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
work upon them Satan Oh let me put it on as much as I can The Devil doth so when he see us in a framable disposition to sin he setteth tempters on work to improve it and we know it was the way of Idolaters Idolaters when they saw England in a framable disposition to Idolatry what abundance were sent amongst us to improve it Oh the mercy of God toward England that when we were framing our doings to return to Idolatry the Lord cometh and putteth the frame of England more from thence than before it was Oh let not us lose this framableness though it is not so much as we desire yet let not us lose what it is England would be in a lamentable condition if it should lose what it hath got from God already Yet further They will not frame their doings The Note from hence is That Obser Apostates seldom have any inclination to turn unto God No meltings of spirit no yeildings but their hearts are hardned and they depart further and further from God for so he speaks of Israel as an apostatizing people I dare almost challenge you all when did you ever know a notorious Apostate turn unto God very rarely I will not say it is impossible but especially for Apostates that are men of parts and have gone far from God if they have but proceeded so far as to turn to be persecutors of the truth or contemners of it as these Israelites here were when did you ever know any of them to turn unto God They will not frame their doings To turn unto their God Their God 1. By profession 2. Their God who hath shewed much mercy to them and hath done them much good 3. Their God who is yet willing to be their God They will not return unto Him This is the aggravation of their sin that they will not turn to such a God What not turn unto Him whom they profess to be theirs whom they flatter with their mouthes and they say that all their good and happiness is in Him Not to Him that hath done so much good as He hath done to them all their daies Not to Him who is yet willing to be reconciled unto them O this is a sore and bitter evil indeed that they will not turn unto this God But yet there is a furthâ—r thing observable here Their God that is this That True repentance it is not only to leave evil and to do good Observ True repentance to turn to as our God but to turn unto God as our God To turn unto God as a God in covenant with us as a God in whom is our portion and happiness as a God willing to be reconciled Here indeed is the very formality of repentance A man may by the terors of the Law turn from the practice of a sin not to live wickedly so as he hath don heretofore he may by the strength of natural conscience and self ends set upon good duties but here is no true repentance True repentance is this When we look upon God as a God tendring Himself unto us in the way of a covenant in Christ and so we turn unto Him In Jer. 3.22 Jer. 3.22 explained Return ye back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will heal your back-sliding Now mark the answer of true penitents Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Here is true repentance When God shall call upon a sinner O wretched vile sinner return O return unto the Lord for He is willing to be your God in an everlasting covenant He manifesteth His grace toward you in His Son and offereth mercy there yea He is willing to heal all your backslidings He is willing to be your portion He iâ— willing to be the happiness of your souls When a sinner shall answer unto this cal of God Bâ—hold we come unto Thee for Thou art the Lord our God True indeed we have sought after vanity but here is not our happiness and our portion Our good our happiness is in Thee We come unto Thee the Lord our God It follows For the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of her Here is the reason why they turn not unto the Lord The spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of her Expos 1 First That evil unclean spirit that did possess them So I find divers do take the words And then the Note is That Obser The danger of forsaking the truth It is Gods just judgement to give men over to the Devil to be blinded and hardâ—ed when they sâ—all forsake Him and His Truth Do not excuse thy sin by saying it is the Devil that tempts thee for this may prove to be the agravation of thy sin that by the just judgment of God thou art now given up to be under the power of the Devil and to be acted by him As in Eph. 2.2 the scripture speaks of the miserable estate that men are in by nature Dead in sin the children of wrath and amongst other aggravations of their misery this is not the least they walk according to the spirit that now workâ—th in the children of disobedience The word translated working there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the greatest activity that can be the spirit that is the unclean spirit Satans temptation may be an aggravation of our sin the prince of the power of the air that now worketh in those children of disobedience This is an aggravation of their misery and not any excuse unto them for their sin Thou hast rejected the good Spirit the holy Spirit of God and now the spirit of whoredome an unclean vile spirit hath possest thee Expos 2 But rather thus The spirit of whoredoms A violent inclination of spirit unto uncleanness to spiritual and bodily uncleanness that they have got by custom We have had this phrase before in Chap. 4.11 The spirit of fornication that impetus of spirit that violent inclination of spirit So then saith the Prophet they will not turn unto the Lord for there is a violent inclination of spirit an impetus with which they are carried on in the waies of wickedness but there is little hope of turning them unto God The spirit of whoredoms that is that efficacy that there is in that wicked disposition of their hearts that carries them on so violently In 2 Thes 2.11 2 Thess 2.11 the Scripture saith that because men love not the truth the Lord gives them up unto the efficacy of error God saith he for this cause shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye so it is in your translations but the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie the greatest active efficacy of errours to carry on with the greatest strength unto error that possibly may be We find sometimes men that are carried on to erronious opinions and come to speak with them about them and you shall perceive such an impetus of spirit such an efficacy of the error
they increast so they finned This is mans vile disposition Obser that encrease of mercies should be the encrease of their sin Thus was it with the Church when the Church was in a lower condition then there was more holiness and more sincere love to the truth when it began to flourish in outward prosperity it began to decay in true Piety And therefore Ecclesiastical histories tells us that when the Church received their donations from Constantine of great preferments then there was heard a voyce in the air Hodie venenum infunditur c. To day poyson is powred forth into the Church when great livings and great estates were given to the Ministers of the Church then poison was powred forth into the Church It was a good speech of Boniface the Martyr Boniface when one asked him whether it were lawful to receive the Communion in woodden Chalices his Answer was Time was when in the Church there were woodden Challices and golden Priests but now there are golden Challices but woodden Priests And the answer of Aquinas Aquinas was fit for this to Innocent the third when he shewed him a table of gold and silver saying we have no need to say as Peter once did Silver and gold have we none Aquinas answered presently neither can ye say Arise and walk as you have more money than they had so you have less gifts than they had you have not so much of the Spirit of God as they had It was so in the encrease of the prosperity of the Church And usually it is so in the encrease of their prosperity simile spleen As it is with the spleen the greater it grows the less the body is so the more prosperity the leaner and lanker are the spirits of men Deut. 32.15 Thou art waxed fat thou art grown thick thou art covered with fatness then he forsook God which made him and lightly esteemed the God of his salvation How many when they were low and poor in their estates were more holy and gracious and more spiritual than now they are It is true in particular persons in Churches and Countries but most true in Ministers It was once a complaint that was made to a Prelate here that he had a kinsman that was a very zealous preacher in the Countrey well saies he I 'le silence him and his silencing was this he gave him two livings and that stopped his mouth Jerome Quando Ecclesia ad Principes christianos venit factam fuisse opibut pleniorem sed virtutib minorem ait when he came once to have fatted livings then his zeal quickly abated And Hierome in the life of Malachus hath this expression when the Church saith he came to Christian Princes and there had countenance we may well say of it that indeed it was fatted with riches but it was less a great deal in vertue and godliness God threatneth here that seing they did abuse their prosperity as they did encrease they sinned more that therefore he would turn their glory into shame he would cast dirt into their faces God doth love to stain the pride the haughtiness of men He would turn the glory of the people and the glory of the Priests but especially the glory of the Priests for so it is meant but we must take in all into shame Either first he would in stead of glory bring shame or secondly he would make that wherein they did most glory to be their shame First That he would bring shame in stead of glory So God useth to do If any one glory in beauty God brings that which makes them contemptible many times in stead of that beauty That is a notable text for women that glory in their beauty and in their bravery Isa 3.16.24 Because the daughters of Zion are hauty c. therefore there shall be destruction upon them and ver 24. There shall be burning in stead of beauty and instead of well-set hair baldness and in stead of their brave dressing sackcloth If any will glory in parts the Lord justly brings shame upon them blasting of their parts Albertus magnus nec literas sciret ita ignoramus fuit as it is said of Albertus Magnus that great Scholer that for five yeers before his death he did dote and was so ignorant that he did not know letters he could not reade God can soon blast the parts of men that glory in them and turn that to shame If any glory in riches God can soon turn that into shame too As histories tells us of an Earl of Exceter Earl of Exceter that married the sister of King Edward the Fourth and yet Philip de Commines reports of him that he was seen begging of his bread in the Low Countries barefoot God can soon take away the riches of men and turn that their glory into their shame And then if any boast in honor glory in that God can soon turn that into shame as in that example of Herod that gloried in the applause of the people when they cried out the voice of God and not of man and presently he was consumed by worms And much shame comes unto men that glory in these things Mark it according to the glory of men in external things so is their shame when God takes them away Here is the difference between the Saints losing these outward things and wicked men When the Saints lose these outward things there is not much shame comes to them because they did not much glory in them when they had them but carnal hearts because they know no higher things than these things are therefore when they are taken from them there is much shame comes upon them for their glory was in them when they had them Secondly God makes the very things they glory in to turn to their shame He doth not only take away their parts and bring ignorance and dotage instead of their parts but he makes their parts to be their undoing he makes use of their parts to bring them to shame He makes their very riches and honors to be their shame and their glorying in their success he makes that thing turn unto their shame As now when men shall glory in this that they had such success such a victory upon such and such a time and upon this they gather an argument surely God is with us and blesseth us and owneth us in this they glory well God turns this into their shame when he comes to be against them and blasts them that they shall not have success that it shall appear unto all that though they have outward means for advantage yet they go by the worst now where is the argument of Gods owning their cause success where is the argument of glorying with them if that were a good argument that God was with them because of their success Those that shall make that the only or principal argument that God is with them how doth God turn their glory into
spirit that carries them on But take heed the Spirit of Christ is joyned with much humility and holiness do not say you are carried with the Spirit of Christ and yet bitterness and pride is mixed with it but if there be humility and holiness then perhaps though you cannot answer every objection of every Sophister yet there is the Spirit of Christ in you that as wicked men have a byas upon their hearts that swaies their judgment so the godly have a byas upon their hearts the truth and love of God doth byas their hearts and carries them on with strength in the waies of God as the poor man Fox Act. Mon. the Martyr that said I cannot dispute for the truth but I can die for it There was such a spirit of love in him unto Jesus Christ that carried him on and made him savour and relish holy things though he could not dispute for them We are to pray unto God that he would satisfie us not only Use 3 in body and in soul but in spirit that that Impetus of spirit may be sanctified for great things depend upon that Impetus that force that activeness of our spirits almost all fell down under the dreadful authority of those commands then it was well with them but now you have got from under this you do not fear Gods word as you were wont to do you will not tremble at his commands as'you were wont now you run wilde and frisk about in your own waies Oh poor creature whither art thou gone thou art got from under the protection of the Lord. Verse 13. They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains and burn incense upon the hills under Oaks and Poplars and Elms because the shadow thereof is good therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom and your spouses shall commit adultery In the former verse the Prophet in the Name of God had charged Israel for having the spirit of fornication and accused them for going a whoring from under their God And now shews to them wherein Obser and in what particular General accusations without particular specification will not prevail with stubborn hearts Observ Above all Idolaters must be convinced wherein they have committed Idolatry They will stand it out exceedingly if you charge them only with Idolatry in general of going a whoring from God except you demonstrate wherein It is so with many sinners Mal. 1.6 Ye have despised me and yet you say wherein have we despised thee verse 7. Ye offer polluted bread upon mine Altar and yet you say wherein have we polluted thee Stubborn hearts will stand it out with God a great while untill it be shewn in particular wherein they have done such and such evils And it is wisdom therefore for all Gods Ministers not to leave things in general Use for Ministers but if they would have their Ministry a convincing Ministry they must not only charge people that they are wicked and naught in general but they must instance Instancing preaching it is the most convincing preaching Now the Prophet doth instance in that kind of Idolatry that seems to have the most specious shew and fairest intention of any thing in the world and one would have thought that there should have been as little evil in that which he instanceth in as in any thing we can imagine Why what great matter is it they might say You accuse us for going a whoring from under our God what is the matter we offer sacrifice upon mountains we sacrifice under trees is that so great a matter It is sacrifice and you cannot say but we sacrifice to the true God we do not sacrifice to Idols why do we go a whoring from God then Nay the shew of this is very specious that they should sacrifice thus upon mountains and under trees in this they seem to be more devout than Judah was the people of Judah they sacrificed only in one place they sacrificed only in a Temple and did as it were confine and limit God to that place and they sacrificed only upon one Altar Now say they we think God worthy of a great deal more than so we think it is fit to sacrifice unto him every where in every place and especially upon mountains for it is to the high God that we sacrifice therefore we go to mountains to express the high esteem we have of God Papists Just as the Papists at this day they will have their Images in every place and their Crosses in every high way as they travail that by them they may be put in mind of God continually What a specious shew is this Yet the Lord by the Prophet chargeth them with going a whoring from under their God and he instanceth in this which they thought they had most plea for From whence we may note first Whatsoever seems to be most Obs 1 specious in our eyes yet if it be not according to the rule it may prove most abominable in the eyes of God And Secondly That for a thorough conviction of people in their sin Obs 2 Ministers should especially labour to present to them the foulness of those things that they think have least evil in them for Min. To come to people and to cry out of notorious wickedness that they themselves cannot but acknowledg to be notorious this will never so convince as thoroughly to humble but to come and close with them and to open the evil of their waies in those things that they bless themselves most in and shew how they make themselves abominable unto God even in those things that is the way to have our Ministry a convincing an humbling Ministry indeed Thus the Prophet doth you sacrifice upon the mountains and high places and under the shadow of every tree Hierom Hierom. upon this place hath this Note Israel saith be loveth high places for they have forsaken the high God and they love the shadow for they have left the substance It is thus with men ordinarily when they have left the high God forsaken him then they have somewhat or other that they set up high in their hearts they forsake the shadow of the wings of God and then they seek after vain shadows to be their protectour But to open this Scripture yet more cleerly to shew wherein their sin lay here that they sacrificed upon the mountains and hills and under trees For that we are to know that in former times before the Ark and the Tabernacle and the Temple was built it was lawful to sacrifice in any place and God approved of sacrificing in mountains and did direct Abraham to go and sacrifice his son upon a mountain upon Moriah Gen. 22.2 And we reade of Abrahams planting a grove when he called upon the name of God Gen. 21.33 So that the forefathers did sacrifice upon mountains and they planted groves and trees by the places where they sacrificed there was no hurt then in such things But afterward God
to go meerly out of curiosity it is just with God that we should come home maimed and not whol as we went In the Lords prayer we pray that God would not lead us into temptation How do men mock God when they pray to God daily Lead us not into temptation yet they will venture upon temptations go to brothel houses to many places where they know there will be wicked company yea even thrust themselves into wicked company needlesly only with this pretence Oh they will take heed to themselves and they mean no hurt Let not that excuse you Play-houses when you have a temptation to go to wicked places to play houses to brothel houses to wicked company satisfie not your selves with this I mean no hurt but have you any call from God can you approve it before God and say Lord thou hast call'd me hither Tertullian I suppose you have heard of that story that Tertullian hath of a Christian woman who being at a play was possessed of a Devil and other Christians coming to cast him out asked the evil spirit how he durst possess one that was a Christian He answered I found her saies he in my own place so if we would take heed of the Devil take heed of wicked places Obs 2 Secondly Whatsoever places have been heretofore yet when they grow corrupt in Gods worship they lose their honor Rome heretofore hath been a famous Church as in Rom. 1. Use we find that the faith of Rome was spread abroad thoroughout the world and so they will yet plead for the glory of Rome because once it was famous But it is no matter what it hath been what is it now suppose it hath been the seat of Peter what is it now If once they are corrupt in themselves they lose the honor of what once they had Oh let us take heed unto our selves in this It is true England England hath also been a famous place for Religion and Travellers that have come hither have blessed themselves and blessed God for seeing what they have done they never saw so much of God as in England But if we shall corrupt our waies and grow to be Idolaters and superstitious we may by Gods just judgment be made at infamous and vile as any people upon the face of the earth And so it is true of particular persons of persons that heretofore have had much honor among the Saints have been men of admirable parts and have been useful to the Church it may be temptation prevails so much with them I have had such a name I have done such and such things I now may be quiet I cannot but be esteemed of for what I have done But let a man in his younger time or afterward do never so worthily in the Church of God or Common-wealth if he decline afterward he loseth all his honor both with God and men and may be as unsavory salt and spurned out and troden under foot of men As Gilgal and Beth-aven though honored before yet now the people are charged not to come to them Some men one would have blest themselves before to be in their company in their families but now grown so loose so sapless in their spirits so carnal so malignant so superstitious so vain Note that it is dangerous now to come into their company so that now we may even hear a voice from God calling to us go not into such a mans company as here go not to Gilgal Thus you have these words opened unto you and what the mind of God is in them Come not to to Gilgal neither go ye up to Beth-aven It follows Nor swear the Lord liveth Swearing in it self is lawful yea it is a part of the solemn worship of God when God calls for it And it is such a part of Gods solemn worship as sometimes it is put for all the worship of God in Scripture Psal 63.12 Isa 19.18 Therefore oathes are to be esteemed so much the more sacred For as God puts an honor upon prayer that sometimes all the worship of God is called prayer He that calleth on the Name of the Lord shall be saved My house shall be called the house of prayer c. So God puts this honor upon Oathes that all his worship hath sometimes the name of an Oath Therefore the abuse of Oaths is much the more vile when swearing is called for it should only be by the Name of Lord An Oath what it implies we should swear by the Lord when it is lawful to swear and no other way for by this we acknowledg the Lord to be the searcher of all hearts the Judger of the heart the All-seeing God fit to witness to al mens waies and to be an avenger of all their unfaithfulness this we hold forth in an Oath And here is the reason that we must swear by none but by God because in swearing I say we do acknowledge him we swear by to be the searcher of our hearts the witness of all our secrets and the supream Judge if we be unfaithful Now this honor is only due to God whether secret or open God accounteth much of this his honor and will not give it to another And when we do swear by the Name of God the Life of God is the greatest title we can give to God in an Oath It is the greatest Oath of all Living God what it implies God himself doth often swear by his life and the Angel sweareth by the living God God loveth that his creature should acknowledge him to be the living God for ever that is to live to reward that which is good and to revenge that which is evil And therefore Jer. 4.2 there is an injunction Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth but it must be in truth in righteousness and in judgment And indeed it is Gods mercy to us that he will grant us the use of his Name that he is willing to be called to witness to our affairs But then you will say why doth God forbid it In that place of Jeremiah you see it is Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth and here Ierem. reconciled with Hos You shall not swear the Lord liveth How shall we reconcile these Thus because God would not have his Name and this his solemn worship abused by Idolaters When they were before their Idols yet still they would make use of Gods Name and would seem to honor God Oh Jehovah liveth we acknowledg him and honor him as a living God This was the guize of those Idolaters though they forsook the true worship of God and his commandement yet they would seem to honor God much the Lord liveth and we desire to honor this living God Now saith God what do you go on in such waies of Idolatry as these and take my Name into your mouths what have you to do to take my Name into your mouths seeing you hate to be reformed I will have none of
is that which God râ—quires Joshua bids Acan Give glory to God my son and confess Confâ—ssiâ—n giveâ— glory to God and when thou standest ouâ— in this thing thou opposest God in his glory Lâ—timer reports of a man in his time who was to be executed at Oxford for some villany being brought to the place of execution much means was used to him that he would confess the act but none could prevail being turnd off and after a space hanging he was cut down and when he was cut down they peâ—ceived he was not quite dead they carrying him to a fire and by means used came to himself and then he confessed all of himself to the full This example may shew us thus much not alwaies to conclude men are not guilty when they confess nothing there is that stoutness in the hearts of men that they will rather venture damnation than yeild to men Obs 3 God will have his glory from us If we do not acknowledg our guiltiness by lesser judgments he wil continue them and ad more to them till we confess and give glory to him This is the reason that we are so long under trouble because we wil not confess when we are cald for to do it Use sin in the conscience lies as filthy corrupted matter in a sore which throbs belks and akes till it be opened and let out so in the consciences of men there is much guilt and that lies throbing in the conscience no ease can be got God calls for confession but it will not be and no true peace can be enjoyed any other way Oh therefore sinner confess and give glory to God How many are there who have lain a long time under anguish of spirit till they have taken this course freely and fully to confess sin committed lying heavy and burdensom upon the conscience Neglect not this duty when you are cald to it it is an Ordinance appointed by God for the easing of troubled souls and when you cannot get peace any other way having used other means and yet God withholds the light of his countenance then are you cald to confess to others see what course David took and how he sped Psal 39.2 3 4. I was dumb I held my peace I roared and was vexed but I said I would confess my sin and shame my self for them and then thou forgavest the sin of thy servant Mark here there was some sin which lay upon Davids conscience and he could not get peace in again what course takes he I said he did but say I would confess and then thou forgavest my sin thou diddest then seal a pardon to me Oh take this course and thou shalt have the like success God comes to thee in a sicknesâ— and saith sinner Guilty or not guilty give God then the glory of an humble confession 'T is true to confess offences against men to men there may be danger in it making us liable to trouble but confession of offences against God never causes trouble Expos And seek my face that is my Favour my Son and my Ordinances for in the general Gods face is nothing else but Gods manifestation of himself in his Love in his Son in his Ordinances and 't is a most blessed thing thus to behold Gods face Revel 22.4 this is that which David so earnestly praid for Lord lift up the light if thy countenance upon me one sight of God is better than all the world To see God any way is sweet but to see him in Christ this is most excellent In the world we have nothing of God but his very footsteps but in Christ there is the chief manifestation of the wisdom mercy and love of God to poor lost man and in the Ordinances there God chiefly lets out himself in an especial manner These are the Three things which shew unto us the meaning of those words And seek my face The Notes from them are these 'T is not enough to acknowledg our sins but we must seek Gods Obs 1 face The heart in the work of humiliation must be active ConfessioÌ„ without reconciliation insufficient that soul which is truly humbled before God must be lively and active after God else our humiliation is worth nothing in the sight of God When the heart is sullen lumpish and sinking in its humiliation God looks not at it Ezek. 33.10 we reade of some who are said to pine away in their sin Many men when God begins to afflict them with their sins Dulness under affliction an ill sign and put them into some trouble of spirit they pine away in their iniquity it is a very ill sign when humiliation makes men dull sullen and unserviceable hindering them from dutie when men lie down under their trouble discontented and melancholly therefore here 's the tryall of our trouble of conscience whether it be right or no if from melancholly it duls the heart puts it out of all spirit and activity disabling it wholly from service but if true it enlivens the heart and puts activity into the spirits though naturally dull and lumpish it puts the soul in waies of activity for God when they have to do with God this is a very good sign that such trouble for sin is right and good simile The melting of Lead consumes the Lead but the melting of Silver doth but refine and purifie it so the trouble of a carnal heart melts and consumes it but a gracious spirit will abide the fire and comes out purified and bettered therefore repentance is set out by a word of activity Isa 55.1 2. Come buy wine and milk Mat. 11.20 Come unto me The frame of a true repenting heart is in an active coming posture fitted for any service Obs 2 God leaves in his people at his parting impressions to seek him When God leaves his people he leaves something behind him which causeth the heart to make after him The soul hath her eyes upon God looking after Him Therefore much are they to be reproved who are so full of their sad conclusions and desperate speeches from such as these the Lord is gone and he will never return again I am undone and lost for ever there is no hope to Hell I must go but a gracious heart in the darkest night of sorrow and trouble can see some glimps of light and comfort saying as that good man Ezra 9.2 Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing and as the Church in Isa 42.24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned What then yet O Israel fear not Use 2. consolation Let us lay up this for sad times to support our spirits withall we know not what sad and black daies we may see yet know that we cannot be in a sadder condition than Ephraim was in here to have God to be to us as a moth and as a Lyon to tear and devour us many make
4 When the Lord is pleased to work grace in the heart that heart is taken off from all creature helps they dare not go with Ephraim to King Jareb How are they then to be blamed who seek to the Devil for help in distress they dare not go to Councels or to Armies for releef but to God it is too much to rest upon men much more upon the Devil Do any of you go to Inchanters or Wisards to find God you may seek him but shall not find him Obs 5 We are not to be discouraged in our seeking of God though our afflictions drive us to it This people sought God but their afflictions did drive them to it yet God accepted them Use Sit not down despairing in your afflictions saying God will never be gracious our seeking Him is to no purpose It is true God may justly say to us as Jeptha said to the people Do you now come to me in your distress So God may say do you now come to me in your sorrows and miseries and cast me off in your prosperity Caution I confess it is very dangerous venturing the putting off our seeking of God till then but if then God be pleased to work upon your hearts be not discouraged but seek him still So Joel saith That in his affliction he sought the Lord But did the Lord answer him Yea his requests were granted Note That every seeking of God is not sufficient it must be early Obs 6 seeking of Him Early seeking acceptable Now men are said to seek God early When 1. It is in the morning of their years 1. In youth when young ones shal make this text true in the letter of it it is wonderful pleasing to God It may be God laid his hand upon thee in thy youth and then God revealed the knowledge of Himself to thee thy misery by sin thy remedy in his Son so that the Churches prayer was thine Psal 90.14 O satisfie us early with thy mercie How many sins are by this prevented Your father or master if godly would give a world if they had it that they had begun sooner to serve the Lord and to seek him early therefore bless God who hath put it into your hearts to seek him John was the young Disciple and he in his youth began to know Christ and of all the Disciples none had that respect shewed them as John had for it is said that he lay in Christs bosom and Christ loved him 2. As this is acceptable in the morning of our years 2 At first enlightning so in the morning of Gods revealing Himself as soon as ever God begins to discover Himself we should then seek Him early when the soul saith as Paul said Acts 26.19 I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision neither consulted I with flesh and blood Hath God set up a light in your consciences and hath it discovered to you your misery and have you hearkened unto the voice of your consciences What have you done since Is sin reformed Are you changed in the inner-man Is Christ formed in you and exalted upon his throne in your hearts Is your will subjected to the will of God and your whole man delivered up to the government of God This were happy if it were so But contrariwise is sin let in and liked of as well as ever after these stirrings and convictions of consciâ—nce Then are you far from the number of those who are early seekers of God 3 With fervency and diligence 3. When we seek Him with diligence and with fervency not in a formal way When Gods hand is out against us He then looks that we should seek him with intentiveness of spirit See how the Church seeks God with diligence Isa 26.9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night season yea with my spirit within me will I seek the early When was this In a grievous night of affliction when they were in great troubles then to seek God early with their spirits within them this is most emphatical So Acts 12.5 prayer was made by the Church for Peter without ceasing it was continued prayer prayer stretched out even so ought our prayers to be lifted up with fervency true prayer is active and working the fervent prayer of the righteous prevails much with God Jam. 5.16 Lively working prayers are prevailing prayers Quest But what is it to seek God diligently Answ 1 When we seek God with all other things under our feet when all other things are sought in order to this Contemn all for God The soul is carried after the seeking of God with a panting and longing desire as the Hart after the water brooks Answ 2 To seek God early is to seek him with our whole heart The heart is not divided in the work With our whol heart every part is imployed as Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.23 feared and set himself to seek the Lord he gave his whole self to the duty Answ 3 When the soul bears down all difficulties in seeking of God when nothing shall keep him off his wook Vanguishes all difficulties as Jacob wrestled with God and would not be put off without the blessing Gen. 32.24 So the woman of Canaan how earnestly did she seek to Christ for her daughter and would not be put off by difficulties Matt. 15.22 23 24 25. Answ 4 When no means is neglected to be used whereby that may be had which we seek for No means neglected The soul tries this means and the other duty and follows God in all his waies that it may find him as the poor woman which followed Christ from place to place to touch the hem of his garment Christ could not be hid from her Resolve to die in persuit of him 5. Resolutions for to die seeking of God is earnest seeking of God it 's our constant practice living and our resolutions dying as Jacob the nearer the dawning of the day approached the more earnest was he How contrary are the practises of too many who at the first seek God early and earnestly too yet after a while leave off and grow cold Oh that it were not thus with us at this day Use England the Lord hath brought us low at this time yea how sad is our condition at this time 'T is true there is a spirit of seeking abroad in the Land but now God calls for a quickning of this we should now put an edg upon our seeking of God Be fervent in spirit serving the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seeking in the original 't is boyling in spirit let us so seek him now that hereafter we may praise him Psal 22.26 Ps 22.26 they shall praise the Lord that seek him your hearts shall live for ever illustrated How sweet are those mercies which are won by prayer and worn with praises Therefore now stir up the gift that is within you you that never prayed before pray
sometimes answers his peoples prayers presently when they seek him so that it may not only be said in the evening but in the morning hast thou heard me not only this day but the next also see that place in 1 King 18.38 and 44. Elijah praies and the Lord heard him presently but he praies again and then the Lord defers in the 38. verse he praies for fire to come down to consume the sacrifice and it did so but in the 44. verse of the same chapter he praies again for rain and see in what a posture he praies in and obtained his petition with much difficulty sent his servent Seven times and at the seventh time it was but a little cloud at first God heard him presently but he praies again and then mercy comes difficultly yet God was not angry with Elijah So Daniel he prayes and was heard presently but the people they pray and pray earnestly yet they were not answered Oh therfore let us take heed of impatiency and frowardnes of spirit in trouble and of being weary of duty Use be patient in prayer and gâ—owing carelesse in holy services because an answer comes not presently this shows the rottennesse of our spirits as much as any thing and 't is as evident a sign of an hypocrite as any we have in Scripture Isa 8. they faâ—â—ed and prayed so long that they thought themselves mightily wronged because they were not heard therfore are they so bold to ask God a reason why he was so far behind hand with them when they had done so much service for him Oh boldnesse of spirit Obs 3 That the time of Gods reviving his people is neither long in Gods nor the Saints account 'T is but two daies the third day we shal live Isa 31.5 Isa 31.5 opened As birds flying so will the Lord be swift to help Jerusalem He hath promised not to contend for ever and in 1 Peter 1.6 1 Pet. 1.6 rightly pointed Though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through many tribulations in the Original 't is If now if need be so that there is great need of afflictions before God sends them So 2 Cor. 4.17 afflictions they are for a moment a very little time Faith that lifts up the soul upon two hills where it seeth Heaven on the one and the vally of Achor in the middle and it so works in the soul that it causeth it to be patient in suffering the greatest tryals it is a sign of a distempered spirit to complain of the length of an affliction a gracious heart desires more the sanctifying it than taking it away we might have been swallowed up in the gulf of eternal misery Hag. 2.6 yet a little while and I will shake Heaven c. But it was between five and six hundred yeers before this shaking came viz. at the coming of Christ our impatience make affliction seem long Obs 4 In the sadest condition faith makes present and real Gods reviving mercies When their help is gone in the mount of mans extremity will God be seen We should reason thus because Gods people are in great extremity then 't is a sign that God will arise and help them and not despair and give over our hopes simile as before the morning light is the thickest darkness so let us never be discouraged at the encrease of afflictions for they shew the time then hastens for deliverance and thiâ— faith makes present to the soul it shews the soul life in death favor in frowns love in strokes faith seeth a great difference between the strokes of God upon the Saints and upon the wicked that place is famous for this Isa 26.14 compared with the 19. They are dead they shall not live they are diseased they shall not rise When God strikes wicked men their wounds forerun death here and eternal death hereafter when he smites them in their cause in their names or estates 't is to undo them But now mark in the 19. verse Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise Some think that these words note the glorious condition of the Church in regard of their safety that though men and means fail yet faith can see deliverance in the womb of an infinite wisdom Faith revives other graces power and faithfulness Faith revives other graces when seeming dead and puts life into them much more doth it into our dead conditions 't is reported of the * Vt vives alijs lapidibus pretiosis extinctis solo attactu luscitoret Guliel Paris Cristal that it hath such a vertue in it that the very touching of it quickens other stones and puts a lustre and beauty upon them This is true of faith it makes evil things present far off and good things far off present and herein consists the exercise of faith in a great measure Psal 91.7 A thousand shall fall on thy left band and ten thousand on thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee this is a very strange speech that a man may be in a place where a thousand shall fall by him and ten thousand on the side of him and yet he not touched by the disease By faith the soul enjoyes this security Psal 60.6 God hath spoken in his holiness I will rejoyce I will devide Sechem and met out the vally of Succoth the thing was not yet done yet they rejoyced in it as present faith it enables a dead and a barren womb to bring forth a child it raiseth up a dead son out of the ashes Abraham bids his servants to stay at the bottom of the hill and expect his coming Oh strong was his faith in this thing How unbeseeming are our spirits and how is our faith manifested to be weak and poor Use of reproof when a mercy promised is within sight ready to be fulfilled and made good yet how impatient are we and froward when it comes not so soon as we desire when we are full of such determinings against our selves or the Cause of God saying alas all is now gone we are left desperate God hath forsaken his Cause Oh let us take heed of pleasing our selves with this kind of carnal arguing and objecting for they are such as mightily provoke God and dishonor him and hinder much good which else we might enjoy But were I worthy I could think something Obj. then I might have some hopes Answ Faith sees worthines in its unworthines In this case do thou exercise faith upon Christ even in thine unworthyness and though thou maiest die and not see the harvest nor reap the fruit of thy prayers yet know the generations to come shall and this may comfort thee That speech of Jacob is remarkable to this purpose when he lay a dying saith he Behold I die but God shall do much more for you The Cause may be trodâ—n down for a while and God may hide himself but know that he wil keep
strengthens himself In all the Scripture I know not such a short text so full for the strengthning of faith as this is and it is the special work of faith to make God to be ours in all these relations Ps 18.2 An eminent prop of faith Oh how beautiful would our praises for reviving mercies shew could we but exercise our faith thus upon all these titles of God as ours The real sight of deliverance from evil and the apprehension of Obs 6 certain mercy a coming is a strong argument to put the soul on to turn to God This people did make this use of mercy coming to them What wil God after two daies deliver and revive us Come then and let us return unto him let us not any longer stand out but come in that he may revive us and raise us up When the soul sees mercy coming it beholds God out-bidding all other temptations and over-powering all difficulties when men by sence can behold mercy coming they will then think it best to turn to God happy are those who by faith can see mercy coming a great way off and thereby are stirred up to turn to God when God lets such thoughts as these into the soul and settles them upon the spirit I am now in a very good condition well and in health for the present but where may I be within two daies I enjoy peace and have every thing that heart can desire both for necessity and delight but within a short time where may I and these be These are dreadful thoughts to consider of But on the other side to beleevers these words are very comfortable and full of sweetness I am in great extremity of misery but after two daies they will blow over then oh where shall I be in heaven in joy and blessedness for evermore at rest with my Savior dreadful are the meditations from these words to all the wicked but very sweet and comfortable to the Saints of God as any text I know This consideration made Paul over look all his afflictions 2 Cor. 4. â—7 he thus considered ' â—is true I am under great afflictions but they are but light and 't is but for a moment and what shall I have then An eternal waight of glory Therefore Christians should not be alwaies poring upon their afflictions but look up to mercy behold that which may comfort them as well as what may discourage them consider that within two daies God will raise us up again and this wil mightily raise our spirits and quel the tumults in our hearts as we should be sensible of Gods hand to be humbled for our sins the cause of it yet should we take care that we do not destroy our selves by our fears Obs 7 The apprehension of the death and resurrection of Christ is a special means to help faith in the times of the greatest afflictions Many things may help faith in this case but the consideration of Christs resurrection is the chief when the soul shall exercise faith thus I am thus and thus afflicted and in misery so was Christ and much more although he were the Son of God the first begotten of the Father and so blessed for ever he was delivered up into his enemies hands scorned persecuted and contemned nay he was crucified and put to a shameful death but my condition for the present is not thus but if it should be so it is no more than Christs was in this his great misery all his frinds forsook him which aggravates their misery which are in straits in so much that those two Disciples which went to Emmaus said We had thought that God would have delivered Israel by this man What a low condition did God bring Christ unto and yet this was the greatest work that ever was done and such a â—ork as brings God the most glory of any work in the world Christ therefore become miserable for our consolaâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 the Church ever in a lower condition than Christ himself was yet Christ was raised and delivered out of them all yea this was a special end why Christ was brought into such a low estate to be a comfort and a pattern for his Churches that may come into the same condition which he was in and seeing this is held forth unto us in a cleerer way than it was to the Jews under the Law we should make more use of it than they did was Christ so low that the wrath of God was upon him for satisfactâ—on even to death this surely was a very low condition and now is there any hope that ever he should be raised from this yea now was Gods time to shew his power and to diclare him to be his Son God be speaks his people in all their strâ—its thus Did my power raise my son in such a low estate it is able also to raise you as the Apostle argues in the 1 Cor. 15. If Christ be not risen the dead are not raised c. so from thence I also infer That the Church must rise because Christ is risen if the Church does not rise Christ is not risen and if so then our preaching is in vain and your faith is to no purpose therefore raise up your sadded spirits upon thiâ— ground wel Christ is risen and I also shall rise with him It was wont to be the salutation of the Christians in ancientt time Christ is risen tâ— antient form of salutatio among christian Christus resurrexit Christ iâ— risen so the Saints may conclude though brought very low yet that power which raised the head will in his time raise the body and make it glorious with himself And we shall live in his sight As Israel was repenting so it was beleeving Israel also Faith anâ— repentanâ—â— muâ—ually act one another and as their beleeving furthered their repentance so their repentance furthered their faith they were confident that they should live in his sight When God grants mercies to his people he would have them of Obs 1 lively spirits to be quick and vigorous and of active spiriâ—s And this is the scope of the holy Ghost in this text however the Saints may seem as dead men when wicked men prevail over them yet when God gives rest and life they shall be lively and full of spirit God loves not to see his people of a sad fullen pensive disposition when that they have matâ—er of the greatest joy in the world When God is reconciled to 〈◊〉 people his face is then towards his Obs 2 people he looks then upon them and loves them Apoâ— 22.4 And they shall see his face God doth nor deal with us as David did with his son 2 Sam. 14.24 And the King said Let him not see my face any more But if God be once reconciled all the frowns in his face are turned into smiles he is all lovely towards them Use 1 Now how incongruous a thing is it that when God smiles we should lowr be heavy
duty Use let us bring forth fruit unto God in season Seasonablenesse cōmend duty as the godly man in the first Psalm is said to do herein consists the excellency of service when it is in its place Therfore it is no other but a temptation of Satan that when men are cald to exercise in their callings they are then stirred up to prayer or hearing but these are not the motions of the Spirit for they are seasonable for God never puts the soul upon extreams the performing of two contrary duties at one and the same time A note o◠a good heart It is an excellent sign of a gracious heart to account a season for service a mercy and a misery to want an opportunity Certainly it is a great judgment of God upon a man to be unserviceable in a season of service Jude 12. A great judgment to be unservicable in times of service Jude describing those corruptions of the Gospel by life and doctrine in his time saies they were trees withered twice dead plucked up by the roots trees corrupt in the time of autumne then when their fruit should come in Even thus it is with many men at that time when God expects the most fruit from them show themselves most corrupt and vile These are such as mightily provoke God Reproof and how many such have we among us at this day who when God cals them to service manifest the rotteness which is in their spirits Many when they are in a poor condition think Oh had I such a mans estate what a deal of good would I do with it had I such parts and abilities as some have and so much time and many oportunities given as they have how would I lay them out for God Many that are now servants have many good resolutions Oh what will they do for God when God calls them to it O foolish hearts who when they can do nothing would do most and when they may do most do nothing at all Obs 4 Gods mercies to his people are according to the variety of their necessityes the former and the latter rain Towards the seed-time they wanted rain and God sends it them now let our duty be according to the variety of mercies God may call us to variety of service let not us content our selves in that we have don somthing in such services we have had our heads hands and purses such and such have been idle let them now appear Oh say not so be not weary of wel-doing God hath imployed thee this day in one service he hath another to do the next be willing and ready to be set on work and blesse God he will imploy thee in service Obs 5 When God hath begun in mercy with his people he will go on with them and will not leave them If God should give only the former rain it would not bring up the seed the seed would not fructifie and increase without the latter rain Faith will beleeve that God will not lose the glory of former mercies for want of succeeding mercies Faith beleeves that God wil never begin a work and there leave it Use Now let not us begin in waies of obedience with God and then leave off and lose all that we have done let us consider that the vows of God are upon us and many prayers we have put up now let us not lose the return of them How many in the daies of their youth followed on to know God and they found the sweetness of the Word to be as the former and the latter rain unto them Do not now lose all which you got in your youth by denying him service in your age let not slothful age lose the sweetness of those things which in youth through christian diligence we found sweet Obs 6 Gods mercies to his people procure much good They are not empty shels there is that good in them to the ful which they promise to have these Notes are observable from the words thus understood but now put al the sense of them together and then they afford us two or three usefull Observations more Obs 7 Note That Gods peoples deliverance comes from Heaven They spring not out of the earth if ever Gops people are delivered there must be a Divine Almighty power put forth else it will never be a deliverance in mercy Gods peoples deliverances cannot be hindered no not by all the Obs 8 powers in Hell or Earth Why because they come from above they are as the light of the Sun and as the rain that comes upon the earth who can hinder the Sun from shining the rain from falling who can interupt night and day so who can hinder the rain of mercy from a people prepared for it We should make a spiritual use of Gods works in his creatures We Obs 9 see after the coldest winter there comes a summer after a drought a spring-tide they take their turns let not us in the times of cold and dark afflictions which God may bring us into conclude that mercy is quite gone that God hath shut up his loving kindness in forgetfulness No but rest assured that there will be a return of mercy for thee again which shall revive thee VER 4. O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I do unto thee for your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away LUTHER upon this place Luthers Exposit carries on these words as a further expression of mercy to this people Israel and not in any way of reproof to them as if the Lord had said to them thus Oh Israel my people I have been very good and gracious to you in the Land of Egypt and delivered you from that tyranny and oppression which you were under and I have been with you in the wilderness and I have brought you into the Land of Canaan but what are these all but temporal mercies I have greater mercies than these to bestow upon you the Gospel it shall reveal other manner of things to you He carries it all along as in a way of mercy but if this be the meaning then this objection will arise What shall we understand by the next words your goodness is as the morning cloud how can this be said Luther to this answers thus Your goodness that is the goodness of God which is yours by Covenant and purchase prepared for you this mercy of God shall refresh your parched souls as the morning cloud doth the earth after a long drought thus he carries it declined But the words passing away and their goodness being but as the morning cloud taking these together the sense runs another way viz. to a breaking off from the discourse about the promise of mercy to a convincement of the generality of Ephraims and Judahs formality in their greatest pursute of reformation they al passed away as the morning cloud which vanisheth away and as the early dew that
cruel persecutor of the Christians who studied and invenâ—ed cruel deaths for them that when he came to the Crown could not endure blood to be shed no not for sacrifices 'T is also reported of Nero Nero. that for five years he was so pitiful and full of mercy that when they came to have his hand to the sentence of execution of a â—alefactor He would wish that he could not have writ Quam vellem literas non didicisse that so he might not be used in any such thing and yet where had the Common-wealth of Rome or the Church of God a more desperat enemy or cruel persecutor Oh that God would grant this may never be our case What had we at the first Applic. to the Parl. of Engl. in the beginning of the Parliament how did they show themselves and did great things stood against Arbitrary government impeached great ones executed justice upon a Peer or two and kingdom What a mighty spirit was raised in the countries to second and stand by the Parliament now where 's the man that ever thought there would be such a party of Lords and Commons found to joyn with a company of Papist Atheists Malignants and Irish Rebels against the Cause of God and the Gospel and every thing that is truly good Oh most horrid apostasie that this morning cloud which in the beginning shined so gloriously should thus vanish and come to nothing And for others that are not in publick places though perhaps not so bad as others And privat men yet how cold and flat spirited are they slack in their moving for publick good private interest self and their own ends ruling in them more than the prosperity of the publick nay so we can gain our own ends though with losse to the publick we care not Oh what shall God do with us who are such an untoward people Mutato nomine Change but the name and this Scripture is ours O England what shall I do unto thee Your spirits for Reformation are down you care not for a deliverance but are willing to crouch under your burdens but let me tell you should these beginnings of reformation end as and prove to be as the morning cloud and early dew we should be the most miserable people in the world losing the greatest opportunity to do our selves good that ever any people had procure the greatest curse to our selves and posterity that ever was upon a people the generations that are yet unborn may if we lose this opportunity curse the time that we lived before them therefore be encouraged to venture in this work and do you still own the cause for God will own it and never leave it that so the work may be finished and we may say with the Saints Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he hath heard us Isa we should consider that it is a mercy the Lord hath made use of such false spirited men in his work to do his people good by and seeing the Lord is gone so far in the work let us intreat him that he would follow it on and not only bedew us but even wet us to the root It is Gods promise very remarkable in the 14. chap. of this Prophesie and the 5. verse I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the lilie they shall have the dew and be like the lilly but the lillie is a poor weak fading thing but saith God I will moisten the roots of it like Lebanon my mercy shall be perfected towards them the Lord grant this promise may be made good to us And thus much of their reformation in the general as it concerned the publick State and Church Now touching the particular reformation of themselves and their hypocrisie in it The note from thence is 2. Reformation in particular persons Obser That for any man to make good beginnings and overtures in the waies of God and let all fall again and come to nothing is a thing very grievous to God and dangerous to himself Psal 78.36 37. Nevertheless they did flater him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him neither were they steadfast in his Covenant what then ver 58 59. For they provoked him to anger with their Idols God greatly abhorred Israel they were as a deceitful bow hypocritical in all their waies which the Spirit of God cannot endure for these reasons Reas of the first part The Spirit of God is a holy Spirit but this is a slight fickle a very vain spirit no soundness in it The Spirit of God is unchangable and constant in all its motions but in this spirit there is nothing but changableness 't is said of God that there is no shadow of change in him and in such a heart as this is there is no shadow of constancy in it Such men as these stifle the very conceptions of the Spirit of God in them it is accounted murder in a woman to stifle the conception in her womb or any waies to hinder it now if this be such a vile thing is it not much more to stifle the conception and first breathings of the spirit in the soul Oh take heed of such a spirit as this is There can be no trust put in such men as these they are fit for no imployment neither God nor man can trust them or use them in any service they are up and down fickle and wavering we our selves cannot endure to have to deal with such a man as is so They manifest by this that there is no fear of God before their eyes for were the fear of the great God in them it would over-awe them so that they durst not do thus This is a great pollution of the Name of God Jer. 34.16 when they had let their servants go and in an hypocritical manner cald them home again in this thing God saith they polluted his great Name This is an argument that the things of God and matters of Religion are looked upon by you as things indifferent that there is no great matter in them things of little consequence when thou hast a mind to them thou canst use them or thou canst let them alone is not this a mighty dishonor to the Spirit of God This shews that such people never had any good beginnings or sound Principles in them at the first far from the life of Christ which is said to be a steadfast life and the life of every Saint should be like unto his their hearts were not right with him neither were they steadfast in his Covenant Now as it is grievous to God and to his Spirit Reas of the 2d so it is very dangerous to our selves For We lose many an opportunity many a soul-stirring which at our first awaking we have had When the soul is first convinced Oh the many stirrings and good motions which are put
treacherie and this story hath reference to that in 2 Chron. 13. a Chapter of as much treachery as we read of All their Kings are fallen that is into that false worship which Jeroboam was fallen into And that is very observable that all the Kings in the ten Tribes were wicked From Jeroboam the first to to the captivity there were eighteen Kings and all of them wicked and naught and the reason of this was that the way of false worship did so sute with their politick ends so that the Observation may be from it That 't is a hard thing to take men off from their strong engagements Obser It was a work so difficult that all the Prophets could not do it it is very hard especially when their engagements are in great things they were wise politick men and therefore could not chuse in all probability but see how point blank their waies went against Gods mind even Jehu himself who was raised up so high by God on purpose to root out Idolatry and did root out Idols and Baals Priests and yet he followed the Calves as well as hiâ— predecessors Therefore never wonder to see men obstinate Use and who wil not be convinced of their evil waies this text shews it cleerly many are willing to deny themselves in small things but when it comes to great things then they flinch and hang off therfore we see whâ—t snares places of honor are to most men many Ministees see the evil of Ceremonies and are convinced of it that they sin if they should yeeld to them and rather than sin they will leave their livings rather than yeild to them Places of honor great snares but when did you ever see a Bishop deny himself when was it ever known that a Prelate so far submitted to lay down his great dignities and fat livings for his conscience It follows There is none among them that calleth unto me They were presumtuous and confident in their way and none of them would ask counsel of me notwithstanding their Judges were devoured they sought to other helps or rested in their outward prosperity or 2. They are sottish and stupid and call not unto me though all be in a confusion in the State their Judges devoured c. Obs 1 When people are under Gods hand and Governors set up false worship such times should quicken our prayers Mic. 7.7 I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear me so in Act. 4.29 And now Lord hear us The Christians there got into a corner and made their complaints and moans to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4.29 of the evil of the times and do but observe the rise and ground of their prayers and now O God hear us They do as men that would leap a great way take their rise upon a hill to further them so these people make the miseries of the times their encouragements not their discouragements it is a desperate sign to see men sink under their discouragements and to murmur against God Oh let us go to God and make our moan to him and let us die calling upon his Name let that be our resolution which was Dauids Psal 116.2 I will call on the Lord as long as I live And this is a very good argument that the Cause of God will stand if our spirits of prayer hold the Cause of God will hold but if that go down fear the sinking of the Cause VER 8. Ephraim he hath mixed himself among the people Ephraim is a cake not turned EPHRAIM hath mixed himself There is a great evil charged upon Ephraim and that is observable he hath mingled himself among the people the people did not so much seek to him as he to them some here understand by Ephraim the Court because Jeroboam was of the Tribe of Ephraim and Cyril Cyril hath this Note from thence that it is a great dishonor for them that are in place of honor to sute themselves and their minds to those that are of base low spirits among their people men of place and power should be men of honor and worth But we take Ephraim here for the people of the ten Tribes for so it is more often taken in Scripture they were guilty of this sin in mixing themselves with the people that is the Gentils in these five regards First In their marriages The seed of the Israelites was too precious to mingle with the Gentiles this was forbidden them in Deut. 7.3 and the good man Ezra in the 9. chapter in the day of humiliation confessed this sin unto God against them and this was typified of the Christians under the Gospel that they should not mix themselves with the wicked and ungodly of the world they must marry in the Lord Unequel mariages Maxent it is a sad affliction to be unequally yoked it is reported of Maxentius a cruel tyrant whose custom it was to judg some Malefactors to death after this manner viz. To have a dead man chained to the living man till the living man was kil'd by the dead man How many living men have dead wives and living wives dead husbands Oh how comely a thing it is to see the delight of our eyes the delight of Gods eyes They mingled Gods worship with their superstitions and Idolatries they had not wholly defiled the worship of God yet they had mixed themselves Jeroboam had been in Egypt where he had seen their Idolatrous Heifer and he was much taken with it therefore he would imitate them in his Calves 2 Kings 17.33 34. in one verse 't is said they feared the Lord and in the next verse 't is said they did not They feared the Lord and served their own gods unto this day they do after their former manners they fear not the Lord never let us satisfie our selves in mixtures of worship Mixt worship though we have never so much true worship among us God will never be put off with such excuses They mixed themselves in their persons and suffered others to joyn with them neither must Christians suffer the wicked to joyn with theÌ„ in matters of worship Mixt congregations surely if fornicators adulterers profane men are crept in they must when discerned be cast out speedily Now if such as these must be cast out when crept in unawares Note then surely such must not be received in when they are known beforehand to be such and certainly a bare confession of faith is not sufficient or enough to admit a man to the Ordinances for those that are vile and wicked in their lives may make a verbal and outward confession yet far from a true and cordial men may confess with their mouths and yet deny all in their lives as if a man should confess his faith in English and deny it again in Latin yet if any should creep into a Church in which thou art bodied Not to separate
prove this to be true Now God makes them beleeve the truth of that word which before they had slight thoughts of it is wonderful to consider how God brings Sermons into the minds of such upon their sick beds which they had forgotten before it is the office of the Spirit of God to bring the Word into the minds of the Saints though by them it be forgotten John 14.26 But the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send he shall teach you all things and bring all things into your remembrance whatsoever I have taught you But it is another manner of course that God useth to bring the word into wicked mens minds even by his strokes and that not for their comfort but for their horror and distruction It follows VER 13. Wo unto them for they have fled from me destruction unto them because they have transgressed against me though I have redeemed them yet they have spoken lyes against me WO in Scripture sometimes signifies pity and misery here it is to be understood of misery destruction to them They forsake me The word here interpreted forsake signifies to wander it is a woful thing to depart from God much more to wander from God Wo be to you when I depart from you but if you depart from me what will you do In wandring from God thou wanderest from the only Infinite good and then where wilt thou rest the sole of thy foot what shall comfort thee in the time of thy distress It is evil to wander from God but much more to make hast from God It is the Devils plot and custom to hurry backsliding sinners from God that they should not consider what they do and whither they are going he posteth them on in their evil waies as a bird to the snare and knoweth it not that it is for his life Prov. 7.23 Oh how much more should the Saints be put on for God not to be kept off with impediments but let our souls with Davids in Psal 63.8 follow hard after God and Psal 119.63 I made hast and delaied not to keep thy righteous judgments It follows Destruction to them This is the end alwaies of such as depart from God and happy were it if thou couldst see it beforehand Oh how many when they have come to see the end of their waies upon their death beds have given a most dreadful shriek as seeing themselves past recovery They have transgressed against me They have not only sinned against me but have broken covenant also they have now dealt perfideously with the Lord. Before God said He would chastise them but now He would destroy them Covenant breakers ruin make an end of them Utter ruin is the portion of those that break Covenant with me Though I have redeemed them yet they speak lyes against me Some reade it in the future Though I would and was ready to do it yet they say that the way of worship I prescribed is not so successeful and no such blessing follows it they say my Prophets threaten nothing but judgment and utter desolation now saith God All these are lyes it is no such matter I was ready to do them good But the future is often used for the pretertense in the Hebrew and so here the sense is I have not only redeemed them out of Egypt but very often since out of the hands of their enemies And the story which this Scripture refers unto is in 2 Kings 14.27 the Lord wonderfully prospered them in their wars and the Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash It follows But they spoke lyes against him That is They attributed their redemption unto those helps which they had or to their Idols saying in this manner Other people that served not God were delivered as wel as we we see not so much of Gods hand in our deliverance as you speak of Or else They fathered their errors upon me because I delivered Now saith God in this you lye against me They made false interpretations of Gods mercies As that God was no such enemy to this way of worship because he had redeemed them The Notes are Gods reedeeming mercies are great aggravations of our sin When Obs 1 God delivers and we attribute it to any thing in us oâ— that we have done is mighty provoking to God because it takes away his glory in delivering When God delivers a people or person from danger and they now Obs 2 think to sin by this means more freely against him is a lying against God As they in Jer. 7.10 said they were delivered for to do all these abominations Or as that wicked King Philip King of Spain being delivered in a storm said it was to this end That he might root out all the Lutherans So are there not many so vile who being delivered in a sickness or from any great danger think it is that they might sin more freely which is a most hurrible wickedness and lying against the Lord. For any man to urge any false doctrine or opinion upon another is Obs 3 a lying against God Therefore take heed how you bring Scriptures to prove any error which you hold or is maintained by any for God will look upon it but as a lying against him It is a dangerous thing to counterfeit the Kings Stamp simile and is it not much more to counterfeit the Truths of God by errors seemingly maintained by Scripture But to apply this spiritually Use Many whom God hath redeemed from sin hell and wrath to come the hazard of their miscarrying being over yet dare not will not say that God hath shewed mercy unto them they are stil complaining Oh they are still in their sins there is no work of Gods Spirit upon them or if they wil grant there is some change God hath done something upon me that 's true but it is only to aggravate my condemnation it is not in truth God will leave me at the last al this is but in hypocrisie I may perish at last for ought I know Now take heed of this kind of speaking beware what you say in this case lest you be found lyars against God speaking lyes against the Truth of God in your hearts Luther upon these words takes much notice of Gods speaking so in his own person They have departed from Me they have transgressed against Me done wickedly against Me speak lyes against me call not upon Me c. Here note That the great evil of sin lyes in this That it is against God This Obs 1 consideration laid David very low Against thee only have I sinned And this is that which humbles a gracious heart that it should sin so unkindly against God Obs 2 The more a mans sins are directly against God the greater is the sin For now God suffers more immediately in his glory and this puts the aggravation