3. 8 9. It is as easie with God to destroy a world of men as one man they are al but as a drop and a little dust to him Isa 40. 15 17. Multitudes of sinners increase wrath When the Iews assembled themselves by troops into the Harlots houses then God would pardon them no longer Ier. 5. 7 8. The more wicked the times and places are that wee live in the greater our praise will bee if wee bee godly To bee good in good times and places an hypocrite and formalist may bee but with Lot to bee good in Sodome and Iob in the Land of Vz and with Noah Gen. 6. 9. and Elijah to bee righteous and zealous in the midst of an unrighteous and perverse generation that is praise-worthy indeed and argues much sincerity It was the commendation of the Church of Pergamus that she professed Christs Name where Satan had his throne and did not deny him in the days when Antipas his faithful Martyr was slain Rev. 2. 12 13. Flye sin then which brings destruction not only on the sinner but also on the very Towns Cities Castles and places where they dwell As God hath promised that peace and prosperity shall bee in the dwellings of the righteous Iob 5. 24. and 8. 6. Prov. 3. 33. and that hee will make a hedge about them and all that they have to preserve them from robbery fire molestation by evil spirits and other calamities Iob 1. 10. So on the contrary sin makes a man naked and exposeth him and all that hee hath to the curse of God Hee will destroy the very dwellings of Idolaters Swearers Cursers Bribers c. Iob 12. 6. and 15. 34. Zach. 5. 4. The wickedness that hath been practised in the great houses and Castles of this Land hath said so many of them in the dust and wee may look to bee brought yet lower wee have brought God low in our judgements low in our affections low in our actions low in his Ordinances low in his Vicegerents and Ambassadors and therefore it is just with God to lay us low and to debase us who have so many wayes debased him 7 Obs. No Fortifications can preserve a sinful people from ruine Let them make walls as high as heaven and ditches as deep as hell yet if sin reign within it will bring all down It is not a Fleet by Sea nor Forces by Land it is not a Magazine of Treasures nor an Arsenal of Armour that can preserve a wicked Kingdome from ruine As Samaria was a well fortified so it was a rebellious Idolatrous sinful place and this brought it down Ezek. 16. 46. and 23. 4 5. Hos. 7. 1. Amos 3. 9 10. Mic. 1. 5 7. though it were strongly fortified both by Art and Nature and very large about three miles in compass yet Samaria's sin was Samaria's ruine Niniveh was a populous antient great strong wealthy City yet her great sins laid her in the dust and made all her strong holds drop like ripe figs with little ado into the mouth of the Caldeans Babylon a most ancient ample wealthy well fortified potent populous pompous City yet abounding with sin all her power and policy could not keep her from ruine Ierusalem that strong City encompassed with Mountains Towers and Bulworks fortified both by Art and Nature and so powerfully protected by the Lord himself for many years together to the admiration of all the world that it was judged invincible Lam. 4. 12. The Kings of the earth and all the Inhabitants of the world would not have beleeved that the enemy should have entred into the gates of Ierusalem yet Ierusalems sin was Ierusalems ruine and therefore for her sake let none confide in Cities or any Priviledges whatsoever Wee are apt in our distresses to run to well-fortified places but in vain is salvation looked for from those creature-confidences if the Lord help not how should these help This is to forsake God the fountain of living waters Almighty and All-sufficient a present help in trouble and to go to Cisterns broken Cisterns of creature-comforts that will fail and forsake them in a time of trouble 8 Obs. Sin is a bitter thing Samaria hath rebelled or imbittered as the word is in the fountain God and provoked him to anger most bitterly by her sin Hos 12. 14. Ephraims sins were bitter to God yea they were bitternesses in the abstract and in the plural number also This may discover to us the cursed nature of sin and the iniquity of our iniquities which turns Gods sweetness into bitterness his patience into wrath and his bowels into wormwood If any thing can sadden God and imbitter his soul it is sin To see every base lust preferred before him to see Satan in the Throne the heart and the Spirit of God kept out must needs imbitter his Spirit against us The Lord that made heaven and earth and sustains the Pillars of it yet never complains of that burden but sin is such a burden that hee oft complains of that as tyring him out Isa. 1. 14 24 43 24. Amos 2. 13. and the bitterness thereof is as gall which hee cannot indure Deut. 32. 32. God is all love and sweetness and would not deal thus bitterly with us did not our bitter sins provoke him to it Sin is bitter 1 To God 2 To Christ 3 To the Spirit of God 4 To Angels both good and bad 5 To Men both good and bad 6 To Kingdomes and States 7 To Creatures 8 In its effects Privative Positive 1 Sin is bitter to God as wee have seen before 2 To Christ it made him cry in the bitterness of his soul My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee And made his soul heavy unto death So bitter were our sins to him that they made him a man of sorrows Isa. 53. 4. and made him sweat non guâ—tas sed grumos clods of blood Luke 22. 44. When Christ hung upon the Cross they gave him gall and vinegar to drink every sin is as gall to him Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against him or as it is in the fountain because I have imbittered him hee is righteous in all his judgements on mee for I have imbittered him against mee by my bitter sins 3 It is bitter to the holy Spirit of God Nothing grieves it and drives it out of the soul but sin Gen. 6. 3. Ephes. 4. 29. To the Angels 1 To the good Angels it is bitter and displeasing to them to see their Lord and Master daily provoked by a company of sinful rebellious creatures and should the Lord give them but a word of Command they would suddenly smite all the wicked dead and revenge the dishonours done to him as wee see in Senaâ—heribs blasphemous Camp where one Angel in one night killed an hundred fourscore and five thousand men 2 It is bitter to the evil Angels it hath thrown them from heaven to hell and of
kindles Gods wrath against him and makes it burn like fire insomuch that the Lord delivered Israel into the hand of the Syrians who opprest them very sorely both in their persons and estates and made them like the dust by threshing i. e. very weak and contemptible like corn which is too much thresht which is broken and scattered about leaving them but fifty horse-men ten Charriots and ten thousand foot-men a poor Guard for a Kingdome 2 King 13. 3. 7. 22. Quest. But what doth Jehoahaz do in this his deep distress Answ. Hee goeth to his prayers as wicked men use to do nevertill necessity and deep distress doth drive them They make not prayer a duty but a refuge yet such is the goodness of the Lord that seeing the deep distress his people were in and the sad oppression they lay under hee answers the prayers of this wicked man and gave Israel a Saviour and Deliverer so that they dwelt quietly and securely as before Quest. But what was the ground of all this mercy Answ. Nothing but Gods free Grace though they were most unworthy yet the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them because of his covenant 2 King 13. 23. Obs. 1 Those that will not serve God shall bee slaves to men Israel forsakes God and God forsakes them and delivers them into the hand of Hazael and into the hand of Benhadad his Son who oppressed and vexed Israel all their daies 2 King 13. 2 3. 2 Even wicked men when they are in deep distress will pray Idolatrous Jehoahaz is brought very low and now hee praies The Heathenish Mariners can pray in a tempest and call on Jonah so to do Jonah 1 5 6. A wicked Pharaoh in time of trouble may begg the prayer of a Moses and Saul of a Samuel How many prophane persons amongst us when they are sick and dying yet will send again and again for those Ministers to pray for them whom they hated in their health When the Devil was sick c. Wee read of four sorts in one Psalm that cried to the Lord in their trouble viz. Travellers sick-men Sea-men Captives Psal. 107. So did Israel Judg. 10. 10. Psal. 78. 34. 3 God hears the prayers of wicked men and sometimes answers them so as to deliver them from temporal distresses Many a time did Israel cry hypocritically to the Lord onely in their trouble and hee delivered them out of their distress Psal. 78. 34 to 39. So hee dealt with Ahab 1 King 21. 29. And Rehoboam 2 Chron. 12. 7. Wicked men may pray to God as to a Creator and hee may hear them though they cannot pray to him as to a Father Hee is a God of pitty and compassion and the very distress and misery of the Creature Virtually though not Vocally cries unto him for mercy Hee that hears the cry of the Ravens cannot but hear the cry of his rational and more noble Creatures This Reason is given in the Text Vers. 4. Hee saw the oppression of Israel to bee great and therefore hee heard and delivered them 4 God usually suffers things to come to extremity before hee deliver Israel is brought as low as the dust great doubtless was the slaughter when but fifty horse-men were left and ten Charriots and ten thousand foot what are these to save a Kingdome God could have prevented this but for the greater manifestation of his wisdome power and glory hee oft deals thus with his people 5 Magistrates are the Saviours of a people God gave Israel a Saviour Vers. 5. i. e. Hee raised up Joash the Son of Jehoahaz who regained the Cities which his Father had lost 2 King 13. 25. and prevailed mightily against the Syrians as did Jeroboam his Son 2 King 14. 27. Hence Magistrates in Scripture are oft called the Saviours and Deliverers of a people Judg. 2. 16. and 3. 9. 2 King 14. 27. Neh. 9. 27. Prov. 11. 14. Obad. 21. There is but one common Saviour of us all and these are subordinate Saviours under him as Moses Gideon Jeptha Deborah Barac Joshua David c. Wee should therefore love honour respect them pray for them pay to them and defend them whom God hath raised for our defence In their peace lieth our peace wee should therefore bee tender over them 6 Nothing works on hardened sinners No judgements nor mercies Israel here is brought as low as the dust God hears their prayers gives them a Saviour raiseth them out of the dust and yet Israel is Israel still as Idolatrous and forgetful of God as ever and that foul But still lies as a blot upon them 2 King 13. 6. But they departed not from the sins of Jeroboam who made Israel sin Phrygians they say are amended by blows but no beating will mend these So true is that of Solomon let a sinful fool bee brayed never so long in the morter of affliction yet his folly will not depart from him Prov. 27. 22. You may beat him to death before you can beat his folly out of him Jer. 8. 28 29. Neither do mercies win them Isa. 26. 10. Unless God set in with his Spirit nothing works kindly upon our souls but men will bee made more obstinate by judgements and more loose by mercies Besides Elisha living in those times no doubt but hee had forewarned them of the evils approaching and yet nothing works upon them 7 The ground of all Gods goodness to his people is no merit of ours but onely his own free grace and love 2 King 13. 23. 8 No might nor man-hood can save a sinful people from ruine King Jehoahaz here is said to bee a man of Might and one that with abundance of courage and valour fought with the Syrians yet still they prevailed against him so that it was not want of courage but want of conscience in him and his people that undid them Their Idolatry was their worst enemy and strengthned their enemies against them 13 Jehoash or Joash succeedeth Jehoahaz his father both in his dignity and iniquity Hee reigned sixteen years and hath the common But and brand put upon him that his Predecessors had 2 King 13. 10 11 12 13. Hee obtained three great Victories against the Syrians of which Elisha fore-told him 2 King 13. 17 18 19. and rescued many of the Cities of Israel from them and thereupon is called their Saviour and Deliverer 2 King 13. 5 25. Hee also prevailed against Amaziah King of Judah and pillaged the Temple of Jerusalem with the Kings house 2 King 14. 13. and which makes most for his praise though hee were a King yet hee goes to visit the sick Prophet Elisha weeps over him and calls him My Father my Father the Chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof Such tender affection and reverence did this wicked King bear to this man of God whom hee acknowledged to bee the Walls and Bulworks the Ammunition and defence both of Church and State who by
his cause his people and the spiritual good of you and yours This is to lay up treasures in heaven Get grace that is durable riches which will never leave you and that better part which shall never bee taken from you VERSE 16. Samaria shall become desolate â—or shee hath rebelled against her God they shall fall by the sword their Infants shall bee dashed in peeces and their women with childe shall bee ripped up THis Verse contains the end of the Sermon and ends the Chapter and therefore those Interpreters do ill who make it to begin the next Chapter when this Verse fitly coheres with the precedent Verse there the Prophet shewed how they should bee plundred and lose their goods here hee tells them how they should bee butchered and lose their lives So that the Prophet doth not here begin any new Sermon but onely confirms what hee had spoken before of the destruction of Samaria and the overthrow of the whole Kingdome So that the words are a clear exposition of the former similies and a conclusion of the Sermon Wherein wee have 1 The dismal downfall of Samaria Samaria shall bee made desolate The Prophet labours to awaken them by fore-telling the greatness of their punishment 2 Here is the meritorious cause of this sad destruction viz. her rebellion For shee hath rebelled against her God So that shee hath no cause to complain of God as if hee dealt hardly with her for her own rebellion is the true cause of her destruction and her great provocation hath brought this upon her as the Church in the like case complains Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is righteous in sending sword plague and famine upon us for wee have rebelled against him 3 Here is the Accent or Aggravation of this their Rebellion it was not against man but it was against God yea against her God in Covenant who had been so good and gracious to her both in Temporals and Spirituals yet â—ee most ignominiously casts off him and prefers the Calves before him Hos. 13. 2. 4 Here is set forth the kinde of their destruction or what manner of death they shall dye and that is by the Sword They shall fall by the Sword They shall not onely lose their Treasure and their Land but their Lives also Hee sayes not All shall fall but indefinitly Yee shall fall i. e. many of the Inhabitants of Samaria and of the Kingdome of Israel shall bee slain by the Assyrian 5 The better yet to awaken them out of their security hee sets forth the rage of the Assyrian with its Aggravations and tells them yet further That their children should bee dashed in peeces against the walls and stones and their women with childe should bee ripped up They should not onely dye themselves but their little ones also should perish with them Samaria shall become desolate Samaria was a first a City of Syria built by Oâ—ri King of Israel who bought the hill thereof from Shemer and so from him it was called Samaria 1 King 16. 24. It was the Royal City even the chief City of the Kings of Israel where they kept their Court and had their special residence there they reigned and there they were buried This was the Metropolis and Mother-City All the other Cities of the Kingdome of Israel were called the Daughters of Samaria Ezek. 16. 46 55 In Augustus Caesars time it was called Sebâ—ste and not long after it was totally ruined And here let it bee noted once for all that when the Prophets speak of the ten Tribes onely sometimes they call them Samaria sometimes Ephraim and sometimes Israel Ioseph Iezreel Bethely Beth-aven but when they speak of the two Tribes they usually do it under the name of Iudah Ierusalem Benjamin and the house of David 2 Samaria was a populous strong well fenced fortified furnished City there were Horses Charrets Arms and Ammunition all things for defence 2 King 10. 1 2. It was every way well prepared to hold out against an enemy as appears by the three years â—iege of that potent enemy which lay against it yet notwithstanding all her fortifications Samaria shall bee made desolate because of her sin Samaria is here put for the Inhabitants of Samaria viz. the Israelites and synecdochically it is put for the whole Kingdome of Israel as distinct from the Kingdome of Iudah The Prophet names onely Samaria because it was the prime City and all the rest were taken before there was none left but Samaria and sin brings down that also This City was twice besieged first by the Syrians in Ahabs time 1 King 20. 1. and 2. 6. 24. and now by the Assyrians Phul and Tiglath-pileser had before molested Israel 2 King 15. 19 29. and now comes Salma neser a third King of Assyria the Church shall never want enemies especially when shee rebels against God hee besieges Samaria in the dayes of Hoshâ—a the last King of Israel hee takes it and carries the inhabitants into Captivity from which they never returned but were totally rooted up having continued from Ieroboam their first King about two hundred and sixty years about the year of the World 3230 and before Christ about seven hundred years Because shee hath rebelled against her God The Lord had used all means to reclaim them his Spirit had long striven with them in the Ministry of those Prophets which hee had in compassion sent amongst them as Iehu Semaiah Azariah with Elijah Elisha Ioel sonah Amos Micah and specially this our Prophet Hosea how plainly doth hee tell them throughout his Prophecie of their Idolatry Apostacy Ingratitude and of those judgements which were coming on them for those sins yet nothing will work upon them but they persist obstinately in their sins and therefore the Lord resolves to pour out his fury on them Since they had imbittered his soul with their sins Hos. 12. 14. and given him gall who had given them honey and gave him wormwood for his milk therefore he now resolves to send on them bitter punishments They shall fall by the Sword i. e. They shall dye by the Sword so the phrase is frequently taken in Scripture as Lev. 26. 7 8. Numb 14. 3 43. 2 Sam. 1. 12. Psal. 78. 64. Ezek. 5. 12. Hos. 7. 16. Their Infants shall bee dashed in peeces This sets forth the great rage and fury of the barbarous Assyrâ—ans and withall implies the greatness of Samariaes sin which provoked God to so great wrarh They should spare neither old nor young no mercy should bee shewed to women or children no sex no age should escape unpunished Their little infants and sucklings which usually are spared for their innocency and ignoscency yet now shall bee dashed in peeces Souldiers use to shew mercy to women and children unless they bee sorely provoked the Assyrians had besieged Samaria three years and therefore they dealt the more severely with them Fenced Cities use to hold out long but
that for their rebellion they shall bee made a desolation Thus did all the Prophets they made Ierusalem to know her abominations Isa. 58. 1. Ezek. 16. 2. So did Christ himself apply the word particularly to his hearers Matth. 11. 21 23 and 23. 37 38. Ioh. 4. 17 18. So did the Apostles Act. 2. 36 37. This is the onely way to convince and convert men what is spoken generally to all few will apply unto themselves Quod dicitur omni dicitur nulli Bee not then offended at the plain and powerful preaching of the word A plaister that is not applied will never heal A Minister shall never profit his people till hee apply the word to their particular cases Those whom the Lord intends for conversion by his Spirit hee sets the word so home upon their hearts that they think the Minister knows all their secret thoughts c. 3 Obs. Iudgements seldome go alone Ephraim was plundred before but now hee must bee butchered before hee lost his goods now his life must go which is more precious than all pleasant things Iob 2. 4. How oft do wee read of Sword Plague Famine those three Arrows of God shot together against a rebellious people Ezek. 14. 22. As sins seldome go alone so neither do judgements See what a concatenation and chain of Judgements is set down tâ—â—â—ther Deut. 28. 15 16. c. God wants not variety of judgements to inflict upon a sinful people that they may know what a sad and bitter thing it is that they have provoked him Pharaoh had ten Plagues one after another The Trumpets and the Vials in the Revelations came not single but by sevens bringing in mischief upon miscâ—ief and plague upon plague till hee had consumed them See Deut. 31. 17. Ier. 51. 31 32. 4 Obs. When lesser Iudgements do not mend a people God usually comes with greater If plundring will not mend Ephraim desolation shall end him Hos. 5. 12 14. When Chederlaomer had plundred Sodome and that did not better them Gen. 14. 11. at last comes fire from heaven and consumes them Gen. 19. When gentle Physick will not work out the peccant humour the Physician applieth stronger if gentle correction will not mend our children wee double our stroaks If one beaâ—ing will not mend a people Godwill plague them yet seven times more according to their sins Lev. 26. 21 23. Isa. 1. 5. Ier. 5. 3 6. When no judgements will work upon Phâ—raoh then hee is drowned When temporal judgements do not mend a people hee sends them to eternal It is an ill sign when men bee incorrigible under judgements and are the worse for beating Isa. 9. 13. Ahaz had a brand set upon him to warn all others to take heed of tâ—is sinning sin 2 Chron. 28. 22 23. In the time of his distress hee sinned yet more against the Lord This is that King Ahaz That King it is emphatical i. e. that wicked infamous irresigious King who sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that smote him What madness is this to serve such as beat them for their pains and ruine their servants for so it follows They were the ruine of him and of all Israel Desperate sores must have desperate cures Hard knots must have hard wedges Fitches are beaten out with a staff but the Cummin must have a rod Isa. 28. 27. When the Lord had used all means to bring Israel to repentance hee had sent blasting plague famine and sword upon them and yet they were impenitent Amos 46 to 11. hee comes in the 12. verse to tell them that now hee would deal more sharply and severely with them Therefore now Thus will I do unto thee i. e. Thus terribly thus dreadfully in a more fierce and furious manner than ever therefore now prepare to 〈◊〉 him who is coming towards thee before hee come to thee There is no meeting him in a way of opposition or rising up against him for who ever hardned himself against God and prospered but meet him in a way of humiliation and repentance with prayers and tears dispatch those messengers to meet him on the way whilst hee is afar off that you may prevent the execution of Gods wrath A Lion will not seize on a yeelding prey the bending reed is preserved when the stubborn Oak is pulled up by the roots Isa. 2. 11 12. c. By â—his means wee shall either remove the judgement or get it sanctified so as all shall bee for good unto us or else God will take us away as he did Iosiah before the evil comes Wee shall escape those trials wee cannot bear and bee inabled for to undergo those trials which wee cannot escape 5 Obs. Eminent places oft-times are eminent in sin In great Cities usually there are great sinners Ierusalem was a great City and what great abominations were in it there was murder oppression bribery prophanation of Sabbaths and holy things her Princes were roaring Lions her Iudges ravening Wolves and the Priests did violence to the Law Ezek. 22. per totum Babylon a famous wealthy populous City yet full of cruelty and pride full of Witchcraft and Fornication both corporal and spiritual Ier. 50. 31 32 33 36 38. The Cities of Sodome and Gomorrha were full of crying sins as pride idleness gluttony inhumanity and notorious uncleanness and here in the Text Samaria was full of Idolatry and rebellion against God I King 13. 32. Isa. 10. 10 11. Hos. 8. 5. the lesser Cities were called the Daughters of Samaria Ezek. 16. 46. and those were like their Mother Great Cities have great influence upon their neighbour Towns if they bee Idolatrous superstitious riotous proud prophane so will the places round about them bee if great Babylon bee an Harlot shee will quickly bee the Mother of more Harlots and abominations Rev. 17. 3. Wee should not therefore desire to live in such populous places unless wee bee called by God to them for then hee will keep us as hee did Lot in Sodome but to go live in them without a call onely for pleasure or to see fashions c. is a sore temptation Wee see Travellers that go to such great places to see fashions return oft-times infected both in body and soul. So true is that of One Nunquam inter homines fui quin minor homo redii 6 Obs. Such places as have been eminent for sin usually are eminent for punishment As wee see in the old world Sodome Ierusalem and Samaria here for her sin is made a desolation Mic. 1. 6. When sin grows general and National it brings National judgements Isa. 8. 18. Ier. 11. 9 11. Hos. 4. 1 2 3. When all Israel transgressed the Law no wonder if the curse come upon them Dan. 9. 11. Many think to escape the better because they have so many companions when the more general the sin the nearer to judgement If all Nations sin all Nations must have the cup of Gods wrath given them Ior. 25. 15. Mal.
us yet if God bee against us these cannot help us Prov. 31. 30. There is no wisdome nor counsel against the Lord. 4 Such as have been cruel to others are oft-times cruel to themselves Zimri had slain his Master and now hee slaies himself Saul a bloody Persecutor at last becomes his own Executioner 1 Sam. 31. 4. So did Nero Dioclesian Sardanapalus and others Murderers especially of their Relations and Masters seldome escape in this life without some signal hand of divine Justice against them Even Iesabel could say to Iehu Had Zimri peace that slew his Master 2 King 9. 31. i. e. hee had no peace nor did hee enjoy the benefit of his conspiracy for hee was soon cut off The Question then will bee Whether it bee unlawful for a man to kill him self by fire water sword or halter c Answ. It is utterly unlawful and that for these Reasons 1 It is against the Law of God which expresly forbids killing of others much more of our selves 2 It is against the Law of Nature which teacheth every creature to love and preserve its own life 3 It is against the Law of Nations which sets a brand of infamy upon such as rob the Common-wealth of its subjects in this kinde Achitophel and Iudas with others are branded to posterity for it 4 Wee are not Lords of our lives to dispose of them as wee please but wee are all set in this world as in an army where every one must keep his station till the great Lord general of us all shall call us thence See more in Syms against Self-murder Downams Warfare l. 2. c. 2. p. 70 to 82. B. Halls CC. Dec. 2. c. 10. p. 150. Brochmand CC. Tom. 2. p. 130. Sayrus CC. p. 425. Basenbanum CC. in sextum Praecept p. 213. 5 Wicked men are dis-ingenuous men They deal unworthily oft-times with those that advance them to honour Elah had made Zimri Captain of half his Chariots 1 King 6. 9. and hee to requite the favour kills his Lord and Master and that cowardly when hee was full of drink and so unable to help himself and cruelly for dying in his drunkenness hee was a means to kill both body and soul. Men hardly care what they do so they may get Kingdomes swear and forswear poison Fathers slay Brothers kill Masters do any thing for a Crown The Popes of â—ome what witchcraft and wicked practices did they not use to get the Popedome 6 Wicked men may plot and project but God disposeth Zimri cuts off all the house of Elah even his kindred and all that so hee might enjoy the Kingdome quietly without molestation and when hee hath done all hee misseth it God gives it to another Zimri beat the bush but Omri caught the bird 6 Tibni is chosen King by the people that sate at home who disdained that the souldiers in the field should without the consent of the rest of the people set up a King they therefore would not submit to Omri whom the souldiers made King and the souldiers would not depart from their choice thereupon they were divided which division and contest lasted about four years till Tibni died as it is conceived an untimely death and then the souldiers being armed and too strong for the people set up Omri 1 King 16. 21 22 23. Obs. It is no new thing to see States and Kingdomes divided The people are for Tibni and the souldiers for Omri one is for a King another for a Council one for a Protector another for a Free-State one for a Dictator another for an Emperor c. So it was oft amongst the Romans and so it is now amongst us Mobile Vulgus the Vulgar are alwaies like themselves unstable as water 7 Tibni being dead Omri reigns quietly hee buyes the Hill of Samaria and builds a City thereon which came to bee the Mettopolis of the Land and the place of the Kings Court and residence for Zimri having burnt the Royal Palace in Tirzah Omri resides in Samaria which was stronger than Tirzah as appears by the three years siege which it endured This wicked man being exalted to the Throne walks in the steps of his wicked predecessors and exceeds them in wickedness for the Text tells us That hee did worse than all that were before him 1 King 16. 25. 1 Because hee persisted in his Idolatry notwithstanding all the judgements of God which hee had seen upon his predecessors 2 Because hee did with more violence force and press the people to Idolatry hence wee read of the Statutes of Omri viz. concerning their Idolatrous worship of the golden Calves Micah 6. 16. Obs. 1 There is no stability in earthly things They are vain uncertain mutable One while the Royal Court is in the City of Sechem anon it is removed to Tirzah and then to Iezreel and at last Samaria is the Metropolis 2 King 8. 29. 2 The successors of wicked men many times exceed their predecessors in wickedness Omri here is worse than all that were before him So the Scholars of Arminius and Socinus have out-erred their Masters The Anabaptists and Separatists of our times are far more erronious than they were in Episcopal times Errbrs in the first concoction are not amended in the second As good men do improve the choice notions of their predecessors to Gods honour so wicked men do improve the corrupt principles and practices of their wicked predecessors to God dishonour 3 Wicked men are obstinate in sin Nothing works upon them Let Ieroboam Nadab Baasha Elah Zimri bee plagued both they and their posterity for their Idolatty yet Omri stirs not unless it bee to evil but hee is Omri still as Idolatrous as vile yea worse than ever 8 Omri after twelve years reign dies and Ahab the wicked Son of a wicked Father succeeds him Hee reigns two and twenty years and is a Non-such for wickedness All the Kings of Israel before him and after him were bad but none so abominable as Ahab who sold himself to do evil 1 King 16. 30 31 32 33. A good man may bee Passively sold under sin against his will as Paul complains hee was Rom. 7. 14. But Ahab here Actively sold himself wittingly and wilfully as a slave to the service of Satan the lusts of the flesh and the cursed plots of his wife So that I cannot but wonder at a learned Commentator of our times who makes Paul to bee like Ahab that sold himself to wickedness Rom. 7. 14. No man had better Prophets in his daies to instruct him as Elijah Elisha Micah and a hundred which Obadiah hid by fifty in a cave from his wives fury nor more Miracles to convince him nor more signal Victories and deliverances to endear him yet this Ahab thus blest sets up Idolatry stones Naboth gets his Vineyard persecutes the Prophets and people of God counrenanceth eight hundred and fifty false Prophets to Ieroboams Idolatry hee adds the
worship of Baal in the Mountain of Samaria which was far worse than the Idolatry of Ieroboam for though they had Idols yet they pretended to worship the true God but in this they worshipped Baal himself as appears by that speech of Elijah of Baal bee God implying that they esteemed him so 2 Ieroboam erected the golden Calves to preserve the Kingdome to himself but Ahab peaceably possest the Kingdome yet desiberately hee sets up more Idols 3 Hee knew the Zidonians were great worshippers of Baal yet hee fears not to match with a Iesabel there that stirred him up to a greater height of wickedness 1 King 21. 25. shee was a proud cruel cursed Idolatress a fierce persecutor of Gods people and a great promoter of the worship of Baal hence St. Iohn calls that false Prophetess that seduced so many to uncleanness and Idolatry Iesabel Rev. 2. 20. And Iehu chargeth her with whoredome and witchcraft This Ahab was slain in battel by the Syrians the doggs lick his blood and hee is buried in Samaria his chief City and his posterity is cursed after him 1 King 21. 22 23 24. Obs. 1 Wicked Parents many times have wicked children An Idolatrous Omri hath an Idolatrous Ahab As I have shewed before 2 Succeeding Idolaters oft-times exceed their predecessors in wickedness Ieroboam was naught Omri worse but Ahab worst of all hee is a Non-such for wickedness No King of Israel before him nor after him like him for wickedness 3 Great sins seldome go alone Ahab here is first an Idolater then an Oppressor a Murderer a Persecutor c. and what not As there is a concatenation of virtues 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. So usually of vices Great sins like great men have many followers as I have proved at large elsewhere 4 The best Preachers cannot work upon hardened sinners Ahab had Elijah a man of fire fit for those cold times one that had wrought many great Miracles and boldly reproves him to his face for his wickedness besides Elisha and others and yet hee is Ahab still When once men are given up to hardness of heart not all that Mount Sinah or Mount Sion can afford not all the curses of the one nor all the promises of the other can do any good Of all the plagues therefore take heed of the plague of a hard heart On this side Hell there is not a sorer judgement and therefore when the Church prayes for a direful curse upon her incurable enemies it is this Lam. 3. 65. Give them sorrow of heart or as the margin reads it Obstinacy and hardness of heart thy curse upon them See the danger of a hard heart Mr. Marshals Serm. on Zach. 7. 12. Dyke on Scandals p. 88. Bain Epist. 7. A Lapide on Exod. 7. 3. Sibbs Cordials p. 14. Hierom 1. part p. 457 and 462. Downams Guide in fine p. 8. and 72. Hâ—okers Guide of Saints p. 98. 5 Wicked men sell themselves to do wickedly They are not Passively sold under sin against their wills and the bent of their souls as the regenerate are Rom. 7. 14. But they Actively give up themselves unto it As a servant is not sui juris at his own dispose but is a living instrument to work for his Master so a wicked man that hath given up himself a servant to sin is not now himself but hee must plod contrive and act for sin with all his might though hee ruine himself by it Rom. 6. 16. Thus it was with Ahab here hee had not hired himself out to sin for a week a month a year but hee had wholly sold himself as a slave for ever to the service of sin and Satan so that hee could neither think speak or act any thing but what had a tendency to sin Hee was a King and by his place hee should have ruled others but alass hee was so enthralled to sin that hee could not rule himself Diogenes could upbraid Alexander for his lusts I am the King saith Diogenes and thou art the slave for I rule over those lusts that rule over thee 6 Misery attends Idolatry Ahab sets up Baal and God pulls down him How can they expect Peace on Earth that fight with Heaven The Kingdome is now troubled Samaria besieged a famine in the Land no dew nor rain for three years and a half Ahab and Iesabel are slain and Ahabs seventy Sons cut off These these are the fruits of Idolatry and forsaking God It is worth observing what Tumults Treasons Treachery King-killing Wars and changing of the Royal Lines there was throughout the reign of these Idolatrous Kings of Israel Solomon that first set up Idolatry had three enemies upon him 1 Hadad the Edomite 2 Rezin King of Damascus 3 Ieroboam his servant So when Ioram King of Iudah walked in the waies of Idolatrous Ahab then Edom and Libnah revolt from him 2 King 8. 18 20. But on the contrary see what success and renown Iudah had who was more faithful to God They had nineteen Kings of Israel all of the same stock succeeding each other whereas among the twenty Kings of Israel there were ten several Kings and they of several stocks and they frequently destroyed each other to get into the Throne and lived not long whereas Asa one of the good Kings of Iudah out-lived Ieroboam Nadab Baasha Elah Zimri Tibni Omri and some part of Ahabs time 7 It is a fore judgement to have an evil Wife Ahab was wicked but his Iesabel made him worse 1 King 21. 25. Hee was so awed by her and such a slave to her that what ever shee would have done bee it never so vile hee durst not but do it Ahab wanted neither wit nor wickedness and yet hee is in both a very novice to this Zidonian Dame There needs no other Devil than Iesable whether to project evil or to act it shee chides the pusillanimity of her dejected Husband and perswades him that his rule cannot bee free unless it bee licentious and that there should bee not bounds for soveraignty but will As our English Seneca excellently As a good wife is a choice mercy Prov. 19. 14. So an ill wife is a sore judgement As a good wife will incite a man to goodness so an evil one will bee provoking to wickedness Solomon the wisest of men how was hee besotted by his Idolatrous wives into what sin and mifery did they draw him 1 King 11. 3 7 8 9. And this helpt to ruine Iehoram in that hee had the Daughter of Ahab to his Wife 2 King 8. 18. As you love your souls take heed of matching with an Idolatress it is an abomination for Gods people so to do Ezra 9. 14. Neh. 13. 6. Mal. 2. 11. Israel hath committed an abomination why what hath hee done why hee hath married the Daughter of a strange God When Pompey would have ensnared Cato by bestowing one of his Daughters on him hee wisely answered Se
his praying and preaching did more for the defence and safety of Israel than all their Armies could do 1 Obs. It is dangerous following our fore-fathers in sin Iehoash doth so and is punished for his pains People are so besotted with the example of their Parents and Ancestors especially if Idolaters that they will after them what ever come of them 2 King 17. ult which made the Lord to adde that commination to the end of the second Commandement which hee doth to no other Commandement against those children which should walk in the steps of their Idolatrous fore-fathers and often forbids that sin as fore-seeing our proneness to it Ezek. 20. 18 19 20. Psal. 78. 8. Zach. 7. 4. and bids us to the Law and not to Examples Isa. 8. 20. If Ioash would have followed his Predecessors hee should have set before him the example of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and not of Ieroboam an Idolater that had mis-led so many into sin and misery Wee may follow our fore-fathers so far as they followed Christ and no further But such is the bewitching power of Superstition that when once it hath got possession and rooting in mens hearts it is seldome ever rooted up again but runs from generation to generation till all bee cut off Idolatry hath so many flesh-pleasing pompous Rites and Ceremonies such seeming sanctity and devotions such splendor of Temples Images Organs and other allurements as are very taking with carnal men besides the fat Bishopricks Denaries Cardinal-ships and Kingdomes with which they intice many from Christ. This was that which made all these Kings of Israel keep up the worship of the Calves that they might keep the people from going from them to Ierusalem 2 Obs. Men may conquer others and yet not conquer themselves Ioash here beats the Syrians three times recovers many Cities from them takes the King of Iudah prisoner and yet himself is a prisoner to sin hee pillageth Jerusalem and the Devil pillageth him Hee is called the Saviour of Israel and yet himself was not saved from his iniquity for hee lived and dyed an Idolater So true is that of Solomon Prov. 16. 32. Hee that can rule his own spirit is better than hee that taketh a City Alexander that could conquer others yet Wine and Women conquered him 3 There is none so wicked but there is some good in them Joash here a wicked King yet visits the Prophet in his sickness sympathizeth with him and weeps over him in his affliction considering the great loss that the Church and State would receive by his death hee gives him honourable Titles savouring of much respect to him How would some Atheistical Sectaries amongst us have railed at this King for calling the good Prophet Father and stiling him The Chariot of Israel i. e. The Shield and Buckler the best defence that Israel had Those Sots and Satans whom the Devil hath blinded and strongly deluded are not worthy of an Answer yet if any would see them answered let them peruse my Comment on 2 Tim. 3. 17. p. 296. Wisdome is justified of her own children and though this ungrateful world vilifie Gods Ministers whilst living yet when they are dead they are ready to adore them 4 There is no loss in shewing kindness to the Prophets of God The King comes to visit the Prophet in his sickness and the Prophet by way of gratitude assures the King of a threefold victory which hee should have against the Syrians 2 King 13. 25 c. The Lord takes the kindness which wee shew to his Prophets as done to himself Hee that honours them honours him whose Embassadors they are Ebedmelech that shewed kindness to Ieremy hath his life given him for a prey Ier. 39. 17 18. Hee that receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet and shews kindness to him upon that account because hee is a Minister of Christ shall have a Prophets reward Mat. 10. 41. i. e. Hee shall have an eminent reward fit for such a one as hath promoted Gods service in a high degree Gaius lost nothing by such guests as Iohn nor the Shunamite or Sareptan Widow by entertaining Prophets of such Christ seems to say as Paul did of Onesimus if hee owe thee ought put it on mine account I will repay it 5 Hee died The most potent puissant successful Conquerors of the world are conquered by death As I have shewed before 14 Jeroboam the second succeeds his Father Joash and reigns one and forty years not one of his rank reigned so long hee was one of the most prosperous successful and victorious of all the Kings of Israel since the division of the ten Tribes Hee recovered the antient borders of Israel from the Syrians and made them tributary to himself The ground of all this goodness is given 2 King 14. 23 25 26 27 28. The Lord saw the affliction of Israel that it was very bitter for there was none shut up or left nor any helper left therefore the Lord out of his wonted mercy raised up Jeroboam to bee a Saviour to them Yet hee is stigmatized with the old brand that his predecessor had before him vâ—z That this New Jeroboam was a chip of the old block for hee did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and departed not from all the sins of old Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who made Israel sin 2 King 14. 24. And that which aggravates his sin is this 1 That hee sinned against great Light for in his daies preached Jonah Amos Hosea three very famous Prophets 2 Against great Love for the Lord sent Jonah to prophesie of victory and good success unto him 2 King 14. 25. But since hee profited not by this Prophets Ministery the Lord sends him to Niniveh the chief City of the great Empire of the Assyrians Obs. 1 When a Nation is in its most prosperous and flourishing condition it may bee nearest ruine Israel never flourisht since the division of the ten Tribes under any King as it did under this Joash and Jehoahaz had done valiantly before but Jeroboam excells them all Under him the Kingdome flourisht in riches honours victories and great success But after this its honour and power still decaied till it was totally ruined It was in this Kings reign that Hosea fore-told the destruction of Samaria Hos. 1. 1. And Amos fore-told the ruine of Jeroboam and his house Amos 1. 2. and 7. 8 9 10 11. Idolatrous Kingdomes cannot stand long Babylon may think to sit as a Queen but sorrows shall at last surprize her and no worldly pomp or power shall bee able to keep off Gods judgements from her Rev. 18. 7 8. All Kingdomes have their rise and ruine and when they bee at the height then they decrease and moulder away as wee see in the Assyrian Babylonian and Persian Monarchies what vast Dominions had they yet all are vanisht and come to nothing This should keep us humble in the midst
are thought to bee Pekah's partners who aided him in the murder of their soveraign Others conceive they were on the Kings side and slain with him But the first opinion is conceived to bee most genuine Obs. 1 God many times visits the sins of the Fathers upon the children especially when they walk in their steps Menahem killed his King and now God raiseth up one to kill his Son Thus wicked men that get riches and Kingdome for their children by indirect means get a cuâ—se for them and bring them into many straights and miseries which otherwise they might have avoided 2 If God bee against us no place can secure us Let Pekahiah get into Samaria the City Royal and bee guarded in his Palace there yet God hath a Pekah that shall finde him out and slay him in his own Palace for his sin and the sins of his bloody Father 3 If wee take the fifty Gileadites for the Kings friends and assistants then observe That such as side with great men in their sins must look to suffer with them No doubt but these Gileadites gloried that they were admitted to bee Courtiers and Assistant to the King but as it proved they had better have been Carters for then they had not perisht as they did It is dangerous living in Princeâ— Courts they live safely who live privately especially it is dangerous to have communion and fellowship with the wicked Good Iehosaphat joyning with wicked Ahab against the Syrians had like to have lost his life into the bargain The Geese in the Fable that joyned with the Cranes in preying upon the fields were killed for company 19 Pekah having killed Pekahiah reigns twenty years in his stead Hee also did evil in the sigâ—t of the Lord and hath the common brand 2 King 15. 27 28. Hee was born of obscure Parents his Father Remaliah was a private person and therefore by way of contempt hee is called Remaliah's Son and the tail of a fire-â—rand Isa. 7. 4. and 8. 6. Hee is punisht for his obstinacy and Idolatry I With the loss of â— great part of his Kingdome All the people of the Land of Napthali were lead into captiviâ—y by Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria 2 King 15. 29. Two Tribes and a half beyond Iordan with Napthali and Zebulun on this sidâ— Iordan were now carried all away and this was the beginning of Israels sorrow 2 With the loss of his life Hoshea conspired against him and slew him Vers. 30. Tyrants oft come to violent ends and those that slay their Soveraigns shall have some that will slay them If Pekah kill Pekahiah Hoshea shall kill him As hee came to the Kingdome by murder so by murder hee loseth it Obs. 1 Idolatry from â—irst to last is still attended with misery Pekâ—h peâ—sists in the Idolatrous steps of his predecessors and now see how many Cities and Regions are lost 2 King 15. 29. Ijon and Abel-beth-maachah and Ianoah and Kedesh and Hazor and Gilead and Galilee and all the Land of Napthali so that upon the point five Tribes of Israel were lost This was the first captivity of Israel 2 The troubiers of Gods people many times are men of sordid and obscure Originâ—ls Pekah here Remaâ—iahs Son and the tail end of a brand which retains not fire long but after a little smoaking vanisheth it is hee that molests Iudah the people of God Isa. 7 4 5 6. It was Alexander a Smith not a Gold-Smith or a Silver-Smith but a Copper-Smith that molested Paul 2 Tim. 4. 14. David complains that the abjects and dreggs of men gathered themselves against him Psal. 35. 15 16. and Iob complains of such Iob 19. 18. and 30. 1. 20 Hoshea the last King of Israel having slain Pekah reigns nine years in his stead and though hee were the last of all the Kings of Israel yet hee also is branded for one that did evil in the sight of the Lord though hee was not altogether so bad as the other Kings of Israel that were before him 2 King 17. 1 2. Where there is any goodness God takes notice of it and commends it as I have shewed before This will appear 1 In that hee did not worship Baal nor serve the Host of Heaven as sâ—me of his predecessors had done before him Hee abandoned the grosser Idolatry of many of his Predecessors and secondly Hee suffered such of his subjects as would to go up to worship in the Temple of Ierusalem which the former Kings of Israel would not permit but laid snares for them Hos. 5. 1. But when Hezekiah proclaimed a Passeover many of the ten Tribes went up to keep it in Jerusalem 2 Chron. 30. 11. Yet see how judgement still attends upon Idolatry Murder and Treachery 1 Gods hand lies heavy upon King Hoshea himself hee is subdued and made tributary to Salmaneser King of Assyria 2 King 17. 3. See the unconstancy of worldly honours Hoshea to day a King to morrow a prisoner hence hee is called a bubble or foam that soon vanisheth Hos. 10. 7. 2 Hee breaks Covenant with the King of Assyria conspires against him and seeks to So the King of Egypt for aid refusing to pay the annual Tribute which hee had covenanted to pay Upon this Salmaneser shuts him up and bindes him in prison Vers. 4. This was done saith Sanctius after the City was taken though by a Prolepsis it is mentioned before This is the fruit of Treachery and Impatience when men seek by indirect means to get out of troubles they do but double them and multiply sorrows to themselves 3 This is not all for judgement doth not onely light on the King but on his Kingdome also Samaria the Metropolis and chief City is taken by Salmaneser King of Assyria after three years siege and the whole Kingdome overthrown The Israelites are carried captive out of their own Land into Assyria and a mixt people of forraign Nations are planted in their Land who made up a Mongrel Religion consisting of Paganism and Judaism fearing the Lord and serving their Idols too 2 King 17. 33. ult Seeing all these twenty Kings of Israel were so wicked wee may Observe 1 That few great men are good men From the division of the ten Tribes to the captivity of Israel there was not one good King of Israel that Kingdome remained Idolatrous from first to last There was a continued Series of Idolatry that did run thorow the whole race of their Rulers They should have seen to their people that they had lived in godliness and honesty and they were a means to lead them in paths of ungodliness and Idolatry They sinned directly against their office for God sets up Magistrates to rule for him but these lead their people from him All other creatures observe the word of Gods command and fulfil the end of their Creation and are therefore called Gods servants Psal. 119. 9â— All are thy servants The Sun Moon Stars Plants Brutes all act in their
Samaria's Downfall OR A COMMENTARY By way of Supplement on the Five last Verses of the Thirteenth Chapter OF HOSEA VVherein is set forth Ephraim's Dignity Duty Impenitency And Downfall Very suitable to and seasonable for these present Times Where you have the Text explained sundry Cases of Conscience cleared many Practicâ— Observations raised with References to such Authors as clear aâ— Point more fully And a Synopsis or brief Character of the twenty Kingâ— of Israel with some useful Inferences from them By THOMAS HALL B. D. and Pastor of Kingsnorton Thus will I do to thee O Israel and because I will do thus unto thee prepare to meet 〈◊〉 God O Israel Amos 4. 12. A prudent man fore-seeth the evil and hideth himself Prov. 22. 3. Etsi Christus Apostoli minantur facinorosis graviter reprehendunt viti◠〈◊〉 phetarum conclones ideo ad deterrendos malos aptiores ad timorem Dei inculca 〈◊〉 ficaciores sunt quia semper certas Paenas slagitiosorum addunt quâ—s eventus postea 〈◊〉 dit non fuisse vanas Luther in Praefat. ad Hoseam 〈…〉 for Io. Cranford at the Castle and Lion 〈…〉 TO THE Renowned CITIE OF LONDON GRACE MERCY and PEACE bee multiplied A Word spoken in season is much commended by the wisest of men Prov. 15. 23 and 25. 11. Yea it is made one of Christs excellencies that hee had the tongue of the Learned and knew how to speak a word in season Isa. 50. 4. Such words are not onely profitable but also powerful and carry abundance of convincing strength and force with them Iob 6. 25. This principally hath emboldened mee to dedicate this Treatise to you Had I searched for five verses thorow the whole Bible I could hardly have found five together all things considered more suitable and seasonable for the present times wee live in In them wee have an Alarum for the Drowsie a Corrasive for the Impenitent a Cordial for the Penitent and many quickening Considerations to move us all to a speedy preparing to meet our God in a way of unfeigned Humiliation before the Decree bring forth and the fierce anger of the Lord ceize upon us Here wee may see Ephraims Dignity and Ephraims Downfall and those sins which helpt to bring him down and in him wee may read Englands condition the Lord hath made us his Ephraim hee hath laid his right hand upon us hee hath made us the head of the Tribes hee hath set us above when for our sins hee might long since have laid us in the dust Ephraims sins were Ephraims ruine and if those sins bee found in England which were found in him what can wee expect but the like judgements for God is the same to the same sinners If Samaria's sins bee found in London London must look for Samaria's judgements God will not spare sin where ever hee findes it bee it in City or Country Sin hath brought down greater Cities than yours as they had their times of rising so of ruining as of building so of burning witness Nineveh No Tyrus Babylon and Ierusalem Sin hath made them all a desolation For my own particular I shall never expect that City or State should prosper till Gods Church prosper or that our houses should continue when Gods house lies waste all our buildings will bee but Nods and Babels that is unsettlement and confusion till Gods house bee setled and exalted amongst us Hag. 1. 4 6 7 8 9 c. It is the sins of England that I fear more than all the enemies in the world It is not Spain or Italy it is not France or Turkey that I fear though all Nations should compass us about yet were wee but an obedient people I should not doubt but that in the Name of the Lord wee should destroy them But it is the Atheism Heresie Blasphemy Security Impenitency Apostacy Prophanation of holy things Formality Hypocrisie Unrighteousness Division Witchcraft and contempt of the Gospel These even these are the enemies that I fear and if any thing destroy us it is these abominations that reign amongst us Bee instructed therefore O England and thou O London the chief City thereof lest the Lords soul depart from thee and thou bee made a desolation Jer. 6. 8. God hath bornelong with our provocations but hee will not alwaies bear but will at last reconcile his patience with the fierceness of his fury Let not therefore Satan delude any as if these were but some melancholy conceits some fearful fancies or vain prognostications of some lying Astrologers but know that these are certain Assertions grounded upon the infallible Word of God whose Threatnings as well as Promises are like unto Silver that hath been seven times purified and â—horowly tried Psal. 12. 6. It is true wee have many Priviledges that others want but no Priviledges can preserve an impenitent people from ruine Ierusalem was highly priviledged and had the choicest Preaching a little before its downfall The sins of a City and Nation may bee so great that though Noah Iob and Daniel three men that could do very much with God Ezek. 14. 14. Should stand before the Lord for them yet they shall not prevail for a hardened Apostatizing people where such spiritual judgements go before there temporal judgements alwaies follow Isa. 6. 9 10 11 12. Sinning is worse than suffering better see a people bleeding than blaspheming for by our Sufferings God is glorified but by our sinns hee is dishonoured Wee are a people that are much for Liberty wee cannot endure a yoak no though it bee Christs easie yoak yet wee will not have him to reign over us wee will not serve him with gladness and singleness of heart in the abundance of all things and therefore hee may justly make us serve our enemies in the want of all things Deuteronomy 28. 47 48. And as wee are all for Liberty so hee may justly proclaim a Liberty for us to the Sword Pestilence and Famine Ier. 34. 17. God hath humbled many in your great City by sickness poverty and decay of Trading c. But have you been made humble thereby Hee hath sent the choicest of his Ministers amongst you and fed you in a spiritual sense with the finest of the Wheat but have you answered Gods cost and care and are you bettered by all his dispensations to you Have you heard the voice of the Rod and who hath appointed it or have you not rather fallen away more and more and grown worse and worse if so how can you expect peace when your Apostasies witchcrafts and spiritual fornications are so many 2 King 9. 17 18. But it is not for mee to counsel you who have so many living and dead Counsellors at hand I shall therefore betake my self to Prayer desiring that the good will of him that dwelt in the bush may dwell amongst you that hee would bee for walls and bulworks to you and your glory in the midst of you that hee by the Spirit
of fire and of burning would purge out of you every thing that offends that your scumme of Blasphemy Heresie Hypocrisie Unrighteousness c. may no longer abide in you but that the Name of your great and famous City may forever bee Iehovah Shammah The Lord is there This is and shall bee the Prayer of Kingsnorton Novemb. 17. 1659. Your Servant in the Lord THOMAS HALL TO THE READER HAving occasion lately to peruse Mr. Burroughs on Hosea 13. 13. I found that his Commentary was defective and that Mr. Burroughs that Prince of Preachers died before hee had finisht the Chapter whereupon I perused the remainder of the Chapter and finding it to bee very pat and pertinent to these present drowsie dangerous times wee live in and that no man had set upon it this twelve years for so long hath Mr. Burroughs been dead I having a little respite in the strength of my God I set upon it and by his assistance have at last compleated it It is true it hath cost mee some pains the most of these five Verses being so turned and tortured so intricate and perplex admitting of so many various Lections and Senses and Interpreters are so divided amongst themselves that hee had need of a great deal of Prayer and Patience that undertakes them I think there are not many harder Verses in the Bible than some of these that I have lighted on yet by a good hand of providence I have gone thorow them and have not balked any known difficulty but have made all as plain and intelligible as possibly I could Many Posthumous works have had Supplements excelling their Predecessors this cannot bee expected here All that I can promise thee is this that I have as fully and faithfully explained the Text as possibly I could I have raised thence many useful Observations and given in References because I understand they are very acceptable to many to such as inlarge upon any point more fully Some Common places are succinctly handled and if any Controversie occur according to my custom and calling they have a lash and a pass As for the fourteenth Chapter it is piously and pithily opened by two very grave judicious men So that now you have the whole Prophesie compleated If thou reap any benefit give God the praise who is pleased to shew light in the darkness and strength in the weakness of Thine in the Lord THOMAS HALL Samarias Downfall OR A COMMENTARY By way of Supplement on the five last verses of the thirteenth Chapter of HOSEA HOSEA 13. 12. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up by God his sin is hid with him THis Chapter contains the sum of the eleventh Sermon of Hosea wherein the Propher like the sweet Singer of Israel treats both of Judgement and Mercy and useth both drawing and driving Motives one or both of which usually work upon all ingenuous dispositions to bring them to Repentance And since God hath ordained the Law to make way for the Gospel and Humiliation to go before Consolation therefore the Prophet first denounceth Judgements against Israel and specially that of the Sword which should cut off his Kings destroy his Kingdome take a way all their pleasant things and make them a desolation neither was God to bee blamed for all this for it was their own sins that had brought those evils upon them viz. their Idolatry Pride Carnal-confidence Impenitency Stupidity 〈◊〉 and Forgetfulness of that God who had raised them to great glory and dignity 2. He sets forth the fierceness of Gods wrath against them ver 7 8. Great blessings when abused bring great judgements Their sins had turned God their great Benefactour into a Lyon a Leopard a Bear and imbittered his soul against them They dreamt they should finde him a God all of mercy he tells them they are mistaken for now they should finde him a God full of fury 3. Whereas they might think to escape because God had so long forborne them the Prophet by a Prolepsis prevents this conceit Ver. 12 13. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up and his sin is hid q. d. Ephraim thinks now he may take his pleasure since his iniquity lyes hid and he hath so long escaped but mark what follows ver 13. The sorrows of a travelling woman shall come upon him As the pleasure of conception hath the pangs of child-birth attending it so this secure and pleasant people shall certainly meet with sorrow in the end and therefore Ephraim is but an unwise son and guilty of great folly in that he doth not speedily make his peace with God 4. Lest they should be despondent and despair he intermixeth comfort with his threatnings and allayes the terrours of the Law with the promises of the Gospel ver 14. 5. Yet lest they should grow secure after a little hyperbaton and interruption of the order of the words he returns to denounce judgements and tells them that notwithstanding the promise of deliverance yet first they must expect a desolation of the chief City and the Kingdom ver 15. 16. In this twelfth Verse we have briefly set forth the desperate and deplorable condition of Gods people they were come to that height of wickedness and grown so stupid under Gods stroaks that now they must expect no more pardon nor look that God should bear any longer with them So that in these words the Lord meets with the vain conceits of the loose persons of those times who soothed up themselves in their evil wayes and because the Lord suspended his judgements for a time therefore they never suspected them but thought that the Lord was such a one as themselves that is no way displeased with their sins but since he connived at them therefore they conclude he slept took no notice of them but had utterly forgot them But they are much deceived saith the Lord for I have seen all their wickedness and have sealed up all their sins till the due time of revealing them which is now at hand be come 'T is true I have borne long with them let that offend none for I have not forgot their provocations they are all bound and bundled up so that not one of them shall be lost but they shall dearly reckon for them all together As God hath a book of remembrance wherein he records the good deeds of his people which shall one day be publisht to their everlasting praise Mal. 3. 16. So he hath a book of remembrance wherein he records the wickedness of the wicked which shall ere long be publisht to their everlasting shame As the sin of Iudah was written with a pen of iron and an adamantine claw so that it should not easily be blotted out Ier. 17. 1. So all the sins of Ephraim from the time of Ieroboams reign to their going into captivity were bound up and sealed that they might not be lost Papers that lye loose and unbound are scattered with every wind but when they
the Table to work but the Table was set round with young men and when they began their song they laid on their hats upon the Table so I standing still waiting on the Lord having a great minde to do the Lords work their song being up my hat offended them they took it off and cast it away and one of the young men gave it mee again I put it on and it offended again in so much that Piercefall did perceive mee who came violently and took my hat off to fling it away but I held it then hee took mee by the hair of the head and dragg'd mee out and as one of their own company testified to his face that hee struck mee but I cannot say that but a luâ—ty red hair'd man did strike mee I supposed him to be an officer in that hateful place but Piercefall after hee had dragged mee out by the hair said Sirrah Do you not know William Duike I said nay for I did not know him Sirrah said hee I put him in prison and fined him â—en pound and you must bee served so too and so charged the Conâ—table with mee and went himself in again and received the Sacrament for all this The Constable told mee that I might go away if I would but in again I must not So I stood a while and finding in my self no constraint I passed away towards More-fields finding a little ease from the weight of the burden being faithful to what might bee done at that time but the sixth day of the week being the eighth day of the month sitting at work in my Shop but not on the Shop-board the burden of the Lord came upon mee and the light making manifest the same thing that was not yet done must bee done and the Lord would not discharge mee but laid a necessity upon mee I beholding this with trembling and fear I did resolve in the power of the Lord not to eat nor drink till I had performed the Lords requiring So having purposed in heart I greatly desired the Lords assistance and it was shewed mee how to do it and the Lord made way for mee So the first day of the week being the tenth day of the fifth month I waited opportunity till the singing time began which when I heard I passed in but being fearful to bee taken with the hat again and so lose my main business for the Lord I stept out again but stayed not I came in again I lookt towards the Pulpit and spied the Pue door open that the Priest might pass up the Pulpit So I waited thinking that Edmund Calamy would go up the Pulpit I intended to get in before him for thought I that boy that sits upon the stairs will open the Pulpit door for the Priest and I will get in before but no Priest came whereupon in the power of the Lord I fixed my eye upon the Pulpit and I spied an Iron hook and I passed thorow the Pue up the stairs and unhookt the door and pulled twice and gat it open and I sate my self down upon the Cushin and my feet upon the seat where the Priest when hee hath told out his lies doth sit down and having my work ready I pulled one or two stitches The people lost their song and some cried pull him down some break his neck down and a lusty fellow came up and did intend to do mee a mischief and rang my neck as if hee would have wrung it in two So I let go my hold and hee flang mee down stairs but the Lord preserved mee and I felt no hurt for having done that which the Lord required mee to do I was full of peace and it had been little to mee if they had there taken away or killed the body For I was full of joy and they were full of wrath and madness so they tore my Coat off and my hat and dragged mee out and one took mee by the hair and flung mee upon the ground and some that was without said why do yee use the man so but I gate up again then they dragged mee quite out into the street and there held mee and while they held mee one came and gave mee a violent kick on the shins and said hee could finde in his heart to knock mee down hee made my shin bleed and another kickt mee on the other shin but did not much hurt another said that I had been some notorious sinner heretofore and now came to do something that might merit Presently the Church-warden as they call him came out and hee and the Bell-toller carried mee away to the Counter till their Sermon was ended as they call it then they carried mee away to Pauls Yard to stay for the Mayor but the Serjeant said hee would carry mee away to the Mayors house and there stay mee till hee came in so hee did And all the way thorow Paternoster-Row as I went the boyes kickt my heels so then the Mayor came in and they told him that I was at work in the Pulpit then said hee to mee Wherefore did you work there I said in obedience to the Lords commandement hee said It was a false spirit and said hee Where are your sureties I said The Lord was my surety hee said The Lord would not bear mee out in this thing said hee to them Carry him again to the Counter so they carried mee back again and there I was till the third day Now let all sober people judge whether I did this thing out of envy against either Priest or People Yea further I say the Lord God lay it not to their charge who have said that I did it in malice devilishness and envy it is the desire of my soul that they might bee saved And so do write my name being a Prisoner for the Testimony of the Lord in the Common Gaol in Newgate London Committed the 1 5th of the 5th Month 59. Solomon Eccles. FINIS A Table of the Principal things contained in the Commentary on HOSEA A. ANarchy dangerous p. 103. 104 Application of the word necessary p. 67 Assurance attainable p. 41 Atheism how dangerous p. 106. 107 B. Barrenness under the means of grace a great sin p. 99. 100 Bewâ—re of men amplified in many particulars p. 92 to 97 C. Carnal policy ruines men p. 121 Christ is the Lord. p. 33 Cities that are great usually have great sins p. 69 70 And great punishments ibid. Conviction it is necessary to Conversion p. 17. 18 What it is p. 19 VVhat â—â—easure requisite to conversion ibid. Impediments to Conviction p. 20 Motives to get it p. 21 Covenant â—ins against it grievous p. 78. 102 D. Death is terrible in it self p. 35 36 It is a conquered enemy p. 36. 37 Not to be feared by Believers p. 37. 38. 39 Consolation against it p. 40 Divisions dangerous p. 104 105 E. Englands abuse of patience p. 7. 8 F. Father God is so to his children p. 53 Fools what men are so p.