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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	aaron_n	good_a	people_n	25	3	3.9589	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12523	An exposition vpon the sixt chapter of the prophesie of Hosea VVherein is set down the true repentance of the godly, as also the hypocriticall repentance of the wicked; most needfull for these times. Wherein 1. The summe and scope. 2. The doctrines. 3. The reasons. 4. The vses. Of most texts are obserued. First preached by Samuel Smyth minister of Roxwel in Essex, and now by him published, intending the further good of his charge, and the profit of as many as shall please to read it. Seene and allovved.	Smith, Samuel, 1588-1665.	1616 (1616)	STC 22847.3; ESTC S102418	218,718	364

Couenant with our God when wee were baptized the Lord then receiued vs into the bosome of his Church vpon this condition that wee would become his people and walke in his wayes hee gaue vs his couenant a gracious couenant full of many gracious and heauenly promises of pardon of sinne of life eternall This Couenant hee sealed and confirmed by the heart bloud of his owne Sonne that he would bee our gracious God and louing Father that hee would pardon all our sinnes receiue vs to fauour and bestow eternall life and saluation vpon vs. Wee on the other side haue couenanted with our God that wee would bee his people and become his obedient seruants that wee would renounce the Deuill and all his works the stinking pleasures of the flesh and that wee would not suffer our selues to bee ruled by them but would manfully fight vnder the banner of our Lord Iesus Christ against the Deuill the world and the flesh Now if wee examine ourselues how wee haue kept this Couenant wee shall find that the Lord may iustly say vnto vs as hee did here vnto this people Yee haue broken my Couenant yea we haue denied our obedience to Christ Iesus and his Word and wee haue serued sinne and Sathan and the world Gods deadly enemies and we haue liued in pleasures in vanity in couetousnesse and in many other sinnes against our promise to God Oh then in the feare of God let vs take knowledge of this that wee are vile and miserable couenant breakers wee haue fayled in our promise to God and haue not walked in his wayes as wee haue made a solemne Couenant with him And now let it make vs ashamed that wee should deale thus vilely and decitfully with our most gracious God If it bee a matter of shame to breake couenant with an honest man and wee bee grieued for the same how much more should this grieue vs and make vs ashamed that wee haue dealt thus faithlesly with our gracious God And thirdlie as wee must bee grieued that wee Vse 3 haue thus fayled and broken our Couenant with God heretofore so now wee must bee more carefull to keepe our Couenant with him in time to come manfully to fight vnder his banner against sinne Sathan and the world his vtter enemies and yeeld him obedience in heart and life to deny all obedience to the Deuill and our owne lusts and say with the Prophet Dauid Psal 119 10● I haue sworne and am stedfastly purposed to keepe thy righteous iudgements Oh let vs take a solemn oath of our selues and purpose both in heart life to keepe his righteous iudgements neuer to sinne against our God as wee haue done but in all things to do his will and to walke in his wayes And there is good reason to perswade vs hereunto for if wee shall keepe our Couenant made to God in our Baptisme then the Lord will take vs for his people and will bee our gracious God and louing Father then hee will performe all those gratious promises of pardon of sinne Deu. 28. and life eternall and euery other gracious promise that hee hath layde down in his Word for our good and the further increase of our happinesse it shall then goe well with vs in life in death and after death But if wee refuse to heare his voyce and will not regard our vow and couenant made to him in Baptisme then hee will withdraw his mercy and gratious protection from vs he is no longer tyed vnto vs to doe vs good then wee shall keepe his Couenant and then what shall become of vs if the Lord once forsake vs if hee leaue vs alas wee shal then lye open to all misery both of soule and body if God bee angry with vs who can do vs good Fourthly and lastly this may serue to reprooue Vse 4 those men that vpon some particular occasions as in time of warre sicknesse necessity trouble or any other danger haue beene ready to enter into couenant with God so that God would free them and deliuer them they will become new men if they haue fallen into whoredome or fornication they vow they will bridle their lusts and they will neuer delight in the Harlots company any more If they haue fallen into drunkennesse they will vow and enter couenant with God Luk. 14.8 that they will abstaine from the hatefull house of that sinne and all other prouocations to the same The Oppressor is ready to promise more mercy to the poore and so of all other sinnes Dan. 4.24 the sinner is ready to enter Couenant with God when his conscience is vpon the racke that hee will leaue his sinne and that for the time to come they will walke with God in better obedience so that God would but deliuer them set them on foot againe When a man hath most vainly and sinfully spent his time in drunkennesse riotousnesse idlenesse wantonnesse enuy hatred contempt of Gods Word c. If God strike such men with sicknesse as I haue known many that they haue feared death for vnto such is the remembrance of death a terror Oh how then doe they tremble and quake Note then send for Moses and Aaron in haste send for the Minister who before this time of all men they esteemed the most vile and then good people pray for me Oh I haue beene a great and grieuous sinner I haue offended God many wayes I haue been a most beastly drunkard a most vncleane liuer I haue dishonoured God many wayes by my vsury oppressing of the poore vniust and vnconscionable dealing with men by fraud and deceit I haue made no conscience at all how I haue spent the Sabbath but haue been at bowles and Tables or drinking in vaine company when I should haue beene present in the Congregation of Gods people Oh if God vvill but now forgiue mee this sinne onely I will neuer offend in the like againe I will become a new man for no mans pleasure will I be brought to dishonour God any more by these sinnes These and the like are the clamours and the crying out of many men when God doth touch them by sicknesse or some other calamity and then are they very forward to enter into Couenant with God euer to bee thankfull and obedient vnto him and then to begin their repentance and amendment of life But O alas is not this the best day that God hath of them and the best seruice that euer they performe vnto him It is it is for when God doth free them and set them at liberty 2. Pet. 2.1.2 they Turue with the Dogge to the vomite and with the Sowe to the mire Well God will neuer put vp this great ingratitude at their hands but being found to bee Couenant breakers with their God all those iudgements which Almighty God hath threatned against such sinners shall most surely come vpon them Deu. 28. and ouertake them Like Men. HEre is layde downe the manner

had beene done amongst them of Sodom they had remayned to this day But I say vnto you that it shall bee easier for them of the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for thee In this place our Sauiour declares vnto vs that such places as haue had the preaching of the Word amongst them and haue accounted light of the same shall receiue at the last day a greater measure of condemnation then those that neuer heard the sound therof You wil think it a harsh comparison if I should compare our land to Sodom Gomor wee know how the Lord destroyed them with fire brimstone from heauen And yet I say vnto you in the name of God from the warrant of his sacred word by the which wee shall all one day be iudged that if we liue in the open contempt of Gods truth ignorance blindnesse and prophanesse which sins are scarce the tenth that may bee found amongst vs at this day it had beene much better that wee had beene borne Sodomites and Gomoreans yea the time shall come when many amongst vs shall cry out and wish that they were Sodomites and Gomoreans Oh that I were a Sodomite Oh that I were one of them of Gomorah and that because wee knew not the day of our Visitation And this fauour and mercy of our God that now we enioy to heare him to speake vnto vs in his Word and that wee haue his seruice and worship amongst vs shall bee so farre at the last day from procuring vs any fauour or mercy at Gods hand as that wee hauing had the same amongst vs and wee most prophanely did neglect and contemne the same shall reape euen therefore the greater measure of condemnation Deu. 32.29 Oh that men would bee wise then would they consider their latter end Secondly seeing that most excellent prerogatiues Vse 2 and priuiledges will not serue to keepe backe Gods anger and to deliuer vs from destruction if wee liue in sinne and bee not reformed in heart and life then let vs labour to ioyne to our outward profession of the Word sound obedience true repentance and reformation of our wayes and marke then what will follow If yee will hearken and obey yee shall then eate the good of the land Wee must not stand so much vpon the largenesse of the leaues of our profession who should professe most as wee should vpon sincerity who should practise most I am sure it is our behauiour concerning the things of the world There is no man but had rather be rich then accounted rich be wealthie then seeme to bee wealthy And yet for that true riches that shall make vs rich vnto saluation wee can content our selues with shadowes and shewes of it and looke not after the substance Like Iehu who made great boast of the zeale hee had for the glory of God Come with mee sayth he to Ionadab And see the zeale that I haue for the Lord 2. Reg. 10.16 but yet for all this his heart was not vpright in the sight of God Act. 24.16 but the Apostle Paul was affected otherwise who endeuoured himselfe to haue alway a cleare conscience towards God and man And surely this is it that shall bee our comfort in life in death after death Esay 38.3 that wee can say with good King Ezechiah Remember Lord that I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Doct. 5 Againe seeing the Lord complaines here of Ephraim and Iudah that is of the whole body of the people and the generall multitude of both Kingdomes Though God doth offer the meanes of saluation vnto all yet few receiue them that they were wicked and rebellious and profited not by al the gracious means that he vsed to reclaim them we learne hence that though the Lord do offer the means alike to all as his Word iudgements admonitions corrections c. yet very few doe receiue them profite by them and the greatest part remaine ignorant vnrepentant and rebellious against the meanes as wee may see heere in this people they had the meanes al alike to call them to repentance yet the greatest part and the greatest number vnreformed still so that the Lord speakes heere of the whole Nation and people of the Iewes O Ephraim O Iudah those that resolued to Returne vnto the Lord as in the three first verses of this chapter their number was exceeding small in comparison of those that did neglect and contemne the same and therefore he speakes of them wholy together Ephraim Iudah This Doctrine is further cleared by the example of the old World that notwithstanding the meanes of deliuerance was offered to all men alike yet only Noah was moued with reuerence Gen. 6.3 Heb. 11. Gen. 19. to feare Gods iudgements when all the rest of the world were euen drunke in security and lay weltring in their sinnes So in Sodom one righteous Lot Elias sayth Hee was left alone hee could not see one open professor of Religion in his time Woe is mee sayth the Prophet For I am as the Summer gatherings and as the grapes of the Vintage Mich. 7.1 Ier. 3.14 Luk. 12.32 Mat. 27. there is no cluster to eate Alas when the haruest is in the gleaning it is very small heere an eare and there an eare One of a City and two of a Tribe And Christ cals his flocke a little flocke Feare not little Flocke All cried against the Sonne of God Crucifie him Crucifie him Reu. 13. All receyued the Marke of the beast This is plaine by wofull experience in our dayes how few true worshippers of God sound Christians though wee haue the meanes alike how few profit by them the greatest part remaine ignorant still vile rebellious and prophane and so few that they bee like a handfull of corne in a heape of chaffe many hypocrites many meere Laodiceans neyther hote nor cold Reu. 3.17 many halfe Christians with Agrippa onely those that profite truely by the meanes are exceeding few Hence wee see that Multitude is no note of a true Vse 1 Church And therefore it confutes the Doctrine of the Church of Rome who would make men beleeue that therefore they must needes bee the true Church because their Religion is so generally receiued and imbraced of many Kingdomes But here wee see Luke 12.32 that the greater part is the worst and Christs flocke is a little flocke and therefore this Doctrine beates and batters down one of the maine pillars of Popery whervpon they ground their religion and supplant their Church they ground vpon this sandy foundation the pillar is a number and multitude of men that many receiue their religion and few ours but if this reason be good then those few beleeuing Iewes that repented as in the three first verses of this Chapter should not bee the children of God but Ephraim Iuda euen the common multitude should be accounted the Church which is most false for

was one of the sixe Cities of refuge whither if a man had slaine a man at vnawares Iosu 20.8.9 and as wee say by chance medley then he was to flie thither and there the Priests and Leuites making inquiry of the fact if they found that the murder was of ignorance and that hee hated not his brother in times past but slew him against his will then the murderer was to stay there til the death of the high Priest and then he was at liberty againe Now this City What City Gilead was it was the place where the Priests and Leuites did dwell which were set apart to teach the people to instruct them to offer sacrifice for them to pray for them for they were to bee the light of the world they must carry the Vrim and Thummim light and perfection And Gilead should haue beene as a speciall Sanctuary for holinesse piety and true religion a Nurse and Mother City to direct others and as a fountaine from whence pure religion the knowledge of God should haue beene deriued into all the land But alas the Prophet complaines of Gilead that it was so farre from being a Nurse to Religion that it was rather a cruell steppedame to banish Religion and piety so farre from a holy City and Sanctuary of the Lord that it was euen a denne of theeues a harbour for all villany impiety and prophanesse Now this was a wonderful thing that the Priests and Leuits in whom there ought to haue shined great holinesse that should haue bin an example to the common people that all men seeing their good example their holines and piety might the rather haue followed them that they should bee euen Captaines and ringleaders to all impiety cruelty and miserable abhominations Then wee see why the Prophet is so sharpe to inueigh against Gilead and to cry out against this City namely because it should haue heen a Sanctuary of the Lord full of knowledge piety and godlinesse but the same was rather a denne of deuils and an harbour for all manner of sinne and impiety Thus hauing seene the meaning of the wordes now let vs see what Doctrines doe arise from them This is a grieuous accusation of the Lord that that City of whom the Lord might expect most care most holinesse and duties of religion who should haue been most instructed in the wayes of God hauing bestowed so many meanes vpon them that they should thus degenerate and grow more vile then any other to be the harbour of all sin and impiety Doct. 1 Then hence wee learne that those places which haue great meanes of knowledge of instruction and therfore should abound in all holy duties Those that haue the greatest meanes of knowledge should abound most in holy duties If they grow more wicked and abound more with sin their iudgement is fearefull and very grieuous Wee see this in Gilead here how the Lord complaines of it here that those that should haue beene euen a Nurse to religion yea a Mother City from whence religion should haue flowed into the Country was notwithstanding a wicked Citty full of bloud and full of all manner of iniquity Euen so whensoeuer the Lord comes to iudgement against a land or against a kingdom those Cities Townes or Parishes vpon whom the Lord hath bestowed most meanes if they profite not by them but bee like vnto Gilead here full of bloudie sinnes pride swearing lying drunkennes whoredome couetousnesse vsury oppression the like then the Lord doth shew his anger and displeasure most against them as Gilead here that should haue gone before others in piety and religion hauing so many meanes seeing they become so vile as that they went before others in sinne they went before others in punishment And this wee shall find to bee most true by the course of the whole Scriptures that those which haue had most meanes of knowledge and instruction and so should goe before others in knowledge and Christian piety if they haue not made a sanctified vse of the same they haue euer receyued a greater measure of iudgement then others The Lord in the punishing of Ierusalem Ezech. 9.7 bids them begin at his Sanctuary because they should haue heen most holy and were found to bee most wicked So againe in another place The enemy hath stretched out his hand vpon all her pleasant things Lam. 1.10 for shee hath seene the heathen enter into her Sanctuary Ierusalem that was called the beauty of perfection and the wonder of the World when shee became full of sinne and vncleannesse then the Lord made her a spectacle of his iudgments aboue others This Doctrine is further cleared by the grieuous threatnings denounced by our Sauior Christ against those Cities where his Word had been preached and professed most and the greatest part of his miracles had beene wrought and shewed Mat. 11.21.22 Woe bee to thee Corazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great works which haue beene done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sydon they had repented long agoe in sackcloth and ashes Mat. 23.38 but I say vnto you it shall bee easier for them in the day of iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp to heauen shalt bee throwne downe to Hell for if the great works which haue beene done in thee had beene done amongst them of Sodom they had remayned vnto this day But I say vnto you it shall hee easier for them in the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for thee These Cities of Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum they were such places as Christ had honoured aboue Tyrus Sydon and Sodom both in respect of the preaching of the Word as also in respect of the myracles that were wrought amongst them yet because they made no sanctified vse of them but abounded in all manner of sinne and iniquity therefore our Sauiour tels them that their iudgement shall bee heauier then those places that neuer heard the sound of the Word And Gilead which before other Cities was honoured to bee a City of refuge a Nursery of the Priests and Leuites by which meanes the Lord might haue reaped much honour by it Gilead being found a Citie of iniquity must bee made a spectacle of Gods iudgement aboue other Cities Againe let vs behold and marke where the Doct. 2 iudgements of God are in most grieuous manner executed and wee shall see that in those places especially which haue had more excellent meanes then others Those places that haue had most meanes shall bee most seuerely punished for the neglect thereof where the Prophet of God and the Ministers of the Word haue a long time taken pains to instruct them in the wayes of God there I say wee may behold the greatest calamity and distresses because the Lord cannot abide that Gilead that is any place where hee bestowes much meanes should so degenerate and grow worse then others and that such places