilt thou utterly consume them Oh! when the Lord hears these prayers of Mercy on the other hand How shall I do it I cannot do it Thus you have seen the opening of the words with the paraphrase But now for the Notes If any one of you should have any thoughts that I do not briefly pass over this Scriptur in an Expository way I may even answer you How shal I do it It were a very great burden upon one to meddle with such Scriptures as these are in an Auditory that doth desire to have something spoken to their hearts and meerly to pass it over in a meer Expository way therefore for the Notes the first Observation is this The greatness of mans sin hinders not the work of the bowels of God towards them There was none exalted him but they followed their own Counsels and did what they list yet how shall I give thee up this from the Connexion I will give you an instance and that 's a very famous one as we have in all the book of God What sins were greater than the sins of Jerusalem against Christ when he lived and yet Christ looks on Jerusalem and weeps over it weeps over it when he considered of the destruction of it Yea and mark Though Jerusalem were guilty of the Blood of Christ took away the very Life of Christ yet when Christ was risen again one of the first things that Christ doth in the 24. of Luke 47. when he was going there to Emaus Christ saith That Repentance and Remission of sins was to be preached in his Name among all Nations begining at Jerusalem Repentance and remission of sins preached to all Nations Oh! but surely Jerusalem must be left Jerusalem that did slay the Prophets and was so injurious yea Jerusalem that put Jesus Christ to death though all Nation should have Repentance and Remission of sins preached to them yet one would think Jerusalem now should be excepted No saith Christ begining at Jerusalem Jerusalem shall be the first place where I 'le have preached Repentance and Remission of sins even that Jerusalem that took away my life I 'le have preached Repentance and Remission of sins there in the very first place of all Oh! Gods mercies are beyond mans iniquities My brethren If the bowels of Gods mercies shal work toward us notwithstanding our great sins why should not the bowels of our compassions work towards our Brethren notwithstanding their infirmities why should we upon every little discontent cast off all pity and love to our Brethren What such great things in us and yet moves not God to cast us off but still How shall I cast thee off Oh! when you look upon your Brethren that once your hearts did close withal and that were as your own souls and if now you should be any instruments of evil to them you should have such reasonings as this How shall I do it I see infirmities in them I but notwithstanding my great sins God saith of me How shall I give thee up And then Secondly Why should great afflictions for God hinder your hearts working to him seeing great sins against God doth not hinder Gods heart yerning to you Why should any great afflictions for God hinder your hearts working twards him Surely if God will he merciful to us
this is that now I am naming that thou shouldest have such mercie as an infinite God should therefore manifest to that end that he might shew to Men and Angels to all eternitie what the power of his infinite Mercy can do would not this mercie serve thy turn such a mercie as this is I 'le name it again abuse it at your peril Suppose thy condition so low yet would not this serve thy turn such mercy as an infinit God should shew to that end that he might appear to men and Angels to all eternity what he is able to do in the infinitness of his mercy Would not this serve thee and help thee and heal thee Now this is tendred to thee in the Gospel even this mercy is tendred to thee in Christ to be an object of thy faith and the very presenting of this is a work of the Ministry of the Gospel that it might draw acts of faith for it hath a power to draw forth faith yea to beget faith the very presenting such a thing as this is hath a quickness in it It 's true if you look upon God only as a merciful man this is no such glory as the shining of it upon the soul will ad life As now the shining of the Moon or a hundred Torches wil never beget life in a Garden but the shining of the Sun wil do it so the apprehending of the mercy of God any other way but as a God as a God in Christ will never beget life in the soul but look upon him in the infinitness of his mercy whose thoughts of mercy are beyond ours as high as the Heavens are above the Earth this is the way to beget faith And therefore those that cannot beleeve they take very il courses for themselves only to have their thoughts upon such things as may discourage them and they think that this is as pleasing to God but certainly the way to beget or raise faith in thy heart is to look upon God as a God in the waies of his mercy Yea but you will say The truth is this that you speak of that God is a God and not a man is rather a discouragement to my heart 't is a God that I have sinned against and not a man as one way it may encourage me so another way it may discourage me Against thee against thee only have I sinned saith David Psal 51. And indeed this is the most piercing thought in a true penitent heart My sin is against God I have lived so long a time without a God in the course of my life and I have struck at God himself in my sinful waies Oh wretch that I have been I have been guilty of the darkening of the glory of the great God in the world Now I 'le answer thee this in a word And is this that which doth aggravate thy sin in thy heart does this work upon thy heart most that thou canst appeal to God that of all the considerations of sin that ever thou hadest in thy life there is nothing grieves thee so much as that it is against God Because God is so glorious so infinitely worthy of honor from all his creatures be of good comfort and take encouragement from this point and mark what I am saying and with that I shall close all If the confideration of the glory of God above a man doth thus aggravate thy sin to thy humiliation then it will aggravate the mercy of God to thy consolation as well If thou workest this thought upon thy heart Oh my sin is against a God and not a man and therefore my heart is humbled then the Lord would have thee to make use of the consideration of his glory as a God for thy comfort God is a God and not a man in the way of mercy The Holy one in the midst of thee God glories much in his Holiness and that in the midest of his people Gods Holiness is He is here said to be the Holy One. 1. To shew that the anger He would let out should be such as should have no mixture of evil But what considerations might be to order and guide it should not be wanting Mens angers are very unclean there is much smoke and fil thy stuff together in their fire But here in Exod. 15. 11. God is said to be Glorious in Holiness Gods vials of wrath are golden Revel 15. 7. Let us labor to be holy in our anger This is a rare thing if there be any corruption in mans heart it usualappears in his anger 2. Because of his gracious carriage toward them in regard of his Covenant to make that good to them he would remember his faithfulness to Abraham Obs 1. God delights to shew the glory of his Holiness in mercy and in pardoning of sin rather than in revenging for sin Obs 2. Gods faithfulness is a special part of the glory of his Holiness Use 1. Hence see how Holiness will help our faith Use 2. Let us manifest our holiness in our faithfulness I am holy to make them holy to sanctifie them to my self In the midst of thee Casting the beams of his Glory on every fide of him But how in the midst when they so vile and cast off from being his people a sink of Idolatry and wickedness In respect of some of his Elect Saints Obs God continues among a people for his Saints his Elects sake The Saints should consider of God a holy God in the midst of them and accordingly behave themselves Levit. 26. 12. I will walk among you and I will be your God But 2 Cor. 16. 16. I will dwell among them and walk in them Obs Men of Place and Government should be in the midst of those that are under them carrying themselves holily though they should be froward pettish sinful yet they should carry themselves according to rule in all holiness gravity wisdom moderation c. Rivit Tarnovius with some others thinks that here is Enallage Numeri a change of the number Sanctus for Sancti Holy for Holy Ones or Saints and so hath reference to the destruction of Sodom because there were no righteons here are Obs The Saints are of great use in the places where they live They are the cause of mitigation of Judgments I will not enter into the City Luther thus God would signifie himself to be merciful to scattered Israeh among the Gentiles Vt tamen non redeant ad Politiam Mosaicam but so that they should not return to the Mosaical Law But rather it is to be taken in reference to the manner of Gods proceedings in the destruction of Sodom after he had done conferring with Abraham he entred into the City and destroyed it by fire and brimstone Obs God many times stands at the gates of a City ready to enter in and destroy it but humiliation in prayer and reformation keeps him out God
among men Judgment That is Righteous Judgment among men thou canst not turn to God from thy Unrighteousness and to a Righteous God and yet still not be Righteous towards men Certainly if thou beest turn'd to God from thy Unrighteousness towards a Righteous God then thou will be turn'd likewise from thy unrighteousnes towards men and will be righteous towards them Many texts of Scripture I might have shewn you that commend this Grace of Righteousness and it 's made the great Promise to the Glorious Church when that shall be That Righteousness shall prevail there that the People shall be a Righteous People And Judgment Not only Judgment in doing no man any wrong and being righteous in dealing But thus Judgment Execute Justice against Sin manifest thy hatred against Sin by the Execution of Judgment This is the Note from thence That those who turn to God will manifest their hatred against sin by the Execution of Judgment if they be in place of Power Though in thine own cause thou maiest forbear yea thou shouldest be merciful but when Publick Manifestation of hatred against Sin requires Justice then there 's no place for Sparing when God calls thee in any Publick Place to manifest hatred against Sin then I say thou maiest not think of Sparing But you will say Oh! I must pity and shew Mercy Well If you would be merciful be merciful in your own cause Many men that will pleade for Indulgence to Malefactors yet in their own business they have no Indulgence to those that offend them It beseems a Judg to be very pitiful when he is wronged himself but it beseems him to be very righteous and just when the Publick calls him Keep MERCY and JVDGMENT Mercy is first and Judgment afterwards The Scripture makes a difference between our respect to Mercy Judgment that place in Micah The Lord hath shewen thee O man what he would have thee to do LOVE MERCY and DO JVSTICE There should be a Preheminency in Mercy Mercy must not only be shown but loved and Justice must be done And then Keep MERCY and JVDGMENT The mixture of Mercy and Judgment is very comely The Scripture doth mix them very often Psal 101. 1. I will sing of Mercy and Iudgment and Prov. 21. 21. He that followeth after Righteousness and Mercy findeth Life Righteousness and Honor. Psal 112. 4. The upright man he is full of Compassion and Righteousness Jer. 9. 24. The Lord there doth seem to glory in this in his Righteousness aswel as Mercy saith the Lord Let no man glory in the flesh but let him glory in this That he knoweth Me that I am the LORD which exercise loving kindness Iudgment and Righteousness in the Earth Let him glory in this That he knows that I am such a God this is my glory That I am both Righteous and Merciful Now for the several Rules when Mercy should be Shown and when Judgment should be Executed that would be the Use here How men should be directed to mix both these together Mercy when men offend by Infirmity when I see it 's but a weakness it is not through wilfulness Mercy then should be shown Oh that we would consider of this our brethren that sometime differ from us in Judgment in practice consider Do they appear in any of their carriages any waies to be wilful in their way can you take it upon your consciences that it is through obstinacy and through any wicked principles that they have that they go against conscience doth it not appear in all their other waies that they walk humbly and conscionably that if they be in the wrong yet it is through meer weakness that they cannot see the Truth that thou thinkest thou doest see Now thou shouldest be merciful towards them and carry not thy self in a ridged severe bitter and harsh way towards them but in a Merciful way Mercy when the offence is by infirmity And then when the offender is already sensible of his offence then Mercy Or when there may be as much good done in a fair gentle merciful carriage as in a harsh ridged carriage And then especially at that time when any man or woman begins to feel passion arise in their hearts and a spirit of revenge to stir in them above all times then is the time for mercy examin thine heart thou hast to deal with thy brother now see whether there doth not begin to arise passion and revenge in thy spirit towards him now is the time for Mercy it 's not the fit time for Judgment it 's not a fit time to give Judgment nor for thee to execute Judgment but now is the time for Mercy And then there 's the time for judgment When thou art call'd to manifest hatred against sin when the publick good requires it when you cannot be merciful to one but you must be cruel to another As in many things wherein men would be merciful the truth is the Mercy they shew to some is cruelty to others and when thou hast the least interest in a business then there 's the most like to be the time for Judgment Well Keep Mercy and Judgment Keep it not only do some acts of Mercy and Judgment but keep it Many men in some good moods observe it Oh how pitiful are they how merciful are they but come to them at another time and Oh! how ridged are they then Oh! how sowr are they how bitter how cruel how harsh are they We have found it so by experience you can say such a man Oh! what sweet converse had we together and what a sweet temper'd man he was how loving how meek how gentle how pitiful But come to him now how harsh and how rugged in his expressions and extream bitter mightily turned as if he were not the man keep Mercy keep it Doth God at any time melt thy heart and make thee apprehensive of thy need of mercy doth thy heart begin to bleed towards thy Brethen Oh! keep it keep this temper the Lord keep this in the thoughts and purposes of thy heart for ever Oh take heed of change of heart It should be the care of Christians not only to do that that is good but to keep their hearts in such a constant frame Oh that some of you would but call to mind the dales of old Was there not a time that your hearts did melt towards your brethren and had sweet converse and communion with them what 's become of those spirits now Oh! turn to that gracious sweet temper again and if ever God bring you to that temper again keep it Consider what is it that hath changed my heart what hath brought me to it now if God doth discover how thou hast lost that sweetness of thy heart Oh! labor to repent and turn to God and resolve if ever God bring me to that temper again as sometimes
love unto his people and surely God intends yet further love unto us And then for our selves in particular It 's very good for us to look back unto his ancient love That is Now God hath loved some of you from your child-hood how the providence of God did work towards you then Some of you I suppose in this place may say that God loved you when you were children when I was a child I had such and such expressions of Gods love towards me It was love that I was born of Christian Parents and that I was brought up in Christian education That I was delivered from such and such dangers yea it may be God began to reveal himself to me betimes And if you would call to mind all the loving passages of Gods providence since you were children you might have matter of meditation sufficient There 's many of you that complain you cannot find matter for meditation I 'le give you a rule to help you in meditation at any time it 's this When you cannot meditate of other things but you are presently be wildered and know not whither to go then turn your selves to this meditation To think of all the gracious passages of Gods providence towards you ever since you were children and this the weakest may be able to go along in And that 's the third Note of Observation Fourthly All Gods old mercies remain engagements unto duty and aggravations to our sin I loved him when he was a child 't is brought to that end to aggravate their sin and further to engage them unto duty Remember that the love and mercies of God unto you when you were children are engagements to duty when you are old And they are aggravations of your sin The sins of those men and women that are against old mercies they are the greatest sins Oh! that you should sin against that love of God unto you when you were children God began with you then and hath continued his love and mercy to you ever since then Oh! make this an aggravation of your sin in the day of your humiliation charge it upon your own souls these and these sins have I committed though God loved me though Gods mercy and goodness was towards me when I was a child and hath gone along to me yet I have walked unworthy of all that love and mercy know that if you do forget the old love of God yet the Lord remembers it he remembers his old mercies and he remembers your old sins But then fiftly Let not our hearts sink in despairing thoughts though we see that we are able to do but little for God and though we are unworthy of love Though there be much vanity and folly in our hearts and in our lives yea though there hath been much stubbornness yet still let not our hearts sink in despairing thoughts I loved them when they were a child They could do little for me and they knew little of me and they were vain and foolish and stubborn and yet I loved them Certainly the waies of God towards Israel are as a type of his waies towards his Saints as the afflictions of Israel are Typical to the Church and we gather an argument to be patient in afflictions when we reade how God dealt with the people of Israel in the wilderness so we may gather an argument to help our faith when as we reade how God dealt with them though they were unworthy and were poor and weak yet God loved them Therefore you poor people that find your selves weak in understanding alas you know little and can remember little of that which is good and alas you can do little for God â—ea I find perhaps saith one much frowardness and stubborness in my heart against God but do you bewail it if so let not your hearts be discouraged do not think that these are things that will hinder the love of God Gods heart may be towards you notwithstanding this when God comes to love he doth not find the object to be lovely before he loves but his love makes the object to be lovely therefore God can love though thou knowest little and can do but little But you will say He can love I but Will He love If I did but know that this would satisfie my heart To that I answer First how ever when you hear that God did love Israel when he was such a child that none eye pitied him this is enough to help you against any concluding thoughts against Gods love for God did love his people when they were as unworthy as you are And then secondly But would you know whether God would love you the readiest way for you to know whether God will love you yea or no It is first To raise up your faith if you are able upon such grounds as these are Upon the consideration of his love to his people when they were unworthy And then secondly In quietness and meekness of spirit to lay thy self before the Lord as an object of his pity If thou doest not think thy self worthy to be an object of love yet lay thy heart before God as an object of pity and there resolve to wait til the time of love shall come till God shall make known that his heart is towards thee for good 't is not the way for thee to be froward and vexing because of thy unworthiness meanness poverty and baseness and so to determine that he will not love thee therefore but I say the way for thee to have the sence of Gods love is this When thou seest there is no worthiness in thee why he should love thee yet there is enough in thee to make thy self an object of his pity And sixtly Doth the love of God to his people begin so soon I loved Israel when he was a child Oh! let not thy love then to him be deferred too long Gods love begins betimes to his people let not his people love be deferred too long God is before hand with you in love and when ever we begin to love him it is upon this ground Because he loved us first You who are yong youths do you love God betimes for if you be such as ever shall be saved God did not only love you when you were a child but he loved you before you were born before the foundations of the world was laid Oh! it is pity that the first springing of your love should not be bestowed upon God Certainly old love is the best love as old love in God is sweet so old love in the Saints it 's a sweet thing to think that God loved me from a child but then if I can say this too I loved God from a child this will make it sweeter put but these two together Oh! when these two can be added what is wa 〈…〉 g to the comfort of ones life God loves that love that is from a child Jer. 2. 2.
Egypt yet stil they were my Sons Now we are ready to think that if God bring us into sore afflictions then we are no more sons No thou mayest be delivered up to the power of the enemy and yet a son of God still and no slave for all that and no enemy There 's a notable Scripture in Deut. 32. 10. where it is said of the people of Israel That they were in the waste howling wilderness and yet they were as the apple of Gods eye so thou maest be delivered up to the wast howling wilderness to suffer sore things to be banished from thy house and home and to wander up and down in the wilderness and yet remain as the apple of Gods eye It is a strange sight indeed to see a child of God an Heir of Heaven a Co heir with Jesus Christ one dearer unto God than Heaven and Earth to be under the power the humors the lusts of wicked men of base ungodly ones yet it is so yea for a time they may be slaves to Satan I say those that God hath an eternal love to even are for a season oft times slaves to Satan But then they have not the comfort of this Son-ship nor do not know it But now they may know themselves to be Sons and yet slaves to the humors of wicked and ungodly men there is not a stranger sight in the world I beleeve the Angels in Heaven do not see a stranger sight that they more admire at when they see a godly man to be under the lusts of wicked men but this is Gods work for the present God intends to manifest himself in another way hereafter but for the present he fetches about the glory of his own ends this way to let even his own dear sons to be in Egypt But God calls them out of Egypt God hath his time to deliver his people and call them out of Egypt and 't is but a Call and it 's done it is as easily done as a man that gives a call for such a one out of such a place let our bondage be never so great 't is but a word from God to deliver us Again It is a great mercy to be cal'd out of Egypt This the Lord here brings as a great testimony of his love to them that he calls them out of Egypt In Exod. 12. 42. It is a night to be much observed of all the Children of Israel in their Generations To be called from that Egypt was a fruit of Love and so to be called from spiritual Egypt for mans natural estate is a spiritual Egypt to be cal'd from Antichristian Egypt is a great fruit of Love and as 't is a fruit of love so it is an aggravation of sin for so it is brought I called my Son out of Egypt and yet they did thus and thus If God remembred this mercy of calling them out of Egypt so many years before as an aggravation of their sin how much more may the Lord make that an aggravation of our sin that called us of late out of that Egypt that we were in Many waies I might shew you that we were under a great if not a greater bondage than the Israelites were under in Egypt And there hath been as out stretched an arm though not so obvious to sence in calling of us out as in calling of them out of Egypt now let not this be an aggravation of our sin the sound of our cries under the yoke of our bondage is not yet out of our ears and the very sores of our shoulders through their yokes are not yet throughly healed and therefore if we now before the sound be out of our ears and our sores be healed yet grow to be wanton foolish vain proud cruel oppressing one another and abusing of our liberty Oh! our sin must needs be accounted exceeding great before God Well but yet we see not all the mind of God in this expression nor the chief part of his mind for we find in in Matth. 2. 15. that there the holy Ghost cites this Scripture that now I am opening to you and interprets it of Jesus Christ When Jesus Christ was fain to fly into Egypt to save his life the holy Ghost saith That it was to fulfil that Scripture I called my Son out of Egypt It is a very strange Interpretation as we have divers other such in the new Testament and Hierom upon the place saith That Julian takes advantage upon this and some of the Jews with others that hated Christian Religion did take much advantage upon this quotation of Matthew against the Authority of the Gospel and said surely it argued Matthew very unskilful in Scripture that he should make such a quotation as this when it is apparant that it is spoken of the calling of the people of Israel out of Egypt And truly we should never have thought that there had been such a meaning in this place of Hosea had we not found it so interpreted by the holy Ghost And by the way before we come to open that and shew how that was a right quotation of this Scripture I 'le but observe this one Note from it that we may see that by the interpretation both of Matthew and divers other places we find in the new Testament that there is much more of the mind of God in the old Testament than was ordinarily known to them that lived in those times Which of the Jews could have made such an Interpretation I have called my Son out of Egypt That is Jesus Christ after he is born he shall be persecuted and forced to fly for his life and that into Egypt and he shall come again out of Egypt who could have thought the holy Ghost could have intended such a thing as this is Things were not understood til they came to be fulfilled and then they were understood And the truth is as in the old Testament so in the new there are a great many Scriptures that we understand yet but little of And the time of our knowing the meaning of them is reserved to the time when they are to be fulfilled many Prophesies we have in the Revelations and other places that are I am confident as dark to us as this place of Hosea was dark to the Jews and there is as excellent a spiritual meaning in many places of the new Testament hidden from us that will hereafter to the Church of God be revealed cleerly as there were in the old Testament many places I know not whether I may say as many as those but are as much hidden from us Jesus Christ that was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world in Rev. 5. 〈◊〉 he that shall open the Book that is seal'd and it is a fruit of the death of Christ it is the Lamb as he is a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world that shall open the Book that is sealed there are many
it 's an excellent thing to be able to understand the reach of God in his Word as I may so say and it 's a fruit of love It 's a fruit of the love of Jesus Christ to his Saints that we should know his mind more than other men do And certainly if the people of Israel had but known this when they first went into Egypt and returned back again that the Lord did aim at Jesus Christ in it Would it not have been a comfort to them if they had known that God intended to make them conformable to his Son Would it have been a comfort to them to have known it Then certainly it must needs be a comfort to the Saints to know now that in all their sufferings they have a conformity to Jesus Christ we know it now and that 's the reason why we do suffer it is to make us conformable to Jesus Christ the Jews did not know this that which was the reason why God would have them suffer but we know it and therefore in all our sufferings we should exercise our faith in the sufferings of Jesus Christ Do we suffer thus and thus he did so to take away the sting of our sufferings and in a special manner you that have been driven from house home if there be any here that have been driven to fly for their lives and perhaps you have been driven to go among strangers Oh! but your suffering is not so great as the suffering of Jesus Christ was he fled for his life when he was but an infant and did not only fly to strangers but to his enemies to the Egyptians you are driven but from one part of England to another Oh! exercise your faith in this it was a very strange work of Gods providence that presently after he was born he must fly for his life you that are fain to carry your children with you Oh! remember how Joseph and Mary was fain to do it was fain to fly for the life of Jesus Christ and carry him and this flight was a great deal more than your flight for they were fain to fly to Egypt Now supposing it was by land as that many reasons may be given they were fain to fly a matter of an hundred miles through the desert wilderness where there was no habitations you fly from one town to another and find relief they were fain to fly above an hundred miles it 's fifty leagues which your Marriners accompt three miles to a league and was in the very desert between the Land of Canaan and Egypt Now though it 's true the people of Israel was fourty yeers in the Wilderness but it was not through the length of the place three daies journey might have carried them into the Land of Canaan but it was fourty years that they were about it God prolonged it and they did intangle themselves and were stubborn and Rebellions and so it was prolonged though the way was but in its self short but yet certainly this flight of Joseph with Christ to Egypt must needs be sad and miserable it cannot be conceived that any of your flights should be so said and miserable as that was for they could not carry any provision with them but were fain to fly in a private way to save the life of Jesus Christ Oh! how often do you think did Joseph and Mary look upon this Babe when they were flying through the desert Wildernes think What is this the Son of God Is this the Savior of the World Is this he that should be the redeemer of Israel Is this he that is God and Man Is this he that is the second person in Trinity that presently after he is born we must fly for his life through a desert wilderness Oh! the strange work of God in the very work of Mans Redemption Things were so low and poor and seemed to go on in such a contrary way as it would have put any ones faith to it to have thought that Jesus Christ should have done such great things as he did Oh my brethren this is the way of God to put the faith of men to it especially at first So it was with Christs flight into Egypt It follows VERS 2. As they called them so they went from them c. AS they That is Moses and Aaron and other Prophets and Ministers of God sent unto them they called them to serve the Lord and to worship him according to his own way And especially they called them from Idolaters and false worship As they called them so some turn it that is Though they were so called so called yet they went from them When the means of God is so powerful to resist then is a very great evil If our Gospel that is our Gospel preached with so much plainess and power is hid it is hid to those that are lost But take it here As they called them that is Look what earn 〈…〉 ess there was in Moses and Aaron and other Ministers of God to call them from their evil waies so much stubornness and stoutness was it for them to go against it Calvin thinks it is Because they called them THEREFORE they went from them Because they called them that is They went from them for the very nonce as we use to say Because Moses would have us do thus and thus we will do the quite contrary for the very nonce They went from them that is Turned their backs upon them like stuborn Children and Servants when they are called they will not hear but turn their backs upon you so did they to Moses From whence observe First It is a mercy of God to have Gods Ministers calling us to obedience Who are we that God should send his Messengers after us What need hath God of us Suppose we go on in the waies of death and perish what shal God lose by it But this is Gods mercy that he will cal after us God may say If you will go go on and perish everlastingly Oh! but he doth not so Secondly When God hath called us out of affliction it is a great addition of mercy to call us out of sin unto duty and we should account one as great as another We think it a great mercy if the Lord will call us out of an affliction but when God calls us out of a misery and calls us to a duty Do you think that that 's as great a mercy That 's a sign of a sanctified heart indeed You are in sickness and under great extremity if God should say I wil give out my Word to deliver you that would be a sweet word you would say I but when God gives out his Word to call thee out of thy sin to a duty thou shouldest as joyfully take an hint of that Word of God too Oh! do you prize Gods call unto you from sin to duty as much as from misery to prosperity
5. He shall not return into the Land of Egypt but the Assyrian shall be his King because they refused to return He shall not return TO give you first a short paraphrase of the words for there 's no difficulty in them and then the Notes of Observation It is As if the Prophet should say Howsoever he thinks to help himself with ease to shelter himself there yet he shall not but he shall go into Captivity into Assyria for all means that have been used would not bring him to return So then the Observations First That which hardens mens hearts against threats in their sin is some shifts that they have in their thoughts let the worst come that can be yet I have such a relief My Brethren it 's a great mercy of God to take mens spirits off from all their vain shifts and hopes so as to be throughly convinced that there 's no help in any thing in the creature in Heaven and Earth but only in my turning to God and casting my soul down before Mercy if that saves me not I am undone for ever when the heart comes to this I say God is in a gracious and merciful way working I see my sin my affliction that is upon me and feel it though my heart would be shifting this way and that way yet God hath convinc'd me nothing can do me good but I am lost and undone what ever course I take except I return to God and humble my soul before him and seek his face and obtain meroie from him Secondly He shall not return to Egypt It was a verie strange perverseness to think of this shift to go back to Egypt why was not Egypt the place of his bondage and the Egyptians still retained their cruelty and yet they thought of this help that they would turn to Egypt rather than to God From whence the Observation is A stout heart cares not whither it goes rather than it will return to God As the Prodigal will rather go to the Swine to feed upon husks than to his father like some stout children they care not what miseries they suffer rather than they will come and humble themselves to their parents They will hang themselves and drown themselves and seek their fortune as they use to say rather than be perswaded to come in and submit themselves No never as long as they live though they die yet they will not and thus their hearts are stout and while they think they are stout against their parents they are stout against God too yet God hath waies to bring mens stout hearts to yeeld Thirdly A stubborn heart though God be in any way of mercy God calling them to waies of mercy yet if any thing crosses them they will foolishly and desperately wish their return to their former condition of misery If you make any thing that God doth an argument to a stubborn heart for duty if it pleases him not he will reject all that 's done for him and say he had rather be as he was before let me go into Egypt again stubborn hearts if they meet with any cross in their way this is their unthankfulness that because they are vext and crost in some one thing they will I say foolishly and desperately wish that they were in the the condition that heretofore they have been in Oh! thus it is with many of us how foolishly how wickedly have we thought and said it was better with us heretofore then now let us return to our former condition This is thy folly and thy desperat wickedness But saith the text He shall not return though he thinks of returning as if the holy Ghost should say do not please your selves to think it is but to return to Egypt you cannot be worse than now you are for God hath worser things for you And my brethren this is our case this day let not us think of returning to our former condition certainly if we should take such a course to return to our former condition we should be far worse than we were before our danger would be far greater this is certain to the view of any men that have their eyes open that our condition in England must either be far better than it was or far worse than it was There 's many say Oh! we were thus and thus in former times and if we were but as we were we should do well enough Oh! let 's not think of that we must certainly either be far better or far worse than we were for if we think of returning it will not be to Egypt but to Assyria which will be worse The Fourth Note is this God knows how to cross wicked men of their wills to spoil them of their plots they please themselves with this and the other thing they will do thus and thus if they be put to this shift then they have a second and a third yea but there 's a God in Heaven that hath determined otherwise Never were wicked men more cross in their plots than they are at this day They have said that they would do thus and thus but God hath said they should not and they have not done it Now God in his Mercy crosses his people of their wills that are set upon sin but when the wicked are crost upon their sin it is because God hath other waies to bring about greater evils to them To bring them to Assyria Well then whatsoever any mans thoughts and desires are the Lord deliver us from turning into Egypt again And likewise the Lord grant the Assyrian may not be our King It follows The Assyrian shall be his King The Lord deliver us from both That an Assyrian may not be our King Why an Assyrian why was he threatned to be their King You shall find that he was one of a cruel stout heart an hard heart and a proud heart the Assyrians were so They were a generation of men of cruel proud stout hard-hearted men Isa 10. 5. Oh Assyrian the rod of mine anger saith God and in the 7. verse It is in his heart to destroy saith God of the King of Assyria and in the 12. verse When the Lord hath performed his whol work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks Oh! 't is a sore evil to be put under the rage of a proud and a stout hearted man who will set his heart against God himself who though God fights against him yet will stand it out though his design is crost yet he will not come in he will not give glory to God though his will cost him the blood of many thousands yet he goes desperatly on he regards more his own will and lusts than the blood or lives of millions For people to have such a stout heart armed with power raised with pride enraged with
notwithstanding our sins we should go on in the waies of obedience to him notwithstanding any afflictions that we meet withal for our obedience Again a Second Note is this Sinners are at the very mouth of misery the brink of destruction when they think not of it there 's nothing but giving of them up And then Thirdly It 's nothing but Gods free mercy that keeps us from being destroyed le's the Lords mercy that we are not consumed In the Fourth place Sin puts God to a stand How shall I do it It brings disorder into the world God must set his infinit wisdom on work to bring thing about to his own glory sin hath brought disorder and confusion Now saith God I must set mind infinite wisdom on work to bring glory out of this confusion If God hath any good intentions to thee know they sin laies such difficulties in Gods way to find out a way for thee as puts him to a kind of stand as thus For God to find out a way that all the wrong that sin hath done to him should be made up and yet thy soul should be sav'd 't is the hardest thing in the world Thou canst commit sin easily but I say when the sin is committed for God then to find out a way that all that wrong that 's done to him should be made up as it must be for otherwise all the disorder will not be brought into order and yet thy soul sav'd it 's the hardest thing in the world and were not God a God infinite in wisdom it would put him so to it as he were never able to find out a way God doth seem as it were to be at a stand How shall I do to save these sinners and yet not to wrong my self Oh! this should humble us for our sins As if a child should do so much evil as to bring himself into such bryars and troubles as that his tender father being affected with his sad condition would fain help him but if he doth help him he is put to abundance of difficulties for the helping of him and he is fain to beat his brains and study waies and means how he shall come to save this his child from utter undoing now if the child hath any ingenuity in him he will not only think it 's no great matter so be it I be delivered Oh! but this will break his heart Oh! what troubles have I brought my father into It is thus with us in reference to God if we look upon God thus as personating a man And then in the Fifth place The salvation of a sinner it breaks through a great many reasonings and workings of Gods heart How shall I do it saith God We little think what reasonings there are between Mercy and Justice about our lives about our souls many times could we but hear what reasonings there are in Heaven between Mercy and Justice about our lives Oh! it would go to our hearts The great salvation that comes by Christ it was not determined without many reasonings between Mercy and Justice there was presented to God whatsoever Justice could say and what ever mercy could say What saith God must my son be under my wrath for the satisfying of Justice and be made a Curse yet this must be Justice requires satisfaction How can it be done without the Son of God being made a Curse for mans sin these kind of reasonings there are in the heart of God for saving of mans soul in 1 Sam. 16. 8. we reade of Abishai and Davids reasoning the case about Sauls life saith Abishai to David God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day now therefore let me smite him c. No saith David do not smite him do not destroy him and thus they reasoned one with another Saul was in a very ill case when there was that reasoning about his life such a case are we in many times the Justice and Mercy of God doth reason about our lives and souls Oh! how do we depend upon God for our lives and souls and if we be sav'd we are sav'd through many reasonings But the main Point of all is this That according to the relation that a people a sinful people or persons have unto God So God finds it a difficult thing to execute wrath upon them How shall I do it The wrath of God is many times brought to the birth and God cannot as it were to speak after the manner of men know how to put strength to it to bring it forth This is the reason that in Scripture we have such sending after sinners and crying to them to return such earnest wishes Oh! that they would return and such pleadings with them They will not come in and return This is the reason why we reade of the Lord whetting his Sword and bending his Bow and preparing his Arrows Why is not God ready at any time to execute judgment upon a sinner Oh no he will be whetting and bending and preparing and all because it is a work that he is loth to go through withal as it were and this is the reason why God will not stir up his wrath or if it be stir'd up he will call it back again Lament 3. 33. The Lord afflicts not willingly neither doth he grieve the children of men and all this is because Gods nature is to be merciful mercy pleases him and the Lord doth perfectly foresee and hath perfectly in his view all the reasons that might move him to mercy As now thus These are the things that makes God to be at a stand when he comes to execute judgment upon a people or persons that have relation to him where his Name is professed and where himself is worshiped First This reason is presented The many prayers of the Saints withstand against justice Justice must break through all the prayers of all the Saints of God that are in such places and this is not an easie matter we account it not an easie matter for to break through a mighty Army God cannot come to a people that he is related to and is worshiped by but that he must break through an Army the Army of the prayers of his people now saith God How shall I do it Oh! it is a mighty Army that is between me and them Yea Secondly The Lord looks upon such a place with pity Because of the many children and little ones that there are in such a place yea the children of his own people You know when God was about destroying of Neniveh he look'd upon the many thousands that knew not the difference between the right hand or the left But when God comes to destroy a Kingdom that doth worship him he looks upon those many infants and the little ones and sees them many of the posterity of his Servants As they are but littles ones that moves his bowels they have not
As Joseph you know it was his reasoning when he had as fit an opportunity to fin as almost a man could have had with his Mistris yet presently comes there this reasoning in his heart How shal I do this and fin against God Oh! there is reason it should be so with us when God hath fit opportunities to destroy us there comes the reasoning of Gods mercy into his heart so when we have our temptations to sin there should com these reasonings into our hearts Oh! how shall I do this and sin against the Lord our God Let us present al these reasonings to our souls Men wil gather reasonings for their sin and so we should gather al the reasons that possibly we can against our sins It were well my brethren if men after they have sinned would say Oh what have I done But it 's better if men before they have sinned would say How shall I do it Oh! certainly our mind are very barren that we have not upon every occasion when a temptation comes reasonings to move us against it Indeed after a sin is committed men then can think of this reasoning and the other reasoning Oh! if God should thus deal with us First deliver us up and and destroy us and then God should think of this and that what might have been to have preserved us it would have been ill for us therfore God just when the danger comes for our ruin then he thinks of all that might keep off ruin from us And so when the temptation to a sin comes then should we think of all things that might keep us from this sin How shall I give thee up Ephraim c. The last Exercise we opened unto you this verse and made some Observations from it to proceed now The next Note is this It is not the Image of God in any man to be prone to wrath to delight in wrath to be sudden in the execution of anger when God comes to execute anger he cannot do it but he must have a how shall I do it before he doth it he must make a stop proneness to anger suddenness to let out wrath it is not the Image of God in any man or woman When any of you are about to do any thing especially against your Brethren against those that you have relation to be not over passionate reason the Case first in thine own heart How shall I do this True I think such and such they are in the wrong but what good will come of it if I do thus and thus Are they not those that I have had sweet converse with and experience of their godliness would it not be more for the honor of God if I did forbear will any good come to the publick shall not I rather serve the designs of the enemies with such sharpness and bitterness will they not laugh and scorn at Religion Oh! How shall I do this Oh! when we have workings in our own thoughts as bitter as gall if before we vent them we would but put this to our selves how shall I do this with presenting all the arguments that possibly we can to stop it much good would come of it Yea Ministers when they are to preach when they have prepared to deliver something yet if there will be any tartness in it they should think how should I do this what may come of it I may vent my self but what good may come of it what glory to God what good to the Church We should make many pauses and many stops to our anger As somtimes when you are traveling abroad in the Country you come upon some steep hill you shall find that the Country men they lay here and there in several places something to stop the Current of the water for otherwise it would gore too much if it should run down swiftly but when it hath some stop it doth not do so much hurt Oh! how doth the anger of men gore deep why because it runs headily and violently down and it hath nothing to stop it Men in anger they are very full of thoughts and resolutions and continually all the reasonings of the hearts of men and women in their anger tend to nothing else but to heat their hearts more all their thoughts work that way till their hearts are made fiery hot and so they burst out and cannot stay they muse upon nothing else but that that may further their anger and displeasure And those that are barren enough in their thoughts otherwise yet are very quick in invention and wittie for the letting out of anger and wrath But this would be your wisdom had you the Image of God prevailing in you when you find anger stirring in your bosom you would rather muster up reasons that may allay your anger that may qualifie it you would muse upon those things that may serve to be a stop to it for the present as God doth here Oh! did men but do so say How shall I do this what peace and quiet might we have among us A Ninth Observation is this you see when God though he threatned very sorely and charges deeply yet How shall I do this He reasons in his own heart for waies of mercy towards his people The Note from it is this Here we have encouragement plentiful encouragement to come to God in prayer in seeking mercy notwithstanding our wretchedness and sinfulness yea encouragement for beleeving This Scripture may be a mighty help to faith in our prayers seeking of our resting upon God as thus What doth God find it hard to him to execute wrath doth God muster up all arguments that may be to stop his anger and how he may manifest goodness and mercy why then if thou hast any arguments to plead with God for mercy thou mayest come up with boldness and freedom to him he is ready to receive it for thou bringest unto him that which is exceedingly sutable to him sutable to his very heart thou bringest matter to him that is agreeable to what his heart is set upon what doest thou apprehend the displeasure of God out against thee or against the Land where God hath any relation hast thou any arguments at all in prayer to plead with God For so God gives his Creature leave to plead with him as if he were a man Oh! come I say with a free spirit come cheerfully come with encouragement for thou comest now to do that which Gods heart is full of If so be that a man could know the thoughts of other men know what thoughts their spirits are most full of and could come at that time and suggest thoughts unto them sutable to what their thoughts are upon what entertainment would they have why surely when poor sinners if they be penitent sinners shall come to God and suggest any arguments for mercy I say thou doest suggest that which the heart of God was full of and exceedingly sutable to it The same
above all but saith Samuel Though you have sinned yet do not depart from the Lord Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing as in Ezra 10. God sees that if there be not hope men will grow desperate in their wickedness Jer. 2. 25. They said there was no hope and therefore they would go on still Oh! it 's good for sinners to see there may be hope And Gods Ministers when they have to deal with sinners though very wicked yet to give them some line of hope to catch at though they be even drown'd in their Covetousness in the world and in their guiltiness yet to cast a line of hope there is nothing reveal'd to the contrary but there may yet be possibility for thy sonl at length to be saved Oh! let men take heed of dispa 〈…〉 g determining conclusions against themselves It 's not the greatness of any sin that can be ground enough for a desperate determining conclusion for any man or woman to say God wil never shew mercy I say there 's no greatness of sin there 's no circumstances to aggravate that can be ground enough for thee to say God will never shew mercy it is a proud sullen desperate spirit of thine to make such conclusions thou maiest indeed and thou oughtest to say It were just with God not to shew mercie the Lord might justly cast me out of his sight but to say That he will not shew mercie it 's more than thou or any Angel in Heaven can say therfore O wretched sinful guilty Consciences and especially you that have been Apostats that have forsaken God and his Truths yet return return O return thou Shulamite thou maiest possibly find God as merciful to thee as ever he was there 's hope of mercy for thee still and if thou doest perish eternally it will rather be for some sin to come than for any past If God let thee live if God let thee live to night I say thou wilt rather perish for the sins cōmitted this moment than for all the sins committed in all thy life time before But now for thy continuance in Impenitency that 's a new sin for thy continuing in rejecting the Grace of God for thy continuing in thy unbeleef this indeed may cause God to bring over again all thy former sins and reckon for them Oh! this Consideration might draw the hearts of the wretchedest wicked sinner to God Is it so that it is not for any sins that have been past that I am like to perish but if I perish I shall perish for continuing rather in evil than for what evil I have committed Oh! the Lord forbid then that I should continue let me this day make a stop in evil The Lord would have hopes of mercie cast to wicked and vile sinners And let us be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful That is Let servants and children that have offended you let them see that upon their returning they shall find as much favor from you as ever they did sometimes Governors when they are provok'd behave themselves so ridgedly towards them that it makes them even desperate God deals not so with you do not you deal so with your inferiors And as God shews himself not to be changed but wil be the same towards this people as ever he was in goodness and so it beseems us to be that if we have shewn respect anie way to other either in speeches or otherwise if they appear to be what they were it beseems us to be towards them as then let them but appear to be what they were when such respect were shown to them and according to the example of God it beseems us to shew our selves to them again and again to what we then did I that am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in Tabernacles That 's another Note The Consideration of what God hath done should help our faith in beleeving what yet he will do he that hath delivered us thus far may he not deliver us further I am the Lord that hath delivered you from Egypt Oh! let us make use of what God hath done for us to help our faith in confidence of him for doing further The truth is God hath done so much for England as there is not more to be done than hath been done and if there be but as much of the Power Goodness and Mercie of God towards us for the next five or six yeers ' as hath been for these last six years ecrtainly it will be as glorious a Nation as ever was upon the face of the earth it will be the beginning of the new Jerusalem if God should continue so as he hath done And why may not the Lord that hath brought us out of Egypt bring us to rejoyce as in the feast of Tabernacles And so Spiritually God who at first did enlighten thy mind brought thee from Egyptian darkness Certainly that God he is able to do as great things for thee still and to finish the work for thee How many are there that though they have found Gods mighty hand upon them in giving a turn to their hearts and bringing them out of the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquitie and yet at any time when they feel but their corruptions a little stirring Oh they are readie to think that they shall perish one day by the hand of those corruptions When we were enemies were we not reconcil'd to him God hath struck the deadly wound to it he hath mortified thee and the truth is consider but of this I say there is not more to be done to bring thee to Heaven thou that hast the least degree of Grace than God hath alreadie done by giving thee the least measure of grace he hath made a greater alteration in thy estate from one that is in an estate of nature than the alteration will be from thy Conversion to the height of glorie that alteration wil not be so much neither will it require such a great Power of God to make thee a glorious Saint in Heaven as it did require to make thee of one that was a child of wrath to be a child of God thou hast the better half and the most eminent power of God is put forth alreadie for our change from Grace to Glorie will be but gradual but our change from Nature to Grace it is Total and therefore let thy faith be helped from what God hath done to beleeve what he will do I will yet make thee to dwell in Tabernacles Divers Learned men carrie this I will yet make thee to dwell in Tabernacles to be a Promise of their return from captivity that they must again in the Land of Jewry keep the Feast of Tabernacles I confess were this a Promise to Judah I should think it to be the meaning of it but because it is to Israel who
that let us have a King let become of Samuel what wil come and of his house what care they And so when men are greedy in their desires Let us have such and such a thing but care not what becomes of others That 's another N 〈…〉 of desires not granted in love Twelfthly When God satisfying of our desires makes way for some judgment Now indeed the thing is comfortable that we have but stay a while and you shall see there is some judgment making way by that very thing that you have and when the judgment is come afterwards you will see how it made way for it there are very great judgments many times upon men that are made way for by the satisfying of their own desires God hath many waies to prepare a path for his anger by giving you your desires many times there 's nothing more ordinary in experience than this and therefore we need not stand upon it If you wil but examin the course of your lives sometimes you may see that if God had satisfied your desires in such and such things it would have made way for the greatest misery that ever you had in al your lives and when God denies sometimes to his People they can confess O Lord I see that had I had my mind in such a thing which I would have had I had been undone And on the other side You wil find that those things which you accompt the greatest mercies to you do make way for the greatest evils surely they were not given in love then Thirteenthly When men are greedy of things and never consider the inconvenients when they would have their desires satisfied in a foolish way never minding what inconveniences may follow in this thing more than in the other thing meerly looking upon that which is for the present sutable to them but never think what inconveniences may follow Thus it was here they would have a King but Samuel came and told them all the inconveniences that would follow upon it how that they should have this affliction and the other You that are so desirous of him if he comes among you he will bring you into slavetie your Estates and your Children shall be under his power you wil be in slaverie to everie Courtier Nay but we will have a King for al this they would needs change the way of Government O that we might have a king And they would be brought more under Law than before for indeed in the time of the Judges if you reade that storie you shal find that the People of Israel were in a great deal of Libertie then and they obeyed the Judges in a great measure in a voluntary way if you raade the storie you shal find but Two Tribes that followed Barach and Deborah and so of Jepihthah and Sampson those that were willing freely to offer themselves they followed them and those of Ephraim they did chide with the other and ask'd them Why did you not call us to it as noting that there was a great deal of freedom in the time of the Judges Yea but we will have a King and we wil all then be tied to the same thing and be under the same power and so there will be a great deal of union that way when this man shall not be in this way and the other shal not be in another way and men to have their freedom thus thus but al shal come in and joyn under the same Law and so we shall go on in one Certainly this was their reasoning in their desire of having a King Now this kind of union no question was verie good among the People but to have it in this way That whereas the People were governed in such a way before as stood with a great deal of Libertie It 's true they shall have a kind of union but they do not consider what inconveniences there will be in their being thus chain'd together Prisoners that are chained at a Post they are altogether all the day long But would you have such a kind of union to be united with such chains Consider that with the union there may come a slavery upon you But they did not consider of any such things no matter say they Come let us be all joyn'd in one and let the same Law be upon every one But now how this would bring them under bondage and slavery in those things they would be loth to be brought under in in that they considered not at all Fourteenthly When men seek to have their desires sarisfied meerly because they love change We cannot have any comfort that God doth it out of love when it is out of a foolish spirit that loves novelty They though they had bin long enough under that kind of Government and in a meer kind of novelty not knowing what might come of such a change but a change they would have And so people though there be never so much good in a way yet out of a novelty they would fain have a change And if God grant them a change when they have no other ground but that for it it is a sign that there is wrath in it and not love Further When it is through impatiency and want of heart to submit to God in a former condition It 's ill when it is through a meer novelty but when it 's through impatiency then it 's like to be in wrath and not in mercy if your condition be changed God hath put you in a lower and mean condition it 's true it 's lawful for you to desire a change yea but if you desire it because you cannot submit to Gods hand then it 's a sign that it is in wrath but when you have brought your hearts to this Lord here I am dispose of me as thou pleasest I am content to lie under thy hand but Lord I look up to thee for mercy Consider I am a poor weak Creature and it is fit that thou shouldest have thy will and not I mine then if God make a change you may have comfort that it is in mercy but if you have it through impatiencie you can have no comfort at all in it It was just so here they could not bear the hand of God that was upon them any present trouble that they had upon them and so thought to help themselves by having a King and God gave them one but it was in his anger Further When our desires of further mercies makes us forget the former mercies and makes us unthankful for former mercies they would have a King that might go before them and fight for them Fight for them Did not God fight for them before Oh wonderful and glorious Battels they had when they were under their Judges when they had Samuel to direct them they never had more glorious Victories afterwards than then Nay you shall find in the whol Story of the Judges that they did alwaies prevail and
AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical Observations CONTINUED Upon the Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Chapters of the PROPHESY OF HOSEA Being First delivered in several LECTURES at Michaels Cornhil LONDON By Jeremiah Burroughs Being the Seventh Book published by Thomas Goodwin William Greenhil Sydrach Simpson William Bridge John Yates Will. Adderly LONDON â—â—inted by Peter Cole at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1651. To the READER GOD who alone is perfect in Himself hath reteined this Prerogative to Himself That His Work should be perfect as Moses speaks And as another Holy One hath it doth al his pleasure Paul though in what-ever he was to commit to writing in matters sacred had infalibility of assistance yet perfected not all be intended These things we will do if God permit said he to the Hebrews But we no where find extant any evidence that he accomplished what he there intended Namely A full Methodical Discourse upon those first Principles and Foundations of Religion which that speech had reference unto It is no wonder then that if such a kind of Imperfection accompanied the Works of so great a Master-builder if it attend those who build on this Foundation and are not priviledged as yet he was from building Hay and stubble This sort of Incompleatness hath befallen the Works of this worthy Author in respect to the finishing of this Prophesie which he intended and had performed wherein yet to the Church of God there shal be no loss there being no thoughts nor Notions suggested to any man which though for the present they die with him But the same Spirit that is the inspirer of all doth bring to light in some one or other servant of God in his own time What a Treasury of Thoughts seemed to be lost and to die with the Savior of the World which he had not could not then utter which yet the Spirit that fil'd him without measure distributed amongst the Apostles that came after him according to the measure of the gift of Christ in each There is no beam of Divine Light hath shone into any mans heart that shal finaly and for ever be put under a Bushel but in the end shall be set up to give light to the whol House The purpose of this Preface is To consign the Pasport thorough the World of these last Notes of the Author upon this Prophesie Namely The Eleventh Twelfth and Thirteenth Chapters and to assure the Reader That they are the best and most genuine that can be expected being collected out of those under his hand al along and the best Copies of those that took them from his mouth And to subjoyn this hearty prayr for a blessing from Heaven on these the rest of these our Brothers Labors that are published that his Works may follow him and he receive at latter day a full reward even according to the fruit of his doings Thomas Goodwyn William Greenhil Sydrach Simpson William Bridge John Yates Will. Adderly THE CONTENTS CHAP. XI VERS I. COhaerence Page 2 Observation 1 God stands much upon the cleering of himself to be a God of Love and Mercy Ibid. Obs 2 It is the Priviledg of the Saints to be beloved of God 4 Obs 3. It is a great aggravation of sin to sin against Love 5 Obs 4 It 's very useful to call to mind Gods old Love 6 Obs 5 All Gods old mercies remain engagements to duty and aggrations of sin 7 Obs 6 Let not our hearts sink though we are able to do but little for God 8 Obs 7 If God love us so soon our love to God ought not to be deferred 9 Obs 8 The Church is in the same relation to God as a Son is to a Father 11 Obs 9. Let wicked men take heed how they use the Saints for they are Gods Sons 12 Obs 10 The Saints are not only Sons in relation but in community ib. Obs 11. Gods Sons are not free from sore and grievous evils in this world 13 Obs 12 It 's a great mercie to be called out of Egypt 14 Obs 13. God hath an eye to Christ in all he doth 19 VER II. Exposition 22 Obs 1 It 's a mercie of God to have Gods Ministers calling us to obedience 23 Obs 2 When God hath called us out of affliction it 's a great addition of mercie to call us out of son unto duty ib. Obs 3 It 's a great aggravation of mens sins if they be called to duty after God hath called them out of misery and they do not obey it ib. Obs 4 For men not only to disobey Gods call but to turn away themselves from it and from those that speak to them in his name is very micked and a high degree of sinfulness 24 Obs 5 It is yet a higher wickedness to have our corruptions irritated by the Word and provoked ib. Obs 6 That Gods free grace is very great and very strong 25 Use Comfort against a stubborn heart 26 VER III. Exposition 27 Obs 1 When God calls his people out of afflictions yet they know no more how to guide themselves in their way than a little child doth 28 Vse for England 29 Obs 2 The way that God leades people in many times may be a way of much difficultie ib. Use We have cause to bless God that we are in his way 30 Obs 3 Though we meet with difficultys in our way yet God loves to teach his people how to go in their way and the more difficult their way is the more care hath God of them to teach them how to go ib. Use Be not discouraged at your difficulties but look up to God for guidance ib. Obs 4 Seeing God makes it a fruit of his love to teach them how to go when you see others slip and stumble in the way of profession of Religion Bless God then for his mercie towards you that he helps and teaches you in your way 33 Obs 5 Take heed you that have need of teaching that you be not wayward foolish wanton and unruly and that you do not wilfully run into rugged and slippery waies 34 Obs 6 Gods Ministers and all others should labor to follow God in this way of his that is To have a tender care of others ib. Obs 7 Gods Ministers must not be discouraged though they meet with those that are very froward 35 Obs 8 It is a great aggravation of sin when children requite not their parents for their education 36 Obs 9 God will not cast off his children though they get hurt 37 Use Be not discouraged when you have gone out of Gods way because the Lord will heal his people 38 Obs 10. God doth us much good we knew not of 39 Use Not to abuse our strength in the waies of sin and so manifest that you know not that God hath healed you 41 VER IV. Exposition 42 Obs 1 That the waies of God are very rational so that they may draw any man of understanding to love
thew 49 Obs 2 The way to prevail with men is to deal with them in a rational way 50 Obs 3 It 's a great aggravation of sin not to be drawn dy these cords of men 52 Use 1 Saints should be eminent in courtesie 54 Use 2 We should draw our relations with gentleness ib. Use 3 Gentle means rejected aggravate sin 55 Obs 4 We must preserve the honor of our inferiors though their faults be great ib. Obs 5 It will aggravate the shame and confusion of men which disregarded Gods using them in an honorable way 56 Obs 6 Not to be drawn to our duty but by violence and strength it is beastial 57 Obs 7 As God deals with us according to our nature so we ought to deal with God as far as we are able sutable to his nature ib. Obs 8 That the Lord doth not alwaies stand upon number though the greatest 59 Obs 9 That Love it hath strong bonds 63 Obs 10 We should labor to cast the bonds of love upon those we have to deal with 66 Obs 11 Seeing Love hath such bonds in it we should make use of the Love of God to bind our hearts to him 78 Obs 12 There 's nothing more aggravats sin than that it is against Love 88 Obs 13 That deliverance from oppression is a great mercie 92 Obs 14 To abuse our ease when God is pleased to deliver us from yokes is very sinful 93 Obs 15 To oppress one another after we are delivered from oppression is likewise a great evil 97 Obs 16 Mercies prepared and provided for laid before us are to be prized 101 Obs 17 In receiving of our food we must look up to Heaven 102 Obs 18 The Service of Gods people is easie and their provision is bountiful ib. Use How great is the mercy of God to us who hath eased our yokes and laid meat before us 〈◊〉 103 VER V. Obs 1 That which bardens men hearts against threats in their sin is some shifts that they have in their thoughts 104 Obs 2 A stout heart cares not whether it goes rather than it will return to God 105 Obs 3 Stubborn hearts if any thing crosses them will foolishly and desperately wish their return to their former condition of misery ib. Obs 4 God knows how to cross wicked men of their wills to spoil them of their plots 106 Obs 5 If we will not do Gods Will God will cross us of our own 107 Obs 6 God is not so much displeased at our sins as at our not returning 108 Obs 7 To refuse to return notwithstanding means used and mercies tendered is a fearful thing ibid. Obs 8 Scornful spirits when they are called upon to return from their evil waies do not only deny returning but also scorn and slight what is said to them 110 VER VI. Obs 1 It 's time for a people to return when God doth whet or draw out his Sword 111 Obs 2 That the abiding of the Sword is a sore judgment ib. Use Against protractors of the War Obs 3 The sword shall abide as long as God will have it ibid Obs 4 That though it be sad for the sword to be in the Field yet for the sword to be in the City is sadder 113 VER VII Exposition 118 Application 1 Publick to England ibid 2 Private to particular persons 119 Why men start back Reasons 1 Gods waies are unsutable to them ibid 2 They have a greater mind to other things ibid 3 They are weary of the waies of God ibid. 4 They have watched advantages to get off from what they have formerly made profession of ibid 5 They are sorrie they engaged themselves so much as they did ibid 6 They greedily embrace any Objections against such waies ibid 7 They are very greedie to take any offence ib. 8 They watch for offences 120 9 They are willing to embrace any opinion that will give them liberty 121 Obs 1 That it is a great evil for men to strive against their conscienoes 122 Obs 2. Mens hearts sink down to low and mean things naturally 126 Obs 3. It is the end of the Ministry of the Word to call men to the Most High God who have their hearts groveling after low and base things ib. Obs 4 It is a great and sore evil to stop our ears against the calls of the Word 127 Obs 5 That the calling to the most high God is a special means to cause those that are in a suspence to come in to a full resolution ibid Obs 6 The true Worship of God is an elevating thing 129 An Exhortation 131 1 To great men ibid 2 To Saints ibid How God hath exalted the Saints 1 He hath raised them from the depth of miserie 131 2 He hath made them one with his Son ib. 3 Hath loved them with the same love wherewith he loved his Son ib. 4 Hath made them Co-heirs with his Son ib. 5 Hath given his Angels to be ministring spirits to them ibid 6 God intends to honor himself in their eternal good ib. 7 He hath prepared for them a Crown of Glory ib. Obs 7 God hath little honor in the world 132 VER VIII Exposition general 134 Exposition particular 135 Obs 1 The greatness of mans sin hinders not the work of Gods mercie 141 Use 1 If the bowels of Gods mercie work towards us let ours work towards our brethren 142 Use 2 Why should great afflictions for God hinder our hearts working to him when our great sins against God hinder not Gods heart from working towards us ibid. Obs 2 Sinners are at the very mouth of misery when they do not think of it ibid. Obs 3 Gods free mercie is that which keeps us from being destroyed ibid. Obs 4 Sinputs God to a stand ib. Obs 5 The salvation of a sinner breaks through manie reasonings and workings in Gods heart 143 Obs 6 According to the relation a sinful people have to God so difficult a thing is it for God to execute his wrath upon them 144 Why God is not readie at any time to execute Judgment upon a sinner 1 The prayers of the Saints stand against Justice 145 2 The Lord look upon the place with an eye of pitie ib. 3 God considers that he hath but little worship in the world 146 4 He looks upon the Service hath been formerly given him in that place ib. 5 There may be a remnant of Saints there ib. 6 He eyes the miseries they will endure ib. 7 The Lord sees how the adversaries will insult 147 8 He looks upon the Elect ones not yet born ib. 9 If my wrath must be satisfied let it run out upon others ib. 10. The affliction of the Saints is Gods own affliction 148 11 God will fetch good out of their evil ib. 12 Gods Justice is glorified by his patience ib. 13 Gods mercie may convert ib. Obs 7 A chollerick disposition is none of Gods Image 150 Use 1 Take heed of being passionate ib. Use 2 Let
not Ministers be tart in the Pulpit ib. Obs 8 Saints may be bold in seeking God in prayer 151 Obs 9 The Saints that walk close with God must needs be verie secure 154 Obs 10 When judgments come upon Gods own people there is some great matter in it 155 Obs 11 There is a difference between the day of patience and the day of wrath ib. Obs 12 If God do not hasten Judgment against us we should not hasten it against our selves ib. Obs 13 The people of God are subject to as sore evils as the worst of men 156 Obs 14 When sinners are neerest to judgment then the bowels of Gods mercie works towards them 157 Obs 15 Those that are in relation to God have a priviledg that others have not ib. Use Take heed of abusing Gods mercies 158 Obs 16 If God be unwilling to make his People like the Wicked in punishment let them not make themselves like them in sin ib. Obs 17 Though God be never so much inclin'd to mercy he doth not hide his eyes from the sins of his own People ib. Use Let not the encouragement of mercie hide our sins from us 159 Obs 18. Strong motions to repentance give strong encouragements to come to God 160 Obs 19 Let arguments of obedience to God cause stirrings in our hearts 161 Obs 20 Let us not think it too much to have our hearts turned from strong resolutions to do evil ib. Obs 21 God's repentings are mighty encouragements to Prayer 162 Obs 22 Wee must gather as many arguments as we can to kindle Repentance in us ib. Obs 23 Our mercies to others should not be cold but burning 165 VER IX Exposition 165 Obs 1 The stirrings of mercie in our hearts should rather prevaile with us than stirrings to wrath 166 Obs 2 Stirrings for God should rather prevail with us than temptations to sin 167 Obs 3 Gods mercies do not free his People from all fruits of displeasure ib. Obs 4 We should acknowledge mercie though we suffer hard things 167 Obs 5 Sinners should not be secure when evil is upon them and think Now we know the worst on 't 168 Obs 6 God is very gracious to his People when evil is upon them ib. Difference between God and Man in point of Anger 169 1 Man is not able to rule his Anger ib. 2 Man is of a revengeful and cruel disposition 170 3 Man is in a rage often-times with others because of the disquit of his own heart ib. 4 There is but very little if any mercie at all in man ib. 5. Man is of a fickle and unconstant disposition ib. 6 If man pass by an offence it is from some motive from without ibid 7 Man thinks it his dishonor to be reconciled to those that offend him ibid 8 Man cannot foresee the consequences that may follow upon his pardoning of offences 171 9 Man cannot work good out of what ill carriages are against him ibid 10 Though man promise much mercie yet upon any offence he will recall his promise again ibid 11. Man thinks it's best to take his advantage of offenders at the present time 172 12 Man is bound to positive Rules of Justice that are set to him But God is free He will have mercie on whom he will have mercie ibid Obs 7 God glories in the goodness and mercie that is in himself ib. Use Passion and anger debases man 173 Obs 8 If God were like Man sinners could not be forborn 174 Obs 9 It is a good way to exercise faith in Gods mercie ibid Use Let us labor to be holy in our anger 178 Obs 10 God delights to shew the glory of his holiness in mercie toward sinners 179 Obs 11 Gods faithfulnesse is a special part of the glory of his holiness ibid Use 1 We may see hence how holiness will help our faith ibid Use 2 Let us manifest our holiness in our faithfulness ibid Obs 12 God continues among a people for his Saints and Elects sake ibid Obs 13. The Saints are of great use where they live 179 Obs 14 Humiliation and reformation do often save a City from destruction 180 Use Let not our sin provoke God to destroy us ibid VER X Exposition ib. Obs 1 It is the Lords infinite goodness to be the Captain of his people 181 Obs 2 It is the honor safety and happiness of the Saints to have God go before them ibid Obs 3 That the Majestie and terribleness of God causeth the wicked guilty conscience to fly from him 182 Use Oh the blessing of a clean conscience ibid Obs 4 That when Gods time is come for a through reformation in the world he will make the earth tremble 184 Use 1 Despair not at the strength of the wicked 185 Use 2 Learn to prepare for those times ibid Obs ult There are like to be great stirrings in the West 186 VER XI Exposition 186 Obs 1 God hath his time to place his people in their own houses in peace and safetie 187 Obs 2 It 's a good work to be instrumental in this ibid Obs 3 They that walk after the Lord shall be placed in their houses ibid Use Trust God with your houses ib. VER XII Exposition General 188 Particular 189 Obs 1 Many profess to God the acknowledgment of his Greatness Glory Power c. but it is but as a lye to God ib. Obs 2 Many men beset the business and affairs that they mannage with lyes also 190 Obs 3 That when men are once engaged in shifts and lyes they grow pertinacious in them 191 Obs 4 The sin is the greater where there is no example of evil in others 192 Obs 5 To continue in a false way of worship when a right way is held forth is an aggravation of sin ib. Obs 6 It 's a great comendation to continue in the Truth when others fall off ib. Obs 7 We should be more severe to those that are nearest to us when they dishonor God than to others 193 Obs 8 To enjoy but little with God is better than to have much without enjoying God 194 Obs 9 To serve God is to reign 195 Obs 10. God hath never bin without som Witnesses to his Truth ib. Obs 11 It is unfaithfulness to forsake the true Worship which God hath appointed 196 Obs 12 God hath a special eye to a States faithfulness in point of Worship ib. Obs 13. Faithfulness consists in a constant persisting in good ib. Obs 14 We should look more at the example of a few Saints than of thousands of wicked men 198 CHAP. XII VER I Exposition 199 Obs 1 Creature-Comforts will prove but wind 202 Obs 2. It 's a grievous thing when troubles come to have nothing within us to help us but wind 203 Several waies of encreasing Lyes 1 By carrying about Reports 207 2 By mis-reporting of Reports ib. 3 By adding to Reports ib. 4 By inventing new Reports ib. 5 By maintaining Lyes by Lyes ibid. Use 1. Take heed of spreading
Reports to the dishonour of Religion 210 Use 2. Search out the truth first before you report at all ib. Obs 3 When people are guilty of a sin the Prophets should beat upon it again and again 212 VER II. Exposition 213 Obs 1 God commends and contends with his Church at once ib. VER III. Exposition 1. 219 Obs 1. We are to acknowledg God's Election of our Forefathers to be an Act of free grace 222 Obs 2 Those which receive great blessings from Gods mercy to their Ancestors are to acknowledg the free grace of God ib. Exposiston 2 223 Exposition 3 ib. Exposition 4 226 Exposition 5 228 Exposition 6 231 Exposition 7 232 Obs 3 That when God strives against his Servants he gives them sirength 234 Obs 4 It 's a great honour to manifest much strength in prayer ib Obs 5 The way to prevail with men is to prevail with God 236 Obs 6 That the time for the Church to prevail in is then when she is most weak 239 VER IV. Obs 1 Prayer is the great prevailing Ordinance with God 246 Ingredients to Prayer 1 Faith in the Covenant of God 248 2 To be in Gods way 259 3 To plead a particular promise ib. 4 Sence of our own unworthiness ib. 5 Acknowledgment of mercies and truth in promises 260 6 Remembrance of former means ibid. 7 Deep sence of the thing desired ibid. 8 Strong arguments 261 Obs 2 God finds his people many times when they little think of him 262 Obs 3 The foundation of the Saints comfort is in the Covenant of God 264 Obs 4 Mercies promised should beleeved when there is much unlikelihood 265 Obs 5 The multiplying of the Church is a great blessing ibid. Obs 6 The Saints have need of renewing promises ibid. Obs 7 The blessing that comes to the world comes by promised seed ibid. Obs 8 It was in Gods heart to do good unto us Gentiles thousands of yeers since ibid. Obs 9 God is still working towards the fulfilling of promises 166 Obs 10 The mercie and faithfulness of God is constant for continuance ibid. Obs 11 The Saints have need of the confirmation of mercies ibid. Obs 12 It 's a great help to fiath to have God present himself to the soul as God Almighty 267 Obs 13 God delights to revive his people in their fears with sutable mercie ibid. Use To learn tender-heartedness towards them that are in fears and troubles ibid. VER V. Exposition 269 Obs 1 That though God be never so strong and terrible in himself yet faith hath strength to wrastle with him 284 Use Christians should raise up their spirits when they have to deal with God ibid. Obs 2 God is the same to us if we forsake him not as he was to our forefathers 289 Obs 3. There 's no need of Images to keep Gods remembrance 288 Obs 4 God manifests his glory that he may be remembred from age to age ib. Obs 5 The meditation of the Name JEHOVAH is a useful Memorial of God 289 VER VI. Obs 1. The consideration of our godly forefathers is a great argument to turn us to God ib. Obs 2 That God is the Lord of Hosts is another argument to turn us to him 290 Obs 3. Because God is Jehovah we must turn to him 291 Obs 4 The Excellencie of the Saints is an Argument to turn us to God 293 Obs 5. We depart from God in the midst of our services when we perform them not in Gods way ib. Obs 6. In our turning to God we must reform our special sins 295 Obs 7 We must reform as well in Duties of the Second Table as in matter of Worship 296 Obs 8 There must be righteousness among men where there is a turning to God 298 Obs 9 Those that are in Authority must manifest their turning to God by Execution of Judgment ib. Obs 10 The mixture of Mercie Judgment is very comely 299 Obs 11. A turning heart to God is a waiting heart 303 VER VII Exposition 310 Obs 1. Men by their sin may lose the honor of their progenitors ib. VER VIII Exposition 324 Obs 1 Wicked men will have somthing to say for themselves ib. Obs 2 Wicked men may prosper a while in their evil courses ib. Obs 3 Wicked men attribute all that they get unto themselves ib. Obs 4 Carnal hearts account riches the only substantial things 325 Obs 5 Wicked men glory in the estates they have gotten ib. Obs 6 Carnal hearts seek to relieve their consciences with outward comforts 326 Obs 7 Wicked men beleeve not that God is so angry with them as they are told he is 327 Obs 8 Evil things many times have good names 330 Obs 9 It 's hard to convince covetous men of their iniquitie ib. Obs 10 It 's hard to convince them that they do not love to be charged with their sin 331 Obs 11 Men may in words profess the thing that they are guilty of to be abominable ib. Obs 12 Wicked men care not so other men cannot accuse them 332 Obs 13 A carnal heart extenuates his sins 333 Obs 14 If wicked men can but scape the danger of Law it 's all they care for 334 VER IX Obs 1 The prosperity of men in a sinful way makes them forget what God hath done for them in former times 336 Obs 2 God takes notice of mens unthanfulness ib. Obs 3 Old mercies are great engagements to duty and the neglect of dutie a great aggravation of sin 337 Obs 4 God gives hopes of mercie to sinners upon their Repentance 339 Use To persons offended by others 341 Doct. 2 The consideration of what God 〈…〉 h done should help our 〈◊〉 in beleeving what he will do ib. Applied to England VER X. Obs 1 It 's God that speaks by his Prophets 344 Obs 2 It is a great mercie to a people for God to speak to them by his Prophets 345 Obs 3 God will take account what becomes of the labor and pains of his Prophets 347 Obs 4 'T is a great mercie for God to declare his mind again and again ibid. Use How may God upbraid us with this 348 Obs 5 The Lord takes account of the manner of mens preaching as well as of the things they preach 349 Obs 6 The revealing the Word by similitudes is very useful and profitable ibid. Obs 7 Slight not the Word when it comes by a simile 350 Obs 8 Rest not in the pleasantness of the simile ib. VER XI Obs 1 Whatsoever is presented in the Worship of God if not of Gods appointment is meer vanity 352 Obs 2 When Gods Judgments have been against any for sin all sinners guilty of the same sins have cause to feare 353 Obs 3 Such whose principles are neerer to God than others if they be superstitious God will surely be revenged of them 354 VER XII Scope 357 Obs 1 Such as take pride in their Ancestors should look back to the mean condition of their Ancestors 392 Obs 2 Dependance
reconciled God or a provoked God 545 7 When the mercy is given whether we be fitted for it or no 546 8 When we rest upon the means we use and not upon God 547 9 When God gives our desires but not a sanctified use of them 548 10 When there goes a curse together with what we have ib. 11 When we regard not what becomes of others so we may have our desires satisfied 549 12 When God satisfying our desires makes way for some judgment 550 13 When men are greedy of things and never consider the inconvenience ib. 14 When men seek to have their desires satisfied meerly because they love change 551 15 When it comes through impatiency to submit to God in a former condition 552 16 When desire of further mercies make us forget former ib. 17 When men desire new things out of distrust of God 553 18 If God change our conditition we bring the sins of our old condition into our new 554 19 If we seeek to attain our desires by unlawful means ib. Corralaries drawn from the former Notes 1 Be sure you quiet your desires 555 2 Let us prepare our hearts to seek proportionable grace for what we have ib. 3 Be not too much exalted when your desires are satisfied ib. 4 Never draw arguments of Gods love by satisfying our desires 556 5 Envy not at men when their lusts are satisfied ib. 6 Learn to deny your selves in your desires ib. 7 Never rest in what you enjoy before you know from what principle it comes ib. 8 Look after what God never gives but in love 557 9 Bless God when you find what you have in love ib. Notes of another Sermon prepared by the Author but not preached 562 The Names of several Books printed by PETER COLE at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil by the R Exchange in LONDON Seven Books of Mr JER BURROUGHS lately published as also the Texts of Scripture on which they are grounded VIZ. 1. The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment on Phil. 4. 11. Wherein is shewed 1 What Contentment is 2 It is an holy Art and Mysterie 3 The Excellencies of it 4 The Evil of the contrary sin of Murmuring and the Aggravation of it 2. Gospel-Worship on Levit. 10. 3. Wherein is shewed 1 The right manner of the Worship of God in general and particularly in Hearing the Word Receiving the Lords Supper and Prayer 3. Gospel-Conversation on Phil. 1. 27. Wherein is shewed 1 That the Conversations of Beleevers must be above what could be by the light of Nature 2 Beyond those that lived under the Law 3 And sutable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth To which is added The Misery of those Men that have their Portion in this life on Psalm 17. 14. 4. A Treatise of Earthly-mindedness on Phil. 3. 19. Wherein is shewed 1 What Earthly-mindedness is 2 The great Evil thereof Also to the same Book is joyned A Treatise of Heavenly-mindness and Walking with God on Gen. 5. 24. and on Phil. 3. 20. The Fifth Sixth and Seventh Books are An Exposition with Practical Observations on the 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 and 11. Chapters of the Prophesie of HOSEA AN EXPOSITION Of the PROPHESY of HOSEA CHAP. XI VERS 1. When Israel was a child then I loved him and called my Son out of Egypt THIS Chapter is made by some the sixth Sermon of Hosea's Prophesie The scope of it is this To cleer God from severity and to upbraid Israel for ungrateful and stuborn carriage against Mercies and Means and yet to promise mercy to the remnant to his Elect ones which is to the end of the 11. verse As for the 12. verse though it be made a part of this Chapter yet it were more aptly a great deal joyned to the 12. Chapter and so it is by some There were in the end of the former Chapter dreadful threatnings against Israel that the Mothers should be dashed in pieces upon their Children and the cutting off of the King utterly this was in the close of the last Chapter But now doth not this argue God to be a God of ridgedness and severity Where is the Mercy Goodnese and Clemency of God towards his people What! to have the Mother dasht in pieces against her Children To cut off the King of Israel u 〈…〉 terly Yes saith God for all this I am a God of Mercy and Goodness for I have manifested abundance of Mercy already and am ready still to manifest more but you have been a stubborn and a stout hearted people against me And from that General scope Note That God stands much upon the cleering of Himself to be a God of love and mercy Whatsoever becomes of wicked men yet God will be cleered before all the world that he is a God of much mercy God takes it very ill that we should have any hard thoughts of him let us not be ready to entertain such thoughts of God as if he were a hard Master I remember Luther hath such an expression That all the Scripture the general scope of the Scripture it is to declare the Lord to be a God of mercy and goodness saith he The whol Scriptures aim at this That we should beleeve and be confident that God is a gracious and merciful God And this is the scope of this Chapter Let us rather charge our selves of wickedness and ungrateful dealings with God and let us for ever justifie God and acknowledg him to be not only a Righteous God but a Gracious God though thou and thousands such as thou art shall perish to all eternity yet the Lord shall be acknowledged a God of Mercy before his Angels and Saints for evermore But thus much for the scope When Israel was a Child At his first beginning to be a people that 's 〈…〉 In his yong time my heart was towards him Indeed the heart of God was to Israel that is Jacob the Father of the Tribe before he was born before he did either good or evil But here 't is spoken not of the Father but of the Tribes Israel when they were first a people In their yong beginnings then I loved them When he was a Child That is First When he knew little of me Secondly When he could do little for me Thirdly When there was much vanity and folly in him as there is in children Fourthly When he was helpless and succo 〈…〉 ss and shi 〈…〉 ess and knew not how to provide for himself And further Tarnovius a learned Commentator upon this Prophesie thinks that the Hebrew word that is here translated a Child is a word that notes the stubbornness of Israel against God one that hath often shaken off the yoke of parents or of a master and so Ky that is translated when is sometimes although Although Israel was a Child a Froward and Perverse Child that shook off the Yoke yet then I loved him And what a child Israel was
this last Summer we have cause to look beyond all men and means though God hath used means yet it is God that hath healed us and they desire that we should attribute all the Glory to God our healing hath been such that except we even maliciously shut our eyes we cannot but know and acknowledg that God hath healed us in great measure Oh! let not us by our pride and stoutness our oppression our foolishness make it appear that we do not acknowledg that God hath healed us God stands much upon that because it is his Glory to heal his people therefore he stands much upon it to be acknowledged to be the healer of his people For bodily healings we are ready to acknowledg those that do heal us What thankfulness is given to Physitians when they have been Instruments to heal our bodies Before healing any body would say they would give Oh! what would they give al their estates that they might be healed of such a disease but when they are healed it may be they will neglect the Physitians but 't is those that are of base spirits but others are very ready to acknowledg thankfulness that way to the Physitians that heals their bodies how gainful therefore is the practice of Physitians that God makes use of to heal mens bodies I remember I have read of Lewes the Eleventh of France that for his Chaplins he allowed them twenty shillings a month but for his Physiâ—ian one John Cottiere his allowance was ten thousand Crowns a month four Crowns would serve his Chaplin and ten thousand for his Physitian that 's a gainful practice because men are more sensible of the healing of their bodies than the healing of their souls Well any of you who have been in great sickness and distresses of body yea and in distresses of soul too and are healed do not you now by the frolickness of your spirits and the abuse of your strength in the waies of sin manifest that you do not know that God hath healed you both in respect of National healing and in respect of Personal healing let every one make use of that of David in Psal 103. Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name and again Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquity who healteh all thy diseases Oh! that we were able to joyn these two together now Who forgiveth all thine iniquity and healeth all thy diseases Healing is a mercy indeed but then 't is a mercy to purpose when it is a fruit of forgiveness when we can make good the former who forgiveth thine iniquitie and healeth thy diseases when we can say our healing is a fruit of our forgiveness God hath in great measure healed the Land and Nation Oh that we could say that he had forgiven us our healing without our forgiveness will be to little purpose and therefore in the times of our greatest wounds we should cry for forgiveness in the first place and not be satisfied with anie healing without forgiveness of our sins And so particularlie God hath healed some of your diseases in body it may be your families have had the Plague or some other disease Pox or Measels why the Lord hath been pleased to heal you you were in a sad condition then and the Lord hath healed your families yea but can you put both together bless the Lord who hath forgiven the iniquitie of my familie and healed the diseases of my familie And so for your own particulars do not satisfie your selves with this that you have your healths restored you except you can bless the Lord who hath forgiven mine iniquity and healed my diseases when thou findest the one that thou art healed be not satisfied except by faith thou canst see the other that thou art likewise forgiven all thine iniquities And thus much for the third Verse VERS 4. I drew them with cords of a man with bonds of love THis Verse is a great Verse and it will be very hard to pass over this in an Expository way only I drew them with cords of a man with bonds of love Here 's a fourth or fifth expression of Gods love for there was two in the former Verse Taught them to go and healed them Now here 's the fifth I drew them with cords of a man with bonds of love God still aggravates his mercy that they might see their sin As there 's no such way to be kindly humbled for sin as to see it against much mercy I drew them with cords of a man Some would carry this as if it were a proper name with the cords of Adam for so the word is for the word Adam signifies a man of red earth But it 's rather to be taken appellatively with the cords of a man that is I did not deal with them like beasts which must be drawn or put on with violence my way was not thus with them to draw them and to have Iron Chains about them or strong cords to force them on in their way no saith he I dealt with them like men I drew them on with the Cords of a man It doth note these three things First I dealt with them in a rational way as men not as beasts and sought to draw them in that way as men Secondly I dealt with them in a gentle way not with rigor and violence but as a man for they were humane so my waies were waies sutable to their humanity as the Scripture sometimes speaks of the Rods of men I 'le chastise them with the Rods of men by which some think is meant that is more gentle I dealt with them gently And then thirdly With the Cords of a man that is I dealt with them in such waies as were honorable to them as were sutable to that respect that is due to a man I considered that they were men made at first according to my Image and they were the most excellent Creatures that I had upon the earth here and therefore I dealt with them in a way sutable to their Nature to preserve the honor of their humane Nature Rationally Gently Honorably First Consider how Rationally God dealt with this people First The Law that I gave to them it was according to the Principles of right Reason there was nothing in my Law but was sutable to the very principles of right reason in Deut. 4. saith he The Nations shal hear al these Statutes and say Surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people why in the 8 verse What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgments so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day Mark all the Nations that are about you shall say What Nation is there so wise that hath Statutes and Judgments like this Nation Surely then my Law it had abundance of Reason in it it had the
blasphemy whatsoever but when I see that such and such things are no other but that may stand with Godliness and godlie and peaceable men may have many doubts among them and especially seeing I hold this now of late and did not see it heretofore as now I do I will do possibly what I can with a good conscience that my brethren may enjoy thy Ordinances in what liberty thou wilt afford unto them this savours like the Spirit of a Christian indeed And likewise you that are Governors seeing God account it his Glory to take off the yoke from his people Oh! be you tender towards them that are under you as Majestrates so all Governors Parents and Brethren and Neighbors not to lay too heavie yokes upon Children and Servants Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath and Masters they should be gentle towards them that are under them knowing they have also a Master and therefore give them what libertie may be without sin even outward libertie not to keep them continually at work but some times of recreation some times of refreshment it 's true your Holy-daies are taken aken away but surely there was no such way and means to bury them in Oblivion that they should never be thought of again then to have some set times for Servants and Children to have their recreation It were the only way to keep the Sabbath pure for if they have it not in the week day they will have it on the Sabbath or otherwise they will keep up that which they were wont to have in their former Holy daies The beast must not alwaies be plowing sometimes the yoke must be lifted up and must have some refreshing It follows I laid meat unto them Luther I so wrought for them as they should eat their meat quietly as if he should say You did not provide for your selves your meat I prepared it for you and came and laid it before you thus God laid meat before them when he rained Manna from Heaven when the Quails were he provided it Whence observe Mercies prepared and provided for laid before us are to be prized When we come to have a mercy I say that did not cost us much when it is prepared and set before us this is to be prized How many of you have all your mercies prepared for you When you go abroad about business now you take no care for provision at home in your families you do but dress you and go abroad it may be to a Sermon or other company and return home again you have your Tables spread and find full Dishes upon your Tables without any care of yours it 's all prepared for you Oh! consider of the mercies of God towards you in this thing Whenas many poor people they are fain before they can get bread to be working hard to prepare food for their families their wives and children but the Lord laiet meat before you God is to be acknowledged in this The propriety of the word is I made it to descend it came down from Heaven it was neither too high nor too low but it came just to you fitted for you which teaches us thus much In the receiving of our food we must look up to Heaven we are more beholden to the Heavens than to the Earth for our bread God is to be acknowledged in that he satisfies the poor with bread yea and that he satisfies the rich with bread you that are the richest of all you are to see how it comes from Heaven I made it to descend I say our very food we should look from whence it doth descend it doth descend from Heaven lift up thine eyes to Heaven when as thou art eating meat be not as the Swine under the Tree that looks downward to the Achorns but never upwards towards the branches of the Tree from whence the Achorns fall but look up to Heaven from whence thy meat and provision did descend I took off their yoke and I laid meat unto them I made their service easie and I made their provision comfortable It 's quite otherwise with many ridged and cruel Governors they make the service of those that are under them hard but their provision to be very scant quite contrary The service of Gods people is easie and their provision is bountiful Now the service of your servants is hard and your provision is very penurious you would have your servants to do your hard labor and yet provide little food for them Oh this is a baser cruelty than any to put their servants to hard labor and yet not to provide comfortably for them for their food But my brethren the main thing that I would note from hence is How great the Mercies of God is to us who hath eased our yoke this day and laid meat before us too my brethren who would have thought four years since that there should be Civil Wars for almost four years together in our Land and such cruel bloudy Wars and so overspreading the Kingdom as they have and that yet we should at this day have provision so plentiful as we have Did not all say even at the first year when the Wars began Surely things would be very scarce many began to lay in Corn and other provision and we had cause enough to have feared it but behold the bountifulness of the love of God that hath eased our yokes and hath laid meat before us that the poor is satisfied with bread there is no complainings in our streets we have not only our bread but our Tables fi'ld What difference do you see upon the Tables of men now from that they were in former times If a stranger should come into this Kingdom hearing what miserable Wars there hath been as bloody and cruel as in any Kingdom and yet come to see every mans Table so fill'd he could not but stand and wonder Certainly strangers think our condition to be far more sad in respect of provision than it is let 's not be wanton with our plenty we were wont to say if we might have but Bread and Cheese and the Gospel it were good cheer Now my brethren we have outward food and the Bread of life too What Is this sweet to be freed from outward bondage and to have meat laid before us how sweet is it then to be freed from spiritual bondage and to have the food of life laid before us yet this is our condition Our blessing is specially in having our spiritual yokes taken off from us and having the Bread of Life laid before us in a more plentiful measure then ever we had Was there ever a time that this City had so much meat laid before it for the soul as at this day the misery of other parts of the Kingdom is your mercie the Lord grant that you do not loath your Manna and despise it God hath waies enough to cut you short VER
cruelty to reign over them how sad and dreadful condition are those in This is that the Lord threatens here and why Because they refused to return I beseech you observe this saith he They shall not return to Egypt but the King of Assyria shall reign over them because they refused to return From whence the Observation is this If we will not do Gods will God will cross us of our own They would have their will they would return but they shall not saith God for they will not return to me therefore they shall not return whither they will themselves God can cross us in our own wills at every turn Foolish men who will presume to cross God in his will when God hath them at such infinite advantages to cross them every way in every thing If you cross God in that he delights in you may expect God will cross you in that you most delight in Oh! when you are crost in your minds in any thing that you have set your thoughts and heart most upon reflect upon your own hearts and think thus Have not I crost God in his mind in that which God hath set his heart and mind upon It 's a good way my Brethren to take a holy revenge upon our selves if we cannot get our hearts to work for God as they ought not to suffer them to work for our selves as they would Again For they would not return saith God God is not so much displeased at our sins as at our not returning He doth not say that the Assyrian should rule over them because they had sinned but because they refused to return It is too much that thou hast sinned but as soon as ever thou hast sinned it concerns thee to think of returning God expects presently as soon as ever the sin is taken notice of that thou shouldest begin to return it is dangerous to continue in sin in the least this aggravates thy sin dreadfully and endangers thy sealing up to wrath everlasting And then Thirdly He refuses to return after all means used after all mercies tendered after all callings after thee yet to stand out this is yet worse Not to return is evil but to refuse to return notwithstanding means used mercies tendered Oh this is fearful indeed Oh! lay this to heart thou convicted sinner what offers of mercie hath God made to thee what calling unto mercie hast thou heard outward calls inward calls of the the Spirit of God Oh! how hath God called after thee Return return thou Shulamite Return return return thou wretched wilful sinner Oh come in and return what means of all sorts hast thou had to cause thy heart to return to God and yet standest out think of that Scripture in Job 9. 4. Who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered What doest thou think to harden thy self against God and yet think to prosper Who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered and mark what follows Which removeth the Mountains and they know not which overturneth them in his anger which shaketh the Earth out of her place and the Pillars thereof tremble And yet cannot thy heart be overturned nor tremble In this that thou refusest to return thy sin is aggravated above the sin of the Devils themselves for we do not know that ever the Devils refused to return for they were never offered mercie God did never offer the Devils mercie God never sent to preach to them either by his Ministers or Spirit and to call them to return and you shall have mercie here 's a price paid here 's a salvation for you your sins may be pardoned the Devil had never such an offer Who knows what the Devil might do if such an offer were made to him But now these offers are made to thee and thou refusest to return Oh! return therefore O thou sinful soul who art wandering from God in the waies of death and destruction give in thine answer as we reade in Jer. 3. 22. where the Lord there calls his back-sliding children Return ye back-sliding children and I will heal your back slidings Mark the answer that they give to God Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Oh! that there might be such an answer given this day from some back-sliding soul that is turned from God! Oh poor soul whither art thou gone God calls this day to thy soul Return return and professes that he is willing to heal thy backslidings Oh! give in this answer Oh Lord behold we come for thou art the Lord our God Oh! that some soul might return and might refuse no longer to return Why wilt not thou return God is content to return to thee thou art turned from God and God in the waies of his Administrations is turned away from thee but mark the Promise in Jer. 8. 4 5. Thus saith the Lord Shall they fall and not arise shall he turn away and not return by then is this people of Jerusalem sliden back by a perpetual back-sliding they hold fast deceit they refuse to return Shall he turn away Some interpret this of God The Lord is not so turned back but he is ready to return Oh! why shouldâ—â— thou backslide with a perpetual back-sliding And then the last Note is They refuse to return The word that is translated they refused may signifie they scorned What talk to him of returning tell him of his sin against God the greatness of his sin and the greatness of the danger and the threatnings of God against his sin he despises all these things these are poor things to scare children withal Tell him of the mercies of God in pardoning his sin he slights all this humiliation now for sin this breaking off of sinful courses they deride the motions of them they scorn to return Scornful spirits when they are called upon in the bowels of mercy to return from their evil waies they do not only deny returning but they scorn and slight what is said to them Wel know there are some who admire at Gods mercies calling of them to return who admire at mercy tendred to them and prize it more than all things in the world they turn unto the Lord with all their souls nothing in all the world can stop them they bless God that ever their ears heard the call of God calling them to return and they would not for ten thousand thousand worlds but they had heard Gods call and felt the Spirit of God working their hearts to him to return howsoever thou dost scorn and contemn it Thus much for the 5th Verse It follows VER 6. And the Sword shall abide on his Cities c. THey relied upon their Cities and therefore refused to return but saith the Lord here The Sword shall abide on his Cities The old Latin hath it The Sword hath begun and Hierom in his Translation takes it so If we should take it
to the Clouds then Lord be thou exalted above the Heavens that is in our hearts and in our lives Oh! that God may be exalted in an answerable way above the Heavens in what we do for Him as He hath been exalted above the Heavens in what he hath done for us let 's all exalt Gods Name he will be exalted in spight of your hearts My brethren God hath exalted Himself of late in our eyes in a glorious manner in Psal 21. 13. Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength Oh the Lord hath exalted Himself in His own strength but mark what follows So will we sing and praise thy Power Oh! let us sing and praise the power of God who hath exalted Himself in his own strength and for the good of his own people so of late But none would exalt him saith the text God hath little honor in the world men seek to exalt themselves but none to exalt God every man follows his own way his own lusts but the blessed and glorious God is exalted by few or none Men will appear to lift up Antichrist to exalt him the Kings of the Earth they will give their power to the Beast but none will exalt the Lord. Oh! let this grieve the hearts of the Saints to see that the blessed God so blessed in their eyes should be exalted by so few And consider every one of you how little he hath been exalted by you in all your waies And why should you vex and fret that you have not honor and respect when as the blessed God who is so infinitely worthy of honor and glory yet none almost respects Him Well let this be the Meditation from it The less glory I see God have from the children of men the more let me labor to honor him None would exalt him So the words are read in your Books and I think that is the most proper sense Yet I find Luther hath another reading and so others and that might likewise stand with the Original for if you observe the words him is not there But it may be saith Luther there is none that lifts up himself he and others turns it thus That 's thus Men are in a sleepy sullen mood that when God calls them they will not stir up themselves to listen to Gods Call and so Luther makes use of this similitude As a stuborn servant or child when the master cals him he will not stir and lift up himself to his call There 's none will lift up themselves drossie base drousie spirits that are sleepy and sink down to base low things they will not lift up themselves when they are called to the most high God It 's a great evil to give way to a dead dull and sullen heart not to lift up our selves when God calls When you come to the Ministry of the Word you come with hearts dead and sinking down with discouragements Now when God cals you should stir and lift up your hearts to close with those Truths of God that do concern you and it 's a great evil in many when they hear excellent Truths that might do them good yet they do not lift up their hearts to close with those Truths And now we come to the Eighth Verse which is a Verse very full and if in any you will give me liberty a little to enlarge in that Verse VER 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together HEre according to Luther ends the Eleventh Chapter and the Twelfth begins at the next Verse For the words themselves we have not a more full expression of pathetical Affections of Mercy and Compassion in God in all the Book of 〈◊〉 than here How shall I give thee up I beseech you observe God was in the midst of his threatnings of Judgment charging of them with their sin saith he The Sword shall abide upon their Cities and consume their branches because of their own Counsels And when they were called to the most high God yet none would exalt him How not one would com in What would follow One would think Now let wrath pursue them let the curse of the Almighty overtake them one would wonder that it did not but mark a greater wonder that after the charging of them for this wickedness and in the midst of Gods threatnings of the most dreadful judgments to consume them by the Sword How shall I give thee up Ephraim c The Lord here takes upon Him as it were the person of a loving Father towards a stubborn and rebellious child the child hath gone away from the Father and hath continued in slout waies It may be the Father sends after it it will not come it will not return but goes on stubornly the Father hath many workings in his heart to cast it off he shall never be a peny the better for me let him beg his bread from door to door he is unnatural to me yea but when he is in the midst of these resolutions and hath these sad thoughts towards the child yet there comes a turning of his bowels on a sudden Oh! but how shall I give it up how shall I disinherit it how shall I do it It is my child though stuborn why may it not return why may not yet God work good upon it It 's very evil but how shall I give it up I know not how in the world to bring my heart to it Thus the Lord breaks out here Here we have in your books four How 's How shall I give thee up Ephraim How shall I deliver thee Israel How shall I make thee as Admah How shall I set thee as Zeboim I confess in the Hebrew there are but two but yet for the sense of it the Interpreters put in the other and they have the sense of four How How How How shall I do it there are four Interogations here and four Answers Four Pathetical Interogations that God asks as it were Himself First How shall I give thee up Ephraim Secondly How shall I deliver thee Israel Thirdly How shall I make thee as Admah Fourthly How shall I sâ—t thee as Zeboim God is here Interogating Himself in these four Interogatories that come from his own bowels And here are four Answers to these As thus First Mine heart is turned within me Secondly My repentings are kindled together Thirdly I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger Fourthly I will not return to destroy Ephraim These are the Four Answers and the Last Answer hath Two Arguments First I am God and not Man Secondly The holy One in the midst of thee Now what the force of the Arguments are we shall see when we come to them But first to give you the brief opening of the words in a way of paraphrase and
to our own destruction seeing Mercy pleads as it were against the execution of it let us take heed of new provocations when God is about the letting out of his wrath let not us pull it upon our own heads seeing God keeps off and forbears let not us hasten it I say and pul it upon our own heads If Sodom had but known Gods reasonings with Abraham in the behalf of it one would have thought it might have broke the very hearts of Sodom And let us consider of the reasonings of God in this and lay them to our hearts for the breaking of our hearts and think thus with our selves Lord why should it be so hard with thee to deliver me up when it is so easie with me to sin against thee there 's no pleadings hath stop'd me in the course of my sin the Word hath pleaded Conscience hath often pleaded but I have not been stop'd in the course of my sin Oh! why should any pleadings stop thee in the course of thy wrath The Lord cause such kind of workings to be in our hearts for the breaking of them Considering that indeed it is through the pleadings of Mercy that any of us are alive that we are out of the nethermost Hell And thus much for those words How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel It follows How shall I make thee as Admah and set thee as Zeboim I opened the words the last day what is meant by Admah and Zeboim the two Cities that were neer to Sodom and Gomorah that were destroyed in the same destruction The Notes of Observation follow First That Gods people may be in danger of as sore and great evils as the vilest and worst of men their sin may have such agravations upon them as may make them liable for the present in this world to as sore great evils as the worst of mankind For indeed the aggravations of the sins of the Saints are such as makes their sins if God should deal with them according to a Covenant of Works and not in a Covenant of Grace their condition would be sadder than the most wicked and vile In Amos 9. 7. saith God there Are ye not as the children of the Ethiopians unto me You have had indeed deliverances and so have they And are you not unto me as the children of the Ethiopians What are you better than the children of the Ethiopians unto me if I should look upon you as in your selves Therefore in Isa 1. 10. The Princes of Judah are called the Princes of Sodom and the people the people of Gomorah And in Lament 4. 6. The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom Ezek. 16. 48. As I live saith the Lord Sodom thy sister hath not done she nor her daughters as thou hast done thou and thy daughters As I live God swears to it that Sodom was not guilty of such great sins You will say Yea but we are delivered from such evils by being under another Covenant Yea but that should not at al hinder the work of your humiliation but rather further it considering what you are in your selves Secondly When sinners are at the worst and the neerest Judgment yet bowels of mercy are working towards them when they do deserve to be as Admah and Zeboim even then This Note rises from hence but we had it also from the dependance of the words Thirdly Those that have relation to God have a great priviledge that others have not Thus As if God should say Let Admah and Zeboim perish if they will let Fire and Brimstone come from Heaven and Eternal Fire pursue them what care I for Admah and Zeboim But how shall I make thee as Admah and Zeboim Oh! I know not how to find in my heart to make thee so Those that have relation to God have a great priviledge that others have not God disposes his Mercies as he pleases It may be some of you think that your sins are not so great or not greater than the sins of others and therefore you may escape as well as they No you may mistake in that God may save some that are guilty of greater sins than you and yet damn you damn you for sins less than the other Gods mercy is his own If God wil destroy Admah and Zeboim eternally who can say against Gods dealings with them But how shall I make thee as Admah and Zeboim God knows how to make a difference between man and man Let no man presume and say Because others commit as great sins as I I may escape aswel as they No thou reckonest in this without thine Host God may make a great difference between his dealingswith them and with thee and do thee no wrong neither for the mercies of God are his own Fourthly Seeing God is loth to make his people like to others like to the wicked and reprobates in punishments let not them make themselves like to them in sin Doth God put a difference between Reprobates and his People in punishment Oh! let the Saints then labor to put a difference between themselves and such as are of the world in matter of sin let that be no argument to them Such and such do thus and why may not I do so â—oo that 's no argument with God I have destroyed such and such and why may not I destroy thee that argument wil not prevail with God Thou committest such a sin and I have some in Hell that I sent thither for the same sin but this argument prevails not with God Oh! let not such an argument prevail with thee that because such and such sin therefore I will venture too A Fifth Note is Though God be never so inclined to mercy yet this doth not hide from his eyes the sins of his own people he still sees them he sees what they are in themselves and he sees what would become of them if they were left to themselves Now I am in a way of mercy towards you yet I look upon you now as such as have deserved to be as Admah and Zeboim do not think that because my mercy works towards you that therefore your sins are not before my eyes I know your iniquities and yet am gracious and merciful And is it so Neither then should the hope or encouragement of mercy from God hide our sins from us As the thoughts of Gods mercies to us do not hide our sins from him so our hope of mercy from God should not hide our sins from our own eyes but at the same time when we think of the greatest mercy yet we should look upon our selves as the most wretched miserable forlorn Creatures in our selves It follows My heart is turned within me my Repentings are kindled together The word here translated Turned it signifies some great stirring some change into another condition
there were mighty stirrings in Gods heart pleadings of Justice and pleadings of Mercy but Gods mercy overcomes gets the day as it were Mercie triumphs over Justice The Observations When we have stirrings between Mercy and Wrath the stirrings of Mercy should rather prevail the bent of our hearts should rather be in them When we have workings this way and that way which is the most benign side the arguments had need be very much the stronger for wrath than for Mercie If the arguments have any equality or neer any equalitie in them certainly the arguments for mercie should prevail they do so with Gods heart Oh! be you like God in this And then Secondly When there are stirrings with God and temptations to draw to sin the stirrings for God likewise should prevail Have not you found it thus many times in your selves you have had stirrings in your hearts to such and such duties and at the same time there hath been temptations coming to such and such sins now I put it to your Consciences as in the Name of God Cannot you tell divers times how the temptations to sin hath got the day you have been rather carried from God to your base sinful lusts and your Conscience hath been overcom Conscience hath pul'd and drawings of the Spirit have been very powerful but yet temptations have been more powerful and you have gone that way Oh! be ashamed of this that it should ever be said That at such a time there were stirrings with Conscience and Temptations Temptations and Conscience stirring together yet that Temptation should overcome Conscience Thirdly Gods mercies do not free his People from all fruits of displeasure But I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger And my brethren this is not meant meerly of the times of the Law for this anger of God upon them is to this very day But yet it is not fierceness of anger like that of Adamah and Zeboim There are no question among them the elect Ones of God at this day God wil not have this called the fierceness of anger So 't is displeasure 't is captivity long captivity They are a reproach and a by-word to the world and yet not fierceness of anger Our discontented hearts are ready to call every little affliction fierceness of anger Oh! how fierce is God if we suffer any little And indeed did we but know what anger our sins deserve we would learn not to call every affliction that is upon us no nor our greatest afflictions fierceness of anger Fourthly We should acknowledge mercy though we suffer hard things If yet we be not utterly not everlastingly cast off acknowledge Mercy it is Mercy my Repentings kindled I will not execute fierceness of anger Why Because they were not as Admah and Zeboim Learn we all this This day whatsoever afflictions are upon me though it may be you are ready to say Such afflictions are upon me as upon none we are ready to think our afflictions to be the greatest of all yea but bless God that thou hast not fire from heaven to consume thee and thy family for this might have been thy portion this fierceness of Anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim God here compares himself to a Captain that comes with his Soldiers unto a Town I suppose many of you in this place may easily come to understand the meaning of this word by what they have seen and felt themselves Soldiers come to a Town and there they pillage it and away they go and so the poor people think Soldiers have been here and I hope we shall do well enough now and think all 's over It may be within a month or two after the same Soldiers come again and utterly ruin the place and strip them of all But now saith God I will not return to destroy Ephraim that is Though I lay my hand upon them and afflict them and take away many comforts from them yet when I have done that there I 'le leave I will not come back again with a purpose utterly to ruin them This I might do I might return upon them with one evil upon another but I will not do so From whence note There is no cause that sinners should be secure when some evil is upon them to think this is all now they know the worst No God may justly return upon them again and again If thou turnest not to God under thy affliction God may justly return upon thee to ruin thee Indeed if thy afflictions were such as hath caused thy heart to return to God thou maiest then hope that God wil not return upon thee but if so be thou behav'st thy self frowardly under thy afflictions I say thou maiest justly expect that God should return upon thee But Secondly God is very gracious to his people when evil is upon them he will not ad and ad till he utterly destroy them but he will forbear that he might have some subject for his Mercie he will not contend for ever For I am God saith he and not man Here 's an argument that is very full I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger for I am God and not a man Before God took upon him the person of a man in those yernings of his bowels that is When he would express his mercie mark there God would come in the most familier way to make us know the meaning of his mercy but when he comes to speak of Anger there he would have us know that he is not like to a man in way of Anger in the way of Mercie saith he if there be the most merciful man upon earth know that I am like him but when I come to anger I am not like man in the way of anger God is verie desirous that we understand fully his heart in the waies of his mercy but when he speaks of the execution of his wrath I will not do that why For I am a God and not a Man And mark the strength of this expression the difference between God and Man in the point of the execution of wrath you will find it very useful to you First for the opening of it and then for the several Observations to be drawn from it As first Man is of a weak spirit not able to rule his anger Man if he be but a little heat with anger it 's turn'd into rage and there 's no rule at all but I am not man saith God I am God I am no man 't is not with me thus I am not of a weak spirit I am able to rule my anger in Nahum 1. 6. the Lords anger there is said to be furious but I find the word in the Original The Lord of anger so Montanus turns it a God that 's able to rule his anger and expresses it in the midst of the expression of his greatest wrath I am God and not Man Man the word is not Adam but
Lord long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity and transgression c why now Lord manifest thy glory now Lord shew thy self to be a glorious God in doing what mark in the 19. verse Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people That 's the glory that God should shew forth and manifest his power in it one would rather think that the power of God should rather be manifest in the destruction of sinners no the power of God is manifest in Mercie as well as in miserie and destruction And we find that those that come up neerest to God they are the most loving and gracious merciful hearts yet if they do but come neer to God so as possibly natural men may to have but any magnanimitie that 's a little neerer to God than a base sordid spirit the magnanimousness of of any mans spirit appears in his love and forbearance and meekness and gentleness for so we know the Heathens could say The greater any one is the more placable is his anger a generous mind not easily mov'd and so he compares the Lyon and Bears and Wolves 〈…〉 the Lyon is a magnanimous Creature therefore saith the Heathen it 's enough for to fall down before a magnanimous Lyon but for Wolves and Bears they insult over those that falls down before them So those that have the most magnanimous spirits have the most patient spirits and forgiving spirits and pardoning spirits This is as cross a Note unto a carnal heart almost as any thing I mean to one that gives way to the lusts of his passion for he thinks himself only magnanimous when he can vent his anger and were it not for the thought that he thinks he should be a fool he would forbear his anger it is not thy honor but it makes thee base in the eyes of thy servants children and wife when thou comest into thy house like a mad fool it makes them look upon thee and despise thee when they see thee thus drunken in thy passion Secondly Such are the provocations of God caused by sin that if God were like to you sinners could not be forborn as if God should say The truth is your sins were such as were not I a God it were impossible that I could bear for so it is though we think not of it the evil of sin is so great that if all the patience that were in all the men that ever was since the world began were put into one man if he knew the great evil that there is in sin he would destroy the world he would not bear if his heart were but holy as here God saith himself Thirdly It 's a good way to exercise saith in Gods mercy to look upon God as a God beyond us beyond any creature for so this is therefore exprelled to the end that the people of God might exercise faith in beholding God as a God that 's the way to help thee in thy faith wouldest thou exercise faith upon God look upon him as a God 〈…〉 do not conceive him to be as a man It 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 upon him somtimes as a compassion at man is a litle help 〈◊〉 that will not do it I suppose it would help a little some that are here suppose this Thou hadest to deal with the most merciful man that ever liv'd upon the face of the earth wouldest not thou hope then that thou mightest be sav'd if he had the dispose of thy eternal estate suppose there were a Judg that had the most relenting heart that ever was in the world and all relentings that ever were in all mens hearts were in him if this Judg had the dispose of thy eternal estate would it not help thee to know thou hast to deal with one that is infinitely above that Judg That Judg were a cruel Tyrant and Tyger in comparison of this God God is God and not man he is infinitely above man in the waies of his mercy We many times with looking upon God as our selves it makes us bold in sin first and afterwards it makes us despair in sin as thus in Psal 50. 21. Thou thoughtest I was like to thy self saith God there that is because I was patient and long-suffering towards thee thou thoughtest I was like unto a man and a man though he be a little offended you think you may please him again and so you thought I was like to your selves therefore you go on in your sins So the Devil first makes us look upon God like our selves and so we think that God hath no greater hatred to sin than we have but then turn the other side when we have once committed the sin when the Devil would tempt to despair then he makes us look to God like to our selves that 's thus I find that I could not forgive such an one if he had wronged me in such a manner and therefore they look upon God like a man nay like a corrupt man Oh! what a dishonor is this to God that because thou thy self hast a froward perverse cruel heart that thou canst not forgive therefore thou lookest upon God as if it were as hard for him to forgive as for thee My Brethren the looking upon God as a God it would help against many discouraging thoughts in poor sinners as first thus My sins are very great Men will forgive little offences but God is a God and not man and therefore great mercies are little in comparison to him A second discouraging thought is I have sinned against many offers of mercy but God is God and not a man and Gods mercy is such as brings in men that have refused the offers of Mercy And then Thirdly None is so sinful as I but God is a God and not a man and therefore he is above thee in the waies of his mercie God hath more mercy yet than ever he did manifest to any one creature in the world and though I be the vilest of all sinners yet let me look upon God as a God and not a man Fourthly I am unworthy saith the sinner of any mercy from God Indeed if you had to deal with a man it might hinder but God is a God and not a man therefore 't is not unworthiness that hinders mercy in God it is that mercy pleases him Yea But I am like to be of no use to God It 's true if you were to deal with a man he might not be pleased but God stands in no need of you or any of his creatures for he is a God and not man thou doest not honor God as a God if thou doest not cast thy soul upon his mercy as the mercy of a God If I put this unto thee I hope the glory of it will be so great as will keep it from being abused What doest thou think thy condition is grievous but doest thou think that such mercy would not serve the turn as
deliver them from violence and wrong 2 Sam. 7. 10. Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel and I will plant them that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more It 's a good work to be instrumental in this that those who live godlily and are peaceable may abide quietly in their houses and not be tossed up and down because they cannot beleeve or practice what others do This tossing such up down though it may be from a zeal for Christ yet Christ will never own it Those who walk after the Lord shall be placed in their houses They were willing to leave their houses that they might follow him and now God places them in them Trust God with your houses Resolve to follow the Lord whithersoever he goes he hath time to place his people in their houses when others who dared not trust God shal wander in darkness Saith the Lord. This must be the work of the Lord it 's only He can do it That mercy that comes beyond all means it 's the sweetest mercy No matter what the means be whether any or no so be it you have a Word of God for the thing VER 12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lyes and the house of Israel with deceit THe Lord having manifested the bowele of his tender compassion towards Ephraim the ten Tribes he comes further to shew what was that that stopt the way and course of his grace of the grace that otherwise might have been let out unto them Ephraim compasseth me about with lyes Besets me with lyes that 's the word be besets me round I am in respect of the sin of Ephraim that is of the Governors and of the house of Israel that is the People I am as it were a man beset round As a men that would have a passage such a way he goes one way and there he is stopt and another way and there he is stopt so God compares himself to such a man as if he would be going on in the waies of mercy there he is stop◠in one co 〈…〉 of sin or another and going on in another way there 〈◊〉 is stopt again Ephraim hath beset me with lyes that is with false wor ship for that 's a lye with Pretences they put fair Glosses upon things but all are but lyes he hath beset me with politick shifts of his own These did beset God yea and beset the Prophet too for so I find some turn it they think it 's spoken as in the person of the Prophet the Prophet complaining that he was beset with lies that they might prejudice his Ministry that they might do what they could to take off the power of his Ministry in their hearts they beset him with lyes with false reports of this and the other thing Upon which one hath that Note A faithful Divine a Preacher is nothing else but as it were a Center to which all lyes of falsehood do tend they all go that way 't is a great plot of the Devil to draw his lines and to let them make the Ministers of God that God uses as any Instruments of good unto his people to be as the Center of them all Thus Meisnerus in his Comment upon the place But I rather take it as spoken in the Name and Person of God Beset me with lyes i. e. They do not only seek to blind men but they would do what they could if it were possible to deceive me saith God And indeed when men seek to blind their own consciences what do they but seek what they can if it were possible to deceive God In the very act of Worship saith God they are false they do profess honor and service to God but they lye unto him even when they are worshiping of Him Many in their prayers in the solemn act of Worship they beset God with lyes Oh! how do many come into the presence of God when they are worshiping of him and there profess to God the acknowledgment of his Greatness his Glory his Majesty his Power his Sovereignity his Dominion over them and profess a great deal of the fear of the Name of God! and yet God knows it is not in their hearts it is but as a lye to God when they are worshiping God there they acknowledg their sin and judg themselves for their sin as if they were very much humbled and troubled for their sin but God knows that this is but a lye to him there is no such humiliation of their hearts before him as seems to be in their expressions before God especially when they are in company they cry to God for grace and would fain above all things in the world have his Grace but God knows 't is but a lye all their prayers are even besetting God with lyes Oh! Consider how far any of you have been guilty of this especially in praying with others according to that Scripture Psal 78. 36. They flattered him with their mouth and lyed unto him with their tongue The word that is translated flattered it signifies deceived They deceived him with their mouth Why Can God be deceived No But they did what lay in them to deceive him if it were possible that he should be deceived they would deceive God No mervail though men do deceive men so much as they do many that are of upright hearts they wonder when they hear of the falsness of mens spirits that they can be so No mervail I say when as God himself complains of being deceived by them that is They are so false and do so beset God with lyes that if it were possible he himself should be deceived That 's the first Note And then Secondly As it was here with this people besetting God with lyes Thus many do compass and beset businesses the businesses and affairs that they mannage they beset them with lyes that 's thus They plot with themselves how they may handsomly contrive a company of lyes together by a handsom putting of them together that so they may beset mens unsterstandings there is such a cunning abroad in the world I say to seek to beset the understandings of men so as men shall not know what to say to things and yet they cannot tel how to beleeve them neither do they know what to say things are so contriv'd and so set they think with themselves If such a thing shall be questioned then I have such a shift to put it off and if another thing shal be doubted of then I have such a report to make it good some fair pretence or other And thus they beset businesses with lyes and beset mens understandings But Judah yet ruleth with God and is faithful with the Saints This of Judahs ruling with God Luther Meisnerus and others do think that it hath reference unto the story that you find in 2 King 18. the
mercies we have had already but when thou comest to prayer whatsoever thy condition be though in never such great straits yet acknowledg what thou hast already be willing to praise God in the lowest condition that thou art in And then he doth proceed further and looks back to his former meanness that once he was in For with my staff passed I over this Jordan and now I am become two band 〈…〉 that 's a further expression of his humility and God 〈◊〉 ther mercy And then the next thing is the great sence of what he praies for Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my Brother from the hand of Esau for I fear him lest he will come and smite me and the mother with the children Lord I do not speak words that have expressions in them without sence of my heart for Lord as I am crying to thee for help against my Brother I do apprehend my great extremity Lord I fear him lest he come and smite me with the mother and the children When we come to prayer we must not have words that are puft-up words and have little in them but there must be as much sence of the thing that we pray for as the words that we speak do seem to import carry with them many times we have great words and little sence and that makes our prayers to be so empty And then the next thing in his prayer it was The strong arguments that he did use with God though it 's true That what we can say to God cannot move God yet it may move our own hearts and God would have us to use strong arguments in prayer And thou saidest in ver 12. I will surely do thee good and make thy seed as the sand on the Sea which cannot be numbred for multitude As if he should say Lord how will thy promise be fulfill'd didest thou not say that my seed should be as the sand of the Sea now if the mother and children be cut off what will become of thy Promise God is so indulgent as to suffer us to plead our cause with him And these pleading prayers are strong prayers he wept and made supplication so he prevail'd with God Now labor you if you be of the seed of Jacob to pray as your Father Jacob did But so much shall suffice for that Second History about Jacob's prevailing with the Angel Now the Third History follows He found him in Bethel and there he spake with us The words in the Hebrew are He will find us in Bethel and there he spake with us As if it were an encouraging word of the Angel to Jacob that God would find him in Bethel and indeed the Gramatical sense of the words would carry such a sense but rather because the Learned know that the word is often used for the Preter tense in the Hebrew and it 's more according to the scope of the place to reade them as you have them in your books He found him in Bethel and there he spake with us That is He found Jacob in Bethel and spake to Jacob and in speaking to Jacob he spake unto us all Now for the opening of this History and the shewing how it sutes with the scope of the Prophet in this place We reade in Scripture of two Meetings that God and Jacob had together at Bethel and this Text in Hosea doth refer to them both God finds him in Bethel two times and spake with Jacob and spake to us both those times The First time for fear of danger he fled from his brother when his brother had mischievous thoughts against him after he got the blessing from him And the Second time again after his wrastling with the Angel God meets him in Bethel The First of these you have in Gen 28. 10. and the Second in Gen. 35. 1. and so on And it 's necessary to refer to those two Scriptures for the interpretation of this Scripture you will not know what it means else 1. He finds him in Bethel Gen. 28. 10. yea indeed for Jacob he lay asleep with a stone under his head he saw a vision of Angels ascending and descending from Heaven and God speak excellent things unto him But the Note is That God finds his People many times when they little think of him He comes unto his People in waies of mercy when they scarce dream of it Jacob was but in a dream at this time and yet God came in very wonderful waies of mercy towards him Oh! how often hath God found us in this way how often may many of you say that the Lord hath come unexpectedly to you in waies of mercy that you never made account of such mercies as you have met withal Oh! when unexpected mercies come we should consider that God found us whereas our sins might have found us but the mercies of God have found us out And the other time that God found Jacob it was when he was in great distress after his daughter Dinah had been defloured and his sons Simeon and Levi had committed that great outrage against the Shechemites so great an outrage as to kill the City and upon that Jacob and all his family was in great danger of being destroyed for the act was so foul that it could not but make all the people as Jacob thought to abhor him and would be a cause that they should all rise against him and utterly to cut him off therfore in Gen. 34 30. Jacob tels his sons that they had made him to stink among the inhabitants of the Land so that he was afraid they would gather together and destroy him and his house no question the distress that Jacob was in was very great that his daughter should be defloured by the uncircumcised ones and that his two sons should commit such an outrage and should endanger him to be destroyed utterly by them For who would have thought but that all the Inhabitants of the Land should have risen against him and have cut him off Now the next thing that we hear of God meets with him at Bethel and speaks very gracious things to him there and he did not only speak to him but there he spake with us That is God meeting with Jacob in Bethel that which he spake to him there concern'd us aswel as it concern'd Jacob. An expression to the same purpose we have in Psal 66. 6. He turned the Sea into dry land they went through the Floud on foot there We did rejoyce in him For indeed the mercy of God towards the Isralites at that time that did rejoyce them was a matter of Rejoycing for us Whatsoever is written is written for our learning 't is as if God spake to us That which God spake to Abraham I am God Alsufficient walk before me and be upright he spake that to us he spake that to thee and me That that God spake to Joshua
turn to God than others There are more arguments to perswade thy heart than others Turn Thou to God And this is a great mercy of God towards any man or woman when as God shall dare powerfully those special considerations and arguments that concern their souls to turn to God a man or woman comes to hear the Word and hears the nature of Repentance the motives to Repentance but that generally concerns all and this doth not much stir the heart but at another time it pleaseth God to hint something out of the Word that concerns them in particular and this gives a mighty turn to their hearts more than all the other As if a man be asleep though there be a great noise perhaps this doth not awaken him but let one come and call him by his name Thomas or Richard or John and speak particularly to him and that will awaken him when a greater noise will not do it so though there be general arguments of turning to God it doth not so much prevail with people as when God speaks to men and women by name and saies Turn thou to God There are these special arguments why thou shouldest turn to God rather than others Many times you will say If ever any were bound to God then I am then turn thou to God because thou art more engaged than others Turn thou to THY God That is Though you have departed from him yet he hath not wholly cast you off so but he may yet be thy God From whence the Note is That the sight of any Relation to God or hope of Mercy from him is a special means to draw the heart to turn to him Yet he may be thy God God hath not left thee O thou wretehed sinful soul who knows but that he may be thy God and thy God to all eternity Thou mightest have been past such an Argument of hearing any possibility of God's being thy God and therefore turn to God turn to thy God And keep Mercy and Judgment Want of Mercy in the Fourth Chapter of this Prophesie was charged upon this People That there was no Mercy in the Land and so in diverse other places want of Justice Now Turn to thy God and keep Mercy and Judgment The Note from the Connexion is this That in our turnings to God we must look to our special sins and reform them It 's not enough for men and women to turn to God and leave some gross sins But is there any sin more special than another that you have lived in before your turning unto God Reform in that sin above all A man or woman can never have any sure argument that their Repentance is true though they have left many sins if they have not left their special sins there 's som special sin that thou hast liv'd in what saiest thou to that Then Secondly It is nothing for people to reform in Gods Worship except they reform also in the duties of the Second Table that 's wonderful The duties of the Second Table Mercy and Judgmeut Turn to thy God and keep Mercy and Judgment Many men and women that seem to be forward in duties of Instituted Worship which is very good we are to honor God God is jealous in that business but now together with that if we be not conscionable in the duties of the Second Table of Mercy and Judgment too it 's nothing all will vanish and come to nothing except thou livest righteously and mercifully with men also as well as worship God do not think to put off thy conscience with the duties of Worship except thou doest keep Mercy and Judgment that 's more General And then Particularly Keep Mercy and then Keep Judgment be merciful unto thy Brethren A heart turning to God if it be a true turning it must needs be very merciful to men God expects that from all that do turn to him that upon thy turning to God thy bowels should yern towards thy Brethren and turn to them in Love and in Mercy and Meekness and Gentleness and Forgiveness for when thou turnest to God is it not the mercy of God that draws thy heart If it be not that thy turning is not right never any turned to God rightly but their hearts were taken with Gods mercy And can thy heart be taken with Gods mercy and thou not merciful to thy Brethren Many Professors of Religion think little of this but I find the Scripture makes as much of this as of any thing but faith its self faith in the Covenant of Grace These Three thingâ—â—he Scripture holds forth and urges very much upon men Faith Mercy and Vnity the two latter are thought to be little and of no moment with men but certainly the Lord Christ doth lay much upon mercy towards men that all that are his Members should be of merciful dispositions and of uniting dispositions one towards another Oh! 't is Mercy that the Scripture makes Religion to consist in Jam. 1. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled is To visit the Fatherless and Widdows and in Jam. 2. 13. Mercy rejoyceth over Judgment it is that which will help men and women in the time of straits and in times of danger that they have been merciful towards their brethren for that I take to be the meaning of that text Mercy rejoyceth over Judgment not that Gods mercy is more than his Judgment and that though a sinner hath deserved Judgment yet Gods Mercy will prevail and triumph over it but I take the meaning of that text to be Mercy in man and not Mercy in God that 's thus That when man hath had a merciful heart towards others towards his brethren that then if he should live to meet with affliction live to a time of Judgment times of common calamity common dangers that mercy that he hath exercised towards his brethren in the time of his prosperity will cause his soul to triumph in the midest of all dangers In the time of affliction mercy rejoyces over Judgment let Judgment come let afflictions come in the world let there be never such hard times abroad in the world yet I have a testimony to my conscience the Lord hath given me a merciful heart towards my Brethren that are in misery and I that am but a poor creature that have but a drop of mercy to that God that hath an infinite Ocean of Mercy will not that God be merciful to me much more Keep Mercy therefore you that turn to God be of merciful dispositions towards your brethren Oh! this is wanting among many that are Professors of Religion they are of cruel and harsh dispositions ridged sowr and severe dispositions towards others care not what becomes of others Oh! be merciful to your brethren You that are turn'd to God shew it in this That you keep MERCY The next is JVDGMENT Where there is a turning to God there must be righteousness
hath done for them in former times As if he should say You do not remember that I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt Now you are frolick and merrie and have your hearts desires but remember there was a time when you were low enough and cried and made your moan to me in your affliction Oh! remember those daies Oh! how ordinarie is it for us in our prosperitie to forget Gods mercies in delivering of us from Affliction We have been low enough not long since but the Lord hath in great measure delivered us from our Egypt and presently assoon as God hath delivered us everie man begins to think of enriching themselves and are plotting for estates presentlie I say we have forgotten our sad condition the time of our mourning our praying Oh what disposition is there in our hearts now contrarie to what seem'd to be a while ago when we were under sore and sad afflictions New sins that we commit doth as it were occasion God to remember afresh his mercies that he hath done for us The Second Note is this When you walk unthankfully it doth occasion the fresh remembrance of Gods mercy to you God looks upon such a people that walk so vilie What are these the people that I have done such things for it's as fresh in Gods memorie to speak after the manner of men what he hath done for us And if we could have what God hath done for us afresh in our minds upon the commission of new sins it would be a mightie means to humble us And the next is Old mercies are great engagements to duty and great aggravations of our sin or neglect of duty But we have had occasion to speak of these things for merlie It follows And I will yet make thee to dwell in Tabernacles By way of Interogation some reade it thus What shall I the Lord that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt make thee to dwell in Tabernacles Shall I yet continue my wonted love to you as to make you to keep your Feast of Tabernacles still with joy as you were wont to do yeerly shall I do thus saith God Or as Calvin hath it and it 's a peculier interpretation that he hath different from all it 's as if God should say thus It is a wonderful thing that you should be so forgetful of my great mercie in bringing of you out of Egypt it is so out of your minds that I had need work over that deliverance again What shall I cast you out of your houses and bring you into captivity again and then deliver you again and bring you into the wilderness to dwell in Tabernacles again shall I go over my work again It is so much gone out of your minds and hearts as I had need to quicken up your spirits to go all over it again this is Calvins Interpretation upon this place and he commonlie hits as right as any And this Interpretation may be of verie good use to us thus Let us consider our selves that if all Gods merciful dealings towards us were to begin again if we were to go through all those straits and fears and sorrows that we have passed through our hearts would shake within us as a Marriner that hath past through dangerous Seas Oh he thinks if I were to pass over these again it would be hard and grievous Now let us consider of this if God should but put us into the same condition that we were in seven yeers ago and say you shall pass through all those straights that you have been in and you shall come into the same condition that you have been in it would be very sad to us to think of it would make our hearts quake to think of it I verily beleeve there 's scarce any of you who have been any way observant of the providence of God towards you but would be very loth to venture all again would be loth that God should be to go over with you in all those providences and yet God is the same God still and may do it yea but flesh and blood would shake at it now do not show your selves so unworthy of Gods gracious dealings with you as to put him to it to bring you into straits again to renew what he hath done unto you Thus he Many carrie the words in a meer threatning way and no otherwise I did indeed bring you from the Land of Egypt but I 'le bring you into Tabernacles again as if God should say I 'le cast you out of your brave stately Pallaces your City and Country Houses and you shall come into the wilderness again and dwell in Tents and Tabernacles Thus many But rather I think the scope and meaning of the words is a consolatory Promise whereby the holie Ghost invites them here to-Repentance as if God should say thus Though you have indeed deserved to be cast out of your dwellings you have deserved to be brought into Tents and Tabernacles in the Wildernes again yet I remember my ancient goodness towards you and my Covenant with your Father Abraham I am the same God that brought you out of the Land of Egypt and therefore return and repent and I 'le be with you in as much mercy as ever I was what ever the breaches have been for time past I 'le be as gracious to you as ever I was as you have celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles with abundance of rejoycing so I 'le continue this your prosperous estate you shall from yeer to yeer have cause to rejoyce havâ—â—ause to rejoyce in the Feast of Tabernacles For this Feast of Tabernacles it was the principal Feast of their rejoycing that they had and therefore all their Feasts were Feast of rejoycing in Lament 2. 7. They have made a noise in the House of the Lord as in the day of a solemn Feast There was Triumph and Joy in their solemn Feasts But now this Feast of Tabernacles was a special Feast of rejoycing and that you have in Deut. 23. 40 there they are commanded to rejoyce in this Feast for it was after the gathering in of their Corn and Wine in Deut. 16. 13 14. there you shall see further and in the end of the 15 verse Thou shalt surely rejoyce it is not only you may but a Command look to it that you do rejoyce in this Feast of Tabernacles so that the Feast of Tabernacles was a very joyful Feast Now saith God I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt and I will yet make thee rejoyce as in the Feast of Tabernacles From hence we have these Notes First God loves to give hopes of mercy to sinners upon their repentance God loves to draw the hearts of wretched vile sinners by giving them hopes of mercie upon their repentance so you have it in 1 Sam. 12. 21 22. there they confest their sin and their special sin in asking a King
condition but you are proud and haughty you can bear nothing but be high and brave and must sute your selves with other Nations your Father JACOB was content to serve a long time for a Wife seven years and seven yeers again and went on in a humble and patient way and kept close to God all that while it 's not so with you who are his posterity Thirdly He brings in the example of Jacob to shew how wonderful the providence of God was towards him in carrying him to his Uncles house and providing there for him in protecting of him against his Uncle Laban is raising of his estate for he went over with his staff in his hand but the Lord raised him to be two Bands The providence of God was that towards your father Jacob as if the Prophet should say You speak of your Father Jacob Oh that you would but consider of him to be as he was to be patient and humble under Gods hand and wait upon Gods providence to work good for you no but you will be providing and shifting for your selves and you dare not trust to God as your father Jacob did and thus you see the scope why the Prophet brings in Jacob. But this will not suffice for the opening of this notable Scripture we must have some reference to the story this Scripture is taken out of You shall find the story of Jacob's flying into Syria in Gen. 28. 2. and then there 's a second story in Gen. 29. about the 15. For this verse hath two stories in it the story of his flying into Syria from the house of his father Isaac to Labans house and then the story of his serving for his Wives those two seven yeers Now for the First you shall find matter of much instruction The First story of his flying into Syria it was for two ends That was the First to fly for his life because Esau did threaten the life of Jacob and by the counsel of his Mother he fled to his Uncle Labans until the wrath of Esau should be appeased Yea but there was a Second Reason God made advantage of that flight of his As many times God is pleased to turn the flights of his people to abundance of good unto them they may fly because of the danger of their Enemies and they may think that if they can but have their lives for a prey if they can avoid the danger of the Enemy it will do well yea but God may have a further end and intend abundance of good to them that they shall find more mercy in that place where they fly but to get a shelter for their lives than ever they had in all their lives before many that have fled from persecution of ungodly men they have found greater mercy in the place they have fled unto though they have fled from their Fathers house and from their own Country yet they have found greater mercies there than ever they did in all their lives they can tell great stories of the mercies of God unto them in the places of their flight So it was here with Jacob that was one end of God that he should fly that he might provide a Wife for himself out of his Mothers kindred for so he was charged you shall find in the story of Gen. 28. that he was charged there by his Father to get a Wife of the Daughters of Laban And now observe it in Gen. 28. 3. ver when as Jacob did thus fly into Syria because Isaac did see that he was like to endure a great deal of trouble and affliction in this his flight Isaac doth renue the blessing upon him And thus God doth use to do when he sees his people to be in such a way wherein they are like to suffer sore and hard afflictions the Lord prepares them by renewing his blessing upon them by a fresh manifestation of himself unto them and the renewing of Gods blessing is enough to carry a man or woman through abundance of afflictions for that did help much to carry Jacob through all his afflictions Further Observe in the Second place when Isaac sent Jacob away he sent him away in a very mean condition without any such provision as Abrahams servant was sent with when he went to seek a Wife for Isaac we reade in Gen. 24. 10. where Abraham sent his servant to find out a Wife for his son Isaac Abraham sent him with a great deal of provision with ten Camels and with Earings and Bracelets and the like but Jacob is sent away to seek for a Wife and sent with a staff in his hand If it be said That this is the reason why he was sent so meanly that it was for privacie because he would not be discovered in regard of the rage of Esau Though that might be a reason of his first going away in so mean a condition yet that could not be the reason why Isaac should not send after him afterwards for we never reade that Isaac sent any servant after him but sent him away with his staff in his hand having only the blessing of God upon him Therefore it is more probable this That God did mean to train up Jacob in a low condition in an estate of affliction to train him up to patience and humility and in dependance upon God Well then he goes to Laban he flies to Syria that is to his Uncle Laban when he comes there he serves him yea he was a Servant to him for twenty yeers together in a low condition so you find it in Gen. 31. 38. he saith there He had served him twenty yeers and in all this time he found Laban though his kinsman very rough to him as many times yong people coming to their kindered find them very rough and hard towards them Laban was very churlish towards him and very false to him yet Jacob goes on and endures all the heat of the day and the cold of the night and Isaac his Father was alive all this while and yet we never reade that Isaac sent to him all this time a thing much to be wondered at there was never any intercourse that I read of between his Father Isaac and him all this while but lives from his Father though his Father a rich man and a great man and yet he goes on in a humble patient and quiet way depending upon God to make an issue out of all his sufferings and God did at length make a very glorious issue out of all though Laban used him hardly Now being Isaac's son and he had the blessing one would have thought that Laban should have been willing to have bestowed a daughter upon him nay but he serves for a Wife and when he had served him yet he was deceived with a Leah which was a very great injury to Jacob Laban urged her upon him and it 's a very great part of roughness and ridgedness
as the story of this last six yeers will be if it be faithfully recorded and yet though the Lord be going on in his waies and hath not yet finish'd it we have forgotten Oh doth it not appear so what do men look after everie man his own advantage and own ends and seeks to fill themselves minding nothing else And what mighty haughtiness of spirit there is in many men within this six yeers Oh how have we forgotten the Lord and forgotten those Instruments that God hath made use of for good unto us God had more honor from us when there was not the hundredth part done for us as now there is now we as it were shake our ears and let God do as he will we hope we can do prettie well to shift for our selves Oh! the Lord deliver this Citie out of this and from this evil of forgetting the Lord when we are fill'd You begin to have more full trading now than formerlie now the Countrie begins to be open and they repare to the Citie for all Oh the Lord deliver this Citie from surfetting by their fulness and from this of forgetting the Lord Oh that we could but say that the Lord having restored the trading to the City having such ful trading as now they are like to have Oh to sanctifie the Name of God more than ever they did Oh how do you remember God everie time you see Customers come into your Shops everie time you see the Waggons come out of the Countrie into your Streets how do you bless God and how is God honored among you Oh that it were so it 's a sore and grievous evil to forget the Lord after the Lord hath granted us fulness it 's a horrible ingratitude as if there were nothing to be regarded but our selves First It 's against many charges that God gives beforehand to forwarn us of it If you reade the 6th of Deuteronomy 11. Vers and the 8. Chap. 12. Vers you shall find there how the Lord charges this people When you come into the Land and your houses are full of good things and you eat of the good of the Land beware you forget not the Lord beware and forget not beware and forget not again and again this is inculcated shewing how prone we are to forget the Lord in our fulness Oh! that those of you that providence hath brought this morning would consider of these Scriptures now God is beginning to come in with more fulness than before Oh beware that you forget not the Lord God in the midst of your fulness Oh! let there be as much or more prayer in your familie than there was in former times that you may have a sanctified use of the fulness that now you enjoy yea it 's worse than beastlie The Ox knows his Owner and the Ass his Masters crib but Israel hath forgotten me If the Ox be but fed he knows his Owner Who is it that feeds you is it not the Lord and will you forget him Oh! this will lose the blessing of all you do enjoy and your hearts will grow very wicked beyond what you can imagine you cannot imagine the evil that your hearts will grow to if you forget God in the enjoyment of that estate that God sets you in And it is a sin that God knows not how to pardon for so he expresses himself Ier. 5. 7. How shall I pardon thee for this Why is it that God should say so as if he should say Though I be a God of infinite mercy yet here 's a sin I know not how to pardon why saith he when I had fed them to the full they committed a dultry and they abused that fulness Oh! how shall I pardon thee And if ever you have need of God again how will conscience be stop'd With what face can you go to God again to seek for help if God should bring you low Conscience will presently say You were once emptie and God fill'd you and what honor had God from you no your hearts were exalted and you forgot God And 't is a most foolish thing for you to do so you depend upon God in the midst of all your fulness as much as before everie moment you lie at Gods mercie though perhaps you are not sensible of it yet certainly it is so A foolish thing it is then to forget the Lord Your forgetting God will make you forget your selves and just it may be with God to forget you and to change the waies of his administration towards you Oh take heed then of being exalted and of forgetting the Lord in your fulness Truly Brethren God had rather have his people fall into any sin almost than into the sin of pride and forgetfulness of him and specially that of pride Therefore you find in Scripture That God will rather set the Devil upon his people than to have their hearts exalted as Paul lest he should be lifted up above measure he had a prick in the flesh the buffeting of Satan God had rather see the Devil buffeting of his people than to see the hearts of them to be exalted Yea he had rather suffer them to fall into any other sin Charge your souls then against this as David in Psal 103. at the beginning Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits See what a charge he puts upon his soul Oh my soul thōu hast received many benefits from the Lord and there is this deadness in thee if thou beest but left to thy self thou wilt forget the Lord and this will be a sore evil in thee Oh my soul forget not all his benefits Oh that you would go home and charge your souls not to forget the Lord and all his benefits let Husband put Wife in mind with this charge and Wife the Husband but especially your selves in secret between God and your selves to charge your souls not to forget his benefits The more we remember God in the blessings we have the more sweet will our blessings be to us You have a great many mercies but when you forget God you lose the verie sweetness of all your mercies Oh! when you can see a mercie and see the God of that mercie then it 's sweet when I can see a mercie and the Fountain from whence it comes and whither it tends then the mercie is sweet Oh! therefore you deal foolishlie in forgetting the Lord. And the more safe you will be And the more eminent you will be in grace Oh what a lovely object is it to behold a man or woman in the midest of all outward enjoyments to be Heavenlie and Spiritual I say the Graces of such Oh! they glister like Diamonds like most precious Pearls indeed and therefore remember the Lord in al the good things that you do enjoy It follows VER 7. Therefore I
will be unto them as a Lyon as a Leopard by the way will I observe them THere 's most dreadful expressions that here follows God is exceedingly provok'd with the exaltation of mens hearts and their forgetfulness of him in time of their prosperitie Is this the same God that spake so of Ephraim heretofore Is Ephraim my dear Son Ephraim my pleasant Child How shall I give thee up Ephraim my bowels are turned within me ever since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him and my bowels are troubled within me Is this the Lord that now will be a Lyon a Leopard a Bear a tearing Lyon a wild beast unto Ephraim What is this the God that heretofore carried them as Eagles do their yong upon their wings and nourished them as the Eagle nourisheth her yong ones Is this the God that was as a Hen to the Chickin that was as a gracious Father unto them to whom this people were as the dearly beloved of Gods Soul and now God a Lyon a Leopard a Bear a wild Beast to come and tear them Is this the merciful God is this that God that is love and mercie it self thus to appear Oh my Brethren how dreadful doth sin render God unto his creature But all this while there 's no change in Gods heart God is the same in himself as before the change is in the Creature The Sun that softens the Wax the same Sun hardens the Clay the same Infinite blessed Being that doth good to his Creature in one condition the same Blessed Infinite Glorious Being is dreadful to the Creature in another condition With the froward he will shew himself froward and with the upright upright Therefore above all doth God set himself out in a most terrible manner here against those men that were in prosperity whose hearts were exalted and forgot him My Brethren The Lord pities men yea sinful men in the time of their adversity but when they are at the height and forget him Oh the anger of God is against them now above any men I 'le give you one Scripture to shew how God hath regard to men in low conditions but to tho 〈…〉 that are fatted up in prosperity Gods anger is most against them Ezek 34. 16. 20. I will seek that which was lost I will bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick but I will destroy the sat and the strong I will feed them with judgment saith he Those that are lost I 'le seek them those that are broken I 'le bind them up those that are sick I 'le heal but I 'le destroy the fat and the strong I will feed them with Judgment Oh here 's an excellent Scripture for the comforting of the hearts of those that are in an afflicted condition See how God regards such but God hath not such regard to fat ones and strong ones he will feed them with judgment and destroy them The care and protection of God is more over the lost ones and the broken ones and the sick ones than the fat ones and the strong ones they are to be fed with Judgment I 'le be to them as a Lyon and the reason of this is First Because their hearts are very much hardened in their sin their sin is grown to a height Secondly Because there are so many creatures that they have use of more than others that do cry against them Poor people have not so many creatures to cry against them as the rich have Further They can make friends to avoid the stroke of Justice from men but the poor people they are more punished therefore God takes them into his hands and deals with them more severely And when Judgment comes upon them it 's more observed and therefore God to them will be as a Lyon As a Lyon You have a paralel Scripture in Psal 50. 22. I held my tongue and ye thought I was like unto you but consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver their hearts were exalted they forgot God therefore will I be to them as a Lyon First A Lyon is the most terrible creature Amos 3. If the Lyon roar the Beasts tremble Oh my Brethren the threats of God should be to us as the roaring of a Lyon and our hearts should tremble at them Secondly None can take away the prey from a Lyon Mich. 5. 8. as a yong Lyon among the flocks of Sheep who if he go through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces and none can deliver none can deliver out of Gods hand Thirdly A Lyon is strong and crushes the whol compages of a mans bones at one crush Alas man what is he In Job 4. 19. he is crushed before the Moth much more before a Lyon then Oh then much more before the Lord God when he comes to be as a Lyon Fourthly It is observed of the Lyon that she will narrowly mark any one that wounds her if there were hundreds of men together and one did but wound it or shoot at it or do any thing to it she will be sure to mark that man Oh! the Lord mark out those that sin against him and that wounds his Name they must not think to escape among others The Lords eye is upon them particularly And it is observed of the Lyon that she sleeps but little and with her eyes open so the Lord As he that keeps Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth so he that destroies his enemies doth not slumber nor sleep Further The Lyon will fall upon no creature except it be in hunger or be provok'd the Lord though his wrath be terrible as a Lyon yet he is not so ready to fall upon his creature it must be from some special end that he hath or some provocation that he hath but then he falls terribly indeed Again It is observed of the Lyon that if you do but fall down on the ground and submit and yeeld the Lyon doth use to pass by and will not tear and rend where there is an humble submission to him whereas other creatures will Oh thus God is a Lyon terrible but yet only to those that stand out against him And the Naturalists observe of the Lyon that it cannot endure to be look'd asquint upon by any thus it is with the Lord the Lord loves no squint-eyed Christians I mean none that have by ends of their own the Lord loves uprightness in our waies and dealings And lastly They say of the Lyon that it is a great enemy to Apes and Welves so is God to Flatterers and Tyrants Thus God is compared a Lyon Secondly To a Leopard And as a Leopard by the way will I observe them The Seventy reade the words otherwise By the way of the Assyrian say they And indeed the Hebrew word
where it was said God was the only Savior In Me is thy help In me That is Thy continued help not only help for the present but whatsoever help thou hast continued it is all in God Isa 33. 2. Be thou their Arm every morning our Salvation also in the time of trouble not only their help for the present but they need stil a continued supply and help every morning But further In Me is thine help though thou hast destroyed thy self Observe There 's no misery that man can bring himself to here in this world but there is help in God for it though thou hast destroyed thy self yet in me is thine help there may yet be help in God As if God should say I do glory in it to be an helper It is God glory to help men in miserie let it be ours It 's the glory of many men to destroy to do mischief but it 's the glory of God to be an helper Saith Luther upon the place I desire to defend thee to preserve thee this indeed is to be a God saith he To be an helper God glories in this that he is a God for this end to be an helper Oh that we could account it our glory to be helpful unto others Let us also look upon God in this his Glory and make him the Object of our Faith in times of distress let us not lie vexing and fretting under our misery b 〈…〉 â—ift up our eyes to God that is the helper let no want of means no unworthiness in us cause our hearts to sink those despairing temptations that saith to us There is no help in God they are very sinful at any time let the condition be never so bad You will say I am a wretched creature I have undone my self Well though thou hast yet such kind of thoughts as these to say There is no help in God they are wicked and sinful God accounts it his glory to help men even when they have destroyed themselves There is a time indeed when there will be no help for sinners but for the time in this world we may say as Shechaniah in Ezra 10. 2 Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Oh make use of that Scripture when thou seest thy self sink down even to the very gulf Oh yet there is hope in the God of Israel for this very thing Suppose my condition be worse I think than any in the world yet you know it hath not been known what God hath laid up for them that love him there is help in God Yea But whether he will help or no Do but carry it now in this notion That there is help in God and he accounts it his Glory to be an Helper he accounts it not his Glory to be a Destroyer so much no that 's his strange work but to be an Helper that 's his great Glorie And again Even at that time when men are most undone then is the time for God to help Thou hast destroyed thy self in me is thine help Oh! come and return yet there may be help for thee though thou hast destroyed thy self Thou hast destroyed thy self in Me thy help It may be in a way of aggravation of their sin and stubbornness Why doest not thou come in to me have not I alwaies been a help to thee in all times of straights and distresses You are in great miserie now I am the same that ever I was yet there 's help enough in me from whence the Note is this Those that heretofore have seen help in God and yet if now their misery grows upon them and they sink yet lower and lower they had need examin themselves throughly Surely they have shut the door against themselves for help for God is never wearie of doing good his arm is not shortened as in Isa 59. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God I beseech you mark but this there is a great difference between God and man in this thing of Helping Men that are verie kind sometimes and helpful yet at other times they will be very surly and harsh towards those that they have been very helpful to in former times and that not from any cause without but meerlie from the temper of their own hearts and the change that there is in their own spirits not because those that they have been kind to are worse now than before no but because of a froward surly harsh humor that is risen up in themselves you shall see such a difference in men that have been very sweet loving and helpful to you at some times but come to them at other times and you shall find them dogged and surly and harsh and you cannot tell what hath provok'd them no it is nothing but from a surlie distemper that is risen in their hearts Oh! thus it is with men but it is not so with God Thou hast destroyed thy self but in Me is thy help it is still I have been thy helper all thy daies and still am the same God ready to do good unto thee and to help thee And then the last thing that I would note is this The more God hath been helpful to any the greater aggravation will it be to their destruction if they be destroyed at last Thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help I have been a help alwaies I am ready to help and to do good and yet thou art undone Oh to be destroyed when God is at hand to help to perish when there is a Fountain just before us as Hagar this will be sad indeed Oh to perish in the midst of means and in the midst of mercies Oh what an aggravation will it be to mens sins another day when they are past the time of mercie to help but then to think Oh! but how gracious was God to me while I liv'd at such and such a time And so concerning our selves again from this In me is thine help It will be the aggravation of our misery if we should yet perish Oh my Brethren Consider of it What shall all the great stories and notable famous stories that we have told of Gods mighty working in helping us shall they be of no other use but to aggravate our miseries at last It would be a sad thing But to proceed VER 10. I will be thy King Where is any other that may save thee in all thy Cities and thy Judges of whom thou saidst Give me a King and Princes FIRST To speak a little to the words as you have them in your books for the words will bear them so in the Original And yet I shall shew you another reading by and by that is as sutable to the Original text as this I will be thy King What ever you do contrive plot keep never such a stir fret vex and rage I will govern you for all that I will be
blessing of the thing he takes away the comfort of it the satisfaction in it They shal eat but they shall not be satisfied So in Psal 106. 15. There he gave them their request but sent leanness into their soul the text saith He filled them according to their desires with flesh but sent leanness into their soul the meaning of the text is this It is a similitude transfer'd from the bodie to the soul that as many times men may have a dogs appetite as the Physitiaus cals it that is a mightie greedie stomach but they cannot digest what they eat and so the body is lean so here they had a mightie desire but as in the bodie manie times there is such a disease that the meat turns not to nourishment so in their souls they had even that their souls desir'd yea but their souls could not be satisfied there was that distemper in the soul as in the bodie the bodie doth not thrive with what it eats when it hath such a disease upon it so though the soul hath what it did desire for the matter of it yet it had a distemper in it thus it could not be satisfied nor thrive nor prosper with what it had Oh he sent leanness into their soul How many times are men and women mightie greedie and desirous after such and such contents and think thus Oh how happy should I be if I had this and the other thing it may be God lets you have what you would here but when he hath let you have it he snatches away the comfort of it you shall have a Well but it shall have no bottom you shall not be able to get out the good and comfort in what you have And that 's the Fourth thing Surely God is not in it for the blessing of God makes rich and ads no sorrow with it no he brings comfort Fifthly When that which we desire is meerly to satisfie our lusts meerly that we might have our humors and lusts satisfied that 's all we do not desire such and such comforts that by them we may be fitted for the Service of God in our places not so much because we have need of them to help us in our work but because we would have our lusts satisfied there 's all we cannot give an account why these and these things should help us in the work of the Lord but that we may go on as well without them But these and these things are sutable to our lusts Oh! if God doth give thee any thing to satisfie thy lusts certainly he gives it in his wrath as now If a man that hath a disease in his bodie if he hath an enemie comes to him and knows what will feed his disease the Enemie will give it him that he might dispatch him the sooner there 's no faithful Physitian nor no loving friend will give unto any that that will feed their disease but will take it from them and take it from them in love because it will feed theirdisease Oh! the Lord sees mens hearts set upon such and such lusts and if they have such and such things granted them their lusts will be fed by them they shall have them saith God It 's as dangerous a sign of Reprobation as any thing to give them that that shall be most sutable to their lusts that shall most harden them And on the other side The greatest love when God shall take that from his children that he knows will but feed their lusts there 's many diseases are such that the only way to cure them is to keep the Patient in a short dyet though they crie for food and be very hungry yet they must be kept very sparing why because the nature of the disease is such as will draw all nourishment to it self to feed it and so God is fain to do with his own people when he sees them sick of such a disease the Nature of which will draw all nourishment for the feeding of it Sixthly When men desire that they would have and are eager upon it but they take no great care whether they do enjoy it from a reconciled God or a provoked God it 's all one to them let me have it but whether it comes from God reconciled or God provoked they do not much stand upon that that 's very remarkable here in Numb 11. there is this notable story of Gods satisfying desires in his wrath If you turn to the beginning of the Chapter you shall find that God was very much provoked with the people here The people complain'd it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it and his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consum'd them and the people cried to Moses and so the judgment was got off from them but then presently after they fell to murmuring before ever any thing was done to reconcile God and their souls together you do not reade of any work of humiliation to seek reconciliation with God between the time that God did manifest his sore displeasure against them and the time that God satisfied them in their desires no they look'd not upon that God indeed was displeased but it was off now and for any matter of atonement or making up their peace with God that they look'd not at but let them have their desires hence it came to be in wrath the satisfying of their desires Doth thy conscience tell thee that there hath been a time wherein God hath been displeased with thee the anger of God hath burst out against thee perhaps thou art in a better condition now than thou wast before Oh but tell me hast thou humbled thy soul before God to make up thp peace with him hath there been a day of atonement between God and thy soul hath Gods displeasure been out against thee and now doth he come and satisfie thee in what thou doest desire before any thing hath been done in falling down before him and seeking his face and making peace thou canst not have comfort in this satisfying of thy desires but it 's rather in wrath than in mercy Seventhly When God regards not our preparation for a mercy he gives it whether we be fitted for it yea or no no great matter And carnal hearts take no great care themselves of it let me have it whether my heart be in a fit condition that 's not the thing It 's your sin and wickedness not to regard the preparation of your hearts for what you have and it 's Gods Judgment to give it to you before you be prepared A gracious heart when it would have a mercy it is as careful to get the heart prepared for the mercy as to obtain it Oh! there 's such and such things that indeed would be sutable to me but is my heart fit for such a deliverance is my heart fit for such a mercy as this when as it is thy care to prepare thy heart
saying Lay hold on him 12 Extream stout notwithstanding such a hand of God upon him vers 33. After this Jeroboam returned not from his evil way but made again of the people Priests for the high places 13 Slighting God and his Worship 1 King 14. 9. Thou hast cast me behind thy back 14 He did evil above all that were before him 1 Kings 14. 9. 15. He trusted to his many men and policie not regarding what is said to him about fighting against God 1 Chron. 13. 8. 12 13. 16. Though conquered before Gods Servants who relied on the Lord 1 Chron. 13. 18. so as he lost five hundred thousand men at one time yet he continued in his evil 17. For his own ends he would make use of Gods Prophets 1 King 14. 18. A man of a base spirit God threatens he will take him away as man takes away dung 1 King 14. 10. 19. His familie was such as except in one little child there was no good at all found in it 1 King 14. 13. 20. He made Israel to sin The common Epethite the Scripture gives him 21. He ruined the Kingdom by his sin 1 King 14. 16. He shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam Yet for al this he continued his reign two and twenty years 1 King 14. 20. Seing Governors are sometimes given in wrath let us pray that they be given to us in love But it follows I took them away in my displeasure As if he should say though they were evil yet I took them away to make way for worse Whence note Oppressors are taken away and greater Oppressors came in their room Cavlin thus I wil take away this Kingdom from you which I see to be an occasion of blindness to you for if it remain I shal be no body with you nor wil my word be of any Authority Obs 2. What God gives in anger never prospers Expect not therefore help from those men or things that God gives in wrath Sometimes God accepts of repentance when it is unfeigned as in Davids taking Bathshebah to wife of whom he had Solomon c. Viz. if the thing it self be good What God gives in anger cannot hold long with us Caut. yet this Kingdom of Israel continued twentie yeers Those things that begin ill prosper not usually Initium maledictum finis maledictus Calvin in loc The beginning is accursed and so is the end Thus many businesses beginning in anger end in wrath this Kingdom of Israel is an example of this from the beginning to the end But yet here also that holds the Author noted above vers 9. that no condition is so bad but there is help in God for it and if so be that the continuance in it be not with sin or the thing a sin in it self When men have enjoyed their desires in wrath a while God rends them in fury from them this is terrible indeed for as it was given in indignation All the while it was enjoyed it was abused Psal 78 30 31. While the meat was yet in their mouths the wrath of God came out against them But yet we must here Note the difference that Pareus observes That these calamities upon what God gives in displeasure are indeed wrath to his own people but in fury to his enemies When God takes away what he gave in wrath it is more wrath ofti 〈…〉 But here are two Questions 1. How we may know when God takes away and not in wrath First When the comfort or creature he takes from us began to draw the heart from God and now he seasonably takes it away with a sanctified use 2. When we can bless God and be thankful 3. When God makes it up in himself and in the comforts of his Spirit When does God take away in wrath First When 't is given in anger Secondly When he takes them away by violence in some terrible manner Psal 58. 9. Before your pots can feel the thorns he shall take them away as with a whirl wind both living and in his wrath Psal 52. 5. God shall destroy thee for ever he shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place and root thee out of the Land of the living Lam. 2. 6. He hath violently taken away his Tabernacle As a man that is angry snatches away what he had given Thirdly When we have most need of the comfort of it Zeph. 2. 4. I will drive out Ashdod at noon day when they should have taken the benefit of their houses for shelter and their meat for refreshment Fourthly When we murmur and complain inordinately of our affliction Fifthly When we shift and shark out for succor Sixthly When there is nothing but bitterness and only evil in the removal Seventhly When one evil makes way to another evil and none sanctified Psal 78. 50. He made way to his anger Eighthly When it carries with it the marks of special sins yea when as the sin it self deprive us of a mercie a when in emperance takes away health ambition brings into disgrace glottonie takes away the stomach greediness takes away 〈…〉 ches Rom. 11. 27. This is my Covenant with them when I shall take away their sins Ninthly When it happens according to those misgiving thoughts we have had and yet would not take warning Tenthly When it brings sin into remembrance Job 13. 26. Thou makest me to possess the sins of my youth 1 King 17. 18. Art thou come to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my son Wherefore seeing this is so fearful let us pray with David Psal 6. 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure Again note that our sin may bring us to this That whether we have our desires or whether they be taken away yet still all may be wrath Change of oppressing Government by forreign Power is a sign of wrath Gods hand in a business excuses not mans sin he can make use of mans sin to the furtherance of his ends and yet be innocent Lastly We must not judg by success of which above Thus far the Authors Notes The Supervisor to the READER THE Author was prevented by several providences from preaching the fore going Sermon for some months together insomuch as himself wondred what purpose God had in it till at last God visited him by sickness whereof he fell on sleep in the Lord His Disease was thought to be Infection but without any sore yea and as the Gentlewoman his wife hath related without any spots or tokens only there was a black setling of blood on one side of his back which she supposed might have come with a Fall from a Horse which he had taken not long before This is mentioned by occasion of some contrary reports concerning his death About the time of his imediate dissolution be lift up his
Excommunication see Difference Excuses Excuses of deceiptful dealers 319 Mens excuses 515 F Faith Faith see Church Encouragement Root Faculties Faculties see Love Families Families see Imperiousness False False see Encrease Fill Men fill themselves with sensual things 445 Forced Forced see Blows Wives Folly Folly of Apostats 307 Form A form of answering to Gods call 128 Forgiveness Healing with forgiveness a sweet Mercy 95 Free see Grace Free grace of God to our Ancesters 222 Fruit To understand the Scriptures is a fruit of love 20 Fruit see Way G Gift see Ministry God Gods great design is to magnifie free grace 25 God deals gently with his people 53 Gods great design in the Gospel 70 God deals roughly with the great and graciously with the grieved and oppressed 500 God will be a Lyon to them that forget him ibid. Why God compares himself to a Leopard 502 God is to be preached as terrible 508 God see Christ England Know Trembling Help Healer Merciful Godly heart Godly heart see Difference Good Good see London Company Good Cause Good Cause see Success Goods Goods ill got the third Heir enjoyeth not 319 Government Government see Church Guides Guides their changeableness 31 Guiding Why the soul needs Guiding 32 H Hear Hear see Reverence Healing Healing see Forgiveness Healer God will be acknowledged the Healer of his people 40 Help God delights to Help men in misery 519 High minded Why the rich are apt to be high minded 459 Honor Honor of our inferiors must be preserved 55 God hath little honor in the world 132 Hope Hope see Wind Host Host see People Humbles What humbles most effectually 287 Hurtful Hurtful see East Wind. I Jacob What God spake to Jacob at Bethel 264 Jacob's mean condition 356 Jacob's flying into Syria 358 Why Jacob is sent away so meanly 359 Jacob hath the blessing renewed at his going away 359 Why Jacob served seven years for Rachel 394 Jehovah Jehovah what it infer's 273 Jehovah what it should mind us of 274 Jehovah what terror is in the Name 291 Jehovah what Consolation in the Name 292 Jehovah see Excellency Jews One of Gods special Covenants with the Jews 427 Ill-got Ill-got see Goods Image Image see Wrath Imitate Imitate God in resisting temptations to sin 149 Immoderate Immoderat desires to be taken heed of 537 Imperiousness The Imperiousness of some in their families 416 Increase Whence such Increase of false Doctrine 205 Increasing see Lyes Inferiors Inferiors see Honor Ingratitude Ingratitude see Perverse spirit Insolent Insolent see Bass Israel What a child Israel was 3 Wherein Gods Love to Israel stood 4 Israel see Mercy Instances Instances of the working of Gods heart towards England 148 Instruments Instruments see Abuse Iron Iron Tools unfit to build God's Tabernacle 343 Israelites Why the Israelites would have a King and Princes 530 Judgment It may prove a Judgment to invent a way to satisfie Conscience 211 Judgment when to be Executed 300 Judging Judging see Error K Kingdom Kingdom see Troubles King King see Israelites Kings Kings see Caution Kissing Against kissing the Book in Swearing 443 Know What it is to know God 447 L Labor Labor see Prevailing Language The Language of the sin of Apostacy 409 Law Saints not under the Law 11 Liberty What use we should make of Liberty 96 Licentiousness Licentiousness see Evils Lives Lives how to compleat the comfort of them 10 Leopard Leopard see God Lyon The Lyons property 504 Lyon see God Little A little of Spiritual things serves mens turns 455 London Gods mercy to London all this War 114 London's good is to be labored for 115 Love Gods Love doth not find but make the person lovely 8 Love commands all the souls faculties 64 The Love of Christians formerly compared with our divisions 72 Love see Persons Children Fruit England Love see Superiors Convince Notes Magistrates Love see Servants Sanctifies Overcomes Love see Relations Element Lyes Several waies of encreasing Lyes 206 M Magistrates Magistrates must deal by Reason rather than by Violence 51 Magistrates should govern by Love 76 Mark The Mark of the Beast 313 Marriage Marriage founded on consent 391 Married condition Married condition see Blessing Mean condition The mean condition as well as the greatness of our Ancestors is to be regarded 392 The mean condition of Moses 396 Meditation A Meditation for passionate spirits 464 A Meditation ser Trades-men in London 469 Merchant Merchant see Canaanite Mercie Gods mercy towards Israel is a Type of his waies with his people 8 Mercy when to be shewn 299 Mercy see Carnal props London Plea Affliction Merciful hearts neerest to God 173 Ministers Ministers pattern 35 Ministers must convince not scare men 51 It's Ministers duty to open Gods Love 66 Ministers should be wary in using tartness 150 Ministry The Ministry a magnificent gift 346 Why men profit no more by the Ministry 345 In chusing our habitation we should have regard to a good Ministry 347 Monopoliz To monopolize Commodities is oppression 313 N Necessary Necessary see Truth New New Officers see Pride Notes Notes to know whether it he Love or Hatred by all that is before us 540 Note of Peprobation 3â—â— O Obstinate Obstinate see Devil Oppression Oppression of others after deliverance from oppression is a great evil 97 Oppression see Deliverance Monopolize Oppression see Conscience Trading Evil. Opression see Under-trades-men Overcome Gods Love overcomes all unworthiness 84 Outward Outward Comforts see Thoughts P Pardon Pardon see Restitution Parents Parents and Masters must use more conviction than correction 52 Particular Particular persons should remember Gods ancient Love 7 Particulars affect most 294 Passionate Passionate spirits see Meditation Peace A blessing for them that hastens peace 112 People Gods People are his Host 272 Perseverance Perseverance why more frequent under the Gospel than under the Law 69 Perverse A perverse spirit the punishment of ingratitude 401 Piety Piety raiseth the heart more than Pride 126 Plea The plea of Justice and Mercy 140 Popery Popery see Beginning Posture The posture of a Congregation 417 Prayer Prayer see Encouragement Priests Priests see Vanity Preserve Preserve see Honor Prevailing Prevailing recompenceth all our labor in seeking 242 Pride Notes of pride in some new Officers 461 Priviledg Priviledg see Saints Procession Procession see England Profit Profit see Ministry Promise No command in the Gospel without a promise 91 Prosperity Many Saints worse for prosperity 453 Prosperity see Exalted Proud Proud men see Vanity Providence Things accidental are under providence 18 Provoke How we should provoke one another 464 Provoking Provoking God see Aggravation Provoking sins expressed 465 Punishment The punishment of Apostacie 409 R Reason Reasons of Jacob's taking his brother by the heel 219 Reason see Magistrates Use Relations The love of all Relations in Gods Love 85 Religion Religion see England Reformation Reformation see Awaking Recreation Times for Recreation to be allowed to Servants 101 Repentance Repentance a Gospel-Grace not of the Law
our servants A masters comfort 1 Sam. 18. 22 Servants should love one another Object Answ Magistrates shold govern by love 1 Chr. 28. 2. The difference betwixt the gesture language of David the Princes of these times John 2d King of Portugal The property of the Pelican A Princes pattern Timeri quà m diligi A pernitious state maxime The evils of striving otherwise than by love Why Hypocrites are hide-bound towards God The benefits of love Obs 3. Deut. 11. 13. The cords of Gods love to his people 1 Eternal Gods thoughts from eternity concerning his Elect. 2 Elective and separating Malach. 1. 2. Use 3 Free Hos 14. 4. Deut. 7. 7. discoursed 4 He gave his Son for them Which he did not for Angels 5 And Himself also This is set forth by gradation and prosopopie 6. Regards nothing else Isa 43. 4. illustrated 7 Pardoned all their sins Revel 1. 5. Gal. 2. 20. observed A representation of the love of Christ in coming to take away our sin An apt simile 8 Puts loveliness upon them 9 Loves them with the love he hath to Christ Joh. 17. 23. 10. Hence God delights in his Saints Why God does all the former things for his Saints Eph. 1. 23. illustrated by Joh. 17. 24 11 Gods love sweetens and sanctifies all A meditation for afflicted Saints 12. Gods love overcomes all our unworthiness both before after conversion which he foresaw 13 Gods love hath in it the love of all relations 14 An everlasting and unchangable love Zeph. 3. 17. Jer. 3. 13. 2 Thess 2. 16. Application 2 Cor. 5. 14. God the Element of Love 1 Joh. 4. 16. Eph. 3. 17 18 19. The rarity of the expression in Eph. 3. 19. Why Christians ar so scant in their obedience and empty in their spirits Cant. 7. 12. noted God regards nothing but love Our love should be eminent toward Christ Minus te 〈◊〉 Deus diligit qui praeter te aliquid diligit qui propter te non diliget August Confess Gods special love to Engl. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The scope of the Text. Obs 4. Three sorts of Gods Bonds Use Niâ—â—â— durus est animus qui amore si nolebat impendere noltt rependare August Adulterous love Gifts The Spirit grieved only by the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A meditation for a Saint about to sin Mark 14. 72. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erupisset Beza Ovelatione capitis he covered his head as Marriners use to do Theophylact. Simile Simile Expos Luther No coÌ„mand in the Gospel without a promise Simile Obs 1 Deliverance from Oppression a great mercy Levit. 26. 13. Ezek. 34. 27. Expounded A cure for Atheistical thoughts Obs 2. To grow wanton after deliverance from yokes is very sinful Englands sin The Evils of licentiousness after deliverance 1 It hardens our Adversaries Suppression of Errors by violence no argument of the truth of Church-government Omnes licentiâ deteriores sumus 2 It obscures the work of God Psal 149. 4. enlightned 3 Deprives others of just liberty Which wil be charged on the ocasioners of it 4 It â—aâ— bring the yoke on again 5 It justly provokes men against liberty Lam. 1. 14. What use we should make of our liberty Exod. 12. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illustrated Obs 3. Oppression of others after deliverance from oppression a crying sin Deut. 28. 48. Conscience oppression the most grievous What Statesmen should consider in imposing things Object Answ Such Truths as are not of necessity not to be imposed Men of latitude in judgment A meditation for such And necessary at this time Isa 58. 6. 9. We should make the lives of Beleevers comfortable In what things we should bear with our brethren And why Use To Magistrates and Governors of families Times of Recreation to be permitted to servants 1. It would drown the memory of the superstitious Holydays 2. It would forward the sanctification of the Sabbath Expos Faciam eos edere quietè Luth. Obs 1. Use To the Rich. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 descendere ferit Obs 2. Obs 3. Use to Hard Masters Use 2. The misery of other places cy mer 1. The Text paraphrased Obs 1. Use A great mercy to be thorowly taken off from carnal props 2. Obs 2. Obs 3. Use for England Englands condition must be far worse if it think of returning Obs 4. Who the Assyrian was Isa 10. 5. 7. 12. A Character of a stout heart Obs 1. Use A way of holy revenge Obs 2. Obs 3. Use to the convicted Job 9. 4. to be observed by such An obstinate sinner worse than the Devil in some respect Jer. 3. 22. should be our example An exhortation to backsliders Jer. 4. 5. expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renuit fastidinit Pâ—el Obs 4. Expos 1. Caepit vulg Hierom. of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hiphil Obs 1. Jer. 18. 7 8. England Expos 2. Obs 2. Isa 34. 5. 6. Jer. â—6 1â— Use Against protractors of the War The War taken by the great The New-Model of the Army Anno 1645 1646. A blessing for those that hasten peace Obs 3. Use for Engl. How men were deceived at the begining of this war Jer. 47. 6 7. Obs A sad thing for the sword to be in a City Ioseph de Bello Iudaic. lib. 7 cap. 7. 1100000. slain in the siege at Jerusalem The mercy of God to London all this War The Butt the enemy aimed at Isa 37. 33. 34. 35. Ezek. 14. 17. Jer. 25. 15. Not only preserved but made the City of Refuge for the kingdom Expos Isa 14. 31. This the caus why London hath been so aimed at Every good patriot ought to labor the the good of London By prayer and all good endeavors Psal 55. 9. 17. explained Our own Counsels a cause of Englands lasting war Expos Comâ—det capita torum Vulg. Propter consilia eorum Pagn Ezek. 11. 2. When Parliament Army City and Kingdom wil give over their own Counsels Good intentions may be seduced A false religious and State principle Gods waies not our waies Expos Application 1. 〈…〉 England Why some were 〈◊〉 w 〈…〉 at the begining of this Reformation Why they started off again 2. Private particular persons Why these start back 1. 2 3 4 5 6. 7 8. 9. Admonition to such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suspenst sunt Calv. Parâ—us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. In suspence here what Applicat to England Populus meus dubitat au velit redire ad me Luth. * Populus meâ—s haesitat se convertere ad Legemmeam Chald. Paraphrase Obs The conflict of conscience corruption Suspence a caus of much evil Considerations tending to settle the unresolved about the waies of God Simile Populus meus pendebit ad reditum meum i. e. pendulus sperabit vulg Montanus Expos 2 3. 4. Obs 1. Piety raises the heart more than pride Obs 2. Obs 3. Simile Obs 4. Psa 97. 9 10. illustrated Abrahams
example Act. 7. 2. observed Use A form of Answering to Gods call Note Obs 5. Quest Answ When we exalt God Note The comfort of a dying person An Exhortation 1 To great men 2 To the Saints How God hath exalted the Saints 1. 2 3 4 5 6. 7 Psa 108. 4. 5. noted Also Psa 21. 13. Obs God hath little honor in the world Use Luthers reading of the Text. Nemo erigeret se Alij ne unus qui se erigeret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simile Obs A drousie spirit a great evil to nourish it Expos general Analysis of the Text. The Text paraphrased Expos in partic 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Al. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simile Exod. 33. 5. Noted Ephraim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 68 70. Protegam Vulg. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tradidit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—lypeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 protexit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Israel Ieroms Quest on the place His Answer Sodoma Gomorah principes fuerunt in peccato Adama Zeboim earum exempla sectala sunt Luth. Expos Cor inversum Cor concitatum ira propter peccata hâ—minum non sit verum Dei cor verum Dei cor quod afficitur malis nostris quod ardet commiseratione The Authors Expos Accommodat so ruditati nostrae Calv. Simile The plea of Justice The plea of Mercy The Authors Apology Obs 1. Jerusalem's exsample noted Use 1. 2. Obs 2. Obs 3. Obs 4. The incompossibility of satisfaction salvation puts God to the highest exercise of his wisdom Simile Obs 5. 1 Sam. 16. 8. Simile Obs 6. Quest Answ The Reason Other Reasons 1. Prayrs of the Saints Simile 2. The little ones 3. Few worshipers 4 Former service to God 5 A remnant of Saints 6. Groans of the afflicted 7 Insulting of the Adversary 8 Elect in the loins of their parents 9 Other objects of wrath 10. Gods own affliction 11 God makes himself work 12. Justice glorified by others 13. Mercy may convert Application to England Instances of the workings of Gods heart towards Engl. Obs 7. For the resisting of temptation to sin imitate God in the Text. God reasons before not after our evils are upon us Obs 8. Proneness to wrath not Gods Image Use Ministers should be wary in using tartness Simile The effects of Anger Obs 9. Encouragement to Prayer Faith Advice when the blow is coming The casting voice Prayer Obs 10. Isa 53. Jer. 31. 19 20 with Rom. 8. 32. Obs 11. Obs 12. Obs 13. Rev. 14. 10. illustrated Obs 14. Note Obs 1 Note Object Answ Obs 2. Obs 3. Use of Admonition Obs 4. Obs 5. Use Direction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos 1. 2. The Authors Obs 1. Obs 2. Obs 3. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consolat poenituit c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos Obs 1 The Text remarkable Obs 2. Note Note Psa 41. 6. Opened Company heals whether evil or good Obs 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos Quest Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. Obs 3. Obs 2. Obs 3. Obs 4. Expos Obs 5. Obs 2. Text. Expos The differences betwixt God and man in point of Anger 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 3 Note 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10. Brentius Noble men 11 12. Obs 1. Masters of Families Use Numb 14. 17. explained Vers 19. Neerness to God most merciful yea if but in amoralneernes Masters of Families Obs 2. Obs 3. An apt simile The Devil's stratagem Discouraging thoughts in afflicted consciences curable by the former doctrine 〈◊〉 2. 3. 4 5 A ground of strong consolation from Ephes 2. 4 5 6 7. Caution against the abuse of this doctrine The chief work of the Ministry What is the imediate root of Faith Objects Answ Expos Use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest Answ Obs 1 Obs 1. Expos 2. Obs 2. Luth. Expos Cultum meum non ponum in unâ tantum civitate sed per totum mundum from the rising of the Sun c. Obs 2. Use Expos 1 Reas Expos 2. Obs 1. Obs 2. Expos Obs Use Simile Plutarch Quest Answ 1. Rejected 8 Quid faciomus viri fratres eum severe mentes audiunt non contingere salutem nisi Baptizatis credentibus in Nomen Christi verè expanescunt et de salutemsunt soliciti Luther â— Obs Great troubls at the aaising of Christs Kingdom Lactant. Prodigia miranda per omnia elementae mundi Reas 1. Luke 18. 8. eulightned Obs 1. Obs 2. Text. Saints need awaking before times of Reformation * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Turpidè accurrent Tremel Properabunt Vatablus in notis Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Filij Maris Expos Obs Expos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Advolabunt Vulgat Expos 1. Expos 2. Text Text Expos Obs 1. Obs 2. Obs 3. Use Text. Obs Cohaerance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos general Particular Expos 2. Theologus fidelis nihil aliud est quà m Centrum ad quod omnes line 〈…〉 dolorum tendunt Meisner The meaning Obs 1. Use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest Answ Obs 2. Let deceitful men note Expos 1. The time between Hosea the Prophet and King Hezekiah Obs Expos 2. Obs 1. Obs 2. Obs 3. Obs 4. Ministers Masters of Families Al men shold shew zeal for God Jerom in loc Expos Obs 1. Few regard this Shifts Luther in lo 〈…〉 Why some decline the waies of God Expos 2. Obs Revel 1. 6. illustrated Testis descendit cum Deo vulg adhuc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 testis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnatus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 descendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Riberain loc Obs 1. Obs 2. Text. Obs 1 Obs 2. Obs 3. Expos 1 Holy ones for the Holy One Expos 2. 1. 2. 3. Obs A Caution Feeding on the wind 1. 2 3 Simile The Chamaeleon the reason of its changablenes None sink lower when disappointed than conceited and confident men 4. The East wind Why hurtful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. Aestus Vulg. Obl. Creatures hope will prove but wind And pernicious Obs 2. Difference in the Saints froÌ„ others in Afflictions Expos 1. Lyes in Doctrine Vno absurdo dato mille sequuntur These times Rev. 12. 5. enlightned England Let Novelists mark Whence it comes that there is such an encrease o false doctrine in England Note An apt similo 2 Lyes against the Prophets Simile Several waies of encreasing lyes 1 2 3 4 5 Servants See the Apology of the dissenting Brethren And the Assembly's Answer to it Austin A horrible temptation to Atheism We should mourn for this Condderations to prevent suggestions of Atheism froÌ„ the contrary reports of godly parties 1. 2 3 Simile in Scripture 4. Use 1. 2. 3. Lyes in practice Why men find not satisfaction in their waies Invention to satisfie conscience may prove judgment Expos Expos Obs Expos Aegypt Canaan Note Mirâ—m est c. Calv. in loc Expos 1 2. God