together in an unanimous way saying Come and let us set about the Lords work with one shoulder every one encouraging each other then there is hope the times of mercy are nigh that people Use a sad presage to But this is our misery the divisions and the rendings that are amongst us being diâ—-joynted each from other Oh the wantones of mens spirits now among us for which God is much displeased and certainly is one great stop in the way of mercy that notwithstanding God hath us in the fire and threatens even our consuming yet that we should not joyn and unite together Obs 4 True penitent hearts seek to get others to joyn with them Oh how glad are they to see any comming on to seek the Lord with them and how careful are they to give encouragement example they perswade them with al gentleness saying Come let us go up to the house of the Lord we have found the Lord very gracious to us Oh come he is good still yea and good to you if you wil come into him if the husband have found God good to him he will perswade the wife the child the servant to come to Christ Thus much of their resolution to return the reason follows For he hath smitten us and he will heal us Hence observe Obs 1 That in times of the greatest sufferings a true penitent heart retains good thoughts of God God hath torn wounded and smitten us what then run away from God think hardly of him No think well of him and bless his Name even when you God in former times have practised Nehemiah Ezra Ezra 9. Neh. 9. Dan. 9 Psal 44. and Daniel in all their miseries how careful were they to acquit and cleer God to be just in all that was come upon them yea the Church in the time of her desertion retains Christ as a King and calls him so so that they have as high esteems of God now in their low condition as in their prosperous estate and as they dare not entertain hard conceipts of God so neither of his Cause nor his People they are not sorry that they have been so far engaged for them Many people are like bad servants simile Use of reproof who while they have every thing fitting that becomes them can give their masters family a good report but let them be crost of their minds and go away in a discontent Oh how vily do they speak of it and as sturdy beggers while they find releef and succor they can give good words and they are their masters and best friends but let them be sent away empty and then what name is bad enough for them so when things goes well with the cause of God and his people they will be on Gods side Oh take heed of being sorry that ever you were engaged so far as you are or thinking to draw back that it had been better you had not been so forward as you have been this is a base and vile spirit see but how low the Church was in affliction and yet with what a gallant spirit she carried it out Psal 44.12 13.15 and 17. verses in these times how is this text fulfilled in the 15. verse how do they complain that men do blaspheam deride and scorn them and in the 17. verse All this is come upon us What then Is not God good and his Cause good that we maintain No God forbid such a thought should enter into us Although all this evil be come upon us yet have we not dealt falsly with thee in thy Covenant Oh let us lay up this truth and it would be a mighty comfort and stay to us in these times and it would be a very good rise to prayer for mark in the 23. verse Awake why sleepest thou Oh Lord arise and help us Those can pray to purpose who in the sorest afflictions can manifest the most fear of God and exercise the most love towards God and his waies notwithstanding Obs 2 A repenting heart is not a discouraged heart It is such a heart as sinks not down in discouragements saying as some do we are a lost people and undone there is no hope we had been better never to have ventured so far as we have but give over what we have done it dares not draw conclusions from what hath been to what is and what will be this is too much presumption for any man David in the Cave can trust in God and hide himself under Gods wing Psal 57.1 So long as there is a God in Heaven this soul will expect help from him a true penitent will expect mercy notwithstanding Gods severity and justice the severity of justice in God cannot keep him from waiting for and expecting of what God hath promised if the soul can but get over this difficulty the deep gulf of Gods justice it will easily get over all other dreadfulness of mens displeasure a repenting heart is a purged heart and therefore not a discouraged but a supported heart those which are unclean of foul and filthy spirits are alwaies jealous of God and his dealings towards them Oh let it appear that we are not of discouraged and sinking spirits by the cleanness of our lives and the purity of our conversations carnal hearts are not discouraged when they have carnal helps to underprop them and shall we be afraid of any difficulty who have God for our help Remarkable is that place The Philistines motive to courage in the battel 1 Sam. 4.9 concerning the speech which was made to the Philistims upon the coming of the Ark into the camp of Israel what a fear were they put into yet how do they encourage themselves Let us fight valiently for our wives and children and estates that we and our little ones be not slaves to the Hebrews So say I let us be couragious in these times and fight for our Liberties Laws and Religion Did we but spend that strength in returning unto God which we do in discouragements Oh how soon would help come for us were we but thus resolved Now though we must not be discouraged when helps and means fail but yet humbled we must be for our sins which cause these breaches see how the Prophet Habackuk mannages this disposition c. 3. v. 16 17. we should improve our humiliation as they did Judges 20. who though in a good cause Judg. 20. a cause which God approved of yet lost fourty thousand men at two battels in the prosecution of it what do they now leave it off and run away No but put on courage and resolution fasted and prayed and humbled themselves before the God of their fathers and then they prospered Oh let us be humbled that we may not be discouraged And as we must not be discouraged so must we not falsly encourage our selves as they said The bricks are fallen down but we can build with hewen stone so say not this Army is lost but we can raise another quickly
God in Scripture are often set out unto us by this similitude of water as in Isa 28.17 Nahum 1.8 look as their anger ran like water so my wrath shall run upon them until they are consumed That Gods wrath is very hot against wicked Governours such as break the bounds of Religion Laws and Covenants the Lord is much displeased against great ones when wicked Numb 25.4 the people of Israel committed a great evil in provoking God by their Idolatry joyning themselves to Baal-Peor and the Lord said Take the heads of Israel The people offended and it was by the encouragement of the Governors therefore their heads must off the people sin and the Governors must suffer because they reproved them not nor restrained them but countenanced them Hence we may note That we had need to pray much for Princes Fearful are the examples which historiaans report of concerning the judgments of God upon wicked Princes Leander in the discription of Italy reports of a cruel Tyrant who perswaded himself that he must give an account to no man none could call him to an account for what he did at last God gave him into the hands of the people who strip'd him naked bound him upon a planck and drew him through the streets in the sight of all the people then made a great fire by him and heated tongs red hot in the fire when they had done thus then proclaimation was made in the Market place that seeing he had wronged so many that he was never able to make satisfaction for the wrong he had done therefore all that had suffered by him should come and have a pull at his flesh with the red hot tongs Another fearful example we have of latter times concerning Charls the 9th about the massacre in France who at that time pretended great love and kindness to the Protestant party invited them to a great marriage feast and at that time by his Commission calls in those bloody miscreants who cruelly murdered the Protestant party there he broke bounds but see how God met with him in a most grievous disease through the violence of which there spurted out blood from him in several parts of his body so that he wallowed in his blood before he died God powred out His wrath upon them in blood who in their life time thirsted after blood Secondly The bounds of Religion and Laws as they keep in obedience Obs 2 so they keep out judgments Pure Religion and good Laws as they are bounds to keep us in duty so they keep judgments and wrath from us And we ought to look upon Laws in both these notions not only to keep us in order and duty but also to keep out wrath if we break our bounds we must look that wrath should break in upon us therefore we had need to do as men that live neer the Sea when the Sea breaks in upon them they presently leave all their other businesses and go about that Our bounds are broken and who is the occasion of it the Lord knows and wrath is broken in upon uâ— at our breaches therefore let us now as one man set about the making up of our breaches Obs 3 Thirdly God punisheth according to mens sins They break the bounds God breaks in with wrath upon them are they resolute in sinning God will be as resolute in his judgments upon them see that text Jer. 44.25 You have sworn and vowed to your superstitions and I have sworn to bring judgment upon you and it shall come to pass Therefore when judgments are upon us Use if we would have them removed we should diligently observe what sins we are guilty of which answereth to the judgment which is upon us for many times we may trace the cause of a judgment by the sin that we are guilty of and if we ever look to have troubles removed we must first remove sin the cause of them VER 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the commandement WRATH in the former verse was threatned against the Princes of Judah who removed the bound And here the Lord returns again to Ephraim in this 11. verse and the 12. verse to Judah and Ephraim both together they being both a provocation to God are plagued both together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word Oppressed in the original is Nashuk translated by Hierom Calumnia Ephraim suffered and was oppressed by false accusations and slanderings for there is an opposition in mens names and estates which the Seventy usually translate by Sycophantia The 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then we may render iâ— thuâ— Ephraim by Sychophants doth suffer a great deal of wrong When there are false reports raised against men they suffer wrong by it false reports are as a false Medium which represents things in another manner than they are As put a staff into the water simile and it shews to be crooked but take it out and 't is not so So the actions of men in the reports of others may seem crooked when in themselves are strait and good And thus was Ephraim broken in judgment though his cause was good yet 't was made bad if he were wronged he could have no releef for himself So that good causes by bad men are many times perverted but the Sainâ—s may support themselves with Pauls comfort who passed not much for mans judgment In this signification the Seventy Translators do often take the word but in this place they express it by another word thus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 English translatioÌ„ Ephraim hath over-powered his adversaries and so hath trod down judgment they interpret it actively But the words are well rendred in your books in the passive participle and so they are to be read Ephraim is broken in judgment Concussus judicio concussio is a Law word signifying such a kind of breaking and oppression as threatneth the utter ruine and undoing of a man by Law As many rich men threaten poor men when they do them any wrong I 'le be even with you I 'l ow you a good turn Or as Magistrates that are corrupt and wicked when they cannot bring poor men to say or do what they would have them they will threaten to undo them or if ever it lie in their power they wil ow them a good turn of which carriage Samuel cleers himself 1 Sam. 12.3 Crimea coÌ„cussionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whom have I defrauded or whom have I * oppressed the word is the same here That is used my power to threaten men to yeeld up their liberties their rights their enjoyments by any power which was in my hands This was the sin of the great Princes here of the ten Tribes Broken in judgment That is Expos Not in Gods judgment upon them but in the judgment of their own cause they were crushed in their estates liberties and laws and that not only by their own Magistrates
and Governors but also by the Assyrian by their own Magistrates they were broken and oppressed good men were discountenanced just causes betraied the whole Court was corrupted and the Laws of the Land which should have held up the bounds were broken they were so broken as a thing which is broken but not quite spoiled with the fall some shreds of it may be made use of so the generality of them were so broken that there was little right to be had for any wrong that was done and as they were thus oppressed in the Prophet Hosea his time so also in the Prophet Amos his time Hosea and Amos contemporaries who prophesied at the same time that our Prophet did Amos 2.7 They pâ—nt after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor What 's that Thus they did not only seek to bring poor men under them but even utterly to destroy them they sought to ruin them and that by perverting of judgment So in Amos 5.11 their oppression grew to such a height that they took the poors wheat from them that if the poor had but gleaned a little wheat in the fields as they brought it home they robbed them of it or if they carried it to the mill they took it from them this was the oppression which was at this time among the ten Tribes from their own Governors But they were also oppressed by the Assyrian they calumniated and reproached them saying Where is now your God in whom you so much trusted Thus much for the opening those words Expos The reason follows Because he willingly followed after the Commandement Quest But some may say What is this such a thing is there so much in this to provoke God The CoÌ„mand Yea this was a great sin for the opening whereof take notice of these three things 1. Whose First Whose Commandement was it they followed it was the Commandement of Jeroboam and his Princes men which had authority and power in their hands and this provoked God so highly against them because they followed the commandements of men who had authority over them this is very strange that this charge should be against Ephraim for this no question but they pleaded thus What am I wiser than my Governors must not I do as they bid me 2 What. Secondly What commandement was it that they followed it was to worship the Calves at Dan and Bethel he worshiped God but it was in a false way and this was the cause which provoked God so against him 3 How soon followed Thirdly He willingly followed the commandement as soon as ever he was commanded he yeilded without any deliberation or consultation with himself whereas he should have stood it out and have bid the worst rather suffered the loss of all than yeilded to their commands as the three children rather suffer the firy furnace than fal down to the Image and thus they should have done as there were some which did though the generallity of them followed after the commandement yet there were some found among Ephraim who would go to Jerusalem to worship the place of Gods appointment in 1 Chron. 11.16 those which set their hearts to seek God they would go up to Jerusalem and not follow Jeroboam to Dan and Bethel though the most went with Jeroboam yet there was a handful that knew God would be worshiped in his own way and in his own place the generallity of the people liked well enough of the Commandement because it was will-worship which pleaseth mans nature best and then it was most for their ease and this was Jeroboams plea I love my peoples ease I would not be so harsh to them therefore come we will worship the true God still 't is but the circumstance of place and that 's no such great matter Vulg. Sordes quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now they willingly followed after the commandement and thereby encouraged Jeroboam in his wicked design they willingly walked after the Command the old Latin expresseth it thus they willingly followed after dregs and the Hebrew word is very nigh the same they walked after filthy dregs and if this were the meaning of it it notes two things First That Jeroboam was willing to have the people enjoy their lusts so he might but enjoy his ends he was willing to give the people their full swing and liberty in their lusts and upon this the baser sort of the people clave to him Jeroboam reasons thus well I must rend the Kingdom from David but how shall I accomplish it I must have the people to assist me in it but how shall I gain them I will let them have their pleasures in sin they shall have their lusts without contradiction and then the most will follow me I shall be sure of the rude multitude the profane in the Kingdom Secondly Post sordes that is after their Idols the Calves which he had set up and the filth which is in them for the Scripture lets out the filthiness of Idolatry by the basest things in the world to dogs vomet the excrements of men Thus much of the words in that sense But they are more full as read in your books and more agreeable to the Original the Notes from them are many Obser 1 First That 't is a great judgment for a people to be under oppression 'T is a very sad affliction for a nation family or person to be under oppression and broken in judgment when good men and good causes are crusht and slighted and wicked men and bad causes prevail and prosper when a mans innocency shall be no help to him Solomon saith this to be a great evil in Eccles 3.16 wickedness was got into the place of judgment God hath promised to deliver his people from this judgment In righteousness shalt thou be established thou shalt be far from oppression Isa 54.14 But these times are not yet come all the world for the most part at this day is under oppression 't is sad to have our estates and our liberties to be broken for conscience Cconscience-oppression is the worst oppression and this was our condition not long since nay and is the condition of many of our deer brethren in many places of this Kingdom it was not long since that he which departed from iniquity made himself a prey was it not come to that pass that the meanest yea the basest persons in a City or Country had power enough in their hands to undo the best Ministers in a Kingdom Oh how was the Kingdom oppressed Parliaments broken the edg of the Law turned against the godly party witness the banishing of men Ministers were oppressed in their estates in their liberties but especially in their consciences if they would not be like the fidlers boy be ready to dance after every pipe in so much that when the Lord gave us a little reviving we were even as men in a dream when we
day this iniquity is also discovered A wanton erronious spirit such opinions as were never known before doubting of the Immortallity of the soul that there is no visible Church upon the face of the earth and all this under the Name of Christ and free grace Now what doth all this but shew thus much that when God would have healed us then our iniquities did appear what sad passages are these of our miseries approaching What an unmerciful spirit is there among us Every one seeking his own and how he may make him and his great in the world and neglecting the poor and those that are in distress we have cause to say Oh Lord what shall become of us Know this that I may not altogether discourage you though our times are miserable yet are they not like unto Israel altogether it cannot be denied but that our Court hath seconded Ephraim which was their Court Court and though the City of Samariah did joyn with Ephraim yet the Citie City with us hath not joyned with Ephraim but the bulk of it hath kept faithful with their God for which mercy the children He lived not to see the late dissention which yet was not total blessed be God though prevailing long yet unborn will have cause to bless God A fift observation is this That when a people grow worse upon the means of healing it is a sign that their condition is desperate Isa 1.15 why should you be smitten any more Ye will revolt yet more and more Jer. 51.9 We would have healed Babylon but she would not forsake her In thy filthiness is lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wouldest not be purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more untill I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Now certainly had not God found a party in this Kingdom which closed with him when he would have healed us we might have had occasion to make use of this Scripture how just were it with God to leave such a people as we are in our healing because we are so impatient under the rod and oppose him even in our healing Arius Montanâ—s quotes it out of Hippocrates that the Physitians in his time Ar. Mont. were bound by an Oath to leave such under their wounds to perish by them that were incorrigable and would not endure the Chirurgions to cure them When a man is engaged in a bad cause and means is used for the convincing of him and yet oft times he will proceed and fly out the worse Oh the vileness of mens spirits in this thing we had need take heed what we engage our selves in that the thing be good the cause warrantable how many men are there which break their consciences rather than yeild to take shame to themselves for their sin Oh what cause have we to fall down and be humbled for our iniquity and to say as they in Jer. 14.18 19 20. So for particular Towns and places where God sends the Gospel the means of grace and that people is the worse for it they have cause to tremble at it do not cry out against the preaching of the Word as if that were the cause of it wheÌ„ men are worse for preaching an evil sign this were most wicked and abominable it was thus in Christs time we never read of any possessed with Devils before Christ came now shâ—ll we say it had been better that Christ had not come Oh blame not the Ministry but your own hearts and consider of this you that God is working upon the Lord comes close by the Ministry of his Word to heal you and then you discover your wickedness and rotten hearts the Lord he stirs such a conscience and begins to heal the soul now 't is the Devils policy to spoil such beginnings now thinks the Devil if I can make such a soul to commit a sin against conscience or live in the omission of any known duty the word then will never work more to do such a man good I have heard of a man who being troubled in conscience for committing that great sin of uncleanness the Devil tempting him to commit it again and told him if he would he should never be troubled more for it the poor man yeilding to do it and venturing upon it again after he had done it he was never tempted again nor troubled more but presently lay in a wanzeing languishing senceless condition and so died Oh take heed of this you that are convinced in your consciences of the evil of such and such courses for it is the great policy of the Devil to make thee who art convinced in conscience to sin against conscience and then he thinks the work is lost the Devil doth not much fear the Words working upon him whom he hath prevailed over to live in secret known sins and to venture upon the commission of sins against conscience you who are under Gods hand of cure be silent and submit quietly under Gods hand and be not froward as many are in their troubles of conscience but hearken for a word from God Troubled Consciences as the men of Benhadad did from that King in 1 King 20.33 hearkened diligently whether any words of comfort fel from him and they catched at them hastily Know that it were just with God to make you as that people Isa 6.10 that your hearts should be made fat This concerns all people but especially those that are in trouble of conscience those that God begins to stir and work upon take heed I say doth Christ himself begin to work upon you doth he desire to heal you is he willing to offer his blood to cure you by applying it to your wounded consciences Let not the corruptions of your hearts now break forth now take heed of sins against conscience lest he let you to perish in your lusts be willing to let God alone to do his work in you lie quiet and still take heed of murmuring and repining speeches but follow on the work begun and beseech him not to leave you till the work be compleated in you and the great hazard of your miscarrying over little do you imagine the wait and burden of those sins will be upon conscience which now you commit against conscience what a torment will it be to thy conscience to think that at such a time I felt Jesus Christ coming to heal my soul in the Ministry of his Word Oh happy had it been for me if I had lain under his hand and to have kept his salve upon my sore but because it was for the present troublesom and smart I cast it off and went into such company and listened unto such temptations and by this means have wounded my soul anew most desperately and now what can I expect but that the Lord should for ever forsake me and leave me to die in my sins and wallow in my blood and his eye not pity me make me to inherit
197 Cause A good Cause may be lost by too much depending on it Page 388 Comfort see beasts Commands Commands to superstition usually find obedience Page 473 Communion How communion is defiled by the presence of wicked men Page 373 Creature The good or evil of the creature depends upon man Page 67 Contend God contends not without cause Page 21 God contends not for little things Page 22 Condition The condition of the person offending aggravates the sin Page 118 The poor condition of such as are rich only in this world Page 434 Conscience How pride of conscience may be discerned Page 395 Contempt Contempt of the word a constant companion to Idolatry Page 363 Controversie Controversies between them that are neer are grievous controversies Page 2 The controversie of Gods with sinners is very grievous Page 5 Gods controversie against England Page 8 Gods controversie with Covenant-breakers is dreadfull Page 26 Covetousness The covetousness of Priests Page 93 Counsels Perplexed counsels are a fearful judgment to a Nation Page 170 Court see Evil Curiosity see Superstition Carnal see Agreements Carthaginians The Carthaginians Law concerning Magistrates Page 660 Christ Christ became miserable for our consolation Page 548 Christs speech of neglect of parents expounded Page 604 Choice see Spirits Clouds Clouds and dew passing what it implies Page 576 Communicative see Nature Consolation Consolation to those whose friends have perished in Gods Cause Page 589 Comfort see God Consideration What considerations move men best to turn to God Page 536 Correction see Means Court see Idolatry Church see Assemblies Courage Motives to courage Page 535 Covenant The Covenant which God hath made with man is three-fold Page 622 The portion of Covenant-breakers Page 686 Cut-down How to know when a man is cut down Page 595 D Danger The danger of forsaking the truth Page 386 The danger of depending upon duties Page 403 Dangerous It is dangerous to venture upon the beginnings of false worship Page 354 It is dangerous to be deeply rooted in superstition Page 355 Defiled Defiled worship defiles the soul Page 372 Defiled see Nation Defilement A twofold defilement Page 371 Deny We should deny our selves to promote the true worship of God Page 357 Disappointment Disappointment brings shame Page 326 Distinction There ought to be a distinction made between the children of wicked and of godly Ministers Page 130 Disrespect Disrespect breeds shame Page 325 Divination How the Heathens were wont to divine by staves Page 134 Dogs Wicked men are dogs Page 73 Duty What the duty of Ministers is Page 141 What the duty of Christians is Page 474 Dying What a dying and terrified conscience is Page 500 Danger Danger see Night Daies see Festival Difference Dangerous It is dangerous to men to let good beginnings fall Page 583 See Hypocrisie Daniels case in prayer opened Page 611 Deliverance All deliverance comes from heaven Page 566 Destruction see wilfulness Difference Difference between Gods setting daies apart and mans setting daies apart Page 661 Discovery see Morning Duties see Natural Drunkenness Drunkenness brings diseases Page 663 E Education The custom of the Romans concerning the education of their children Page 421 Emperor Emperors called and accounted the Popes Dogs Page 117 England England admonished Page 86 A warning for England Page 375 see Controversie End The end of duties is to find out God Page 411 Evil The reason why there was so much evil at Court Page 115 See Punishment Example The example of wicked parents is not to be followed by their children Page 429 Excellency The excellency of grace makes sin the worse Page 179 Experience Experience of our late Prelates Page 358 Emperor An Emperor may be kept from the Sacrament Page 577 England The men of England of perverse spirits Page 572 Englands superstition reproved Page 589 England guilty of blood by calling murder manslaughter Page 627 Englands wickedness Page 641 Evil see Slander Excuses Mens excuses Page 570 Exhortation Exhortations to mercy Page 615 Experience The Saints experience Page 564 Expostulation see Form Expressions Scripture expressions against formality Page 621 F False worship The evils false worship doth in a Nation Page 138 Families The families of wicked Ministers are many times forgotten Page 97 Failings God looks not at the particular failings of a State Page 382 Flower The glory of the world is but as a flower Page 64 Formal God delights not in formal professors Page 412 Framing Notes of framing ones heart to the will of God Page 381 Faith Faith makes God real in the saddest condition Page 542 An eminent prop of faith Page 548 See Unworthiness and Repentance False Prophets False Ptophets are not to be followed Page 588 False Worship False Worship is to be trembled at Page 633 Festival daies Festival daies are usually distempering daies Page 664 Form A form of expostulation with ones soul Page 570 G Gilgal Wherein Gilgal was famous Page 183 Given A dreadful thing to be given over of God and why Page 207 Glory see Flower God God is a God of truth Page 23 God is no respecter of person Page 118 We should seriously mind what God doth Page 338 Gods pleading with man is not to be neglected Page 345 How God rebukes men Page 363 God will deal with men according to their present waies Page 370 God is not engaged to any Page 402 God delights most in his second right Page 405 God will not alwaies be found Page 411 God never smites a people before he warns them Page 452 God is a moth and rottenness and how Page 477 See Real Controversy Contend Punish Wrath Holiness Good works The good works of the Saints shall return unto them Page 121 Governors Governors of families should be careful of their families Page 154 The Governors of the people are usually the causes of the evils of the people Page 198 See Rulers Grace see Excellency God God will have glory from men Page 516 Gods usual way of comforting his people Page 520 God works by contraries Page 540 God doth not willingly grieve men Page 669 See Heart Keep Leave Penitent Mercies bound Governors see Wicked Great-men Great men are not easily reformed Page 577 Grounded We must be well grounded in the cause we suffer for Page 540 H Hard Hard truths are hardly born Page 2 The signs of an hard heart Page 515 Heathens Why the Heathens sacrificed undrr trees Page 149 A notable speech of an Heathen Page 552 Heart The secrets of mans heart are known to God Page 367 The heart of man is knotty Page 593 See Framing Argument Hard Note Herod Herods mercy in time of famine Page 30 Holiness God putteth a stamp of holiness upon the places he chuseth Page 143 Hope There is little hope of private means when publick means fail Page 85 Humble An humble man knows much of the mind of Christ Page 396 Help We should help those that suffer for a good cause Page 574 Heal How God healeth Page 640 Hypocrites see
they do God good service to slay and to root out that generation of Gods people that is here in England and they would be confident that it is the mind of God that they should be rooted out Therefore we had need look to it to make up our peace with God that the controversie between him and us may not prove to be their victory The Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the Land There are only two notes to be further observed hence God having to deal with poor earthen creatures he might presently have let his wrath out against them and destroyed them But Mark God is willing to have his cause pleaded with vile creatures so that all the while he is pleading there is time and space for them to come in This teacheth us this excellent lesson Observ That men should be willing that the cause that is between them and their inferiours should be pleaded and not stand so much upon their superiority and scorn to humour an inferiour so much as to have any matter debated between them As husband and wife if a controversie be between them though the one be superiour and the other inferiour think it not much to debate it between themselves with meekness and love Job 31.13 profest he did not despise the cause of his man-servent when he contended with him but he would have that pleaded and made out Jehovah the mighty God condescendeth to put his cause to a suit he will not pass sentence upon poor creatures til it come to a tryal Be not surly and scornful towards your inferiours Another Note The inhabitants of the Land lies a little more couched The inhabitants of the Land what Land The inhabitants of the Land of Canaan a controversie with them Mark God fulfilled his promise in bringing them into the Land of Canaan and now he pleadeth with them for the forfeiture of their promise Psal 105.44 45. he tells them that he had given them the lands of the Heathen that they might observe his Statutes and keep his Laws that was their condition God fulfilled hiâ— part he bringeth them into the land but when they were in the land they minded not their part You know God often gave them charge when they came into the land to do this and this they promised they would do it but when they were once brought into the land they forgot it they forsook God God now comes and pleads with the inhabitants of this land As if he should say I have done my part in bringing you into the land now I come to plead with you for breaking your promise and covenant Take this note from hence Whatsoever mercy you have from God you are to look upon it as a fruit of Gods faithfulness to you if you be Gods and as a ground of your obedience to him Observ and his pleading with you if you walk not answerable to it The inhabitants of the Land Hierome hath another note upon it but that is further off I will only name it Rightly saith he are they called to answer and to judgment that are the inhabitants of the land and do not look upon themselves as sojourners and strangers in the land But he that can truly say with the Prophet I am a pilgrim a stranger here such a one can never do that which may cause God to have a controversy against him This is the reason men do that which causeth God to have a controversie with them because they look upon themselves as possessors of the land and not as pilgrims and strangers But this is too far off The second part followeth God declareth A sute first is entred against such a man when the Court day comes there is calling for a declaration the Lawyer declares God doth so and the Prophet is Gods Lawyer and here are three Articles put in thiâ— declaration Because there is no Truth no Mercy no knowledg of God in the land First in general that there is a declaration take these two useful notes from thence First God contendeth not with a people without a cause How many are there that strive and contend one with another without any cause at all they vex and rage contend and sue and great controversies there are but if we come to examin the cause we can find nothing at all great dull is raised but whence is it if we look to the bottom and examin wherefore it is we can see just nothing they themselves know no cause they can give no rational account of all their pleading one against another As David said to Eliah his eldest brother 1 Sam. 17.29 when Eliah came and wrangled with him saith David What have I now done is there not a cause Eliahs spirit was up through his envy chiding and wrangling with David but what have I done saith David have not I cause for what I did Thus many have their spirits up chiding and wrangling but examin the cause and they can show none at all How many are there of bitter spirits who even go about like mad-dogs snarling at every one even at those they know not with whom they had never any thing to do yet cry out against them railing upon them every where Ask them do you know the man can you prove any hurt against him The truth is they know him not they are not able to make good what they say only there is a general noise of such and such men that they do thus and thus and so they bite and snail and rage against them but when all comes to all they know no cause Such and such men they say disturb the Kingdom and trouble the people a greaâ— deal of cry but little wool the foundations of the earth are out of order but what hath the righteous done You would think when you hear such railings and cryings out against such and such men that they were the most monstrous men upon the earth but examin what it is that they have done there is nothing God doth not so with you God never contendeth with man but for a just cause Secondly Because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledg of God in the land but by swearing and lying and stealing c. From whence in the general there is this God contendeth not against a people for little things Obâ— when God saith he hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land it is not for trifles for ordinary infirmities for dayly excursions but for great notorious things Not that little things do not deserve a controversie but it is from the vertue and fruit of the Covenant that this comes to passe in others that are not in Covenant little things make a controversie but between Gods children and himself they are not little things that make a controversie But men are of froward spirits every trifle is enough to make a controversie between them Yea usually thâ— greatest controversies between neerest friends is some trifle or
distemper of the hearts of many people amongst us that they commit sin and take liberty to themselves to satisfie the lusts of the flesh and what will they do They will pray to God to forgive them and some go so far that they will fast and then sin again and then pray and fast again and then to it again thinking to put off God with such kind of sacrifices as these are It is true we are all linners and we must repent and so tin and repent and sin and repent again and so make repentance that should be the death of their sins a means to nourish their sins The Priests here did abuse the type the sacrifices they lighten the hearts of people by telling them that there was a sacrifice to expiate their sin and have you not at this day many that abuse the Antitype as much that tell the people with such kind of expressions as there Sin at fast as you can there is a sufficient sacrifice for sin it is but to beleeve in Christ Christ hath shed his blood for the greatest sins of all and sin as fast as you can yet there is a price paid for sin It is true there may be some truth in the words some matter in them without cloathing them with such absurdities that is that there is a sacrifice for the greatest sin but now to speak to people upon this in such a manner sin as fast as you can there is a sacrifice for sin for it is the manner the Modus that doth either encourage or keep back people from sin I appeal unto you whether have you not many that do reveal Christ in such a way and manner and open the rich and glorious free grace of God in Christ as is an encouragement to people unto sin It is true when they come to be examined they deny it no God forbid they do not encourage men to sin they only tel them of Gods free grace Yea but they tell them of it in such a manner without such cautions as prudent wise conscionable Ministers use to do And therefore you find that all your lewd and looser sort of Professors close with them because they have such a way of preaching of free grace It appears that in Hierome his time there were such a kind of people for he hath this expression of some in his daies Ierom against the abusers of Free-grace when they saw any to live wickedly they would say thus to them you sin and offend but God requireth nothing else but only abide in the truth of the faith do but beleeve and that is enough And again he hath a further expression which faith if you do but keep God doth not so much regard your lives what they are only looks that you do beleeve And by this means faith he men repent not neither are they humbled but they walk up and down with a stretched out neck you shall find them by their very gate they walk so peartly abroad and cast up their heads because they think they hold the true faith and so take liberty to sin The Church hath been continually troubled with this generation and no mervail there be such men now amongst us for there being not yet a full Reformation for we are but in the way tending toward it and all things cannot be reformed at once therefore some kind of liberty for the present is permitted to such men and therefore I say no mervail that we have such among us that are of such spirits to abuse the free grace of God and lighten the hearts of men in their sin by telling of them there is a sacrifice in Christs death sufficient to pay for all And so much for this eighth verse Verse 9. And there shall be like people like Priest and I will punish them for their waies and reward them for their doings THE Lord threatning of the ten Tribes especially points his threats against the Priests as the great cause of the evil both of the sin and punishment of the people as ever they have been Evil Ministers in a countrey have been a chief cause of the sin and of the misery of the Countrey Divers of Gods threats against them we saw before and still it follows There shall be like people like Priest Here is a mixt threat both against Priest and people They have made themselves like one another in sin Obser God will make them like one another in punishment They joyn themselves together in sin and were alike there God wil joyn them in judgment and they shal be alike there too There is a likeness between people and Priest upon two grounds I mean in evil especially First They are like in sin one to another usually from the just judgment of God upon people When people dislike the powerful Ministry of the word Obser when their hearts cannot bear a spiritual and lively Ministry God in just judgment sendeth unto them Ministers according to their very lusts Ministers that shall be sutable unto that very disposition of their hearts to harden them in it And this is a fearful judgment upon a people They may rejoyce and bless themselves in it and think themselves now quiet and in safety and say they have got a very honest man a brave man a quiet man amongst them but while they are rejoycing the wrath of God is in a most dreadful manner let out against them in sending them a Minister according to their lusts As God threatneth in Ezek. 14.4 If a man set up an Idol in his heart God will answer him according to his Idol so when people set up Idols in their hearts their hearts are bent unto such and such lusts and wicked waies God in his just judgment will answer them according unto their own hearts and lusts they shall have such Ministers sent amongst them as will harden them in those wicked waies Again secondly Like people like Priest In evil in regard of the great influence that there is mutualy from the Priests to the people and from the people to the Priests so they come to be like one another in evil Sometime from the people to the Priests If people be Malignants and superstitious and loose and vain the Priests that are among them being carnal they will seek to humour them they love to be made of by them and therefore they preach such things as may suit with such kind of humours But this is a very vile thing It is an extream dishonor to the Ministry of the word to subject it unto the lusts of men It is this that makes it so contemptible in the eyes of wicked men Though they be pleased with it yet the truth is the suiting of their lusts makes the Ministry of the word contemptible How is that you will say they are pleased with it commend such men and like them well While they commend the men and like them well yea like what they say yet they contemn the
Ministry upon this ground because they come to see that even their ministry is under their humours and it is to please their humours upon this they look upon themselves and their lusts as above the Ministry and so despise any authority in it They are pleased with the suiting of it to their lusts but they despise it in regard of any authority for they see apparantly it is under their humors In Revel 19.10 Rev. 19.10 When John did but fall down to worship an Angel Opened the Angel cometh to him and saith O see thou do it not why for I am thy fellow servant and have the testimony of Jesus What you a Minister that have the testimony of Jesus to fall down to an Angel An Angel what is an Angel The glory of an Angel it is to be a fellow servant with you and to have the same testimony of Jesus that you have A Minister must not in hiâ— ministry fall down under the lusts of any man living upon this ground bccause he hath the testimony of Jesus with him It is true those that are Ministers in regard of themselves should be willing to be under all servants unto all for Christ they should I say be willing to put their persons under every man for Christ but they should keep their Ministry above every man Their Ministry and the authority of that is to be kept above the greatest and that for Christ too Again A great influence as from people to the Minister so from the Minister to the people Look how Ministers are so usually the people are Like Priest like people especially in evil they have an influence there You know it almost in all places where you have malignant superstitious Ministers you have accordingly such kind of people Jerem. 23.10 The land is ful of adulterers saith the text then in the next verse For both Prophet and Priest are prophane that is the reason And again vers 14. I have seen saith God in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing they commit adultery and walk in lyes they also strengthen the banâ— of evil doers that none doth return from his wickedness Here we â—ee how they harden others in sin they walk in lyes they tell people we need not be so strict we may take more liberty it is but the fancies and humors of such and such men they walk in lyes and so they strengthen mens hands in wickedness and none returneth from his wicked waies And then verse 15. From the Prophet there goes prophaness quite thorough the land if they be prophane and wicked they have an influence quite thorough the land to make the whol countrey wicked and prophane And on the other side there is a great influence in the Ministry of the word upon people for good many times If Ministers continue painful faithful conscionable it is very rare but that they bring people to some kind of obedience or other Very few godly conscionable powerful Ministers that have lived any time in any place but they leave some savour of their spirits behind them that in their people you may find the savour of such a Ministry It was wont to be said Da Ambrosios et habebimus Theodosios let us have Ambroses and we shall have Theodosius's Let us have godly Ministers at Court and we shall have godly Princes that is the meaning The reason why Theodosius was so good it was because he had an Ambrose So we find it in 2 King 12.2 that Jehoash so long as Jehojada the Priest lived did that which was right in the sight of the Lord so long as he had a godly Minister with him that instructed him he did that which was right in the eyes of God No mervail then so much evil at Court and other places because we know what kind of Ministers they ever have had And because of the influence that a Minister hath upon people hence it is that the evil and malignant party ever desire to nourish these Ministers and the force of their rage and malice is against godly Ministers for like Minister like people they think and indeed supposing their principles it is but that which is prudential for their ends for when they cry out and say that these Ministers are the cause of al they say true there is some kind of truth in it that is they are the cause to discover to people their evil and wicked waies and to cause those to whom they preach to cleave to the truth and that is it their spirits do vex and rage at that they see the Ministry of the Word prevail so much upon the people as it doth Therefore I remember a pulicie that I have read of Xerxes that when he was in straights by reason of Agiselaus who prevailed much in his countrey he took this course he sent men with good store of money to corrupt the Towns in Greece and they went and corrupted Athens and Thebes and so caused great disturbance in Greece by reason of which Agiselaus was sent for home to look to his own Countrey They went especially for the Universities Athens and Thebes and there corrupted the Orators and so thought to prevail much It hath been the policie of our men in these daies to corrupt Universities much thinking by Scholers and others there to prevail most There is a story of the Wolves that they would make a league with the Sheep but they would by any means have one article granted that was that their Shepheards must be delivered up unto them and then they would be at peace with the Sheep and do them no hurt I make no question but if our adversaries should come to article with us there is no one thing they would stand more upon than the delivery up of the shepheards and then there would be good peace between the Wolves and the sheep Like people like Priest They are like in evil and they shall be like in punishment they shall be involved in the same punishment I will make the Priests as contemptible and as miserable as the vilest of the people their places exalted them above others and their sin hath made them as vile as others and so they shall be dealt withal accordingly You will say what great judgment is here threatned that like people like Priest Yes certainly to them the judgment was very bitter and grievous was most against the hair for the Priests have at all times been puffed up with their callings so that they looked upon themselves as above the people abundantly looked down to the people with scorn and contempt The Pharisees in John 7.49 This people say they who know not the Law are cursed this same vulgar sort are they that are accurst so these Priests here though the truth is they were made of the vilest of the people as they were in Jeroboams time for it is spoken of those yet being once got up into that place they were puffed up as if they
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
families and pray together and sing together Our condition is not yet as it is here threatned against Israel that they should be as a lamb in a large place bleating up and down and none to regard them If one should be in some parts of Germany and there see an English man in some great straight simile wring his hands and making grievous complaints and no body succouring of him or helping him there he remembers what he hath been in England in what fashion he hath lived and now there is none regards him this were a sad condition This is the condition here threatned They shall be fed as a lamb in a large place Verse 17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols Let him alone You have heard before that God gives warning unto Judah to take heed of the sins of Israel of the ten Tribes And many arguments are used some you have heard and others remain This 17. verse hath two strong arguments for it First Ephraim is joyned to Idols Ephraim engaging himself in that way of false worship is now so in wrapped in that sin and guilt that he cannot tel how to get out he is joyned to it Note As it is the way of Idolaters and the curse of God upon them that when they are once got into that sin it is very hard ever to recover them out of it Take heed Judah that you come not into it Secondly As he is joyned so being strongly set upon his Idols so the Lord hath given him up to his Idols There is this curse of God upon him to say Let him alone Oh Judah take heed what you do then So that these words are brought in as two arguments to perswade Judah not to do as Israel hath done and indeed all the remainder too of this Chapter is brought in this way To speak then of these Ephraim is joyned to Idols Ephraim why Ephraim was dead long ago Ephraim was one of the Patriarches the child of a Patriarch at least he was the grand-child of Jacob and he had a great blessing upon him Gen. 48.20 In thee shall Israel bless and shall say God make thee like Ephraim Ephraim had a special blessing upon him such a blessing as that the rest of the Tribes should say God bless thee and make thee like Ephraim for Josephs tribe was in Ephraim and Mannasses and yet now it is said that Ephraim is joyned to Idols Why Ephraim Because that the chief of the ten Tribes that were now joyned to Idols were the children of Ephraim Exposit 1 for Ephraim and Mannasses stood in stead of Joseph that Patriarch and the children I say of Ephraim were those that were joyned to Idols which were the chief of the ten Tribes From whence the first Note is this That Children that are wicked they are great disgraces and dishonors unto their parents Obs 1. Ephraim that was dead long before suffers dishonor by his children that are now joyned to Idols Use Let children out of reverence and respect to their parents take heed what they do Secondly All the ten Tribes were joined to Idols why then Exposit 2 is Ephraim named rather than any of the other The reason is this because that Jeroboam and the Princes were all of the tribe of Ephraim and therefore all is put upon them He doth not say the ten Tribes are joyned to Idols but Ephraim is because indeed the Idolatry of all the other nine Tribes was from the Idolatry of Jeroboam and the Princes that were of the Tribe of Ephraim From whence another Note is this That The Governours of people are usually the causes of the evil of the Obs 2 people and especially in the point of false worship If Governours be superstitious and Idolaters if they will favour Idolatry all the people usually or the generallity of them will go that way They contract the guilt of the Idolatry of all the false worship of the people Ephraim doth Jeroboam and the Princes that were of that Tribe contracts all the guilt of the Idolatry of all the ten Tribes therefore it is said Ephraim only as if only Ephraim was joyned to Idols Governours therefore that are superstitious and Idolatrous have woful guilt upon them and we have cause to lament their condition exceedingly We reade in that second of Matthew where the wise men came to enquire after the King of the Jews they came from a far Countrey they said they had seen his star and they desired to know where the place was that he should be born in It was a mighty work such a work as did trouble Herod and al Jerusalem with him was in a mighty trouble what this should be a strange thing that such wise men should come so far from a far Country and tell us of a star that appeared and that a King of the Jews should be born all the people were troubled together with the King so as that they called a counsel of all the chief Priests and the Scribes and such as were expert in the Law to know where Christ should be born and this Counsel told them that the place was to be in Bethlehem and upon that the wise men according to their direction or according to the star Note went to find out the place But mark you do not reade of any one of all the people of Jerusalem that went with the wise men Although they were stirred at it and thought it a wonderful work that a star should thus appear and that these wise men should come and enquire for the King of the Jews and that their own Teachers should tell them that he was to be born at Bethlehem and thereupon they went to Bethlehem to search it out yet I say we do not reade that any of the people went with them No they durst not because of Herod Herod that was then their Prince he did not frame that way and therefore not one of the people would follow after the wise men to search after Christ So it is usual that when Governors discountenance the waies of God the people generally do as they do And especially Governours that are in waies of superstition and Idolatry and together with those waies shall give people liberty to satisfie their lusts then they will cleave unto them indeed as Jeroboam and the rest of the Princes did they set up a false way of worship and together with that they gave libety unto the people to satisfie their lusts as appeared partly before and will further appear in this prophesie And this was one special way by which they gained the hearts of the people to them in their false worship because they gave scope and liberty to their lusts Let any Princes and Governors set up and countenance any false way of worship and together with it give liberty to the people for the satisfying of their lusts and they will gain enow unto them there is no cause to wonder that such Princes should
of God to people when they understand not only the way of Gods worship in the lump but they understand the form and the fashion and the Ordinances and the Laws the circumstances and all the several waies the exactness of the worship of God Note For we must not look upon any thing in the worship of God as worthy to be neglected but we must have respect to all the forms and fashions and Ordinances of Gods house God standeth much upon his worship in every punctilio and it is a great mercy of God to reveal to us every point of his worship It is true man stands much upon form and God standeth much upon form Many deny the power of godliness but keep the form of it they are much set upon their forms and God is much set upon his forms If you be set upon forme for worship look upon Gods worship he is much set upon forms in his woâ—ship And mark then when we are ashamed of what we have done then we shall understand the Laws of the house but first we must be ashamed and throughly humbled for our former superstitious sacrifices and then we shall come to understand the right way of Gods worship in his own Temple we must not expect it before Many people they cry out we are at a loss we know not what to do we have rejected indeed false worship and in some measure we see that that is vile but we know not what way to set up in Gods house what are the forms and fashions thereof and the hearts of people tremble to think what may come to be determined fearing lest things will not be found out fearing dissentions and disagreement Would you but know how you should come to understand the right way of Gods house in the worship and government of it Be ashamed of your sacrifices be ashamed of what you have done And above all men those that are betrusted to find out the Laws Ministers and forms fashions and Ordinances of Gods house above all men they are to be ashamed of what they have done to be ashamed first of their sacrifices And that should be your prayer that God would humble them for all their former superstitious sacrifices that so they may come to have revealed to them the form and fashion of Gods house and being revealed to them they may reveal it to you There is a necessity that those men that have been guilty of superstitious waies of worship that they should be ashamed first of that before they can come to understand the right way of the house of God Let them be men of never such excellent parts and abilities Note yet except they be first ashamed for what they have done and thoroughly humbled they cannot expect to understand the waies of Gods house in the forms and fashions and ordinances of it In Ezek. 44.10 11 12 13. there God threatneth those Priests that did depart from him when Israel dedarted that did depart from him to false worship that they should beare their iniquity that they should never come neare to him seeing they departed in the general departure and did not keep close to the true worship of God they must bear their iniquity they must not come near unto God only God would be content they should be imployed in some meaner out-services Applic. And therefore it may be that God will not use some men of choice parts in any great work of his to do him any great service that 's the meaning of the text that those that did depart from God when there was a general departure of the Nation when Israel did depart they would comply with them to save their skin and they would conform to those superstitious waies then did the Lord swear lift up his hand against them that though they shall be imploied in some meaner services yet they shal not come near him And I say it maâ— be feared that the Lord may do so against some of us How ever except there be extraordinary repentance taking shame unto themselves though they may be men of excellent parts the Lord may remember what they have done when Israel departed from God what their compliances were And though the Lord may make still use of them in some ordinary work yet he may lift up his hand against them that they shal never be imployed never blest in any choice work he hath to do God may justly leave them to such waies as that they shall cast themselves in a great measure out of the hearts of the Saints because he doth not delight to use them in any special service and so their shame shal stick upon them while they live and the more honor they seek the more shame will God certainly cast upon them Jer. 3.25 saith the Church there We lie down in our shame Oh there is cause that such men should lie down in their shame those that are of discerning spirits and observe the waies of men and the waies of God they cannot but see that those men should lie down in their shame for so long as yeilding to superstitious vanities and submission to false power was useful to them to save their estates their liberties and livings they would yeild and they would submit and then their judgments alter when times alter when other waies come to be countenanced publickly then they are of other judgments than they were before so long as they could not make use of another way they were not of that judgment now when they can make use of it and there is more countenancing of it how soon is their judgment altered yea and so altered as presently to grow even bitter against their brethren of another judgment Note Surely a great deal more cause there is that they and we all of us should take shame to our selves lie down in our shame a while and so carry things in all humility in all meekness in suspition of our selves and of our own judgments in love to our brethren remembring that we our selves were of another judgement and opinion not long since And therefore our hearts I say should be very low and gentle and very tender and meek even toward all with whom we have to do And further God hath a time to make al carnal men ashamed Obs 2 of their sacrifices We will a little raise up our meditations somewhat higher from this They shall be ashamed of their sacrifices All sacrifices not only superstiâ—â—ous and idolatrous but all other sacrifices that come short of the rule will at length cause shame As carnal men that tender up many services unto God and that lay such weight upon their services as to lay their claim to Heaven and interest in God upon their sacrifices God hath a time to make them ashamed of all these sacrifices Al now when God shal discover the vanity of their prayers if God should but shew to us al and to the whol company here each
so far as it concerns his own act what I am to do so far as I must answer before God I must judg it so but if I be taught and commanded by authority one thing and I judg another I go upon mine own peril that is if I do not judge right I sin against God and incur punishment from God and I must run the hazard but to judge that which must be the rule of my act that is a certain truth belonging unto every man Give ear ye house of the King And there is put an Ob unto this besides the other Give ear Oh house of the King for though it comes in last yet that 's the principal indeed for what can superstitious and Idolatrous Priests do what hurt except they be countenanced by the house of the King Give eare therefore Oh house of the King Oh house that is the King himself with all his Courtiers Kings and Princes must have sin charged upon them and be made to know that they are under the threats of God as well as any Obser For judgment is against you Mark it he doth not put all this evil upon ill Counsellers that got into the house of the King but he puts it directly upon the house of the King it self Ill Princes may be as great a cause why there are ill Councellors Note as ill Counsellors why there are ill Princes Ill Counsellors usually see what the design of a Prince is and what is sutable to his disposition and they blow up nourish and help that with their evil counsel But were it that the design of Princes and their dispositions were right they might have Counsellors about them to further that which is right too Certainly it is no excuse for Princes to cherish flatterers and wicked ones about them then to say they were advised to such a way For if the teaching of the Priests and the coÌ„mâ—nds of Princes do not excuse people but they must see a rule for what they do then Counsellors about Princes connot excuse them but they ought to see the rule for what they do too It is the unhappiness of Princes to have none about them to charge them personally with their sins I mean in the Name of God to shew them the evil and the danger of their sins It was wont to be said as heretofore I have told you Da Ambrosios plur habebimus Theodosios Let us have Ambroses and we shall have Theodosius's because of his freedom of spirit with that Emperor And besides to another Emperor Valentinian saith he Noli te extollere Imperator si vis diutius imparare esto Deo subditus Do not lift up thy self Oh Emperor if you will be Emperor longer if you will reign longer be willing to be subject unto God And we know with what freedom of spirit the Prophets in former times spoke even to Kings houses You know that of Samuel 1. Sam. 12. ult If you do wickedly you shall perish both ye and your King So Elijah to Ahab Thou art he that troublest Israel So Elisha to Jehoram 2 King 3.13 14. What have I to do with thee and yet Jehoram came to the Prophet in an humble way what have I to do with thee Get thee to the Prophets of thy father And were it not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat the King of Judah I would not look toward thee nor see thee This he said to a great King Great liberty have others had in the Primitive times to speak thus unto Princes And a great cause of the evil of these latter daies hath been the flatteries of those that have been at Court therefore saith the Prophet here Hear ye Oh house of the King Kings are great indeed above other men but what are they before the great God Psal 76.12 He shall cut off the spirit of Princes he is terrible to the Kings of the earth Psal 105.12 When they were but few in number yea very few and strangers in the land when they went from one Nation to another from one Kingdom to another people he suffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes He reproved Kings for the sake of his own people when they were but few in number and went wandring from one Nation to another said Touch not mine anointed that is touch nor my Saints He gave Kings warning that they should take heed how they did so much as Touâ—h his Church touch his own people Gods people are there called his Anointed and it is said unto Kings that they should not touch his anointed that were so few and wandered up and down from one Nation to another Say thus even to the house of the King Expos 2. But yet further The house of the King is named last here is named after the house of Israel why so Not that the house of Israel were more guilty than the house of the King but because the house of the King could least endure reproof that is one reason given of it they could hardly bear reprehension therefore in wisdom so far the Prophet would go he would begin with the other and being in a way of reprehension with the other then he comes in with the house of the King Obser Though they are to be reproved for evil yet some due respect ought to be given unto them Judgment Judgment is toward you saith the Prophet Judicium here is taken either actively or passively Actively pro actu Judicij so Junius it was their part to judg out of the Law and so he would reade it thus Judgment is yours Oh house of the King you ought to judg the people in righteousness But I rather think that here it is to be taken passively that is that God calls you to judgment to suffer Judgment judgment is toward you Note or against you And observe I beseech you the difference between the beginning of the fourth Chapter and the beginning of the fifth In the fourth Chapter it was but a controversie a strife that God had with them Hear the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel for the Lord hath a controversie with the land But here you have another word now it is come to judgment that which before was but a contending with them is now come to a judgment of them to a passing of sentence upon them judgment is against you sentence is out upon you The former was Gods pleading against them and this now is Gods judging of them When God pleadeth against us that is the Note from thence let us not neglect his pleas Observ Gods pleadings for they will come to a sentence and then we are gone If we neglect when he begins to plead his cause with us if we neglect it because judgment is not upon us it will proceed to a sentence God hath laid his plea against many a man in his Word and perhaps some of you see it and know
a party low and ready to be trodden down yet have been so far from seeking help from or protection of wicked men that though they have been sent unto and have had fair offers of enjoying what they desire yet they have resolved to venture the loss of all in a good Cause whether they get any thing by it or no whether they have what they would have Liberties or not Liberties yet they are content to venture their estates their lives and all in that Cause and not to provide for themselves by the help of such as they see to be evil and whose waies and designs they see are not with God And if to seek unto wicked men for help and protection be so sinful Use Admonition to those that seek to Satan See Peter Martyr on 1 Sam. 22.23 what is it then for men in times of straights to seek to the Devil for help Surely that must be much more sinful to use those waies that are in themselves directly evil as lying swearing cheating and cozening c. In times of straights for you to think to help your self by those waies it is as much as if you should say I see God doth not help me I will try what the Devil will do Certainly by iniquity shall no man be established Prov. 12.3 Art thou in a straight under any affliction never think of seeking out to unlawful means to help thy self for thou canst get no good that way And that will appear more in the words that follow Yet could he not heal you nor cure you of your wound The Assyrian could not help Jareb could do no good yea indeed they were so far from helping of Israel and Judah that they made the wound greater for Israel was afterward carried away captive by the Assyrian to whom he sent for help and for Judah we reade in 2 Chron. 28.20 that when Ahaz sent for help to Tilgath Pileser King of Assyria he came unto him indeed but he distressed him and strengthened him not From whence we may observe First That creature comforts avail little in the day of Gods wrath Obs 1 Gods wrath was out against Ephraim and Judah and they would fain seek to help themselves in some creature way but it would do them no good Creatures are little helpful in the day of Gods wrath they are all as a broken reed that rather runneth into a mans hand thâ—n any way releeveth him So the Scripture saith of riches that they avail not in the day of wrath All the creatures will then say to you if God help you not how can we help you They are but as a tree in the time of a storm you may run under the tree and perhaps a few droppings may be kept from you for a while but if the storm be great and continue what good can the leaves of a tree do you to keep you from it The creature may refresh you a little but if Gods wrath continue what good can the creature do But the word which the Seventy translate he could not heal you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non sedabit dolorem vestrum he shall not so much as ease or mittigate your grief or give you a little refreshment It 's true sometimes by seeking to creature comforts a man may think he hath some refreshing but the truth is it endeth in trouble and sorrow A man in this case that seeks for help to the creature when God hath struck him simile is as a Deer that is shot with an Arrow the Deer runs up and down from one bush to another to seek for case but the blood falls all along and perhaps by and by his bowels run out what ease can bushes do to a poor Deer when the arrow sticks in his body God many times strikes his arrows into the sides of people and they run up and down to the creature to this bush and to the other bush for help but little or none can they have form any I confess somtimes for a little while as I say there is a little case I find it so in the case of Ahaz when he was in straits his heart did melt as you heard before Now that story in Isa 7. hath reference to the 2 Kings 16. aforenamed When Rezin and Pekah came against him you shall find that Ahaz had a little help for the present by Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria that he sent for but afterwards as we shall shew you when we come to another point it did him little good for Gods hand was out against Judah so much the more dreadfully Obs 2 And as the creature hath but little help in it in the time of straits So of all things that men rest on for help wicked men are most like to prove helpless They leave you in your straits as the Scribes and Pharisees did Judas When Judas was brought into straits by his sin and in the anguish of his spirit came and said I have sinned in betraying innocent blood What is that to us say they look thou to it There was all the comfort he could have from them They were forward to draw him into the sin but when he had done it then Look you to it Use Such comfort you are like to have from your wicked companions in times of straits They will draw you into that which is evil and afterward when God shall strike you and they come to visit you and you lie crying out of those waies they have drawn you into Oh! miserable comforters will they be You can have noe helpe from wicked men in times of straits Yea We are not to rest upon the best men of all in time of straits The best not to be depended on God hath given us experience at this day that every man is vanity so the Scripture saith Verely every man is vanity Cease from Man for wherein is he to be esteemed Had we no other rest but upon man what should become of us Therefore neither unto the Assyrian no nor unto any living are we to send for help so as to look higher upon them than as on an arm of flesh God pronounceth a curse upon him that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and saith he shall be like the heath in the desert and shall not see when good commeth but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness Jer. 17.5 6. But why is it that the Assyrian can do Israel no good It follows VER 14. For I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon to the house of Judah THat which iâ— here translated in your books a Lyon thâ— Seventy translate it by the Panther which is the most swift fierce creature one of them in the world Gods wrath for strength is compared to a Lyon and for swiftness to a Panther Panther To a Lyon because though he is most strong and terrible yet Historians say that if you fall down and submit unto him he
When the Saints see Gods hand against them in any thing this trombles them and humbles them more than any thing else Reas 2 2. It is a special means to quiet the heart with patience Psal 39.9 It quiets I was dumb and spake not because thou Lord didst it See it in Ely It is the Lord let him do what he wil with me and in Christ himself shall not I drink of the cup which my father shall give me Is God my God and doth this come from my Father I will take it I am sure it will do me no harm but much good 3. By this means the soul is put upon the enquirie why Reas 3 this affliction is upon it It puts up on search what the cause of this trouble may be when we see nothing but man the instrument of an affliction we look not so much at it it never puts us upon soul-search and tryal of our selves but when God is seen in a cross the soul begins to consider what have I done what 's the matter oh my soul Thus did the Church Mica 6.9 Hear ye the Rod and who hath appointed it There are letters written upon Gods rods which the man of wisedome can reade 4. It causes the soul to receive content and satisfaction in Reas 4 nothing but God alone and in peace with him Causeth the soul to make out for God to get him our friend when we look upon judgments only in the second cause we are apt to think that second means will make up the breach again which sin hath made as they in Isa 9.9 10. The bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewn stone for all this his anger is not turned away why so in the 13. verse we have the reason For the people turned not unto him that smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of hosts They would not see the hand of God nor give glory to him for if they did they would say as this people in the next chapter Come let us return unto the Lord for he hath wounded us and He will heal us Thus much for the doubling the expression It follows I even I will tear you and go away The Lyons when they tear their prey they are not afraid of what they have done Expos but walk majestically before the dead carkiese as it were bidding defiance to al other creatures they run not away as the Fox doth but walk as it were in state for so the words in the original carry I even I will tear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if God did challenge all the creatures in Heaven or Earth for to grapple with him I wil tear them It implies how God wil deal with Judah He will not be afraid of them what He doth it shall be in an open way He will not come against them in secret but in a publick way Applic. enemies of Engl. The judgment at this time upon our enemies is not in a secret but an open way the Lord doth not deal subtilly and by craft with them as they do with his people and though the Lord deal as a Lyon with them tearing and rending them yet they will not see him neither are they able to resist him nor can any rescue them out of his hands Let the means be never so weak in Gods hand yet when he is in a way of wrath there shall be no delivery out of his hands Isa 26.6 opened Isa 26.6 The feet shall tread it down tread down what the lofty City by what feet even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy Jer. 37.10 The Lord tels them that though they had smitten the whol Army of the Caldeans and there remained but wounded men among them yet should they rise up every man in his tent and burn their City with fire When God intends ruin and desolation to a people 't is impossible for any to deliver them out of his hands Obser Further we may note That when God comes against a people He takes them to do when they are the strongest and greatest in power and most confident in an arm of flesh that none at that time may deliver our of His hands Isa 24.21 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones which are on high When he is in his greatest pride gets the greatest victories conquers and obtains the greatest Cities of refuge and Towns of harbor And 't is very observable Applicat for Engl. that since our enemies got their greatest advantages they have lost the most God then puld them down when they were most proud God will go on in his work though men are never so proud and strong therefore 't is our wisdom to give our selves into Gods hands yea though into his afflicting hand although no power can rescue out of his hand yet there is a way to change the operation of his hands by humbling our selves falling down before him willingly submitting to him and this way now God hath his will upon us in the most acceptable way that can be God had rather have men voluntarily give him his glory than to compel him to force it from them I now come to the last VER 15. I will go GOD repeats it again which notes 1. Expos The glory of the work that he is not ashamed of what he hath done Gods people ought for to be like God in this let their actions be warrantable such as they may with comfort own and stand to yea suffer for if it so come to pass not like the proverb to set a Town on fire and run away from it leaving others to quench it 2. It notes the Irresistibility of Gods work as if he should say let any try whether they can oppose me 3. And chiefly it implies I will bring them into captivity and there I 'le leave them Whence note Obser That 't is a heavy judgment for God to tear and wound a people and then lo leave them God saith if they return not I will rend and tear them make them very miserable and in that condition will I leave them I 'le be a stranger to them and will not own them Ezek. 22.20 I will gather you in mine anger and in my fury and I will leave you there God in another place promiseth to be with His people in the fire and in the water but there is a time that Gods people may so provoke God that he will bring them into the fire and there leave them when the Philistims fell upon Saul it was a sad time to him because God had left him Oh how terrible was it when God left Christ upon the Cross but for a little while This we all deserve and this is the portion of the damned in Hell While the Judg is present upon the Bench the Malefactor hath hope simile but when the Judge goes off
the curse of that people whose ears should be deaf that they should not hear whose eyes should be blind that they should not see and be converted and I should heal them When I would haue healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered and the wickedness of Samaria for they committed falshood and the thirf breaketh in and the troup of robbers spoileth without Furthermore In these words the Prophet showeth in what particulars their iniquity did appear they committed falshood they wrought a lye in regard of their falshood their false worship and then in regard of their oppression wronging one another but especially in falsifying their trust one to another and in their relations not performing the duties which their relations called for and bound them unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 officij diliti viâ—lati ex singulari audacia so the word in the original Shekar in the propriety of it signifies They commit falshood That is they commit such a sin as the breaking of that duty which the law of their relation cals for from them The Notes hence are Obs 1 It is the discription of a wicked man to commit falshood As the godly man is said to be for the truth and to do the truth so wicked men are against the truth and go contrary to the truth as the Devil is said not to abide in the truth even such are these who commit falshood and work a lye It is a forerunner of great mischief when men are false in their relations Obs 2 In Mic. 7.6 7. It was an ill time when all sorts of people were so unfaithful in their relations The thief breaks in to rob and spoil by violence Obs 3 From whence note There is much secret wickedness committed by those which have forsaken the true religion such as these are secret and cunning workers of mischief in Church and State Gal. 2.4 There are false brethren crept in secretly which afterwards sought to bring us into bondage 'T is a great evil in a Common-wealth to have secret oppressors but far worse to have publick spoiling We have had much of the first formerly and the Lord knows how much more of the second we may further tast of I verily beleeve there is none that ever thought the Enemy would have spoiled in such a manner as He hath done and that ever English men would have endured it and we are the first people that ever endured such oppressions that were not slaves before and what the counsels and thoughts of God are in this thing concerning us we cannot tell Violence and spoil before me continually is grief and wounds What then Be instructed O Jerusalem lest my soul depart from thee Jer. 6.7 8. The first part of this Scripture is ours at this day grief and wounds are continually before us but be thou instructed O England In what In this That dreadful breach which sin hath made between the King and Parliament be instructed in this Jer. 15.13 Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoilers without price and that for all thy sins even in all thy borders So Isa 44.22.24 But this is a people robbed and spoiled they are all of them snared in holes they are for a prey and none delivers them for a spoil and none saith Restore Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers Did not the Lord against whom we have sinned Who among you will give ear and hearken to this Men are wicked and tyrannical But who is he that hath given this our Land to the plunderers Is it not the Lord Therefore we should look beyond the troubles the hand that strikes to God who gave them their commission and delivered us up into their hands When God gives up a people to the robbers and spoilers in such a kind his wrath is said to come upon them as in the 25. verse Therefore he hath powred upon them the fury of his anger and the strength of battel VER 2. And they considered not in their hearts that I remembred all their wickednesse now their own doings have beset them about they are before my face THey considered not in their hearts In the original it is They say not to their hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This phrase in other Scriptures is used for saying in their hearts Jer. 5.24 Neither say they IN their hearts Let us fear God which giveth rain And in Eccles 1.16 Considering is communing with our own hearts I spoke or consulted with my heart From this phrase of speaking thus to our hearts we may observe 1 It is a good thing to be often speaking to our own hearts thus Oh my soul how is it with thee what case art thou in how stand things between God and thee what terms standest thou in for eternity canst thou look upon Gods face with comfort and not be afraid what guilt is there in thy conscience canst thou behold eternity and rejoyce in the thoughts of it Such meditations and questionings as these would be very profitable for the soul Many people can talk abroad in company of these things but where is the man that sets apart time to question with his soul about these Ps 4.4 Stand in awe and sin not commune with your own hearts upon your bed and be still There are in the soul many times boisterous distempers but then we should cause a silence and a calm in our hearts bid them be still there are great distemperâ— in that familie where the husband and the wife go two or three daies together and speak not one to another so there is no less distemper in that soul which can go two or three daies without questioning it self and examining its condition simile But what is it they should speak This That I remember their iniquities the old Latine carries it thus lest they should consider do not you think that God remembers the sins of your forefathers only that they were vile and wicked no but I also remember the sins that are present before me But according to the reading of the words in your books is most agreeable to the Original therefore Luther saith Luther that these words are a reproof of their security then which no evil being worse the Princes they feel not the judgment yet the principal actors in the wickedness the common people they suffer much and yet though they suffer yet attribute their sufferings to any thing rather than to their sins to be the causes of them the observations That God doth remember the wickedness of people though long since Obs 1 committed as we may see in Amalek God remembers this their wickedness many hundred yeers after 1 Sam. 15.2 I remember the prank which Amalek played to you when you came out of Egypt Amos 8.7 The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob surely I will never forget any of their works nay they are not only remembred but recorded the sin of Judah
wel or immediately after an act of uncleanness but God at that very instant looks upon thee as drunken unclean and filthy though the act may be past many yeers before VER 3. They make the King glad with their wickedness and the Princes with their lyes THey make the King glad That is Expos 1 By their willing yeilding to his commands by the way of their false worship the King and the Princes were glad to see their edicts yeilded unto and obeyed at the first when the commands came from Jeroboam to change the way of Gods worship they had cause to fear that it might not take with the people there would be something to do to make them change the way of Gods worship but when they saw it go on currently without contradiction they rejoyced Expos 2 By their flattering of him in his wicked waies they did not only yeild to his unlawful edicts but commended them and applauded him for his care and tender respect which he had to them in shortening their journy that they should not go so far as Jerusalem to worship they flattered him in this extreamly telling him that this was the way to establish his Kingdom He was glad when he saw the people wicked in their waies Expos 3 and their lives loose and prophane at this the King was glad and why because he knew they were for his turn his design was accomplished now he had made them wicked in their lives by letting them have their will in evil and now he never feared their scrupling or making question of the thing he never once doubted of their unwillingnesse to worship at the Calves to go to Dan and Bethel Thus they made the King glad The Notes First observe That carnal and wicked people are Obs 1 easily led aside by the examples of those that are their Governours Which way Superiors go the multitude will go if they do that which is good in the outward part of it for externals they will do the same if they do wickedly they will do so likewise though they do not love their Prince yet that they may have their Princes favor they will sin against God It is wickednesse for any people to obey the unlawful commands of Obs 2 their Governors This people might think this was no sin in them What must we not obey our Governors and be subject to authority yet we see the holy Ghost calls it wickedness So how many are there who for their worship have no other authority but their superiors their Governors this wil never pass for currant in Gods account It is a vile wickednesse to flatter Princes Yet how hath this Obs 3 been the constant course of Courts It is reported of Dionysius that when he spit his flatterers would lick it up and say it was sweeter than Honey This is vileness in people to do and more vile in Princes to love to be flattered Cyril Cyril upon this text saith That the fear and love of God had it been in this people it would have kept both them and their Princes to have withstood such wicked commands it would have ballanced their spirits Obs 4 It is a most most wicked and vile thing to make any glad with their wickedness or to be made glad by wickedness Yet how many are guilty of this sin some are so hardened in their wickedness that they will make others drunk and then laugh at them when they have done so How far are these from Davids temper whose eyes ran down with tears because men kept not the Law and horror took hold on him there is no greater sign of a desperate heart hardened in sin than to laugh at sin in others and make a sport of it in themselves and the higher men are in place and dignity the greater is the aggravation of their sâ—ns for Princes to be glad at wickeness and to be made merry by iniquity who are set to be punishers of sin and a terror to evil doers this is most horrible wickedness Prov. 29.22 If the Prince hearken to lyes all his servants are wicked They make the King glad with their lyes Note Obs 5 The King is in a sad condition when his ends and plots must be accomplished by the wickedness of the people Such are the dispositions of these men that they will do any thing rather than suffer the least evil of punishment for saith a Prince these men they have no conscience left in them to check them but these precise Puritans they will suffer and die rather than sin against God and wrong their consciences Now these Priests and their officers which the Prophet here speaks of they would reason thus If I should crosse the Kings mind I should lose my place and be put out of my office and suffer a great deal of trouble and rather than they will run upon these straights they wil run upon any design for the ruining of that which crosses them yea though it be the worship of God Oecolampadius saith that bad Princes are alwaies enemies to to the strict waies of religion and unto such as are the strictest in those waies and walk most agreeable to the Word and are tender in their conscience fearful to sin against it these are disregarded and discountâ—â—anced but those that are most wicked they are accounted the best subjectâ— Irreligion slavery companions and these they will trust Therefore where there is no religion slavery soon follows that people may be brought to any thing who have lost their religion but where profession is maintained it will teach men to stand for their liberties and not to yeild against the truth But what doth Religion teach men rebellion doth it deny obedience to Governors No by no means Religion teaches obedience to Governors and the more religious any man is the more obedient he will be to lawful Authority the Gospel commands obedience to Governors but not to Tyranny to the wils and humors of men God never made such difference between men Religion never teaches disobedience to lawful authority to such as rule in the Lord yet this was the case of this people It follows And the Princes with their lyes Expos 1 Luther Luther carries this to the lye of their false worship their Idolatry which the Scripture cals a lye Rom. 1.25 Who changed the truth of God into a lye and worshiped the creature more than the Creator But this is not the full meaning and scope of the words but thus They put their false glosses upon their false worship to Expos 2 make it to take with the people and with the Princes as thus The Priests did not only submit and yeild to them themselves but encouraged the people telling them it was decent and comely in the worship of God Or thus By denying whatsâ—â—er may hinder them in their Expos 3 false worship If the Prince should by any means hear that his Commands were not like to take with the people
from a Church for some offendors if thou dost thy duty in admonishing them and if they will not be warned to profess against them thou maiest certainly yea and with good conscience partake of the Ordinance notwithstanding In their leagues and covenants they mixed themselves they made Covenants and leagues with other people which was forbidden them in Exod. 34.12 Take heed to thy self lest thou make a Covenant with the people of the Land whither thou goest lest it become a snare in the midst of thee Deut. 7.2 And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them thou shalt make no covenant with them nor shew mercy unto them Isa 30.2 They went down to Egypt for help and have not asked at my mouth to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh and trust in the shadow of Egypt therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame They were mixed in their societies with other people Psal 106.35 they were mingled among the Heathens and learned their works they served their Idols which were a snare unto them It is a very dangerous thing to be mixed with a wicked society Numb 11.4 And the mixed multitude which were amongst them people that came out of Egypt fell a lusting The mixt multitude fell a murmuring this is an affliction in any society but especially in Church societies But suppose providence cast me into a family where there are such as these In such a family thou maist be as oyl in water unmixt simile put never so much water amongst oyl the oyl will be above it swimming upon the top Psal 26.9 Psa 26.9 applied Gather not my soul with sinners nor my life with bloody men if you would not be gathered with them in the day of judgment do not you gather to them now in communion in Ordinances nor in intimate society The Lacedemonians Lacedem would not suffer a stranger to be with them above three daies and shall we associate our selves with such ar are strangers to God God had made a great difference betwixt Istael and other people they were a people seperated from all the people of the earth Exod. 33.16 in the Original it is marvailously seperated or set apart for God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were a people whom God did own in a more peculiar manner and his eye was upon them for good therefore it did not become them to mix with other people Ephraim is a cake not turned We reade this expression and make little of it but there is very much concerning us in it mark well the expression the repetition of the word Ephraim Ephraim is a cake not turned the Prophet here speaks in a condoling way and manner Oh Ephraim what my deer son and do thus Ephraim was a cake not turned in these four respects In their plots and counsels they did not turn their designs and proceedings up and down they thought of one way of false worship but not of another to wit the time which might have carried on their plots they did not weigh circumstances this way and that way A cake not turned or baked that is you could not tell what to make of him he was so indifferent that it mattered not much to him whether God were God or Baal 1 Kings 18.21 How many men are of this garb among us both in their opinions and practices As a cake not turned in regard of their perverseness allthough heavy afflictions were upon them that they lay as it were burning upon the coals and took no means for their help and cure they cried out and lay howling upon their beds yet they turned not to the Lord they could not devise a way to escape they were good for nothing as a cake not baked like those in Jer. 3.5 Will he reserve his anger for ever will he keep it to the end Behold thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest Just thus it is with souls in their spiritual estates in terrors of conscience and sorrow for sin they lie pining away in their iniquities and take no course to deliver and help themselves when thou art in this condition thou shouldest be acting upon God and looking after him thou shouldest not lie scorching and burning upon the coals of thy transgressions but should make out after the mercy of God in Jesus Christ Luther Luther and Vatablus Vatablus make the sense of the words to note the greediness of Ephraims adversaries they were like a man pinched with hunger and coming to food fal upon it presently and eat the cake presently and wil not stay till it be baked thus Ephraims adversaries fell upon him but this I conceive not to be the meaning of the words but the second and the third It follows VER 9. Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not yea gray hairs are here and there upon him yet he knoweth not STrangers have devoured his strength By strength we must understand Ephraims rich and warlike power and here we may see the poor shifts and strength of carnal hearts the Almighty is the strength of the Saints Humane strength such a strength is God that all the Devils in hell nor men on earth cannot take away from them strangers devoured the strength of Ephraim wicked men such as were not in covenant with God may rob the Saints of their outward supports and comforts a good cause may miscarry when those which are the mannagers of it are rested upon and too much confidence is placed in them we see how just it is with God to cross and turn the designs of men against themselves when they forsake God and this is a great curse to men when wicked men are suffered to take away what we have and do enjoy in our estates and liberties and metaphorically this may be applied to our spirituall strength we should take special care that strong lusts do not devour our strength for God and this is the reason of our flatness in duties you many times complain of deadness in prayer examine whether there be not some secret lust which takes away your strength And is it a misery for strangers to devour the strength of our bodies and estates much more of our spirits It follows And he knows it not The Note from hence is this Obser That the hearts of wicked men do so strongly work after their lusts that although they meet with never so many difficulties in their way yet they know them not But in good they know every little difficulty they meet withal and have repenting thoughts in them that ever they were so engaged in a good Cause but in their own waies the waies of their lusts they are not troublesom to them It follows Gray hairs are here and there upon him That is Such miseries as make them gray there were at this time many troubles upon the ten Tribes gray hairs often
have so many to cleave unto them seeing the people know that by cleaving unto them they shall have liberty to enjoy their lusts That is a second Note Thirdly Ephraim is jâ—yned to Idols Expos 3. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it signifies in the Parâ—iciple Incantatus such a kind of joyning as your Inchanters in the waies of their conjuration joyn their unclean spirits to them that is the propriety of the word so Ephraim is joyned to his Idols cleaveth to his Idols or as some turn it is glued to his Idols and that unclean spirit that carries him on to the waies of Idolatry he comes to be one with him as it is said of Beleevers that they are joyned to the Lord Christ and so they are one spirit so Idolaters are joyned to the Devil and are become one spirit that is the meaning they are glued to that unclean spirit and so they come to be fastened to their Idols that is the propriety of the word From thence the Note is That Idolaters hearts are very strongly glued to the waies of Idolatry so that it is very hard for any to get off their hearts Obs 3 Jer. 8.5 They take fast hold of deceit they will not easily be taken off And Jer. 2.10.11 Pass â—â—er unto Kedar and consider diligently and see if there be such a thing Hath a Nation changed their gods which are yet no gods Kedâ—r was one of the vilest places of all Wo is me saith David that I have my habitation in the tents of Kedar yet saith God go thither and see whether they have changed their gods Those that are the most vilest Idolaters yet they will not change their gods their hearts are joyned to their gods let their hearts be never so base and their gods never so vile as the Egyptians they would worship Leaves and Garlick and Cats base and vile things and yet they would not be taken off from their Idolatrous waies I have read of a people in India in the Isle Zolon that worshiped an Apes Tooth and when it was taken from them they offered an unconceivable sum of treasure to regain that their Idol again An Apes tooth they are set upon their waies of Idolatry though it be never so foolish never so sottish And especially if Idolaters have outward prosperity to be as the glew and cement to joyn their hearts to that way of false worship then they are joyned indeed Take men that are superstitious and if they do prosper in their waieâ— this their prosperity is the glue and cement to joyn their hearts strongly to those waies there is no getting of them off from them And though they have been long in that way of false worship they do nor like it ever a whit the worse I beseech you observe this note Note In any thing that is false worship antiquity will make it venerable and they will plead for it by antiquity and say it is thus and thus ancient and their forefathers did thus and thus But observe it in waies of the true worship of God men are quickly weary and because they have had it a great while they desire some novelty some new thing You shall have many people much affected with the truth when it is first revealed to them and when they com to hear Sermons or such exercises their hearts are much taken with them but within a while they loath this Mannah and so fall off quickly from it So that in the worship of God that is true and right there the continuance in it makes it to be less esteemed but in false worship the longer people continue in it the more they esteem it and there antiquity makes it to be venerable they do argue froÌ„ antiquity to make it the more honorable This is the wickedness of the hearts of men But will Idolaters thus joyn to their Idols will their hearts be glued to them are they willing to be one spirit with them Oh how much more should we joyn to the Lord our God joyn to Jesus Christ to be as one spirit with him Use That exhortation of Barnabus Act. 11.23 that with full purpose of heart they should cleave unto the Lord is a seasonable Exhortation even at all times Oh let us cleave unto God and his worship so as whatsoever arguments are used yet our hearts may never be taken off from the love of the truth but let us say as once that Martyr did Though you may pluck my heart out of my bowels yet you shall never pluck the Truth out of my heart 2 Martyrs saying And the less there is between God and our hearts the more firmly shall we be glewed to him Those that are godly gracious they need not the glue the cement of outward prosperity to joyn their hearts unto God but godliness alone the sweetness that they find in God alone is enough to joyn their hearts unto him even in an everlasting covenant Those men who seem to be joyned to God and his worship yet if it be the glue and cement of outward respects that joyns their hearts unto God they will quickly fall off from it But those that are immediately joyned to God they will for ever keep to him when there is nothing but God and their hearts together nothing between God and them Ephraim is joyned to Idols The word that is translated Idols it is by some translated Angusti and so indeed it signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dolore officere Expos 4. it signifies pain and trouble for their Idols did in the conclusion bring them to pain and trouble There are two reasons why it signifies pain and trouble Reas 1 First Because that Idolaters were willing to endure much pain and trouble in the worshiping of their Idols Applic. which should teach us not to account the worship of God tedious though it be somewhat hard to the flesh Idolaters would endure pain and trouble to the flesh in the worshiping of their Idols Reas 2 Secondly Such worship will bring pain and trouble to them in the conclusion But this is not the principal thing intended here but the force of the argument is Ephraim is joyned to Idols therefore meddle not with him do not you do as they do So that when we see people set up false waies of worship in any place Obs 4 and they are set upon those false waies of worship we must take heed of communicating with then in these false waies of worship But this Note to enter into it will take up a great deal of time Let him alone Demitte eum Let him go saith God he is joyned to his Idols let him go First This is a speech to Judah let Expos 1 Ephraim go saith God to Judah Ephraim they indeed are the ten Tribes the most of the people of the Jews but yet seeing they set up false worship let them go have nothing to do with them do not converse with them