but upon the rule according to what God had required They understood not this They were led away meerly with the fair shews and pomp of Religion but they did not understand that al the acceptation of divine worship cometh from having a divine rule Most people at this day understand not this and that is a great evil Thirdly They did not understand this That their safety did more depend upon the true worship of God than upon all the politick wisdom that possibly could be They understood not that their protection depended upon Gods service and worship but they thought to go politickly on to provide for their own safety and they thought their safety depended upon their wise men that understood better than they And then Fourthly They did not understand that whatsoever was commanded by their Governours or taught by their Priests yet if it was against the mind of God it would not excuse them from judgment and deliver them from the wrath of God though their Migistrates did command it and their Priests did teach it They did not understand these four things and for not understanding these four things they shall fall This was that which brought them down and did ruin this people There are divers degrees of not-understanding First When people do not understand meerly for want of the means of knowledg This excuseth not wholly but they shall even fall though they have no means Secondly When men have means yet thorough their negligence in the use of the means they do not understand Thirdly When they are not only guilty of negligence but they oppose and shut their eyes wickedly against that means of knowledg Then they shall fall indeed Fourthly When having knowledg heretofore now they lose it by their often resisting of knowledg and so come to fail in their understanding Lastly When they so provoke God as that he hath given them up unto a sottish spirit soâ—â— at they shall not understand Now these people fall deepest Where all these five are as they are in many places surely that people must needs fall My brethren have we not cause to fear our not understanding at this day in these five degrees Applic. And in a great part even in those four Generals The not-understanding the vain pretences of our adversaries of what our Cavaliers say First That they fight for Religion and they make such and such kind of protestations and they intend nothing but the liberty of the subject many people are led away with these pretences and understand not that their design is to bring them under slavery and to take away their Religion And this want of understanding is like to cause us to fall Secondly People understand not that the worship of God must have the word of God to be the rule and that the government of the Church must be according to the word They think what shall be most sutable to the reasons of understanding men that is best Because men understand not this we are in danger to fall Thirdly People at this day think there is too much to do about Religion and let us rather go in a way of policy to provide for our selves as for that why should we injure or trouble our selves so much we have troubled our selves too much already People think not their safety is in Religion therefore they shall fall Fourthly people think if they be taught so by their Ministers that's enough for them Is it not so with us now Therefore we have cause to fear that the Lord intendeth us a grievous fall Yea as those four Ojects so the four degrees of want of understanding In many places they have no means many Towns and Countries have scarce a Sermon in half a yeer In many places where there is most means there they are negligent of it they rebel and shut their eyes against it and are weary of it And others that have had knowledg heretofore have resisted their light are grown sottish yea it is to be â—eared that God hath delivered many amongst us over to a sottish spirit it is impossible they should remain so ignorant as they are if God in his just jugment had not delivered them up unto a sottish spirit To instance in this Is it not a sottish spirit of men that after all their oppression and misery that they have suffered yet they will not understand but joyn with those that have opprest them and lay all the blame upon them that venture their lives to deliver them Surely this is most gross sottish ignorance that when men shall come and spoil them of their goods and ravish their wives and children yet in the mean time they rather cry out of those that venture their lives to do them good as if the cause of their misery was from them Surely these people do not understand can it be expected but that these people should fall themselves and their posterity into the depth of misery to be made slaves for ever They shall fall Idolatrous people shall fall that 's the next note An Angel proclaimeth this Babylon is fallen is fallen It is fallen already my brethren how ever Idolaters seem to lift up their heads high yet they are falling and fal they shal God hath pronounced it and the time is at hand they have fallen off from God and fall they shall by the hand of God and the prouder they grow the nearer they are to their fall Pride goes before a fall while the Gospel of Christ and his pure Ordinances that are now so opposed they shall stand and all superstitious waies and persons they shall fall That is observable that place before named Revel 14.6 Rev. 14.6 Opened An Angel flyeâ— in the midst of Heaven and preacheth the everlasting Gospel and within a vers or two another Angel cryes out Babylon is fallen is fallâ—n When Babylon with all their Idolatrous wayes shall be fallen then shall the everlasting Gospel be preached the Gospel and the Ordinances of Christ shall be everlasting shall continue for ever when all superstitious vanities shall fall We find it so how ever they thought to bear up all their superstitious waies by all the means that ever the devil or wicked men could devise to keep them up to perpetuity yet have we not found that God hath blasted them and many of them are fallen and though God bring his people into affliction yet they shall rise the wayes of God shal rise Zion shall rise Babylon shal fall the people that understand not they shall fall A word or two about the meaning of the word in the original The word is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is nor often in scripture very rare and I find divers translations of it Shall be beaten so some Shall be brought into captivity so others And others again give this the meaning of the word and so it doth properly signifie Shall be perplexed The word signifies to be
spirits to think that the worship of God appointed in his word hath not solemnity enough in it That is the point naturally rising from thence It is the pride I say of mens spirits to think that Gods Ordinances are too plain Obs too mean for them they can find out a way that sets out the worship of God thus and thus they will shew more reverence of and respect to God than others shall But certainly if it be not Gods own whatsoever outward respect can be given unto God in it he â—bominateth it and abhorreth it A Lady in Paris I have read of a Lady in Paris that when she saw the bravery of a Procession to a Saint she cried out Oh how fine is our Religion beyond that of the Hugonites that is such as those who in England they call Puritans They have a poor and mean and beggarly Religion but we have a fine and brave Religion so your Papists with decking up their Churches and their Altars and their crings and bowings they have a fine and brave Religion their shadow is good there is bravery and solemnity in it Oh take heed of this in any point of Gods worship to think that any addition of mans makes it more solemn and more reverent It is the worst argument you can use to say can we do things in Gods worship with too great reverence Is it that which you have warrant out of Gods word for doth God enjoyn it Have you not either some rule or ensample at least for it If you think by your own addition to do it with more reverence this very argument spoils it though it were lawful in other respects Take some gesture suppose it were indifferent suppose it were lawful some way but if you take it up thus to think that by it you put more reverence and respect upon Gods worship than there is there you spoil it upon some other grounds it may perhaps be granted but upon that ground you spoil it quite Therfore the Lord â—orbad his people when they were to make an Altar to him to lift up a tool upon it for then saith he you pollute it They might have said Lord we would fain have thine Altar not so plain as other things simile we would fain bestow carving and some cost upon it and so shew some respect to it No saith God If you lift up a tool upon it you pollute it So if you think to put more reverence and solemnity upon Gods worship by any invention of your own certainly you defile it That was the sin of Israel at this time they would sacrifice here why because the shadow was good So much for that for their high places and their worshiping under trees Now follows the judgment threatened Therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom and your spouses shall commit adultery You commit adultery in going a whoring from mâ— you shall be punished in the like kind your daughters and your spouses shall go a whoring from you They shall commit adultery Take it first under this consideration as a judgment of God upon them Secondly under this As that which they themselves were the occasion to produce 1 Observ First It was the judgment of God upon them Hence note God sometimes punisheth sin with sin he punisheth spiritual adultery with corporal uncleanness Corporal pollutions are the fruit of spiritual filthiness So Rom. 1. They worshiped not God as God but in an Idolators way after the s militude of an Ox that eateth grasâ— therefore God gave them up to â—ncleanness If men be not careful to maintain purity in Gods worship God careâ— not for their bodily châ—stity If you â—olâ—uâ—e my worship be unclean then â—aith God Not that he doth permit it as lawful but in juâ—t â—udgâ—ent he leaveth them unto it What care I for all yâ—ur uncleaâ—ness otherwise in your bodies if you pollute â—y wâ—â—sâ—ip Roma Amor inversio That is preposterous love because of the unnatural filthinesse there practised Iohannes à Casá Arch Bishop of BendnutuÌ„ wrote a Book in commendation of Sodomy And it is usual for bodily and spiritual adultery to go together The word Râ—ma turn the letters and it is Amor there is a deal of unclean filthy love in Rome as I shewd bâ—fore Wâ—â—â—e thâ—re is most Idolatry there is most adultery But secondly The sin of Parents is punished many times in the children and in the family Your daughters and your spouses I will leave them saith God and mine hand shall be upon them When a parent or a husband sees the hand of God against his child or against his wife he should consider how doth God meet with me in this is it not a sâ—gn of Gods displeasure against me in this particular It is observable that of the woman of Canaan Mat. 15.22 when her child was vexed with an unclean spirit saith she Have mercy upon me O Lord my child is grievâ—usly vexed with a Devil she did not say Lord have mercy upon my child but Lord have mercy upon me for my child is vexed with an unclean spirit as if she should say O Lord my sin may be this unclean spirit it may be the punishment of my sin therfore Lord have mercy upon me forgive me my sin that hath caused such a thing as this yea Lord it may be I have had an unclean spirit and this my child did imitate me in somewhat that was evil and so thy hand is come upon it I am the Original therefore Lord have mercy upon me for my child is vexed with an unclean spirit So should you when you see the hand of God upon your children not only outwardly upon their bodies cry out Lord hâ—ve mercy upon me for my child hath such a disease hath such convulsion fits hath such pain and such extremity Lord pardon my sin And doth God leave your children in wickedness do you see unclean spirits in your children the spirit of filthiness Cry out Lord have mercy upon me perhaps it was by imitating of you that they came to have such unclean spirits Obs Thirdly It is a great reproach unto any family to have uncleanness committed in it Fornication and adultery is a great reproach unto a family especially when the daughter or the wife is unclean It is a reproach unto a family if a servant prove naught especially to some families more than others the family of a Minister or of a Magistrate or a man in publick place and esteem Use for Governors to have a servant prove naught which by the way should teach Governours to be more careful of their families than they are for many times thorough their carelesness God sends such a judgment puts this disgrace upon their families Many of you for your pleasure and delight can go to your countrey houses Country houses and while you are there your servants are doing wickedness You should have an especial eye over your families in
get any thing by any fair way then they invent lyes and make lyes their refuge It is the Maxim of the Jesuites Câ—lumniare audacter aliquid herebit Calumminate and ly stoutly to purpose and somewat will stick for every one that shall hear of the report shall not come to hear of the answer that can be given to it And that is their policie to spread abroad lyes as much as they can and especially to invent lyes of those that are most eminent and active in publick affairs and that is the reason of those strange inventions that are raised of such as are most active in Parliament and also in the City and in the Ministry things so hideous that if they were true would render men altogether unfit to be entertained in a Common-wealth But you will say what can they get by it when it proveth to be false Yes because their lyeâ— spread a great way further than the answer to them can spread And those in Jer. 20.10 do fully set out the condition of these men I heard the defaming of many saith the Prophet how Report say they and we will report it This was their plot against Jeremiah the truth iâ— we must defame Jeremiah we see he hath got a great deal of credit and prevails with the people and we know not how to help our selves only if we can but defame him if we can but raise up something that may take away his esteem with the people we may then have our end Ier 20.10 Opened therefore devise somewhat report and we will report it we will spread it abroad we will put it into a frame and print it As now if a company of Malignants get into a Tavern there they wil talk against this Minister and the other against thiâ— Parliament man and the other against this Citizen and the other what shall we do say they we see they prevail let us devise somewhat that may defame them report somewhat and we will spread it This hath been the way to this day to maintain that Antichristian partie that great Lye Jer. 9.3 They bend their tongue like their bow for lyes and ver 5. They have taught their tongue to speak lyes They are now become artificial in it and they do it the rather because they know it will please some great ones It was so in former times Pro. 29.12 If a Ruler hea ken to lyes all his servants are wicked If any Officer or any that are about him see that it will humour him to raise ill reports against Gods servants the servants of such a Ruler will be wicked and raise lyes enow And amongst other places that is famous Hos 7.3 Hos 7.3 the text saith there They make the King glad with their wickedness and the Princes with thâ—ir lyes Opened It is spoken of Jâ—roboam and the other Kings that followed him that set up false worship How there were a great many in Israel whose consciences would not give them leave to follow that way of false worship upon that there were a company of Promoters and Apparitors and Baylifs and some Courtiers they would invent lyes against those that would needs go up to Jerusalem to worship and would not content themselves with the Calves that the King set up Now when they had invented lyes of some of the most zealous men amongst the people they brought these tales to the King and said thus Did your Majestie hear such a thing There are such men in your Majesties dominions that dwell in such Toâ—ns and they are forsooth so scrupulous they will not be content with that Religion that the Law hath established but they must go up to Jerusalem to worship yea and at sâ—ch aâ— mâ— they get into a corner and there they commit sâ—ch and such wickedness and they live in these and these wicked waieâ— And thus they came and told the King tâ—les of them and the text saiâ—s They madâ— the King glad with their tales the King was tickled with it and rejoyced at it and he gave them his hand gave them encouragement Certâ—inly amongst uâ— there hath not been wanting men that have endeavoured this that wâ—â—ld have accounted this their happiness to get a tâ— iâ—â—o tell of a Puritan or of a godly Miniâ—â—er though it were never so false Thus we have briefly paâ—â— over this second charge in this second verse â—weaâ—ng and Lying The next follows The Lord hath a contrâ—â—◠〈◊〉 with 〈…〉 of the land for Murder for Killing Murder that is a provoking sin God seldom suffers it to go unrevenged in this world Whence are all those discoveries of Murders scarce any one but can tell strange stories of the discovery of murder We have a vain distinction of murder man-slaughter as 't is call'd that forsooth if a man be angry and in a passion kills another thiâ— is man-slaughter and no murder God will not own that distinction for if you shall by your passion make your self a beast and so kill a man God will require this at your hand for Gen 9.5 God saith that he will râ—quire the blood of man at the hand of every beast much more at the hand of a man that by his passion makes himself a beast The life of a man is precious to God and God will not suffer any creature to have absolute power over it he keeps the dominion of mens lives unto himself Mr. Ainsworth upon Gen. 9.6 citeth the the Jewish Doctors affirming that a Murderer though it were possible for him to give all the riches of the world yet he must be put to death because the life of the murdered is the possession of the most holy God this is their argument Certainly it is not in the power of any man upon earth to save a murderer be he what he will be The greatest man upon earth hath no liberty from God no prerogative to save a Murderer but he that sheds blood by man must his blood be shed God avengeth the blood that Manasseh shed a long while after his death 2 King 24.4 And for innocent blood that he shed which God would not pardon Though Manessâ—h did repent and so we have cause to hope wel in regard of his soul and his eternal estate * Though Calvin seems to be of the contrary opinion Deut. 28. yet the Lord came upon the Nation after his daies and would not pardon his shedding of innocent blood What adoe do we find in the Law concerning the killing of a man When a man was found dead in the field nigh unto a City the Elders of that City they must come to the dead body wash their hands over the heifer to be slain and â—ake a solemn Oath that they had no hand in the murder and so clear the City from the guilt of it This shews how precious the life of man is in Gods esteem and that God hath a controversâ—e with a land for shedding of blood And if this be
elegancy in this expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have left the Lord to take heed so you may read the words ad custodiendum to keep themselves within any bounds of the Commandement of God They run wild as if the Prophet should say â—nd have leâ—t off â—o take heed of God or any of his 〈◊〉 Perhâ—ps theâ— havâ— not leâ—â— the Lord wholly for they will woâ—â—â—â—p God in some exâ—ernal waies of worship but God cares not for that they have left the Lord in this to take heed of him Though we think to follow the Lord in any external duties if we leave to take heed of God in all his waies he takes no notice of it that may be one Note But the special thing is this They have left off to take heed to the Lord. At first though temptation may prevail against a man yet the Truth of God will be working in his conscience I speak to one enlightned and a professor of Religion as these were Though at first a temptation prevail against a professor of Religion yet he having an enlightened conscience the Truth of God will be working still in his conscience and in his heart but now if he still give way to that lust at length his lust will so far prevail as that he will wholly leave minding and regarding that Truth of God that is against his sin and give himself fully up unto the waies of his own heart and this mans condition is very dangerous Oh take heed of this take heed of this not taking heed you that begin to decline and you find some secret lust prevailing in your heart Observ wel yet you have the Truth of God boiling and bubling in your hearts and will not let you go on quietly but yet your lusts strive against that truth well if this lust be not mortified if you give way to it that it continue a while you will come to be weary of that truth that is against that lust and you will turn your eyes from it Use and you wil leave off to take heed further to think of that which should make against your sin and when you are come to this pass your condition is very dangerous They have left off to take heed The way to keep the heart and life in order in waies of obedience Obs it is to take heed to the Lord that is the special Note to take heed to the infinite glorious blessed Majesty of the holy and great God to mind God in his soveraignty in his authority in that infinite worthiness that is in him of all obedience from all his creatures to look upon God the only Jehovah the high and eternal God This is the way to keep our hearts and lives in order to take heed of God thus to have God in our thoughts and hearts and to heed him diligently and his waies But yet there is a further note from hence and that is especially intended The evil that they are accused of is That they did leave off to take heed of God in point of worship for that is the thing that God especially charged them for that they did corrupt his worship and they did leave off to take heed of God in things of his worship that is thus that kind of worship that they thought to be most sutable to their own reason and politick ends that worship they set up but now to take heed to God for the rule of worship to look up unto God obser that whatsoever they had in his worship should be according to the rule he setteth that they left off they minded that no more now but altogether what was sutable to their own ends And that is an evil thing in any Kingdom that men should leave off so to take heed as it is almost come to that now Use I make no question at first but that for the government of the Church the primitive Christians had a special eye to the rule to Apostolical institution but it is come to pass I know not how it is almost a general conclusion amongst men yea amongst good men amongst Divines and good Divines that we can scarce have a rule a rule of institution they think it needs not at al and we can find no such thing at all in the word and so they have quite left off so much as to examin things in the word I say they have done so It is an evil thing for any in matters that concern the worship of God not to take heed of Gods word in it Though in civil things we are left to prudence and reason but when we come to matter of worship we must take heed to the word in every particular that is properly Ecclesiastical that is properly Church-work we must I say in every thing take heed to the Word of God It is a notable expression that Luther hath about this It is not saith be so much in Religion to look at what is the thing as who commands it and he citeth Seneca Seneca saith he gives this rule observe not who commandeth but what is commanded but in the Church and in Religion it is to be turned quite another way it is not so much Quid but Quis and Qâ—alis and Quantus but the Devil saith he changeth this into quid quale quantum that is he changeth this who and what manner of person and how great a one commandeth into this what what manner and how great a thing So that this is the reason why many despise some Ordinances in the Church why what great matters are there in these things So they look to the thing and not to the institution whereas did we look to Christ the Institutor which we should do we should look more to the institution than unto the thing it self Let the thing commanded be never so low and poor never so mean in it self yet the institution must be honored Take heed to God especially in the point of worship So we have done with the tenth verse It follows Verse 11. Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart Still the holy Ghost envyeth especially against the Priests for their whordom their wine and new wine did take away their hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take away The words are translated diversly either Take the heart or Take away the heart Take the heart So I find some turn it and there is a good sense of it that is these lusts do take possession of their hearts It is one thing for a man to be overtaken with a lust and another thing for a lust to take a man It is said of the godly that they are overtaken but it is said of these that their lusts take them but now when it comes to this that you do not only yeild to a temptation but a temptation takes you when you are taken captive whoredom and wine they have taken their hearts So some But I rather think the other more proper these
prohibiteth this Deut. 12.13.14 Take heed to thy self that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest but in the place which the Lord shall chuse in one of thy tribes there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings God would limit them the place of his worship When the Ark was made and the Tabernacle they were bound to come to that and sacrifice there and no where else and so when the Temple was built they were bound to come thither and to sacrifice there and no where else Yea then the Lord commanded them to pull down the high place and to cut down the groves and trees Deut. 12.2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the Nations which ye possess served their gods upon the high mountains and upon the hills and under every green tree When once God had appointed a place of worship then they were to destroy the other places where the Heathens were wont to worship their gods The Note is this from it When once God chuseth places or things when God once putteth a stamp of holiness upon places or things Obser then no men may chuse places or things and put such a stamp of holiness upon them as God hath put If God appointeth a way of worship of his own this stops us from all other of our own If God makes a place holy this stops us that we must never make any place holy but that so it is true of things of ceremonies any thing if once God sets a stamp upon a thing to make it holy we must confine our selves to that and not think to immitate God in it to make any thing of the same kind to be holy as God hath done It was now a sin for them and God stands much upon circumstances we see in his worship You shall have many men plead why should men be so strict and scrupulous to stand upon circumstances what must we have every circumstance in the word of God commanded My brethren that which is natural and moral and may be subservient to religious things may be left it's true unto prudence but whatsoever hath any Religion in it though it be but a circumstance God stands much upon it and we must have a Divine rule for it Natural circumstances moral civil circumstances prudence is enough to guide us in but any religious circumstance we must have a rule for it Here they are not accused for sacrificing the things they ought not to sacrifice no question but they offered those sacrifices which they were commanded sheep and beeveâ— and the like but only in the circumstance of place they did not sacrifice where God would have them sacrifice therefore God charged them in this thing that they went a whoring from under their God It is true we reade sometime of some godly mens sacrificing else where Gideon under an Oak Judg. 6. and Samuel upon an high place 1 Sam. 2. and so David in the threshing floor of Araunah 2 Sam. 24. Now to all those instances the answer generally is given by Divines that they could not be any way lawful for them to do thus but by some special dispensation of God himself some special revelation from God to give them order to do it there or elf it could not but be a sin For the Kings of Israel and Judah they also are charged for their sacrificing in the high places Even Solomon himself in 1 King 3.3 where when he is commended for loving the Lord and walking in the Statutes of David his father at first yet the text saith Only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places And amongst other high places we reâ—de in 2 Chron. 1.2 that Solomon went to Gibeon that was a great high place And though some excuse him because it is said the Tabernacle was there therefore he might go to Gibeon that great high place to sacrifice yet for al that Austin in his Questions upon Judges he thinketh Solomon is to be blamed though the Tabernacle was there Austin for he it seems sacrificed in other high places besides and though the Tabernacle was there yet it seems he put a more than ordinary respect upon that high place wherefore else is it called the great high place and he went there not only for the sake of the Tabernacle but became it was that great high place therefore he is to be blamed So that we may go to Gods Ordinances but if we do go to the Ordinances of God where yet there are other mixtures and we do the rather go and esteem of them because there is some addition of mans inventions Obser this is a sin against God And further this is observable though Solomon were blamable for going unto that high place though the Tabernacle were there having some more than ordinary respect unto that high place yet we find that God revealed himself unto Solomon in a wonderful gracious manner even in that place and bad Solomon ask what he would Solomon had very graciâ—uâ— manifestations of God unto him when he went to that high place though there was evil in it and he put more respect upon it than he should So certainly many of Gods people have found God so far indulge them that though sometimes they have been in the use of Ordinances where there hath been such mixtures as they have sinned against God that Ordinance hath been polluted unto them by those mixtures yet 〈◊〉 Lord hath been so gracious unto them that he hath accepted of the uprightness of their hearts and they have had many sweet manifestations of God unto them even in these Ordinances they can remember those times when they have been at Sacrament and they have known how they offended against God by reason of some pollutions yet they have found for all this God letting out of abundance of mercy unto them refreshing their souls with comfort and joy in the holy Ghost This was Gods meâ—cy Do not you think therefore that there was no evil in it because God let out himself so far unto you Use There was evil in Solomons respecting this high place so much yet God let out himself abundantly unto him Other Kings there were that are exceedingly blamed that they did not take down the high places which were all one with these mountains here spoken of Yet there were some of the Kings that were very careful in this thing As amongst the rest Hezekiah and Jehosaphat Hezekiah in 2 King 18.22 where he is charged by Rabshekah for taking down the high places Is it not he that hath destroyed the high places and Altars of God saith he God approveth of it well though Rabshekah thinks he hath done ill Oh saith he Hezekiah do you trust in him he hath taken down the high places He thought that Hezekiah had been an enemy unto Religion and to the worship of God for taking down the high places Thus it is with ignorant people at this day that do not know the
such Priests to that Idol that they had which was the like to that of Baal-Peor the Jews had they used to call Gallos French-men to put an ignominy upon that Nation for some especial revenge they had to them and they would have them to serve that Idol being first made Eunuches Take it thus then and it will afford us a very profitable instruction These people were grown so corrupt that they had forsook the true Priests of God and the Prophets of the Lord and separated themselves from the Lord to joyn in sacrificing with these filthy Priests of Baal-Peor that unclean Idol that is sayd in Scripture to be that shame But only here is a Scruple how can it be meant of Priests when the word in the Hebrew is in the feminine gender Quest Answ That is answered thus because of the effeminateness of these Priests some of them were made Evâ—ukes and so might be put into the feminine gender in that regard and they were grown to be so sottish and filthy that they lost the very name of men Therefore Aquila he turns it Cum mutatis Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic vocal effeminatos so he calls those that were effeminate they were changed from men into women and so the Scripture speaks of men that have lost their true fortitude and are changed from it they are called women or men of womanish spiâ—iâ—s And so the Heathen Poet Virgil he calls the Trojans women not men which he had from Homer * Oxeâ—e phrygia neq enim phryges Virg. lib. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. because they were rather to be of the feminine than the masculine gender Women shall rule over theÌ„ Isa 3. vid. Hier. Therefore the Priests here of that unclean Idol had the feminine gender put upon them Or as Cyril and Theophilact and others think that these Priests seemed to be men but were indeed women So that then by this text is meant such notorious prostituted filthy ones that were consecrated to be as Priests to the service of this unclean Idol Now then here riseth the Note from hence this was their abominable vileness to forsake the Priests of the Lord to separate themselves from them and to joyn with such unclean Priests as these Priests of Baal-Peor were Here were Separates indeed Have we not many amongst us at this day 〈◊〉 vile and wicked of as wicked spirits as these whose hearâ—â—re against the faithful Ministers of God against the purity of Gods Ordinances they separate themselves to any drunken unclean filthy Malignant Priest It was just so here for all the world there were the true Priests of God in Judah they had the true Ordinances of God there and yet these men rather than they would joyn with them in the true service of God they will separate themselves to the Priests of Baal-Peor to these filthy and unclean and base Priests and they think there is more good to be had in joyning with them than with the true Priests of God How hath God of late discovered the filthiness and malignancy of out superstitious Priests who cared not what became of our Liberties of Religion of our Liberties as men of our Religion as Christians so they may have their lusts yet how vile are mens spirits stil that though faithful and conscionable Ministers are sent amongst them who would reveal the mind of Christ and the way of Heaven unto them that they may now know more in one month than before they knew in many yeers if they had hearts to hearken to them yet they will separate themselves and joyn rather with such as are manifested to be of most vile spirits not only malignant but filthy and wicked in their lives and commend them for the only men these they love with their very hearts Heretofore when they had but some Sr. John that could only reade prayers sent by the Bishop and godly Ministers were thrust out yet if men did then go from their parish Church to hear a Sermon how did they cry out upon such then they were called Sectaries and Schismaticks presently but now when men of vile and malignant spirits are by a better Authority put out for their wicked lives and godly and holy men are put in their rooms yet these they will not hear though it be in their own parish Church but if a malignant Preacher be in the City to him they will flock Who is the Separate or Schismatick now they separate themselves now to such men and now they think they may hear those men they can most profit by that is those that preach things sutable to their spirits When the case comeâ— to be mens own how partial are they in their judgments I know nothing sets out the condition of these men as these words do though as they are read in your books there is no such thing appears but the words according to the Original signifies separating themselves to unclean Priests Therefore the people that do not understand shall fall This is the close of the verse Well might he say that they are a people that understand not indeed Observ Idolaters are no understanding people they do not understand they are ignorant people You will say ignorant many of them are Scholers and learned But they are ignorant of the waies of God even their Priests are and for the most part the people are and their very design is to bring ignorance into places that their Idolatrous waies may be the sooner imbraced The people that do not understand shall fall Understand what what did not these people understand that was the cause of their fall They did not understand these things First They did not understand the design that Jeroboam had and those Princes that followed him Poor simple people they were led by vain pretences Jeroboam he pleaded this that he was for the true Religion he was for the worshiping of the true God only he would not have the people so tired as to go up thrice a yeer to Jerusalem that was not so necessary But the truth is that the design that Jeroboam had under al his pretences of worshiping the true God and being a friend to the true Religion it was to bring them under his own government to tyrannize over them and to keep them from that right way of government that they should have had Now this people they did not understand this they were carried away with fair words if Jeroboam did but pretend Religion and profess that he did it meerly out of respect and love and in favour unto them and that for his part he intended to set up the worship of God as much as any though his design was another thing yet this people were led away and did not understand They did not understand the design of Jeroboam and his Princeâ— Secondly They did not understand that the acceptation of Gods worship did not depend upon the outward pump and bravery of it
that hath but the Calves and hath not the right Ordinances of God among them whatsoever they do yet let not Judah offend that have the true Ordinances of God and the true Priests and Ministers of God among them Observ Oh those that enjoy Gods Ordinances in his own way and the Ministers of God in a right way of calling they should take heed of doing as other people do And then Thirdly Judah was not compell'd by her Governours to Reas 3 do so as Israel for Israel you know by Jeroboam and other of the Princes was compeld to do what they did and they might pretend that it was for their own safety to save their lives and to save their estates but there was no such necessity for Judah to do it for God many times sent godly and gracious Princes to Judah and there was not such waies there to compel them they were not so necessitated to that way of false worship as Israel was if we may call it any necessity to that which is evil Obser When people have liberty and are not forced but God doth give them liberty that they need not except they will be Idolaters yet for them to close with waies of Idolatry and superstition when they need not this is more sinful It is true heretofore there might have been some excuse we were forced to it it was as much as our estates were worth we must have been cast into prison and persecuted and that made us do that we did The Lord be merciful to us for that we rather than we would suffer would joyn in those superstitious waies that were amongst us But now thorough Gods mercy we are delivered from that bondage we are not so compel'd yet that now for all this our hearts should yet cleave to those old superstitious waies this makes our sin so much the greater Reas 4 Fourthly Let not Judah sin for what then should become of Gods worship For God had no other people upon the face of the earth but Judah and Israel to worship him well Israel is gone from him and will Judah go too what will become of the worship of God A mighty argument to those that make profession of godliness to keep them from the waies of false worship and wickedness in any kind Obser If you depart from God too as others do what honor will God have in the world what will become of the service of God in the world Is not God worthy of all honor and of all service from all his creatures It is pitie there should be any creature in the world that should not honor and serve the blessed and infinite God But we see most do not and there are but a few a handful of people that regard to worship God aright and shall this few this handful forsake God where then shall God have any honor in the world Shall Judah go away too then the Lord will have no Church no worship no service in the world Fiftly God had much mercy in store for Judah more than Reas 5 for Israel therefore let not Judah offend For Christ was to come from that Tribe of Judah and the Lord promised that he would shew mercy unto Judah when he had said he would reject Israel as indeed he did Though Judah was carried into captivity as well as Israel yet God was with Judah in their captivity and promised them a return from it but he never promised Israel a return in the like manner as Judah Therefore since God had the more mercy in store for Judah let not Judah offend From hence these Notes are to be observed First We must not do as others do especially in point of Obs 1 Gods worship we must not make the example of men not of any sort of men not of our brethren not of those that profess Religion not of those that prosper in the world we must not make them an exemplar or rule in any thing especially in the matters of Gods worship Indeed the consideration how others sin against God should be so far from being an argument to draw us unto sin as it ought to be the greatest argument to draw us from sin Thus every sin against God it is a striking at God simile It 's true if there be a common enemy come into a City or Town every one desires to have a blow at him and when men make this an argument for their sin because others do it they deal with God as those in a Town would deal with a common enemy that is thus why such and such and such go on in such wicked waies they strike at God therefore let me strike at God too when thou pleadest that argument and saiest because such and such do sin therefore I may sin thou doest in effect as much as say such and such strike at God let me have a blow at him too Is there any force in this argument For ever take heed of pleading the example of others in waies of wickedness and remember this one expression that thou doest in effect as if thou shouldst say others about me they strike at God and I must have my blow at him too as well as they In any sin we must take heed of example but above all in matters of worship Hence Deut. 12.30 Take heed to thy self that thou be not snared by following of the Nations after that they be destroyed from before thee and that thou enquire not after their gods saying How did these Nations serve their gods even so will I dâ— likewise Take heed saith God thou dost not so much as enquire how these people serve their gods and say I will do so likewise God would not have us use that argument Take heed therefore of pleading thus other people do so and so and other Nations why may not we do as other Nations do It is a very ill argument to plead example in matters of worship I mean that worship that here Judah is forewarned of that is worship that is by institution and above all things the examples of men are not to be followed in points of institution In any thing in the world there may be more plea for example than in instituted worship and the reason is this Note Because that other things have somewhat of them written in the Law of nature in mans heart all matters of morallity are in some degree or other written in mans heart by nature every man hath somewhat of the moral Law written in his heart but institutions they are such things as depend meerly upon Gods revealed will and are not written in the heart of man Therfore though we might have a plea to follow the example of others in point of morality yet there can be no just plea to follow the example of others in point of Institutions there we must be sure to keep to the rule of Gods Word to look above all things in points of Institution to what is written and
and twenty thousand sheep yet if after this at all thou shalt forsake me all that thou hast done shall be rejected Therefore those sacrifices that are not joyned with offering up of our selves as a sacrifice are such as God will make us ashamed of But if together with our sacrifices we offer up our selves as a sacrifice you shall never be ashamed of that sacrifice Therefore you that are poor people and weak parted and have but little grace yet if you have true grace though you cannot offer up such large prayers your heart is not so enlarged perhaps as others are and you look upon your sacrifices as poor and mean and as unworthy to be tendered up unto the great God but dost thou then offer up thy self unto God as a sacrifice It is true my parts are weak and my abilities are poor and mean but Oh Lord what I am and what I can do I tender it unto thee here Lord take soul body life estate liberty and all I do enjoy I tender it up all unto thee as a sacrifice I say then peace be unto thee those sacrifices thou lookest upon as being ashamed of them God will not make thee ashamed of them but he accepts of thy poor mean and weak services when together with them thou offerest up thy self as a sacrifice unto him whereas if thou didst not tender up thy self as a sacrifice though thy services were ten thousand times more glorious than they are they would be all cast back as dung in thy face Sixtly Be humbled after all your best sacrifices take no Answ 6 glory unto your selves but be vile in your own eyes after you have done the best duty that ever you have done in your life when you perform any duty that seems to have any excellency in it and perhaps others look upon it as having much excellency in it if your hearts be puffed up with it the glory of it is gone and it is that which you must be ashamed of though Answ 7 now you be honored for it and pride your selves in it Lastly Tender up all in Christ in the worthiness of his infinite sacrifice Christ is that sacrifice that is pleasing unto God and all sacrifices are pleasing unto God only thorough the merit and worthiness of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ who hath tendered up himself unto God the Father as a Sacrifice to heal all our sacrifices and to take away all the shame of our sacrifices 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices how by Jesus Christ Mark you are as lively stones and lively stones built up not only stones lying here one and there another but lively stones built up in a holy communion that is the meaning built up to offer sacrifices and that spiritual sacrifices But mark though our sacrifices be never so spiritual yet they cannot be acceptable to God but by Jesus Christ by Jesus Christ that great Sacrifice they come to be acceptable unto God that is the sacrifice the Saints shall glory in and bless God for to all eternity and never shall be ashamed of their sacrifices when they are tendered up unto God thorough the merit of that sacrifice And thus through Gods good hand of providence we are come to the end of this fourth Chapter CHAP. V. Vers 1. Hear ye this O Priests and hearken ye house of Israel and give ear Oh house of the King for judgment is towards you because ye have been a snare in Mispah and a net spread upon Tabor IN this Chapter we have the summoning of all sorts unto judgment The sum of the Chapter A heavy charge laid and condemnation pronounced against Israel and Judah too brought in as guilty and sentence past upon her also And at last the good effect that the judgments of God should produce is shewed That is the summe of the Chapter This Chapter is the beginning of another Sermon of Hosea Coherence It seems to be preached as some think in the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel that you reade of in 2 King 15. The time and especially toward the end of his reign which was the same time that Ahaz reigned in Judah when that horrible confusion was brought into Religion much defilement in the Worship of God he having placed the Altar that he brought the fashion of from Damascus in the house of God therfore the Lord enveigheth by his Prophet not only against Israel but against Judah here The summons to judgment you have in the first verse The accusation and condemnation of Israel by themselves Analysis to the end of the 5. verse The accusation of Judah at the end of the 5th and 6th verses Then Israel and Judah together to the 15th verse And at last the close of the Chapter shews the issue of all what all shall come to Sumōns In the summons observe these three several words Hear ye Hearken Give eare Hear ye Priests Hearken ye house of Israel Give ear O house of the King Obser When God cometh in waies of judgment he expects we should seriously mind what he is a doing We should not only Hear but Hearken and Give ear God will force audience then We are bound to hearken and to give ear to Gods commanding Word But if we refuse it he will have us to hear and give ear to his threatning Word and if that be refused he will force us to hear and give ear to his condemning Word for so it is here Hear ye Hearken Give ear for judgment is against you all There are Three sorts named here Priests People House of the King All sorts are cited to judgment for corruption was gone over all and judgment cometh against them all From thence the Note is That Obser Generality in sins is no means to escape judgments It is true Generality of offences with men may be a means to escape punishment One and all with men is a word of security When Souldiers offend if there be multitudes of them in the same offence and they cry One and al there is no medling then with any of them But it is not so with God God regards not multitudes and generality of all sorts when all sorts are involved in the offence Men think I do but as others do and I shall scape as well as others With men it is somwhat but it is nothing with God though all sorts offend yet there is never a whit the more security thereby unto any We have a notable Scripture for that Nah. 1.12 Though they be quiet and likewise many yet thus shall they be cut down when he shall pass thorow Though they be many yes thus shall they be cut down He begins here with the Priests Hear O ye Priests They were the principal cause of all the evil first of the evil of sin and then of the evil of punishment
for all high places and these Metenymically for all their superstition and Idolatry committed upon those high places and then the Expos 1 meaning is this Your Idolatry upon these high places hath been a net and a snare to the people Expos 2 But I think rather the sense to be Metaphorical thus These mountains were places very delightful and places where was much hunting and the Gentry of the kingdome took much delight in hunting in these mountains and there they were wont to spread their nets and set their snares for fowls and beasts Now saith God You have been a snare on Mispah and a net upon Tabor that is thus Mispah and Tabor are two mountains where there is much hunting for fowl and beasts and the truth is you watchmen and other people that joyn with you have been huntsmen that have laid snares for the souls of my people as they lay snares on Mispah and Tabor because they were eminent places for hunting therefore God chargeth them for laying snares for the souls of his people and hunting them and catching them in their waies of superstition and Idolatry The Gospel is called a Net in the Scripture and the Ministers of the Gospel are to spread it but the cords and twists of that net are precious they are the blessed truths of the Gospel the mysteries of the Gospel and happy are those that are caught in that net But the net of superstitious Priests and Governors it is made of other manner of stuff they have their ness too that they spread and catch the souls of the people in And the net that is here meant they had to catch the souls of the people for at the first Note Jeroboam and the rest of the Princes would not go on in a violent way to force people to a false religion but would seek by their cunning devices to catch the hearts of people in their love of false worship and they would spread their nets for people before they were aware and the threads and lines it was woven withal were these Method of Princes Priests to delude the people about the worship of God First The plea of Authority Doth not authority command you to do thus and thus Secondly The Priests the Authority of the Priestly Office Do not the Priests the holy fathers do thus and thus and have you more wit than they more wit than all the Statesmen and the Kings house and more wit than all your Teachers too Thirdly We worship God we do not alter our Religion we hope we worship Jehovah that you worship Fourthly The things required of you are not very much it is but a circumstance of place you worship at Jerusalem it is but worshiping at Dan and Bethel here before these two Images you shall not worship the Images but worship in this place Fiftly We intend nothing but that which is for your good all that we aim at is for your benefit for that was Jeroboams pretence It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem to go twice a year so great and tedious and dangerouâ— a journey no saith he I tender the good of my people more therefore let them worship here Sixtly Why should you be so curious and strict The most the ten Tribes do thus there is but only Judah and Benjamin that go another way the multitude go this way and why should you when only a poor handful go another way desire to do as they do Seventhly We have prospered a long time in this way Hath not Israel prospered as much as Judah hath not God been with us as much as with them Judah pretends he worships God in the right wâ—y we are sure God is with us Eightly They would raise reproaches upon the true worshipers of God as in the 7. Chapter of this Prophesie vers 3. Cap. 7.3 Opened They make the King glad with their wickedness and the Princes with their lyes That is this was their cunning devise to raise all the reproches that possibly they could against those that were true forward and zealous worshipers of God especially against the Prophets and Ministers and therefore in Amos you shall find and he prophesied at the same time that Amaziah said the Land could not bear his words they are a company of seditious men that the Country could not bear their words but they were even enough to set the people together by the ears yea what are these men that oppose the Kings Laws but such and such These were the snares that they set to catch the people to make them out of love with the true worship of God Thus they were a snare set upon Mispah and a nâ—t upon mount Tabor Applic. Thus it hath been with us how cunningly have men lâ—id their nets amongst us to catch souls Say they it is but yeelding thus far to this thing and the other thing and authority enjoins it if it were more it were no great matter and other learned and godly men they do thus and they think thus yea and why should you hinder your self of the good you may do It is but a matter of circumstance it is but for decency and order and there is much devotion this way we may gain Papists in yeilding as far as we can unto them there is none but a company of simple pleople against it this is ancient the Fathers of the Church have done thus yea many Martyrs that have shed their blood did thus Thus many have been caught as a bird in a snare with these lines and twigs thus cunningly twisted together how have they caught souls simile and so caught them that they could not tell how to get out but being once in they were ensnared more and more as a bird that is once caught in the net it beginneth to flutter a while but at length it is caught so much the faster so men when they yeilded to one thing they could not tell where to stay but at last they have been so deep in and so far ensnared that they could not tell what to do and the truth is at length they have even given up their consciences to those things as a bird that perhaps at first when the net is but stirred it is shie of it but being once got in it is ensnared all over so many men at first being of tender consciences have been shie of superstitious vanities but with cunning arguments and devices they have been caught and they thought they should never hear of them any more but being once caught so as that they have power over them they have come upon them with more violence than before and so have been made to yeild so far that at the last their consciences have wholly been given up to those things They have been vexed and troubled with their consciences at the first but at length they have been resolved to trouble themselves no more but to yeild to whatsoever shall be enjoyned Oh how
then can that stubborn heart of thine stand out against them Let us not be troubled my brethren Use nor discouraged at the stoutness of Idolaters They have been alwaies stubborn and stout against the rebukes of God in his Word and therefore let us not think it much though they stand it out now against the evident truth of God and aginst the works of God that apparantly make against them Revel 16.9 They were tormented with the wrath of God but repented not to give Him glory Many men are ready to think that their cause is good because their spirits are so stout against all that appear against them and slighâ— them Let not us have higher thoughts of them because of this for it hath alwaie bâ—â— the course of Idolaters to stand out stoutly against all the rebukes of God in His Word and Works because the Lord haâ—h an intent to destroy them Observe Sin after â—ebukes is very sâ—â—ful It is too much 〈◊〉 stanâ— out agaiâ—st Gods commands Observ Sin after rebuke but to stand out against any intimation of God displeasure is a greater evil God expects that the heart of sinners should melâ— before him upon anâ— expression of his displeasure And it was the commendation of JOSIAH That when the LAW was read his â—earâ— melted And indeed an ingenious spirit is soon rebuked But when the heart of a sinner is got above all rebukes then it hardneth exceedingly and then it treasureth up wrath against the day of wrath We our selves cannot bear it in others to standout against our rebukes we cannot bear it in a child or in a servant if we rebuke a child or a servant and they care not for it and their spirits rise against it how do we hate such how do our spirits rise up against them Nay if we rebuke a dog and the dog cares not for it we cannot bear it How shall the Infinite God bear our slighting of his rebuke Use Oh let us charge this sin upon our spirits How often hath God rebuked me in his Word and in his Workâ— and yet the Lord knows this wretched and â—â—uâ—born heart of â—â—â—e hath stood out against it Certainly this standing out â—â—â—inâ—â— rebukes will lie heavy upon thy consciencâ— one daâ— Nothing will make sin mâ—re heavy upon thy conscience than this that I have sinned and that in my â—nâ— have stood out against the rebukes of God As in Pro 5.12 13. At the last when thy flesh and thy hoâ—y is coâ—sumeâ— tâ— u st 〈◊〉 mourn and say How have I hâ—ted instruc 〈◊〉 i 〈◊〉 n and my 〈◊〉 â—â—spised reproof The words are spoken of a gallant a brave â—oâ—ing gallant that bluâ—â—ereth it out in the world and carries all before him and cares for nothing that is said but when the hand of God is upon him and his flesh and body is consumed then he falls a lamenting his condition Oh how have I despised reproof and have not enclined mine ear to them that instructed me This is the aggravation of â—in indeed And that we may humble our souls for our standing out against Gods rebukes ad but this consideration to it That God hath such rebukes as will force us to yeild unto him in spight of our hearts If we stand out against His rebukes in hiâ— Word and lesser chastisements against his loving rebukes let us know that God hath furious rebukes so they are called in Ezek. 5.15 and 25.17 When thou comâ—st to the Word oâ— when thy parents or thy goveâ—nors or thy friend rebukes thee for thy sins God rebukeâ— thee in them and thâ—se are loving rebukes but thou thâ—t art a child oâ— a servant or any wicked and ungâ—dly man thou rejâ—ctest those â—â—buâ—â—s Know God hath furious rebukes for thee one day yea rebukes with flames of fire so they are called Esa 66.15 I have been a rebuker of them all This if you apply it to the Prophet for he must not be excluded he is meant here as well as God shews the Prophets impartiality And from thence the Note is That Prophets rebukes must not be like cobwebs to take small flies and to let the great ones go thorough Obser Prophets rebukes they must be impartial rebukes Oh how many Prophets have sharpned their rebukes against those that have been most conscientious and have sadned their hearts even out of their Pulpits but they let those that are loose go quiet away nay not only quiet but rejoycing When the hearts of the Saints have been sadned they have sharpned their rebukes against these but the looser of the parish or many times the great ones have gone away rejoycing Thus if you take the words actively I have been a rebuker of them all But if you take the words passively as some do that is thus They have rebuked the Prophet as if he should say 2. Passive they have been profound in their Idolatrous waies and I have been faithful in preaching to them and what hath been my recompence All of them have rebuked me All of them not only their Priests have rebuked me cryed out against me not only their chief and great men have rebuked me they indeed their Priests and their Magistrates would bitterly inveigh against me for pleading against their Idolatry But all the people have done it too I have been a rebuke to all the people they have all been bitter against me and sharpned their very tongues against me Oh say they here is one that likes not our way of worship he must have another kind of Religion he tells us that we must all go up to Jerusalem and worship there and nothing will serve turn but that Thus they scorned him and rebuked him and even flew in his very face From thence the Note is this It is a hard thing for a few men to stand out against a State or multitude in matters of Religion in matters of the worship of God Obser Opposition of a multitude If there be but some few unto whom God hath shewn another way and the generality go a different way Certainly those few are like to meet with hard measure and like to be a rebuke not only to Ministers but generally unto all the people they must expect to be under the rebukes of all sorts Thu it was with the Prophet and with al that went his way he was a rebuke unto them all VER 3. I know Ephraim and Israel is not hid from me c. I know Eprhraim This is Notitia judicialis non approbationis A knowledge to judge not a knowledge of approbation Exposit I knâ—w Ephraim that is I know all his shifts I know all his evasions all his cunning devices all his plots all his pretences all his base ends These may be hid from men but I know them they are not hid from me Mark first I know Ephraim and then I know Israel Ephraim First Ephraim By Ephraim as you have heard heretofore we are to understand
it self As thus His glory was as the Son of God The Princes of Judah were those that removed the bound by the light of Nature and the Law of God it was a wicked thing to remove bounds you may see it forbidden by the Law of God Deut. 27.17 It was a custom among the Heathens and the Romans That Obser 2 if any man removed the bound the antient Land-mark if they were poor they were adjudged to slavery to dig in deep pits if rich men to be banished and lose a third part of their estates The Princes of Judah broke down the bounds in a Fourfold way 1. They took away mens estates that were none of their own God appoints men their bounds and estates therefore 't is not in the power of Princes to take them away at their pleasure It was not in the power of Ahab to take away Naboths Vinyard nay nor to force him to sell it though a King he thought it too much to take it by violence and Jezebel though a cruel woman yet would not take his Vinyeard without some coulor of Law Therefore Princes have no right to the Subjects estates and liberty for to take them away at their pleasures though such principles of late have been infused into them by some for which we at this day suffer so heavily In Isa 1.23 Their Princes are said to be rebellious and companions of theeves Now if all were their own they could not break bounds We would think that they of all men should not break bounds for what is it they may not have if they would I have read a story in Plutarch concerning Cyneas and Pyrrhus who was mightily set upon war with Italy Cyneas speaks thus unto him What shall we get if we overcome the Romans Saith Pyrrhus We shall subdue our great enemy and be made possessors of a brave Country Cyneas asked him what he would do then Saith Pyrrhus Then we will subdue Affrica Carthage and Sicila And what then Then saith Pyrrhus we wil feast drink and be merry Cyneas answered Why may you not do so now without sheding so much blood putting your self to so much trouble and endangering your person If Princes would keep within their bounds what hinders but that they may enjoy themselves and their comforts with peace and quiet without the sheding of so much blood 2. They break all bounds That is They break all Laws and Liberties they wil not be bound by Laws saying thus Laws were made for subjects and not for Princes And thus these Princes broke the bounds Hence we may see what corruption there is in the hearts of men naturally and this is furthered by evil Counsellors I have read of Cambyses who had a desire to marry his Sister but questioning whether he might do it or no he cals his judges together to give him their advice they told him there was a Law against it but say they Ye Princes of Persia may do what you will They were so far from diswading him from that wicked act that they gave him incouragement to it And hath not our time afforded such Counsellors to our Princes 2. They break the bonds of Religion Therefore Interpreters conceive that our Prophet Hosea prophesied in Ahaz his time when he provoked God so by Idolatry setting up the abomination of desolation And this is the great breach of bonds when people must provoke God God hath set bounds to His Word for His Worship and Service Now take heed that you go not beyond those bounds for any pretence of decency or comlinesse sutable to the state in which we live and such like God hath given great liberty in Civil things for men to use but none in hiâ— Worship and waies Oh what evil have Popish Princes done in this thing in removing these bounds and this is the main reason which makes Papists so to labour for the upholding and setting up an arbitrary government having thereby â—ull liberty to break all bounds in Religion Lastly They brake the bonds of their own Covenants and regarded them not These were the corruptions of these Princes they brake all sorts of bonds Civil Spiritual Covenanting bonds nothing will keep them in But hath God left no means to keep these in bounds Quest Princes as well as Subjects To this I answer Yea certainly Answ Those who at first gave power for families and persons to keep these never tollerated the great ones to break them The Law of Nature never gives power to destroy it self especially in a Kingdom where there are defensive offencive means to be used against any means that the greatest in power may raise against the Laws and Liberties of men for there is no man who is a subject to the Prince but is also to the State and the State may deal with his instruments that he imploys either defencively or offencively Trajan after he was made Emperor put a sword into his Officers hand to defend him while he defended the Laws but if he did fail in his duty gave the Officer leave to deale with him as a delinquent It will be worth our pains and cost if after all our troubles we can but get the Kingdom setled in its true rights and liberties though our workmen who are making up our breaches through some negligence or miscarriage suffer the wild beasts to break in yet let not us murmur and repine but be content and bless God that we have means for to help our selves few yeers since we thought our breaches to be so wide that none could help or deliver us now then that God hath raised up for us helpers contrary to our expectation bless God for them and be content let us stir up our selves and joyn with them for their assurance If the Sea should break in upon a Country would you sit stil or let any rest quiet by you that would not stir to make up the breach A Farmer is contented to suffer Cattel and see them to run up and down in his ground while his workmen are making up his hedges and fences for to keep them out So our workmen are making up the hedges let us be contented to suffer a while patiently The truth is those most complain of confusions and disturbances who have been most instrumental to make our breaches and distractions and thus the Princes of Judah were like them that break the bound and for thus doing the Lord threatens in the following words to powr out his wrath upon them like water They have past their bounds in sinning and my wrath shall pass its bounds upon them they kept no bounds in sinning and my wrath shall keep no bounds in punishing The Hebrews use to express anger by a word that signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 going beyond bounds noting thus much that ordinarily in our anger we are apt to go beyond bounds and besides the rule The sence then is I will powr my wrath upon them in great abundance like waters The judgments of
prosperous way of sinning Page 597 Obs 10 God hath his time to punish openly ibid Obs 11 God will have his time to convince men ibid Obs 12. Gods judgements are gradual ibid Obs 13. The more powerful the Ministry is the more sharp shall the judgment be if despised Page 598 VERS VI. Opened Page 600 Objections answered Page 601 Obs 1 Carnal hearts are verie cruel in their dealings Page 614 Obs 2 Carnal hearts think to satisfie their consciences by observing outward Ordinances ibid Obs 3 God and mens consciences will not be put off ibid Obs 4 The Lord hath an highesteem of mercy Page 615 Obs 5 It is a Christians skill when two duties come together which to chuse ibid Obs 6. If Gods Worship may be forborn in case of mercy how much more mens Institutions ibid Obs 7 God will have mercy rather than desputing about sacrifice Page 616 Obs 8 Mercy must be preferred before our own wils Page 617 Objections answered Page 619 Obs 9 The duties of the first and second Table are joyned together ibid Use Instruct your children and servants in this knowledge Page 620 Obs 10 Men may be very diligent in worship and yet very ignorant ibid Obs 11. Soul-worship must be preferred before all other ibid VERS VII Obs 1 It is Gods goodness that He enters into covenant with such poor creatures as we are Page 623 Obs 2. God is constant in His Covenant with men ibid Obs 3 Mans nature is very weak Page 624 Obs 4 The apprehension of our obligation should keep us within covenant ibid Obs 5 Breach of covenant is a grievous agravation of sin ib. Obs 6 God expects that of His people which every one cannot do Page 625 Obs 7 Men may do many services and yet be Covenant breakers ibid Obs 8. The sins of Saints which break Covenant are sins of a double dye ibid Obs 9. The want of the right knowledg of God is the cause of breach of Covenant ib. Obs 10 There can be no Covenant kept where there is no mercy Page 626 Obs 11. We should be humbled because we break Covenant with God ibid VERS VIII Obs 1 Through mans wickedness the best of Gods Ordinances ar corrupted Page 628 Obs 2 We must not judg of places as they have been heretofore ibid Obs 3 Places of Religion if corrupted are the worst of all others ibid Obs 4 It is abominable to be a worker of iniquity ibid Obs 5 Clergie men if wicked are the worst of all others ib. Obs 6 Wicked Clergie men overthrow whol Nations Page 629 Obs 7 False worship and tyranny are joyned together ibid Obs 8 None so cruel as Clergie men ibid VERS IX Obs 1 Wicked Ministers are most outragious against those that leave them Page 630 Obs 2 Wicked Ministers wait to do mischief ibid Obs 3 Many men are neerest undoing when most secure ibid Obs 4 Wicked men abuse the esteem others have of them ib. Obs 5 Judges are least called to an accompt for wrongs ib. Obs 6. None plot mischief so much as Clergie men Page 631 Obs 7 Plotted wickedness is most vile ibid VERS X. Obs 1 Idolatry is a horrible sin Page 632 VERS XI Obs 1 The sins of the people are seeds for a harvest of judgment Page 635 Obs 2 God hath a set time for judgment ibid Obs 3 In judgment the Lord remembers mercy for his people ibid CHAP. VII VERS I. Obs 1 In great Cities there is all manner of evils Page 637 Obs 2 The sins of a Kingdom are the sores of a Kingdom Page 638 Obs 3 The Lord is the healer of a Kingdom Page 639 Obs 4 God doth not will things according to his omnipotency Page 640 Obs 5 Much wickedness lies hid many times in a Kingdom Page 641 Englands wickedness 1 Bitterness against the power of godliness Page 641 2 A sordid spirit Page 642 3 A trtacherous spirit ibid 4 A blasphemous spirit ib. 5 A bloody spirit ib. 6 A spirit of division ib. 7 An oppressing spirit Page 643 8 A spirit of envy ib. 9 A spirit of superstition ib. 10 A wanton spirit ib. 11 An unmerciful spirit ib. Obs 6 It is a forerunner of mischief when people are false in their relations Page 647 Obs 7 There is much secret wickedness in men of false Religions ib. VERS II. Obs 1 It is a good thing to be often speaking with ones own heart Page 648 Obs 2 God remembers wickedness a long time Page 649 Obs 3 Wicked men consider not that God remembers their wickedness ib. Obs 4 When God punisheth sin be manifesteth that he remembers it Page 650 VERS III. Obs 1 Wicked people are easily led aside by their Governors Page 655 Obs 2. Governors ought not to be obeyed when their comands are unlawful ibid Obs 3 It is a vile wickedness to flatter Princes Page 653 Obs 4 It is a vile thing to be made glad with wickedness Page 654 Obs 5 That King is in a sad condition when his ends must be accomplished by wickedness ibid Obs 6 Idolatry is a lye in Gods account Page 656 Obs 7 Idolaters further their worship with lyes ibid Obs 8 It is an evil thing to make men glad with lyes Page 657 VERS IV. Opened and applied Page 658 VERS V Obs 1 Festival daies are usually distempering daies Page 662 Obs 2 Drunkennesse is an old Court sin Page 663 Obs 3 Drunkennesse breeds diseases ibid Obs 4 Sensual Courtiers are for the most part great scorners Page 666 Obs 5 Times of feasting are times of contemning Religion ibid Obs 6 The right way of worship is slighted by carnal hearts ib. Obs 7 When Kings hearts are against Relegion they shall never want pestilent wits to further their designs Page 667 VERS VI. Obs 1 God will be hot in judgment as men are hot in sin Page 668 VERS VII Obs When Governors set up false worship it should quicken our prayers Page 670 VERS VIII Opened Page 673 VERS IX Obs 1 The hearts of wicked men work strongly after their lusts VERS X. Obs 1 God expects we should turn upon afflictions Page 679 Obs 2 Afflictions if not sanctified never turn the heart ib. Obs 3 Not to turn in Affliction is a great aggravation of sin ibid VERS XI Obs 1 Men are not excused though seduced by others Page 680 VERS XII Obs 1 It is just that those which go out of Gods way should be ensnared Page 682 Obs 2 God may for a time let wicked men prosper in their waies Page 685 Obs 3 Sinners had need regard what they hear out of Gods Word Page 684 Obs 4. When judgements come upon impenitent sinners 't is an humbling consideration ib. VERS XIII Obs 1 Gods redeeming mercies are great aggravations of our sins Page 687 Obs 2 Such as sin freely after deliverance give God the ly ib. Obs 3 For a man to urge another to a false opinion is a lying against God ibid Obs 4. The great evil of sin is that
did God say here mercy and not sacrifice Quest did not God require sacrifice as well as mercy Yea God did require sacrifice as well as mercy Answ But we must understand this with these limitations 1. I will have sacrifice but not without the spirit Sacrifices without the spirit joyned with them are nothing worth when spiritual worship is joined with their outward sacrifices then they are accepted of instituted worship separated from natural worship is regarded 2. Not sacrifices to make atonement for their sins The people thought by their sacrifices to make atonement for their lives though they were never so vile and base but saith God I wil not have it thus I will have it only typical in relation to Christ but they left out Christ in them therefore saith God in this sense I will have mercy and not sacrifice 3. Not sacrifice That is of your own They had many sacrifices of their own which God did neither require nor would He accept them from them I will have mercy and not c. 4. Not sacrifices That is such as are injuriously gotten the Jews were a very oppressing grinding people they would be much in sacrifices but it was out of the rights of the poor they would oppress and grind the poor and then think to make up all again by their sacrifices in this case I will have mercy and not c. 5. Not sacrifices that is comparatively mercy rather than sacrifice this negative in Scripture is often set out for half the thing it self as in Prov. 8.10 Receive instruction and not silver and the knowledg of God rather than fine gold Receive instruction not silver that is rather than silver Gods requiring of knowledg does not forbid men seeking estates but it shews us rather that knowledg is to be chosen before it So Paul is sent to preach the Gospel and not to baptize that is rather than to baptize for Paul did baptize in some places so saith God here I will have mercy and not sacrifice that is let me have both but if both cannot be had let me have mercy of the two I do so much delight in it that if I cannot have mercy and sacrifice together let me not miss of mercie Quest 3 Why should God require mercy rather than sacrifice Answ 1 Because mercy is good in it self but sacrifice is good only in reference to something else the good of sacrifices are only in their references to Jesus Christ Answ 2 Mercy is good in it self but sacrifice is good because commanded by Gods Prerogative Gods command puts its goodness upon it Answ 3 Mercy is part of Gods Image in man but sacrifice is not and by how much more excellent Gods Image is in man above any other excellency by so much is mercy more excellent than sacrifice Answ 4 All instituted worship was made for man not man for it but for natural worship man was made for it and not it for man therefore must needs be more excellent Christs reasoning thus warrants this reasoning saith Christ The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath Now this cannot be said of Natural worship of the duties of fearing God loving of God trusting in God Answ 5 There is more self-denial in a duty of Mercy than in any Sacrifice to do good to the poor and that in obedience to Gods command argues more self-denial than to be offering up to God sacrifices it puts a great honor upon the creature to offer up sacrifice to God because then man hath to do with God in an imediate manner Mercy is Aeternae veritatis it is an eternal everlasting duty it Answ 6 was alwaies and shall be so and the habit of it shall be so to all eternity though in Heaven there be no objects to be delired out of misery yet this disposition of mercy remains in them Sacrifice is a typical duty for the obtaining of the pardon Answ 7 of sin but mercy is a moral duty now that which is a moral duty is better than that which is but to further us in the getting of pardon for a moral offence committed against the great God Because sacrifices are but to further us in natural duties Answ 8 to what end serve Sacraments and why do I receive Sacraments but to strengthen my faith encrease my love and to further my appetite in hearing Gods mind why do I hear the Word of God but that it may turn me unto God Now the end of a thing is better than the means for the attaining of that end therefore upon these grounds God may be said to desire mercy rather than sacrifice What are these cases in which God will have mercy and not sacrifices Quest 4 The principal cases are these ten Answ in 10. Cases Sometimes in the case of a beast he will have mercy and not sacrifice if a beast should be in danger of losing its life by any casualty upon the Lords day God doth allow us to forbear all Church Ordinances at that time rather than let the beast perish but because this liberty by God is allowed to men in this case yet you must not think that a beast is better than all Gods Ordinances In case of mercy to the poor and that I conceive to be the principal scope of the words of this text these people here they wronged oppressed and tyrannized over the poor and then they thought to make amends to God by their sacrifices and offerings men must not lay out so much of their estates either in superfluities or for the maintainance of Gods true worship as to hinder them in their benevolence and charity to the poor no Ordinance of God should hinder us in shewing mercy to the least member of Jesus Christ although those which are next us ought to be first relieved yet know 't is a shame that others should be neglected and forgotten yea it is a reproach to the waies of God that prophane men should be more liberal to the poor that more hungry bellies should be fed naked backs cloathed by them than by those which profess Religion and would seem to honor God most do not you think this will be sufficient to excuse you before God when the cry of the poor shall come up before him that you have been at such and such charges for the Ordinances and for Gods worship no in this case God will have mercy Mercy to parents to releive parents in their necessity is a case in which God will have mercy and not sacrifice if providence so cast it that parents should stand in need of our help if we are able to help them in their decay it is our duty to do it though by this means you are deprived of Gods Ordinances you ought rather to regard the releif of parents than the observation of the Sabbath if the case should so fall out you are ready to think thus Were not I better to let my parents alone I must obey the
the holy Ghost should say I require mercy and not sacrifice and the inward worship of God faith and knowledg rather than any natural worship The Notes from hence are these The duties of the first and second Table are to be joyned together Obs 1 Mercy and sacrifice knowledg of God and burnt offerings when in their place are acceptable therefore let us take heed of separating that which God hath joyned Obs 2 The knowledg of God is a most excellent thing This is that which sanctifies Gods Name and manifests him to be very glorious in the world Paul accounted all things but loss and dung in comparison of the excellencie of this knowledg of Christ Use Instruct your children and servants in this knowledg else how can God have his glory from them how few are there which glorifie God as God and the reason is because of the ignorance which is in their minds Eph. 4.18 Obs 3 Men may be very diligent in instituted worship and yet very ignorant none so acted in their instituted worship as these people yeâ— none so ignorant as they Use That you are forward in instituted worship it is your commendation but take heed this be not your sin to be ignorant of fundamental things It is the great design of the Devil to set up the man of sin to keep men in darkness and ignorance many who think themselves and would be thought to be opposers of Antichrist even in this by their questioning of fundamentals of Religion and disputings about their new Opinions they raise him up when as the truth is it is the way the Devil useth to darken the truth of Christ and Religion by casting a vail over it therefore you that are guilty of this distemper take heed though you have light in some things yet take heed that a vail be not drawn over those things which do more neerly concern you and are of greater consequence Obs 4 soul-Soul-worship must be preferred before all other worship we must not give God a carrion service a carkeise without a soul strong are the expressions in Scripture which are used against such outside formal worship Isa 1.11 12 13. God professes of them that he regards them not he is full of them his soul loaths them they are iniquity and a trouble to him they are looked upon as a burden to him such as God will hide his eyes from and when they make many prayers he will not hear them in this one Scripture we have fourteen expressions against outside formal duties Isa 1.11 12 13. there are 14. expressions against formality besides those four which we find in Isa 66.3 Thus you have the mind of God in this short but full sentence Now God forbid that what hath been said out of this Scripture should be abused to liberty in a sinful way VER 7. For they like men have transgressed the Covenant HEre is an argument that mercy in the former verse is to be understood in a large sense Why Because it is the very substance of the Covenant they have been hard-hearted cruel and unmerciful and thereby they have transgressed the Covenant I am merciful in the Covenant and my grace is free and full to sinners there but they have transgressed the Covenant by being cruel and unmerciful for they like men have transgressed the Covenant Like men That is like Adam these men have sinned after Expos 1 the similitude of Adams transgression Rom. 15.14 speaks of those who had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression But these as they have old Adam in them so they have dealt with me as he did and as he for his sin was cast out of Paradise so these men have deserved to be cast out of Expos 2 the good Land But Vatablus Tremelius Vatablus Tremel and others reade the words thus They have broken my Covenant as a man they thought that I had been as their fellow creature as they made it their practice to break covenants with men so they thought to do with God so they have transgressed my Covenant This sense may be taken and so the note of Observation would be seasonable That the cause of breach of Covenant with God is Obser because we consider not that it is with God that we make our Covenants But the words are more usually read as in our books But Expos 3 they like men have transgressed my Covenant that is Not as I who like a God have kept Covenant but they like such men as themselves i. e. weak unconstant frail unfaithful creatures have transgressed Job 31.33 Object But may not this seem to be an excusing or diminution of their sin to say They like men implying the common frailty of humane nature have transgressed Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No 't is rather an aggravâ—tion of their sin Therfore the word here translated Men is used for man in his corrupt estate for weak men frail men not men at their strength but weakness and so distinct from that which signifies generous and strenuous men and so the comparison is not only between God and man but between the several degrees of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Or thus They have transgressed my Covenant like men That is not like my people Saints that are of my Church they have not transgressed my Covenant so Their waies have been the waies of ordinary men and as such they have transgressed my Covenant The two last senses are principally meant here Covenant with God 3 fold 1. with Adam 2. with Abraham 3 with Israel My Covenant The Covenant of God we usually divide into two parts but the Scripture to me seems to hold forth a threefold Covenant the one of Works that which was made with Adam in Paradise The other Covenant is that which was made with Abraham the Covenant of Grace the tenor of which is this I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee Then there was a Covenant which was made with them upon mount Sinai Now the Covenant here cannot be meant imediatly of the Covenant of works nor of the Covenant of grace for this Covenant here implyed is one especially made with them and therfore must be understood of that at mount Sinai made many hundred years after the others yet it hath reference to that of Works and of Grace And were this knot rightly understood and untied the Antinomians and we might easily be reconciled for we grant that Believers are delivered from the Law in respect of the power of it as condemning from the riger of it but not from the duties of the Law for the things commanded in the Law were duties before the Law was given the Law was written in the hearts of the Saints from the beginning But the opening of this point would require a whol Exercise and I shall reserve this to some other time Now then the Covenant which they transgressed Expos was the Covenant at
wel or immediately after an act of uncleanness but God at that very instant looks upon thee as drunken unclean and filthy though the act may be past many yeers before VER 3. They make the King glad with their wickedness and the Princes with their lyes THey make the King glad That is Expos 1 By their willing yeilding to his commands by the way of their false worship the King and the Princes were glad to see their edicts yeilded unto and obeyed at the first when the commands came from Jeroboam to change the way of Gods worship they had cause to fear that it might not take with the people there would be something to do to make them change the way of Gods worship but when they saw it go on currently without contradiction they rejoyced Expos 2 By their flattering of him in his wicked waies they did not only yeild to his unlawful edicts but commended them and applauded him for his care and tender respect which he had to them in shortening their journy that they should not go so far as Jerusalem to worship they flattered him in this extreamly telling him that this was the way to establish his Kingdom He was glad when he saw the people wicked in their waies Expos 3 and their lives loose and prophane at this the King was glad and why because he knew they were for his turn his design was accomplished now he had made them wicked in their lives by letting them have their will in evil and now he never feared their scrupling or making question of the thing he never once doubted of their unwillingnesse to worship at the Calves to go to Dan and Bethel Thus they made the King glad The Notes First observe That carnal and wicked people are Obs 1 easily led aside by the examples of those that are their Governours Which way Superiors go the multitude will go if they do that which is good in the outward part of it for externals they will do the same if they do wickedly they will do so likewise though they do not love their Prince yet that they may have their Princes favor they will sin against God It is wickednesse for any people to obey the unlawful commands of Obs 2 their Governors This people might think this was no sin in them What must we not obey our Governors and be subject to authority yet we see the holy Ghost calls it wickedness So how many are there who for their worship have no other authority but their superiors their Governors this wil never pass for currant in Gods account It is a vile wickednesse to flatter Princes Yet how hath this Obs 3 been the constant course of Courts It is reported of Dionysius that when he spit his flatterers would lick it up and say it was sweeter than Honey This is vileness in people to do and more vile in Princes to love to be flattered Cyril Cyril upon this text saith That the fear and love of God had it been in this people it would have kept both them and their Princes to have withstood such wicked commands it would have ballanced their spirits Obs 4 It is a most most wicked and vile thing to make any glad with their wickedness or to be made glad by wickedness Yet how many are guilty of this sin some are so hardened in their wickedness that they will make others drunk and then laugh at them when they have done so How far are these from Davids temper whose eyes ran down with tears because men kept not the Law and horror took hold on him there is no greater sign of a desperate heart hardened in sin than to laugh at sin in others and make a sport of it in themselves and the higher men are in place and dignity the greater is the aggravation of their sâ—ns for Princes to be glad at wickeness and to be made merry by iniquity who are set to be punishers of sin and a terror to evil doers this is most horrible wickedness Prov. 29.22 If the Prince hearken to lyes all his servants are wicked They make the King glad with their lyes Note Obs 5 The King is in a sad condition when his ends and plots must be accomplished by the wickedness of the people Such are the dispositions of these men that they will do any thing rather than suffer the least evil of punishment for saith a Prince these men they have no conscience left in them to check them but these precise Puritans they will suffer and die rather than sin against God and wrong their consciences Now these Priests and their officers which the Prophet here speaks of they would reason thus If I should crosse the Kings mind I should lose my place and be put out of my office and suffer a great deal of trouble and rather than they will run upon these straights they wil run upon any design for the ruining of that which crosses them yea though it be the worship of God Oecolampadius saith that bad Princes are alwaies enemies to to the strict waies of religion and unto such as are the strictest in those waies and walk most agreeable to the Word and are tender in their conscience fearful to sin against it these are disregarded and discountâ—â—anced but those that are most wicked they are accounted the best subjectâ— Irreligion slavery companions and these they will trust Therefore where there is no religion slavery soon follows that people may be brought to any thing who have lost their religion but where profession is maintained it will teach men to stand for their liberties and not to yeild against the truth But what doth Religion teach men rebellion doth it deny obedience to Governors No by no means Religion teaches obedience to Governors and the more religious any man is the more obedient he will be to lawful Authority the Gospel commands obedience to Governors but not to Tyranny to the wils and humors of men God never made such difference between men Religion never teaches disobedience to lawful authority to such as rule in the Lord yet this was the case of this people It follows And the Princes with their lyes Expos 1 Luther Luther carries this to the lye of their false worship their Idolatry which the Scripture cals a lye Rom. 1.25 Who changed the truth of God into a lye and worshiped the creature more than the Creator But this is not the full meaning and scope of the words but thus They put their false glosses upon their false worship to Expos 2 make it to take with the people and with the Princes as thus The Priests did not only submit and yeild to them themselves but encouraged the people telling them it was decent and comely in the worship of God Or thus By denying whatsâ—â—er may hinder them in their Expos 3 false worship If the Prince should by any means hear that his Commands were not like to take with the people
Page 345 Riches How riches are fatal to Church-men Page 100 Rule The rule of our actions must be known and why Page 341 Rulers Rulers and Governors should be men of good mettle Page 229 Romans see Education Resurrection We live in Christs Resurrection Page 543 Relations What relation God stands in to the Saints Page 547 Revealing We must take notice of Gods revealing himself to us Page 557 Reformation see Hypocrisie Religion see Unconstancy S Saints see Good works Sacrifices The sacrifices of the wicked are slaughters Page 3â—â— What sacrifices should be rendred up to God Page 332 Satan Satans way to get in false worship Page 469 See Temptation Admonition Sensual see Ministers Sensuality Sensuality is a besotting sin Page 129 Self-love Self-love is sinful Page 409 Sermons Sermons must be preached to the life Page 439 How to know when a Sermon works really Page 440 Ministers in their Sermons must denounce war if peace be slighted Page 441 Secret sins see Beware Services Former services are not to be presumed on Page 402 Shame Causes of shame what they are Page 326 Sin Sin causeth a controversie between God and man Page 4 Sin not mortified will break out again Page 59 God punisheth sin with sin Page 152 Sin after rebuke is very sinful Page 363 Sin acts more on the will than on the power Page 376 Sin see Controversie Stealing What stealing is Page 52 Strife Strife against God is dreadful Page 7 Strive see priest Striving Striving against God is vain Page 6 Scornfulness Scornfulness reproved Page 19 Scripture see Papists Society The Society of the Saints is to be improved Page 196 State A State is hard to be stood out against in matter of Religion Page 365 State see Failing Subjects Subjects suffer for Princes sins Page 490 Superstition Curiosity to see Superstition is dangerous Page 187 See Preaching Command Superstitious How Superstitious men look upon Gods Ordinances Page 325 Superstitious people must be heeded when they come with greatest shew of reason Page 358 Superstitious people are abundant in services Page 406 Superstitious people spare no cost in their services Page 407 See Admonition Stubborn Stubborn people have base spirits Page 194 Swearing Whence swearing proceeds Page 41 The evil of swearing Page 42 Swearing in its self is lawful Page 189 See Lying Salutation The ancient form of the Saints salutation Page 549 Saints What the Saints shall know Page 553 See Experience Sacrifice see Mercy Scornful Evil men are scornful Page 665 Seasonableness Seasonableness commends duty Page 565 Service see Judgment Sin Sin disturbs Heaven and Earth Page 511 Slanders The evils of slanders Page 659 Sluggish A Sluggish spirit in the men of our times Page 556 Soul see Form Suffer see Help Steward see Vertue Superstition see England Spirit God hath sent choice spirits to London Page 590 T Take heeed How men ought to take heed to the Lord Page 126 Ten Tribes Why the ten Tribes had never a good King Page 469 Temptation Satans Temptations are an aggravation to sin Page 386 Terrified see Dying Thought Our Thoughts must be accounted for Page 120 Toys Men contend about toys Page 23 Threatnings see Real Treachery Treachery against God is dangerous Page 419 Treachery is the greatest sin Page 420 Trust see Avenged Truth Suffering truths go hardly down with Ministers Page 94 A hint of Truth prevails much with a subdued heart Page 389 See Hard Terror Terror to Hypocrites Page 551 Thoughts see Penitent Tryal see Repentance Turning Joint turning to God is very honorable Page 531 U Understanding What evil want of understanding doth Page 167 Ugly The ugly face of sin Page 63 Unfaithfulness Unfaithfulness provokes God to cast men off Page 96 Universities Univers ties corrupted Page 628 Why Universities are corrupted Page 116 Unlawful We can never expect unlawful undertakings to prosper Page 124 Vertues Vertues requisite in a steward Page 609 Unbeleef Lay up for time to come against unbeleef Page 546 Unconstancy Unconstancy in Religion provokes God Page 592 Unworthiness Faith sees worthiness in our unworthiness W Way When God is in a way of wrath he can reach the most remote creatures Page 68 Wicked The different spirits of wicked men in prosperity and adversity Page 64 Many wicked Parents are loth their children ' should be wicked Page 156 Wicked men shall need God Page 407 See Children Dogs Wickedness Thoughtful wickedness is the worst wickedness Page 120 God remembers wickedness a long time Page 649 It is a wickedness to flatter Princes Page 653 It is a wickedness to obey unlawful commands Page 653 See Apostates Whoremongers Whoremongers and plausible Ministers are alike Page 124 Works see Good Wine How Wine takes away the heart Page 130 Worship In point of Gods Worship we must not do as others do Page 177 By whom the Worship of God is disesteemed Page 325 See Institution Will Will-worship is abominable to God Page 360 The more will to sin the greater is the sin Page 472 Willing see Obedience Wrath No creature can help in time of Gods wrath Page 68 Wicked men Wicked men are led aside by their Governors Page 653 Wicked men are of no use Page 690 Wilfulness Wilfulness after enlightning is a note of destruction Page 579 Worthiness see Unworthiness Word How the Word slaies Page 590 The Word slaies either the sin or the soul Page 596 Worship see False Y Young Young Converts and weak Christians are soon deceived Page 409 Young ones Young ones are the hope of a Nation Page 429 Young ones must not be corrupted Page 430 Young ones are subject to m scarry Page 578 FINIS