Lord calls to contend by fire Surely the Lord doth it at this day he calleth to contend with England by fire in a most dreadful way and who knows what the end shall be That he hath a most dreadful controversy against England at this day will appear if we further take these considerations First That a people complaining of bondage heretofore yet when God offered deliverance should be so far left of God as they shall now rather be willing to make themselves and their posterity bond-slaves Surely God hath a dreadful controversy against us it were else impossible that such a thing should be in the hearts of men Men love liberty they groan under bondage We did groan but a few yeers ago and the Lord was coming to help us and yet we are now so left of God that we even turn again to our former bondage and would have our ears to be bored that we might be perpetual slaves Secondly It is not only that we wil turn again to bondage but this is out of a spirit of enmitie against the yoke of Jesus Christ This is the very ground and bottom of it in a great part of the Kingdom whatsoever yoke they have upon them they are resolved they will not have the yoke of Christ out of a spirit of enmity against the Godly party who desire and endeavor Reformation At the beginning of this Parliament when we began to have hopes of some liberty and reformation Oh what a joy was there generally in the Kindom all men agreed together but when those that were wicked and carnal began to see that their godly neighbours rejoyced that they blessed God for what was done that they had their minds now they turn out of a spirit of malice against them rather than they shall rejoyce rather than they shall have their minds we will turn back again to the bondage we were in before and we will stand and oppose that which heretofore we rejoyced in Certainly here is the very ground of so much contradiction as there is at this day They have therefore turned Malignants against that Cause which a man would wonder that ever rational men should be against But there is a spirit of malice against Christ and his Ordinances fearing a reformation they would have their lusts and they think if reformation come they should not have them with that liberty they have had here is the very reason that the Gentry and others in the country are opposite Surely God hath a controversie with us Thirdly That men should so vily desert those whom they have chosen and trusted who have been faithful those Worthies in Parliament who have ventured their lives for them basely and unworthily now to desert them it is one of the greatest judgments of God upon the hearts of men and therefore upon a nation that ever was If they complain of them now they would much more have complained of them if they had complyed suppose the Parliament had made up a patched reformation and a crazie peace that uppon any occasion we had bin in danger to have had war broken out again would not the people of the land have cried out of their unfaithfulness But now they venture themselves and labour so hard for a sound peace therefore to be deserted An unworthy generation a generation that we have cause to fear is become the generation of Gods wrath and the people of his curse People are affected according as success is we complain of those in Parliament because of some difficulties that are in the work yet if they had not done what they did they would have complained much more So of Ministers sometimes Ministers speak and stir up people because their consciences tell them they should be unfaithful to their country and to the cause of God if they did not now they cry out as they did of Luther that they are the trumpets of sedition and rebellion whereas on the other side if they should say nothing then people would have cryed out that they had betraied their Country and that they were not so faithful in their places as they should therefore people were so bad as they were Thus hard it is for God or man to please people Again That not only people should desert them but that so many of Nobles and some Members of the Parliament themselves should desert their Brethren there and joyn with Papists French and Walloons When as not long since a company of vile wretches being gathered together to fight against our brethren of Scotland and yet those vile people could not be brought to fight against them by any means But now not the vile ones but Nobles Knights and Gentry can be brought to fight against the Parliament their own Brethren Is not here a mighty hand of God against us Could this ever be if God had not a dreadful controversie against England Fourthly That men should be so blinded as to think the Protestant Religion should be maintained by an Army of Papists that the Laws and Liberty of the subject should be maintained by an Army of Delinquents and strangers yea that the King with Papists Delinquents French and Walloons should better maintain the Liberty of the Subject and the Protestant Religion than with the Parliament That people should come to beleeve this is not the hand of God upon the people of this land Are they not infinitely besotted can we think that men indued with reason should do this Surely were not the Judgment of God fearfully upon their souls it could not be beleeved that ever this should be done by people that had any rationality in them Fiftly God surely calls to contend fearfully with us in that he should suffer such an ill cause to prosper so as it hath done and to get to that height as it is It is that which is the amazement both of England and the Countries about us that such an ill cause should get so high and prosper so much as it hath done Surely the Lord is against us or else it could not have been Sixtly When there shall be such a desperate design so long a hatching drawn forth in such a season and so driven on and now breaking forth in such violence and yet men cannot see it The tract of the design is aâ— cleer as the Sun at noon day and drawn on from one step to another by comparing of one thing with another we may see it as apparantly as the light Would you not think it a besotting thing if there should be a train of Gunpouder laied along in the streets from such a place to the Parliament House to blow it up and yet that men should pass by and say they see no such thing Certainly the drawing on of the design against our Religion and State to bring us under tyranny and slavery the tract is as evident and plain as ever there was train of Gunpruder laid to such a place that men would willingly blow up and yet
word here translated Swearing it is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies Maledicere Execrare and likewise Pâ—rjurare It signifies these three things to Curse and to be Perjured and to Swear Any of these three this word importeth And likewise it signifies sometimes to howl out Ejulare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joel 1.8 Lament like a Virgin girded with sackcloth c. It is the same word Lament or howl out So that the same word that signifies cursing and swearing and forswearing signifies to howl and cry for God hath a time to make cursers and swearers and forswearers to howl and cry out An Oath is a sacred thing a part of Gods worship and therefore the abusing of this is a dreadful sin Especially if it be abused to swear to that which is false In Aegypto siquu juret per Caput Regn non praestet morte plectitur nec permititur ut auto vel aliâ revitaÌ„ redimat Paulus Phagius in his Comment upon Genesis 42. saith it is reported of the Egyptians that if any man did but swear by the life of the King and did not perform his Oath that man was to die and nâ— gold or any thing in the world could redeem hiâ— life so did Heathens hate that sin of perâ—urie Yea we have found others that have not had much Religion in them yet have extreamly hated the sin of ordinary swearing I have read of Lewis the 9. of France that he punished that sin by searing the lips of swearers with an hot Iron which Law being executed upon a Citizâ—n of Paris some said it was two cruel which he hearing of gave this answer I would to God saith he that with searing mine own lips with an hot Iron I could banish out of my Realm all abuse of Oaths He could be willing to seaâ— his own lips that he might banish the abuse of swearing Chrysostom in some 16. Homelies together if not more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 11. Ad pop Antioch whatsoever his text was he alwaies concluded against swearing as being such a vile and notorious sin And amongst other things because some pleaded custom he putteth them upon this saith he if you would but punish it thus that if there were an oath sworn in your house he that swore should but abstain but from one meals meat that that servant or that child that swore an oath should not dine that day that would do somewhat yet saith he the command of God will not do so much as that Divers other expressions I might name but I must hasten That place Jer. 23.10 is remarkable for this and sutable to this text For because of swearing the land mourneth the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up and their course is evil and their force is not right It is a sin that hath more malignancy in it against God by how much the less the temptation is unto it I verily beleeve that if God had never made the third Commandement there would never have been so many Oaths in the world but it springs from a meer malignancy of spirit that is in men against God because he hath forbidden it For there is no profit that can come by it If men be guilty of thiâ— sin meerly thorough a vain custom what high indignitie is this against God what slighting and neglect of God is there As if sinning against God were an argument of no more weight but that the using of a thing without any reason when nothing can be got by it could down-weigh that argument Custom indeed is enough to prevâ—il in things that are of no moment a now some man that hath by custom gotten such a kind of posture of his body or taking hold of hiâ— beard and the like such a kind of gesture he hath gotten by custom and he cannot leave it why becauâ—e the thing in its own nature hath no great consequence in it and so custom prevaileth But that custom should be enough to be set against the high displeasure of the blessed God or be set â—gainst his solemn professiâ—n that he will not hold that soul guiltless that takes his name in vain this argueth a most insufferable vilifying his sacred Majestie Secondly To swear that thereby the words of men may be graced this is more horrid impiety As if the polluting of the holy Name of the most holy God were the best ornament of thy speech as if the dishonour put upon God were the best grace to thy language Thirdly To swear out of a conceit that this argueth braveness of spirit a braver spirit than other men have a spirit of valor and courage as if according to the fulness of mouthing of Oaths there were a braveness of spirit this yet is more hideous wickedness As if that were the courage and excellency of our spirits to fly in the very face of God Whence it is that many men if any anger them what do they do they fall a cursing and swearing that is when others displease them they will fly in Gods face that is the language of it though you will not dare to say so but that is the language of your practice others displease and anger me and I to revenge my self will fly in the very face of God A hiddeous wickedness there is in this that you do not think of You that are passionate spirits when you come home and your wives and children or servants anger you you fall to cursing and swearing Know you do no other but this this is the language of your practice they displease me and to revenge my self I will fly in the very face of God And whence it is that Gentlemen and Noble-men and those that belong unto them are such great swearers because they imagine that it is an argument of some braveness of spirit and that thereby they express a spirit of a higher strain than other men Oh hiddeous and abominable wickedness This is all the valour that many men have that they daâ—e sin against the glorious God and never be troubled at it wherea a godly man is described in Scripture Eccles 9.2 To be a mâ—â— thâ—t feareth in Oath but for these it is not for them to fear it is for timâ—rous melanchâ—lly poor spiriâ—s but they are mâ—n of bâ—ave spirits â—nd they would have men know thâ—t they can swear and not be troublâ—d at it they have stronger spirits than o her mâ—n hâ—ve Thuâ— is the blesâ—â—â— God diâ—honored by this sin more than we are aware of There is a fourth sort that are higher than these and those are they that swear that they may not be accounted Puritans or of the number of such a faction Because where they go if they be but suspected to be savorers of such kind of men as were heretofore named by that nick-name and now are by another I say if they go into company where they think they may be suspected to be inclined to that partie what do they
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
way of Gods worship because some in authority as the Parliament seek to take away corruption in the worship of God Parliam abundance of people cry out that they are enemies unto all Religion that they will take away all Religion Thus it is reported by your countrey people that dwel far off as in Wales and in other places the people are there perswaded that the Parliament are a company of vile men that seek to take away all Religion out of the Kingdom But this is so but in the understanding of a Rabshekah that thinks the taking away of high places to be the taking away of Religion The other King is Jehosaphat that is commended for taking away the high places and it is noted of him that his heart was lifted up more than ordinary in the waies of God when he did it For this sacrificing upon the high places was such a thing that the people were so set upon it what say they is it not a brave decent thing that we should go up to a high place to offer unto the high God therefore when Jehosahhat took them away the text saith his heart was lifted up in a more than ordinary manner So it should be with Governours when they see corruptions in Gods worship though the people stick close to them yet they should have their hearts lifted up with courage and zeal to go on in the work Use In 2 Chron. 17.6 there you have it His heart was lifted up in the waies of God Moreover he took the high places and groves out of Judah Here is two things that Israel is charged for the high places and the groves Jehosaphat took away and he took them away out of Judah He was of a lift up mind and his heart took boldness for the waies of God so the old Latine hath it But mark what course what way did Jehosaphat take to remove the high places and the groves In the 7. verse of that chapter you find this He sent to his Princes to teach in the Cities of Judah Mark here Princes are become Preachers He sent to his Princes to teach in the Cities of Judah Princes preachers and with them Levites and Priests and they taught in Judah and had the book of the Law with them and they went about all the Cities of Judah and taught the people This is the course to take them away If he had only by an Edict removed them he could not have done so much but he took this wise course he sent faithful Preachers thoroughout all the Countrey in all the great Cities especially He was careful they should have faithful Preachers and then the work would be easily done So that it appears it was because of the ill Preachers they had before or because they had no Preachers at all that the high places were so hard to be taken away How easie would it be in England at this day to make a Reformation preaching the way to remove superstitioÌ„ to take away corruptions from the worship of God if in all Cities and Towns there were faithful Preachers For we see apparantly that people that have been brought up in ignorance they stick most to these things Let a faithful Minister come into a Congregation and take pains so that the people may see and be convinced that he takes pains and expound the Scripture unto them they will begin to confess we get more by this than by all the reading of prayers all this while and this is more painful to the Minister They would I say be convinced of this if they had teaching This was Jehosaphats way and Oh how happy were it if we took the same course But there is one thing more observable it is said in this 7. chapter that Jehosaphat took away the high places but in Chap. 20. ver 33. 2 Chron. 17. with cap 20.33 reconciled it is said he took them not away but how is it It is put upon the people the text saith The high places were not taken away for as yet the people had not prepared their heart unto the God of theâ—â— fathers The people were the cause Now for the reconciling of these two places it seems Jehosaphat did what lay in him In chap. 17. therefore God accounts it as being done for his part but because when he had done what he could yet the people were so stubborn and stout and would not yeild to the command of the King therefore in this 20. Chapter it is all layed upon the people As if God should say they were not taken away because the people had not prepared their hearts but as for Jehosaphat he did what lay in him for the taking them away God will accept of the intention of Governours Let them do what they can in it and if it be not done the fault will lie where the cause is You may see by this that people may hinder the work of Reformation much their hearts were not prepared that is they were not fit to receive such instructions as were sent unto them And truly in England many people are not yet prepared to receive the work of Reformation We never read that is observable too of any difficulty of any of the Kings either of Judah or Israel to bring in any false worship observe it in all the stories of the Kings or Chronicles when there was any King that would bring in any false worship there was never any difficulty in it Obser But when good Kings did seek to bring in true worship and to cast out false it was too difficult a work for them Thus mens hearts do cleave more to false worship than they do to true And this is one thing further observable for the high places that it is not said here in the Text only that they sacrificed upon the Mountainâ— but upon the top of the mountains There are two things very observable from hence First It noteth the publickness of their way of Idolatry They would not do it in a corner in a hole but they would go to the mountains Observ to the top of the mountains and were not ashamed Idolatry is brazen faced it is impudent and loveth to be publick Use Oh why should we not have the true worship of God as publick It is a lamentable case when the true worship of God must get into holes and corners and dare not appear in publick yea when they are persecuted because they are in corners and they say they get into holes and corners and there they do thus and thus Well my brethren let us pray and endeavor what we can to bring in the true worship of God to the most publick way that may be that we may not be ashamed of it in publick before the world In Revel 14.6 Revel 14.6 there is mention of an Angel flying in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel in his hand to preach unto them that dwell on the earth Now
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
and therefore he begineth with them They are called Priests not that they were true Priests for they were not of the tribe of Levi Observ Priests but they were so reputed to be The Priests have usually been the causes of all the wickedness in and judgments on a Nation Jer. 23.15 Prophaness is gone throughout the Land from the Prophet and the Priests Multitude of Scriptures are evident before us that layes the evil of Nations upon Priests And hath it not been so with us and is it not so at this day Applic. There was never a more filthy sink of scandalous superstitious Priests in a Kingdom than of late amongst us as hath begun and will yet further appear unto you There hath been an accusation against our Parliament that orthodox grave godly Divines have been put out of their livings See the first Century of malignant Ministers ejected I suppose you begin to see what those grave orthodox godly Divines were that were put out under evident and plain proofs it is made known to the world to the satisfaction of them and you have but the beginning of it you will have a great deale more afterward Heare ye Priests And hearken ye house of Israel that is the next Exposit The house of Israel by that is meant the common people Priests first the house of Israel next and the house of the King that is last And the house of Israel is set between the Priests and the house of the King upon this ground because by these two by the corruption of the Priests and the house of the King all was swaied the cause of the evil of the people came from them both partly from the Priests and partly from the house of the King It came both waies to the people and between them both the people were undone Obser Let these two join in any sinful way in a Kingdom the Priests and the house of the King let them joyn and set up what they wil in worship the people will go that way they go If but one of them be right there is a great deal of hope of much good but wo to a people when both of them are corrupt when both Priests and the house of the King too are corrupt If the house of the King should be corrupt yet if the Priests and so the Ministers if they kept up the truth and vigor and life of Religion things would go reasonably well in a Kingdom though Religion might be persecuted yet the life of it would not be taken away Whatsoever Laws Magistrates did enact against the waies of God except Ministers be brought to comply those Laws will not be brought to prevail with the consciences of people nor with their practices Jeroboam and the other Princes saw it was in vain for them to think to prevail with the people except they could get the Priests to be for them therefore it was the great deâ—â—gn of Jeroboam to get the Priests of his side which he easily did for all preferment came by him he raised whom he would and then because that their means and preferment lay upon him they would joyn with him in what way he went Object But mark Might not the people excuse themselves and say what should we do On the one side authoritie enjoyns us on the other side our Ministers teach us to do thus and thus what shall we do they might think to excuse themselves Answ No judgment is against you Oh house of Israel notwithstanding the Priests and the house of the King have done thus and thus yet you are not to be excused A great many reasons may be given why the people may not be excused though they be commanded thus and thus Arias Montan. I remember Arias Montanus upon this Scripture gives this reason why men are not to be excused though they be commanded by the King Kings for he laies down this for a rule That no King can make any Law but by the people they cannot saith he make Laws by themselves alone the people must consent to thâ—m some way or other therefore the people are involved in al the wicked Laws in a Kindom It is not enough therefore for you to say such and such Laws are made and we cannot help it we are to know it is not meerly the wil of a King that is a Law to a Kingdom but Laws enacted is where people have their hands one way or other in them This answer he gives and he quoteth an Heathen to shew that people must have their hand in the Laws that are made especially some people for some Kingdoms are otherwise governed than others Not alike Absolute as som in Scripture therefore there is no reason for people to say in the Scripture such Kingdoms did so and so We know in one Countrey the Kings authority reacheth so far and in another so far in one Countrey Kindoms are by Election in another by Inheritance in one Countrey the female inherits in another none but the male therefore the power of Kings and their limits is not what hath been heretofore in such and such a place but what is the constitution of that Kingdom of which he is King for many are limitted in their power in one Countrey more than in another Therefore the people are not to be excused because of their evil especially in these times Now this sheweth evidently that God would have every one examine what is taught him and what is commanded him by his superiours It is cleer from hence The people art here cited to judgment and placed between the Priests and the Kings house though the Priests taught them superstitious waies though the Kings house commanded them yet they must be judged then I say it is cleer that God would have every one examine what is taught him and commanded him by his superiours and himself to know the rule of his own actions It is no answer for God to say I am taught thus or I am commanded thus you must know the rule of your own actions your selves for you your selves must give an account unto God But you may say Quest Shall it be left to every one to judge of the truth of what is taught and of the lawfulness of what is commanded If every one shall judg of what he thinks in his conscience lawful what order can there be For answer unto that Answ Whatsoever the inconvenience may be it appears evidently to be a truth for we must answer unto God for our actions therefore we must know the rule of our actions therefore First let the inconveniency be what it wil the truth is good But secondly I say this that every one must judge so far as it concerns his own act he cannot judge so far as it concerns the Magistrates act what is fit for the Magistrate to command Note nor the Ministers act what is fit for him to teach but he may and he ought to judge
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
after he had killed Nabal and telleth him of his sin he fals down and humbleth himself in so much that God himself takes notice of it and upon it pronounceth a transmission of his punishment That he would not bring the evil in his daies but in his sons God bids the Prophet see how he humbled himself that not in a show as if his heart were not touched and affected he did truly humble himself in his kind but now was there no reformation followed upon this No none at all great men not easily reformed Theodos 'T is very hard to bring great men to reforming where have we such an example since Theodosius the Emperor who being a man guilty of rash effusion of blood coming upon a Sabbath day to the place of publick worship and would have received the Sacrament Ambrose Ambrose seeing him a coming goes and meets him at the door and speaks thus to him How dare those bloody hands of yours lay hold of the body and blood of Christ who have been the sheders of so much innocent blood Which speech did so startle him that he went away and was humbled for his sin and afterwards came and made his publick confession and then was received in Whence we may see that Kings An Emperor may be kept back froÌ„ the Sacrament yea Emperors have been kept back from the Sacrament But did this humiliation of Ahab come to nothing If we look but into the 22. chap. we shall find him of a proud hauty spirit resolved upon his own will contrary to the will of God he would go up to Ramâ—th Gilead and when Jehoshaphat asked him if there were not a Prophet of the Lord more that they might enquire of him and he said there is one but I hate him and this was in the time of his humiliation And is it not thus with us Applica many times when judgments are upon us how penitent are we and then humbled presently but if the rod be off us we grow proud and stout again presently So in Judah what beginnings did that young King Joash Joash make in the 2 Chron. 24.6 what care was there taken in reparing the Temple gave commandement to the Priests and the Levites to gather mony for the building the House of the Lord and commanded it to be done spedily he was a very young Prince but very zealous in so much that he blamed the high Priest for his want of zeal and verse 10. 't is said the Princes and all the people rejoyced and brought in and cast into the chest now what did this produce surely some glorious effect mark in the 17. verse After the death of Jehojadah came the Princes of Judah and made obeisance to him and what then the King hearkened to them they then began to get him on their side by complying with him for the text saith that he hearkened to them and then wrath came upon them 't is very likely they said after this manner to him Consider who you are a Prince the head of a people and you do all that the old man Jehojada commanded he was a subject to you and you be commanded by him The Princes discourse to Joash and besides he is now dead and gone therefore shew your self a man like a Prince in your Kingdom stand upon your own legs be like unto the rest of the Princes about you Now such words as these might please the King and be hearkened to and then they presently forsook the House of the Lord God of their fathers and served groves and Idols they forsook their Religion while they kept the truth it preserved them and they followed the rule but turning from the rule what outrages do they commit verse 21 22. conspire against Zaccariah and stoned him the blood of a Prophets son is now nothing to them they can down with it and the King stood and saw him stoned Oh what a height of sin is this young zealous Prince come unto How many sad examples have we in these our daies which second this of Joash Young ones of our times how many young ones are there who in their youth give very good hopes but it proves to be but a morning cloud their timely beginnings end in apostacy Another example we have in Amaziah in the 2 Chron. 25.2 Amaziah Amaziah in the 6. verse had hired an hundred thousand of Israel to go to the war with him and for their hire he had given them an hundred talants of silver now after he had hired them and paid them all their monies there comes a Prophet of God tels him that he must not use a man of them why saith he what shall I do for my mony the hundred talents which I have paid the Army with the man of God answered the Lord is able to give thee much more than these he had no security for it but only Gâ—â—s word for it and that from the mouth of a man what now Amaziah obeyed presently and separated the armies of Israel But what became of this Vers 14. after he returned from the slaughter of the Edomites he brought the gods of the children of Seir and set them up to be his gods and bowed down to them and the 15. verse God sends him another Prophet and now see how the spirit of the man is changed In the former verses the other Prophet coms to him and crosses his design and turns his mind he hearkens presently unto him and obeys the command of God in that thing which was for his present and eminent losse but this Prophet speaks as mildly with as much love as possibly could be and he speaks as much reason to him as a man can desire Why hast thou relied and sought after the gods of the people which could not deliver their own people out of thy hand they could not rescue or save their people from thee and wilt thou serve them yet in the 16. vers mark what he saith Medle not with this matter Art thou made of the Kings Councel forbear why shouldest thou be smitten Dost thou know what a plot and design there is in this thing The Prophet forbears but what follows I know by this the Lord hath determined to destroy thee Because thou hast done this Wilfulness after enlightening a note of dâ—structioÌ„ and hast not hearkened to my counsel The truth is when we see men unruly stubborn and wilful rejecting counsel and very unreasonable in their way especially after some good workings and stirrings it is a fearful sign God hath a purpose to destroy them So that wicked King at one time could call the prophet his father yet how was he afterward inraged against him Some may be friends to the Saints at one time and bitter enemies to them at another And as the Scripture is full of such examples as these so also are Ecclesiastical histories 'T is storied of Domitian DomitiaÌ„ a most
cast him out that is eijce pirtilentem de consilio cast him out of your counsels let him have no part of advice with you Again The Septuagent translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one without understanding because scorners are foolish and silly men Prov. 21.11 When the scorner is punished the simple are made wise Thirdly they translate it pride 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because scorners are proud men Prov. 1.3 4. God resisteth the proud Prov. 21.24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath Fourthly they turn it by untamed unpunished Prov. 19.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wanton stripes are prepared for the backs of scorners Because they go unpunished they grow scorners Luther translates the word mockers and flowters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a word signifying evil men because scorners are ful of al kind of evils and interprets false teachers that delude the people and deprave the Scriptures and this kind of scorning by perverting the Scripture is the worst kind of scorning of all others it is most abominable Job 20.14 The meat in his bowels is turned to the gaul of Asps the word in such mens spirits as these are is turned into bitterness these scorners who were they the Nobles and the Princes the Officers in the Court these were the men which scorned at the people for going up to Jerusalem to worship what fools are these which will lose the Kings favor their places at Court their honors and preferments and all for a meer circumstance and a trifle as they thought and this was at the time of their feasts and jovialities when they might both harden the hearts of the King and people now he stretched forth his hand to them that is 1. He encouraged them and gave them his hand to kiss how unlike is this unto God of whom Job speaks that he will not give his hand to the wicked to malignants Again 2. Job 8 2◠to stretch forth his hand is to put forward any work or further designs on foot as Herod furthered their wicked designs of the high Priests and Scribes in persecuting Christ by countenancing them he stretched out his hand to scorners Acts 12.1 Scorners such as are the basest kind of people as fidlers common jerves c. as if he were a common companion for them he put off all Princely dignities and made himself an associate for the basest of men that could but any waies further his designs Obs 1 The first Note from hence may be this That such Courtiers which live sensually are for the most part great scorners Experience proves this Obs 2 Times of feasting are usually times of the greatest scorning and contemning all Religion then they think there is none live such brave lives as they do when they are throughly heated with wine then they have a flout and a scorn for every one then God himself is reproached by them his Saints had in disgrace Psal 35.16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts they gnashed upon me with their teeth There are many which carry things very fair in the eyes of the world who seem to be Christians yet when they come in place among scorners they have a scorn a flout and a private jeer these are odious in Gods sight Where is there more scorning and scoffing than in Princes Courts and great mens Tables If a Court Chaplain had but heard any thing of a Puritan or of a private meeting was it not their musick Thus they informed the King that they were none but a company of precise fools giddy headed people and the King he received this news with joy it made him merry and he gave them thanks for their pains Oh how far is this below a true Princely spirit Obs 3 That the right way of worship is by carnal hearts accounted a very slight thing and Gods people who stand for Gods Ordinances in their purity are looked upon as people who stand for incities and trifles Obs 4 It hath been the old way of the Devil to hinder reformation by raising up men of pestilent wits to scorn at Religion and this way the Devil prevails very much when he cannot prevail by persecution he gains much this way men that are of any spirit cannot endure scorning therefore we reade of mocking to be a cruel persecution in Heb. 11.36 And others had tryals of cruel mockings And Ishmaels mocking is said to be persecution In the primitive times they would set up an Asses Head and a book by it to shew that they professed to learn and yet were as simple as an Ass I have heard of a Scholer in Queens Colledg who professed he had rather suffer the torments of Hell than endure the comtempt and scorn of the puritans And this is the Devils old way but men will not be jeered out of their inheritance and God will scorn such scorners Prov. 3.34 That place is famous in Lament 3.62 63. The lips of them that rose up against me behold their rising up and their siting down I was their musick What then Render them a recompence according to their works give them sorrow of heart thy curse unto them Kings while their hearts are against Religion shall never want Obs 5 wits to further their designs in this It is a sad thing to that Kingdom when their Princes give their Obs 6 hands to scorners and to deny it to the people of God it was a happy and blessed time with that people in 2 Chron. 35.1 2 3. verses when the Prophets of God were encouraged by the King himself It follows VER 6. For they have made ready their hearts like an oven whiles they lie in wait their baker sleepeth all the night in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire THE meaning of these words is to set out the strength of Jeroboam and his Princes desires to set up false worship and their subtilty in taking opportunity and lying in wait to leaven the people The Notes are from the similitude The heat of their hearts was so violent that it did devour all that Obs 1 opposed it as fire devoures all cumbustable things so they devoured all kind of reason which was brought against them and their way what was spoken to them to contradict them in their worship it was like straw or wood in an oven they were so strongly set upon it they devoured all presently they tell in all companies such men have nothing to say for their way c. Therefore at any time when we come to men and see them wilfully bent upon their way it is to no purpose to speak to them but let them alone and let God but humble them upon their sick beds and then they will hearken No dealing with Bees in a hot day but at night there is Obs 2 As mens spirits are as hot as an oven in sin so Gods judgments which are prepared for such are as hot as an oven Malachy 4.1 God
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