will punish Jacob according to his waies according to his doings will he recompence him THis Verse I shal presently pass over But the first part is very observable Calvin saith of it It 's a wonderful thing Did not God say That Judah rules with God and is faithful with the Saints and now saith He hath a Controversie with Judah I find some therefore would reconcile it thus and say The Lord hath a Controversie FOR Judah but that 's a little strain'd But the Lord hath a Controversie WITH Judah And there may be Four Reasons why after God had said That Judah rules with God and is faithful with the Saints that he saith He hath a Controversie with Judah The First Reason is this To shew that God doth not so look at the good of his People but he sees the evil in them too You know those passages in the 2d of Revelations where God commends such and such Churches for doing thus and thus but yet notwithsthnding I have a few things against thee I do not so observe your good but I observe your evil too My Brethren some there are that if there be any evil in men they can see no good in them this is wicked But others there are that if there be any good in them can see no evil this is too much indulgence too it is two extremities in both Secondly Yet God hath a controversie with Judah Judah hath no cause to bless her self in her waies that are good because she retain'd the true Worship of God Men are very apt to bless themselves in some waies that are not good because they did chuse some other waies that are good I mean thus That such men as imbrace the true Worship of God are right there they will have pure Ordinances and the way of God right according to the Word and because of that though there be some loosness and negligence in their waies otherwaies yet they put off conscience with this and think they are the true Worshipers of God and have the Ordinances of God in the purity and power of them and so think to swallow down all much loosness much carnality much pride much sensualness much hypocrisie and yet because they are in the way of the true Worship of God they seek to satisfie conscience with this Oh! take heed of this God may have a Controversie against you Thirdly The Lord hath a Controversie with Judah he doth express himself thus that Israel might neither think God or the Prophet partial The ten Tribes might say Doth God threaten us Is not Judah as bad as we are there not evils among Judah as well as us are we only the sinful people No saith the Prophet I acknowledg there 's much evil in Judah and therefore the Lord hath a Controversie against Judah too and Judah is not like to escape and let not this satisfie you that because others are bad therefore you may escape no they are bad and God hath a Controversie against them And this may be an useful Note to us men are very ready to put off the evils that they are guilty of with this I am not worse than others I do such a thing amiss and others do such a thing amiss as well as I and so they think to escape that way Oh! thou weak man thou vain man why wilt thou deceive thy soul with this Doest thou think that another mans evil may be an excuse to thy evil Thou art a vain man and knowest not the way of God The Fourth Note is this Therefore doth God say he hath a Controversie against Judah here to shew them how much more must the ten Tribes expect the displeasure of God If Judah who retains the true Worship of God yet for some other evils God hath a Controversie against them then what will become of Israel who have those evils and reject the true Worship of God too As if the Prophet should say your condition is far worse therefore doth the Lord say he hath a Controversie against Judah that he might aggravate the evils of Israel like that of Peter If Judgment begin at the House of God where shall the wicked and the sinner appear If so be that the Church which have the Ordinances in the purity of them yet God is displeased with them for their sin how much more will he be displeased with them who are corrupt in the Worship of God Therefore men should not bless themselves with such discourse as this Why others have evils as well as we yea but if God will punish them for their evils that have sewer and a great deal more good than thou how much more will he punish thee Oh! if those that are the dear Saints of God that worship him in truth and sincerity and they have evils among them but yet they shall not escape scot-free Oh! then what will become of thee who art a wicked and vile wretch and hast no good at all If a Moses that had done God so much service yet for one sin of passion for so it was was shut out of the Land of Cannan it was but one time that he spake unadvisedly with his lips that God shut him out and bid him speak no more to him of that matter what will become of thee that hast a passionate froward spirit and thou that never hast nor wilt do God the service that such a Servant of his hath done what will become of t 〈…〉 Oh! how â—ayest thou look to be shut out This use you must make of the sins of others and Gods dealings with them And saith he I will punish Jacob according to his waies c. There is Two Questions necessarie for the opening of this First Why the ten Tribes are call'd by the name of Jacob we never reade that they are call'd by the name of Isaac and of Abraham Now for the Answer to that it 's given thus which is a very satisfying Answer That therefore the People of God are call'd in Scripture by the name of Jacob and by the name of Israel his other name rather than by the name of Abraham and Isaac because they though godly and were the Father and Grand-father yet in Abrahams family there was wicked aswel as good likewise from Isaac's loins there came Esau aswel as Jacob but now from Jacobs loyns there came none but were of Gods Church all Jacobs Sons they are the twelve Patriarchs and therefore they are call'd by the name of Jacob rather than Abraham or Isaac and therefore when he speaks of the People of God he calls them the seed of Jacob I said not to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain But then Secondly Why is Jacob mentioned in this place Because the Prophet intends presently in the words that follow to bring the example of Jacob to them before he was Israel to aggravate their sin for the work of humiliation and
reade the story in Samuel when God did but thunder from Heaven Oh! then we have sinned and when they were under oppression then Hosea could speak freelie and plainlie to them Where is your King and where are these men Men will not hear so long as they do not suffer If men be once set upon a way and have their Estates about them and countenance from great ones speak what you will against their way they will not hear you but let these men smart for their way and find by experience the evil of it then you may speak to them and say Do you think now that it was wiselie done that that you were so eager upon do you think you dealt well for your selves Oh then they will be readie to say I confess I did not think so seriouslie of those things before I lookt onlie upon that that appeared for the present and now after-wit is bought although it be dear I see cause now to repent of what I have done My Brethren Surelie Kings and Nobles are great blessings of God when they are good you see I have not strain'd in the least thing but held forth to you what the scope of the place is Let none go away and say that I enveighed against Kings or Nobles certainlie in themselves they are great blessings of God and we must acknowledg it fitting to have a difference between man and man It 's a slander that is upon a sort of people As if they would have all things to lie Level and one to have as much horer as the other God forbid we should have such a thought Let us give honor to those whom God would have honored and never envy nor grutch at their honor if God pleases to send those that are good I say they may be great Instruments of great blessings of God to us But now mark the verie next words that follow in the Eleventh Verse They would have a King VER 11. I gave them a King in mine anger and took him away in my wrath THEY were readie to say Why do you thus blame us for our eager desire Did not God approve of it God himself was content we should have one God himself chose our first King Saul and he appointed Samuel to anoint him And if you understand it of the other King Jeroboam for so Interpreters go they might say and Jeroboam also Did not God foretel by the Prophet that Jeroboam should have ten Tribes and did not the Man of God tell us that this was from the Lord and therefore why should you so much upbraid us about our Kings it is the mind and will og God that we should have them The answer of the Prophet is It 's true God did give you a King and God did appoint Samuel to anoint him and God did foretel that Jeroboam should be King over the ten Tribes Yea but it was in his anger he gave you one indeed but it was in his anger you were so set upon it that you would have one if you will take him saith God and take him with all that shall follow after so that it was as one speaks rather from an angry God than from a God that was intreated by them in a way of Prayer There are many exceeding useful Observations here which time will not give leave to go through all even from the first part I gave them a King in mine Anger Saul and Jeroboam was given in anger those primarily as a punishment of their sin Saul was given as a punishment of their sin in rejecting Samuel and in their disobedience to Samuel and the way of Government that they had then And Jeroboam was given as a punishment of their sin of Idolatry that was committed in Solomon's time as also of their Rebellion and Apostacie And yet it 's said that God did it The First Note may be this That God may have a hand in things wherein men sin exceedingly They sin'd in geting a King they sin'd exceedingly in setting up Jeroboam and yet God hath such a hand in it as he saith he gave them these things I remember Mr Calvin hath an excellent Note upon this very Scripture And I rather name it because the Adversaries would cast that aspersion on him That he held that God was the author of sin Saith he From this place we learn That God doth so exercise his judgments that whatsoever evil there is it is to be ascribed to men whatsoever good to himself God seems to direct this work wholly to his own Providence from hence let us learn soberly to admire the secret Judgments of God neither let us imitate those impure dogs Impure dogs what are they that do therefore grin and bark at God because they cannot understand how God doth use wicked men Because they understand not this they conclude that God is the cause of sin He cals them the impure dogs because they understand not how God doth work in making use of wicked men that God is the author and cause of sin His spirit was was much against this and therefore it was an extream slander upon him as if he should hold such an opinion That 's the first God may have an hand in things wherein men sin extreamly and yet he remain holy Secondly Things that are very evil yet may 〈…〉 esent success It was a very evil thing for them to desire a King at this time and likewise for the People to rend from the house of David yet both of them had success according to their own desire Let us learn for ever not to judge of the goodness of a thing by the success of it Say some I 'le warrant you we will have this and if they get what they desire they think God approves of it They may desire a thing and be set upon it and though much be said to the contrary yet they may drive on their designs and prosper in it But this is no argument that God owns it as good never judge of things by success And then the Third point and that wil require some time indeed to speak to and that is That Gods gifts are not alwaies in love I gave them a King saith he but in mine anger Gods gifts are not alwaies in love no they are in anger many times Reade but the 11. of Numbers 18. 20. you shall find there of God giving people their desires He lets them have them but how Say thou unto the People Sanctifie your selves against to morrow and ye shal eat flesh for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord saying Who shall give us flesh to eat Therefore the Lord will give you flesh You have wept and cried saying Who shal give us flesh The Lord wil give you flesh And ye shall not eat one day nor two daies nor five daies neither ten daies nor twenty daies but a whol month shal you eat it til it comes out at your
deliver them still And so they hang in expectation of Gods coming to them So they make the word that is here translated Backsliding to be a returning a returning of God They would have me to return first And so I confess the word hath something in it that signifies Returning But those that are skilful in the tongues say It is not used in a good sense but in an evil it 's rather a going from than a returning But yet as the old Latin hath it The hope for Gods returning and that things may be well is the cause of the hardening of many hearts in the waies of sin they hang as it were in the Air thinking that it may be well with them and that things may not prove so bad as they hear But cursed is that hope of comfort that hath nothing else to ground upon but only that it may be things are not so bad as they hear out of the Word But it follows Though they called them to the most High yet none at all would exalt him Though they called them That is The Prophets and Messengers of God called them unto the most High they wanted not means in the Ministry of the Word they were called to the Most High that is to God Now that God is The Most High we have spoken to in Chap. 7. Vers 16. there he hath the title of THE MOST HIGH You who are highest look upon God as above you know that God looks upon you and all men that are lifted up in the pride of their own hearts as infinitly below him God is the most high Well but They called them out unto the most high that is They called them in the Ministry of the Word First That they might know him that is the most high that they might know him to be the Infinit Supream High Glorious Majestie that they might know the infinite distance that there is between God and the Creature and that they might know him to be the Highest end of all things so as to work after him as the most high Then Secondly That they might acknowledge him that they might thus fear him that they might worship him that they might love him and trust in him as the most high God That they might submit their wills to him whose will is supream above all and especially in matters of worship They called them to the most high that they might come to have this high God to be theirs to enjoy him to be their portion thus the Prophets call'd them to the most high Whereas their hearts were dâ—ossie and low and base they minded only the satisfying of their flesh and having their wills one upon another their hearts hung down to their devised worship though the thing it was sutable to their publick ends and it was great wisdom for them so to do yet God would not own that but did dispise that worship of theirs that they thought to honor him withal and the Prophets therefore called them from these base drossie things called them to the most high God The Note of Observation First Mens hearts they sink down to low and mean things naturally unworthy of their souls unworthy of that excellent nature that they are indued withal men indeed have swelling hearts in their base sinful way but this is their disease this swelling I say the heart of man wants a true elevating principle the knowledg of the most high would raise them up higher than their pride can do the pride of man raises mans heart yea but that 's their disease but the knowledg of the most high would raise them up higher than their pride but sin wheresoever it is it doth debase mans nature Secondly It 's the end of the Ministry of the Word to call men to the most high God to call after men that have their hearts groveling after low and base things that they might come up to the most high God to know him to fear him to worship him and to enjoy the most high God to be their portion Have not you found this fruit of the Ministry of the Word in your hearts calling you many a time to the most high God Have not those things sounded in your ears that have called you from vain things that your hearts were upon telling you of the high God that you have to deal withal in all your waies who will have to deal with you to all eternity I make no question but many of your consciences have found this have found a word darted into your hearts that hath called you from low base things to the high and blessed God And then Thirdly It is a great and a sore evil to stop our ears against the calls to the most high God against the calls of the word that calls you to the most high God I say to stop our ears against this is a sore and a dreadful evil What not answer to Gods call Doth God call you and you not answer to him We say to a child Your father calls you or to a servant your master calls you will you not answer Oh! to shut our ears against the call to the most high God is a dreadful thing it will lie heavie upon thee one day those calls thou hadest in thine ears will prove to be terrors in thine heart Certainly though thou lettest go the calls of the Word to the most high God remember this one Note The calls that thou hadest to the high God being neglected by thee will prove terrors in thine heart poor creature what is it that thou listens to what invitations doth take thy heart that the calling to the most high cannot overcome thee And then Fourthly Their hearts are in suspence though they called them to the most high From the connexion of these two we have this Note That the calling to the most high God is a special means to cause those that are in a suspence to come in to a full resolution In Psal 97. 9. Thou Lord art high above all the earth thou art exalted far above all Gods What follows in the 10. verse Ye that love the Lord hate evil God is a high God above all Gods hate evil then set your selves against evil be resolved in the waies of God for when you are called to the most high by this you come to see how infinitely worthy God is of all glory from you you may see by this what infinite good there is in this God and that there is infinite power in this God to avenge himself of you if you neglect his call therefore there is a mighty deal of force to cause resolution In the 7. of Acts we have a notable speech of Stephen concerning Abraham Abraham was called from his fathers house and it cannot be imagined but that Abraham had many thoughts to keep his heart in suspence when he was called from his kindred and al the contentment and comfort he
any wild Beasts whatsoever there is that in my wrath if you escape one wild beast another shall tear you and that 's the reason that the Bear is added to the Lyon and the Leopard because the Bear runs up a tree so much which the others do not and now he comes to all wild Beasts put them all together and my wrath is as fierce as them And this is one excellent meditation from hence That put all the dreadfulness of all creatures in the world together and all that it is in the wrath of God As put all the good things that are in all creatures together all this is in the Love and Mercy of God so put al things that any way may bring any torments or tortor to us and the quintessence of all this is in Gods wrath The wild Beasts shall tear them Lyra thinks that this Prophesie was fulfill'd when they were carried captive and in their journey many died and so they were cast into fields and devoured by wild Beasts and it 's likely it may be fulfill'd in part so as usually when Soldiers carry an Enemy captive Why if they be sick let them die and if they die throw them into a ditch there 's all they care for them and so it was with this people that the Lord though he knew them in the wilderness and his protection was over them yet now to forget them and lets them be carried into captivity and cast to wild beasts and so their carkasses was torn And some think that the expression of Gods wrath by these Beasts hath reference to the four Monarchies which God would make use of to be very terrible to his Saints In Dan. 7. you shall find the four Monarchies of the world the Babylonian the Persian the Grecian and Roman Monarchies set forth in the same manner as here the holy Ghost sets out the wrath of God against Israel for the truth is Those things that we have here in Hosea were to set forth Gods waies to his people in after-times not only when they were to be carried captive In Dan. 7. 3. there appeared four great Beasts the first li 〈…〉 Lyon by which was signified the Babylonish Empire the second like a Bear by that the Persian the third like a Leopard and that 's the Graecian for Alexander was as a Leopard exceeding swift all his exploits he did in twelve yeers he was but thirty three yeers old when he died And moreover they observe of the Leopard which hath the name from a Panther that it smels exceedingly the very body of it smels sweet above all Beasts and so it doth invite the Beasts to it and so it was said of Alexanders body that it had a sweet smell with it And then the fourth being the Roman Empire mark how that 's set out just as Gods sets out his wrath he doth not name any particular Beast but the wild Beast this is dreadful terrible and strong exceedingly and it had great iron teeth it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped the residue with the feet of it and it was diverse from al the beasts that was before it and it had ten horns you know now that that was divided into ten Kingdoms or ten sorts of Civil Governments at several times This is the Roman Empire the power of whom Antichrist was to have by both whom the Lord would exercise his people and be very terrible to his people especially those people of his that were Apostatizing people that would worship him according to their own waies God would be thus terrible to them where ever they lived under any of the former Empires they should have God either as a Lyon a Leopard a Bear or like this dreadful Creature at the last unto them Oh but you will say Why do you speak thus Or it may be people would speak thus to the Prophet Oh why do you speak of God in this terrible manner Is not our God a gracious God and a merciful God why then will you render God thus terrible Why saith the Prophet then comes in VER 9. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help OH do not find fault with the dreadfulness of God that God appears thus dreadful to you and do not you blame the Ministers of God that they do render God in this dreadful manner before you though it 's true that God appears in a way ready to destroy you bu 〈…〉 the Lord yet is infinite holy and blessed and a God of mercy and goodness in himself O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self thou maiest thank thy self for all this 〈◊〉 many of you when you hear the terrors of God set before you perhaps your hearts rise against them and your spirits do exceedingly distast such things as those are and why do Ministers make God appear to be so terrible to people when as he is such a merciful and gracious God Oh! rather lay thine hand upon thine own heart and say God indeed is thus gracious and merciful but it 's through my wickedness that makes God appear so terrible the judgments of God are call'd strange things it 's because that God hath not such delight in the execution of wrath in appearing like a Lyon a Leopard and a Bear It 's that that pleases the heart of God to appear as a Father to do good to his people Oh! but thou hast destroyed thy self And this is a main point indeed that sinful people should charge themselves with all the evil that doth befall them they destroy themselves Oh! this it is that will be the aggravation of mens judgments another day that they are the cause of all the evils they suffer You may think to put it off to God and say Oh how dreadful is Gods Justice but God knows how to put off all upon your selves and the destruction of sinners will appear to be from themselves and God will cleer it up to all the World before Men and Angels and will cleer it up unto their Consciences The damn'd in Hell shall not be able to speak against Gods Justice at all but they shall be forced to charge themselves with all the evil that is upon them Oh! it was through this wretched and vile wicked heart of mine God was not wanting to me in any means of good but I had a rebellious heart and I have brought all this evil upon my self I have destroyed my self O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Destroyed himself did not God in the words imme 〈…〉 〈◊〉 before say that he would meet him as a Bear that is bereaved of her Whelps and would rend the Caul of their hearts and would be as a Lyon to them and a Leopard and yet O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Though God execute severe wrath and makes use of instruments of wrath against a people yet their destruction is to be attributed to themselves
indeed the Devils rather than his own he presently charges his own heart Oh! what a wretched vile heart have I when as it may not be it but meer suggestions and temptations of the Devil and not the steam and filth of his heart but he doth judg his heart from those temptations and thinks it is nothing but the uncleanness and filthiness of his heart but you shall have another man that hath a most filthy wicked heart and there comes most abominable steams which break forth into filthy diseases and though it comes altogether from himself yet saith he Oh the temptations of the Devil doth leade me aside and I cannot tell how to resist him it 's from temptations it 's from thy self from that wicked unclean heart of thine and were there no Devils in Hell at all thou hast the seeds of all sin in thy heart it 's from thy uncleanness Oh! Let 's learn to be afraid of our selves and to pray to God to be delivered from our selves Better to be given up to the Devil than to ones self You know the incestuous person was delivered up to Satan but it was for the destruction of the flesh and the saving of his soul but when one is given up to himself it is for the damning of his soul then that 's no way for to save ones self to be given up to himself Thou hast destroyed thy self And my Brethren we have cause to think of this point very seriously in another notion in respect of the Kingdom and Nation certainly if ever this Kingdom be destroyed it must needs be written for the Generations to come Here 's a Kingdom a Nation that hath destroyed its self Certainly we cannot say 't is from God if we perish what God will do with us we know not but truly this we may plainlie see That if God leaves us but a little more to our selves we are in a very fair way to destroy our selves and that after God hath wrought so for us God hath wrought like a God for us but we how do we deal for our selves like men shall we say Oh no like brute-beasts if men mad men men that are appointed to destruction If we be destroyed it will be the saddest storie that ever was in the world against a people if so be that at length we should perish after God hath done so much for us truly now God hath wrought like a God to deliver us from our common Enemies God had need to work as much for us like a God to deliver us from our selves great hath the works of God been in delīvering of us from the rage of those that we thought intended to destroy us and surely did Well now God hath done such works if God should say Well I have done my work I have delivered you from those you were afraid of and now I will leave you to your selves Oh! we had cause to fall upon our faces and say O Lord do not so for it had been better that they had destroyed us For if thou shouldest leave us to our selves our destruction would be a more bitter destruction Do not we see how fast we run towards destruction being but a little left to our selves what a perverse spirit is there now among our selves We say sometimes of the Prelates Oh the hand of God is against them how they brought themselves into a snare Now they may stand and look upon us and even laugh almost at us and say Well let them alone as we speak of some Give them line enough and they will quickly hang themselves Let them alone and they will fall out one with another and destroy one another they will quickly ruin themselves if they be let alone Oh we have as much experience of the vanitie of mens hearts and the follie and pride and hypocrisie and stoutness and frowardness of mens hearts as ever there was experience since the world began Who could ever have thought this five or six yeers ago if this could have been presented as it were in a Map unto us Oh you shall be in great dangers you shall have mighty enemies rise and readie to swallow you up but I will appear and work for you I will put forth my glorie the right hand of my power and excellencie shall appear for you and when all this is done You shall undo your selves and out of your own selves shall be your ruin even from those that you trusted in much and those that you much applauded they shall be cause of the evil yea And even you that now think your hearts are so right and have said Oh! If God would but deliver us how we would magnifie his Name you shall be the cause of the evil of the Kingdom Had any said so of some that we have cause to have our hearts shake within us when we think as the Prophet did of Hazael you shall do thus and thus they would have been readie to answer you What are we dogs are we dead dogs that we should do such things Well the Lord deliver us from our selves In Me is Thy Help We can easily destroy our selves but can we save our selves A Child can break a Glass that all the men in the Country cannot make it up again Everie fool may do mischief to himself yea and to others but can he help 't is God onlie that is the help of his People 't is not means that help but God yea 't is that that God doth much glorie in To be accounted the cause of all good he would have all evil cast upon men but al good from Himself even present good and eternal good he would have attributed to himself In the reading of this Scripture I find a very strange Expression of one Commenting upon it that one would think had some knowledg of the freeness of Gods Grace and Goodness and yet a Jesuit In me is thy help Hence it follows saith he That Predestination Vocation and Grace do not come from the foresight of the Merits of those that are Predestinated but from Gods Predestinating Calling Preventing with his Grace These things are the help of God even from the mouth of a Jesuit we have this acknowledging sometimes in their Writings and when they are serious that neither Predestination nor Vocation nor Grace comes from any forefight of what man would do but only from Gods Predistinating Calling Preventing with his Grace and this is the help of God all good it is in God both for the present and our eternal good It was a speech of Augustin God doth many good things in a man that a man doth not himself but there are other things that God works in man but saith he Though he works them 〈◊〉 him and man doth them yet it is God that doth them This point we must not speak at large to but pase it presently for we met with that before in the Prophesie
Excommunication see Difference Excuses Excuses of deceiptful dealers 319 Mens excuses 515 F Faith Faith see Church Encouragement Root Faculties Faculties see Love Families Families see Imperiousness False False see Encrease Fill Men fill themselves with sensual things 445 Forced Forced see Blows Wives Folly Folly of Apostats 307 Form A form of answering to Gods call 128 Forgiveness Healing with forgiveness a sweet Mercy 95 Free see Grace Free grace of God to our Ancesters 222 Fruit To understand the Scriptures is a fruit of love 20 Fruit see Way G Gift see Ministry God Gods great design is to magnifie free grace 25 God deals gently with his people 53 Gods great design in the Gospel 70 God deals roughly with the great and graciously with the grieved and oppressed 500 God will be a Lyon to them that forget him ibid. Why God compares himself to a Leopard 502 God is to be preached as terrible 508 God see Christ England Know Trembling Help Healer Merciful Godly heart Godly heart see Difference Good Good see London Company Good Cause Good Cause see Success Goods Goods ill got the third Heir enjoyeth not 319 Government Government see Church Guides Guides their changeableness 31 Guiding Why the soul needs Guiding 32 H Hear Hear see Reverence Healing Healing see Forgiveness Healer God will be acknowledged the Healer of his people 40 Help God delights to Help men in misery 519 High minded Why the rich are apt to be high minded 459 Honor Honor of our inferiors must be preserved 55 God hath little honor in the world 132 Hope Hope see Wind Host Host see People Humbles What humbles most effectually 287 Hurtful Hurtful see East Wind. I Jacob What God spake to Jacob at Bethel 264 Jacob's mean condition 356 Jacob's flying into Syria 358 Why Jacob is sent away so meanly 359 Jacob hath the blessing renewed at his going away 359 Why Jacob served seven years for Rachel 394 Jehovah Jehovah what it infer's 273 Jehovah what it should mind us of 274 Jehovah what terror is in the Name 291 Jehovah what Consolation in the Name 292 Jehovah see Excellency Jews One of Gods special Covenants with the Jews 427 Ill-got Ill-got see Goods Image Image see Wrath Imitate Imitate God in resisting temptations to sin 149 Immoderate Immoderat desires to be taken heed of 537 Imperiousness The Imperiousness of some in their families 416 Increase Whence such Increase of false Doctrine 205 Increasing see Lyes Inferiors Inferiors see Honor Ingratitude Ingratitude see Perverse spirit Insolent Insolent see Bass Israel What a child Israel was 3 Wherein Gods Love to Israel stood 4 Israel see Mercy Instances Instances of the working of Gods heart towards England 148 Instruments Instruments see Abuse Iron Iron Tools unfit to build God's Tabernacle 343 Israelites Why the Israelites would have a King and Princes 530 Judgment It may prove a Judgment to invent a way to satisfie Conscience 211 Judgment when to be Executed 300 Judging Judging see Error K Kingdom Kingdom see Troubles King King see Israelites Kings Kings see Caution Kissing Against kissing the Book in Swearing 443 Know What it is to know God 447 L Labor Labor see Prevailing Language The Language of the sin of Apostacy 409 Law Saints not under the Law 11 Liberty What use we should make of Liberty 96 Licentiousness Licentiousness see Evils Lives Lives how to compleat the comfort of them 10 Leopard Leopard see God Lyon The Lyons property 504 Lyon see God Little A little of Spiritual things serves mens turns 455 London Gods mercy to London all this War 114 London's good is to be labored for 115 Love Gods Love doth not find but make the person lovely 8 Love commands all the souls faculties 64 The Love of Christians formerly compared with our divisions 72 Love see Persons Children Fruit England Love see Superiors Convince Notes Magistrates Love see Servants Sanctifies Overcomes Love see Relations Element Lyes Several waies of encreasing Lyes 206 M Magistrates Magistrates must deal by Reason rather than by Violence 51 Magistrates should govern by Love 76 Mark The Mark of the Beast 313 Marriage Marriage founded on consent 391 Married condition Married condition see Blessing Mean condition The mean condition as well as the greatness of our Ancestors is to be regarded 392 The mean condition of Moses 396 Meditation A Meditation for passionate spirits 464 A Meditation ser Trades-men in London 469 Merchant Merchant see Canaanite Mercie Gods mercy towards Israel is a Type of his waies with his people 8 Mercy when to be shewn 299 Mercy see Carnal props London Plea Affliction Merciful hearts neerest to God 173 Ministers Ministers pattern 35 Ministers must convince not scare men 51 It's Ministers duty to open Gods Love 66 Ministers should be wary in using tartness 150 Ministry The Ministry a magnificent gift 346 Why men profit no more by the Ministry 345 In chusing our habitation we should have regard to a good Ministry 347 Monopoliz To monopolize Commodities is oppression 313 N Necessary Necessary see Truth New New Officers see Pride Notes Notes to know whether it he Love or Hatred by all that is before us 540 Note of Peprobation 3â—â— O Obstinate Obstinate see Devil Oppression Oppression of others after deliverance from oppression is a great evil 97 Oppression see Deliverance Monopolize Oppression see Conscience Trading Evil. Opression see Under-trades-men Overcome Gods Love overcomes all unworthiness 84 Outward Outward Comforts see Thoughts P Pardon Pardon see Restitution Parents Parents and Masters must use more conviction than correction 52 Particular Particular persons should remember Gods ancient Love 7 Particulars affect most 294 Passionate Passionate spirits see Meditation Peace A blessing for them that hastens peace 112 People Gods People are his Host 272 Perseverance Perseverance why more frequent under the Gospel than under the Law 69 Perverse A perverse spirit the punishment of ingratitude 401 Piety Piety raiseth the heart more than Pride 126 Plea The plea of Justice and Mercy 140 Popery Popery see Beginning Posture The posture of a Congregation 417 Prayer Prayer see Encouragement Priests Priests see Vanity Preserve Preserve see Honor Prevailing Prevailing recompenceth all our labor in seeking 242 Pride Notes of pride in some new Officers 461 Priviledg Priviledg see Saints Procession Procession see England Profit Profit see Ministry Promise No command in the Gospel without a promise 91 Prosperity Many Saints worse for prosperity 453 Prosperity see Exalted Proud Proud men see Vanity Providence Things accidental are under providence 18 Provoke How we should provoke one another 464 Provoking Provoking God see Aggravation Provoking sins expressed 465 Punishment The punishment of Apostacie 409 R Reason Reasons of Jacob's taking his brother by the heel 219 Reason see Magistrates Use Relations The love of all Relations in Gods Love 85 Religion Religion see England Reformation Reformation see Awaking Recreation Times for Recreation to be allowed to Servants 101 Repentance Repentance a Gospel-Grace not of the Law
they must come into the wast howling wilderness and there be led along for fourty years together and yet God doth reckon up his guidance of them here in this way as a fruit of his love So long as we are in Gods way though the way be difficult yet we have cause to bless God that we are in his way and let not us be troubled at the difficulty of our way when we see God before us and leading us in our way Thirdly Though we meet with difficulties in our way yet God loves to teach his people how to go in their way and the more difficult their way is the more care hath God of them to teach them how to go We do not find such an expression of Gods care of them to teach them in any other way but this of theirs when they went first out of Egypt because that way was the most difficult therfore God takes upon him in a special manner to teach them in that way Be not discouraged at your difficulties but when you are in your way and your conscience tels you that it is not a way that you have chosen to your selves look up to God for guidance cry to him as you find in Psal 107. 6. They cryed to the Lord in their trouble and then vers 7. he led them forth in a right way Mark how these two are joyned together They cryed to the Lord in their trouble and he led them forth in a right way When you are in straights cry to God in your trouble the Lord will lead you forth in a right way When we have been in the greatest straits and have had the hardest way to go how hath God taken us up in his arms Through Gods mercy though we be very weak yet we are gone on a great way even from Egypt from our spiritual Egypt and bondage It is unthankfulness in people to say We are in as bad a condition as ever we were VVhat God may bring us to through the unthankfulness of men we know not but certainly through Gods mercy we have been led along a great way in our journey God hath taught us to go it hath not been the wisdom nor providence of men that hath carried us on in our way so far as we have been no we have found apparantly we are not much beholden to the wisdom of men for that way that we have been carried on in but 't is God that hath come in in our straits we see by what hath fallen out how we should have perished in our way we should have returned into Egypt how often have we been ready to think Would things were with us as heretofore they have been Oh! this hath been the peevishness of our spirits to be thinking of turning into Egypt as it was with this people though God was with them in their way yet often they thought of returning back again We have been ready to be thinking of by-waies for our selves and every one to be shifting his own way and what cross paths have we walked in first one way and then another way undoing what we have done First engaging men and then discouraging the same men that we have encoraged though they have continued the same yet our spirits have not continued the same towards them VVe may apply that that you have in Jer. 31. 22. which is spoken in reference to their way coming out of their captivity How long wilt thou go about O thou backsliding daughter It may be well applied to England at this day Oh! how long wil we go about that is shifting this way and that and not daring to trust God in his way we are afraid that if we should go on in the right path that God guids us in that we should miscarry and therefore we go about and that 's the reason it is so long before we have our deliverance because we go about and do not follow Gods guidance in our way There 's an excellent promise that God makes to his people in Jer. 31. 9. in reference to the guiding of them in their way from their Captivity They shal come with weeping and with supplications wil I lead them I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble for I am a father to Israel aud Ephraim is my first born This is a Scripture very sutable to that Scripture we are now opening It 's a fruit of fatherly love to guide us in a straight way and keep us from stumbling But mark how this shall be done They shall come with weeping and with supplications will I lead them There must be weeping and supplication to cry to God for guidance in our way As a poor child if it be left a little by the Mother or Nurse it stands crying to be guided in its way and this should be our care in all our straights not to fly upon this Instrument or the other but to cry to God to guide us in our way We may apply this to Gods guidance of the soul from spiritual Egypt when God brings the soul out of the spiritual bondage he guides it in the way to heavenly Canaan you whom the Lord are bringing out of your Spiritual Bondage look up to God to teach you how to go why For your way is a hard way it is a straight way it is a narrow way that you are going now it hath many stumbling blocks in it it hath many by-paths near it that are very like to it Your way is a very slippery way and you had need be taught how to go you may slip and fall and break your selves quickly if you be not taught how to go you that are yong beginners in the way of Religion be not too confident in your own understanding and your own strength many poor children for want of the care of their Nurses have gotten such fals when they were children that have lam'd them and made them go crooked all their daies and so it hath been with yong Professors of Religion many yong ones in the profession of Religion because they have been too bold and confident in their own understanding the Lord hath left them to such fals that they prove but crooked all the daies of their profession but though they do go on in a way of profession of Religion they are but maim'd Professors crooked Professors because of the falls that they have gotten when they were yong ones And truly we have very great cause to fear that who lives but a few years to see those that are yong Professors of Religion now live to be something old I say we have cause to fear that those that live to see it will see a great many maim'd and crooked Professors of Religion for there are a many yong ones in these slippery times gets fals that venture so much upon the Ice upon doubtful things
that they understand not which get such falls and bruises that are like to stick upon them as long as they live Some of you it may be may remember when you were children you would use to venture upon the Ice and be sliding and you got such bruises then that now you feel them Oh! let yong ones take heed of venturing upon doubtful things let them look up to God to make their way plain before them and not lean to their own understandings lest they have falls I say by which they get bruises that they may feel another day And further Seeing God makes it to be a fruit of his love to teach them how to go when you see others slip and stumble in in the way of profession of Religion and spoil themselves Oh bless God then for his mercy towards you that he helps and teaches you in your way As when a man is riding upon the road in winter time it may be he sees some before him whose horses get into holes and stumble and it may be the man breaks his leg or shoulder before him if it proves not to be deadly to him now if you should see a man falling and breaking his leg or arms falling down with his horse in such dangerous waies as there is in many places would you not have cause to bless God that you are delivered from that that God hath preserved your limbs Thus when you see Professors falling in the way of profession of Religion Oh! bless God that he teaches you in your way that he guides you To women that are weak in waies that are slipery you will take hold of their hands to guide them and so God doth to you know the whol course of your way from spiritual Egypt to spiritual Canaan it is Ice and rugged al the way that God is fain to take you by the hand and Oh! the goodness of God to condescend thus to his poor Creatures to compare himself to a Nurse Oh! how often would we run into harms way as we use to say if God did not lead us And further Take heed you who are weak and have need of teaching that you be not wayward and wanton that you be not foolish and unruly and that you do not wilfully run into rugged and slippery waies God indeed is as a Nurse to teach you how to go yea but be not you as wayward and froward children that sometimes tire their Nurses it 's more difficult to teach some children than others how to go they are so froward and wilful that they will go their own way if the eye of their Nurse be but from them never so little they will go their own way Oh! take heed you be not among those froward wilful children that will be going their own way Again further I taught Ephraim to go Gods Ministers and all of us should labor to follow God in this way of his that is To have a tender care of others we should be like our Father God takes a delight in teaching weak opes how to go and in guiding of them in their way Truly we that profess our selves to be Gods children we should imitate our Father and especially Gods Ministers they should take a delight to help weak ones on in their way and to carry weak ones in their very arms that which God is said here to do Moses in another Scripture is said to do as in Numb 11. 12. Have I conceived all this people have I begotten them that thou shouldest say unto me carry them in thy bosom as a Nursing Father beareth a sucking child unto the Land which thou swearest unto their Fathers It seems Moses though he thought it to be very hard to bear so many people in his arms as it were yet God gave that Commission to him and he did it according as he was able he did carry the people as a Nurse or a Father or Mother carrieth the sucking child in their bosom Yea And though Gods Ministers meet with those that are very froward yet they must not be discouraged we are as froward in reference unto God as any can be in reference unto us and therefore you must consider you that are Ministers when you meet with yong Professors and others that are beginning in the waies of godliness and you find them untoward and peevish many times do not cast them off because of that if God should have cast off you because of that what would have become of you No instruct them with meekness even instruct them with meekness that oppose themselves though they kick and spurn yet instruct them with meekness though they oppose themselves and in 1 Thess 2. 7. we have a notable pattern of a Minister there how he should carry himself in this respect But we were gentle among you even as a Nurse cherishes her children Thus Ministers should be of gentle spirits and know that God doth put them in place to teach children how to go in their way and therefore we find it in Tit. 1. 7. that they must not be soon angry Ministers must not be of angry dispositions you would be loth to put your children to froward Nurses their very milk would some way favour of them and your children may get a great deal of hurt by Nurses that are pettish and froward it is a special qualification and necessarily required in a Nurse that she be of a gentle and patient disposition Now Gods Ministers are compared to Nurses and do not think the comparison too mean for God himself is compared to a Nurse when he saith he taught Ephraim how to go And then lastly Seeing the tender care of God like a Parent or a Nurse towards the Child is made an engagement to their duty and an aggravation of their sin because they were not what they ought to be As if the Prophet should have said Oh! therefore you should have served and loved the Lord that was so gracious to you as to teach you but you have not done so and therefore your sin is greater From whence the Note is That the love and tender care of Parents and Nurses in bringing up children and enduring much trouble with them is a great judgment to children when they grow up to requite with duty and due respect their Parents and Nurses and if they do not it's a great aggravation of their evil You that are grown up from children remember the care remember the sorrow remember the trouble of your bringing up and be ashamed of your undutifulness How is it that you have all your limbs but from the care of your Parents and Nurses you are to bless God for your Parents care and the care of those to whom you were committed when you were children and know that you owe due respect unto them for it He is an Apostate to the great Law of Nature who Violates Charities due unto Parents and Nurses I
for all the godly partie flying from the rage of the Sword great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in this City preserved by the Lord Except it had been preserved by the Lord the Watch-men certainly had watch'd in vain It follows And shall cousume his branches and devour them The Branches that is The Towns and Villages about the City for the Cities in a Kingdom are like the Root or the Bodie of a Tree and the Villages or the Towns are as the Branches of the Tree and here 's threatned both Citie and Branches And this Citie hath been as a great Body of a Tree that hath sent out juice and sap and succor to all the Towns and Villages in the Kingdom When the Sword is upon the Citie there is little hope that the Villages shall escape Isa 14. 31. Howl O gaie Cry O City thou whol Palestina art dissolved When the City cries then whol Palestina is dissolved no mervail then though there hath been such plotting in this City by making divisions besides other treacherous and villanous waies to spoil this City to bring the Sword upon it What laboring hath there been to betray us one plot upon another assoon as one is broke presently another and all against this Citie Oh! what a pleasant sight would it have been to our Adversaries to have seen this City in confusion wallowing in its own blood But the more there is depending upon this Citie the more careful should all that love peace and the welfare of the Kingdom labor for the good of this Citie everie one should labor for the peace of it that it may be a Citie compacted with unitie within its self that all that are godly and faithful may joyn in one that every one may bear the infirmities of his Brother that there may be no grating upon one anothers Spirits no exasperation no stirrings up violence one against another especially against those that are gracious and peaceable The more plotting and falsness and treacherie there is against this Citie the more should we be faithful and labor for the good of it yea and the more should we encrease our prayers for it You have a notable Scripture in Psal 55. 9. I have seen violence and strife in the City day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof mischief also and sorrow are in midst of it What then in the 17. verse Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice What saith the Psalmist I have seen violence and strife in the Citie yea and deceit and guile do not depart from their streets What shall I do then Evening and morning and at noon will I pray We complain of contentions and divisions and strifes in the Citie and that there are so many plots and treacheries against the Citie Oh! let not us only talk of these things but encrease our prayers in the frequencie and fervency of them Oh! let there be no family but let there be praying to God in the family Evening and Morning at least and if you prayed twice a day before then thrice a day now because of the strife in the City and the treachery and deceipt that is here and the Lord wil hear our voice and he concludes the Psalm thus Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their daies but I will trust in the Lord. Let them be never so bloody minded and desire to imbrue the City in blood yet saith the text The bloudy and deceiptful man shall not live out half his daies but I will trust in the Lord. Because of their own Counsels The Evil Folly and Danger of mens own Counsels we have spoken to in the 10th Chapter 6th Verse They shall be ashamed of their own Counsels Now only a word of that in reference unto the abiding of the Sword upon them The Sword hath abode upon us divers years the wisest amongst us did not think the Sword would have continued so long as it hath don And yet who can tel when there will be an end of these things Among other evils certainly this evil of our own Counsels is a great evil that hath made the Sword to abide upon us Every man follows his own Counsel one man for his friend and another for his friend Mens own Counsels both in Parliament in City in the Army in the Country throughout the Kingdom hath been a great cause of the abiding of the Sword so long a time upon us Their own Counsels The old Latin hath it Shall eat up or destroy their heads those men that had heads amongst them that seem'd to be the wisest the chief Heads that were the wisest and most full of Counsel they were the cause of the continuance of this evil upon them So Montanus hath it Their Counsellors And so Vatablus Because of those that put them upon those Counsels were the cause of the abiding of the Sword in Ezek. 11. 2. Jaazaniah and Pelatiah These are men that give evil Counsels in the City God hath an eye upon them upon such as give evil Counsel in the City as the men that are causes of the evil that is upon the City There is nothing more useful in troublesom times than Counsel if set aright and nothing more dangerous in troublesom times than Counsel if it be wrong The Lord deliver us both Parliament Army City and Kingdom from their own Counsels This wil ever be men will ever follow their own Counsels till they be taken off from their own designs their own ends till they can trust God with his work and be willing to be swallowed up in the Publick Squint-eyed and selvish Counsel will destroy us if God be not infinitly merciful unto us yea and it may be there are some that have good aims for God and yet in their Counsels they may be led aside by carnal principles As for instance only in this own thing That there is no such way for the furtherance of the Kingdom of Christ but by the corespondancy of it with the Kingdoms of the world Certainly this Counsel is very dangerous in such times as these are this principle upon which many that have good intentions do go they desire the furtherance of the Kingdom of Christ they can â—ppeal to God of the sincerity of their hearts and their â—earts are sincere in their desires of the furtherance of the â—ingdom of Christ and they think this principle is a very good one That the best way to further it is to do that that may stand with peace in a way of corespondanâ—y w th the Kingdoms of the world it wil be the best way 〈◊〉 set it up and if they did not think that were the best â—ay to set up the Kingdom of Christ they would not do i 〈…〉 But certainly they are mistaken in their Counsels hâ—e For as the Kingdom of Christ is not
there were mighty stirrings in Gods heart pleadings of Justice and pleadings of Mercy but Gods mercy overcomes gets the day as it were Mercie triumphs over Justice The Observations When we have stirrings between Mercy and Wrath the stirrings of Mercy should rather prevail the bent of our hearts should rather be in them When we have workings this way and that way which is the most benign side the arguments had need be very much the stronger for wrath than for Mercie If the arguments have any equality or neer any equalitie in them certainly the arguments for mercie should prevail they do so with Gods heart Oh! be you like God in this And then Secondly When there are stirrings with God and temptations to draw to sin the stirrings for God likewise should prevail Have not you found it thus many times in your selves you have had stirrings in your hearts to such and such duties and at the same time there hath been temptations coming to such and such sins now I put it to your Consciences as in the Name of God Cannot you tell divers times how the temptations to sin hath got the day you have been rather carried from God to your base sinful lusts and your Conscience hath been overcom Conscience hath pul'd and drawings of the Spirit have been very powerful but yet temptations have been more powerful and you have gone that way Oh! be ashamed of this that it should ever be said That at such a time there were stirrings with Conscience and Temptations Temptations and Conscience stirring together yet that Temptation should overcome Conscience Thirdly Gods mercies do not free his People from all fruits of displeasure But I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger And my brethren this is not meant meerly of the times of the Law for this anger of God upon them is to this very day But yet it is not fierceness of anger like that of Adamah and Zeboim There are no question among them the elect Ones of God at this day God wil not have this called the fierceness of anger So 't is displeasure 't is captivity long captivity They are a reproach and a by-word to the world and yet not fierceness of anger Our discontented hearts are ready to call every little affliction fierceness of anger Oh! how fierce is God if we suffer any little And indeed did we but know what anger our sins deserve we would learn not to call every affliction that is upon us no nor our greatest afflictions fierceness of anger Fourthly We should acknowledge mercy though we suffer hard things If yet we be not utterly not everlastingly cast off acknowledge Mercy it is Mercy my Repentings kindled I will not execute fierceness of anger Why Because they were not as Admah and Zeboim Learn we all this This day whatsoever afflictions are upon me though it may be you are ready to say Such afflictions are upon me as upon none we are ready to think our afflictions to be the greatest of all yea but bless God that thou hast not fire from heaven to consume thee and thy family for this might have been thy portion this fierceness of Anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim God here compares himself to a Captain that comes with his Soldiers unto a Town I suppose many of you in this place may easily come to understand the meaning of this word by what they have seen and felt themselves Soldiers come to a Town and there they pillage it and away they go and so the poor people think Soldiers have been here and I hope we shall do well enough now and think all 's over It may be within a month or two after the same Soldiers come again and utterly ruin the place and strip them of all But now saith God I will not return to destroy Ephraim that is Though I lay my hand upon them and afflict them and take away many comforts from them yet when I have done that there I 'le leave I will not come back again with a purpose utterly to ruin them This I might do I might return upon them with one evil upon another but I will not do so From whence note There is no cause that sinners should be secure when some evil is upon them to think this is all now they know the worst No God may justly return upon them again and again If thou turnest not to God under thy affliction God may justly return upon thee to ruin thee Indeed if thy afflictions were such as hath caused thy heart to return to God thou maiest then hope that God wil not return upon thee but if so be thou behav'st thy self frowardly under thy afflictions I say thou maiest justly expect that God should return upon thee But Secondly God is very gracious to his people when evil is upon them he will not ad and ad till he utterly destroy them but he will forbear that he might have some subject for his Mercie he will not contend for ever For I am God saith he and not man Here 's an argument that is very full I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger for I am God and not a man Before God took upon him the person of a man in those yernings of his bowels that is When he would express his mercie mark there God would come in the most familier way to make us know the meaning of his mercy but when he comes to speak of Anger there he would have us know that he is not like to a man in way of Anger in the way of Mercie saith he if there be the most merciful man upon earth know that I am like him but when I come to anger I am not like man in the way of anger God is verie desirous that we understand fully his heart in the waies of his mercy but when he speaks of the execution of his wrath I will not do that why For I am a God and not a Man And mark the strength of this expression the difference between God and Man in the point of the execution of wrath you will find it very useful to you First for the opening of it and then for the several Observations to be drawn from it As first Man is of a weak spirit not able to rule his anger Man if he be but a little heat with anger it 's turn'd into rage and there 's no rule at all but I am not man saith God I am God I am no man 't is not with me thus I am not of a weak spirit I am able to rule my anger in Nahum 1. 6. the Lords anger there is said to be furious but I find the word in the Original The Lord of anger so Montanus turns it a God that 's able to rule his anger and expresses it in the midst of the expression of his greatest wrath I am God and not Man Man the word is not Adam but
only against them and make it appear that that 's the work of their spirits meerly to oppose them and not under such a pretence to make other things that yet they cannot make appear to be false to make them appear to be odious and monstruous meerly by shufling them together among such horrible and damnable lyes That 's for false Doctrine And then secondly Thy encrease lyes and desolation that is lyes against the Prophets of God against the Saints and against the Waies of God And certainly there was never the like multiplying as there is at this day in this sense too men carry their multiplying glasses along with them up and down at first a lye it 's like a stone in the water you know a stone first cast in makes a little circle and then that another and that another and every one greater than another And so it is with many lyes at first they appear not so great but that makes another and that another and that another and so they grow greater and greater and that exceedingly there 's many waies of multiplying and encreasing lyes First by carrying about reports and so make one lye to become many And then a Second way is by misreporting of reports that is by putting reports into another dress according to what men themselves apprehend and that which is a truth when it comes to be examined nakedly yet they will being put into another dress and such and such things laid together in another way than they were at first they will seem to be very false This is a way of multiplying lyes Thirdly by adding to reports every man according to his spirit draws consequences and when he hath drawn them he makes them to be part of the report and so makes it to be the Original as if it were the Original whenas it is but the Comment and so lyes comes to be multiplied Fourthly by inventing new ones they come to encrease and multiply because such and such falshoods will not do the feat more shall then be added to them Fifthly they encrease and multiply by maintaining lyes by lyes as if men be engaged once in a business they must defend themselves If once they have misreported a thing there 's no help for it but now it must be defended one way or other somewhat must be done to defend it as 't is many times so in your servants a Servant hath done a thing amiss well this Servant seeks to cover it by a lye and when once he hath told one he must tell a great many more to defend that one and thus it is with men And truly my Brethren seeing that this Scripture doth so by providence come in our way let me speak thus much to you from it It is one of the strangest things that ever was in the world that there should be such strange reports of things that are matters of fact yea that one Godly man or company of men should say one thing and others that we think Godly men should say quite contrary and both in matters of fact I say 't is that which would make men stand amazed as much as ever any thing that fell out in any age to consider of it for there is no sin that is more against the ingenuity of a gracious heart than a deliberate lye to speak against a mans knowledg and against a mans conscience this sin is against the ingenuity of a gracious heart as much as any sin and yet even such as we think to be godly and gracious even reporting so quite cross what shall we say to this Austin hath such an expression of his to a friend that writ to him about the telling of an officious lye he answers him again No he must not tell a lye no not to save the whol world Now what a difference is there in the hearts of men in these daies Truly I do not know a greater temptation to Atheism at this day than this is for what will men think There 's such Religious men speak thus and others that we account as Religious as they speak quite contrary Is there any Religion in the world We see so much contradicting one against another surely one side must be false It 's that that I am verily perswaded is the cause of much Atheism amongst us and if God be not pleased to prevent one way or other it will open a wide door to Atheism in the Nation But therefore those that would fain get this stumbling block to be remov'd and do not rejoyce at it as some do some there are that rejoyces at these things there 's nothing more pleasing to them when they meet together whereas they should be matter for our humiliation we should mourn for them to see how God is dishonored this way and what abundance of hurt is like to come to souls by this means But now therefore a little to quiet our hearts so as we may not be endanger to turn Atheists by it let us consider from whence this comes that so many lyes should be encreased and multiplied For First Consider though one saith this thing is so and the other faith it 's quite contrary yea but it may be that both sides do report according to their own apprehensions of things and apprehending things in a different way having divers principles both of them may think they are in the Truth and yet one may contradict the other because they may speak according to their apprehensions on both sides for it is very much according to the principles of ones spirit in any thing especially if a business hath many things depending on it and there are many circumstances to be laid together then according to mens apprehensions and their principles â—hey will lay things together so as may best sute their principles and others will say things together so as may best sute their principles and so both of them may think they are in the Truth and contradict one another and yet neither of them speak against their consciences this possibly I say may even be among good men And then sometimes the reason of contradiction it is because men do not speak from their own knowledg but they are ready to speak from others and are so confident in others whomsoever men love when they see men to be of their side and way they are very confident in their rports and so speak it not from being Eye-witnesses themselves and so they may come to contradict one another and not go against their own consciences Reports are cross one to another and this is the evil indeed of giving credit to reports and of running away too suddenly with them But though it be an evil in men yet it comes not from this of speaking against their consciences And then a Third cause it may come from this That when men report they do not report all Reports are cross one to another
God seems to work against me but yet the Word of God works for me and I will try whether shall prevail Gods Word or Gods Providence thus Jacob wrastles I will not let thee go as if he should say I have the Word for what I do and God hath bound himself by Covenant and so long though Heaven and Earth meet together although I see my brother coming against me and God departing from me and all threatning ruin yet I will beleeve still that there is mercy for me This was Jacobs last turn as I may so say as the trying as it were the last fall in this his wrastling in opposing the Word that he had with the Work of God towards him And this is a Note of very great use in al our conditions let us not lay so much weight upon any Work of God as upon the Word of God let us build upon the Word rather than fear the Works for it hath been the usual way of God when he hath given out a Word that his Works have seem'd to go quite cross as not only in our father Jacob but even in our father Abraham What was the Word of God to Abraham There was two promises by God made to Abraham one was this That he would bring him into a Land that flowed with milk and hony And a second That he would make his seed as the Stars in the Firmament Wel here was Gods Word But how was Gods Work The very next thing that you hear of him he was carried into Canaan after he had left all his friends and was ready to starve presently now the word is Thou shalt be brought into a Land that flows with milk and bony and assoon as ever he comes into that Land he was ready to starve Here 's a Land indeed And then a second Promise of having his seed as the Stars of Heaven Abraham was twenty five yeers after this before he had any one child of the Promise and he grew old and also his wife Well he had at length one and God commands him to kill that one to sacrifice that one But what a work is here how quite contrary to the Word Well he was saved and Isaac is forty yeers before he marries here 's sixty five yeers gone from the promise and there 's but even one of his seed that must be as the Stars of Heaven at length Isaac marries and he was twenty yeers without a child here 's eighty five yeers and but only one birth from him yea and after that the story will make it out that Jacob was above fourscore yeers before he married and had any children there 's between eight and nine score yeers gone and here 's but only Isaac and Jacob. How doth the Work of God seem against his Word in appearance It 's the way of God and therefore let us never trouble our selves about Gods Works he came indeed afterwards with his Works and fulfilled his Word to the uttermost but for the present it seem'd to be against it Oh! lay up this as a lesson you will have use of it many and many a time It follows With his strength he prevailed Prevailing at last will recompence all our strivings Jacob was fully recompenced here he speaks in a way of recompence of Jacob after his striving Oh! it was a hard wrastling I but he prevail'd at length And so it will be with all the people of God let them go on and wrastle and though things be hard for the present when mercy comes it wil pay for all Oh! thou wilt hereafter see no cause of repenting that ever thou did est continue in this wrastling with God Oh! thou wilt see cause to bless God blessed be God that kept up my heart all this while Oh! God knows that many times it was ready to sink and if I had left off what had become of me I had lost the mercy that now I find but I continued through Gods mercy and now he is come he is come at length Prevailing recompences all our labor and trouble in seeking Well he prevail'd but what 's this to this people of Israel Thus this was to shew the base degenerateness of this people as if he should say Oh! of what a brave spirit was your Father Jacob but you you are a base people you basely subject your selves to Heathens to Idols your father was of a brave spirit indeed and would not have subjected himself to any creature in the world yea he would wrastle with God himself when he had his Word for it Oh! but it is otherwise with Jacob's posterity you can crouch to every base thing you will crouch to the humors of men in the Worship of God and do any thing to save your skin saith he you are unworthy to be counted of the posterity of Jacob that 's the meaning of the Prophet here Jacob's posterity indeed they should be prevailers upon the world above temptations it 's unseemly for one of the seed of Iacob to yeeld to the base lusts and the humors of men what shall we yeeld to a base lust when Iacob would not yeeld to the Almighty but prevail'd with him are we of the seed of Iacob now Oh! we are of low mean spirits led aside of every vanity and overcome with every difficulty But how did he prevail in what way did he put forth this his strength It follows VER 4. He wept and he made supplication THis weeping of Jacob is not recorded in the History of Genesis nor in all the Book of God but only here his supplication is recorded but not his weeping therefore his weeping was had either from hand to hand by way of tradition it was known that when he wrastled so with the Angel he prevailed or otherwise by Revelation but certain it was that he wept when he did wrastle There are many ridiculous conceits of the Jews and some old Writers about this they say it was the Angel that fell a weeping and prayed Jacob to let him alone thus they carry it But to take it generally as our Divines do that Jacob wept and made supplication and so prevailed with God Iacob's heart was prest in the condition that he was in and so prest that it caused tears to bubble from him and no mervail though tears came from him his heart could not but be full for when he came to think thus with himself What after I have served such a hard service under Laban my Uncle and God bad me come away from him which I took to be such a great mercy from God to deliver me yet how soon was I presently in danger of my life even my Uncle Laban pursuing of me and God delivered me there And must I now fall into the hand of my Brother is the day come for him now to have his rage upon me I see little other likelihood his strength is great and God himself appears against me and I have
to their Masters much more then will the Masters themselves leap and rejoyce in the having their hearts desires fill'd They glorie in it And then Sixthly and that 's especially to be observed here That carnal hearts that get estates in sinful waies they seek to relieve their consciences that are full of guilt with the consideration of the outward comforts they do enjoy The Prophet charges them with their sin charges the guilt of their sin upon them But we are rich say they and we inherit substance Wicked men will seek to relieve their consciences their guiltie consciences in the rejoycing in their riches and in their estates and in what they have got in Isa 57. 10. you have a Scripture somewhat sutable to this Thou hast found the life of thine hand therefore thou wast not grieved It may be if a man goes on in an evil way and doth not prosper in it if God crosses him in it then he begins to bethink himself Is not this a finful way doth not God oppose me in it and then he begins to be griev'd But if he can find the life of his hand go on and he prosper and have what he desires then he will not be griev'd then his heart is hardened Wicked men will set their riches and estates against all their guiltiness and think it will countervail it I beseech you consider this Note There is no more full and sure sign of a man of the world of a worldlie man than this That he can think to relieve his conscience in the guilt of the least sin by the enjoyment of all the things of the world that he can set the good of the things of the world against the guilt of sin that he can put any thing in the world in the ballance to down weigh the least guilt of any sins here is a worldly heart here 's a man of the world a wretched heart thou doest bless thy self in a great estate thou g 〈…〉 test but hath there been no guilt at all that thou hast contracted by that estate which thou hast got Thou canst not say but some guiltiness hath been contracted yea but this contents thee there is so much gain comes by it Oh! thou art a wretched man that canst set the gain in the world to the least guilt that thou hast contracted Oh! it hath been an ill bargain riches got by guilt thou hast made I say an ill bargain for thy self thou knowest not God knowest not with whom thou hast to deal that canst set any gain by sin for to countervail the evil of that guilt that thou hast committed for the getting of that gain of thine And further Wicked men labor to satisfie their consciences with the prosperitie they are in and what they have got by their sin as they set it against their guilt so in the Seventh place They perswade themselves that God is not at least so much displeased with them as many would bear them in hand Surely if my condition were so dangerous as you would perswade me to I should not prosper so much in my way as I do I should not get riches so as I do upon this they begin to think that God is of their mind as in Psal 50. 21. Thou thoughtest I was like unto thy self we find it by experience that when men are under affliction when Gods hand is upon men then they begin to think that God doth not like of their waies but when they go on and prosper they are readie to think that God approves of their waies that they walk in There 's a notable storie concerning the Mother of Lumbard Gratian and Comestor The first the Master of the Sentences as they call them The Second the compiler of a great part of the Popes Law the Decretal Epistles the third the Author of the Scholastical Historie the best man and book of the three All famous men and all three of them were Bastards Now the Mother of them being a Whore when she came to make her confession to the Priest she could not acknowledg much evil in it and she profest she could not find her heart griev'd or troubled much about it when the Priest urged her penance and repentance for it because though it 's true that the thing was evil that she did yet that she did prosper so wel that they were three such eminent men of such great use as those were Thus it 's ordinarilie men think that it may lessen the-greatness of their sin if they get any thing by it if they prosper in their sinful way there is no such cause of trouble and grief for it The people they may laugh at me saith a covetous man but I applaud my self at home when I behold the money in the Chest so long as I see comings-in let men talk what they will I cannot beleeve that things are so bad as they report that God is so much against me but I hope God loves me These are the reasonings of a carnal heart and all because he prospers in his sin I remember it 's reported of Dionisius that when he had committed Sacriledg and had a good voyage after it saith he See what a good Navigation the Gods hath granted me you tell me of Sacriledg but I am sure I have had a good Voyage after it Oh! these are Heathenish reasonings and yet I fear they are not altogether rooted out of such as profess themselves Christians You that have good Voiages abroad observe it it may be if you meet with an ill Voiage then you begin to recollect your self What sin have I been guiltie of but now if you have a good Voiage though you have contracted much guiltiness upon your spirits while you were at Land yet prospering in your Voiage you never think of anie danger but all is well because you have a good Voiage Oh no a good Voiage is no sign that there is not guiltiness As sometimes I have told you that a painted face is no sign of a good complexion it may be it is the Curse of God upon thee that doth let thee so to prosper and if God had anie love unto thee he would not let thee to prosper so as he doth he would cross thee in thy waies that so thou mightest bethink thy self There 's another man perhaps that was as wicked as thou and yet the Lord had a love to him and he crost him in his waies so that he hath begun to bethink himself and not to be at rest till he gets the guilt of his sin done away but for thee Gods heart it seems is not yet towards thee he hath no love to thee and if he lets thee go on and still prosper in a sinful way this is from the fruit of Reprobation and certainlie there cannot be scarce a greater note of a Reprobate than for a man to prosper in a sinful way This is that we should all pray to
Oh Israel thou hast destroyed thy self thou mayest thank thy self for all this The reading of the words I find to be somewhat different from what you have them in your books Calvin and many others read it It hath destroyed thee Israel And in the old English Translation wherein Beza's the Geneva Notes are there it is One hath destroyed them so the word may be read so as it must be made up with somewhat else Either One hath destroyed them or It hath destroyed them or Somewhat hath destroyed them as if God should say 't is not I that have destroyed them but as if somewhat else had done it Tremelius makes it up thus Thy King hath destroyed thee For so the words will bear to reade it to be made up with what the text and the dependance of other passages in the Prophet may help us to hath destroyed us so are the words hath what hath why your King hath dedestroyed you saith Tremelius Saith the Hebrews most of them your Calf hath destroyed you your Idols have destroyed you Aben Ezra your fained comforts hath destroyed you And Drusius he reades it Interogatively Who hath destroyed thee Your fulness of which vers 6. or your own heart and wickedness hath destroyed you The Greek thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who shall give help to the corruption of Israel so that though the words be read so diversly yet that wherein most agree it comes to the same effect as you have them in your books Your own wickedness hath destroyed you your s 〈…〉 ungodly Idelatrous living forsaking God and his 〈…〉 putting confidence in an arm of flesh that hath destroyed thee In Me is Thine Help Those words are somewhat different in the Original from what you have in your Books for there are two Inn's In Me In thy help so 't is in the Hebrew And you shal observe it that in your Books Is hath another character which notes that it is not directly according to the Original In Me in thy help Now in me saith Learned Drusius upon the text I am in thy help and thy help is in me therefore there is two Inn's In me In thy help that is I am in thine help and thine help is in me so in a way of elegancie he expresses it And it seems to be according to the intention of the holy Ghost Whatsoever help thou hast I am in it and thy help it is in me In me is thy help And Pareus he read it Against thy help and so supplies the word Thou hast rebelled against thy help Oh thou hast destroyed thy help Why Because thou hast rebelled against thy help And the words in the Original will bear this to be read against thy help But the other more full according to the general stream of Inerpreters and according to the words Thy help is wholly in me and I am wholly in thy help Thou hast destroyed thy self but thy help is wholly in me That shall suffice for the reading of the words Now for the several Truths that are to be here held forth to us out of the words First this Men would fain put off from themselves to God what evil is upon them Men naturally are loth to charge themselves with the evil that coms upon them It 's their ill-hap their ill-fortune their ill-lock or they could not help 〈◊〉 they did what they could and so think to 〈…〉 ll to God 't is for want of means for want of this or that thing that God did deny to them it 's because God put them into such and such a condition but never come to charge themselves but the Propet speaks here in a compassionat way Oh Israel saith he never stand charging it upon God thou hast destroyed thy self Secondly God knows how to turn all the evil upon our selves God knows how to right himself Though we may think to lessen our evil by putting it upon God God will turn it all upon our own heads and make it out to all the world that we were the cause of al the evils that were upon us both temporal evils and all the evil that shal come upon those that shall perish eternally it will be one of the great works at the day of Judgment To make it out to men and Angels that all the misery that comes upon the damned it is from themselves and their Consciences will acknowledg it and God wil be cleered before all it will be found that the cause of mans perdition it is not the Decree of God Gods Decree it damns none It is their Sin that damns them not the Decree The Decree of Reprobation it is but the leaving of men to be dealt withal in a way of Justice whereas saith God here 's a company I am resolved to magnifie my Grace upon to all eternity Whatsoever comes between to hinder it I am resolved that these shal be the subjects for me to exercise my Grace on toal eternity that 's Election But there are others that I wil have to a way and course of Justice they shal have what they earn and no otherwise so that the Decree is not the cause of mens damnation their sin comes in between that and their damnation so that they destroy themselv 〈…〉 Secondly It 's not the infusion of any evil into them You will say 〈…〉 n comes in between Decree and Damnation But how comes sin in Certainly not by any Infusion from God 〈…〉 t comes in by man himself man himself is the author o 〈…〉 Thirdly It is not by any coaction You will say Though sin is in men for the cause of it yet men cannot help it man cannot but sin Now to that First God made man in such a condition that he might not have sinned and though there be a necessity that man fallen cannot but sin yet it excuses not this necessity He sins as freely as if he could do otherwise Men though it 's true through their fall they cannot do that that is good they cannot but sin Eyes full of Adultry that cannot cease from sin as the Apostle saith of some yet they sin as freely as if they had power to keep from sin It 's that that pleases their wills it 's that that is sutable unto them It 's true that the Saints in Heaven they cannot but glorifie God but yet they glorifie God with freedom too they are so set in an estate of glory as they cannot sin but yet they honor God freely that is They do that that 's sutable to their own spirits in the honoring of God if so be that there be a necessity of sinning from mans fall Yea 2. From a judicial act of God in giving men over to sin yet that 's but in a way of punishment for former sins and they bring this upon themselves so still they destroy themselves Every sinner that perishes murders himself And all
where it was said God was the only Savior In Me is thy help In me That is Thy continued help not only help for the present but whatsoever help thou hast continued it is all in God Isa 33. 2. Be thou their Arm every morning our Salvation also in the time of trouble not only their help for the present but they need stil a continued supply and help every morning But further In Me is thine help though thou hast destroyed thy self Observe There 's no misery that man can bring himself to here in this world but there is help in God for it though thou hast destroyed thy self yet in me is thine help there may yet be help in God As if God should say I do glory in it to be an helper It is God glory to help men in miserie let it be ours It 's the glory of many men to destroy to do mischief but it 's the glory of God to be an helper Saith Luther upon the place I desire to defend thee to preserve thee this indeed is to be a God saith he To be an helper God glories in this that he is a God for this end to be an helper Oh that we could account it our glory to be helpful unto others Let us also look upon God in this his Glory and make him the Object of our Faith in times of distress let us not lie vexing and fretting under our misery b 〈…〉 â—ift up our eyes to God that is the helper let no want of means no unworthiness in us cause our hearts to sink those despairing temptations that saith to us There is no help in God they are very sinful at any time let the condition be never so bad You will say I am a wretched creature I have undone my self Well though thou hast yet such kind of thoughts as these to say There is no help in God they are wicked and sinful God accounts it his glory to help men even when they have destroyed themselves There is a time indeed when there will be no help for sinners but for the time in this world we may say as Shechaniah in Ezra 10. 2 Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Oh make use of that Scripture when thou seest thy self sink down even to the very gulf Oh yet there is hope in the God of Israel for this very thing Suppose my condition be worse I think than any in the world yet you know it hath not been known what God hath laid up for them that love him there is help in God Yea But whether he will help or no Do but carry it now in this notion That there is help in God and he accounts it his Glory to be an Helper he accounts it not his Glory to be a Destroyer so much no that 's his strange work but to be an Helper that 's his great Glorie And again Even at that time when men are most undone then is the time for God to help Thou hast destroyed thy self in me is thine help Oh! come and return yet there may be help for thee though thou hast destroyed thy self Thou hast destroyed thy self in Me thy help It may be in a way of aggravation of their sin and stubbornness Why doest not thou come in to me have not I alwaies been a help to thee in all times of straights and distresses You are in great miserie now I am the same that ever I was yet there 's help enough in me from whence the Note is this Those that heretofore have seen help in God and yet if now their misery grows upon them and they sink yet lower and lower they had need examin themselves throughly Surely they have shut the door against themselves for help for God is never wearie of doing good his arm is not shortened as in Isa 59. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God I beseech you mark but this there is a great difference between God and man in this thing of Helping Men that are verie kind sometimes and helpful yet at other times they will be very surly and harsh towards those that they have been very helpful to in former times and that not from any cause without but meerlie from the temper of their own hearts and the change that there is in their own spirits not because those that they have been kind to are worse now than before no but because of a froward surly harsh humor that is risen up in themselves you shall see such a difference in men that have been very sweet loving and helpful to you at some times but come to them at other times and you shall find them dogged and surly and harsh and you cannot tell what hath provok'd them no it is nothing but from a surlie distemper that is risen in their hearts Oh! thus it is with men but it is not so with God Thou hast destroyed thy self but in Me is thy help it is still I have been thy helper all thy daies and still am the same God ready to do good unto thee and to help thee And then the last thing that I would note is this The more God hath been helpful to any the greater aggravation will it be to their destruction if they be destroyed at last Thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help I have been a help alwaies I am ready to help and to do good and yet thou art undone Oh to be destroyed when God is at hand to help to perish when there is a Fountain just before us as Hagar this will be sad indeed Oh to perish in the midst of means and in the midst of mercies Oh what an aggravation will it be to mens sins another day when they are past the time of mercie to help but then to think Oh! but how gracious was God to me while I liv'd at such and such a time And so concerning our selves again from this In me is thine help It will be the aggravation of our misery if we should yet perish Oh my Brethren Consider of it What shall all the great stories and notable famous stories that we have told of Gods mighty working in helping us shall they be of no other use but to aggravate our miseries at last It would be a sad thing But to proceed VER 10. I will be thy King Where is any other that may save thee in all thy Cities and thy Judges of whom thou saidst Give me a King and Princes FIRST To speak a little to the words as you have them in your books for the words will bear them so in the Original And yet I shall shew you another reading by and by that is as sutable to the Original text as this I will be thy King What ever you do contrive plot keep never such a stir fret vex and rage I will govern you for all that I will be
so much of the presence of God with them Oh we see that that which hath been is still to this verie day Of whom thou saidst Give us a King and Princes Where did they say so they said so in 1 Sam. 8. 5. there say they to Samuel Come give us a King that may reign over us indeed the word Princes I do not 〈…〉 here but here the holy Ghost ads Princes and give us Princes too but that must of necessity be supposed for if there be a King a King must have his Court and Nobles about him and must be as a fountain of honor and must confer honor and have great men about him so that though Princes be not named there yet the holy Ghost supplies them as a thing that must of necessity be understood Come let us be Governed by a King and great ones that are about him But you wil ask me What 's the reason that nothing would satisfie them but a King and Nobles There are these Seven REASONS that may be given for it nothing would satisfie them but a King onlie First Consider their extream earnestness about it if you reade 1 Sam. 8. you will find that they were almost mad upon it a King they must have and would have Oh! it was very grievous to Samuel's spirit he told them their great sin and the Lord said They have rejected me and not thee Samuel told them what God said and God bad Samuel go and tell them what a King they should have that he would oppress them extreamly they shall have Arbitrary Government come in to the full he will take away your servants and children and do with them what he pleases you will be brought to be slaves to him any Parasite at Court may easily get your estates you shall be accounted an offender for a word and Fin'd what they please you shall be in most miserable bondage if you have him But now you shall find afterwards after Samuel had told them all this Nay say they but let us have a King for all this they answered him nothing If any one should come and reason Why do you desire a King so much what shall you get by it do not you think that he will have your Estates and all you have at his dispose and your Liberties no man now could denie this they did not denie the 〈◊〉 word that Samuel said but they will hold their conclusion Nay but we must have a King say they What 's the matter that should make them thus First Somewhat even for novelty sake they had other kind of Government before but now they would have somewhat more Mens spirits are very much given to change though they can give no account in the world for the thing But Secondly There might be some distrust in them in their former Judges because they were men of meaner rank as I told you they might think that they should not be able to help them Oh say they Let us have a King that shall go before us in our Wars Though they had never so much experience of the Judges yet they thought there would be more good if they had great ones and they were afraid that these men of a lower meaner rank would fail them at last And then a Third reason is That they might be like other Nations because they loved pomp What say they Shall we see our neighbor Nations to be governed by those that have great pomp and glory and shall we be governed by men that were but Trades-men a while ago No they would be like other Nations Fourthly It is like they had some oppressions upon them even from the former Judges though most of them were good yet certainly there cannot be a Government of Men but there wil be some cause at one time or other for some to complain Take the best Government that can be in the world yet seeing it is a Government of men by men there will be some cause or other to complain at some time or other Now this is the peevishness of mens hearts that if there be but any condition wherein they suffer they do nothing but complain of their suffering and therefore would fain have a new way and never think of the inconveniences and sufferings that would come in by that new way Oh! they would be rid of these that now they were under and would have a King these men angred them these men laid some taxes upon them that they were not pleas'd withal now so be it they might be rid of them they car'd not what they bring upon themselves and therefore they would have a King not minding what sufferings they should bring upon themselves in another kind And then Fifthly A King they would have out of a spirit of opposition against that way that God had set God was in a way of governing of them and their hearts was against that way of God a meer spirit of opposition though they would give no reason why they might not be as well that way as another but it was Gods way And there is an opposition in the heart of man to any thing that hath God in it the more any thing hath of God in it and the more God rules in a way the more opposite are the hearts of evil men And then a Sixth Reason is this They had some hopes that they should have some more liberty for their lusts Now having such a way of Government as they had there was more inspection over them and they could not so easily corrupt them but now in the Government of one man over them if they can but make a friend to him they may do what they list they might brave it over all their other neighbors if they would be but willing to be a slave to him they might make all their neighbors slaves to them they had a great deal more hopes of libertie for their lusts it 's like this way than the other And then lastlie Many of them had hopes to get preferment this way let us have a King and Princes and we shall get preferments in the Court and Places this way and therefore this is the best way we will not be satisfied with any other way but this we live in a mean low condition without this but we shall get preferments this way therefore give us a King But now that 's observable Though they thought they had agreed deal of Reason for themselves yet after they had once smarted and they found indeed that there was that oppression upon them after they had a King and these Princes more than ever they were under in their lives now was a time that Hosea could speak freely to them and say in the Name of God Where is your King and those men that you were so earnest for what good have you got For it is observable though they were never so eager upon having a King yet if you
their Judges generally were good and guided them in Gods waies but the Kings did not so For the Kings of Israel were none of them good from the beginning of them to the end Oh unthankful wretches that they are so eager to have another condition never minding nor blessing God for what they had forgetful of all the good that ever they had Samuel could appeal to them Whose Ox or Ass have I taken he judged righteously in his judgment But they forget all Gods goodness and mercy towards them and must now be in another condition Oh! consider of this you that desire new conditions be not you unthankful for what you have had if you be so eager to have more so as to forget what you have had if God should send you more your case is like to be worse than now it is If one should go and take meat to eat befor he hath digested what he eat before he hath fill'd his stomach but there comes new dishes to the Table that pleases his pallate and he falls upon that and eats more and more but that doth not nourish him but turns to evil humors and so doth him hurt but if he would stay till he hath digested what he hath eaten before then he might eat and have good nourishment And you that would fain have more and more have you digested what you have had are you thankful for what you have had hath God had the glory of what you have had before then if God gives you any thing you may have comfort to your souls that it comes out of love Further When men desire new things out of distrust of God and make such conclusions of unbeleef Surely if God should not grant such and such things unto them then they are lost and undone and there 's no way in the world to help them and their desires are put on by distrust Whereas my Brethren Gracious desires are put on by faith it 's the prayer of Faith that doth â—ood it is Faith that doth inflame gracious desires that are sent up to God they are sent up by the strength of Faith and not the strength of Vnbeleef It is the strength of Vnbeleef that makes the desires of people so strong as they are as thus These people desir'd a King Why because they could not trust God to have but only Judges as they had before Samuel was an old man his sons were naught and they see themselves in a hard condition yea but now seeing God had nor spoken to them about a new Government they should have had it from God if they had it at all God should chuse them one but they thought that they must have one to go before them in their Battels or else their Battels would miscarry and they saw the Princes of the earth they went before their Subjects in their Battels and therefore they would be like unto them and durst not trust God in that way that they were in before and therefore it was in wrath that God gave them their desires Yet further If when God changes our condition we bring the sins of our old condition into our new we can have no comfort then that it is out of love our care should be when our condition is changed Oh but what were the fins of my former condition what were the sins of my afflicted my low condition let me take heed that I do not bring those corruptions into my new condition And then lastly If we seek to attain our desires by unlawful means certainly that is curs'd If God doth let us prosper in waies that are unlawful in themselves we cannot beleeve that what we enjoy comes out of love but out of wrath I was the willinger to enlarge this Point because of the great usefulness of it Now then by way of Corallary by all that hath been said First Learn we then from hence To take-heed that we quiet our selves in our desires be not too earnest in your desires remember that Scripture 1 Cor. 10. 6. Now these things were our ensamples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted It hath reference even to their lusting for their Quails it was call'd lusting after evil things though the things themselves were good yet because of the way of their lusting it made them evil to them these are for our ensample because we should not lust so as they lusted Oh! when you reade but that 11. of Numb and the 78. Psal and there find how they lusted after evil things and how the wrath of God came upon them when they had their desires satisfied let these be ensamples for us that we take heed of lusting so And so when we reade of their desires so after a King and what they met withal when they had him I say it should teach us so far to moderate our desires as to labor to regulate them by the Word of God and not be headie in them but to order them according to the mind of God And then the Second is this Let us by all that hath been said learn to prepare our hearts for what we have and to seek proportionable grace for any thing that we do desire Treasure up this lesson when thou wouldest have a mercie from God Oh seek proportionable grace and prepare for the mercie Thirdly learn this Lesson Be not too much exalted when thou hast thy desires satisfied Me thinks this Point might be as a prick to prick the bladders of the pride of mens hearts Oh! take heed though you have prospered according to your desires Saul prospered a great while and yet it was in wrath Certainly there 's no great matter to be expected from such things as we may have in Gods wrath and therefore no cause to be exalted Fourthly Learn from hence Never to draw any arguments of Gods love by satisfying your desires in outward things It is a vain conceit of people to think thus God loves me why because I have desired such and such things and God hath given them to me If a man were to go and chuse a Wife if he knew her face were painted would he conclude Surely here 's one of an excellent complexion No he would rather suspect it truly the argument is as good That this womans complexion and the constitution of her body is whole and good as that argument that my condition is good because God satisfies me in my desires Fifthly draw this consequence likewise Learn never to envie at any men that have their lusts satisfied there 's little cause that you should envie them If you should see a man that loves Wine and you knew it were poisoned And a man that hath a Sattin Sute and you know it hath the Plague in it there were no cause of envying such a man a Leather Sute were a great deal better God satisfies men many times but it is in
eyes and was heard to speak these words I come I come I come and so gave up the ghost It had been much to be wished that the Author had been more concise brief in som Amplifications which though they were al exceeding useful yet they have deprived us of his Preaching and compleating both the former Sermon and the rest of the Prophesie But God was pleased for our sin no doubt to deprive us of that Mediator like Instrument between the divided Godly Parties of this Nation and of the further mind of the Holy-Ghost which be had revealed to this his Servant touching the Scope and Vse of this Prophesie in these daies God took him away in the strength of his Parts and Graces that he might not lose in the reputation of his Ministry or Piety as some have before their death Also though we cannot affirm as one of Josiah That he was taken away Ne malitia mutaret intellectum ipsius lest the evil of the time should have wrought upon his temper yet we may say as another doth He was taken away from the evil to come Moreover It is not an unuseful Note that the Preface to the Tigurine Bible hath whereof the inference is That whilst in some weighty point we labor for great exactness and preparation we are either disabled by our diligence or prevented by our tardiness and delay whereas moderat preparation seasonably applied might be more useful to the Church than such exactness so deferred Which is not spoken to reflect any thing on our reverend Author but to admonish others ut maturens Now among other arguments good Reader to commend this Excellent piece This is one That it hath been brought to thy hand through several Elements having been in danger part of it to be rotted in the Earth where it was buried part of it to be consumed in the Fire wherewith much of the Town where it was flamed part of it to be lost in by holes where it was hidden in the midst of Enemies Make special use therefore of what is come as it were through fire unto thee for that end to use the Prefacers words before Mr Cartwright's Answer to the Rhem. Test And if thou find that fruit the Supervisor did in preparing it for thee thou wilt not repent thy pains or peny Farewel FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Eleventh Twelfth and Thirteenth CHAPTERS of the Prophesie of HOSEA A Abuse ABuse of Instruments of Deliverence a great evil Page 399 Affliction None of the Saints worse for affliction 453 Afflictions sometimes deepest when greatest Mercy is intended 231 Affliction see Difference Afflicted Wee may be sorely afflicted in doing Gods Commands 227 Aggravation The aggravation of provoking God 403 An aggravation of self destruction 513 Alteration Alteration of Government causeth Trembling 422 Anceston Ancestors see Mean condition Free-Grace Anger Anger see Difference The Effects of Anger 151 Apostats Apostats see Folly Apostats to return again 340 Apostacy Apostacy see Language Punishment Steps Apostacy brings a reproach on Gods waies 408 Arabian Arabian why taken for a Thief 310 Aright How to conceive aright of God 274 Armies Gods Armies 271 Astrologer Astrologer see Chaldean Awaking Saints need awaking before Reformation 185 B Baal-zephon Baal zephon what 30 Baptism Baptism see Church Base Base spirits most insolent 415 Beast Beast see Mark Beginning The Beginning of Superstition Ceremonies and Popery 437 Bethel Bethel see Jacob Bitterness Bitterness see England Blessing What 's the blessing in a married condition 392 Blessing see Peace Bonds Gods Bonds what 30 Blows To be forced by blows is to be drawn like a beast 57 C Canaanite Canaanite Why it signifies a Merchant 310 Carnal It 's mercy to be taken off from carnal props 104 Carnal heart see Difference A sore sign of a carnal heart 326 Cause The cause of corruption in Gods Worship 439 Caution A Caution concerning Earthly Kings 523 Chief The Chief work of the Ministry 177 Chaldean Chaldean why taken from an Astrologer 310 Child Child see Israel A Childs great disobedience Children How we may know whether God loved us when we were children 10 Christ God hath an eye to Christ in all he doth 19 Christians Christians see Love Church The Church one in Faith Spirit Baptism and visible Government 13 Comfort Comfort see Lives Comfort of a dying person 130 Common Comforts common to Hypocrites 433 Command Command see Promise Company Company heats whether it be goâ—d or evil 164 Confident Yong beginners not to be too confident 33 Confident men sink lowest if disappointed 201 Confidences The confidences of the ten Tribes 525 Congregation Congregation see Posture Conduct Gods Conduct of his people through the Wilderness 450 Conscience The conflict of conscience and corruption 122 Conscience oppression the most grievous 98 Convince Convince see Ministers It 's hard to convince men when they have their desires that it is not in love 539 Conviction Conviction see Parents Convert A true Convert what 333 Cords Cords of a man what 43 Correction Correction see Parents Covenant Covenant see Jews Covetousness Covetousness hard to be convinced 331 D Day Day of Judgment see Mercy Dangerous A dangerous sign of Reprobation 544 Deceiptful dealers Deceiptful dealers see Excuses Decree Decree what it is 511 The Decree of Election ibid. Gods Decree damns none ib. Devils The Devils Stratagem 175 An obstinate sinner worse than the Devil 109 Deliverance Deliverance from oppression a great mercy 92 Difference Difference between Spiritual and Temporal blessings 557 Difference between a carnal and gracious heart 329 556 Difference between the Churches and Gods Excommunication 436 Difference between God and man in point of anger 169 Difference in the Saints from others in time of affliction 308 Difference of Gods working for his people and for others 399 Disappointed Disappointed see Conceited and Confident Disobedience Disobedient see Child Drawn To be drawn by the Word is to be drawn like 〈◊〉 man 57 Doctrine Doctrine see False Drowsie A Drowsie spirit a great evil 133 Duty Duty see Ministers Dying Dying see Comfort E East Wind The East wind why hurtful 202 Effects Effects see Anger Effectual Effectual preaching what 349 Elect Elect see Thoughts Election Election see Decree Element God the Element of Love 85 England Gods ancient love to Engl. 6 England the first Nation that imbraced the Christian Religion ibid. God remembers the kindness of England's youth ibid. Publick love gone out of England 72 Gods special love to England Englands sin 93 Procession weeks in England 355 Englands bitterness aggravated 407 England see Instances Encouragement Encouragement to saith and prayer 151 Error Mens error in judging others 213 Evil Evil of licenciousness after deliverance 94 Men excuse their evil by their good 214 Evil of deceipt in Trading 315 Evil see Suspense Drowsie Company Excellency Excellency of the Name JEHOVAH 293 Excellency of Gods saving 449 Exalted We should not be exalted by prosperity and why 462 Excommunication
66 Reproach Reproach see Apostacy Reprobation Reprobation see Note Dangerous sign Restitution Why no pardon without Restitution 320 Scripture for Restitution 321 Repute Repute not to be trusted 421 Reverence We are with Reverence to hear the Lord speak 416 Rich Rich see High-minded Root What 's the immediate Root of Faith 177 Rule Rule for matter of Meditation 7 The general Rule of Worship 437 S Saints Priviledg of Israel refer to the Saints 11 Saints see Law Affliction Prosperity Satan Satan's great design 71 Sanctifie Gods Love sanctifies all things 84 Scare see Ministers Scripture What the Scripture presses much 297 Scripture see Restitution Self Wherein self appears in sin 512 Self destruction see Aggravation Sensual Sensual things see Fill. Servants Servants should love one another 76 Servants see Recreation Sign Sign see Carnal heart Similitude Similitudes what and how to be used 350 Sin Sin see Imitate Sinner A sinners duty 340 Soul Soul see Guiding Spirit Gods Spirit grieved only by the Saints 89 Spirit see Church Gods Spirit bitter to some 406 Slaves Gods Sons slaves for a time 14 Slavery God hath his time to call his sons out of Slavery ibid. Spiritual Spiritual things see Little State The State of the Saints is very secure 154 Steps The steps of Apostacy 432 Stout The Character of a stout heart 107 Stratagem Stratagem see Devils Success Success no note of a good Cause 536 Superiors Superiors should win by Love 74 Superstition Superstition see Beginning Suspense Suspence a cause of great evil 123 Swearing see Kissing the Book Sword For the Sword to be in a City a sad thing 113 T Tartness see Ministers Terror see Jehovah Terrible see God Their see Arabian Thoughts Gods Thoughts from eternity concerning his Elect 79 What thoughts we should have of outward comforts 456 Time see Slavery Tools see Iron Trading Oppression in Taading a great evil 313 Tradesmen Vnder Tradesmen to oppress is wicked 314 Tradesmen see Meditation Trembling Trembling due to God 416 Trembling see Alteration Tribes see Confidences Troubles Great troubles at the raising of Christs Kingdom 184 Truths Truths not necessary to be imposed 98 V Vanity The vanity of proudmen 445 Priests may be vanity that seem to be much for God 352 Vindicate How the Saints are to vindicate Reproaches 410 Violence see Magistrates Use The use of Reason in Religion 440 W Wait How we are to wait on God 303 Why we should wait 304 Way To be guided in our way is a fruit of Love 32 The way to Vniformity 70 A way of Holy Revenge 108 Gods waies not our waies 118 Weeping Weeping not sutable to a high Spirit 247 Wilderness Wilderness see Conduct Wind Creature-hopes are but winde 202 Wives Wives or Husbands not to be forced on Children 390 Word Word see Drawn Work Work see Chief One Work of the day of Judgment 511 World World see Honor Worship Worship see Rule Corruption Wrath Proneness to wrath not Gods Image 150 Y Yong Yong see Confident Z Zeal All men should shew Zeal 〈…〉 r God FINIS Heb. The scope of the Chapter Where the Chapter ends The cohâ—eâ—ence Obs 1. Tota Scriptura hoc praecip 〈…〉 è agit ne dubitemus sed certo speremus 〈…〉 danâ—u credamus Deum esse misericordeÌ„ benegnum patientem Luth. 〈…〉 Rom 9. 11. 12. The phrase opened Excussâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat eum qui crebâ—ò sugum parentis vel Heri excutit quamvis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ternov in 〈…〉 c. What a child Israel was Ezek. 16. 1. c. applied Wherein the love of God to Israel stood Obs 1 Jer. 12. 7. Obs 2. 〈◊〉 3. Gods ancient love to England An instance of it England the first Nation in the world that God chose for the embracing Religion by publick Authority Lucius of England is said to be the first Christian King Centur. Cent. 2. Cap. 2. Tit. de Propagation Ecclesiiae 〈◊〉 J. Balai Catal. Who also by publick Authority established Christianity about the year 169. Lucius in lucem prodit de patre coello J. B. Author primus apud Britones Religiones erat Rossaei Britania God remembers the kindness of Englands youth first love Particul persons should recal Gods antient love unto them when they were children A Rule how we may never want matter of meditation Obser 4. Obs 5. Gods waies of mercy and affliction toward Israel a type of his waies toward his people in all ages Gods love doth not find but make the person lovely Object Answ How to know whether God will love us or no Obs 6. Youth What will compleat the comfort of our lives Jer. 2. 2. How we may know whether God loved us when children Nimis serò te amami Aug. Exod. 4 22. Jer. 31. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs 1. Priviledges of Israel refer to the Saints Malach. 3. 17. Saints therefore not under the Law Psal 89. 30 31. c. Obs 2. Jer. 2. 14. Use Obs 3. The Church one in Faith Spirit Babtism c. Eph. 4. 4 5. not in outward incorporation and visible Government Obs 4. Jer. 12. 17. Deut. 32. 10. observed Gods Sons slaves to Satan oft-times and for a season And to wicked men which is the admiration of Angels God hath his time to call them out of that slavery Obs 5. Exod. 12. 42. Applicat to England The Text as cited Mat. 2. 15 further expounded Hierom Matthew's interpretation seems strange to some * See Bucer on Matth. 28. P. 197. shewing that the Apostles allegations of Scripture were not proper unless to such as the holy Ghost enlightned to see the mystical sense of them and except we shall say that those Expositions were received things in those daies as are among the Jews now the Chaldae paraphrase expounding many places of Christ which according to the Letter have another sense and this perhaps may be the saâ—er to affirm because else it may seem the Apostles could not so well have charged the Jews with Obstinacy as Act. 13. and Chap. 28. and else where Opinions about the place in Matthew Junius in loc Paralel lib. 1. Paral. 6. Isa 2. 9. Isa 9. 6. 3. preferred so Hierom on Hos 11. 1. expounds it Exod. 12. 46. and Joh. 19. 36. compared Things accidental are under providene Great things intended of God by smal 2 Sam. 7. 14. Heb. 1. 5. compared also Obs God som way or other aims at Christin all his works which to see wil be one part of the Saints glory A similitude A fruit of Gods Love and of Christ's Spirit to understand the reach of God in Scripture A comfort to the Saints in their sufferings that they have a conformity with Jesus Christ by them Those that fly with their children The danger and length of Christs flight into Egypt The inward tentations of the parents 〈◊〉 Christ in thei 〈…〉 flight Expos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. 2 Cor. 5. 4. illustrated Calvin in