with the Prophets to intermingle comforts with their threatnings to keep Gods people from despaire So Hos. 1. and 2. and 11. Amos 9. 8 to 15. Before he had threatned destruction to the wicked now he comforts the Penitent In the words we have 1. The deep distress that Gods people were in they were in the hand of the grave and in the jaws of death i. e. they were as 't were dead and buried in captivity The word Sheol signifies both the grave and hell 1. 'T is taken for the grave so Gen. 37. 35. â—rov 30. 16. 2. For hell Metaphorical i. e. some deep distress Psal. 86. 13. 3. For the local hell Prov. 15. 11. Wee may take in all these for Christ hath Redeemed us from them all and triumphed over them on the Cross Colos. 2. 14. 2. Here is a Promise of their Redemption from this their misery I will ransom them from the power of the grave What is that why exegetically 't is added I will redeem them from death i. e. I will bring my Elect out of their captivity where they lay for dead as 't were and this deliverance shall bee to them a pledge of their Resurrection to eternal life 3. Here is the manner how this shall bee done set forth by a Prosopopeical Apostrophe to death and the grave whom he brings in as some living enemy and therefore calls to him saying O death I will bee thy death O grave I will bee thy destruction q. d. O death thou seemest to be mighty and powerful but I will disarm thee of it all I will not only bite thee but destroy thee 't is not morsus as the Vulgar but exitium an utter destruction of these enemies of our salvation 4. Here is the certainty of this deliverance drawn from the constancy of God in keeping his Promise and from the immutability of his decree Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes q. d. I will never repent of the mercy which I have promised them but my goodness to them shall be firm and unalterable This sense suits best with the Original and with the context wherein God promiseth a choice mercy to his people The Vulgar and the seventy render it consolation is hid from mine eyes 't is true the word in the Original signifies consolation as well as repentance but to render it as a threatning here as if God should say I am fully determined to destroy my people for consolation is hid from mine eyes This is very improper here for it confounds the context and the scope of the Verse which is to comfort and not to disquiet Gods people In it the Prophet the better to strengthen the faith of Gods people doth highly extol Gods Almighty power for when wee are in straights wee are very apt to question that Num. 11. 13 21 22 23. Psal. 78. 19. To an eye of sense Gods people lying in captiviy were as dead men and past all hope of recovery I but saith the Prophet though ye were dead yet God can raise you again for hee 's Lord of death and hell and hath a sovereign power over them all though death conquers all yet hee conquers death though it be mighty yet God is Almighty and there 's nothing too hard for him he will be the death of death and if none will redeem you thence yet he will Quest. The Question is of what Redemption and deliverance doth the Prophet here speak whether of a corporal or spiritual Redemption Ans. Of both 1. Literally the Lord promiseth to free his Elect and penitent people from the grave of their captivity Banisht men are counted as dead men especially in a civil sense and the place of their banishment is as the grave Now many of the remainders of Israel after the destruction of their Kingdom joyned themselves to the Jews and with them came out of Babylon Though for their Idolatry and ingratitude hee threatned perpetual banishment to them yet for the comfort of his people that then were and after should arise hee promiseth a Redemption for them Hos. 1. 10. which was fulfilled about two hundred years after that Samaria was taken when Cyrus proclaimed liberty to the Jews to go build the Temple Ezra 1. 2. Typically it alludes to our Spiritual and eternal Redemption by Christ and our conquest over death and hell by him By Adams sin death came upon all men Rom. 512. but Christ by his Resurrection hath freed us from the power of death and hath led it captive which formerly led us captive Ps. 68. 18. Eph. 4. 8. This is the Redemption saith Zanchy which is principally and properly here meant for though the people of Iudah after seventy years captivity in Babylon did return again out of it yet the people of Israel after that Samaria was taken never returned again to their own land for it was laid waste and inhabited by strangers 'T is usual with the Prophets to use such Metabases sudden digressions and passings from their history to Christ who was their scope delight and love so that every hint and shadow in the Old Testament brought him to their remembrance and then from Christ they fell to the continuance of their history again Thus 't is here and so Esay prophecying of Câ—rus who should deliver Israel out of Bâ—bylon in the same Chapter prophesieth of Christ the Redeemer of his Church Esay 45. So Ezekiel having enveyed against Idle and Idol Shepherds presently turns his speech to Christ who is the true Shepherd of his people Ezek. 34. 2 16. so Zach. 9. 9. and 13. â— 7. In this Verse the Prophet brings in death and the grave as it were two tyrannical enemies to whom he speaks in the Name of the Lord Christ as the Apostle expounds it 1 Cor. 15. 55. as a Conquerour saying O death I will be thy death Or as the Apostle from the Septuagint though in this Text the Apostle in some things varies from the present Septuagint and so do the allegations in the New Testament which shews the folly of those who do equalize it with the Original Hebrew O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The first Adam brought death into the world but the second Adam hath abolish'd it There is some difficulty in the words and therefore I shall open them particularly and break every clod that I may finde out the golden Oar. In these words we have a glorious triumph over death and a notable Enconâ—ium of the Resurrection of the dead Piscator and others read the words Interrogatively thus O death where are thy plagues O grave where is thy destruction 'T is an insulting and triumphing Interrogation q. d. They are no where to be found for Christ hath removed them and taken them out of the way of his people so that now there is no hurt in death This various reading comes from the ambiguous signification of the word Ehi which is rendred truly ero I
wee are cut off Yea the Prophet himself staggered and was non-plust verse 3. the Lord asked him Son of man can these bones live Is it possible that ever such dry bones should live again The Prophet answers Lord thou knowest q. d. it passeth my apprehension to conceive how this should bee I know not how it should bee effected but Lord thou knowest what thou hast to do and to thee nothing thing is impossible This the Lord doth in his wisdome to out us of our selves and all creature-confidences that in an holy desperation wee may say with repenting Israel Ashur shall Not save us neither will wee ride upon horses nor say any more to the work of our hands Yee are our gods for with thee the fatherless finde mercy Hos. 14. 3. 6 Obs. God in his due time will deliver his people out of the deepest distress Hee is Omnipotent hee can and will redeem Israel not out of one or two but out of all his troubles Psal. 25. ult Art thou weak Hee can strengthen thee Art thou sick Hee can heal thee Art thou dark Hee can insighten thee Art thou dead Hee can inliven thee Hast thou lain in thy grave till thou stinkest again so did Lazarus Hast thou lain till thou art rotten so did Israel in their Babylonish Captivity and yet were restored Ezek. 37. 11 12. So in desertions wee are apt to bee despondent when wee walk in darkness and can see no light neither Sun-light nor Moon-light neither Star-light nor Candle-light but are like unto dry bones in a Sepulchre without life without spirit without strength without comfort and see no way of deliverance Aye but now is a time to live by faith and not by sense Isa. 40. 27 28 29 30 31 and 50. 10. Such is our weakness that wee are apt to limit the holy one of Israel and to think that hee can help us in lesser trials and bring us out of petty crosses but when some fluctus decumanus some great waves of Tentation come then wee are apt to question Gods power and promises and to say with David I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27. 1. Wee are apt to say with Martha If Christ had come a little sooner hee might have raised Lazarus but now saith she he stinks and is past help Ioh. 11. 39. Aye but it is the better for that for now Christs power will bee the more manifested and his Father the more glorified The more grievous thy disease the greater will the praise of thy Physitian bee in thy cure and wee shall love much when wee see how much is forgiven and therefore David makes it an argument to move the Lord to pitty him because his sins were great Psal. 25 11. Remember it is Gods usual course to let men bee dead and buried as it were in misery and to bring things to extremity and then appear Gen. 22. 14. Psal. 461. when trouble comes then hee comes too Wee read of three persons that Christ raised from the dead One was dead but not carried out Maâ—k 5. 41 A second was dead and carried out Luke 7. 14. A third was dead carried out buried and lay till hee stunk in his grave and that was Lazarus Christ speaks but the word Lazarus come forth and hee lives God is never nearer to his people than when to a carnal eye hee seems furthest off As wee see in the three young men that were cast into a fiery Furnace and Daniel into the Lions den Sense and carnal reason would have said God had now forsaken them and there was no help yet even then did they finde the greatest help so good it is to trust in God 7 Obs. Death in it self is a formidable enemy and considered as a curse due to impenitent sinners it is very terrible even the terriblest of all terribles as Aristotle calls it It is armed with stings and plagues and is therefore called an Enemy 1 Cor. 15. 26. And the King of terrours even such a terrour as is the chiefest and greatest of terrours Iob 18. 14. Hence dreadful calamities are set forth by the shadow of deaâ—h Job 10. 21 22. and 16. 16. and 24. 17. Psal. 23. 4. Ier. 13. 16. and the messengers of death Prov. 16. 14. and the snares sorrows and terrours of death Psal. 18. 4 5. and 55. 4. It is this that snatcheth men when they least think of it from their dear Relations Pleasures Riches Recreations Mansions Honours c. which they love as their lives and this must needs bee terrible to a natural man who hath no assurance of better things when he dyes Hence such are said to be in bond age and a slavish fear of death all their life long Heb. 2. 15. whilst wicked men look upon death at a distance and think it far off they fear it not but when God shall open their eyes by sickness and summon them to appear before him then like Pashur they are Magar-missabib a terrour to themselves and all that are â—ound about them Ier. 20. 3 4. Saul though a King and a 〈◊〉 man yet when hee heard that death was at the door and hee must dye to morrow was so dis-spirited with this dismal news that hee fell into a deadly trance and was not able to bear it the fear of death had well nigh ended him before his death came 1 Sam. 9. 19 20. So Belâ—hazzar a mighty Monarch in the height of his mirth is all amort his countenance is changed his thoughts trouble him and his joynts are loosed but whence came all this terrour and amazement why it is for fear of this King of fears Death which suddenly after surprized him Dan. 5. 1 2. c. This puts an end to all a wicked mans comforts and hopes conscience shall now bee awakened and hee must give an account of his Stewardship This made Lewis the eleventh King of France to command his servants in his sickness that they should not once mention that bitter word Death in his hearing Yea even the godly in a temptation for fear of death have not acted like themselves at other times as wee see in three of the greatest-Worthies that wee read of in the Scriptures first Abraham famous for faith Gen. 12. 12 13. 20. 2. 11. And David famous for valour 1 Sam. 22. 12 13. And Peter for courage yet to save his life denied his Lord. 8 Obs. Death is a conquered Enemy Christ hâ—th disarmed him and taken away his sting Hee hath redeemed his from the power of the grave and swallowed up death in Victory Christ by his death hath destroyed death and him that had the power of death the Devil Heb. 2. 14. by suffering of that death which was due to us for our sins hee hath destroyed the power of Satan and taken away that advantage which hee had against us by reason of sin whose wages is death Satan thought by death to destroy Christ
will be others render it ubi where So the Septuagint render it by 〈◊〉 ubi and the Apostle following the Septuagint speaking to Greeks and that in Greece alledgeth a Greek text as being most familiar and best known to them The Apostle gives the sense and meaning but not the words which is frequent in Scripture the Pen-men being intent on the matter were not curious in the words but did adde and alter what might explain and clear them yet the Prophet and the Apostle are easily reconciled thus O death I will be thy Plagues i. e. I will pull out thy Pestilent sting O grave I will be thy destruction i. e. I will get the victory over thee q. d. I the Lord Christ for to him the Apostle applies this text will redeem them from death by paying a valuable price for their Redemption this none could do but I yea I will bee the death of death I will bee its plagues and destruction it shall never prevail against my people for I will restore them to life again 1 Cor. 15. 26 54 55. 'T is not I am or I have been but 't is Ehi I will bee thy destruction Now in Hebrew the Future Tense doth oft express both the Present Tense and the Preterperfect Tense it implies not only the time to come but also the time present and the time past q. d. I am I have been and shall bee for ever deaths destroyer Christ was Virtually the Lamb â—lain from the beginning of the world and so was deaths destroyer but actually he conquered death and the grave by lying dead in the grave and by his Almighty power raising himself thence again so that death hath now no more dominion over him and his Act. 2. 24. O death I will bee thy plagues not one or two but many plagues even so many as shall destroy thee Thou didst destroy my people but now I will destroy thee thou didst triumph over them but now I will triumph over thee and lead thee and all the enemies of my people in triumph at my Chariot wheeles Psal. 68. 18. Ephes. 4. 8. for under death and the grave is Synecdâ—chically comprehended the conquest of all the enemies of our salvation as sin death heâ—â— Satan banishment prisonment poverty sickness tribulation persecution famine sword c. over all these wee are more then conquerours even triumphers through Christ that loved us Rom. 8. 35 37. Hee names only death because death is the last enemy that shall bee destroyed 1 Cor. 15. 26. yet by an Argument a Majore ad minus from the greater to the less he comforts his people thus If I can deliver you from death and the grave then much more from banishment and captivity O grave I will bee thy destruction or I le bee thy rooting out and cutting off The same word is used Deut. 32. 24. Psal. 91. 6. I say 28. 2. q. d. Thou didst destroy my people but now I will destroy thee so that they may now sing triumphantly O death where is thy pestilent sting wherewith thou wast wont to torture and torment us 't is gone 't is destroyed by Christ who is thy death O death and thy utter destruction As a man that drinks a cup of poyson drinks that which will bee his ruine so the grave by swallowing and devouring Christ was conquered and killed by him Of old they did celebrate the Victories and Triumphs of Achilles Hercules Alexander Iulius Caesar and the rest of the great conquerours of the world but alas alâ— those dyed and were conquered by death Only Christ the King and Saviour of his Church and people by his death hath conquered sin Satan and death and hath made full satisfaction for us to the Law and Justice of God So that what the Prophet speaks here of the restauration of the Jews in particular the Apostle applies to the general Resurrection of the dead when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptioâ— and this mortality shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory O death where is thy sting c. 1 Cor. 15. 54 55. Where the Apostle alledgeth two Texts and 't is usual with the Pen-men of the New Testament to alledge divers Texts out of the Old Testament and compose them into one in the New So doth Peter speaking against Iudas Act. 1. 20. 't is written in the book of the Psalms let his habitation be desolate and his Bishoprick let another take the former part is taken out of Psal. 69. 26. and the latter part out of Psal. 109. 7. So Mark 1. 2 3. the former part is taken out of Mal. 3. 1. the latter part from Esay 28. 16. So Christ himself Mat. 21. 13. alludes to Esay 56. 7. and Ier. 7. 11. So here the Apostle cites one text out of Esay 25. 8. he will swallow up death in Victory The other is Hos. 14. 13. The seventy render it thus devorabit mors praevalens Death devours all but this is contrary both to the sense of the Prophet and the Apostle who speak not of the prevailing power of death but of the power of Christ over death Death is swallowed up in Victory and that great devourer of all is by Christ devoured This promile is now fulfilled in the death of Christ who hath already destroyed the power of death for his people and shall bee compleatly fulfilled at the Resurrection of the dead when all corruption and mortality shall bee totally taken away and death shall bee swallowed up in Victory for ever In the sense of this mercy the Apostle breaks forth ravished as it were with the contemplation of this conquest over death into a triumphant song which all the Saints shall sing at the last day when they shall bee totally freed from the captivity of death and the grave then shall they insult over subdued death and say O death where is thy sting wherewith thou hadst wont to wound all creatures O grave where is thy victory by which thou hast hitherto kept the dead under by force which now thou must render again as not being able any longer to hold them under thy power Rev. 20. 13 14. It is onely sin by which death hath power over us and it is the just rigor of the Law which inflicts death upon us for sin But thanks bee to God who hath given us the victory over sin which is the cause of death and over death which is inflicted for sin through Jesus Christ our Lord by whom wee obtain an immortal and incorruptible life Thus the Apostle hath faithfully given us the sense of the Prophet though not his very words The summe and substance of all is this Though Ephraim hath been an unwise Son and hath delayed his returning unto mee yet his impenitency and security shall not retard or disanul my faithfulness and truth unto my people I
but Christ by his death destroyed his Kingdome and became more glorious by dying like another Sampson hee slew more at his death than in his life So that now wee are more than Conquerers even Triumphers through Christ that loved us Hee hath triumphed over death and all the enemies of our salvation and wee in him our head triumph 2 Cor. 2. 14. Col. 2. 14 15. by lying in the grave hee hath sweetned our graves for us so that now wee may sleep in it as in a bed of down Isa. 57. 2. and our flesh may rest in hope of a glorious Resurrection Psal. 16. 9. Now if ever wee may sing that Triumphant song O death where is thy sting It is destroyed abolished gone This strong man armed is overcome by a stronger than hee It is not the pleasures of life nor the pains of death neither the height of prosperity nor the depth of adversity nothing now can separate us from Christ Iob 5. 20 21 22. Rom. 8. 35 c. Death may dissolve our corporal marriage but it is so far from abolishing that it perfects our spiritual marriage killed we may bee but conquered we can never be Christs victory is our victory and all his Conquests ours Quest. If Christ by his death hath destroyed death why then do the godly dye Answ. Christ did not dye to deliver us from sickness and death but to free us from the curse that is in these By his death hee hath pulled out the sting of death the death of the body still remains but the sting and that which is penal is taken away so that it cannot hurt us and therefore the Text doth not say I will free you from death sedâ—è manu mortis but from the destructive power of death so as it shall have no dominion over you to hurt you nor bee able to separate you from Christ. As the Apostle saith of sin it is in us but it doth not reign in us so dye wee must but death hath no dominion over beleevers as it hath over wicked men it gets the victory over them they dye and dye eternally but a beleevers death is neither Total Penal nor Perpetual 1 It is not Total it seizeth onely on the body the carcass the outside it goeth to its dust but the spirit returns to God that gave it Eccles. 12. 7. 2 It is not Penal but profitable in the grave wee put off our filth deformities defects infirmities and mortality it self It is our attiring house to fit us for immortality and glory 3 It is not perpetual it is but a sleeping till the general Resurrection Rom. 8. 10 11. our conquest over death is inchoate in fieri and partly fulfilled in this life but it shall bee consummate in facto and fully compleated at the Resurrection Then shall they awake and sing that dwell in the dust Isa. 26. 19. This upheld Iob in the midst of all his sorrows I know that my Redeemer lives my comfort is though I dye yet I have one to right mee that lives for ever Iob 19. 25. David comforts himself with this that God would redeem him from the power of the grave and from the hand of hell though riches cannot redeem the rich yet God would redeem him Psal. 49. 15. Object I must part with Wife Children Friends Pleasures Answ. All these losses will bee made up in a better kinde as you may see at large in Mr. Byfields Cure of the fear of death p. 745. it is in the end of his Marrow And B. Halls Balm of Gilead p. 141. Use. Fear not death with a slavish fear Christ dyed to free us from such a fear of death Heb. 2. 15. A religious prudential fear doth well fear it so as to arm your selves and prepare for it but not so as to bee dejected under it No wise man will fear a conquered enemy if you truly beleeve in Christ the Conquerour of death you need not fear death Think on Christ when you think on death and then you may in a holy sarcasm and contempt say O death where is thy sting Christ hath unstinged it and as it were disarmed it so that now wee may safely put it in our bosomes buz it may about our ears as a drone Bee but sting it cannot for Christ hath taken away the guilt of sin and hath made that which was sometimes a curse to become a blessing of a foe hee hath made it a friend of a poyson a medicine of a punishment an advantage Phil. 1. 21. of the gate of hell a passage to heaven It is now like the valley of Achor a door of hope that which was sometimes the King of Terrours is now become the King of Comforts as making way for the enjoyment of the highest comforts Wee part with a life of misery to enjoy a life of glory Wee use to say Change is no Robbery but such a change is our great advantage Hence it is that the Apostle summing up a Christians priviledges and riches sets down Death as part of it 1 Cor. 3. 22. not onely life but Death is yours hee that can truly say I am Christs subject and servant may as truly say Death will bee my preferment and high advancement So true is that of Solomon Eccles. 7. 1. The day of a mans death is better in many respects than the day of his birth Then and never till then shall wee rest from our labours Iob 3. 17. Rev. 14. 13. and bee perfectly freed from sin and all its concomitants Look not therefore on death with Philosophical eyes as if it were the end of all our comforts but look on it with Christian eyes as the year of Jubilee the day of our Coronation and consummation of the Marriage between Christ and our souls A natural man that looks upon death with an eye of sense sees nothing but horror and terror in it but a gracious soul that looks on it with an eye of faith seeth life in death light in darkness and comfort in discomfort though for a time hee must lye in the grave and death seems to have dominion over him yet hee as certainly sees a Resurrection as if hee were already in possession of it and therefore hee triumphs already in assurance of a total conquest through Christ death is already swallowed up by him in victory Isa. 25. 8. Christ was his life and therefore now death is his gain Hee lived holily and now hee dyes happily hee lived unto the Lord and therefore hee now dyes unto him Rom. 14. 7 8. 2 Cor. 5. 15. His care was to keep a good conscience and now hee hath the comfort of it 2 Cor. 1. 12. Let Atheists then and worldlings and wicked men fear death who know no better life but let the righteous who hath hope in his death Prov. 14. 32. imbrace it and bid it welcome as the Martyrs did who went as joyfully to their stakes as
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
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.