what should be the way of my worship in the purity of it oh say you that is novelty a new thing and you will not have it thus you answer not any arguments but you cast it off and say you will not have it wel saith God go and serve your idols if you will not heare me if you beset upon your will go and serve your idols and take your fill of your own wayes And Psal 81. 11. My people would not hearken to my voyce Israel would have none of me they were all upon their will they would not and they would not Marke what followeth so I gave them up unto their owne hearts lusts and they walked in their owne counsels You will have your owne counsels and your own will and so God giveth you up to them and then woe to you you are undone Secondly you that are set upon your wils in that which is evil know God is and will be as wilful toward you as you can be toward him Marke that notable Text Jer. 44. 25. that setteth out the notorious height of wickednesse that was in the people of those times who were so wilfull You and your wives have both spoken with your mouths fulfilled with your hand that which is evill you vvill not say onely you will doe it but will doe it indeed Well saith God you have done so you have both spoken with your mouths and fulfilled with your hands saying We will surely perform the vowes wee have vowed we have vowed it and we will do it we have vowed to burne incen use to the Queen of heaven and to pour out drinke-offerings unto her you will surely accomplish your vowes and surely performe your vowes you will goe on in your false wayes of worship mark what followeth in vers 26. Therefore heare ye the word of the Lord I have sworn saith the Lord you have vowed and I have sworne I have sworne by my great Name that my Name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt and vers 27. Behold saith God I will watch over you for evill and not for good and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be confirmed by the sword and by the famine untill there be an end of them God will be as resolute as you for your hearts as the stoutest sinner that liveth you will and God will who shall have their will think you Answer to this you stout hearted that are farre from God answer to this you stout children and stout servants and stout wives you will and you will A wilfull man never wanteth woe If you will be resolute in any thing my brethren be resolute in that which is good be resolute in the work of repentance say with David Psal 32. I will confesse my sins indeed I had many thoughts to come and shame my selfe and open all unto God but I could not get it off at length I grew resolute and said I will and I have sworne to keepe thy righteous Precepts and as they Mic. 4. we will walke in the name of the Lord our God and as Joshua I and my Louse will serve the Lord doe you what you will wee are resolute that wee will serve the Lord. This is a blessed wilfulnesse indeed Oh that 〈◊〉 â—outnesse and wilfulnesse of many people might be turned to this resolution for God and for his truth especially carry this note home with you you that have had such often expressions of your will you will and you will and turn it unto the willing of that which is good I will follow my lovers sayes the Apostate from God I will follow my Beloved who is altogether lovely let every gracious soul say Fourthly For she said She profest what she would do Profest sinnes are shamefull sins It is an evill for sin to lye lurking in any ones heart but for sin to breake out into open profession this certainly is a great evil This is to prove that she had done shamefully because she said she would doe so and so There is a great deceite in the hearts of many men they are ready to say I were as good say so as thinke so I say so and perhaps others think so it were as good for me to speake it as to keepe it in my heart My bre thren there are two deceits in this kind of speaking First you suppose that when you speak so that therefore it is not in your heart and you make this comparison of what is in other mens hearts and in your mouthes as if the evil were in your mouthes onely and in their hearts onely as if the comparison lay thus they think and doe not speak and you speak and doe not thinke Here is the deceit for if you speake you have it in your hearts too you both speak and think for so the Scripture telleth us that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh if you speak maliciously you have a malicious heart if you speake uncleanly you have an uncleane heart if oathes be in your mouthes you have a profane heart Secondly here lyeth the deceit as if you should have lesse in your heart because you vent it as your passionate people will say I were as good vent my minde and then I shall be quiet Thou deceivest thy selfe the venting of the corruption that lyeth in thy heart will never lessen it but increase it It is not with the corruption of our hearts as it is with liquor in a vessell that the more is let out the lesse is within it but as it is with a fire in a house that when it is kindled within and burstech out there is not lesse within because it bursteth out no the more it bursteth out and flames the more still bâ—rneth within and as it is with water in a fountain when it bursteth out of the fountain there is never a whit the lesse water in the fountain it may rather have the lesse by stopping and fire may be lessened by smothering Know therefore that professed wickedness it is aggravated wickednesse It is true secret sins may be more dangerous in regard of the cure but they are more abominable to God in regard of the open dishonour that is done to him by them The aggravation of the blood that was shed by the people that God speakes of Ezek. 24. 7. it is set out thus The bloud that was shed saith the text it was not poured upon the ground to cover it with dust that it might not cause fury to come up to take vengeance you did not conceale the blood you did not cover it but set it upon the top of a rock what then Not being co vereâ— but being professed and lad open this did cause fury to come up with vengeaâ—â—â— against them Gods anger would have been against them if they had shed blood though they had covered it but to shed blood
when Ieremiah had told them the mind of God that they should continue in the land of Iudah and not goe down into Egypt Then spake Azariah and Johaâ—an and all the proud men saying unto seremiah Thou speakest falsly the Lord hath not sent thee to say Goe not into Egypt to sojourn there They are loth to break off their association with Egypt I remember Gwalter in his Comment upon Hosea though not upon this Text telleth a story of the Grecian Churches that in the yeare 1438. because they were afraid of the Turks breaking in upon them they sent to the Bishop of Rome that they would be under his subjection meerly that they might have the help of the Latine Churches to keep them from the rage and tyrannie of their adversaries but within a few yeares they were destroyed Constantinople and the Empire were subdued so as Heathenisme and Atheisme prevailed and this is the fruit saith hee of seeking the association of others in a sinfull way But because this is not the chiâ—â— thing that is aimed at we passe it by She said she would goe after her Lovers that is her Idols What those were we shall see by and by Idolaters use to keepe good thoughts of their Idols They call them their Lovers they look upon their Idols as those that love them and hence they used to call them Baalim from Baal a husband So it should be the care of the Saints evermore to keep good thoughts of God to look upon God as their Lover as one that tendereth their good Idolaters doe so to their Idols shall not the Saints do so to the true God My brethren let us not be ready to entertain hard thoughts of God it is a dangerous thing Gods great care is to manifest to us and to all the world that he loveth us and he hath done much to manifest to us here in England and to our brethren of Scotland that he loveth us and them In Revel 3. 9. the Text saith of the Church of Philadelphia that God loved them Forty yeares ago Master Brightman interpreted that Text of the Church of Scotland Philadelphia signifieth as much as brotherly love You know how they are joyned in Covenant one with another and wee see that those that said they were Iewes they were the Church the Church but proved themselves to be of the Synagogue of Satan are forced to bow before them and if they were not madde with malice they must needs acknowledge that God hath loved that Church And since God hath done great things for us to manifest that he is the lover of England let us then keep good thoughts of God Seventhly Idolaters highly prize the love of their Idols They do not only maintain good thoughts of their Idols or thinke that their Idols are their lovers but they set a price upon them they said I will follow my lovers I must make account of their love they must doe me good for ought I know more then any thing you speak of It is true both of bodily whoredom and spirituall whoredom I will onely make use of one Scripture to daunt the heart of whore-masters and uncleane wretches that so much prize the love of their whores and whore-masters You prize their love but what get you by it you get Gods hatred by it You rejoyce that you have the love of your whores and upon that God hateth and abhorreth you Marke that good you will say Thus Pro. 22. 14. The mouth of a strange woman is a deepe piâ— he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein What get you by this your whores imbrace you and God abhorres you If there be any whore-master any unclean wretch in this Congregation either thou art an Aâ—heist or this text must strike thee at thy heart Art thou in that way and yet not repenting thou art the man that this day God tells thee to thy face that he abhorres thee But how then should wee prize the love of JESUS CHRIST our husband Cant. 1. 4. The remembrance of thy love is better then wine The Church prizeth the love of JESUS CHRIST more then men in the world prize their delight in wine And my brethren doe you prize Christs love and Christ will prize yours and that is observable according to the degree and way of your prizing Christs love so Christ will prize your love Cant. 4 18. you have there the same expression of Christs love to his Church answerable to what hers was before Thy love is better then wine saith the Church to Christ How much better is thy love then wine saith Christ to the Church Eightly I will follow my lovers In bodily and spirituall whoredome there is a following hard after those things they commit whoredome withall I will follow them and not onely say they are my lovers but I will expresse it by following of them The heart of whore-masters and Idolaters do follow hard after their uncleannesse in bodily and spirituall filthynesse First for bodily filthyness observe whore-masters how they follow their lovers Josephus in his Antiquities tells us this strange story of one Decius Mundus that offered to give so many hundred thousand Drachmies that came to six thousand pound English money to satisfie his lust one night with a whore yet could not obtaine his desire neither Will not you be content now who have been guilty of spending a great part of your estate in a way of uncleannesse now to doe as much for Religion for God and Christ and his Kingdome as ever you have done for your whores If there should be any in this place that have beene profuse for their uncleannesse and yet now are strait handed in these publike affaires such as these are fitter to be taken out of Christian congregations and to be shut up in slies For spirituall whoredome I shall shew you how superstitious and Idolatrous people as they prize their idols so they follow hard after their lovers You know that story of the children of Israel when the Calfe was to be set up upon proclamation all the men and women tooke off their ear-rings and their jewels and brought them to Aaron to make the Calfe What a shame will it be to us if we should keepe our eare-rings and our jewels and things perhaps that have not seene the sunne a great while that we should keepe them now when God calleth for them Let women do that for God his truth for your own liberties posterities that they did for their Idols Though you have care-rings and jewels and rings that you prize much yet let them be given up to this publicke cause And it were a shame that gold-rings should be kept meerly to adorn the fingers when the Church and State is in such necessity as it is Away with your niceties now and your fineness and bravery and look to necessities and to the preservation of the lives and liberties both of your selves and your
the infinite mercy of God ever to regard such a wretch as I. If they do thus take shame to themselves and acknowledg their folly this were something We read in the Primitive times of one Ecebolius who when he had revolted from the Truth he cometh to the congregation and falling down upon the threshold cryeth out Calcate Calcate insipidum salem tread upon me unsavory salt I confesse I have made my selfe unsavory salt by departing from the Truth let all tread upon me This was a signe of true returning when this went before we have done foolishly it was better with us then now Againe I will goe and returne for it was better with mee then it is now Hence Though acknowledgement must goe before yet returning must follow that It is not enough to see and acknowledg but there must be a returning For as reformation without humiliation is not enough so humiliation without reformation suffices not And I speak this the rather because these are times wherein there is a great deale of seeming humiliation and wee hope true humiliation but you shall have many in their fasting days will acknowledge how finfull how vile how passionate they have been in their families how worldly what base selfe-ends they have had and they will make such catalogues of their sins in those dayes of their humiliation as causes admiration the thing itselfe is good but I speak to this end to shew the horrible wickednesse of mens hearts that after they have ripped up all their sinnes with all aggravations acknowledged all their folly of their evill ways against God yet no returning after all this as passionate in their famâ—lies as froward as peevish as perverse as ever as earthly as ever as light and vaine in their carriage as ever They will acknowledge what they have done but they will not returne Remember humiliation must goe before reformation but Reformation must follow after Humiliation But the chiefe point of all is behind that is The sight of this how much better it was when the heart did cleave to Christ over it is now since departure from Christ it is an effectuall meanes to cause the heart to returne to him This is the way that Christ himselfe prescribed Rev. 2. 5. Remember whence thou art falne and repent Thou wert in a better condition once then now thou art oh come in and return and that thou maist returne remember whence thou art falne I will give but a little glimpse of what might be said in this point more largely The reasonings of the heart in the sight of this may briefely bee hinted thus Heretofore I was able through Gods mercy to look upon the face of God with joy When my heart did cleave to him when I did walke close with God then the glory of God shined upon mee and caused my heart to spring within me every time I thought of him But now now God knows though the world takes little notice of it the very thoughts of God are a terrour to mee the most terrible object in the world is to behold the face of God Oh it was better with me then it is now Before this my apostasie I had free accesse to the Throne of Gods grace I could come with humble and holy boldnesse unto God and poure out my soule before him such a chamber such a closet can witnesse it But now I have no heart to pray yea I must be haled to it meerely conscience pulleth me to it yea every time I goe by that very closet where I was wont to have that accesse to the throne of grace it strikes a terrour to my heart I can never come into Gods presence but it is out of slavish feare Oh it was better with me then then it is now Before Oh the sweet communion my soule enjoyed with Jesus Christ one dayes communion with him how much better was it then the enjoyment of all the world But now Jesus Christ is a stranger to mee and I a stranger to him Before oh those sweet enlargements that my soule had in the ordinances of God! when I came to the word my soule was refreshed was warmed my heart was inlightned when I came to the Sacrament oh the sweetness that was there and to prayer with the people of God it was even a heaven upon earth unto me but it is otherwise now the Ordinances of God are dead and empty things to me Oh it was better with mee then then it is now Before oh the gracious visitations of Gods Spirit that I was wont to have Yea when I awaked in the night season oh the glimpses of Gods face that were upon my soule what quicknings and refreshings and inlivenings did I finde in them I would give a world for one nights comfort I sometimes have had by the visitations of Gods Spirit but now they are gone Oh it was better then then it is now Before oh what peace of conscience had I within whatsoever the world said though they rayled and accused yet my conscience spake peace to me and was a thousand witnesses for me but now I have a grating conscience within me oh the black bosome that is in me it flieth in my face every day after I come from such and such company I could come before from the society of the Saints and my conscience smiled upon me Now I go to wicked company and when I come home and in the night Oh the gnawings of that worm it was better with me then then it is now Before the graces of Gods Spirit how were they sparkling in me active and lively I could exercise faith humility patience and the like Now I am as one bereft of all unfit for any thing even as a dead logg Before God made use of me and imployed me in honorable services now I am unfit for any service at all Oh it was better with me then then it is now Before I could take hold upon promises I could claim them as mine own I could looke up to all those blessed sweet promises that God had made in his word and look upon them as mine inheritance But now alas the promises are very little to me before I could look upon the face of all troubles and the face of death I could look upon them with joy but now the thought of affliction and of death God knows how terrible they are to me It was better with me then then it is now Before in all creatures I could enjoy God I tasted the sweetnesse and love of God even in my meat and drinke I could sit with my wife and children and see God in them and looke upon the mercies of God through them as a fruit of the Covenant of grace Oh how sweet was it with mee then But now the creature is an empty thing unto mee whether it come in love or hatred I do not know It was better with me before then now Before I was under the protection of
which drinks up their spirits Oh the happy advantage the Saints have in their afflictions over that the wicked have in theirs They have spirits indeed that well may be called brave spirits that can stand under the greatest weight of affliction and that with joy in the midst of them Paul can rejoyce in tribulation yea and glory in it too They have comfort in the creature but they are not beholding to the creature for comfort they depend not upon the creature for comfort their joy is a great deale higher That is precious light indeed that no storme can blow out See an example of a brave spirit that way that in the midst of affliction can have the light of joy Habak 3. 17. Although the Figtree shall not blosome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meate the flocke shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stals What then Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation All their joy shall not cease perhaps in times of affliction in sad dismall times they may abate somewhat of their outward joy but all their mirth shall not cease there shall be joy within though none without Lastly I will cause all the mirth to cease All our mirth depends upon God he can take it away when he pleaseth God is called in Scripture The God of all consolation Joy is Gods propriâ—ty he gives it when he will and takes it away when he will Tou have an excellent Text for Gods hand in taking away joy from the hearts of men when he pleaseth it is Lamen 3. 65. Give them sorrow of heart thy curse upon them Marke it Now that word that is translated sorrow of heart I especially take the note from thence A word that comes from that that signifies a helmet or a shield to fence of any thing or to cover a thing as a thing is covered by a shield and helmet And it doth note to us that disease which Physitians call Cardiaca passio a kinde of disease whereby the heart is so opprest and there is such a stopping that it is as it were covered sicut scuto as with a shield there is a lid as it were put over the heart a shield to keepe out all things that should comfort and to fence off all things that may be taken to be any refreshments to the spirits let the most precious Cordials in the world be given to those that have that disease they cannot be refreshed by any of them and so the heart comes to be suffocated with sorrow This is the meaning of the word here Lord give them sorrow of heart Put them into such a condition as that their hearts may be so stopped and stifled with sorrow that what ever meanes shall be used to bring any comfort to them let it be kept off that no creature in the world may be able to afford the least refreshment to them They were wont to shield and fence off thy VVord when thy word was used to be delivered to them wherein the treasures of thy mercies were and they heard the sweet promises of the Gospel opened yet they fenced off thy word as with a shield Now when they are in affliction let their hearts be choaked so and let there be such a fence put upon their hearts that though there be never so many promises brought to them they may be fenced off by the secret curse As Doe we not finde many wretches who have lived under the Gospel and fenced off the treasures of mercies opened to them when they have beene in affliction they have beene in horrible desperation and whensoever any thing out of the Gospel hath been spoken to them for their comfort they have had strange kinde of fences to put off such things As those that reade the story of Spira may wonder what a cunning fencer he was to fence off all comfort that was brought to him This was from the Lord Lord give them sorrow of heart that is Lord put such a shield upon their hearts as all comfort may be fenced of from them We see my brethren how we depend upon God for comfort we all cry out for comfort let us know and take to heart our dependance upon God for it God can fence our hearts from comfort when he pleaseth let us take heed we doe not fence of his word form our hearts I will cause all her mirth to cease her feast dayes These two are put together for the hearts of men when they enjoy a more liberall use of the cheature then ordinary and are amongst cheerfull company are warmed raised and inflamed at such times If the heart of a man be gracious and hee feasts in a gracious way his heart is warmed and cheered and inlarged in things that are good so the heart of the wicked when they are at their feasts all their lusts are warmed and their spirits are raised strengthned in the things that are evil You have a notable example of the cheering and raising of the hearts of men in good things in the time of feasts 2 Chro. 30. 21. the feast that Hezekiah made for the people of Jerusalem in that great Passeover the Text saith that they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven dayes with great gladness and vers 23. the whole Assembly tooke counsell to keep other seven days they kept other 7 dayes with gladness Now mark how their hearts were raised and mightily up upon this Chap. 31. ver 1. When all was finished all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Iudah and brake the images in pieces and cut down the groves and threw downs the high places and the Altars out of all Iudah and Benjamine in Ephraim also and Manasseth untill they had utterly destroyed them all Their hearts being up and their feasts being in a gracious way they were so inflamed that now they tooke upon them a mighty courage in doing great things for God It were well if it were always so with us when God calleth us to feasting as sometimes he doth though not now that our hearts were alwayes up in our feasting warmed and inlarged to do much good It is that which hath been the honour of this Citie that in their Companies feasting yearly they were wont heretofore usually when they had rejoyced one with another when their hearts were up to consult together what good to do for their countries in which they were borne and then to resolve to send the preaching of the Word to such a great Town where most of them were bred and to such another Towne This was a gracious feasting and for this they were much envyed at And though these feasts were prohibited upon other pretences yet the hindering this good done at those times lay in the bottome of that prohibition Feasting also warms the lusts
humbled us broke our hearts before him but when wee began to bee delivered a little out of our bondage the Lord brings us into the wildernesse and follows us with afflictions to this day that he might throughly break us and yet we hope all this while it is but making way unto Canaan But in the second place take it as you have it here I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse Then wee may take the scope of it to be not the afflicting part of the wildernesse but only the manifesting this unto Israel that he would shew unto them great wonderfull works of his power wisdome and goodness as he did unto their forefathers in the wildernesse What ever your conditions shall be into which you shal be brought yet you shall have me working in a glorious way for your good and comfort as ever I did for your forefathers when they were in the wildernesse and this exposition is rather strengthened from that we have ex Thargum Ionathae I will work miracles and great wonderfull famous things for them such as I did work in the desert hath God wrought gloriously for his people hitherto in the wayes of his mercy if reconciled to him they may expect the fame wonderfull works of God for their good even to the end of the world We may read the stories of Gods wonderfull power in deliverances of his people in their straits in the wildernesse and make them to be our own and pleade with God that he would shew forth that old that ancient power and wisdom and goodnesse of his as he did unto his people formerly this is the ground of that excellent prayer that we have Esay 51. 9. 10. Awake awake put on strength O arme of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes in the generations of old Art thou not it that hast cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon Art thou not it that hath dryed the sea the waters of the great sea Awake awake thou art he who hast done such great things formerly it is a great help to our Faith to consider what God hath done for the Church of old But further Poreus saith this expression is taken from the condition of a poor man that is drawne aside out of his way by a thief a thief comes and entices him out of his way and carries him into some desolate place when he hath carried him thither then the manbegins to bethink himself where he is and sees himself in a sad condition and knows not what in the world to do and yet at that time there comes in supply comfort and help for him so saith God I will bring you into the wildernesse that is I will put you into the same condition that such a poor man is put into I will allure you as the thief allures I will make proffer to you of abundance of good and by that I will draw you into such and such wayes wherein you shall meet with very great straits for a while and you shall be put into an amazed condition as not knowing what in the world to do and when that is done then I will come with the fulnesse of my grace and speake comfortably to your hearts Thus though God speakes of bringing into the wildernesse yet still it is with an intention of shewing mercy there and is not this just to a very haire for all the world our condition have not the ways of God toward England for these two or three years been alluring wayes God hath made proffer unto us of a great deale of mercy and raised the hopes of his people and the Ministers of God have spoken encouraging words to his people that surely the Lord intends great goodnesse to us and because Gods wayes have been such towards us as they have been we have endeavoured God knowes to follow him in those ways of his to do that that for the present those present ways of his called for and yet we are even brought into the wilderness now even into a kind of desolate condition that for the present we even are at a stand we see afflictions to be round about us the very beasts to be ready to come teare us and pull us in pieces and yet we can say to the comfort of our hearts Lord if we be deceived thou hast deceived us for Lord thou knowest that whatsoever we have done it was our duty to doe and although we be brought into great straits for the present yet we repent not of what we have done nor of what we have said for thou hast allured us into this condition thy gracious wayes of mercy towards us in the beginning of the Parliament and so on hath allured us and hath brought us into what we have done Wee will not therefore say what is now become of all our hopes but wee expect God even in this wildernesse to speake comfortably unto us let not men upbrayde us for what wee have done we would doe as we have done if it were to do again for God hath brought us into these wayes and if he hath allured us into the wildernesse the next words shall be made good unto us he will speake comfortably to us if we be in no other then that wildernesse he hath allured us into then we may expect fully that he will speake comfortably to us Here is the difference betweene men bringing themselves into trouble or being brought by the Devils or worlds allurements and by Gods In the one we cannot expect comfort but in the other we may confidently Further There is yet another interpretation that I think is most genuine and full For the ground of that I shall say in this we must know that from the beginning of this part of the Chapter to the end God is expressing himselfe unto his people in a conjugall way that is whereas his people had gone a whoring from him yet he would receive them againe into a conjugall affection and communion all along God expresses himself thus from the fourteenth verse to the end Now this being laid for a ground In this expression of Gods bringing into the wildernesse the Prophet alludes unto the custome of the Jewes that they had in their marriages Their custome that I reade of was that the Bride-groom used to take his Bride and carry her out of the City into the fields and there they had their nup tiall songs and delighted themselves in some place there one with another afterward he brought her back againe leaning upon him into the City to his Fathers house and there they rejoyced together and solemnized the further nuptials now these fields are called the wildernesse either because they might be some champion dry fields that were about the City or otherwise let them be what they will be yet because he would allude unto the mercy of God in bringing of his people out of Egypt into Canaan and would put them in minde of
that mercy of his therefore he gives these fields this title calls them by this name and this custome of the Jews seemes to have warrant from Scripture it self Canticles 8. 5. Who is this that commeth up from the wildernesse leaning upon her beloved That was the way of marriage they came out of the fields leaning upon their beloved and so were brought unto the Bridgegroomes Fathers house So Christ brings his Spouse through this world which is as the wildernesse and Christ is here solemnizing his espousals and hath his nuptiall songs in this world and the Church leanes upon Christ all the while she is in the world but Christ is carring her to his Fathers house and ere long we shal be with him there solemnizing the marriage of the Lambe in a more glorious way This expression goes on clearly thus I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse As the Bridegroome speakes sweet and comfortable words to his Bride and carries her abroad into the fields and there solemnizes the nuptials and so comes back againe having his Spouse leaning upon him and bringing her to his Fathers house so I will deale with you in the fulnesse of my grace I will performe all the nuptiall rites with you I will be married againe unto you and looke what the most solemnity in your City of Jerusalem or any of your Cities there is in any nuptials I will make as great a solemnity in the nuptials betweene you and me It is true when a marriage is such as people are loath to make it known then there is no such solemnity but when it is a great marriage indeed and such as marry together with their friends would glory in it then there is the more full solemnity so saith God I will not be ashamed to take you againe but I will take you openly I wil have the solemnity of my marriage with you as publickly as may be I will carry you abroad into the fields and look what rights soever there are in the most solemne marriages amongst you those rights I will performe unto you that it may be a most glorious marriage solemnity between you and me again thus I will bring into the wildernesse and speake comfortably unto them And speake comfortably to her These words that are translated here speake comfortably in the Hebrew are loquar super cor or ad corejus I will speake to her heart I will speak to her either so as to prevaile with her heart or speake to her so as to do her good at the very heart Many Scriptures may be brought to shew that speaking kindly friendly or comfortably the Hebrews expresse by speaking to the heart I will give you two or three instances Genesis 34. 3. Shechem spake kindly to the Damosell the words are in the Hebrew Shechem spake to the heart of the Damosell So Ruth 2. 13. Thou hast comforted me for that thou hast spoken friendly to thy handmaid thou hast spoken to the very heart of thy handmaid there are two more remarkable places for this one is Esay 40. 2. Speak comfortably to Jerusalem the words are speak to the heart of Jerusalem What should be spoke to the heart of Jerusalem Cry unto her her warefare is accomplished her iniquity is pardoned These are the comfortable words that God required should be spoke to the heart of Jerusalem O that God would speak thus to England this would do good at the very heart if God would speake thus from heaven Her iniquity is pardoned and her warefare is accomplished But yet a place that is more suitable unto this expression in the text it is Iudges 19. 3. There you have the story of a Levite whose wife having played the harlot yet he was willing to be reconciled to her the text saith that he went spake friendly to her Now the words are in the Hebrew Hee went and spake to her heart And indeed it is a word to the heart of an adulterous spouse if her heart be humbled when she knows that her husband will be willing notwithstanding her playing the harlot to be reconciled to her this was the condition of Israel who had gone a whoring from God yet when God promises a renewall of the marriage rites he saith he will speake to her heart from whence we might observe this note That an Apostatizing people or an Apostate soul had need have words of comfort spoke to their hearts or else there can be little ease to their terrified consciences We read of Spira that famous Apostate he had words of comfort enough spoke to his eare but they did him little good God did not come in and speak to his heart therefore his conscience could not be quieted the throbs of it could not be eased How many lie under the troubles of an accusing conscience and have the throbs and bitings of a guilty spirit because they have been back-sliders from the truth and though they come to Sermons one after another hear the Covenant of grace opened to them in the fulnesse of it the riches of Gods goodnesse set before them in the beauty of it yet they goe away without comfort why the words come to the eare God all this time speaks not to the heart sometimes it pleases God to take but the hint of a truth and dart it upon the heart of a troubled sinner that he feeleth it at the heart and sayes Well this day God hath spoken to my heart so he goes away rejoycing eased comforted pacified when as perhaps such an one had heard a hundred Sermons before wherein there were blessed and glorious truths presented to him and it did no good untill Gods time and when the time of Gods love is come some little hint of a piece of a truth God darteth to the hearts and that doth the thing God shews hereby that it is not in the word of man to comfort an afflicted conscience Hence an expression Luther hath in his Comment upon Genesis It is far harder to comfort an afflicted conscience then to raise the dead you think it is nothing to Apostatize from the Lord you thinke it is easie to receive comfort you will find it is not so easie you will find it as easie to raise the dead as to comfort your afflicted consciences But you told us before how rich the grace of God was that God tooke advantage from the greatnesse of our sins to shew the riches and greatness of his mercy grant it let the grace of God be never so rich but till this grace be applyed to the heart till God be pleased to speak himself to the heart of a sinner it will not do I remember a story of one who had made profession of Religion and afterwards Apostatised and made little of it when his acquaintance told him that those things he now did he would smart for one day he thought because he had some knowledg in the Gospel that it
was but to believe in Jesus Christ Jesus Christ came to pardon sinners c. when he came upon his sick bed he was in great torment of conscience and grievous vexation and cryed out bitterly of his Apostacy there came some of his acquaintance to him and spake words of comfort and tells him that Christ came to save sinners and he must trust in Gods mercy c. At length he begins to close with this and to apply this to himself and to have a little ease upon which his companions began to be hardned in their ways because they saw after so ill a life it was so easie a matter to have comfort but not long before he dyed he brake out roaring in a most miserable anguish O! saith hee I have prepared a plaister but it will not sticke it will not sticke wee shall find though the grace of God be rich and the salve be a soveraign unlesse God be pleased to make it stick by speaking to our hearts nothing can be done From hence further learn this note As when God speaks comfortably to his people he speaks to their hearts so Gods Ministers when they come to speak in Gods name should labour to speak so as to do what they can to speak to hearts It is true indeed it is impossible that any man of himselfe can speake to the heart of another but yet he may endeavour and aime that way there is a kind of speaking that God doth assist so as to bring it to the heart of his people What speaking is that you will say That that cometh from the heart will most likely go to the heart though I know God can take that which comes but from the lips and carry it to the heart when he pleases yet ordinarily that that comes from the heart goes to the heart therefore Ministers when they come to speak the great things of the Gospel they should not seeke so much for brave words and enticing ways of mans wisdome but let them get their own hearts warmed with that grace of the Gospel and then they are most like to speak to the hearts of their Auditors It is a good note that I have met with from Ribera let Ministers remit saith he of their care of fine curious words of brave neate phrases and cadencies of their sentences but let them bend their studies to manifest humility and mortification and to shew love to the soules of people otherwise though they speake with the tongues of men and Angels they shall become but like the sounding brasse and the tinckling cymball this is an expression even of a Jesuite it were then a great shame that Gods Ministers should not labour to speak so as that they may speak to the hearts of people you must be desirous of such kind of preaching as you find speaks to your hearts not that that comes meerly to your eares how many men love to have the word jingle in their ears and in the mean time their hearts go away and not one word spoke to them but when you finde a Ministry speake to your hearts close with it bless God for it and count it a sadd day when you goe from a Sermon and there is not one word spoke to your hearts in that Sermon From the connection of these two I will bring them into the wildernesse speak unto their hearts if we should take the wildernesse for bringing into affliction because there are so many interpreters that are very godly men learned men go that way I dare not wholy reject it but that there may be some intention that way Hence the first note is Afflictions make way for Gods word to the hearts of sinners there are many obstructions at the hearts of men while they are in prosperity but when afflictions come God by them opens those obstructions and so gets his word to their hearts afflictions cannot convert the heart but they can take away some obstructions that did hinder the word from coming to the heart Many of you have heard thousands of Sermons and scarce know of any one that hath come to your hearts but when God casts you upon your sicke beds and you apprehend death then you feele the same truthes that you were not sensible of before they lie upon your hearts the threatning word of God that went but to the ear before now it is got to the heart now it terrifies now you cry out of your sins and rellish the sweet promises of the Gospel that afflictions make way for I remember an expression that I have read of Bernard he had once to a brother of his who was a Souldier but riotous and prophane Bernard gives him many good instructions wholsome admonitions and counsels his brother seemed to slight them he made nothing of them Bernard comes to him and puts his hand to his side one day saith he God will make way to this heart of yours by some speare or launce he meant God would wound him in the Wars and so hee would open a way to his heart and then his admonitions should get to his heart and as he said so it fell out for going into the Wars he was wounded and then he remembers his brothers admonitions they got to and lay upon his heart to purpose It God should let the enemy in upon us their swords or bullets may make way to our hearts that so Gods word may come to have entrance there the Lord rather pierce our hearts by his spirit then that way to our hearts should be made thus Secondly when we are brought to great affliction that is the time for Gods mercies This should make us not to be so afraid of afflictions how afraid are we how do we hang back when we see afflictions coming why art thou so loth O thou Christian to come to affliction the time of affliction is the time for God to speake to the heart of a sinner many sinners may say that their condition hath been like Jacobs he never had a more sweete vision of God then when he lay abroad in the fields with no other pillow under his head then a stone it may be God will take away all your outward comforts and when they are all gone then may be Gods time to speake comfortably to your heart Thirdly the words of mercy O how sweet are they when they come to the heart after an affliction Psam 141. 6. Thy Judges shall be overthrown in strong places they shall he are my words for they are sweet If the words be taken for bringing into the wildernesse that is for Gods wonderfull workings for the good of his people then the note is When God works great and wonderfull things amongst a people then God speaks to the heart of that people then surely God hath spoken to our hearts for he hath done great and wonderfull things amongst us he did not more wonderfull things amongst his people in the wildernesse
Religion no God forbid yea she so promised that the story saith no man would or could misdoubt of the performance But afterward when she came to get the power in her hand the Suffolk men came to make supplication to her that she would be pleased to performe the promise she made them she answered them thus Forasmuch as you being but members desire to rule your head you shall one day well perceive that members must obey their head and not looke to beare rule over the same And not only so but to cause the more terrour a Gentleman one Master Dobs that lived about Windsor who did but in an humble request advertise her of her promise made to the Suffolke men he was three times set on the Pillory and others for the same cause were sent to prison We may see what hold hath been heretofore in the promises of those who had power to breake them you know what temptations they have to withdraw their hearts from what they have ingaged themselves unto But when this our Prince comes David our King we shall finde the sure mercies of David we shall finde nothing but faithfulnesse in all his dealings And they shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes They shall feare the Lord. The words are they shall feare to the Lord pavebunt ad dominum The feare of God is much upon the heart of a sinner in his returne to God Such a sinner hath high and honourable thoughts of God They shall returne and feare the Lord. The slightnesse the vanity of his spirit the boldnesse of his heart it is taken off and the feare of God ruleth in it The Majesty the power the authority of the great God is strong upon him when he comes to worship him the feare of God makes him to worship God as a God and in all his conversation he walkes in the feare of God even all the day long you may see written upon his life the feare of the great God And this not a servile slavish feare but a holy reverenticall filâ—â—â— feare Jsaac had such a feare of God that God hath his dominion from Isaacâ— feare He is called the feare of Isaac This is a most precious feare others feare poverty feare imprisonment feare disgrace feare men but saith a true repenting heart I feare the Lord this feare is the well-spring of life to him it is the very treasure of his soul Esay 33. 6. I shall speake of the feare of God here onely as it concerns this place the intent of bringing it in here that is to shew that in the time when this glorious Church shall be when God shall call home his own people the Jewes and bring in the fulnesse of the Gentiles then shall the feare of God mightily prevayle upon the hearts of people more then ever and the greater Gods goodnesse shall be the more shall the feare of God be upon their hearts this we shall finde almost in all the Prophesies of the glorious condition of the Church which is very remarkable there is ever speaking of the feare of God that should be upon the hearts of people One would rather thinke there should be speaking of the joy that they should have that there should be nothing but mirth and triumph in those times but the Scripture speakes exceeding much of feare that shall be then and more then then at any other time Thus Revel 11. 18. a most famous Prophesie of Christs comming and taking the kingdomes of the earth and bringing his reward with him he shall come and give a reward to those that feare him And Revel 14. 7. I saw an Angel flee in the middest of heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth saying with a loud voyee feare God and give glory to him Marke an Angel when he comes to preach the verlasting Gospel how doth he preach it what now cast away fear and rejoyce in this everlasting Gospel No preaching this everlasting Gospel saith with a loud voyce feare God and give glory to him So Rev. 15. 3. 4. There is the song of the Saints when they are delivered from the power of Antichrist what is it be jocund and joviall No Great and marvailous are thy workes Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints who shall not feare thee O Lord and glorifie thy name for thou onely art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgements are made manifest And again Rev 19. 5. And a voyce came out of the Throne saying Praise our God all ye his servants and yee that feare him both small and great But feare the Lord now in these times why so Upon these foure grounds First Feare the Lord now because of the glory of Christ their King they shall behold their King in that glory that shal cause fear Rev 19. 12. Christ is described with his eyes as flames of fire and on his head many Crownes cloathed with a vesture dipt in blood at wo-edged sword out of his month and on his vesture and on his thigh written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Thus they shall behold Christ and therefore they shall feare Secondly in those times the feare of God will much prevaile in the hearts of people because of the great workes of God that shal be then the heavens shall depart like a scrole and the elements melt with fervent heate This is meant of the time when there shal be new heavens a new earth which referreth to the Prophesie of Esay and it is apparantly and so generally Interpreters carry it meant of the estate of the Church then the heavens shall depart like a scrole Heb. 13. 26. quoted out of Hag. 2. 6. The Lord did shake the earth once but he hath promised saying Yet once more I shaâ— not the earth onely but also heaven There shall be wonderfull workes of God in the earth when those dayes come therefore there shall be much of the feare of God Thirdly Much of the feare of God then because of the holiness of the worship of God and of his Ordinances the purity of them shall cause fear Did we see the Ordinances in the true and native purity and holinesse of them it would strike much feare in us Some have but seene the execution of that one Ordinance of Excommunication in a solemn gracious way and it hath daunted their hearts it hath struke feare in a most proud profane stubborn wicked heart the beholding then of all the Ordinances and all duties of worship in their true native purity holiness and glory cannot but cause much feare Psal 68. 35. O God thou art terrible out of thy holy places God will be terrible out of his holy places and out of all his holy Ordinances Fourthly Much feare there will be at that day because of the holiness of the Saints there shall be so much holiness that shall
deliverance of it Iam periculuâ— paâ— animo Alexitiri Obser Afflictions should raise our hearts Obser Obser The godly are pretious seed Filibatur nomen ejus The wicked are corrupt seed 1. 2 3. That place Dan. 12. 2. opened not understood of the generall resurrection at the last day and why 6. 7. 8. Ego autem qui sunt per omnia orthodoxae sententiae Christiani c. Vt jam nostra haec tempora quibus iniquitas malitia usque ad summum gradiâ—m crevit soe licia prope aurea possint judicari Si tum forte suâ—rint boni undeque practae sint scelâ—ratis ac divexentur soli autem mali opulenti sint boni vero in omnibus contumeliis atqùe in egestate confundetur omne jus leges peribunt nihiltunc quispiam habebit vi omnia possialebunt Lactant. l. 7. c. 15. 2. Romannm nomen horet animus dict re sed dicamqâ—ia futurum est tollâ—tur de terra Lactant. l. 7. c. 15 .3 Lect. 7 Terra aperiet fâ—cunditatâ—m suam ubâ—rrimas fruges sua spontâ— generabit rupes montium meâ—â—e sudabunt perrivos vina decurrent fâ—umina lacte inundabunt ominù natura Letabitur erepta liberata a dominio mali impietatis eroris non hestia per hoc tempus sanguine alentur non aves praeda sed quieta placid a crunt omnia Lactant. l. 7. c. 4. Tunâ— qui erunt in corporibus vivi non morientur sed per mille annes infinitam multitudinem generabunt evit sâ—boles eorum sancta Deo charre Lactant. ibid. In the evening time it shal be light Exhorâ—at to come in to embrace godliness to joyâ—e with the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser A good thing to speak of Gods loving kindneâ—â—â—â— 1 〈◊〉 ct So disconâ—se of Gods mercies as our hearts may be sanctified by that discourse Chap. 2. Esa 9. 8 Obser Obser Obser Leâ—ct i Obs 1. Obs 2. Reliqui mihi septem milliaonon ait relicta sunt vel reliquerâ—nt se sed reliqui reliquiae per electionem gratiae August de bono perfev l. 2. c. 18. Obs 3. Obs 4. Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum Obs 5. Obs 6. Obs 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs 1. Obs 2. Idolaters hardly convinced Obs 4. Obser 5 Obser 6 Obser 7 Children may plead with parents Amandus Generator sed praeponendus Creator Obs 9. We must endeavour the good of the publique Obs 10. Obs 11. private members may in some cases plead with the whole Church One man may prevail against many Hactonus verba audivi verba rededi sed cum divina virtâ—â— accessit ultra râ—spondore non potui * Conteâ—â— neretur ecclâ—siae Christi sivel vnum puellum ejus divino Spiritu lequentem non audiremus etiamsi totus orbis illi reclamet Orcolam padius Object Ans Quest Ans No pride but selfedenyal to plead against the sinnes of others Obj. Ans The truth is not alwayes seen best where there is greatest natural abilities no nor alwayes where there is most 〈◊〉 Mit. 11. 25 1 Iohn 5 16. 1. Rules to be observed by private Christians who plead with the Church 2. 3. No Officer in a Church member be he never so great but he may be pleaded against by a private member 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Private people must take heed they abuse not their liberty Obj. Ans When a Church comes to be unchurched A Chuch may continue a true Church though with much mixture A Church may remain a true Church yet so corrupt as in some cases we cannot have communion with it 3 Cases In a cases though I may have communion yet I may noâ—â—oyne as a constant member Obser Pleading must not befor contention but for reformation Quest This may be known 1 Cor. 54. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioshus 22. 33. Obser Lect. 2. Hope for mercy even when God seems most to reject Peoples perversness against Ministers threatning Gods wrath against sin Obser While exhortation continues there is hope Geminatio apud Hebraos auget Ibiveâ—ae viae quibus ab utero ad mamillas accessio fit Ille cultus scilicet vtl ornatus in auro argento gemmis vestibus deputatur iste in curae eapilli cutis earum parâ—ium corporis quae oculos trahunt alteri ambitioni crimen intendimus alteri prostitutionis Tertul. de hab mul. c. 4. Iudicabunt vos Arabia soeminae Ethnica qua non caput sed facâ—em quoque ita totam tegunt ut uno ocuâ—loâ—liberato contentae sint luce frui dimidia potius quam totam facienâ— prostituerâ— Tertul. de vel virgin cap. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril in Hol. c. 2. In what sense Israels father is an Amirite and mother an Hittite Obser Obser Lect. 1. Thy navil was not cut what is the meaning of that Strabo l. 15. AElian variar Hist li. 11. Ne cui Thebano licâ—at infontem expouere Nunquam apud eos infans natus exponitur Lect. 2. Portenta diabolica pâ—nenumero Egyptiaâ—â— vincâ—ntia Lect. 1. Obs 2. Obs 3. Obs 4. Lect. 2. Gifts of hypocrites will vanish Obs 5. Who they are that bring evill upon the nation Lect. 1. Obser 6. It is time for every one to appeare in times of danger Obs 7. Lect. 2 GODS works will convince when his word will not Obs 8. Obs 9. A sad condition for one advanced high to bee brought down low Obser Wee must lay to heart our low coudition wee once were in Asperius nihil est humilicum surgit in altum Lect. 1. Lect. 2. Lect. 3 Psal 133. 3 Anima Idololatriae dedita nullos profert fructus est que inutilis prorsus ut desertum in quo nihil noscitur Vatab. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 1. 3. Obser Sin layes wast Countryes Cum in fu ga aquam turbidam cadaveribus inquinatam bibisset negavit unquam se bibisse ju cundius â—unquam scilicet ut Cicero lib. 1. Tuso aiit sitiens bibisset Obser God brings wicked men into straits and there leavs them destitute of all succour Obser Wrath upon the wiâ—ed is pure wrath with out mixture of mercie Iudgments upon the wicked at times most unseasonable for them God proportions afflictions to his childdren but not to the wicked Hos 7. 14. Ezek. 8. 18 Lect. 3. Gods judgments against people as well as against Governors and why 2 Sam. 24. 1. Much depends now upon the people Obser Obser little hope of children ill educated Obser Obser When judgements are abroad let the children of whoredoms not the children of the Bride-chamber feare Revel 9. 21. Chap. 16 9. 11. Obser succession for siâ—ne iâ— dreadfull Qui peccat coram puero his peccat pudef aciens The Saints must take heed they be not a shame to Christ Wicked parents are a shame to their children Lect. 4. Obs Every one should have such an affection towards
Prayer and hearing and fasting c. serviceable to your lust oh what shall become of you A base wretch that sitteth tipling in an Alehouse you account vile but it is but a poore creature that hee subjects to his base lust but a Minister or a Magistrate subjects things of a higher nature to their lusts oh this is exceeding vile We had need my brethren all pray earnestly for those whom God employeth in publique works that they may not only have strength to assist them and successe in them but that they may have hearts to give God all the glory of them for though they may doe never so worthily for God in the Church or in the Common-wealth yet if they be not carefull to give God all the glory God will curse them at last notwithstanding Further Jehu doth somewhat which God commanded him but not all We learn from hence that when but halfe the work is done God curseth the whole for our neglect of the other halfe I remember Master Calvin upon this place likeneth Jehu unto King Henry the 8. Henry the 8. saith he cast off some degree of Popery so farre as would serve his owne turne but there were the five Articles in force still for which many suffered at that time and so he was like Jehu in that God will be served with the whole heart for all our good is in God therefore all our hearts must make out after God God must have perâ—ect obedience in the desire and endeavour or else he will have none Certainly that which must make any man acceptable it is not so much that there is somewhat done but is there that which God calleth for done or is it done in regard of the endeavour for that indeed will be acceptable though we cannot doe all at once but it we bring somewhat to God as a part and acknowledge the debt as the whole and so are working for the other it will be accepted As suppose a man owes you an hundred pound and bringeth you but fifty pound in part of payment yet if he acknowledg the rest and promise the payment of it if you know hee will be faithfull in the payment of the other he will accept of it But if a man bring you fourscore pound in liewe of all you will not accept it So it is here Hypocrites they say they cannot be perfect in his world and so think to put off God with a little it is true if thou hadst an upright heart and didst bring God but part and labourst after the whole hee would accept of it But if thou bringest him ten times more then a sincere heart can bring him it will not be acceptable no not ninety nine pounds will be accepted if brought in stead of the whole God must have a man according to his own heart such an one as David you know what was said of David I have found a man after mine own heart that shall fulfill all my wills for so the words are in the Originall not all my will but all my wills in the plurall number Again Jehu did but half and the worst half too and therfore God commeth upon him For the great care of Jehu was only to reform things in the State and Kingdom and theerfore that indeed he did throughly he altered the way of government from the house of Ahab and set up another government But for the matter of the worship of God hee cared not what became of that still the calves continued in Dan and Bethel hee tooke no care that the people of Israel should goe up to Jerusalem the place that God had appointed to worship him in a right way This is that for which God thus cursed him and his house It is a very evill thing in Reformers who have power in their hands to be more carefull of the State then of the Church to be more carefull of affairs in civill policy than of affairs in Religion who are affraid to meddle with Religion for feare of hinderances in their civill policy to be so timerous in fearing disturbances in civill policy that they will sacrifice Religion for it and let that goe which way it will This is an evill thing and a bitter Or if they doe reform in the Church yet to reforme only that which is notoriously evil and vile so far Jehu went he destroyed the Priests of Baal but not the Priests of Dan and Bethel the Idols of Baal were destroyed but the Idols of Dan and Bethel were kept still It is the speech of the Philosopher in his Politiques when he giveth a rule of policie First the care of Divine things must be and that is the best policy Politicians must trust God in the way of policy take care of Divine things first Yea and goe to a through Reformation too for Jehu did something in Religion but left other things therefore God cursed him Men must take heed of betraying of sacrificing the cause of God for the maintenance of State Policy let them be never so excellent in their way yet if they doe thus God will blast them Yet further Jehu saw the danger of that wicked and abominable sin of Idolatry in others but he could not see it in himselfe What peace said hee to Ioram so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezebel continue What peace Then what peace Iehu so long as the whoredomes of Israel continue afterwards This is ordinary my brethren for men to see a great deale of evill and danger in the sins of others but when they should come to themselves to be blind there to inveigh against the sinnes of other men when they seem to be far off from them or that they cannot make use of them but when they can make use of them then to embrace them Thus it was with Saul he was exceeding severe against Witch-craft all the Witches in Israel must be put to death but when Saul had use of a Witch for his lust he himselfe goeth to the Witch of Endor In the tenth place Jehu thought by retaining the calves in Dan and Bethel to preserve the Kingdome to his posterity and this proved the ruine of his posterity Those wayes of sinfull policie by which many think to raise their houses or themselves are the meanes of the ruine of them Hee that walks uprightly walks surely Lastly Iehu doth thus and God punisheth Iehu because hee continued in the same sin that Ahab was punished for This is of excellent use specially to Magistiates and indeed it is a dreadfull place to Magistrates if considered of Let them who are used to punish the sins of others take heed what they doe lest they be found guilty themselves for if they bee found guilty God will plague them as if they did the greatest act of injustice that can be As for instance Suppose a Magistrate should take away the life of a man lawfully for that which God would
concern the outward man except God will come in with his owne institution But when it cometh to the ordering of the heart and there is a spirituall efficacy expected as in all Church ordinances there must be and that authority by which they are executed giveth a great influence into them now nothing can goe beyond its principle therefore it must have a divine institution to give it its efficacy It may here be demanded whether hat not God appointed over us a particular civill government as he did over the Jews That our government and all lawfull government of other Nations is appointed by God we must conclude is a certain truth But not so appointed by God as the government of the Jewes was And the reason is this because the Church and Common-wealth of the Jewes was involved in one and therefore the Apostle speaking of the Church hee saith they were Aliens and strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel It was meant of the Church state There was such a kind of Paedagogy under the Law that the Church and State were involved in one for Christ would be the head of the Church and Common-wealth too and appoint them lawes And so their government was imediately from heaven Now for us That we should have a government according to the rules of wisdome and justice that indeed is appointed by God God would have us have a government But he leaveth the ordering of that government to generall rules of prudence and justice So that now it is lawfull for any Kingdome or Country to agree together and according to the rules of wisdom and justice to appoint what government they wil as vvhether it shall be a Monarchy or an Aristocracy or a Democracy and to limit this according to Covenant of agreement as whether that the fundamentall povver shall be vvholly put out or any part reserved hovv farre this or that Man or society of Men shall have the Managing of it and the like then so farre as it is agreed upon vvee are bound in conscience to obey either actively or passively but no further are vvee bound to obey any Man though he be in authority yet vvee are not bound to obey him either actively or passively conscience is not tyed Though those men be in authority yet it is no resisting of authority at all not to do what they would have Yea though the thing be lawfull they would have yet if it be not according to the law of the kingdom to the first agreement I may be bound by the rules of prudence to save my selfe but it is not authority that binds me to obey out of conscience For we must of necessity distinguish between men in authority and the authority of those men Wherefore so long as wee seeke but to keepe authority in the right channell that it flows not over the banks we cannot be charged for resisting the government God hath set over us though we do not obey the wills of those who are set over us and therefore there is no cause that we should fear that God should say to England upon this ground Loruhamah hee will have no mercy To proceed But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah The people of Israel they might say Hosea thou art a Preacher indeed what preach nothing but judgment nothing but wrath to be utterly taken away Is there no mercy at all Is not God a mercifull God Yes saith the Prophet though you be taken away God knoweth how to glorifie his mercy he hath others that he can make to be objects of his mercy though you be destroyed From whence first you see that though God utterly reject some yet in the mean time he hath others to shew mercy unto Therefore it is no plea for any sinner to say thus well I have sinned indeed but God is mercifull What if God be mercifull so he may be though thou be damned and perish everlastingly Yea whole kingdoms nations may perish yet God may be mercifull God hath stil infinite ways to glorifie his mercy Many people in desperate moods lay violent hands upon themselves certainly there is a kind of spirit of revenge in it as if they thought there would be some trouble about it and so God should lose some honour But if you will have your will in this or in any thing else though you be dead and rotten and your souls perhaps in chains of darkness God will have wayes to be glorious in his mercy whatsoever come of you But 2. I will have mercy upon the house of Judah God will alwayes have a Church he will never destroy his Church at once the Lord loveth publique worship in the world Though he will utterly take away the house of Israel yet he will have mercy upon the house of Judah Again Israel might say what will not God be mercifull to us why I pray you what doth Judah get by her worshipping of God in that which you say is the only right way Judah indeed keepeth her selfe to Ierusalem keepeth her selfe to worship in the Temple but what doth she get by it for ought we see Iudah is in as hard an estate and in as low a condition as we nay as we shall see afterward Iudah was in a lower condition than Israel and certainly such kind of expressions as these they would be ready to have against the Prophet Well saith God let Iudah be what she will I will have mercy upon her Though carnal hearts when they look upon the low condition of the true worshippers of God think that there is no difference between those that are in a good way and themselves that are in the ways of sin yet God will make a difference I will have mercy upon Iudah but not upon Israel Many carnal men please themselves with this I see others that are strict that pray in their families that run to Sermons and wil not do thus and thus as others do yet they are as poor in as mean a condition as any others what do they get by their forwardness in religion Are not we in as good a condition as they Well friend though thy carnal heart think there is no difference between him that serveth God him that serveth him not God hath a time to manifest a difference There shall a time come saith God Mal. 3. 18. that you shall returne and discerne between the righteous and the wicked between him that feareth God and him that feareth him not I will not have mercy upon Israel but I will have mercy upon Iudah Fourthly Judah had at this time many grosse and fearful evils amongst them yea scarcely delivered from Sodomy it will aske a great deale of time to shew you the state of Judah in regard of the horrible wickednesse that was in it yet God saith I will have mercy upon the house of Iudah What is the reason of this Because though Iudah had many grosse evils yet Iudah kept
have heard of that Palladium of the Heathens in Troy they imagined that so long as that Idol was kept safe they were unconquerable all the strength in Greece was not able to prevaile against it wherefore the Greecians sought by all means they could to get it from them I have read of the men of Tyrus that they were afraid their god Apollo should forsake them they therfore chained and nailed that Idol to a post that they might be sure of it because they thought their safety was in it Let us fasten our selves to God in an everlasting covenant and certainly God will be fast to us then we are safe enough I will save them but how what shall Judah be saved by and not Israel Judah a poor contemptible people how saved I will not save them by bow nor by sword nor by battel by horses nor by horsemen It shall not be by any outward meanes but by the immediate hand of God This promise that God would save them not by bow nor by sword c. it was performed two several times and there is a third time for the fulfilling of it which is yet to come It was done first when the Angel of the Lord went out and smote in one night in the Camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore five thousand 1 kings 11. 35. and God tells them that the King of Assyria should not shoote an arrow there nor come before the Citie with a shield so God saved them without bow for they had no need to use the bow then because the Angel of the Lord destroyed them The second time was when he saved Judah in their returne from captivity then as it is Zach. 4. 6 he saved them not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Marke the phrase as if God should say I have strength for I am the Lord of hosts I can command Armies if I would to save you No though I be the Lord of hosts yet I will not save you by might nor by power but by my spirit Therefore Isa 43. 7. their strength is said to be in sitting still and ver 15. in quietnesse and confidence shall be your strength Thus they were saved not by bow nor by sword Then the third time which is yet to come that is in the wonderful work of God in calling the Jewes when God shall raise up out of them a glorious people to himselfe and save Judah once again and it shall not be by sword nor by bow but by the Lord their God For as it is said Dan. 2. 34. the stone that smote the Image was cut out without hands so there shall be a power that is not visible from whence it comes but Jesus Christ shal come from heaven to do his great workes As the lightning from the East to the West so shal the comming of the sonne of man be What learne we from hence First God ties not himself to the use of outward means in procuring of good to his people Though all outward means fail yet there may be wayes of salvation for the Saints Wicked mens hearts presently sinke if outward means fail And indeed so much as our hearts faile when outward meanes faile it is a signe that we did before rest upon the means and if we had had the means we should have robbed God of his honour We must use means but not rely upon the means I might shew you excellent Texts of Scripture for this as Psal 33. 16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an host a mighty man is not delivered by much strength c. And Psal 44. 5. 6. Through thee will we push downe our enemies through thy name we will tread them under that rise up against us for I will not trust in my bowe neither shal my sword save me c. But secondly Not by bow nor by sword c. Deliverance of a people without bow and without sword is a great mercy For such are the wofull miseries that a people doe suffer when warre commeth that usually the victory will scarce pay the charges of the battel though we be sure to be saved at last yet if we must be saved by bow and by sword I say the misery that we may suffer in our salvation may be more then the salvation It was the height of that mercy promised Isa 9. 5. that it should be without confused noise and garments rolled in blood Such a mercy we have had and had Christ come to have raigned amongst us though he had come with his garments rolled in blood we should willingly have entetrayned him If he had come ryding upon his red horse But behold he comes ryding upon his white horse in peace and mercy all this while and the mercies we have had have been very cheap they have not been by bow nor by sword And if God should come at length by the sword and bring perfect salvation to us by blood which God forbid but if he should we have had already more mercy without blood than our bloods are worth should we now have our bloods shed God hath paied us beforehand who almost in this congregation but two or three yeers agoe would have lost his blood to procure so much mercy to England as England hath had already Further. Such is the love of God to his people that he is pleased to worke for them beyond meanes The other point was that he can save his people without means This that he will do it beyond means For the grace and love of God to his people is so high glorious that it is beyond that which can be conveyed by means therefore it must be done more imediatly Exod. 15. 6. Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in power in the greatnesse of thine excellency thou hast overthrowne them that rose up against thee First it is the hand of God Secondly it is the right hand of God Thirdly it is the right hand of God in power Fourthly this is glorious in power Fiftly there is excellency and Sixthly there is the greatnesse of Excellency It is an high expression Magnitudine excellentiae or magnitudine elationis in the greatnesse of thy lifting up for the same word signifieth pride that is here translated excellency and if God he lifted up in any thing it is when hee shewes himself for his people Now take all these six expressions Gods hand Gods right hand his right hand in power a right hand that is become glorious in power his excellency the greatnesse of his excellency and all this for his Saints surely this is more then can be conveyed by means God must borne imediately and save them by himselfe But lastly the more imediate the hand of God appeareth in his mercy to his people the more sweet and precious ought that mercy to be then this were an excellent argument to follow to the full and so
of my patience to be yours you shall not have my creatures to be yours you shall not have those fruites of my bounty to be yours No but I will not be yours I my selfe will not be yours This is the sorest threatning that posibly can be to a gracious heart It is a greater misery to lose God himself then to be deprived of whatsoever commeth from God And this indeed is one special difference between an hypocrite and a true gracious heart an hypocrite is satisfied with what cometh from God but a true gracious heart is satisfied with nothing but God himselfe though God lets out never so many fruits of his bounty and goodnesse to him yet he must have union with God himselfe or else he is unsatisfied It is a notable speech of Bernard Lord saith he As the good things that come from me please not thee without my selfe so the good things that come from thee please not me without thy selfe This is the expression of a gracious heart Let us tender up to God never so much never such duties with never so great strength except we tender up to God our selves they never please him So let God bestow never so many favours upon us except God give us himselfe they should never pleaseus I mean please us so as to satisfie us so as to quiet us if for our portion You know what God said to Abraham Fear not I am thy exceeding great reward But Lord what wilt thou give me seeing I goe childelesse What is all this to me so long as I have not the promise fulfilled that so I may come in Christ to enjoy thy selfe And Moses would not be contented though God told him his Angel should goe before them No saith hee Except thou goe with us thy selfe let us not depart hence It is the difference between the Strumpet and the loving wife the strumpet careth not so much for the person of her lover as for his gists for what she hath by him but the true lover cannot be satisfied with lovetokens but she must have the person himselfe So it is with a gracious heart It is very observable that of David in Psal 51. 9. Turne away thy angry face from my sins It seemes Gods face was angry and yet presently ver 11. Cast me not away a facie tua from thy face Gods face was an angry face yet David would not be cast away from this face of God Oh no rather let God be present with a gracious heart though he be angry though his anger continue yet let me have his countenance This is plainly gathered hence in that God saith not I will not give you these and these favours but I will not be your God that this is the sorest threatning that possibly can be to a gracious heart 5. This is the judgement for sin Gods not being their God It hence appeares that sin carryes along with it in it selfe its own punishment How is that Thus By sin we refuse to have God to be our God by it we depart from God we do not trust God nor love him nor fear him The very nature of sin hath this in it that it causeth a sinner to depart from God yea to reject God from being a God unto him and this is the punishment I will not be your God And this is the sorest punishment to a sinner that he shall not for ever have God to his God Lastly You are not my people and I will not be your God Hence learn this When any forsake God from being their God we should do as God doth reject them from being ours if they will not be Gods neither should they be ours will not such a man have acquaintance with God will he forsake him and his wayes then he shall not have our acquaintance we will forsake him How far we may withdraw from a Church that it shall not be ours we shal fully meet with all in the second Chap. somewhat will be said about it there Onely now thus much though it be true when a people forsake God we are to forsake them yet let them grow never so wicked our natural and civill relations cannot be broken because of their wickednesse but the relations of husband and wife father and childe master and servant must be acknowledged servants must be dutiful to their masters though never so wicked And the wife must be loving and dutiful to her husband though he be never so wicked a man But for any inward intimate familiarity with those not thus joyned in such Relations ought not to be if they reject God if they will not be Gods they should not be ours It is said Iob. 8 20. That God will not take the ungodly by the hand It should be true of us all wee should not take the ungodly by the hand Thus much for the name of this third childe Lo-ammi you are not my people and I will not be your God That which remaineth in the Chapter it is a promise of mercy both to Israel ver 10. and afterwards to Israel and Judah together ver 11. To Israel first and that is Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the Sea which cannot be measured or numbred c. And so he goeth on with wonderful gracious promises of mercy to Israel in future generations though for the present God had determined what to do with this Israel Here then we have first a promise of mercy to Israel in the middest of the sorest judgement that God threatneth he comes in with promises of mercy even unto Israel And Secondly this mercy to be in future generations And thirdly to consist in the multitudes that should be gathered to Israel These three things are observable in general First That there is such a gracious promise immediately after such a sore and dreadful threatning as this as indeed it is one of the most dreadful threatnings we have in all the Book of God yet here in the close of the Chapter we have as gracious a promise again as is in the whole Book of God From whence we may observe thus much That the Lord in Judgement remembreth Mercy It is a sore thing when God in mercy shall remember judgement but it is as comfortable when God in judgement remembers mercy When God threatneth most dreadfully yet he promiseth most graciously Wee should therefore when we most feare the threats of God yet looke up to the promises of God looke up to see when wrath is denounced in the most hideous and dreadfull way whether we cannot spie a Promise whether there be not yet a little cloud though but as big as a mans hand whether there be not yet a little crevis through which we may see whether God doth not break forth with a little light in a way of promise It is a usual thing when we are in prosperity to forget all threatnings and fo it is
as usual when we are in adversity to forget all promises When wee hear of mercy to Gods people we are taken up and never thinke of Gods wrath and on the other side when we heare of his wrath on unbeleeving hearts are taken up as wel and never think of his grace and mercy We ought to sanctifie the name of God in both when God is in away of justice look up to his grace and when he is in a way of grace look upon his justice and sanctifie that name of his likewise And for that end I shall give you two notable Texts of Scripture there are many of this kinde but two I shall give you that are as famous as any I know in the book of God the one that declareth to you that when God expresseth the greatest mercy yet then hee doth expresse greatest wrath and the other when God expresseth greatest wrath he then expresseth greatest mercy And I shall shew you the name of God oughto be sanctified in both The first is in that 34. of Exod. 6. 7. The Lord there when he passed by before Moses proclaimed The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands for giving iniquity transgression and sinne What abundance of mercy is here exprest Now it followes And that will by no meanes cleare the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the childrens children unto the third and fourth generation Here is an expression of great wrath And then for our sanctifying of Gods name in this it followes ver 8. And when Moses heard this he made hast and bowed his head toward the earth and worshipped before the Lord. Thus we must bow and worship before God in our sanctifying his Name in both together both his mercy and justice On the other side Nahum 1. 2. and soon God is jealous and the Lâ—rd revengeth the Lord revengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath for his enemies dreadful expressions yet ver 8. The Lord is slow to anger there is a mittigation at first Then he goeth on still in expressions of wrath But he is great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked and ver 5. The mountains quake at him and the hills melt and the earth is burnt at his presence yea the world and all that dwel therein who can stand before his indignation and who can abide the feircenesse of his anger his fury is powred out like fire and the Rocks are throwne downe by him What more terrible expressions of wrath then these that come from God here Now marke ver 7. The Lord is good and a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth those that trust in him What a strong expression of grace is here observe it my brethren that in the middest of Gods anger yet God is good still a gracious heart must acknowledge God though he be provoked to anger yet to be a good God still and it is a good signe for the soul to fall downe before God when he is in the way of his wrath and to say the Lord is good As that good old man Eli did after the denuntiation of that dreadful sentence against him and his house by Samuel The word of the Lord is good let him doe what seemes him best All of you will say when God bestoweth avours upon you The Lord is good oh blessed be God he is a good God but when God revealeth his greatest wrath truely then the Lord is good Luther saith he will acknowledge God to be a good God though he should destroy all men in the world much more then is he to be acknowledged in a day of trouble when indeed he appears most graciously to his Saints The Lord is good and a strong hold in the day of trouble Is God a strong hold now when such wrath is revealed yea and specially now a strong hold to his Saints in the day of trouble and he knoweth those that trust in him for all his wrath is abroad in the world he knoweth those that trust in him Many men when they are angry they scarce know the difference betweene their foes and their friends Many when they go abroad if any displease them they come home and are angry with their wives with their servants with their children with their friends with every one about them they know not then who is a friend and who is not when they are in their passion their wives and children and servants wonder what the matter is with them Sure some body or other hath displeased my master abroad to day he is so touchie so angry upon every little thing My brethren It is a dishonour to you in the eyes of your servants and it layes low your authority in your families for them to see you come home in such a per that you know not how to be pleased though they have done nothing to displease you God doth not so though he be never so angry yet hee knowes those that trust in him Let Gods anger be never so publick and general abroad in the world if there be but a poor soul in the world that lies in a poor cottage in a hole that is gracious the Lord knowes it and takes notice of it and that soul shal know too that God doth know it It is true when the wrath of God is revealed abroad in the world seemes as if it would swallow up all those of the Saints whose spirits are weake and fearfull they are then afraid of Gods wrath that they shall be swallowed up in the common calamity be of good comfort God knowes those that trust in him even when his wrath is never so dreadful and general abroad in the world It is in this case with Gods children as it is with a childe in the mothers Armes if the father violently layes hold upon his servant and beates him and thrust him out of doores for his demerits there is such a terrible reflection from the fathers anger against the servant upon the childe that the poor childe falls a crying So it is with the children of God when they see God in a terrible way â—aying hold upon wicked men to execute wrath upon them they cry out they are afraid lest some evil should befall them too Oh no be of good comfort The Lord is good and a strong hold in the day of trouble and knoweth them that trust in him when his anger is never so great and general So it is here though this Israel be not my people yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the Sea for all that so you shall find it in the 15. ver of that first of Nahum Behold saith the Text upon the mountains the feete of him that bringeth good tidings What at this time though Gods way be in the whirl-winde
authority actively or passively and yet this argument doth not serve the turne There is a great deale of difference between authority abused men that are in authority commanding here the difference lies not in authority abused but in that which is no authority at all For there is no authority that we are subject to now but as I have said heretofore according to the Laws and constitutions of the Countrey where we live Not to the commands meer wils of men till it be brought to a Law are we bound in conscience to submit no way neither actively nor passively though it be a good thing that is commanded Conscience doth not bind to it earatione to yeeld to it because it is commanded till it be brought to a Law Now when things are brought into a Law be according to the agreements and covenants of the place and countrey wherein we live And then suppose this authority be abused there be an ill Law made then I confesse if that Law be of force wee must either quit our selves of the Countrey or else submit or suffer for then the power of God is in it though it be abused and we are to be subject to all powers When then it comes once to be a power to be a Law it is authority though abused and we must yeeld obedience to it either actively or passively But we must enquire whether it be a power It is not because the man that is in authority commandeth it except he command it by vertue of that authority which is according to the nature and condition of the fundamental constitutions of the Countrey where he liveth Now in the Primitive times they submitted themselves to suffer when they could not do the things that were commanded as to deny Christ because by the constitutions of that Countrey they had such a kinde of power given to them a legal power to proceed against them so that they had a power in their way given them and they had authority but they abused it in that they did And therefore the Christians were so willing rather to suffer any thing than to resist and were ours the same case wee should do so too if once it come to passe that mischiefe be established by a Law though it be mischiefe yet if we cannot obey it actively we are bound to suffer or else to quit the Countrey one of the two if it be urged upon us We may seek what we can to get it alleviated but we must either do or suffer if once it be framed into a Law otherwise we are not bound in conscience bound wee may be in regard of prudence and in regard of preventing other disturbances but conscience doth not bind to wils of men but binds to Laws Thus much still for the satisfaction of Conscience in this case But to come to what I brought this in for The Christians were wonderfully encreased at this time Now we know this is the point We are to rejoyce when the Church is increased and to esteeme it as the great blessing of God when they are made as the sand upon the sea-shore There is an admirable place for this in Psal 72. where there is a large prophesie made of the Kingdome of Christ and of his Glory in this particular ver 8. He shal have dominion from sea to sea and from the rivers to the end of the earth then ver 11. All Kings shall fall downe before him and all Nations shall serve him and ver 17. His name shall endure for ever and shall continue as long as the sunne and men shall be blessed in him all Nations shall call him blessed Now marke upon this how the Saints rejoyce and bless God VVhat shall all Nations come in and serve Christ shall there come multitudes in and joyne with the Church Oh blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel who onely doth wonderous things and blessed be his glorious name for ever and ever and let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen saith the Church of God then let all the Saints send forth their eccho Amen yea and Amen to this that all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Christ this is that they are affected with this is that they desire much as if they should say this is a blessed thing indeed My brethren this is a good and consely sight in a gracious eye to see multitudes come in to flock to Christ and to his Ordinances It is true indeed the spirit of Antichrist that is in many makes them that they cannot look upon his but with a malevolent eye and their hearts do vexe and rage and fiet at this as much as at any thing they love scattering of them up and downe but to see people come flocking to Ordinances to see multitudes come in and joyne themselves to Christ this they cannot endure The same malicious spirit that was against Christ that we reade of in the Acts of the Apostles yea and in the Gospel too wee finde it still in such kinde of men Marke that Text Act. 13. 44 45. There it is said that almost the whole Cittie came together to hear the word of God to heare a Sermon Now the Pharises when they saw the multitude they were filled with envie Why what hurt was there done They saw no hurt done but meerely saw the multitude and they speake against those things that were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspeming When they saw the multitude they could have borne it otherwise Marke againe the vile spirits of the Pharisees that envied at the multitude that followed Christ himselfe not onely did they envy at the Apostles for they might be factious and singular men in their esteem but what say you to Christ himselfe John 12. 19. The Pharisees said behold perceive yee how ye prevaile nothing behold the world followes him Certainly the same Pharisaical spirit hath beene a prelatical spirit in our dayes We know it hath beene matter enough for a godly painful conscionable Minister to be outed of all he hath at an instant and his mouth to be stopped meerly upon this though they had nothing against him no not for their own Laws but because he was a popular man and multitudes followed him What a dangerous thing hath it beene of late times for men to be popular that is to bee such as multitudes shall come and flock to the word preached by them Certainly it is an evil spirit for the promise of God to his Church is that there shall come multitudes and joyne with the people of God in the way of his Ordinances Yea but it may be they do not envy at all that multitudes should follow that that is good but it is the humour and pride of such men to have multitudes to follow after them Take heed first of putting this off with such a plea. Consider whether it will hold at that great day The Devil
through those Meatus terra that they speake of Thus they are deluded in their conceits But yet more generally In that place Whereas the place of my people was confined into a little and narrow roome hereafter it shall be inlarged and even among the Gentiles that shal be made spiritual Israel where I was not known among the Heathen even there shall I come to be known and I shall have a people there and not only people but sons the sons of the living God and that so apparently that it shall be said unto them Yee are the sonnes of the living God Thus Saint Peter seems to interpret this place in the 1 Pet. 2. 10. speaking of the Gentiles whom God would have a people among them saith the Apostle Which in times past were not a people but are now the people of God Generally Interpreters doe conclude that the Apostle had reference to this very place in Hosea And so we may build then upon this interpretation howsoever that it is the intention of the Spirit of God that God would call home the Gentiles to himself so they that were no people should become his people his sons It should be said in that place where before it was said that they knew him not that now they are his sons Yea the Heathen shal be brought in so as they shall be convinced of the vanity of their Idolatry We worshipped dead stocks our gods were dead stones stocks that we were vassals unto but now we see a people that is come in to the profession of this Christian Religion they worship the living God their God is the true God certainely here are the sons of the living God This is the scope of the holy Ghost For observation 1. It is a comfortable thing to consider that in those places where God hath not been known worshipped that afterward in those places God should be known worshipped That such nations such Countreys and Towns that have lived in darkness Idolatry should now have the knowledge of the true God that the true God should come to be worshipped amongst them this is a blessed thing England was once one of the most barbarons nations in the world and in that place where it was said you are not my people where there was nothing but a company of savage barbarous creatures that worshipped the Devill how in this place in England is it said even by the nations round about us surely they are the sonnes of the living God! And so many times in dark corners in the Countrey where they never had the knowledge of Jesus Christ but were nuzled up in Popery and in all kinde of supesticious vanity God is pleased to send some faithful Minister to carry the light of the knowledge of Christ unto them and efficaciously to work faith in their hearts and now oh what an alteration is there in that towne the like of a family It may be said of many a house and family in which nothing but blasphemy and atheisme and scorne of Religion and uncleannesse and all manner of wickednesse hath been now it is a family filled with the servants and sonnes of the living God As it is a grievous thing to think of a place wherein God hath been truely worshipped that afterward the Devil should come to be served there so it is a comfortable thing to think of other places wherein the Devil hath beene served that God is truly worshipped there Some stories report that the Turkes having possession of the Temple at Jerusalem there where was the Arke and the Cherubins and the Seraphims there now are Tygres and Beares and savage creatures But on the other side to consider that in places where there have been none but Tygres and Bears and savage creatures they should now be filled with Cherubins and Seraphims this is a comfortable thing Secondly It shall be said they are the sonnes of the living God It shall be said so God hath a time to convince the world of the excellency of his Saints They shall not onely be the sonnes of the living God but it shall come to passe that it shall be said they are the sonnes of the living God all about them shall see such a lustre of the glory of God shining upon them that they shall all say Verily whatsoever other people have said hertofore whatsoever the thoughts of men have beene these are not onely the servants but the sonnes of the living God We have an excellent prophefie of this in Zachar. 12. 5. The governours of Iudah shal say in their heart The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God Not onely the people shall be convinced of this but the Governours of Judah they shall say in their hearts our strength is in the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the Lord of Hosts their God Howsoever they were heretofore scandalized as seditious and factious and as enemies of the State yet now the Governours of Judah shall acknowledge that their strength is in them and in the Lord their God that this Lord of Hosts is their God That time will be a blessed time when the Governours of Judah shall come to be convinced of this when God shall so manifest the excellencies of his Saints as that both great and smal shall confesse them to be the sonnes of the living God It is promised to the Church of Philadelphia Revel 3. 9. that the Lord would make them that said they were Jews and were not said they were the Church and were not but were of the Synagogue of Satan to come and how before their feete and to know saith he that I have loved them There is a time that ungodly men shall be forced to know that God doth love his people And one thing amongst the rest that will much convince the men of the world of the excellency of the Saints will be the beauty of Gods ordinances that shall be set up amongst them that shall even dazel the eyes of the beholders For this you have an excellent promise Ezek. 37. 28. The heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctifie Israel How shall they know it when my sanctuary shall be in the middest of them for evermore then they shall know that I the Lord do sanctifie Israel when the beauty of my ordinances shall appeare in them then they shall know it And if God be not onely satisfied in doing good to his people but hee will have the world know it and be convinced of it Let the people of God then not be satisfied onely in having their hearts upon God but let the world know that they love God too You must do that that may make it appeare to all the world that you are the children of the living God Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven It is one thing to do a thing that may
were the worst condition in the world were worse then the condition of a heathen For the gods of a heathen would be content to have but part of the honour of the heart and life because they could help but in part If a heathen god should require the whole soulto be lifted up above all and he alone to be honoured and worshipped as a God and yet when it comes to a matter of helpe and protection he could doe nothing without some other joyned with him a heathen might well reason the ease with him as doing him wrong certainly Christ will never wrong his people so as to challenge from them that they should lift up him alone and joyne no other with him and yet when it comes to their help and succour that there should be need to call in others besides himselfe to their help Therefore as Christ doth challenge it from us to make him our head alone so we may challenge it from Christ to helpe us alone when there is no other helpe for us Thus we have finished both the head-ship of Christ and the Churches appointing him to be that head Now followes the next mercy the next blessing and that but in a word and then we come to the conclusion of this Chapter They shall come up out of the land Aterrenis affectibus So Jerome he makes it a comming up from their earthly senses earthly affections A vita miserabili so Luther upon the place makes it a comming up from their miserable life and condition But rather thus Come up out of the land that is out of their captivity Judah and Israel they shall joyne together in comming to Jerusalem and so joyne in the same kinde of worship as they were wont to come out of all parts of the countrey to worship at Jerusalem and there were united in one kinde of worship so they shall now come from all parts of the world where they are scattered and joyne in the same way of worship yea and it is very probable in their own land There was a time when the people of God did sing songs of praise in the wildernesse Exod 15. But the time shall come when they shall do it in their own land and this shall be a blessing of God upon them Isa 26. 1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah VVe have a strong City salvation will God appoint for walls and bulworkes It shall be sung in the land of Judah Ezek. 20. 40. In the mountaines of the height of Israel saith the Lord God there shall all the house of Israel all of them in the land serve me there will I accept them and there will I require your offerings and the first fruites of your oblations with all your holy things Ezekiel 37. 21. I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen whether they begone and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own land This blessing hath God granted unto many of his servants this day who never thought to have seen their owne land their own good land but God hath bin pleased to gather them up that they are come not onely into their own land but they finde the armes and hearts of the Saints open to imbrace them and call them to publicke imployments It was not long since that the land could not beare them we hope that the time may come ere long that the Lord Christ may so rule and that in our land that it will as hardly beare wicked and ungodly men as it hath borne the Saints though it were hard to say that there should be so much violence used even to keep them from some sins as hath been used here against the Saints to keep them from their God yet time may come ere long that wicked men may be glad to flye though not forced unto it out of their owne choyce into another land because they cannot have the enjoyment of their lusts so freely here As the Saints have been forced to flye out of their land that they might serve the Lord and keep their consciences cleare But we let this passe and come now to the close of the Chapter to the Epiphonema of it all For great shall be the day of Jezreel They shall appoint themselves one head and come up out of the land for great Licet so Tremelius turnes it although the day of Jezreel be great indeed the Hebrew particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth quamvis as well as quia It may be translated although as well as for And he translating it so although the day of Iezreel be great he takes it in this sense that is although the people of Israel shall be brought into great affliction yet God will be so mercifull then when his time comes as they shall be gathered together again and appoint themselves one head and come up out of the land And from such an interpretation of the words there might be an excellent meditation raised and that is this That the greatnesse of the misery of the Church is no hinderance to the course of the freenesse and abundance of Gods mercy to it Although the day of Iezreel their day be never so calamitous never so afflictive never so grievous yet they shall come up out of the land and appoint themselves one head The greatnesse of the Churches misery is no hinderance unto the Churches delivery Why because their deliverance dependeth upon a God who doth delight not onely to manifest some power but the excellency and the glory and the choyce of his power in their deliverance For that take this Scripture Isa 62. 8. Where speaking of these very times that we shall heare of afterward of Gods being mercifull unto his people he saith The Lord hath sworne by his right hand and we have not onely mention thereof Gods right hand and swearing by it but the arme of God too Marke that The arme of God and the arme of his strength There is Gods hand Gods arme the arme of his strength God sweareth by it Surely when God delighteth to put forth such power for the deliverance of his Church it is no great matter whether the afflicted estate be great or small It makes no great matter for the hinderance of the Churches delivery no more then if you should see two bubbles of water rise up one hath a little thicker skin then the other Now there is as much difference in the difficulty that the thick skin bubble makes when a mighty Cannon or peece of Ordnance shal be shot off with a mighty Bullet to resist it from the thinner skin bubble as the greatest and forest affliction that the people of God were ever under in this world makes a difference in the difficulty of their deliverance when they have to deale with an infinite God from the least affliction that ever the Church was in The difference is no more If a childe indeed
not give the people throughout the Kingdom a heart to stick to the Cause of the Truth and to those whom they have intrusted with their estates liberties and lives in every good way it were the heaviest judgement of God that ever was upon a Nation since the beginning of the earth it would never be paralleld that ever a people should have such an opportunity put into their hands to help themselves aud to vindicaâ—e themselves from slavery and bondage yet out of I know not what respects to betray all those that have ventured their lives for them and to have their blood shed I say it were such an example as were not to be paralleld since the beginning of the world Therefore I beseech you my brethren let us lay this to heart and the Lord make known to us all what is to be done in such a time as this that we may not be stripped naked and set as in the day wherein we were borne The Third Lecture HOSEA part of the third verse and verse 4. And make her as a wildernesse and set her like a dry land and slay her with thirst And I will not have mercy upon her children for they be the children of whoredomes IN the first part of this second Chapter wee have already shewed part of Gods threatning even to strip his people naked as in the day wherein they were borne to bring them into as low and mean a condition as ever they were in Now that which was more generally exprest the last day we have in the latter end of this third Verse more particularly set forth unto us And make her as a wildernesse and set as a dry land God would bring this people that dwelt in the land of Canaan flowing with milke and honey that were in regard of the beauty that God had put upon them excellent for beauty now to be as a wildernesse In the former Chapter you heard that the state of the Ten Tribes vvas set out by Hoseas wife her name was Gomer ad this Gomer was the daughter of Diblaim Gomer signifieth perfection and what Diblaim signifieth I told you then But now there is another signification of this Diblaim that we are to refer unto this expression of the Lord in this place that he will make her as a wildernesse for you shall finde Ezek. 6. 14. that there is mention made of a desolate countrey and a wildernesse that was towards Diblath to which this that the Prophet speaks of the mother of Gomer may seem to have reference Diblath then it appeareth was a place where there was a very desolate waste wildernesse and Gomer was the daughter of this Diblath from whence Diblaim that is Though the ten Tribes were as Gomer in regard of their beauty perfect for so they were yet she was the doughter of Diblath or Diblaim that is she came forth out of a low and meane condition and was even brought out of a wildernesse now shee shall be brought again into the same estate wherein shee was for I will set her as a wildernesse As a wildernesse The Church of God is in it selfe Gods garden a garden inclosed and so it is called Cant. 4. 12. As a garden inclosed is my sister my Spouse It is the place of Gods delight not a place for beasts to come into but inclosed they are to be kept out of it a place where very precious fruits doe grow that are very pleasing to God a place that hath the dew the showers of Gods blessing the dew of Hermon the dew that descendeth upon the mountains of Zion there God commandeth his blessing even life for evermore But now she must come to be a wildernesse For first the hedge the pale the wall of Gods protection shall be taken away from her and she shall be laid open lyable for all wilde beasts to come in and to devoure her They loved liberty and were loth to be inclosed though it were in Gods garden though it was with the pale wall of Gods protection Well seeing you will have liverty you shall have liberty and this pale and wall of my garden shall be taken away and your condition shall be like the condition of the beasts in the wildernesse Againe you shall be as a wildernesse There shall no good grow among you There was no good grew amongst you that was your sin and there shall no good grow among you that shall be your plague and punishment The blessing of God shall be taken away from you you shall not have those showers of blessing as formerly you were wont to have but you shall be as a wildernesse Jer. 17. 5. 6. Cursed be that man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and departeth from the Lord Why For he shall be as the heath in the desart and shall not see when good commeth and he shall inherite the parched places of the wildernesse in a salt land Vatablus interprets this judgement upon the hearts of Idolaters they are dry unsavory they are destitute of all spirituall good And I will set her as a dry land So the Septuagint read it I will order you so Your sinnes bring you out of order but Gods plagues order that which sin doth disdorder At a dry land This is contrary to the blessing of a godly man for he is said to be as the tree planted by the river of water The graces and comforts of Gods Spirit are compared to waters in the Scripture Psal 87. 7. All my springs are in thee All my comforts all the gifts that I have all the graces that I have are in thee But now God will set them as a dry land he will take away his gifts and take away their comforts from them and so leave them wast and desolate The Observation then from hence is That sinne is of a wasting nature sinne layeth wast Countreyes and places that people live in VVee have a most remarkable place of Scripture for that Zach. 7. 14. They laid the pleasant land desolate They who are they you shall finde it ver 12. Those that made their hearts as an Adamant stone lest they should heare the law and the words which the Lord of Hosts had sent in his spirit by the former Prophets They made the pleasant land desolaâ—e VVe cry out of those that make stripe and waste and there are actions commenced against them O let not us lay waste this pleasant land this good laud of ours this garden of the Lord. It is indeed as an Eden as a Paradise our fore-fathers have left us this our land as Gods garden let not us through our sinnes leave it to our posterities as a wildernesse and a dry land Psal 107. 34. there is a threatning that God will make a fruitfull land barren for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Sinne hath heretofore laid wast as pleasant and fruitfull Countreys as ours Those that travell in Germanie their hearts even bleed
otherwise our Governours had in their hands hearts to bring to passe As 2 Chron. 20. 33. it is cleere there Howbeit the high places were not taken away why For as yet the people had not prepared their hearts to seeke the God of their Fathers Why should they have pulled down the high places no but they should have beene in a preparation for the pulling of them downe Certainly this is the great cause why our high places are not pulled downe why Reformation hath gone on no better then it hath and why we have so much evil remaining amongst us because the people have not prepared their hearts they are not in a disposition to receive the mercie that our governours have hearts to bring unto us They have hearts to work for us but when we speake to them of what is fit to be done their answer is but is England in a fit disposition to receive such a thing as that is so that the truth is although you are ready to cry out of your Governours you say they have power in their hands why doe they not reforme things yet the guilt in great part devolves upon the people they are not in a fit dâ—sposition to receive such reformation therefore God threatneth the childâ—en the peoâ—le here Again further It may be it is from you that the Governours that are evil are so much incouraged and abetted in that which is evill though you doe it not yet you so much incourage them as the guilt redounds upon you Yea lastly If you do but obey them in any thing that is evill in doing of that the guilt devolveth upon you for you should not do it but rather obey God then man Many thinke to make this their plea they are commanded to doe thus and thus and Governours would have them doe it and it is Law and the like and they thinke upon this plea they may do any thing in the world This will not secure you God may come with judgement without mercie upon the children as well as upon the Mother And if Gods wrath should come in nationall judgements against England let the people know that they are like to smart most dreadfully for never was their a time in our dayes nor in our fore-fathers dayes that so much depended upon the people as at this day never were they called to that help as now they are called to at this day So that the people now may have reformation they may have blessings if it be not through their own default As Cant. 7. 1. The Church is there described in her beauty and it beginneth at her feete How beautifull are thy feete And Cant. 5. There Christ is described in his beauty and it beginneth at the head His head is as the most faire gold God sometimes makes use of the people to be great meanes and perhaps the beginning of means to bring beauty to the Church though they cannot perfect it Heretofore private persons could doe little Alas though they were under grievous oppressions they knew not now to help themselves Many men that had purses and strength and heads and hearts and all yet they knew not what to doe but to make their moane one to another and to heaven but now it is otherwise now you may do somewhat else besides making your moane one to another yea besides making your moaâ—e to heaven for you that have purses now you may see waies to employ them for the publique good for Religion for liberty you that have strength of body may know what to doe you that have head-pieces I mean parts you are called to help you may joyne together for God and the good of your Country you may do much more then heretofore could be done Wherefore now if you should desert the Cause of God and desert those that you have trusted you must expect the most dreadfull wrath of God and that without mercie even upon the people that ever was upon any nation since the beginning of the world for never any nation that we know of had more depending upon the people then there is at this day upon the people of England O consider of it and oh that all the people of the land did but know what God would have them to do in such a time as this Again I will not have mercy upon her children upon particular private persons in the society One note more upon that It is a dangeraus thing for men in any societie to do as the most doe If they be in a civill societie to give their votes and to do as the greater part doth if you be in a Church societie to do as the greater part doth without any examination of it this dangerous For though the greater part the communitie may doe that which is evil you shall not be excused by that for you to say why what could I help it whâ—n the most doth it God commeth upon private and particular men upon the children even every one of them And why For they are the children of whoredomes That is either passively or actively passively because they were begotten of whoredomes and brought up their education hath been in whoredome they have had it from their parents Or else they are the children of whoredomes actively they live in the same whoredomes their Mother did From hence First There is little hope of children brought up in wicked education who have wicked parents also If the dye have beene in the wooll it is hard to get out of the cloth If wickedness if evill principles have beene dropped into children there is little hope of them for good especially of those children that have been brought up in wayes of superstition and Idolatry their hearts being so soyled and defiled and hardned in superstitious and idolatrous wayes they seldome come to any good Therefore that which hath been mentioned is very good namely of wayes to take the children of Papists to bring them up in the education and knowledge of the truth Yet Secondly This shall not excuse children though they be the children of whoredomes It is no excuse for them to say they had it from their Parents and they did as their Parents have done and as they bade them and according as they brought them up No it excuseth not at all for the wrath of God commeth upon them that are the children of whoredomes Then what a mercie is it for us to be brought up in the truth to have Parents that doe professe the truth and for our education to bee in the way of truth It is a mercy that we do not consider of to give God the glory of it How dangerous is it to have superstitious Idolatrous Parents and to have such kind of education there is not one of ten thousand that altereth his religion If they have Turks or Jewes or Papists to their parents and such education it is not one of tenne thousand I say that altereth his religion
children If you should see a malignant party come with their spheares and pikes and your children sprawling upon the toppes of them and their blood gushing out what would your gold-rings what would all your niceties and braver doe you good I will give you for this because it is a point of such concernment foure notable expressions in Scripture about Idolaters eagerness and earnestness of spirit in following after their Idols The first is Isa 57. 5. The Text saith there that they were inflamed after their Idols they were on fire after them The second is Jer. 50. 38. They were madde upon their Idols Thirdly You have a text more sutable to that I am speaking of It is Isa 46. 6. it is said there that they did laviâ—h gold out of the bagga They did not onely give their gold rings that were of no use and part with that which they could well spare but they did lavish gold that was in the bagge they would not onely bring some of it but they did lavish it for so the word is and they lavished not their silver but their gold and that not a piece or two out of a paper but out of the bagge they brought their bagges of gold and did lavish gold out of them and this they did for their Idols Oh what a shame is it then that any should be penurious and not come off full in the publicke cause of the Church and Common-wealth The fourth Text is Jerem. 8. 2. and there we have five expressions together of the pursuance of the heart of Idolaters after their Idols the like wee have not in all the booke of God in one verse Speaking of their Idols First he saith whom they have loved Secondly whom they have served Thirdly after whom they have walked Fourthly whom they have sought And Fifthly whom they have worshipped and all this in this one verse O how are the hearts of people set upon the wayes of Idolatry I remember Cambden reports of a King of England Canutus that spent as much upon one crosse aâ— the revenues of the Crowne came unto in a whole yeer he was so profuse in charges about his superstitious vanities Master Calvin in a Sermon of his upon that Text seeke ye my face hath this expression Foolish Idolaters when they endure much in their pilgrimages spend their money waste their bodies and abused in their travail yet they goe on and thinke all sufficiently recompenced if they may see and worship some Image of a Saint or holy relicke Shall the beholding saith he some dead carrion or apish Idol have more power to strengthen them then the face of God in his ordinances shall have to strengthen us My lovers that gave me my bread and my water my wool and my flaxe mine oyle and my drinke What were these Idols The Idol that gave their bread was Caeres shee was the goddesse that the Heathens did worship for corne For their water Luna the Moone was the Idol they worshipped for their drinke and all moist things For their wool and flaxe Ashtaroth was their god And for their oyle Fryapus The seventy translate that which wee say here wooll clothes and that which we say flaxe they linnen and they likewise for the fuller expression adde a word or two more and all other necessary things So they though their Idols gave them all flaxe and wool and hempe and all things Observe from hence Idolaters have a great many idols to supply their severall wants My lovers in the plural number The idols of the Heathen do not supply all good but one one thing and another another thing And that is the difference betweene the true God and Idols The excellency of the true God is that he is an universal good we have all good flaxe and oyle and bread and wine and all in one in our God in our lover And that is the reason that God chalengeth the whole heart Idols are content with a partiall obedience because they are but partiall in bestowing of good things but God justly requires the whole heart of his worshippers because he is an universall good to them My Lovers that gave me my bread c. Marke The end that Idolaters ay me at in their worship is very low They follow their lovers and are very earnest for what I pray for their wool and their flaxe and their bread and their water their oyle and their drinke These are the things they aime at they desire no more they look no higher may their flesh be satisfied give them but-liberty to sport on the Lords day to have their feasts their wakes merry meetings and they care for no more Their spirits are vile and accordingly is their worship Therefore their worship is external it is bodily because their aimes are at externall and bodily things As a mans end is so is a man either base or honourable There are many men that cry out as if they aimed at God and Religion in many things they doe they make a noise about Religion and God and Christ and his Ordinances and the publicke good but the truth is their aimes are at gaine and credit and at their wool and their flaxe and herein they shew the baseness of their spirits like the lapwings that make a loud cry as if they were come neere their nests when their neasts are somewhere else VVhatever their cry be for God and the publicke good but if you marke them their neast is in their wool in their flax in their profit in their honour and preferment in these outward things But the end of the true worshippers of God is a great deale higher they soare aloft there is a spirituall heighth of soule whereby they are raised upwards by the grace of God A godly mans feete are where a wicked mans head is that which he accounteth his chiefe good a godly man can trample under his feete He lookes at God himselfe at his service he worshippeth the high God he is a child of Abraham not Abraham but Abraham what is the signification of that Pater excelsus a high Father for he is the father of children of high spirits not only of Children that are beleevers but of those that have high raised spirits so Abraham signifieth a high father Cleopatria told Marcus Antonius that he was not to fish and angle for gudgeons and trouts but for Castles Forts and Towns so I may say of a Christian he doth not fish angle especially in matters of Religion for wool and flax and oile he hath no such low and base ends but at God and Christ and heaven and glory and imortality he lookes there he serves God not for these things hee desires these things that by them he may be fitted more to serve God One that hath beene acquainted with the free grace of God in Christ will serve God for himselfe without indenting with him he will be willing to go into Gods Vineyard and not
indent for a penny a day You that will indent with God in his service and will have your penny you who have such low and meane spirits God may give you your penny and there 's an end of you But further marke there is another observation flowes from hence There ends are â—ow they looke no higher then corne and flaxe and wooll and oyle Hence it followes that that way of Religion that men can get most bread and wool and flaxe and oile by that is the way that most people will follow because the hearts of most people are low and base and they aime at no higher things That way of Religion that most estate is got by that can please the sence that is the Religion that pleases most people It is the speech of one Pamchtius an Heathen Make me a Bishop saith he and though I be now a Heathen yet I will bee a Christian as well as any other He saw in what pompe the Bishops lived and by that he thought it was a fine thing to be a Christian By outward pompe and glory Antichrist draweth many followers they go where they can have most wool and flaxe they can get most preferment that way I remember a story I have read of AEneas Silvius hee observed the reason why the Pope prevailed against the Councel though it was a general councell which hee said was above the Pope though afterwards when he came to be Pope himselfe his minde was changed but how came it to passe that the Pope alwayes prevailed this is the reason saith he the Pope hath a great many places of preferment and honour to give the general councel hath none the general Councel can enquire after the truth and present the word and can tell what is Gods mind but it hath no honour no promotion no preferment to give therefore alas the general Councel prevailes little the Pope getteth all and all because he hath Bishopricks and Cardinals places and livings and great honours to bestow Luther in his Comment upon Hosea and upon this Text tells a notoble story of one that he knew that lived like a Noole man by his many Ecclesiasticall preferments who when he was at his table and bread and wine was brought to the table that was excellent bread and wine he pointing to it with his finger said these are the things thaâ— make me that I cannot leave this kinde of life and so after he came to be a Bishop who had several Canon-ships before So certainly these are the arguments that prevaile most in the world arguments taken from bread and flaxe and wool and oyle are stronger arguments then any taken from the Scripture then any thing taken from the honour of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost When men can come with Sauls arguments 1 Sam. 22. 7. Will the sonne of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards and make you all Captaines of thousands and Captains of hundreds what will you follow him can he prefer-you O no he can doe little for you so I say when men come with this argument you go along in this way I pray what will this bring you in what preferment will you get this way you may get preserment in the other way this drawes this prevails It was a speech not many yeers agoe in a publicke Commencement at Cambridge made by the Vice-Chancelour speaking to the young Scholars wishing them to take heed of being Puritans what can you get in that way saith he you shall live poorely perhaps you may have some three halfe-penny benâ—fice in following that way but in the other way come to be children of the Church and then you may be sure to have good benefices you may come to be Prebends to be Deans to be Bishops Thus he perswaded the young scholars to take heed of Puritanisme There is a mighty strength in this Argument upon the hearts of most Hence the poverty of Christ is great scandall and offence to most people when they see that Religion will not bring them flaxe and wool and oyle but that they must live poorely they scandalize at this exceedingly It is reported in the story of Charles the great that he having war with an heathen King Aygolandus King of Africa because this King would make peace with Charles hee made some profession as if hee would be a Christian and Charles was very glad of this and got him to his Court to parley with him being in his Court he saw 30. poore people that Charles fed who were halt and may med and blind and in a very poore garb Charles the great did it on purpose because he would have poverty before his eyes continually that hee might not be too high in and proud of his prosperity Now when Aygolandus saw them who are these saith hee These saith Charles are the servants of God nay then replyed he if your God will keep his servants no better I will be none of his I thought to be a Christian and to serve your God but seeing those that serve him have no better food nor no better rayment then these I will be none of those servants Thus it is with many thought their consciences are convinced which is the best way yet because of the want of flaxe and wool and oyle they will not come off Further observe It is a shamefull thing for men to make Religion to be in subjection to their wool and corne oyle They have done shamefully in this Many wil do this but this is very shamefull Before I shewed that it is shamefull to subject Religion to politique affairs to the publique State of a Kingdome but now to subject Religion to our owne base sensualities to our own particular ends for profit and preferment oh this is very shamefull Gain gotten this way it is filthy lucre as the Scripture saith of it yet hujusmodi lucri dulcis odor the smell of this gaine is very sweet unto many What is thy Religion serviceable to gain to a trade to sensuall lusts what is this but to stop the holes of a mudd wall with diamonds and precious pearls That were a folly you will say that because you have a hole to be stopped in a mud wall to put in diamonds and pearls to stop it and to make such precious things serviceable to such base ends thou dost as much thou wouldst have that which shall be a content to thy flesh and thou wilt make Religion subject to that thou art as base and vile in this Religion my brethren is the glory of a man the glory of a nation and shall we turn this glory into shame It is a base thing in Magistrates to subject the acts of justice to their base ends for gain and profit for a Judge or a Justice of peace or a Prelate to shew most favour where there is most flaxe and wool and oyle where Butts or rundlers of Sack or the like are to be
got this is basenesse in them But to subject Religion to such base ends as these this is the villany of all basenesse A generous spirit is far from this It is observed of the generous spirit of Luther that when a Papist was vexed at him for his preaching and writing faith a Bishop there is such a stir with this Luther why do you not stop his mouth with preferment As it hath been the speech of a Bishop here in this land that hearing that a Kinsman of his was a zealous Preacher well falth he let me alone I will silence him and indeed hee did How He gave him two livings and that silenced him presently So here why do you not stop this Luthers mouth with preferment He presently answered That Germane beast cares not for money he is above money He called him beast in his anger whereas he might have called him an Angel because his spirit was above these things his mouth would not be stopped with them Some mens lust of malice goes beyond their lust of covetousnesse like those Cockatrices Jer. 8. 17. that will not be charmed it is a shamefull thing then that our zeale for God should not goe beyond our lust for gaine to subject your Religion to flaxe and wool and oyle it commeth from a base diffidence in God as if he would not provide for us such outward things therefore Luther hath this expression in his Comment upon Hosea They followed their idols for bread and wool and flaxe and oyle as if God would not give bread to his Church or as if it were more safe to goe to the Devill for it as if we could not have wool enough and flaxe enough and oyle enough from God Oh let us trust God for all for our cloaths for our meate and drink for our estates for our children God certainely will feede his Church And yet those men that have hearts so base themselves they thinke it impossible for any man but to be taken with such arguments They may talke of Religion and conscience say they but I will warrant you they may be taken off with money and preferment places of profit and honour They think it impossible for men to stand against these arguments It putteth me in mind of that speech that Balaak used to Balaam Did not I earnestly send unto thee to call thee wherefore camest thou not unto me Am I not able to promote thee to honour As if he should have said Thou art a strange man indeed did not I send thee word that I would promote thee to great honour and give thee silver and gold or whatsoever thou wouldst have What will not preferment and money tempt you I thought this would have tempted any man in the world Thus many think that whatsoever mens Spirits are they may be taken off with promotion and money But let all such know that there are a generation of men in the world of true generous Spirits that are above all these things and take as much delight and have as much sweetnesse in denying these places of honour and preferment and gaine as those that offer them have in the enjoying of them It was a notable speech Plynie had concerning Cato It is in his Epistle Dedicatory to his naturall History speaking of what a notable spirit he was Cato saith he tooke as much glory in those dignities and honours that he denyed as he did in those he did enjoy Certainly it is so with the Saints the true generous spirit of Christians take as much content in those places of preferment they deny for Christ as in any gaine they enjoy There is no tempting of such men Let us pray therefore for those that are intrusted by us not onely for civill things but for matters of Religion that temptations for bread corne and wool and flaxe and wine and oilemay never tempt them that the preferment and gaine may never byasse their spirits may never sway them These meanes have been assayed certain it is totempt some of them with such wayes have not been left untryed by some and have prevailed but thorough Gods mercy he hath preserved others and he hath made the world to know that Christ hath a people to whom Religion and the publicke good is more deare then all the flaxe and wooll and wine and oyle in the world then all the estates and high places and great preferments that can be offered them And now the Lord our God keepe this in their and in our hearts for ever The Fifth Lecture HOSEA 2. 6. 7. Therefore behold I will hedge up thy way with thorns and make a wall that she shall not finde her paths And she shall follow after her lovers but she shall not overtake them and shall seeke them but shall not finde them them shall she say I will goe and returne to my first husband for then was it better with me then now THe last day you may remember wee spake of that reason that God giveth in the former verse why he would shew Israel no mercy because that she hath done shamefully and said she would go after her lovers that gave her her bread and her water her wool and her flaxe her oyle and her drinke There are yet one or two observations that time would not give us leave to speak of the last day in those words I will onely give you a hint of them and passe suddenly to these two verses The first is this Prosperity and successe in an evil way is a great hardning of the hearts of men in their evil I will follow after my lovers for they give me bread and water and wooll and flax and the like I remember Eusebius reports that Maximilian the Emperour in an Edict of his against the Christian crying out of Christian Religion as an excrable vanity seeking to confirme the Heathens in the worshipping of their idol gods Behold saith he how the earth bringeth forth fruit for the husbandman in abundance how our medows are adorned with flowes and hâ—rbs and moistned with the dews of heaven what health we have and what quiet and peaceable lives and thus he goeth on in seeking to conforme the hearts of Idolaters in their wicked wayes Prosperity in a wicked way is exceeding hardning That story of Dyonisius is famously known having committed sacrâ—ledge against their Idol-gods robbing their Temples yet his voyage being prospetous after he had ended his journey hee boasted himselfe that though he did not worship the gods as others did yet he prospered as much as they In that yeere when those Innovasions in Gods worship were principaly brought in amongst us especially in that Diocese of Norwich is proved to be a very fruitfull yeere and one Commissary among the rest in his Court after the harvest was taken in speakes to the Countrey-men in this way Doe you not see how God prospereth us What a plentifull harvest have we had this yeere This is since you
world can we cannot be so cunning to contrive such plots tricks and devices for our owne ends as the men of the world can but wee have received the Spirit of God we can understand things there through Gods mercy to eternal life There are many men cunning for their own destruction they can find every secret path of sin though sin be a labyrinth they can goe up and down in it finde out ever by-path in that way When the waies of God are propounded to wicked men there is a mist before their eyes they cannot see when the wayes of sin are propunded to the Saints God in mercy cafteth a mist before their eies that they cannot see Eccles 10. 15. The foole knoweth not how to goe to the City wicked men they know not the path to the Church of God to the Ordinances of God they talke much about such and such Ordinances and setting up of Christ in the way of his Ordinances but they doe not see the way of it they know not what the true worship of God meaneth No a foole doth not understand the way to the City of God he cannot finde out that path But the Saints though they know not the wayes of sinne yet they can finde out the paths of God they know the way to the City Possidonius tells us a Austin that when there was wait laid for his life thorough Gods providence he mist his way and so his life was preserved and his enemies disappointed So many times when you are going on in such a way of sin perhaps you little thinke what danger there is in it God in mercy therefore casteth a mist before your eies and you misse that way and save your lives Ver. 7. She shall follow after her lovers but she shall not overtake them c. The Observation is Untill God subdues the hearto himselfe men will grow worse and worse in their sinnes yea even Gods Elect ones to whom hee intendeth mercy at last yet till God commeth with his grace to subdue their hearts they may grow worse and worse they would before goe after their lovers and now here commeth afflictions upon them yet still they will follow their lovers and that with more eagernesse of affection and with more violence then before Afflictions in themselves are part of the curse of God and there is no healing vertue in them but an inraging quality to stir up sinne till God sanctifie them by his grace God may suspend for a time the sanctifying worke of his grace to those he intended good to at last Isa 51. 20. The Text speakes of some whose afflictions were not sanctified That they lye as a wild bull in a net in the streets and they were full of the fury of the Lord They were full of the fury of the Lord and yet lay like a wild Bull in a net in a raging manner This distemper of heart proceeds from two grounds 1. When outward comforts are taken away by affliction the sinner having no comfort in God he knows not where to have comfort but in his sin if conscience be not strong enough to keep from it he runs madly upon it 2. Because he thinks that others looke upon him as one opposed by God for his sin therefore that he may declare to all the world that he is not daunted at all nor that he hath no misgiving thoughts though perhaps hee hath nipping gripes within yet he will put a good face upon it and follow his wayes more eagerly then formerly A second observations She shall follow but she shall not overtake A man may follow after the devises of his owne heart and may be disappointed he may not overtake them There is a great deale of difference betwixt following Gods wayes and our owne wayes there was never any in the world that was disappointed if he knew all in following Gods wayes but he got either the very thing he would have or something that was as good if not better for him but in the wayes of sinne in our owne wayes we may meet with disappointment why should we not then rather follow God then follow our own desires The desires after sin as they are Desideria futilia so they are Desideria inutilia as one speakes as they are foolish so they are fruitlesse desires they doe not attaine what they would have How hath God disappointed men in our dayesâ— they have not overtaken what they greedily sought after Our adversaries blessed themselvs in their designes they thought to have their day they propounded such an end and thought to have it but how hath God disappointed them But whether God hath done this in mercy to them as it is spoken of here that we know not we hope God hath crost some of them in a way of mercy though perhaps he may deale in another way with other of them But further Disappointment in the way of sinne is a great mercy As satisfaction in sin is a judgement of God and a fearfull judgement so disappointment in sin is a mercy and a great mercy Prov. 14. 14. there you shall find That the back-slyder in heart shall be filled with his own wayes A dreadfull threatning to back-slyders and apostates when God hath no intention of love and mercy for backsliders God will give them their owne devices they shall have their fill in their owne wayes you would have such a lust you shall have it you shall be satisfied to the full and blesse your selves in your owne wayes This is the judgment of God upon backsliders but for the Saints when they would have such a way of sin God will disappoint them they shall not have it We account it ordinarily very grievous to be disappointed of any thing and many times I have had this meditation upon it What doth it trouble the hearts of men to be disappointed almost in any thing Oh what a dreadfull vexation and horror will it be for a man to see himself disappointed of his half hopes Remember when you are troubled at any disappointment what will be the terrour then and anguish of spirit if it should prove that any of you should be disappointed of your hopes for eternity But those whom God doth often disappoint in the way of sin they may have hope that God will deliver them from that great disappointment And againe yet further Shee would have her Idols but God will take them away shee shall not have them saith God though shee follow after them and have a great mind to them yet they shal not overtake them God will remove them from their Idols or their Idols from them that is the meaning they should not come to their Dan or Bethel they should either be removed far enough from their calves or the calves from them Thus it should be with Governours they should take such a course as to take away Idols and superstitious vanities from those that will be worshipping of them
party utterly uncleane for the plague is in the head there is not that utter uncleannesse any where as when the plague is in the head So I may say here when a man falleth off from the wayes of God by some strong temptation or unruly affection this man is uncleane verily he is uncleane but when it commeth to the head that his judgement is against the wayes of God and so commeth to contemne them and those that follow them and to thinke his own wayes better this man is utterly unclean for the plague is in his head The Lord deliver you from that plague The Sixth Lecture HOSEA 2. 7. 8. For then it was better with me then it is now For she did not kâ—ow that I gave her corne and wine and oyle and multiplyed her silveâ— and gold which they prepared for Baal c. THere remaines onely one Observation from the 7. ver and the taking a hint of a meditation from thence concerning our present times of which briefly Upon returne unto God Apostates may have hope of attaining their former condition to be as well as ever they were I will return to my first husband for then was it better with me then now by returning I hope to recover to be as I was then that is the meaning In this Gods goodnesse goeth beyond mans abundantly Ier. 3. 1. Will a man when his wife hath committed adultery and he hath put her away will he return to her again But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet return againe to me saith the Lord Hence ver 22. the Holy Ghost exhorteth to return upon this very ground Returne ye back-sliding children and I will heale your back-slidings Is there any back-sliding soul before the Lord God now offereth to heale thy back-slidings thou knowest that it is not with thee now as heretofore it hath been loe God tendereth his grace to thee that thou maiest be in as good a condition as ever O that thou wouldest give the answer of the Church there Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God truly in vaine is Salvation hoped for from the hils or from the multitude of the mountain truely in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel It is true God might justly satisfie thee in those present wayes of Apostacy wherein thou art as sometimes he doth Apostates The back-slider in heart shall be filled with his own wayes he shall have enough of them and Pro. 1. 31. They shall eate the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devicss But behold wisedom it selfe calleth thee now to returne again and makes this faire promise Pro. 1. 23. Turne ye at my reproofe behold I will poure out my spirit unto you There is not onely a possibility of being received into thy former condition but Christ doth wooe thee and calleth after thee hee promiseth to poure forth his spirit unto thee yea and there would be triumph in heaven upon thy returning But let me say thus much to thee though there be a possibility of comming again into as good a condition as thou wast in afore yet first there had need be a mighty work of Gods Spirit to raise thy heart to beleeve this It is not an easie thing for one who hath that fearfull sin of Apostacy setled upon him by God to beleeve that ever God should receive him and returne in the wayes of mercy and comfort as before Yea second Though there be a possibility to be recovered to mercy yet you must be contented to be in a meaner condition if God shall please you must come unto God with such a disposition as to be content to be in the lowest condition that can be onely that thou mayest have mercy at the last as the Prodigall Let me be saith he but as one of thy hired servants And know lastly that if you doe not return upon his gracious offer God may give thee up for ever take thy fill and there is an end of thee He that will be filthy let him be filthy still Yet further this expression doth strongly present occasion to digresse a little in the comparing our present times with former times to examine whether wee can say it was better with us heretofore then it is now In these dayes there is much comparing our present times with times past and divers judgements there are about present times some complayning and crying out of the hazards and dangers wee are in in these present times much better was it heretofore say they then it is now To such as these let me say first as the holy Ghost saith Eccles 7. 10. Say not thou what is the cause the former dayes were better then these thou dost uot enquire wisely concerning this thing Certainly those people who make such grievous complaints of present times comparing them with times past doe not wisely enquire after this thing It is true there are many sad things for the present amongst us things that our hearts have cause to bleed for such mis-understanding betweene King and Parliament some blood shed already and danger of shedding much more yet perhaps if we enquire wisely concerning this thing we shall find that notwithstanding all this we have little cause to complaine that it is worse with us now in comparison of what was before Consider first that which men do most complain of which makes the times hardest now it is but the breaking out of those mischievous designes that lay hid long before would have done us a great deale more mischiefe if they had been kept in Now they breake forth and breake forth as the desperatenesse of the hopes of those who had such designes because they could now goe no longer underhand but being brought into a desperate passe they are faine to see what they can doe in wayes of violence and this certainely is better then that mischiefe should work secretly under board Secondly by this we have a discovery of men which way they stand what was and is in their hearts and this is a great mercy Thirdly with the breaking forth of these things God grants that helpe now to England that it never yet had in the like way so fully and putteth such a faire price into the hands of the people of England that never yet was put into their hands Yea and consider farther that the more violent men are now the more doth it tell us what a lamentable time was before for if now when there is such means of resistance and yet the adversaries prevaile so much what would they have been by this time if this means of resistance had not been What a case were we in then when they might do what they would and we had no means to help our selves what a danger were we in then Certainely things then lay at more hazard then now Fifthly though there be many sad things amongst us yet God hath been before-hand with us we
the Lord himselfe that supplyeth all outward good to his people he doth not onely prize the soules of his people but hee takes care of their bodies too and outward estates Psalm 34. 20. He keepeth all his bones Yea he takes care of the very haire of their heads The bodies of the Saints are very precious in the eyes of God the most precious of all corporall things in the world The Sonne and Moone and Starres are not so precious as the bodyes of the Saints how much more precious are their soules VVe have an excellent note of Austin upon Psalm 63. 1. where the Text saith My soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee c. Upon this he hath this Note If the flesh hath any need of bread of wine of money or cattell seeke this of God for God giveth this too for marke Those who thirst for God must thirst for him every way not only their soules â—â—rst for him but their flesh must thirst for him for saith he did God make the soul and did the devills or any idols make the flesh No he that made both soule and flesh he feedeth them both therefore all Christians must say My soule longeth after thee and my flesh also If then we can trust God for our soules and our eternall estates that hee will provide for them we must trust him for our bodies also for our flesh for our temporall estates that he will provide for them also Secondly thus All that we have all our supply that we enjoy in this world it is the free gift of God They did not know that I gave them corne and wine c. All of us live upon the meere Almes of God the greatest man in the world is bound to goe to Gods gate and beg his bread every day though he were an Emperour over all the world hee must doe it to shew his dependance upon him that he lives wholly upon almes Men thinke it hard to live upon almes and because they have maintenance so much comming in by the yeare such an estate in land they thinke they are well provided for many yeers But what ever estate thou hast though by thy trading thou hast gotten so much by the yeare coming in yet God requireth this of thee to go to his gate beg thy bread of him every day so Christ teacheth Give us this day our dayly bread And certainly if we did but understand this our dependance upon God for all outward comforts in the world we could not but feare him and seeke to make peace with him and keepe peace with him and it would be a meanes that our hearts would be inlarged to give to others who need our almes and seeing every man and woman of us is an Almes-man and an Almes-woman Thirdly It is our duty that we owe to God to know and take notice of God as the author of all our good They know not that implyeth they ought to have knowne This is a speciall duty of that worship we owe to God it is the end of Gods communicating all good to us that he may have active glory from his rational creature as well as passive glory and there is no creature else in all the world that God hath made capable of knowing any thing of the first cause but only the rational creature therefore it is the excellency of such that they do not onely enjoy the good that they have but they are able to rise up to the highest and first cause of all their good There is a great deale of excellency in this It is observed of Doves that at every pick of corne they take in their bill they cast their eyes upward and in the Canticles you shall finde the eyes of the Church are called Doves eyes because they looke so much up to heaven upon every good they receive They have not dogs eies the men of the world have dogs eies dogs you know looke up to their Masters for a bone and when they have it they presently looke downe to the ground so the men of the world they will pray to God when they want but whâ—n they enjoy what they would have they look no more upward but all downward This taking notice of God to be the Author of all our good and to give him praise is all the rent we pay to God for what we enjoy therefore it is fit we should doe that and if we doe any thing for God be sure God takes notice of that to the uttermost yea though it be himselfe that enableth us to do it yea though it be but a little good mingled with a great deale of evill God takes notice of it and will reward it surely then we should take notice of the good that he giveth out to us This sweetneth our comforts to see that they all come from God and for that observe the difference betweene the expression of Jacobs blessing and Esaus blessing when Isaac came to blesse Jacob hee expresseth himselfe thus Gen. 27. 28. God give thee of the dew of heaven and of the fatnesse of the earth and plenty of corne and wine c. Now when he commeth to blesse Esau marke his expression then verse 39. Thy dwelling shall be the fatnesse of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above but hee never mentioneth God in that It is not Esaus blessing God give thee of the dew of heaven and of the fatnesse of the earth though it is true Isaac meant so but yet he doth not mention the name of God so in Esaus as in Iacobs blessing Certainly my brethren the seed of Jacob count their blessing to be a double a treble blessing that they can see God in it carnall hearts do not much regard God if they can have what they would have if they can have their flesh satisfied in what they desire from what hand it cometh that they doe not much care but a gracious heart a child of Jacob rejoyceth more in the hand from whence it commeth then in any good he can possibly enjoy Fourthly They did not know God doth a great deale of good in the world that is little taken notice of or laid to heart Many of Gods dispensations are invisible the Angels Ezek. 1. are described with their hands under their wings God doth great things somtime so invisibly as he cannot be seene And when he doth great things that we might see yet through onr neglect stupidity and drossinesse of our hearts we doe not see them The most observing eye that is in the world that takes the exactest notice of Gods mercy and hath the greatest skill to set forth the riches of Gods goodnesse to himselfe and others yet alas it is but very little that he takes notice of no not of that he might doe It is with the quickest sighted Christians as with a skilful Mathematician a skilfull Mathematician takes notice of and understands many parts of the world
and is able to set out the several parts distinctly to you in such a Climate in such a Countrey but yet when he hath done all he leaveth a great space for a Terra incognita for an unknown world and that unknowne world for ought we know may be five times bigger then the known world So they that have the most observant eye of Gods mercies and take the most notice of them that can best set out the mercies he bestoweth spiritual mercies temporall mercies preventing mercies past mercies present mercies delivering mercies c. yet when they have done all they must leave a great space for the Terra incognita for the unknowne mercies of God The truth is those mercies of God that are obvious to our knowledge every day one would thinke they were enough to melt our hearts to breake them in pieces but besides these mercies we take notice of there are thousands and thousands of mercies that we know not of As we daily commit many sins that we know not of so daily we receive many mercies that we know not of likewise And as in our confession of sins we should pray to God first to pardon our sins we know and so to name them in particular and when we have done then Lord forgive us our unknown our secret sins So in our thanksgiving first blesse God for the mercies before us and when we have done Lord blessed be thy name for all thy unknown mercies that I have little taken notice of We soone grow cold and dead if we doe good and men take no notice of us neither what we know nor what we doe is any thing to us except others know it too but this is the vanity and pride of mens hearts it is Gods prerogative above his creatures to doe all for himselfe for his owne glory and yet he doth much good in the world that none knows of we are bound to deny our selves in that we doe not to seeke our own glory The most excellent peece in the most excellent of our workes is our selfe-denyal in it why should we not then doe all the good we can doe cheerefully though it be not known we should doe good out of love to goodnesse it selfe and if we would doe so we should be encouraged in doing good secretly Fifthly and which commeth yet more fully up to the words They did not know c. In Gods account men know no more then they lay to heart and make good use of The Schooles distinguish of want of knowledge there is Nescientia and Ignoratia Nescience is of such things as we are not bound to know it is not our sinne not to know them but Ignorance is of such things as we are bound to know and that ignorance is two-fold there is an invincible ignorance let us take what paines we can wee can never know all we are bound to know and there is an affected ignorance when we do not know because out of carelesnesse we doe not minde what is before us and when we have minded it so farre as to conceive it yet if we lay it not to heart as we ought still in Gods account we know it not if we digest not what we know into practise God accepteth it not As God is said not to know when hee doth not approve I know yee not saith he so when any man hath a truth in notion and it doth not get into the heart when it is not imbraced there God accounts that that man knowes it not Therefore you have in Scripture such an expression as the Seer is blinde It is a strange expression it seemes to be a contradiction such a thing as we call a Bull The Seer is blinde But it is not so here because God accounts those that have never so much knowledge yet if it doe not sanctifie the heart so as to give him the glory they are blinde blinde as a Beetle The knowledge of the Saints is another kinde of knowledge then other men have We have saith Cyprian no such notions as many of your Phylosophers have but we are Phylosophers in our deeds we doe not speake great things but we doe great things in our lives 1 Thes 4. 9. You have an excellent expression for this you are taught of God to love one another what followeth And indeed so you do That is an evidence that you are taught of God when it pâ—evay leth with your hearts when it may be â—aid indeed so you doe VVho is there in the world but knowes that wee should love one another but men are not taught of God to love one another untill it may be said of them that indeed so they doe There is nothing more obvious to the understanding of a man then the notion of a Deity that there is a God we may as it were grope after him as the holy Ghost speakes but yet 1 Iohn 2. 4. He that saith he knowes him and keepes not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Any man who ever he be though the greatest Schollar in the world if he saith he knowes God and keepes not his commandements he hath the lie told him to his teeth hee doth not know God at all though this of God be the most obvious thing to be understood that possibly can be and yet Christ saith no man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and to whom the Sonne shall reveale him Hence it is when a soul is converted you shall heare these expressions I never knew before I never knew what an infinite Deity meant I never understood the infinite soveraignty and Majesty of the great God I never knew what sinne meant before yet if you had asked him afore he would say I know God is a Spirit that he is infinite and eternall I know that sinne is the transgression of the law I never knew that Christ was before yet before hee would have told you that Christ was the sonne of Mary and came into the world to dye for sinners I remember an expression of a Germane Divine when he was upon his sick bed In this disease saith he I have learned what sin is and how great the Majesty of God is This man though a Preacher and doubtlesse he could preach of sinne and of the Majesty of God yet hee professeth he knew not these things untill God came powerfully upon his heart to teach him what they were The Hebrews say words of sense carry with them the affections or else they be to no purpose when men have notionall knowledge onely that comes not down into the heart they are like men that have weak stomacks and weake heads when they drink wine all flyeth up to the head it makes them giddy but if the wine went to the heart it would cheare warme it so all this mans knowledg flyeth up to his head makes him giddy whereas if it were digested got to the heart
it would warme and refresh yea 〈…〉 The Text saith of Elies sonnes 1 Sam. 2. 12. that they knew not the Lord they were Priests of God yet they were sonnes of Belial and know not the Lord. Be not offended at great Schollars who have skill in the tongues Arts and Sciences do not you say these men that are great and knowing men would they do thus and thus if things were so as you speake they are not knowing men God saith that Elies sonnes did not know the Lord the things of God are hid from them I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid thess things from the wise and prudent c. Sixthly They did not know that I gave them c. Affected ignorance comming thorough distemper of heart is no excuse but rather an aggravation It is a high degree of ingratitude not to prize Gods mercy but not to take notice of Gods mercies Oh what a high ingratitude is this That which shall be part of Gods charge against sinners can be no excuse of their sinne it is a part of Gods charge that they did not know therefore their ignorance cannot be their excuse God threatneth to cut people off to have no mercy upon them for want of knowing as well as for not doing They are a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will have no mercy upon them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Esay 27. 11. Ambrose hath this expression Thou doest sinne greatly if thou doest contemne the riches of Gods long suffering but thou sinnest most of all if thou doest not know it From the word for as depending upon the 5. ver for so it doth The Observation is The not taking notice and considering of Gods mercies and laying them to heart is the cause of vile and shamefull evils in mens lives Therefore they did shamefully therefore they went after their lovers because they did not know the cause of almost all the evill in the world it is from hence They that know thy name will trust in thee those who know the Lord will feare him and his goodnesse Esay 1. 4. Ah sinfull nation saith God God fetcheth a sigh under the burthen of it his spirit is laden and troubled with it Ah sinfull people c What was the matter The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider they were more stupid then the brute creatures Oh sinfull soul this is the cause of all thy inordinate walking of all thy profanenesse of all the ungodliness in thy wayes because thou dost not know thou dost not consider thou dost not lay to heart the wayes of God towards thee Ier. 2. 5. God chargeth his people that they were gone from him and ver 7. that they had made his heritage an abomination What is the reason that is given of both these It is in the 6. ver They did not say Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt c. They did not take notice of what the Lord had done for them therefore they were gone far from him c. If thou hadst but a heart to lay to heart what God hath done for thee it is impossible that thou shouldst goe so farre off from God as thou dost For these deductions are easie and obvious to any from such a principle 1. Justice common equity requires living to God seeing we live by and upon God 2. Common ingenuity calls for requiring good with good the Publicans and Heathens will do good to those that do good to them 3. If all be from God then all still depends upon God 4. How much good is there in God from whence all this good and mercy comes when God shall shew another day to men and Angels how hee was the fountaine of all good it will confound those who have not laid it to heart 8. She did not know that I gave her corne and wine and oyle and multiplyed her silver and her gold God is more bountifull to his people then the Idols can be The Idols by their owne confession gave them but their bread water and flax and oyle c. but God giveth them wine silver gold God gives them better pay a great deale then the Devill doth yet the Devill usually hath more servants to follow him then God hath though his wages bee lesse and worse It is usuall for men to get souldiers from adversaries by givâ—ng them more pay This is the way God takes he offereth a great deale better pay to those that will follow him then they have that follow the Devill yet God can get few to follow him This shews the vilenesse of mans heart against God 9. She did not know that I gave her c. which she prepared for Baal When men get abundance then they soon grow wanton When I gave them corn and wine and oyle and multiplyed their silver and their gold then they followed Baal This is the reason of so many solemne charges of God Take heed when thou art full that thou dost not forget the Lord. As they that are neerest the sun are the blackest so those to whom God is neerest in regard of outward mercies are many times blacker then others It is observed that the fatter mens bodies are the lesse blood and the fewer spirits they have so the fatter mens estates are many times the lesse spirit they have to any thing that is good God hath lesse spirit from them sinne hath much more We read of the sunne melting the Manna that fell downe but the same Manna was able to bear the fire so many a mans heart is able to beare affliction and the affliction doth good prepareth for much good as Manna was prepared to be eaten by fire but prosperity melteth them makes them useless Many men when they were poor and in a low condition were very usefull but when they grow high and rich they are of very little use in the places where they dwell Trajan the Emperour was wont to liken a man growing to a great estate to the Spleene in the body for as the Sâ—leene grows big the body growes lesse so when mens estates grow bigger they grow lesse usefull Euagrius noteth it as a speciall commendation of Mauritius the Emperor but notwithstanding his prosperity he retained his ancyent piety it is a very rare thing to see men advanced to high places do so 10. I gave her corne and wine and oyle and I multiplyed her silver and gold which they sacrificed to Baal Even those creatures that wicked men abuse to their lusts God gives them Though he doth not give them for that end yet those creatures that they use for such an end are given of God If thou beest a drunkard that wine or drinke that thou dost sacrifice to that lust of thine who giveth it thee Is it
account of the greatest mercy when they are at the greatest height of prosperity when afflictions seems to be the farthest off from them then it comes heaviest upon them When they thinke least of it when they thinke all sure then God comes upon them by his displeasure when his displeasure shall be most biâ—ter to them for that is the strength of the point he will not onely take them away in the time thereof but when the affliction shall be most grievous to them That in the 20. of Job ver 22. is a most notable Scripture for this In the fulnesse of his sufficiency he shall be in straits A man may seeme to have sufficiency of the creature and may have his fulnesse of sufficiency yet God saith he shall be in straits in the fulnesse of his sufficiency I can give you another admirable work of providence in this very things wherein you may see God to come in sore affliction at such a time when it is most bitter it came from that worthy Divine Doctor Preston it was in the Towne where he was born There was a man who of long time had no childe but when God gave him one at the weaning of it hee called his friends and neighbours to rejoyce with him for this great mercy and the Nurse going to dandle the child in her arme and wearing a knife in her bosom the point of the knife being upward while she was dandling of the child runs into the belly of the child at that time when all his friends were about him to rejoyce with him When men thinke the bitternesse of death to be past as Agag did the curse of God comes on them Ps 78. 30. While the meate was in their mouths the wrath of God fell upon them I have read of Pope John the 22. that he said he knew by the position of the Stars he should live a long time and boasted that he could cast his nativity and the same night by the fall of a chamber he had newly built for his solace he was sâ—ain Another example in this kind I have heard credibly reported of a drunken fellow in an Inne was swearing most dreadfully and one comes in and saith Sir what if you should dye now saith hee I shall never eye and going down the stairs when he went out of his chamber he presently feldown and broke his neck There is likewise a history of one Bibulus a Roman that riding in triumph in all his glory a tyle fel from a house in the street and knockt out his brains As on the contrary Gods wayes and dealings with the Saints are such as what time their condition is most sad God comes in with mercy to them when they are in the most dark condition and gloomish Gods face shines on them so when the wicked are in their prosperity God smites them When the irons entred into Iosephs soule God delivered him When the Apostle had received the sentence of death in himself God comforred him 2 Cor. 1. 9. When Abraham was lifting up his hand to slay Isaac the Angel of the Lord stayed his hand As it is observed in nature a little before day breake it is darker then before so a little before the happinesse of Gods people there are some great afflictions Zech. 1. 7. At the evening time it shall be light I will recover From this phrase of recovering observe First when men abuse mercies they forfeit their right in their mercies they come then to be but usurpers they are not usurpers of mercies meerely for the use of mercies but for the abuse of them they are not charged for their right to use them but for their not right using them there is great difference between these two It hath beene taught by many that all wicked men have no right at all to use any creature but are to answer as usurpers before God But certainely there is a mistake It is certain man hath forfeited all but God hath given a right to all that they do enjoy in a lawful way a right by donation They have not such a right as the Saints have a right in Christ once being in Christ we may challence of God all things that are good for us Another man hath right but how as a malefactor is condemned to dye by his offence being condemned he hath forfeited all his estate and all the benefit of a subject But if the King be pleased to allow him provision for a day or two till the time of execution he cannot be challenged as an usurper for that he hath he hath it by donation and it is such a right that all wicked men have all wicked men in the world are under the sentence of condemnation have forfeited their right and all the good of the creature only the Lord is pleased out of his bounty to give such and such enjoyments they shall have such and such houses and such and such lands for a time till the day of execution comes This might daunt the hearts of wicked men you look upon your selves as great men you have your shops full you have large estates you are like some malefactors who have a better supper before execution then others But still your not right using may make you usurpers before God You give your servant order to buy such and such commodities suppose your servant run away with your money or bestow it on his whores c. if he run away do you not follow him as a thiefe you trust him with such a stock to keepe such markets now he hath right to use your estate but if he run away with your estate and use it against you if you meet with him again you will say what a thief are you to run away with your Masters estate and abuse it against him I will recover c. All the time the creature serves wicked men it is in bondage and God looks upon it with a kinde of pitty God hath made all things for his owne praise and he gives the children of men many mercies but it is for his owne glory but when these creatures which were given for the glory of God are abused to thy lust the creature groanes under thee Thou drinkest wine but the creature groans under thy abuse never any gally-slave did groan more under the bondage of the Turks then thy wine and thy dishes on thy table groan under thy abuse Rom. 8. 22. As God hears the cry of the widow and fatherless so he hears the groans of the creature Cornelius a Lapide tels a story that he heard of a famous Preacher shewing this bondage of the creature brings in the creatures complaining thus Oh that we could serve such as are godly Oh that our substance our flesh might be incorporated into godly people that so we might rise into glory but if our flesh be incorporated into the flesh of sinners we shall go to hell and would any creature
lewdnes the Greek word translated there lewdness doth elegantly set forth the disposition of a lewd man namely such a one as is easily drawn to any wicked way I will discover her lewdnesse in the sight of her lovers In the sight this is a great aggravation of their shame God will cast filth on them not before those that are strangers but those before whom they would be honoured It is a note of Calvin upon this that seemes to reach the meaning of the holy Ghost alluding to the way of whores who having great men for their lovers favourites with Princes at the Court they rest on their power and confide in their greatness they care not what their husbands can doe against them and so grow proud against their husbands because their lovers have great power There was a remarkable example of this here in England that you may remember it were but to â—ake in a filthy dunghill to mention it I will take away their confidence though their lovers be never so great the Assyrians and Aegyptians whosoever they be they shall have no power to help you but I will discover their lewdnesse before their face From hence take these observations First all wickednesse and especially Idolatry hath many covers for it except we looke very narrowly to those that are superstitious and idolatrous we shall not see the evill of that sin Some covers are subtilly woven but it may be said of them all as Isa 28. 20. The bed is shorter then that a man can stretch himselfe on it and the covering narrower then that he can wrap himselfe in it Secondly Prosperity in a sinfull way is a great cover though it be a very vile and sinfull way yet prosperity is a cover to it This glisters so in many mens eyes that the filth of sin is hid many a foule hand is under a faire perfumed glove an ill complexion may have a painted face and prosperity is no other to wicked men then a painted face to a foul woman As a painted face is no argument of a faire complexion so neither is prosperity of a good condition Crooked diseased bodies halfe rotten may have fine cloths Green leaves on a tree may hide the rifts the mossiness and blackness of the body which appears in winter Many men are abominable false in all their wayes cruell and bloody in their hearts against God and good men their spirits are invenomed and they have given up themselves to most horrible sins yet so long as they have power about them all is covered were all their prosperity taken from them and all their glory and greatness and nothing but their falshood and hatred of the wayes of God appeared what dreadfull creatures would they bee There is many a man that is taken with a strumpet when shee hath painted her selfe bravely like Iezebel but if he should see this whore whipped up down the streets and full of botches how odious would this strumpet be in his eyes take away her bravery and she is to him the Ioathsomest creature upon earth Thirdly Retaining some truths in the way of worship is a great cover to much falsenes When some of you are to pay a great sum you can shuffle in a brasse six pence or shilling or a light piece of gold so some though they retaine many errors yet because they keep some truths they think to cover much superstition False wares will be holpen off amongst good and a man that useth to lie will sometimes tell some truths to put off a lie A man that is a base selfe-secker will many times deny himselfe many times you shall have the proudest spirits that are to bee as crowching and subject to those that are their superiours as any and so by seeming humility cover a great deale of pride So the evill of ceremonies and false discipline passe without much contradiction you must not trouble your selves about these things and why have not we as wholsome soule-saving doctrine as in any Church in the world because of this the corruption of the other is covered much hypocrisie is covered under excellent gifts the gifts are gifts of Gods Spirit but they oftentimes cover much vileness Further observe Outward pompous devotion in Gods worship is a great colour of notorious Idolatry as gilded Crosses painted Churches pompous Ceremonies how hath it covered the most desperate hatred to the power of godlinesse that ever was I will discover thy lewdnesse God hath a time to discover wickednesse it shall appeare one day in its colours vile and abominable wickednesse shall not always goe uncovered God will not discover her infirmities neither should we wee should doe as God doth discover the lewdnesse of men but not their infirmities Love covers a multitude of faults if they be but infirmities And when you discover the lewdnesse of others take heed you do not discover your owne lewdnesse in the mean time Many when they go about to discover the lewdnesse of other men do it with such bitternesse of spirit and with rejoycing that they have got any advantage against those that are religious if they heare any reports against such whether true or false they care not they relate it confidently something will stick This is for men to discover their own lewdnesse when they cry out against the lewdnesse of others Those who are wise and understanding are able easily to see it but if wee would not have God discover our lewdnesse let us get such a cover as shall never be uncovered You may have many shifts to cover your sinnes that are not large enough but I wil tell you of a cover that is large enough to cover all What is that The righteousnesse of Jesus Christ Psal 32. 1. Blessed is he whose transgresison is forgiven whose sin is â—overed There is a cover that covers from the eyes of God and man for ever I will discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers I will take such a way to manifest her vile lewdness before her lovers that she shall neither prevail with them nor be upheld by them Whence observe When God discovers mens lewdness they shal do little hurt 2 Tim. 3. 6. But they shall proceed no farther for their folly shall bee made manifest to all men There are many who have secretly gained on the spirits of other men by faire pretences that they will doe nothing but thus and thus and they seek nothing but the publicke good and they desire the furtherance of the Gospel but when opertunity shall serve there shall be a ciscovering that their intentions goe another way then their words seemed to import and then they shall proceed no further for they shal be vile and contemptible in the eyes of those with whom they prevailed before Againe further I will doe it in the sight of their lovers When God sets himself against his enemies he will goe through his work in
the face of all those that seekes the contrary doe what they can God needs no shifts no tricks nor devices to carry on his work but he can carry it on in the sight of his adversaries he will carry on his worke and shame them in the sight of their lovers and bring them downe low doe what they can God can make use of the wisedome and policy of men and hee can make as much use of their indiscretion as he hath done of late The great workes of God amongst us of late have been carryed on with a high hand in the sight of those that have been our adversaries what discoveries have there been of the filth of men how hath their nakedness been made naked what charges in their conditions what contempt hath God cast in the face of those that were the great champions sor lewdnesse and that in the very face of their lovers Their lovers looked on them and had as good a heart to them as ever there was little or no change in the hearts of their lovers and though their lovers were as eager for them as ever yet their shame hath been discovered This Scripture is as cleerely made good this day as any Scripture in the Book of God Againe In the face of their lovers Dishonour before those we expect honour from is a sad a great evill Oh saith Saul Honour me before the people Saul cared not much if hee were dishonored before strangers but he would be honored before the people It is such a thing to be dishonoured before those that we would be honoured before that the stronger a mans spirit is the more intolerable the burden is one of a mean and low spirit doth not much care for dishonour any where but a man that hath strength of spirit indeed counts it the worst thing that can be to be dishonoured before those that love him This we finde among many Tradesmen that are civill at home but if they get among strangers oh how lewd are they in an Inne those that love God and the Saints are most afraid to have their evill discovered before God and the Saints for a gracious heart desires honour from them most One that is godly can beare disgrace any contemptuous abuse from many of those that are profane rather then from one that is godly Wicked men care not for dishonour among the Saints because they care not for their love If dishonour before lovers be such a shame what will dishonour before God at the great day be and before the Saints and wicked men too who were your lovers I will discover their lewdness in the sight of their lovers When I take away their corne and wine and flaxe and these things their lovers will be ashamed of them The way of carnall friends are to esteem of men when they are in prosperity but when they are down in adversity then they contemn them Huntsmen when they would single out a Deer they shoot her first and as soon as the blood appears all the rest goe out of her company and push her from them It is so with carnall friends if a man be in affliction if they see their friend shot they look aloofe from him Wee have had wofull experience of this of late when many godly Ministers were persecuted those who before had seemed to be their lovers grew strange unto them In a sun-shine day men that passe by look on a dyall but in a darke stormy day a hundred may ride by it and never look to it When wee are in a Sun-shine day of prosperity men will look towards us but if the gloomy day of adversity come then they passe by without regard to us Iâ— a man of fashion come to a house the dogs will be quiet but when a beggar comes in raggs they flye upon him It is apparant by this that men in their prosperity are not regarded for any thing in themselves but for their prosperities sake for their moneys sake for their cloathes sake Suppose any of you have a servant goes up and downe with you and you know whither soever you goe the respect that is given is not for your sake but for your servants sake you go to such a house and they use you kindly only for your servants sake you take it very ill This is all the respect that men have from false lovers it is not for any good in them it is for their prosperity for their servants sake O how vaine is respect from the world If you be gracious God will not deal with you thus if you have your estates taken from you God will not despise you as carnall friends doe Psal 22. 24. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted When the Saints are afflicted God doth not hide his face from them but when they cry to him he hears them Yet further we see here carnall hearts have a great deale of confidence in many things they trust to in time of danger they will not believe but they shall escape Let us not be troubled at the confidence our enemies have they doubt not but to prevaile this is from the curse of God upon them their case is never so desperate but they have something to shelter themselves in their own thoughts Oh what a shame is it that any thing is rather trusted in then God! the husbandman casts seed-corn that costs dearer then any other corne into the ground The Merchant trusts all his estate to the winds waves of the sea if they saile all is gone you trust servants with busines of weight If you goe to Westminster you trust your lives in a boat halfe an inch thicke God is not trusted so much that blessed God who is the only true object of soule-confidence Lastly when God sets himselfe against a generation of men or any particular all the means in the world shall not help Ezek. 9. the Prophet had a vision of six men with weapons of war in their hands there were six principall gates in Jerusalem and God would set these sixe men with weapons in their hands at each gate that if they run to this or the other or any gate the man with the weapon in his hand should be sure to take them they should not escape Amos 5. 8. Seeke him that maketh the seven Stars and Orion Why are these named seven stars and Orion the one is the extreame of cold and the other of heate The Lord hath the power of both if they escape the heat the cold shall take them if the cold the heate shall take them and I likewise saith the Lord can make both these helpfull to you as I please Hence there is such blasting of means for the cursing of those whom God sets himselfe against let us not be afraid of the great assistance that our adversaries have though they have great assistance they are in Gods hand and none can deliver out of Gods
Booke of Ecclesiastes principally because it speakes so much of the works of Gods providence All the while Gods people dwelt in boothes and Tabernacies God himselfe would dwell in a Tabernacle God would never have a house built unto him till he had brought his own people to be setled in houses of their owne and therefore when David began to thinke that he had a house of Cedar and therefore surely God must have one too God tells him Did ever I speake of a house for me as if he had said As long as my people went up and down in booths and Tabernacles I was content to have a Tabernacle and a booth for my dwelling thus God is willing to suite himselfe with the condition of his people Is the condition of his people in a fleeting way then I will be so too saith God If your conditions be afflicted and unsetled I will be so too In all their afflictions God was afflicted in all their unsetlednesse God seemed to be so too Indeed afterwards when Gods people came to be in a setled estate in Ierusalem then God would have a house built him God would hereby teach us That if himselfe be content to be in a condition like us then we must be content to be in a condition like him as thus when we are afflicted will God be afflicted with us when we are unsetled will God be as it were unsetled with us then let us not thinke it much if afterwards God be in an afflicted way his truth and his Gospell be in a suffering way let us be willing to suffer with God when God is magnified and praised then our hearts should be inlarged too and rejoyce in his praise we should consider the condition that God is in the world we must suite our selves with that Again would God have them once a yeare to celebrate the remembrance of their dwelling in boothes and Tabernacles and that after they came to Ierusalem From hence note It is good to remember our low estates to have a reall remembrance of our low mean conditions we had heretofore doth God now bring us into a more setled condition then heretofore Let us not forget in what an afflicted condition we were in how unsetled how ready we were to fleet up and down If God should grant his people that they should think themselves setled in their own kingdoms yet let them never forget the time when they were unsetled in this other countries there hath been a great part of the people of God whose thoughts have been what shall become of them whether shall they go and perhaps to this day many have such thougts unlesse there be some speciall mercies of God prevent it yet may be the condition of thousands in the land before a yeare go about If God should prevent you ever remember your fleeting condition once you were in It was Gods great care of the people of Israel that they should never forget their dwelling in Tabernacles Thirdly Note the time of their Feast of Tabernacles they were to dwell in booths upon the fifteenth day of their moneth it was but five dayes after their day of atonoment so that being so presently after the day of publique atonement this lesson may be learned After our humiliations for our sins and making up our peace with God it is good to keep our hearts low with the meditation of the uncertainty of all things in the world You have been humbling your selves and making your peace with God yet when your hearts are comforted with the hope of your alonement made keep your hearts low take heed of pride the feast of Tabernacles must be kept presently after the feast of Atonement this is one speciall means to keep your hearts low to have a reall remembrance of the uncertainties of the comforts of this world This lifteth up mens hearts to conceive some excellencies in things here therefore goe into your boothes and work your hearts down keep your feast of Tabernacles Fourthly God would have their hearts kept low by the actuall going into their booths and tabernacles though they had faire and sumptuous houses in the City yet they were to go out and live in their booths a while you might think were it not enough for the Priest to tell them and bid them remember their dwelling in Tabernacles but they must go forth from their houses and abide in booths It is a good way to keep those men humbled that are raised from a low condition to a high even actually to goe into those houses that are low and mean go into the houses of poor men look into the cupboards see what provision they have this will be a means to humble your hearts when you consider This was once my condition A second end of this feast was to blesse God for all the fruits of the earth they had received when they had received all in their Vintage and all As the feast of Pentecost was to blesse God for their first fruits and their harvest but now all the fruits of the earth Vintage and all were gathered in Now they were to joyn all together and to blesse God for all the fruits of the Earth That this is Gods end is cleare in Deut. 16. 13 14. Thou shalt observe the feast of Tabernacles after thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine and thou shalt rejoyce c. because the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy encrease therefore thou shalt surely rejoyce From hence there is this lesson It is usefull to remember what a poor condition we were once in and the uncertainty of all things that we have even when we have got our riches into our houses when all things are in our possession it is not so much to think how uncertain they are when they are growing in the field but after the Vintage was gotten in then they were to keep the feast of Tabernacles to remember the uncertain condition of all things in the world this we are very loath to doe it is unsutable to our natures and therefore this feast of Tabernacles was much neglected among the Jewes untill such time as they 〈◊〉 been in captivity after God had carried them into Babylon and theâ—â— bâ—ought them back againe into their own Countrey then they kept the feast of Tabernacles more solemnly then ever they had done as we finde Nehem. 8. 17. Since the day of Ioshua the son of Nun they had not done so they never kept the feast of Tabernacles so solemnly from their first comming into Canaan as then they did now being come out of prison they could remember the uncertainty of all things in the world men forget the uncertainty of all things in the world but if they be driven from house and home and lose all then they remember what they have heard and confessed of the uncertainty of all worldly things some of our brethren who are plundered and
have been good and God hath blessed them because they have done as they have though we know their ways to be such as brings most fearfull guilt upon themselves and their families and we have all cause to have our hearts tremble within us to think of them and if it be through seducement and not through a worse principle to pray to God O Lord forgive them for they know not what they doe and for the success they boast of who would not if he might wish such success to his Enemy But if Idolaters can encourage themselves in those ways they are in from what good they suppose they have by them for their rewards how much more then should the Saints encourage themselves in the rewards that they have from their lover from the Lord Christ Psal 129. 56. This I had saith David because I kept thy word this is the reward I have had from my lover I blesse God I have in some measure got my heart to breake before the Lord and to melt after him and the Lord hath come in mercifully to me though indeed there be no worthinesse in what I have done yet the Lord hath beene gracious he hath encouraged his poose servant in his way these and these mercies the Lord hath given me as a fruit of seeking him he hath not said to the seed of Iacob seeke ye me in vaine I have sought for comfort for peace and at last it is come I will call upon the name of the Lord as long as I live we should consider of Gods mercies we have and rejoyce in them as the love-tokens that come from our beloved These are the rewards these are the love-tokens that come from our dearly beloved Hereafter when the Saints shall come to heaven how will they blesse God and blesse themselves in their God for those glorious things those blessed rewards that they then shall receive from their beloved and enjoy for ever with him then they shall triumphingly say the world said heretofore What profit is there in serving of the Lord But blessed be God that I went on notwithstanding in the wayes of God and now I see there is profit to purpose O these joyes O this glory O this crowne this happinesse these are the rewards that I have from my beloved A fift what any man gets by sin or lookes upon as gotten by sin or uses as a meanes to harden himself in sin the curse of God is in it and it will rend it from him he shall not ever enjoy it I will destroy their vines their fig-trees whereof they have said these are the rewards that my lovers have given me 1 Kings 21. 16. you shall finde that Ahab blessed himselfe in getting Naboths vineyard by the device of Iezebel the text saith He rose up to goe to take possession but verse 9. Thus saith the Lord hast thou killed and also taken possession in the place where the doggs licked the blood of Nabeth shall doggs licke thy blood even thy blood What you have got an estate now you have got the vineyard you have got possession how got you it by wickednesse though you blesse your selves in it now as a reward of your vile wayes certainly the Lord will either force you in the anguish and terrour of your soules to vomit up those sweet morsells againe you shall not hold them or some fearfull judgement of God up-you will rend them from you that which many have got by unjust and sinfull wayes they have indeed rejoyced in for a while but after a while that estate hath beene in their consciences as drops of scalding lead in the very apple of a mans eye so terrible hath it been unto them For this I will onely give you an example a late one that came to my owne hands in restoring that that was wrongfully got many yeeres agoe from one neere my selfe I shall the rather name it because the partie desired that the thing might bee made knowne to the glory of God He sends that that he had wrongfully got divers yeeres after with a letter with these expressions Many a throb of conscience had I about it many an â—king heart and many promises have I made of restitution and thousands of times have I wished unto you your silver againe what shall I doe to keep it it is to continue in sin to give it to the poor alas it is not mine owne or at least the evill purchase of gaine hourded up in the stuffe of my iniquity to send it home the owner is dead I would to God I had sent it before that it might not have layne so hard upon me but seeing that is past and cannot be recalled here I sent it you I aske God forgivenesse and pray you fayle not to pray for me Sweet Jesus forgive me It was kept divers years but was biting all the while in the conscience of the poor man and at length it must breake forth in such expressions as these are Consider of this every one who hath got any thing by a sinfull way and have blest himselfe in it this is the reward I have got by such a cunning device and such an unjust and deceitfull way you got it cleverly and have enjoyed it and been merry with it well one day it may thus lie grating in your conscience O then how rerrible will it be to you this is the best way to be rid of the rewards of sin when they begin to cause aking in your consciences cast them out your selves all your praying to God for forgivenesse will never ease you without this way if you be able to restore but if you will not doe it this way God may come by some hideous judgement and force them from you in spite of your hearts and then how terrible will it be to you when you looke upon them as going from you as being rent by God from you O now I must part with all that gaine and sweetnesse that such and such wayes of sin have brought me in the gain the sweet is gone but the guilt the curse the dregs the filth that remains upon my spirit and for ought I know must stick by me to all eternity Gods judgements will be upon you one day but as strainers to let out whatsoever is sweet delightfull to you and to keepe in the filth and dregs Remember this you that have got rewards by sinfull wayes your rewards of sinne may now delight you but there is a time you shall have rewards for your sins that will not please you I will make them as a forrest God threatens his people to make them as a forrest the Seventy they reade it otherwise I will put those things as a witnesse you will say here is a great difference I will make her as a forrest and I will put those things as a witnesse Those things that is those rewards they rejoyce in the rewards that they have had of their
of God and hence are put to it so much to make a connection betweene that that went before and this therefore but wee need not go so farre the right knowledg of the fulnesse and the riches of the grace of the Covenant will help us out of this difficulty and tell us how these two the greatnesse of mans sin and the riches of Gods grace may have a connection one to another and that by an Illative therefore I confesse the Hebrew word is sometimes conjunctio ordinis rather then causalis a conjunction that only sets out the order of a thing one thing following another rather then any way implying any cause but the reading here by way of inference I take to be according unto the scope of the Spirit of God and it gives us this excellent note Such is the grace of God unto those who are in Covenant with him as to take occasion from the greatnesse of their sinns to shew the greatnesse of his mercy from the vilenesse of their sins to declare the riches of his grace And the Scripture hath divers such kind of expressions as these as Gen. 8. 21. The Lord said in his heart I will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake VVhy For the immagination of mans heart is evill from his youth A strange reasoning I will not curse the ground for mans sake for the imagination of mans heart is evill from his youth One would have thought it should have been rather I will therefore curse the ground for mans sake because the imagination of mans heart is evill from his youth but the grace of God knowes how to make another manner of inference then we could have imagined So likewise Isa 57. 17 18. For the iniquity of his covetousnesse was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his wayes saith God Now one would have thought that the next word should have been I will therefore plague him I wil destroy him I will curse him but mark the words that follow I will heale him I will 〈◊〉 him also and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners I will create the fruit of the lips peace to him This is a consequence at least if not an inference David understood this reasoning to be indeed the true reasoning of the Covenant of grace and therefore he pleadeth thus with God Psal 25. 11. Pardon my iniquity for it is great Lord my iniquity is great therefore pardon it Hearken you Saints hearken I say this is the great blessing of God unto you who are in Covenant with him whereas otherwise your sins should have made you objects of Gods hatred your sins now render you objects of his pitty and compassion this is the glorious fruit of the covenant of grace I would only the Saints heard me in this thing but why doe I say so I will recall my word let all sinners heare me let the vilest the worst sinners in the world heare of the riches of the grace of God in this his Covenant that if they belong to Gods election they may see the fulnesse the glory of Gods grace to be inamoured with it their hearts ravished with it that they may never be at rest till they get evidence to their soules that God indeed hath actually received them into this his Covenant If then God be pleased in the riches of free grace to make such an inference therefore let us take heed that wee make not a quite crosse inference from the greatnesse of our sins nor on the other side from Gods grace As thus You have followed your lovers you have forgot me therefore will I allure you An unbelieving heart would make this inference I have followed my lovers I have followed after vanity and folly and therefore God hath rejected mee therefore God will have no mercy upon me therefore I am undone therefore the gates of mercy are shut against me unbelieving heart do not sin against the grace of God he saith you have forgotten me therefore will I allure and speake comfortably to you doe not you say I have forgot the Lord and therefore the Lord will for ever reject me these discouraging determining despairing therefores are very grievous to the Spirit of God God would have us have all good thoughts of him It is a maine thing that God intendeth through the whole Scripture that his people should have good thoughts of him and that they should not think him a hard master It is an excellent expression of Luther saith he the whole Scripure doth principally aime at this thing that we should not doubt but that wee should hope that we should trust that we should believe that God is a merciful a bountifull a gracious and a patient God to his people It is an excellent expression that I have read of Master Bradford in one of his Epistles saith he O Lord sometimes me thinks I feel it so with me as if there were no difference between my heart and the wicked a blind mind as they a stout stubborn rebellions spirit a hard heart as they and so he goes on shall I therefore conclude thou art my Father nay I will rather reason otherwise saith he because I do believe thou art my Father I will come unto thee that thou mightest enlighten this blind minde of mine that thou mightest soften this hard heart of mine that thou mightest sanctifie this unclean spirit of mine I this is a good reasoning indeed and is worthy of one that professes the gospel of Jesus Christ Again as the inference of this unbelieving heart is grievous to Gods spirit so the inference of a prophane heart an unbelieving heart makes his therefore from the greatnesse of sin against Gods mercy and the prophane heart makes his therefore from the greatnesse of Gods mercy to the hardening of his heart in his sins what shall God make his therefore from our sin to his mercy and shall we make our therefore from his mercy back again to our sins where sin abounds grace abounds but where grace abounds sin must not abound because God is mercifull to us who are very sinfull let not us be very sinfull against him who is so mercifull God takes occasion from the greatnesse of our sins to shew the greatnesse of his mercy let not us take occasion from the greatnesse of his mercy to be emboldened in greatnesse of our sins Therefore behold Behold Here is a wonder to take up the thoughts of men and Angels to all eternity even that that we have in this inference behold notwithstanding all this yet you men and Angels behold the fulnesse the riches of Gods grace I will allure her what will not God cast us away notwithstanding the greatnesse of our sins let not us reject Gods ways notwithstanding the greatnesse of any sufferings we meet with in them there is a great deale of reason in
brethren are discontented at us frowne upon us speake against us 8. Alas we have rejected the right key that should have opened this our door no marvaile then though we stand blundring at it and it opens not unto us VVhat is that right key that would have opened it before this time had we made use of it That key of David that we reade of Apoc. 3. 7. That openeth and no man shutteth This key the Church of Philadelphia had therefore it followes ver 8. I have set before thee an open doore that no man can shut But what is this key of David It is the ruling power of Jesus Christ in his Church David in his government was a speciall type of Christ the first godly King over his people that ever was Government is emblematically set forth by a key Esay 22. 22 God promised Eliakim to commit the government to him by that expression The key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder Esay 9. 6 7. The government is said to be upon Christs shoulder and he sits upon the throne of David that is observable that to Eliakim there was promised but the key of the house of David but to Christ the key of David himselfe the one was to governe but as a steward the government of the other was to be Princely If we had been the Church of Philadelphia united in brotherly love and had had this key of David amongst us we might before this time had had a door set open amongst us that no man could have shut against us but woe unto us how many amongst us say of Christ We will not have this man to rule over us Mr. Brightman more then thirty years since paralelld this Church of Philadelphia with the Church of Scotland he made it in a typical way to set forth the wayes of God towards that Church in after times and indeed they have been very like one another divers wayes and God ways towards the one hath been the same with his ways towards the other in many things 1. They are both Philadelphians united so in a brotherly covenant as no Churches in any kingdome more 2. It was said of Philadelphia it had but a little strength and yet it kept Gods word VVhat Churches in any Nation have beene more contemptible then those in Scotland They have beene accounted a poore beggerly people despised of all and yet God hath enabled them to doe great things 3. God hath caused their enemies to come and bow before them and to know that he hath loved them even those who said they were lews and were not that they were the onely Church when indeed they were the Synagogue of Satan they have rejected false government and have received much of the government of Christ the key of David is more received among them then in any kingdome in the world no marvaile then though their doore be so opened that none could shut it thorow Gods mercy our Houses of Parliament have cast away the false key The Lord deliver them and us for ever medling with it any more whatsoever come of us They have further professed their desires to enquire after the true key This door of hope we hope will open to us in due time so as none shall shut it 9. We have lost many opportunities for the opening this door never had a people fairer opportunities for mercy then we have had we cannot looke back upon them without trembling hearts we may see cause to lament the losse of them with teares of blood even this hath cost much and is yet like to cost more blood 10. Yea woe unto us out father comes forth and seemes to be angry with us and bids shut the doore against us yea hee shuts us out himselfe is not that complaint of the Churches Psal 80 4. truly ours O Lord of Hoasts how long wilt thou be angry with the prayer of thy people If God be angry with out knocking what shall we doe 11. And well may God bid shut the doore against us for we have shut it upon our selves This our doore of hope hath a spring lock it is easily shut too but it cannot so easily be opened againe we have stood wrangling and strugling one with another and have clapt to the doore upon our selves before we were aware That Scripture Hos 7. 1 is as truly ours as ever it was Israels When I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered and the wickednesse of Samariah VVhen the Lord would have healed England then the iniquity thereof hath been discovered more then ever There is the vilest spirit of malignity against godlinesse against the Saints against the way of Christ in his Ordinances that ever was upon the face of the earth Now men care not though they ruin themselves though they bring themselves and posterity to be bondslaves so they may but have their wills upon those that are godly to suppresse them The controversie now is almost grown to that height that the kingdome divides it selfe into those who have some shew of Religion and the haters of it Those times complained of in Micah are even ours Chap. 7. 5. Trust ye not in a friend put no confidence in a guide keepe the doores of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy bosome Yea it is almost come to that in the fourth verse The best of them is a bryar the most upright is sharper then a thorny hedg There is much frowardnesse much perversnesse even in the best many contentions and grievous breaches even amongst them they cannot endure you should be jealous of them and they give cause of jealousie daily This generation for a great part of it shew themselves to have such sullied such puttid spirits so defiled with superstitious vanities so imbittered with a spirit of malignity that we may feare God hath no pleasure in the generality of it yea Moses and Aaron have sinned the best have so sullied themselves with Antichristian pollutions that just it were with God that this whole generation should be first taken away and that the young generation that is comming on who have not so defiled themselves should have this doore that lets into Canaan opened to them that they onely should goe into and possesse that good land but our carcasses should fall in the wildernesse You who are godly young ones whose hearts began betimes to yerne after Jesus Christ know the heart of Jesus Christ yernes after you and although some of you may fall in fighting for your brethren so be received to heaven yet you are of that generation God will open this door of mercy unto you shal go in possesse Canaan all this valley of Achor is but a door of hope to you continue you on in your sincerity God will reveale himselfe more fully to you then he hath done to us if we be cut off before those treasures of mercy that God has ready for
his people be opened we must accept of the punishment of our iniquity and even beare this indignation of the Lord because wee have sinned against him 12. Yea the Lord hath strucke us with blindnesse at the doore we grope up and down and we cannot finde it as Gen 19. 11. Never were a people at a greater losse in a greater confusion then now we are every man runs his owne way wee know not what to doe nay the truth is we know not what we doe 13. Yea many because they have found some difficulties at the right door they have gone away from it and have sought back doors to help themselves by even base false shifting treacherous ways seeking to comply for their own private ends as if their skins must needs be saved whatsoever becomes of the publique 14. This is yet a further misery that we are groping up and downe at the doore and night is come upon us stormes tempests are rising dangers are approaching and yet God opens not to us 15. Above all our misery this is yet the greatest that even our hearts are shut up too there lyes a stone rowled at the doore of our hearts and such a stone as is beyond the power of an Angel to rowle away were it that after all our hearts were but open our condition yet had comfort in it Oh now what shall we doâ— 1. Let us resolve to waite at this doore â—â—aite upon God in those wayes of helpe that yet in mercy he affords unto us Certainly we are at the right doore let us say with Shecaniah Ezra 10. 2. We have sinned against the Lord yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Let us resolve whatsoever becomes of us not to goe from our fathers door if we perish we will perish at his gates 2. Let us worship the Lord at this our doore though we be not entred in yet let our hearts bow before the Lord in the acknowledgement of his greatnesse power dominion that he hath over us to doe with us what he pleaseth as Ezek. 46. 2. it is said The Prince shall worship at the threshold of the gate and the people of the land shall woâ—ship at the doore 3. Let us look in at the key-hole or at any crevise that wee can to see something of the riches of mercy that this door opens into Within on the other side oâ— the door we may see what liberty of conscience what enjoyment of Ordinances the blessing of Gods worship in his own way we may see the wayes of God and his Saints would be made honorable in this kingdome yea in a higher degree then any where upon the face of the earth yea we may see many sweet outward liberties the free enjoyment of our estates peace plenty prosperity in abundance all these and more then we can think of if this door were but once opened to us howsoever it is good 〈◊〉 looke in to quicken our hearts and set on our desires and endeavours the more strongly in the meane time Oh how happy were we if we had these mercies 4. Let us yet knock lowder and cry lowder at our Fathers doore But did not you tell us our Father seemed to be angry at our knocking Mark what we have in that very Scripture where the Church complains that God is angry with her prayer Psal 80. 4. How long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people Yet ver 7. Turne us againe O God of Hosts and cause thy face to shine And ver 14 Returne we beseech thee O God of Hâ—sts look down from heaven behold visit this vine ver 19. Turne us againe O Lord God of Hosts cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved 5. Let every one take away his sinnes that lye at this door let every one sweep his owne door Zech. 8. 15. 16. Again have I thought in these â—â—â—yes to doe well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Iudah feare not But yet mark what followes These are the things that ye shall doe Speake ye every man the truth to his neighbour execute the judgement of truth and peace in your gates Let none of you imagine evill in his heart against his neighbor Both private men and men in publick place must reforme How far are we from this Never more plottings more heart-burnings one against another those in publike place neglect the execution of judgement they would have their policies beyond Gods wisdome God puts these two together and commends one as a meanes to the other the execution of judgement and peace but they have a further reach they will not exe curâ—â—â—dgement for feare of a breach of peace It is just with God that we should never have peace till we can trust God for it in his own way 6. Let us seek to God againe and call to him for the right key Lord reveale the way of thy worship and thy government to us and we will yeeld our selves unto it 7. Stir we up our selves against all difficulties Things are not yet so bad but we may help our selves if we have hearts Our Father heares us he can command many Angels to come to help to rowle away the stone yea he hath opened divers doores to us already We are indeed come to the â—ron gate the Lord can make that at length flye open of its own accord as Acts 20. 10. The Church was praying and after the prâ—â—on dooâ—es were opened to Peter and he had passed the first and second gate he came unto the iron gate that led into the City and there he found as easie passage as any where else In the mount will the Lord be scene 8. Let us exercise Faith in the blood of Christ let us as it were besprinkle this our door with the blood of the Lambe yea looke we up to Christ as the true doore to let into all mercy let Faith act as well as Prayer 9. Let us now especially watch all opportunities of mercy and take heed we neglect no more as we have done many very foulely lest hereafter wee knock and cry Lord open to us and it proves too late 10. Let us open to God who knocks at our doores it wee would have him open to us God knocks at the doore of every one of our hearts open we to him fully set all wide open for him Openye gates stand open ye everlasting doores let the King of glory come in These who doe thus are the true generation of those that seek the Lord let England open for God yet stands at the doore and knockes and if we will yet open to him he will yet come in and suppe withus and we shall suppe with him It is true God rebukes and chastens severely so he did Laodicea at that time when he stood at her doore and knocked Apoc. 3. 19. 20. if any Church be or ever was like to that of Laodicea we have been luke-warm as that was a mixture of Gods
worship hath beene amongst us more then in any reformed Church we have beene a proud people we have thought our selves rich wanting nothing whereas we knew not that we were indeed wretched miserable poore blinde and naked and those who would be Angels of this Church how hath God spuâ—d them out of his mouth they are cast out as filthy they have laine upon the stomack of God and his Saints a long time they with all that belonged to their Courts have made themselves a most â—oathsome generation of men and now God is at our doore knocks cals to us to let him in that he may come and rule us that he may bring peace salvation unto us But howsoever whether Christ be admitted by the State yea or no yet let the Saints who are willing that Christ should rule over them hold on to the end the promise is even to those in Laodicea to him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne 11. â—et us encourage what we are able all our faithfull doore-keepers those who are the publicke instruments of God for our good upon whom so much of the great affayres of the kingdom under God depends And for the quickning of our hearts that we may doe all we can that this our doore of hope be not shut against us Consider further First This doore was opened to us when we began to think yea almost to conclude that all doores of hope had beene shut against England when we were ready to give up all for lost Secondly It was opened to us after much knocking by prayer If ever there were a Parliament of prayer since the world began this was and is How dreadfull then would it be to have this doore shut against us Thirdly It was opened by a mighty hand of God Josephus tells us of a doore of the Temple that used to have thirty men to open it and yet as a prognostication of some great thing to fallout it opened of its own accord This our door was more hard to be opened thousands of men could not have opened this it was the mighty work of God to doe it Fourthly It is a door that opens to the greatest mercies that ever England had how happy would England be in the happy success of this Parliament 5. It is a door that our adversaries have laboured all they can to shut by policy and by force and thorow Gods mercy yet they cannot 6. How sweet have the manifestations of God been to us in the beginnings of his goodnesse and our endeavours Canâ— 5 4. 5. My beloved put his hand at the door my bowels were moved my hands dropped myrrhe and my fingers sweet smelling myrrhe upon the handles of the locke the beginning of reformation but the hand upon the door is sweet what would the work compleated be 7. If this doore should be wholly shut against us what a miserable people should we be if these men have their wills then never expect Parliaments more or never good from Parliaments They will be the most contemptible and servile things that can be if any they will be doores to let in all misery to frame mischiefe by a law then what are we and our posterity but slaves the Popish party must yea will be gratified their designe will be effected what contempt of the Saints of Religion what hatred what persecution will then follow what horrid blasphemies how will they be hardned in all manner of wickednesse our estates our liberties our Religion are then gone yea it is like our lives and if not so so miserable would our lives be as we had better have the grave open her mouth upon us and we be shut in it then to live to see hear and feele such things as we and our friends are like to heare see and feele It would be the most horrid judgment that ever was against a nation it may be told to all the nations of the world God gave England a fair opportunity to help it self to be a most happy nation but they had no hearts they were blinded their hearts were taken from them those worthies they chose who ventured themselves for them they basely deserted and betrayed they have also vilely betrayed themselves their liberties their Religion their posterity and now are become the most miserable nation the most fearful spectacle of Gods wrath upon the face of the earth Wherefore beloved in the Lord let us make sure of Christ who is our hope and who says of himselfe that he is the door as indeed hee is to let in all mercies of God into us that whatever disappointment we have of our hopes here yet we may not be disappointed of our last hopes though it should prove that here looking for light behold darknes yet we looking for the light of Gods face eternally we may not be driven out to everlasting darknes But shall I end thus nay the close of all shal rather be the close of the 31 Psal Be of good courage and he shal strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord hope yet that God will make the valley of Achor adoor of hope unto us The next words in this Scripture are words of joy She shall sing as in the dayes of her youth Was there ever a time wherein shee had cause to sing praise to God there are times coming that shall be as joyfull as ever yet times have been God hath mercy for his people he hath singing times for them The Foureteenth Lecture HOSEA 2. 15. And she shall sing there as in the dayes of her youth as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt YOu have heard formerly of the valley of Achor that God gave to his people to be a doore of hope This day you shall heare of Gods people standing singing at this door of hope Though it be but a door of hope yet at that day they shall there sing as in the days of her youth when they came up out of the land of Egypt There are six things needfull to be opened for the meaning of Gods mind here in this their singing at the door of hope First the reading of the words are to be cleared 2. The scope is to be shewed 3. What the dayes of youth that are here spoken of are is to be opened 4. What was the song that they did then sing in the dayes of their youth is to be declared 5. What cause they had to sing in this the day of their youth is to be enquired after Lastly how this is applyable to repenting Israel and what time this prophesie aâ—meth at likewise is to be manifested For the first the reading of the words you have it in your bookes they shall sing as in the dayes of their youth There are only two words that have need of opening First the word translated singing
is the fruit of this This is set as the reason of the words immediately before Then shall the lame man leap as an Hart and the tongue of the dumb sing Because the Lord shall make the parched ground become a poole and the thirsty land springs of water this shall make the lame to leap as an Hart the tongue of the dumb to sing Though our tongues be dumb yet it should make us sing when we see God working good out of contraries when wee see things that of themselves tend to our ruin and would bring us to misery that are as the valley of Achor yet God working good out of them if wee have the hearts of men in us much more the hearts of Christians though we were dumb before this should make us sing Yea all this is brought in as an argument to strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees and as a reason why those that have weake hearts should not feare because God workes good out of that which seemeth the greatest evill vers 4. Say to them that are of a fearefull heart be strong feare not and then followeth this in the 6. verse Are we in the valley of Achor a place of trouble and straits wee have cause to sing even in this valley of Achor for we have not yet been brought into any straits but God hath brought good out of them he hath turned the parched ground into a pool and the thirsty land into springs of water It is our great sin that when God calleth us to singing we are yet concluding of rejecting we are ready to think if we be brought into the valley of Achor we are presently cast off Oh no God calleth you to singing nothwithstanding you meet with difficulties Isa 49. 13. Sing O heavens saith the Text there he joyfull O earth breake forth into singing O mountaines for God hath comforted his people and will have mercy upon his afflicted But mark now the next words But Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten mee At that very time when the Lord was calling for singing even then they were concluding of rejecting Take we heed this be not our condition But take the words as then I told you as I conceived them to be the meaning of the spirit of God that this valley of Achor was some speciall mercy that God gave at first as a door of hope to further mercies he would give afterward and there they shall sing Then the observation is When the Lord is beginning with his Saints in the ways of mercy though they have not all that they would have yet it is a singing condition Though you be but yet brought into the valley of Achor and be but at the doore of hope and not entred into the door though you have not yet got the possession of all the mercy God intendeth for you yet God expects you should sing You must not stand grumbling whining complaining and murmuring at the door because you have not what you would have though God makes you wait at the door you must stand singing there It may be said of Gods mercy as of his word in Psal 119. 130. The entrance into thy word giveth light so the entrance of Gods works of mercy giveth light Psal 138. 5. Yea they shall sing in the wayes of the Lord for great is the glory of the Lord. In the ways of the Lord they shall sing though God be but in the wayes of his mercy and they have not what they would have yet they shall sing This is certainly one great reason why our doore of hope is not yet opened to us as we desire or at least that we have not that entrance that we would have at that door because we stand murmuring yea we stand quarrelling one with another at the doore whereas God expects that we should stand singing and praising his name there Though wee have not what wee desire yet let us blesse God that ever we lived to this day to see so much of God as we have done though we should never see more though the mercy we look for should be reserved for the generation that shall follow yet we have cause to blesse God while we live that we have seene and do see so much of God as we have done daily do Let us stand at our Fathers door singing and if we must sing at the foot of Zion what song shall we sing when we come to the height Ier. 31. 12. They shall come and sing in the height of Zion they shall flow to the bountifulnesse of the Lord. If there be any one with whom God is dealing in a way of mercy though you can see but a little light thorough the key-hole yet you should sing there There are many poor souls with vvhom God is beginning in very gracious ways yet because they have not their minds inlightned their hearts humbled as they desire power over corruptions abilities to performe duties as they expect they are presently ready to conclude against themselves surely the Lord will not have mercy we are rejected They think they have nothing because they have not what they vvould O unthankfull heart This is the very thing that keepeth thee under bondage because when the Lord is setting open a door of hope unto thee thou wilt not take notice of it but art presently murmuring and repining because thou hast not all that thou wouldest Wouldest thou enter in at this door and have God perfect the mercy he hath begun take notice of the beginnings and blesse God for what thou hast This would be an observation of marvey lous use to many a drooping soul if they would learne by this dayes coming hither to sing hereafter at the doore of hope Yet further They shall sing there as in the dayes of their youth It is the condition of Gods own people many times when first they enjoy liberty then to be in a singing condition but afterward to lose their joy At first indeed when Gods mercies were fresh to them in the dayes of their youth O how their hearts were taken how then they sung merrily and chearfully Moses and all the people but in processe of time it appeareth they had not kept up this singing this harmonious this melodious heart of theirs therefore God promiseth they should sing as in the dayes of their youth We finde it so in people when they first come to enjoy liberty out of bondage Church liberties Oh how they rejoyce in them how do they blesse God for them O how sweet are these mercies at their very hearts they rejoice that ever they lived to this time but within a while the flower of their youth is gone and they soone have the teats of their virginity bruised At first indeed O the sweetnesse but stay a while and you shall finde contention or scandoll arising amongst them or deadnesse of heart befalling them Oh the blessed
between Gods wrath and your former sins Further They shal not so much as be remembred by their name they shal not thinke of them The note from hence is all superstitious vanities though they may seem for the present never so glorious yet in time they will vanish and come to nothing God hath a time to make them so to vanish as they shall not so much as be thought off Col. 2. 22. it is said of the rudiments of the world that are according to the Doctrine of men they perish in the use in the present use that is they effect nothing that they seeme to be appointed for there is no good cometh of them for the present but in the very use they come to nothing but time shall be that God will cause them all to perish utterly and the very remembrance of them shall be taken away It is true for the present while mens hearts are set upon superstitious wayes O how glorious are they in their eyes but these glorious things will come to nothing whereas those Ordinances of God that seeme to be but meane things wherein the simplicity of the Gospel appeareth they shall appeare full of beauty though for the present they seeme to be darkened they shall be glorious in the eyes of the Saints to the end of the world Not long since what a stirre was there about the more then decent even superstitious adorning of Temples and building of Altars and brave Canopies what sumptuous things and fine knacks had they and all to set out a pompous superstitious way of worship this altogether prevailed as for the purity and simplicity of Gods wayes and worship how was it trampled under feet as an unworthy contemptible thing but these things that for a while seemed so glorious begin to vanish and wee hope ere long will come to nothing the very memory of them shall perish the purity of Gods worship and the simplicity of the Gospell in Gods Ordinances shall recover their beauty and glory when those braveries shall be no more 7. A true penitent cannot remember former sinnes without indignation for so is the meaning of the phrase they shall not remember Some of us may remember how we have beene intangled with wayes of false worship and how we have fullyed and wrung our consciences that way we said we would yeeld as far as we could but indeed we yeelded further then wee could for id possumus qnod jure possumus we have cause to remember it with shame and confusion of face Ye old men may remember the sins of your youth but how can you remember them and speake of them with joy and meryment that is an evil yea almost a desperate signe do you so remember the sinnes of your youth as to tell tales of the pranckes of your younger dayes with joy you are in a high degree left of God and given up to hardnesse you shall remember them with shame and indignation the sweet morsells of former sinnes coming up into remembrance should be bitter and sower unto you The last note is the taking off mens hearts from Idolatrous wayes is a speciall worke of God I will do it saith God I will take away the names of Baalim out of their mouthes Certainly the people in these times hung much upon their false ways of worship they had many arguments for their way no question but they had many distinctions to uphold it but there shall come a day saith the Lord when I will take away the names out of their mouths I will stop your mouthes I will take off your hearts from all those Objections and reasonings you have had to maintaine such ways as those were I will silence all then you shal see evidently convincingly to your shame that you have been gulled by such vaine false distinctions I will take off all those ingagements your hearts were bound in those being taken off I will soon take you off from all What a deale of stir hath God that we may speake with holy reverence to take mens hearts from wayes of false worship What a company of distinctions and objections have men their hearts clinging to them being very unwilling to be taken off now then their consciences are wrung yet they hold fast and then conscience hath another wring and then they another objection and another distinction and yet perhaps true grace lyes at the bottome after all this But God having a love unto them by some way or other takes off their hearts if he doth it not by settling truths upon the heart by his Spirit he will doe it by some notable works oâ— providence we finde it by experience so long as mens engagements hold that they cannot enjoy their estates liberties and comforts without yeelding to such wayes of superstition they will not be taken off from them they please themselves in this and perhaps they speake what they thinke that they doe nothing against the light of their consciences for why their ingagements keepe off the strength of truth that it comes not to a full conviction of conscience But when God shall by any worke of his providence take off their hearts from ingagements and then come and set before them the same truths that formerly he did they come to see now a convincing evidence in those truths they stand admiring that they saw it not before wonder what the matter was they read such bookes before that had the same arguments against their wayes and for the truth but they could not see the strength of them before now they see it apparently and they are ashamed of themselves every time they goe into the presence of God they are confounded in their owne thoughts to thinke that though truths were so clear before they did not see them now they see them with such cleareness as they thinke they could lay downe their lives for them whatsoever they suffer for time to come they can never yield to what they have yeilded to heretofore What is the matter God hath come in with power God hath taken off their hearts God attributeth this to himself I will take the names of Baalim out of their mouthes whatsoever they have to say for the keeping of such names and reliques of Idolatry yet I will come with power upon their hearts and take them out of their mouths Then indeed when God thus commeth the thing will be done And let us take heed we doe not stand out too long lest God come to take off our hearts by some dreadfull way of judgement or other It were better our mouths were stopped our objections silenced and so all the reliques and remainders of false worship were taken from us thorough the word and Spirit of God If that will not doe God will come in some other way and take the name of Baalim out of our mouths And if wee will keepe the memory of superstitious wayes God may extirpate the memory of them by such
the Lord my child is stout and stubborn against me how hath my heart been stout stubborn against the Lord my Father Againe peace with God brings peace with the creatures I will make a covenant with the beasts of the field with the fowles of the ayre c. Job 5. 23. you have a strange kind of promise Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the earth shall be at peace with thee This goes somewhat deeper then that which is here promised there shall be a league not only with the beasts but with the stones of the field How in league with the stones of the field It is more easie to be understood to be in league with the beasts of the field for they are many times hurtfull unto us But how with the stones of the field There are many interpretations given of that place Only thus much for the present It was wont to be the way and so it is still in many places in setting the bounds of their fields they took stones which they set up for land-marks and engraved upon their stones to note to whom this or the other parcell of ground belonged Now this is the promise that the Lord would be so gracious to his people that they should enjoy the bounds of their own habitations securely they should not be wronged their land-marks should not be taken away The stones of the field shal be in league with thee that is the stones of the field that stand for your land-marks shall abide and none shall take them away I will preserve your bounds as if you were in league with the stones that are your land-marks as if they had agreed with you and were in covenant that they would undertake to stand and to set out the bounds of your fields for ever And the beasts of the field also shall bee usefull to you and do you no hurt But you will say sometimes the beasts of the field doe hurt the Saints how doth God make a covenant with them Many things might be answered to that vers 17. of that place of Job he speaks of a time when God corrects and men despise not the chastning of the Almighty now this in vers 23. hath reference unto that time that is when any do make use of Gods correction doe not despise it but in a reverent way submit unto Gods hand of correction then God will make this league with the stones of the field and with the beasts of the earth If God hath corrected you with any sicknesse and you doe not profit by that sickenesse it is just with God that a beast of the field that some or other creature should meet you and be more terrible unto you then ever your sicknesse was And the promise here in Hosea is to those that are reconciled to God who have cast off their superstitious vanities And because wee are not here perfectly reconciled therefore this promise is not perfectly fulfilled But I make no question but the holy Ghost here aymeth at the tâ—me of the call of the Jews and then I believe that this promise shall be literally fulfilled and those other promises in Esay and other places where God sayes he will make the Lion to eate straw with the Oxe and the like and that no venomous creature shall doe them hurt When the calling of the Jews shall be the creatures shall be brought into such a kind of excellency in a manner as they were in Adam in Paradise they shall come to the primitive institution the Lion was not at the first creation wont to live upon prey the creatures were not made to prey one upon another therefore the promise is that the Lion shall live in that kind of quietnesse as it was to do in Paradise if man had not sinned And at the calling of the Jewes it is very like there shall be such a restitution of all things as it is called Acts 3. 21. the creatures shall be restored to such a knd of excellency as it had at the first in the Creation And though in part this may be fulfilled to Gods people so as the beasts of the field shall do them no hurt that is if they prevail against them it shall be for some gracious ends that God aymsat yet for the literall fulfilling of it it is reserved for that day Thirdly VVhen God is reconciled to his people shall the beasts of the field and the fowles of the ayre and the creeping things of the earth be at peace with the Saints what a wicked and ungodly thing is it then in men that the more any are reconciled unto God the greater enemies are they unto them God promiseth when his people be reconciled to him the creature shal be reconciled unto them yet thou a vile wretch when thou seest one grow up in the wayes of reconciliation with God thy enmity increases towards him what a horrible wickedness is this it is more then bruitish by farre it is desperate wickednesse as it was with those Kings of Canaan Iosh 10. 5. assoone as the Gibeonites had made peace with Ioshua and were in coveuant the five Kings conspired against them they lived quietly enough before with them but when they heard that they had made a covenant with Ioshua they presently conspired against them Thus it is with many at this day when you had your companions who would drink swear and break the Sabbath and be unclean and scorn with you they were good fellowes then how would you hug and embrace them and delight in them but so soone as God hath wrought upon their hearts and they are brought from enemies to be reconciled unto God now your hearts are opposite to them now you look upon them as your enemies now you hate them now your spirits rise against them O horrible desperate wickedness the Lord rebuke you this day the Lord strike upon such a heart Before Saul was converted hewas a man of repute but assoone as he turned Christian he was a pestilent a seditious fellow Away with such a man from the earth he is not worthy to live the next newes wee heare forty of them conspired together and bound themselves with an oath that they would neither eate nor drinke till they had killed him Fourthly I will make a Covenant saith God you shall have this mercy and have it by covenant Mercy that commeth by Covenant is excellent mercy indeed The same mercy that cometh in by a worke of generall providence is nothing so sweet nothing so firme as that mercy that cometh in by Covenant When the Saints enjoy a mercy though it be outward they are not so taken with the mercy for the outward part of it because they have some comfort and contentment to the outward man by it but they are taken with it upon this ground they see even this outward mercy cometh to them by vertue of Gods Covenant
with them that sweetnesse and makes firme the mercy when they goe up and down the field and the beasts come not upon them to destroy them they can looke upon their present safety as enjoying it in the Covenant You will say the wicked can walke up and down in the fields and the beasts not destroy them Though they doe yet a godly man hath more sweetnesse in this then he in that he can see this his safety from the Covenant when he rides a journey his beast is not made an instrument of Gods wrath to dash out his braines perhaps it is so with his wicked neighbour that rides with him but that from whence the preservation is is different it is a mercy to the godly man form the Covenant that God hath made with him to preserve him in all his wayes it is but generall providence to the other wicked men may have the same mercies for the matter of them that the godly have yet there is a kernell in the mercy which onely the Saints enjoy There are two things observable in a mercy comming by Covenant 1. It is more sweet 2. More firme More sweet Psal 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keepe his covenant This is a sweet promise a soule-satisfying promise more worth then all the riches of your City even that one promise all the passages of Gods ordinary providence are mercy and truth to those that keepe his Covenant Marke perhaps they are mercies to you there is a generall bounty you have in your ordinary preservation but they are not Mercy and truth to you there is the addition they are Mercy and truth to the godly that is they are such mercies as are bound to them by Covenant Therein David rejoyceth therefore saith he in the beginning of the Psalme I will lift up my heart unto God as amongst other reasons so for this that all the paths of God are not onely mercy but mercy and truth You have beene preserved and have had many mercies from God Well they are Gods mercies unto you but are they mercies and truth to you that is Doe they come to you in a way of promise Looke to that there is the sweetnesse of a mercy and it is a good signe of a gracious heart to looke more to the Originall whence mercy commeth then to the outward part of the mercy Secondly They are more firme Esay 54. 10. The mountaines shal depart the hills be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee Why For the Covenant of my peace shall not be removed That mercy that you have I give it in a way of Covenant and the hills and mountaines shall depart rather then that kindnesse of mine shall depart 5. Is it such a blessed thing for God to make a Covenant with the beasts for us VVhat a mercy is it then for God to make a Covenant with our soules the Covenant that God makes with his people is a Covenant in Christ there is mercy It is a very observable place we have Gen. 17. concerning Abraham you shal find there that in ten verses of that Chap. God repeateth his Covenant which he made with Abraham thirteen times to note thus much that that was the mercy indeed that must satisfie Abraham in all his troubles sorrowes and afflictions as if God should say be satisfied with this Abraham that I have entred into Covenant with thee and thy seed I am a God in Covenant with thee And 2 Sam. 23. 5. there is a notable Text Although saith David my house be not so with God as I desire as I expect yet the Lord hath made me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation all my desire although he make it not to growe Take this Scripture Christians take it I say and make use of it in these times of trouble though things doe not go as you desire yet say as David did yet the Lord hath made a Covenant with us ordered and sure in all things ands all our this isalvation and all our desire 6. Is this a mercy for God to make a Covenant with the beasts for his people what a mercy is it then for God to make a Covenant with his Son for his people It is that we are to blesse god for that he will make a Covenant with brute beasts for our good but that God will make a Covenant with his owne son for our good for our eternall good That God should bring the second person in Trinity to be the head of the Covenant for us what a mercy is this Tit. 2. 1. the Apostle speaks there of eternall life that was promised before the world began Why what promise was there ever made before the world began to whom was this promise made who was there before the world began for God to make any promise unto It was onely the Son of God the second person in Trinity and there was a most blessed transaction between God the Father and God the Son for our everlasting good before the world began and upon that dependeth all our salvation and our hope When we reade the promises of the Gospel that the Lord hath given to us as branches of the Covenant of grace made with us we are ready to think we are poore weake creatures we cannot keepe Covenant with God we cannot performe the conditions of the Covenant But Christians know this thy peace the salvation of thy soul doth not depend so much upon a Covenant God hath made with thee as upon the Covenant he hath made with his Son there is the firmenesse the original the foundation of all thy good thy salvation and though thou art a poore weake creature that doth not keepe Covenant with the Lord yet the Son of God hath kept Covenant with the Father and hath perfectly performed all conditions the Father required of him the worke hath been perfected by the Son and here is our comfort Raise your drooping hearts by this meditation The second part of this peace and that is a promise of deliverance from hoftility from the enemy I will breake the bow and the sword and the battell out of the earth First Peace is a great blessing it is a great mercy to have the bow and the sword broke It is a part of the Covenant that God makes with his people to take away the instruments of hostility Esay 2. 4. God promiseth the breaking of swords into plough-shares and spears in pruning hooks You finde the contrary when God threatneth judgement to a people Joel 3. 10. he threatneth thus to beate their plongh-shares into swords and their pruning hooks into spears then they are in a sad condition It is a great deale better that their swords should be beaten into plow-shares then that the plow-shares should be beaten into swords that the speares should be made pruning hooks then that pruning
to the Church and I will fulfill them all unto you though you have departed from me and provoked me against you yet upon your returning you shall be so received as to have interest in all the precious gracious glorious promises I have made to the Church I will make them all good to you for I will betroth my selfe unto you in faithfulnesse as well as in mercy looke what ever I have said concerning my Church that is yours to be made good to the uttermost and there is nothing that can be for your good that concerns me as a loving husband to doe but you shall be sure to have it And as for you howsoever your hearts have been hitherto unfaithful towards me in departing from me yet now you shall have put into you a faithful spirit there shall be faithfulfulnesse on your part as well as on mine so as my heart shall confide in you you shall not deale falsely with mee as before your hearts shall confide in me that I will deale faithfully with you and my heart shall confide in you that you will deale faithfully with me so that whatsoever befalls you yet you shall be faithfull to me and faithfull one to another so as your hearts shall trust one in another I will betroth you unto me in faithfulnesse And whereas it is but little that yet you have known of me and this indeed hath been the cause of all your vile departings from mee because you have not known me the Lord therefore you shall know the Lord know him in another manner then ever yet you knew him I will shew my glory to you I will open my very heart to you the secret of the Lord shall be with you you shall all know me though your parts be but weak and meane yet you shall be taught of God perhaps you may be ignorant of other things but you shall know the Lord. And as for outward blessings you shall have your fill of them too all the creatures shall be moved towards you to comfort you to succour you Let Iezreelory to the corne the corne shall cry to the earth and the earth shall heare the corne the earth shall cry to the heavens the heavens shall heare the earth and the heavens shall cry to me and I will heare the heavens There shall be in them 1 a readinesse to help 2 a greedinesse to relieve you yea 3 a concatenation of them all 4 and I will joyn them for the good of Iezreel But yet we are a people scattered about the world and most of us are consumed but I will sow her unto me in the earth you were scattered this is a judgment but now it is turned to a mercy your scattering is as seed you shall fructifie encrease abundantly so be a blessing to the whole earth But we have lien underthe curse of God a great while and have seemed to be rejected but saith God I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy Lastly we are a proverb uuto all the world as you know the Jewes are we are a by-word a scorn a reproach amongst all people they say God had rejected us and so trample upon us No saith God I will not onely betroth you to my selfe but it shall appeare to all the world you are my people I will say to you which were not my people you are my people though you be a people scorned and vilified in the world yet I will owne you and it shall appeare so your low and miserable condition shall not hinder me from saying you are my people and as for you whatsoever you shall meet withall in my wayes whatsoever you suffer for my worship though it be scorned and despised in the world yet you shal own it before the world and you shall say Thou art my God Thus you have a short paraphrase upon this gracious expression of God to his reconciled people You have here but a flash of this mercie of the Lord to his Saints But when was all this fulfilled you will say or is it to be fulfilled to what times does this prophesie refer There is in part the making good this prophesie when ever a soule is brought into the embracing the Gospel but the height of this shall be at the calling of the Jewes then not only the spiritual estate of particular converted soules shal bee thus happy but the Church state shal bee thus the visible Church shal be betrothed unto the Lord for ever We cannot say so of any visible Church here there is no visible Church but may fall off from the visibility of it but when God shal bring in the Iewes they shall never fall off from the visibility of their Church-communion Revel 21. 2. seemeth to have reference to this prophesie And I John saw the holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband And I heard a great voyce out of heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God This hath almost the same words that wee have here in this prophesie that is to be fulfilled in that glorious Church-estate that shal bee when God calls home to himselfe his own people Mark there God himself shall be with them God is always with his people but God himselfe that is a more especiall and immediate and full presence of God shall be with them But the words must have yet a more full search into them I will betroth thee The Scripture makes much mention of Espousals and of marriage to expresse the great mysterie of the grace of God to his people The holy Ghost seems to delight much in this Allegory there is none more frequent in Scripture then it which is a very great honour to a married condition And such ought to be the lives of those that are in a married condition as much as may be to resemble the blessednesse of the condition of a people reconciled unto God for in all similitudes there must be something in the thing to resemble that which it is brought for Married people should so live as all that behold the sweetnesse the happinesse of their lives may be put in mind thereby of that sweetnes happiness there is in the Churches comunion with Jesus Christ I appeale to you are your lives thus Now in a married condition there are these foure things most remarkable First There is the neerest unino that can be They two shal be made oneflesh this is the power of God in an Ordinance consider it two that not perhaps a month before were strangers one to another never saw the faces one of another did not know that there were such in the world if they come under this ordinance though it be but a civill ordinance these two shal now be neerer one to another then the child that
Gods mercy by their own they think thus if any had offended us so as we have offended God though we might say wee would be reconciled to him yet wee could not bring our hearts fully to come off to it something would remain in our hearts they therefore think so of God they suspect God that he doth not mean really in his expressions of love and mercy to them But take heed of this doe not judge of God by your selves though you have a base and cruell heart and cannot be reconciled to those that provoke you it is not therefore so with God There are these two evils in sin first in the nature of it there is a departing from God secondly it causeth jealousies and suspitions of God and so hinders the soul from coming unto God again Secondly God is very carefull to prevent all these suspitions in the hearts of his people God desires that you should have good thoughts of him and this is that we plead with you for and do often open the riches of Gods grace to this end that you may have good thoughts of God and to take off your jealousies and suspitions of him as if there were no reall intention in all the proffers of mercy he makes to you doe not thinke that all those riches of Gods grace are meer words they are certaine intentions of Gods heart towards you I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness And for your parts I will give you a heart you shall return to mee bona fide you shal do it in the plainnesse of your hearts There was a time indeed as Psal 78. 34 35 36. God complained of his people that they sought him and returned unto him neverthelesse they did flatter with their mouth and lyed unto him with their tongues there was no reality in their returning unto him they made great promises that whatsoever God should say unto them they would do it but there was no reality in it yea but saith God there shall come a time that you shall have righteous hearts and that which you promise to me you shall promise really there shall not be that falsenesse in your hearts those shews and overtures that were heretofore but you shall return to me with all your hearts in righteousness God hath made adoe at first with us to make us believe that he is in good earnest with us in his proffers oâ— mercy and much adoe there is before our hearts can be gotten to work towards God in good earnest Further note this is one reason why God doth betroth for ever because he doth it in the plainnesse of his heart and this is also a good reason why the Saints continue for ever because what they do to God is in the plainness of their hearts Those who return to God in an hypocriticall way will fall off but they that return in uprightenesse will hold constant with him Prov. 8. 18. it is said of Wisdome that with her are durable riches and righteousnesse they are put together where there is true righteousnesse in the heart there is durable riches But yet there is another thing in this betrothing in righteousnesse and that I thinke hath more in it then the former God will be so reconciled to his Church as yet he will manifest himself to be a righteous God In the works of the riches of his grace he will manifest the glory of his justice too I will doe it in righteousnesse though indeed the Lord intendeth to glorifie rich grace yet so as he will declare his righteousnesse to men and Angels that in this very work of his he shall be acknowledged by them unto all eternity to bee a righteous God GOD will make such a way for this his love and goodnesse as that hee will have satisfaction to his justice in it That place Rom. 3. 25 26. is remarkable for our purpose Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood How To declare his righteousness for the remission of sinnes Marke it it is not that he had set forth Christ to be a propitiation to declare his mercy in the forgivenesse of sins you will say What is there in the forgivenesse of sins but only the mercy of God Yes there is somewhat else there is righteousnesse too and the Lord doth declare his righteousnesse in the forgivenesse of sins and therefore it is that he hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation that hee might declare his righteousnesse If the Lord should have said but thus Well you are great and grievous sinners I will be content freely to forgive you all your sins this would have declared Gods mercy but not his righteousnesse but now when the Lord hath set forth Christ as a propitiation and forgiveth sins through the blood of his Son in this God declareth as much righteousnesse as grace This text Luther had a great deale of do to understand and he prayed much before he could get the right meaning of it yea it is repeated again To declare I say his righteousnesse that he might be just the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus not that he might be mercifull in justifying him that believeth in Jesus but that he might be just in justifying him that believeth in Jesus And this is the great mystery of the Gospel this is that which the Angels pry into the Saints and Angels shal admire blesse God to all eternity for the reconciling riches of mercy and infinite justice both in one This was that which set the infinite wisdome of God on worke from all eternity how to find a way to save sinners and to be infinitely righteous notwithstanding If all the Angels in heaven and all the men in the world had been put to it to find out a way to answer this question How shall sin be pardoned the sinner reconciled unto God and God glorifie his justice they could never have done it but God in his infinite wisdome hath found out a way to doe it This cost God dear it cost him the heart blood of his own Son and that was a sign that Gods heart was much in it and indeed we are not Christians untill in some measure we see and have our hearts taken with the glory of God in this mystery We must looke at righteousnesse in our reconciliation as well as to loving kindnesse and mercy When God is reconciled unto a sinner there is not only his mercy glorified but in that way that God hath found out to save a sinner hee hath the glory of his justice as much yea more then if the sinner were eternally damned in hell How is that you will say I make that good three ways First when God appointed a surety his Son and charged his debt upon him to satisfie his justice in that God would not spare this Sonne of his the least farthing token I mean not the least degree of punishment he would not remit any thing to
entreated Jam. 3. 17. Peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated Thus in Christ he is easie to be intreated by his Church and the Church should easily be intreated and indeed is when the hearts of the Saints are right there is an ingenuity in them they are soone moved to any service Christ calleth for Lastly kindnesse is compassionate sensible of all sufferings so Christ and his Saints mutually Such loving kindnes as this should be in all maryage-communion where there is this loving kindness there is a sweet conjugall communion indeed and so far as any of this is wanting so farre the blessing of a maryage estate is wanting one reason amongst others why God makes so much use of this Allegory of marryage to expresse so great a mystery of godliness as the union betweene Christ and his Church is to teach those that are married to live so together as they may express all that excellency of communion that is between Christ and his Saints Now I put it to you who are in a marryed condition is there this loving-kindnes in you as may hold forth the loving kindnes that is between Christ and his Spouse so far as you want in your endeavours after this so far there is an evil when you goe home take this lesson with you labour to walke so in that way of loving kindnes one to another as that you may expresse how the loving kindness of Christ is unto your soules There are many frailties in the man in the wife but not so many frailties as there are in you in reference to Christ Christ beareth with more frailties in you then you can beare with in your wife Christ is not morose to you he is not a bitter husband to you I have read of Monicha Austins Mother who lived neare a Heathen and she had a very ill husband of a very crosse and perverse disposition this Heathen comes to her one time and asked her how cometh it to passe that you and your husband live so well together as you doe We know your husband is of a very crosse and perverse disposition yet we see nothing but there is a great deale of sweetness and love between you it is not so with us we cannot doe so for our lives Monicha gives her this answer It may be saith she when your husband is untoward perverse you are perverse again and you give crosse answers but Christian Religion teacheth me otherwise when my husband cometh home and is in passion Christian Religion teacheth me to be as loving and dutifull amiable to him as I can and so I have gained the heart of my husband It were a happy thing if all women would take this home with them and learne this of Monicha Austins Mother And so on the other side the man in reference to his wife this loving kindness is between Christ his Spouse let it appeare between man wise who professe their interest in Christ And this loving kindness of Christ Oh how should it draw our hearts unto him What more prevalent meanes to draw then loving kindnesse Marke that Scripture to shew the power of loving kidndnes 2 Chron. 10. 7. If thou be kinde unto this people they will be thy servants for ever say those ancient Counsellors of Rehoboam who gave him wise counsell If this be the way to draw the heart surely Christ must need have our hearts he is not a bloody husband but a kind husband to us let us then be his servants for ever It were a good lesson for all Governors to consider of that it is kindness that drawes the hearts of people they rule not over beasts but men therefore if they would rule over them with comfort and safety to themselves they should rule with kindness Hence Cant. 4. 10. it is said that the Charet of Solomon was paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem it is an expression of Solomons gentleness toward the people of Jerusalem I have read of Alexander Severus when his Mother and his wife would put him upon harsh wayes objected to him his mildness yeildablenesse to his subjects saying you have made your power more contemptible by your kindnes yeelding so much to your people his answer was At securiorem but more secure and lasting Certainly it would be so if Magistrates had not the evill councell of young Gallants if they would follow the counsel of the ancient Counsellors to be kind to the people they would be their servants for ever their peace and safety would be more then now it is Christ expects loving kindnesse from you unto himselfe loloving kindnes likewise one unto another First Christ expects you should be full of loving kindnes unto him O blessed Redeemer what is that we should do that we should be kind to the The very phrase seems to be too low for Christ that Christ should look for our kindnesse Yes Christ lookes for our kindnesse and he prizeth it dearely nothing in the world is prized by Christ more then your kindness as a kinde husband prizeth nothing in the world more in his wife then kindness But how kind to Christ Thus you are kinde to him first when you cleave to him when he standeth in most need of you 2 Sam. 16. 17. saith 〈…〉 Hoshi is this thy kindnesse to thy friend that is what is thy friend in danger and hath now need of thee and doest thou now come from him Is this thy kindnes to thy friend thou shouldst now be with thy friend in time of his danger and need and that is kindnesse So I say there are some times wherein Christ standeth in more need of us then at other in suffering times in times wherein his cause hath many enemies and our help is called for if we should now forsake him in times of suffering may not Christ nay may not the holy Angels and Saints say Is this your kindnesse to your friend To come to Christ when you have need of him is not so much kindness but to come to him when he hath need of you this is kindnesse Secondly It is kindnes when we serve Christ in the midst of difficulties You have a notable place for this Jer. 2. 2. I remember the kindnesse of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wentest after me in the wildernesse To be willing to follow Christ in the wilderness that is kindness Christ doth not account it kindnes for us to serve him when we may prosper in his service when serving of Christ may stand with our own ends when we may keepe our shops our lands and possessions when there is no difficulty at all in his service what great kindnes is this but when for love to the Ordinances the truths of Christ you are willing to follow Christ even in the wildernes this is kindnes Christ will account it so however some men have thought that they have shewen great kindness unto Christ in that they
have staid born the brunt but how have they born it by yeilding to superstitious vanities being ceremoniall and Prelaticall it will be found that those who have been willing to follow Christ in the wilderness our of love to him his truth and ordinances that Christ will remember that for kindnes Thirdly For young people to give up their young yeares to Christ that is kindnes by way of allusion at least we may make use of that Scripture I remember the kindnesse of thy youth when thy bones are full of marrow and when the world seekes to draw thy heart after the vanities of it when thou mayest have thy delights and pleasures in the flesh to the full if then thou beest willing to deny all and to give up thy selfe to Christ this is loving kindnesse one that is old may possibly come to heaven upon repentance but what kindness is that for him who hath nigh worn out all his dayes and strength in wayes of sinne in the pleasures of the flesh and now when he is going out of the world and can have no more pleasure in his sin he comes to Christ for mercy what kindnes is here here is selfe-love indeed but little kindness Secondly loving kindnes one to another I wil bet roth thee unto me in loving kindness I will put such a spirit into you of loving kindnes unto your brethren as I have towards you The word that is here used for loving kindness you shall finde it often in Scripture used for Saints those who are called godly and Saints in your bookes in the Hebrew are called kinde ones it may be as well translated kinde ones as thus Psal 4. 3. Know ye that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself It is a most admirable text as if he should say there are multitudes in the world and all the world is mine but I looke upon all the world as refuse in comparison of some few onely here is a godly man a godly woman I set them apart they are for my self but the note I observe is That that word which in your books is godly in the Hebrew is the kind one the Lord hath set apart those that are kinde those that are of sweet gentle kinde dispositions And Psal 16 10. Not suffer thy holy one to see corruption the Hebrew is not suffer thy kinde one to see corruption it comes from the same roote with that that here is translated loving kindnesse So Psal 149. 1. Sing his praise in the congregation of the Saints of the kind ones and the same word againe is verse 5. Let the Saints be so full in glory the Saints that is the kind ones noting what an ingredient loving kindness is to Saint-ship unto godlinesse therefore it is not enough for Christians to be godly but they must be kinde one unto another too 2 Pet. 1. 3. And to godlinesse adde brotherly kindeness You thinke you are godly but you are of a rugged rough-hewen disposition surly cruell rigid severe froward perverse know here is the exhortation unto you this day from God if you will approve your selves to be godly Adde to your godlinesse brotherly kindnesse except you adde that you can have little comfort in your godlines It is impossible indeed for one that hath the power of godliness and hath the true comfort and sweetnes of it to be of a rugged and rigid disposition the reason is because there is that infinite satisfaction as I may so say that such a heart hath in God that there is nothing that can come from without that can make such a heart bitter there is so much sweetnes in that satisfaction that it hath in God as the Scripture saith A good man is satisfied from himselfe that it is not all the bitterness from without that can sowre such a heart It is true indeed if you have a vessel of honey a little gall will make all that bitter but if you have a vessel of gall a little honey will not make that sweet But in grace it is thus though there be a great deale of bitterness in a man or womans nature though they be of rugged natures yet a drop of true saving grace will sweeten all that gall and if they be once gracious a great deale of gall bitternes that cometh from without will not imbitter that sweetnes I beseech you take notice of this one note when God hath left men they grow more passionate and froward then they were before And I verily beleeve this is one ground of the frowardnesse and passionateness that is in professors they have made breaches between God and their soules their peace between God and them is broken and nothing then can give them content As usually it is when a man hath been abroad and others have angred him when his inward comfort and joy is gone then every thing angreth him he is pleased with nothing his countenance is lowring and he is unto ward to every one and why because he hath lost the sweetnesse of his own spirit and now nothing from without can content him all seems bitter unto him but let this man goe abroad and things fall out well it may be he gets a good bargaine hears of excellent good newes that his goods are come home safely hee can now beare a hundred times as much as before and you can scarce anger him why because his heart is filled with sweetness So it is here let a Christian walke close with God keepe his peace with him he will have so much sweetnes in his heart that it is not easie to put him into any passion of frowardnes why he hath enough within perhaps his friend his wife his neighbour is crosse but his Christ is loving though there be little comfort in my maryage with one who is so peevish perverse yet in my marryage with Christ there is satisfaction enough But when the heart hath made breaches between Christ and it self when it hath lost the sweetness in that marryage communion no marvaile if there be no sweetnes in the other maryage communion I will give you a notable example of this a man who before his breach with God was of a sweet disposition was very milde and loving but after he was of a perverse and cruell froward disposition The example is Saul When he was first chosen King how humble was he hee acknowledges himself to be of the least of the tribes of Israel and the least in his fathers house and when some raysed npon him and said shal this man raigne over us the text saith he held his peace and when others would have had them killed no by no means they must not be slain because God had shewen him mercy in a late victory given him But after Saul had fallen from God O the rugged perverse cruell disposition of his spirit then even to Jonathan his son a gracious loving sweet natured son then Thou
much unconstancy fickleness in our love one to another but the love of God to his people is stable setled firm constant love That is the meaning in the first place though not all Esay 62. 5. As the Eridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride so shal thy God rejoyce â—ver thee that is the love of Christ after thousands of yeers is still but as the love of a bridegroome upon the wedding day then ordnarily love is hot appears much not the love onely of the husband but as the Bridegroome There is no moment of time but Christ rejoyceth not onely as a husband but as a Bridegroome over every gracious soule Christs love is steady because it is pure without mixture it is a holy love Observe the comparing of two Texts Esay 55. 3. The sure mercies of David are promised there In Acts 13. 34. that Scripture is quoted and there it is The holy things of David As noting because the love of God is holy therefore it is sure and stedfast Christs love unto his people is in righteousnesse as before and in judgement and in loving kindnesse and mercies It is from the sweetness of his nature and therefore it is steady firm With him there is no shadow of change It is grounded upon a sure covenant therefore firme Though indeed the love of Christ may be to us as the shining of the Sun not alwayes in the fruits of it shining out so gloriously but the Sun keepes his course in a steady way though sometimes it is clouded and we have it not so gloriously as at other times The Saints should fasten upon the love of Christ in the Covenant and though other things be never so uncertaine yet they should quiet their hearts in this that their happiness in the Covenant of grace is certaine Perhaps the love of our friend is uncertaine very fickle and inconstant those who will glavor upon you and seeme as if their hearts were with you but what sullen moods and fits will there be at times and when you have most need of them you know not where to finde them But the love of Christ is certaine and stable 2 Sam. 23. 5. Marke how David comforted himself in the stablenesse of the love of God in the covenant Though he doth not cause my house to grow yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure and this is all my desire all my hope that is that the Covenant is sure and stedfast And as we have opened it in all the former so here it must be mutuall I will betroth thee in faithfulnesse and make thee faithfull too that is thou shalt have a steady firme stable spirit in thy love to me though not in that degree that Christs is yet there is a stability in the hearts of the Saints unto Christ they are not carried up and down with every wind of doctrine with every puffe of temptation as other men are The righteous is an everlasting foundation Pro. 10. 25. The upright holdeth on his way Iob. 17. 9. It must needs be so because the affections of the Saints unto Christ are holy affections too though not perfect they have indeed some mixture therefore some instability but they have holiness therefore stability And they choose Christ in righteousnesse and in judgement And they have the Divine Nature in them and as that hath no shadow of change so they come to have something like to the immutability of the Divine Nature some shadow of it Esay 26. 3. A godly man is described thus Whose minde is staid upon God he hath a stable spirit not a wandring fickle roving spirit he hath fixed himself upon God he can say My heart is fixed The men of the world because they have not that which can satisfie run up and downe first after one contentment then after another they have no where to fix but the Saints finde all-sufficiency in God when they are there their hearts are satisfied and there they fix As a Bee lighting upon a flower finding but a little honey gets away to another and to another and to another but when it comes to a flower where it may suck honey enough it fixeth it stayeth there The hearts of the Saints find a fulnesse of good in God and there they fixe A fickle wavering unstable spirit is exceeding unbeseeming a Christian As it is in the body some who have flushings of heat have a very good colour for a while but when we know this good colour is but a flush it is rather an argument of a disease then of a good complexion An end of a candle that burnes in the socket gives some flashes of light now and then but a candle that is set upon a table gives a steady and constant light Mad people you know have their Iudicia intervalla some times wherein they doe acts of reason but you may perceive they are not in their wits because there is not constancy and evennesse in their actions This stablenes this evenes in a Christian way is the beauty and glory of it Though you be never so forward sometimes in that which is good yet if at other times your hearts be off there is no beauty in your conversation But give me a Christian whose wayes are even that you may finde a constancy in him in all his wayes Those who have such fickle uncertaine inconstant hearts are never like to excell if they have any truth in them yet they will never be eminent Christians Gen. 49. 4. it is said of Ruben Ruben unstable as water but hee shall not excell so it may be said of a Christian unstable here is one of good affections at sometimes very forward but unstable as water he shall not excell Constancy in love is exceeding comely and beautifull between man and wife from thence is the expression of the holy Ghost here it adds much unto the lustre and comfort of their lives For men to seeme sometimes to be mighty fond other times to be bitter and sowre like Nabals or the wife to be very fond sometimes and to be grievous irkesome at other times this takes away the beauty the comfort of their lives But there is more in this faithfulnesse then stability and firmeness I will betroth thee in faithfulnesse I will certainly performe all the good you can expect from me which is befitting a husband yea such a husband as I am to doe to my Spouse you may confide in me I will be faithfull to you not onely my love but my faithfulnes shall binde me to you My loving kindness my mercifull disposition is a great bond but my faithfulnes shall binde me also I will be content to ingage my selfe to you that you may certainly confide in me so as you may not only expect it from my love but challenge it from my faithfulness We deny not Gods providence to other creatures but the Spouse challengeth
expression of much love also to Israel but yet withall God tells them of that meane and low estate they are like to be in before that time comes for the fulfilling of all that good that God intends to them God purposes great mercy for them his heart is much set upon them but they must for a long time beare their iniquity they must be brought into a vile and desolate condition in their captivity even untill a second appearing of Christ But in all this time the heart of God would be toward them his intentions would be strong for good to that people above all the people upon the face of the earth though they might seeme to be utterly rejected of the Lord and that for many yeers yet hee would look toward them as a people that he intended yet to marry unto himself in time mercy should breake forth gloriously upon them and his name should be magnified in their returning unto him so as their hearts should melt toward his goodnesse they should not abuse it any more as formerly they had done but they should returne and seeke the Lord their God and David their King and feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes This is the scope of the Chapter In which you have three things 1. Gods love continued unto an adulteresse Israel 2. The low and mean condition of this adulteresse for a long time 3. The returne of God in infinite mercy toward them at the latter day together with their returne unto him And the Lord said unto me goe yet love a woman beloved of her friend yet an adulter esse We have here a new injunction to the Prophet and that somewhat harder then his former In the first Chapter God commanded him to goe and take awife of whoredomes but here God commanded him to love an adulteresse which is somewhat more then to take her unto himself What that was of taking a wife of whoredomes hath been opened in the former Chapter and may spare some labour in this It is here a vision as it was there As if God should say unto Hosea Hosea it is just with me as it would be with thee if thou shouldst goe and have a wife an Adulteresse notwithstanding all the love she hath found yet still an Adulteresse thine heart should be upon her so as thou couldest not take thy heart from her but thou must needs love this Adulteresse still This people whom I have loved for whom I have done so much good yet they have gone a whoring from me they are an Adulteresse yet for all that my heart cannot be taken off from them but is still toward them yet I love them This is through the strength of the Covenant that Gods love is so permanent Others who are not in covenant with him God casts out for lesser sins for any sins but as for his people who are in Covenant with him no not their adulteries their idolatries takes not the heart of God wholly from them Surely then if thou canst appeale to God O Lord thou knowest all things knowest that there is nothing of thy mind revealed to me but my heart is ready to do it and if I faile in any thing thou knowest it is the greatest burden of my soul O that I knew more of thy minde and that I had power to doe more surely God will love thee you heare he loves his people though an adulteresse as before so now take this lesson thy sinnes cannot over come Gods goodnesse let Gods goodnesse overcome thy sinfulnesse An adulteresse beloved of her friend This is as some carry it Calvin Vatablus and many others beloved of her husband as if God should say had they any such excuse for their departings from me that I have been a bitter husband to them that I have used them hardly and rigidly then indeed they might have some plea but I have loved them dearly I have done much for them they were beloved of me I have carried my selfe to them in the most friendly way that possibly could be yet they are gone a whoring from me The wife that followes other lovers thinks if she have but this to say her husband is hard to her hee cares not for her he loves her not it excuses in part her adulteries and so the husband a company keeper an adulterer if he can say what will you have me to doe I never come home but my wife is alwayes bâ—awling and she loves other men he thinks this is plea enough for him But Israel could not have this excuse for her selfe for she was an Adulteresse yet beloved of the Lord. If we take the words thus the notes briefly would be these First The husband should be a friend to his wife There should be nothing but friendly carriage betweene man and wife Yea the love of the husband to the wife should farr surmount the love of any friend in the world but a friend at least to comfort her to cherrish her in time of sorrowes to beare the burthen of affliction with her and so the wife towards the husband Secondly A base heart will be base against all bonds of love beloved of her friend yet an adultoresse if you should ask who is he or where is he that is so base Lay thy hand upon thine owne heart and consider what the love of God hath been towards thee all the dayes of thy life and how thou hast carried thy selfe toward him what love thou hast had from God that might breake the heart of a devill yet when any temptation comes to draw thee from God thy base heart listens to it Thirdly It is a great aggravation of sin to sinne against much love We ought to doe our duties to those that we stand in relation unto though they doe not their duty to us if a wife hath a froward husband a bitter churlish rugged wicked ungodly husband yet she is bound to doe her duty to him she is bound to love him to obey him to be observant of him in what may give him all lawfull content So if servants have froward churlish cruel Masters or Mastresses yet they are bound to be obedient to them 1 Pet. 2. 18. Be subject to your masters not onely to those that rae good and gentle but to the froward It is no sufficient excuse for the wife to say My husband is froward and unquiet and therefore what shall I doe Nor for the servant to say My Master or Mistresse are unreasonable they are cruell what can I doe You must doe your duty to them though they doe not theirs to you But if you have a loving husband tender over you then love is required much more Love above all things should draw the heart the knowledge that it is duty may force obedience but it is love that draws the heart most kindly So if a servant have a godly Master and Mistresse who respects and tenders his good if
First they should be in a contemptible condition they should be valued but at halfe the price of a slave Secondly they should be fed but meanly and basely even as slaves or rather as beasts this homer and half of barley should be for their sustenance in which they should be used very hardly for along time And that you may see how this hath been fulfilled for it did not only refer to the time of their Captivity before Christ but to all the Captivity they have been in ever since Christs time to this day and shall be in untill their calling the mean condition they were in before in the time of their first Captivity you may see Lament 4. 5. Those that were clothed in scarlet embraced the dung-hill they either lay in filthy places that had dung in them like beasts or else they were imployed in carrying dung up and down And to this day Histories tell us that generally the Jews have a most stinking savour and we know that they are the vilest people in the esteeme of others that are upon the face of the earth An Historian tells us of an Emperour travelling into Egypt there meeting with some Jews he was so annoyed with the stink of them that he cryes out O Marco-mani O Quadi c. At length saith he I have met with worse with viler men then such and such reckoning up divers of the basest people that were upon the face of the earth And to this day the Turks will admit of no Jew to turne to the Mahumetan Religion unlesse he first turne Christian they have much more honorable esteeme of the Christians they think that Jesus Christ though he was not God yet he was a great Prophet but for the Jews they have such vile thoughts of them that they think it a dishonour to the Turkish Religion that any of them should turne Turk unlesse be first turned Christian And we reade of the Romanes that when they conquered other Nations they would permit them to call themselves Romanes after they had conquered them but they would never permit the Jews to call themselves Romanes though the Jews would comply never so much with them and be their servants Augustine hath it upon Psalme 58. lest there should be some blot stick to the glory of the Romanes by that odious people Thus we see what shame hath God cast upon that nation even unto this day that they are counted as the very off-scouring of all nations Suetonius tels us that in the exactions that the Romanes require of people they put upon the Jews more then upon all people This that we reade of in histories that which we finde by experience of the base condition these people are in is the fulfilling this Scripture that I am now opening unto you she shal be bought for fifteen pieces of silver and fed with barly she shall be in a very low base and meane condition untill Christ shall come and marry her to himself Notes from hence are First A people who have been high in outward glory when they depart from God make themselves vile and contemptible God casts contempt upon wicked men especially upon wicked men who corrupt his worship Do we not see it at this day Mal. 2. 9. It is threatned that the Priests who departed from the law corrupted their waies should be base and contemptible before the people Hath not the Lord done thus at this day even those that not long since gave themselves the title of the triumphant Clergy and the triumphant Church and went up and downe jetting as if they would out-face heaven it self They feared all men with the High Commission Court But what shame hath God cast upon this generation the people loath them and we hope in time the Lord will sweepe away the proud and haughty of them as the reffuse of the earth Yea our whole nation hath been a proud nation what vaunting hath there been of what a glorious Church we had never such a one upon the earth we sate as a Queen amongst the nations we have been a haughty people and God may justly cast contempt upon us The Jewes were so the Temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord but God hath now made them the vilest nation upon the earth And the truth is God hath begun to cast much shame upon this nation The time was when the Kingdom of England was a terror to other people of late they have been the scorne and contempt of other nations When Ephraius spake there was trembling he exalted himselfe in Israel but sinning it Baal he died he became as a dead poor vile contemptible people Hos 13. 1. The Lord loveth to name the pride of men How many have you known who have been proud and lofty and the Lord hath cast shame and contempt in their saces even before those whom they looked upon heretofore with contempt they have now been made objects of contempt Secondly Though a people be under contempt yet Gods heart may be towards them to doe them good at the latter end There is the love of Gods election still to this people God remembers them and intends good unto them for all this VVho knowes what contempt God may cast upon us Perhaps he may let our proud adversaries trample us under their feet but we hope he will not because he sees their hearts so proud as they are But if he should we should not despaire we must not conclude God hath quite cast off England though he should bring all his people under contempt so as to betrampled under the foot of pride And if there be any of you whom God hath so humbled as he hath made you contemptible doe you humble your selves before God but do not despaire the Lord may yet have a love to you though you are now under shame and contempt who knowes but that this was the only way that God had to humble your hearts God putteth his ovvn people under contempt and yet it is all out of love unto them and vvithan intent to do them good at last Thirdly which is the most especial note hence After many promises of Gods mercy and of a glorious condition which he intendeth his people he may yet hold a very hard hand over them a great while God having promised so much mercy in the former Chapter Israel might quickly grow vvanton and say it is no great matter though we be vile and wicked yet God will marry us to himself and we shall be a glorious people and what need we take care Nay saith God stay here though my heart be toward you yet this generation shall suffer and the next generation the next generation after that shall suffer hard things you shal be brought into the most vile condition that ever any people was brought into yet my promise shall be fulfilled at the last Here we see what care God taketh that people should not grow wanton
with his mercy and think Oh we are in covenant with God and God hath pardoned our sins what need we care take heed of growing want on thou maist suffer fearfull things in this world Though God may save your souls yet you may be brought into as wofull a condition in your ovvn apprehensions as ever any creature was upon the earth And for England though it is true we have as many arguments of the love of God to 〈◊〉 as ever any nation had but yet who knows what this generation may suffer that hath so sullied it self with superstitious vanities We may be brought into vvefullslavery and then God may raise up unto himself another generation upon whom he will be stow the mercy intended Fourthly Those who will take their fill of delight to the flesh in a sensual use of the creature it is just with God they should be cut short be made to live meanly and basely to be made to feed with course fare with barley The Jews had their delicates before they fared deliciously now they must be sed worse then their servants and eare that which was meate for beasts How many hath God thus dealt withall who not long since had their tables furnished with the choysest sare with variety of dishes now perhaps are glad of a harley loafe for themselves and their children Again If God will not utterly destroy a people as he might but reserve mercy for them at last though they have never such a meane subsistence for the present yet they have cause to blesse God Though this here be a threatning yet there is a promise in it The people of Israel if they knew all had no cause to murmur at Gods dealing but to admire at his mercy though they had but a little barley to sustaine them And suppose God should bring us in England into a low condition so as we may be glad of a barley loafe we know famine commonly followes warre it was wont to be a phrase browne bread and the gospell is good fare and God may bring that upon us in another way then ever yet we or our fore-fathers were acquainted with but yet if the Lord do not cast us off utterly from being his people though he feed us with brown bread though we have never so mean a subsistance for the present we shall have cause to blesse his name Lastly It is the way of God to humble those he intendeth good unto to prepare them for mercy by cutting them short of these outward comforts If the Lord hath dealt so with any of you you have lived full-handed perhaps wives have brought good portions to their husbands and now they are broke and all is lost perhaps you had good friends in the Countrey many of them are plundered in their estates now you are faine to fare meanly and if you have bread for your children you think it well but consider this Is not God now humbling me and thereby preparing my heart for himself Oh blessed be God for this my condition this bread is sweeter to me then all the dishes I have had in my life VVhen you sit in your houses with your wives and children and have nothing but barley bread to feed upon have these thoughts I hope God doth this in love mercy he is making this my condition the best condition I was ever in the greatest blessing to me Verse 3. And I said unto her thou halt abide for me many dayes thou shalt not play the harlot and thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee You shall not only be in such a low condition as a slave and worse then a maid servant and be sed with barley but you shall abide thus abide thus many dayes Thus they have abode these sixteene hundred yeares since Christs time besides their former captivity The Lord would have a full experience of Israel that their hearts were throroughly humbled before he would take them to mercy again There was never any people dealt more falsely with God in their humiliations then they had done before How often when they were in misery did they come with their seeming humiliation cryed for mercy and God â—â—â—wed them mercy and assoone as they were delivered they fell off againe and went after their Idols and then being in misery again they cryed to God and he delivered them and then presently to their Idols again Well saith God I will not deale so with you hereafter I will not trust you so as I have done you have beene in misery and I have delivered you when you cryed to me and then you have fallen to your sins againe but now you shall be humbled to purpose you shâ—l be â—ow many yeers in this low and meane condition and then your hearts â—â—ll be thâ—rowly broken so that when you shall returne to me againe you shall never fall from me God hath dealt so with many of you you have been in affliction God hath delivered you you have gone to your sinnes again you have been in affliction againe and he hath delivered you you have fell to your sins again and thus you have dallyed with the great God God may bring a fore long affliction upon you that you shall be so thorowly humbled that you shall never goe back againe to your sins as you have done This is the meaning abide many dayes When we would scoure purge a filthy garment thorowly we do not onely wash it but wee lay it a soaking a great while and a frosting many nights the Jews have lyne a soaking frostning many hundred yeeres this is the hardnesse of mans heart afflictions wil not work presently though many wedges be put into many blows struck upon knotty wood it stirs not some metals are long in melting yea though the fire be very hot Againe Here we see it is Gods ordinary way when he promiseth mercy to seeme to goe quite contrary to a people to seem as if he would quite destory them I will marry my self unto them in loving kindness and in mercies but yet I will let this people be above sixteen hundred yeers in this forlorne condition And so it hath been in all Gods administrations since the beginning of the world When God comes to humble sinners they must be content to be humbled Gods own time they must not out of a sudden furious humor say Lord how long I have been thus long in a sad condition I have prayed thus long Is your sadness affliction eternal Oh no a yeer or two perhaps but you have deserved eternity of misery Thou shalt abide for me many dayes thou shalt not play the harlot thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee That is in all this time you must have a care of your self that you do not seek after other lovers let me have experience that you will now worship the
only true God and I will promise you to stay for you as you do abide for me For the phrase Thou shalt not be for another man The Hebrew phrase to be to or for another man is to marry thou shalt not marry another Ezek 16. 8. I entred into a covenant with thee and thou becamest mine fuisti 〈◊〉 thou wort to me that is thou wert marryed to me Levit. 21. 3. A virgiâ—â—hich hath no hath and quae non suit viro a virgin that wâ—â—n to another 〈◊〉 A usefull note may be had from â—â—nce That husbands must be to their wives and wives must be to their husbands that is live to them whatsoever thou hast any knowledge any parts any grace it must be to thy wife for the benefit of thy wife what the wife hath must be to the husband You shall abide for me many dayes and take heed in all this time you doe not depart from me worship another God Hence we may observe In the time of the sorest affliction and trouble we must then take heed we forsake not God Though I use you hardly for a long time yet you may not thinke to go and shift for your selves any other way In time of affliction we must take heed of using shifting wayes we must not seek to help our selves by false comforts though trouble continue long We have an excellent place for that Psal 44. 11. Thou hast scattered us amongst the Heathens and ver 12 Thou sellest thy people for nanght and ver 13. Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours a derision to them that are round about us ver 17. And all this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant and ver 19. Thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons and covered us with the shadow of death if we have stretched out our hands to a strange God as if he should say God forbid such a thing as this is though we be in the place of dragons though we be under reproach under great affliction you may find in that Psalme the most wofull afflicted estate of Gods people described as in any part of the Booke of God yet we have not lifted up our hands to another God We must not say as King Jehoram 2 King 6. 30. Why should I waite for the Lord any longer He seemed to be humbled and put on sackcloth but he would not be contented to waite for the Lord any longer but shift for himself It is that which is in the spirits of men under affliction to thinke why should I waite for God any longer I will now seeke to helpe my selfe in my owne way to shift for my self The Lord forbid that such thoughts should be in any of our hearts Sedebis mihi thou shalt be quiet though thou doest abide in this sad condition a long while Esay 30. 7. their strength is to sit still and ver 17. In rest shall ye be saved in quietnesse and confidence shal be your strength Alas thou art now afflicted where wilt thou mend thy self poor soul wilt thou go to false gods to thy former sinful lusts that is not the way to help thee thou must abide untill Gods time come that he wil shew mercy to thee The heart of man is strongly set upon good and cannot be content to stay Gods time but if God fubdue thy heart so far as that it is content to abide though never so long for God will not go out to help it selfe in any unlawfull way this is a good signe that there is much love in the bottom It is a signe of a strong affection in a woman when there fall out things that hinder the match between her lover and her self Well saith she though there be this and that in the way though you object never so many things yet I will have him I will never marry as long as I live except I have him This argueth heat power of affection So here I will marry you unto my selfe saith God but I will have you stay for me my time many things are to be done before that day and then after you have stayed I will come to you in a glorious manner As God dealeth with the Jews so often it is in marrying himself to a particular people Thou shalt do it God doth not only command them to do it but it is a promise and a prophesie that they shall doe it But you will say how have the people of the â—ews abode for God Thus they have never to this day chosen any other God though they have not been convinced of the Messiah yet ever since the captivity they have hated Idolatry that was the thing GOD specially meant in this thou shalt not have any more Idols thou shalt choose no other God no other husband though thou hast been very wicked and sinfull this way heretofore the Jews formerly chose all manner of gods the gods of the Amorites and Moabites and of all the Heathens about them yet now thou shalt choose no other gods but me thus far this is fulfilled to this day the Jews since the captivity have never chose any other God but have acknowledged the Jehovah to be the only true God they cannot abide Images There is a notable history for this in Eusebius in the 18. Chapter of his Antiquities Caius Caligula sent one Petronius to set up an Image in the Temple of Jerusalem divers of the Jewes came to Petronius to plead with him and said Sir what is it that you do we beseech you do not do it depâ—ive us of our lives first for say they it is impossible so long as our soules are in our bodies to abide it we will all dye first But saith Petronius it is the command of the Emperour and there is no contradicting it it must be done They answered seeing you will not transgresse Caesars command neither vvill we violate the command of our God nor are we so fainthearted or have wee such a vaine desire of the continuance of our lives as to enjoy them upon such terms to lose the reward of eternall life that is proposed for the keeping Gods commands This was their spirit then and to this day they will not endure Idols one main thing that hinders the conversion of the Iews is they being scattered here and there among Papists and seeing so much Idolatry among them they are thereby stumbled at Christian Religion and if God would once pull down Popery certainely the Jewes would quickly come in God is now about that Therefore all of us should assist in what we can to take down all monuments of Idolatry to make the worship of God more pure this will be a means to bring about their conversion and in this regard they have abode for God all this while this I conceive to be the meaning of the Text. And I also will abide for thee VVhat is
the meaning of that First in their captivity saith God though you shal be long in captivity and in a low condition be content do not take any other god to be marryed unto as your husband I will be content I will stay I will have no other people upon the earth but you all the while you are in captiviâ—y But how doth God abide for Israel now God hath chosen the Gentiles how theâ— doth he stay for them Yes certainly God stayes for Israel to this day thus First all the Gentiles that are called they come into God as being joyned to the people of the Jews God honoured the Jews so farre as that all the Gentiles that doe come in are to be made the Israel of God But rather further thus God abides for the people of the Iews to this day in this sense God never hath taken nor never will take to himselfe any Nation upon the earth to be a nationall Church as the Jewes were and as it is probable the Jews shall be at their calling again though God takes the Gentiles that are converted and severall Congregations to be Churches but to marry himselfe to a whole Nation in that way as the Iews were that is if a man be born of that Nation it shall be sufficient to make him a member of the Church this God did never do since the Iews rejection and never will do it till the Iews be called again though God takes Kingdomes and so in some figurative sense a Nation perhaps may be called a Church but to speak properly and strictly to be a Church so as the Iews were there is no such nationall Church nor never will be till the calling in of the Iews again then God will be marryed to that Nation in a more glorious manner then ever God abideth to this day for that glory which hee intendeth for Iesus Christ untill they come in And this I take to be a great reason why God for the present suffers his Churches to bee persecuted so much as they are herein God suffers himselfe as well as they the Church ever since Christs time hath been in a low and persecuted condition the wicked have prevailed What is the reason God abideth for this people of the Iews and hee is pleased himself to undergoe many sufferings in the mean time do you abide for me I will be content to suffer much dishonour my selfe many shall come in to Christ but yet they shal be a poor contemptible people the wicked of the world shall prevail against them shall scorn them shall contemne them so that I shall not appear to the world to be their Husband untill you be called again I shall be as it were without a wife but when the time shall come that you shall return to me then I wiâ— manifest my selfe indeed you shall be a most glorious Church and then there shall be such a full marriage between us that all the world shall acknowledge it then they shall all come and say Come behold the Bride the Lambs wife This is the scope of this Scripture from whence these Observations First Husbands should not require of their wives any thing but what they will answerably do for them God doth so here Abide for me saith hee and I will abide for you there shall be parpari like for like Many husbands will require hard things from their wives but will doe little themselves and on the other side wives expect great things from their husbands but do little themselves There must be a proportion betweene what the wife expects from the husband and what shee doth to or for her husband and so mutually 2. In our sadde condition God suffereth as well as wee This may helpe us in our sufferings we should thinke though wee suffer much God suffereth as much as we why then â—â—ould we think much the people of the Iews if they had hearts might see it now God stayes for his honour till they come in So in all the persecutions of the Church doth not Christ suffer in that the great work of Reformation doth not go on It is true we are grieved 〈◊〉 Spirit of God is grieved as well as we and suffereth as much as we God â—oth as it were abide for us and stays for his glory Wee desire it is true â—hat God would come in and manifest himselfe then we shall be happy and â—ejoyce but so long as God stays our happinesse he stays his own glory What abundance of glory doth God lose in those praises hee should have if the Reformation were presently perfected but God hath other ends God is content to stay for his prayses let us be content to stay for what we desire to have it concerns God to hasten the work as much yea farre more then it concerns us to desire it we suffer something for want of it but God suffers more 3. That people or that soul that endureth hardship a long time for God and resolveth to reserve it self for him so as if it cannot have comfort in God it will have none elsewhere may assure it selfe that God reserveth himselfe for it Certainly nothing shall take off the heart of God but there will be a blessed marriage between that soule that people and him Is there ever a poor creature here is in a sad condition God seemeth to deal hardly with it yet hee findeth in himselfe this frame of spirit well though God seem to leave me and I am thus desolate yet if I can have no comfort here I will have none elsewhere I wil be content to stay and wait no creature shal have my heart It is true I am not able to guide my selfe but I am resolved the Devil shal never guide me I am not able to do the will of God but I will never do the wil of the Devil and if God should leave me never so long nay leave me eternally I wil never have any other husband I wil rather dye a widow I wil never let out my self to any if he doe not come in and marry himself to me I wil be without comfort as long as I live Is thy heart in this frame Peace be unto thee certainly God intends thoughts of mercy to thy soule there wil certainly be a marriage betweene God and thy soule And this frame of heart where it is oh how wil it help against temptation when a poor soul is in distresse and it may be God seemeth to go off further further I have prayed long and long and yet God seems not to heare afflictions they prevail why do you pray any more why do you come and heare any more you were as good leave off at first God wil never come you were as good take your pleasure for a while you can but perish at the last This temptation many times comes very sorely upon poor distressed soules But now when the heart can answer it is true the Lord indeed seemeth to be
gone and I have cause to fear lest he should reject me but become of mee what wil yet I wil never have any other husband never any other comfort but God comfort no other peace but the peace of God and I am resolved that if I 〈◊〉 I wil perish crying for it if thou beest in this frame waiting for GOD GOD is waiting for thee in wayâ—â— of his mercy and at 〈…〉 bowels of GODS mercy will yerne towards that as the bowels of Joseph yerned towards his brethren so that he could hold no longer You know Joseph for a long time used his brethren hardly but his brethren yet behaved themseves humbly and submissively toward him and at length he could not refraine so it may be God useth thee some what hardly for a while yet do thou keep in an humble and submissive frame of spirit unto him do that which beseemeth a creature to do whatsoever God doth to thee it is fit God should exercise his absolute power over me and that I should do my duty to him do this and be sure thou art a soul that God will marry himself unto in the end Fourthly So farre as we are willing to be for God God is willing to be for us God requires that you should seek him with your whole heart Jer. 29. 13. Mark how God answereth I will rejoyce over them to doe them good yea I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soule Will you seeke God with your whole heart I will do you good saith God with my whole heart God is as willing to doe for you as you are to do for him if all the faculties of your souls work toward God all the attributes in God shall worke for your good If thy estate be wholly given up for God Gods riches shall be wholly for thee VVouldest thou know how Gods heart works toward thee do but lay thine hand upon thy own heart according to the beatings of thine heart towards God so are the workings of the heart of God toward thee thou mayest determine it thus thou canst not goe up to heaven to know it but go into thine owne heart and there thou mayest know As a man may know by the working of an engine within how the workings are abroad That is the reason that the Saints when they have had their hearts enlarged in prayer they have come to be resolved what God will do for them or for his Church as it is said of Luther when he was in prayer one time more then ordinarily earnest with God he comes down to his frinds and saith well it shall goe well with Germany all my dayes look ye to it afterward he knew what was done in heaven by what was done in his own heart We may know in a great measure what God meaneth to doe with his Churches according to the inward beatings of our own hearts Further See here the happy advantage of the Saints beyond the men of the world thus Be you for me saith God I will be for you The men of the world can say I am for the world the world is for me I am for my honour and my honor is for me I am for my whore and my whore is for me this is all their happines but now a Saint can say I am for God and God is for me Oh the goodness of God toward us that he is willing to be for us as we are for him for him alas what can we be for him we are poor worms vile creatures in our selves what can we do he hath no need of us we are bound to do all that we do It is all one as if a king should come to a poor beggar say thus poor man thou hast but little yet do what you can for me I will do what I can for you this were a mighty disproportion Alas what can the beggar do for the King If you will but use your staffe or what you have for me I will use my riches glory and all for your good saith the King to the beggar So saith God to a poore creature Be you for me and I will be for you stand for me and I will stand for you use any thing you have forme and I will use what I have for you Oh the blessed condition of the Saints who would not be for God Do not now say alas I am a poore vile and unworthy creature so were the Jews do not say I am gone a whoring from God and dealt falsely with him the Jews did so yet saith God whensoever you will be for me I will be for you It is now the great question amongst us who are you for I will put the question to you all who are you for Are your hearts wholly given up to God or are you for your lusts for the creature certainly the creature will deceive you ere long you will have no good from the creature that now you are so much for if you be not for God now hee will send you to the creature in the time of your distresse There is a time comming that every one of us shall see the need we have that God be for us let us be for God now that God may be for us then when we come to cry to him and say Oh Lord let thy mercy and goodnesse be for us he will say who were you for you were for your lusts now goe to your lusts you would have none of me before I will have none of you now Pro. 1. 26. 27. You would have none of my reproofe I also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your feare commeth Marke They would have none of Gods reproofe hee doth not say they would have none of my mercy they would have none of my grace therefore I will laugh at their destruction but they would have none of my reproofe why the reproofes of God are the bitterest the harshest things of all yet because they would have none of Gods reproofes he laughes at their destruction What shall become of them then who will have none of the riches of Gods grace offered to them in Christ The Second Lecture HOSEA 3. 4. 5. For the children of Israel shal abide many dayes without a King and without a Prince and without a sacrifice and without an image and without an Ephod and without a Teraphim Afterward shall the children of Israel returne and seek the Lord their God HEre is much privation six withouts 1. without a King 2. without a Prince 3. without a sacrifice 4. without an image 5. without an Ephod 6. without a Teraphim but the last verse makes all up They shall return and seeke the Lord their God and David their King These withouts shew the wofull confused estate that Israel was to be in for many dayes many years both in regard of their Civill and of their Church state The Civill State without a
never sinke But may they not be so burthensome to Christ as that he may shake off his burthen No therefore he hath them upon his breast-plate too as well as upon his shoulder there was upon the breast-plate in the middest of the Ephod the names of the twelve Tribes Christ carryes the memoriall of his Churches at his heart as well as upon his shoulders that makes Christ put his shoulders to the good of the Churches because they are so neare his heart An infinite comfort it is in the spirituall meaning of this Ephod that belongs to all the godly Christ night and day hath thee upon his shoulder and upon his heart as a precious stone before God the Father This one thing further is observable about it you shall finde if you reade that place in Exodus that the names of the twelve Tribes were to be ingraven upon these stones in order according to their birth now in Revel 21. the twelve Apostles who in regard of their Doctrine are made the twelve precious stones of the foundation of the new Jerusalem you shal reade that they are all the very same precious stones by name excepting four and those foure I finde that Interpreters think to be the same that the other were only with different names for precious stones either in regard of the places where they are found or in regard of their quality or colour carry divers names so that it is very probable that those precious stones in Rev. were the same with these in Exo. but there we do not finde that they are set according unto any dignity of one Apostle before another as they were in the setting of the names of the Tribes for the first precious stone that was to be set of the foundation of the new Ierusalem of the glorious Church that should be it is the stone of Benjamin who was the youngest And if there might be any mystery in it we may think it signifies thus much at least we may make use of it by way of allusion that the Lord wil use of the young ones of this generation who shal make way for the new Jerusalem before any of the other tribes God will cull out them to the first stone of the foundation of that glorious Church In that we find there was not such order set of the Apostles as was of the Tribes we are taught that Christ would not have us look upon the Apostles as one above another therefore you shall find the Apostles are never named in one and the same order in one Evangelist they are set down in one order and in another in another as Mat. 10. Mar. 3. Luc. 9. so Act. 1. In all these they are named in a different order noting thereby that there is no superiority nor inferiority in the Ministers of the Gospel Upon the Ephod there was likewise the Vrim and Thummim It is very hard to tell you what this Vrim and Thummim was it costs a great deal of time to find out what men think it was and if I should tell you the variety of the guesses of men about this it would be tiresome unto you and me Austin in his 117. question upon Exod. In venire quid sint deficile what this Vrim and Thummim was it is hard to find and Cajetan saith none ever yet explained what it was and they tell us that even the Rabbins themselves say the Jewes were very ignorant of this But most probable one of these two especially the latter Some think that they were some stones set in the breast-plate which by their brightness or darknesse did give an answer to what they demanded of God that is thus when the high Priest went to demand of God what was to be done in any great and publique affairs hee presented this breast-plate with these stones before the Lord and if God would give an affirmative answer the stones gave a more then ordinary brightness and lustre but if he would give a negative answer then the stones were darker then they were before but we are not certain of this we may rather conclude upon the other viz. that the Vrim and Thummim though we know not what matter they were made of no more then we know what Manna was made of it was somwhat that God gave Moses to put into the breast-plate which by him was appointed as an ordinance which was to be presented before the Lord by the Priest when they would know the mind of God when this was presented before the Lord God did then usually give an answer to the Priest either by an audible voyce or by secret inspiration yet not always tying himself to give it thus for we find in Scripture somtimes God did not give an answer when he was sought by Vrim and Thummim as when Saul enquired of God by Vrim Thumim there was no answer from God and it is like Josiah would not have sent onely to Huldah the prophetesse if hee could have had answer by Vrim and Thumim but when God pleased he would give an answer this way The word Vrim Thummim signifies light and perfection some would make it to signifie the knowledg and integrity of life that is to be in Ministers but I rather think the meaning is that they were bright precious stones which were of a great perfection and fit to doe that which God did appoint them for The Septuagint calls this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Oracle Hence 1 Pet. 4. 11 Let 〈◊〉 speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Oracles of God Now this must be upon the breast-plate of the Priest which the Priest making use of thereby the people came to know the minde of God This was to signifie that we must look for the mind of God by Christ It is Christ who is come from the Father to reveale his counsels to us if we look to have the mind of God any other way but through him we are mistaken And further this Vrim and Thummim this breast-plate of judgment was to be upon the heart of the high Priest and that when he went in before the Lord as Exod. 28 30. There are two notable morall observations to be observed from thence First The answer that any Minister of God in the name of Christ should give his people should be such an answer as should lie at his very heart hee must speak nothing but his very heart unto them when he would answer any case of conscience or make known any thing of the mind of God his answer must lie at his heart Secondly It must be as in the presence of the Lord it must be as before God he must consider in whose place he standeth to answer as from God from the great Prophet of the Church It is a great judgment threatned to be without Vrim and Thummim seeing it was of so great use to them And this should be for many dayes Josephus saith that they were without this
frame it is laborious and industrious to know the mind of God Whereas the heart of a sinner heretofore lay dead dull never stirred after God now it is in a stirting in an inquiring in a seeking way this is a signe of much good though thou hast not what thou seekest for yet be comforted in this that thou art in a seeking way Their hearts shal reâ—oyce that seeke the Lord. If thou beest seeking God in his ways though thou complainest I have beene seeking a long time but I know not the minde of God I cannot apprehend the love of God the pardon of my sins yea but the hearts of those shall rejoyce that seek the Lord if thou beest in a seeking way thou art in a saving way there is cause thou shouldst rejoyce in this that God hath brought thee into such a way They shall seeke the Lord and that not saintly but to purpose auxiously Jer. 50. 4. 5. They the children of Israel and the children of Judah when they shall be both together shall goe weeping and seeke the Lord their God and they shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward Many of you come to aske questions but your hearts are not right your faces the strength of your spirits are not set to yeeld to the will of God when it is revealed to you And mark how it appeares that their faces are thitherward Come say they let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten This is to seeke God it is not meerly to goe to a Minister and aske him a question but it is to goe with our faces with the strength of our spirits set to know the minde of God above any thing in the world and so to resolve to obey what shall be revealed to be Gods mind as to be willing to enter into a perpetual Covenant to binde our selves to yeeld to whatsoever God shal reveale When you come to a Sermon you must not come to get a little notional knowledge but come with your faces towards Christ and his truth before you come you should get alone if you be a true seeker and enter into Covenant with God that whatsoever God revealeth to be his minde you will yeeld to it obey it though you have heretofore gone against many truths revealed to be the minde of God but Lord no more now here I am ready and willing to enter into an everlasting covenant to be under the command of every truth Here is the right seeking of God They shall seeke the Lord their God their God this hath two references either to what is past or to what is to come To what is past their God that is the God who was once the God of the Jews the God of their forefathers the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob. And secondly their God that is that God that is yet ready and willing to be reconciled to them not withstanding all their sinnes Thus they shal seek the Lord their God These two references afford two excellent Observations First This prevailes much with the heart of an Apostate when he can but think what God was once unto him before he did Apostatize and what he was unto his godly parents and predecessors There was a time that I enjoyed God sweetly when I went to prayer I had blessed communion with him it is otherwise with me now I have apostatized Let this consideration catch hâ—ld upon thy heart and turn it this day Oh turne turn thou apostate soul God who was once thy God in a gracious manner is that God that thou hast vilely forsaken yea thy fathers God also Thou hast a godly father a godly grand-father remember what a blessed God he was unto them and return Secondly Their God that God that yet they may have hope to enjoy notvvithstanding all their departings from him Hence the note is this The apprehension oâ— a possibilty to obtaine mercie from the Lord is a strong means to draw the heart to returne to him when they look upon God as a God in covenant with them yet and there is nothing to the contrary but he may be their God Let this be an argument to catch hold upon the spirits of all sinners who are departed from God thou hast departed from God in a soule and vile manner but Men and Angels know nothing to the contrary but that he may be thy God for all this Let me speake to the vilest sinner that is in this place before the Lord this day thou hast indeed most desperately and wickedly sinned against God the Jews have done so Hast thou crucified Christ they have done so hast thou denied the truth and followed false waies they have done so Notwithstanding all thy wicked and evil waies seeing thou art yet alive I doe this day yet once more pronounce thee in the name of the great God that there is nothing to the contrary that either Angels or Men can possibly know but that God may be thy God and that this day God may enter into covenant with thee thou with him this night he may come in and sup with thee and thou with him there may be a blessed reconciliation between God and thee return return thou sinful soul The Third Lecture HOSEA 3. 5. And David their King and shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes THat the Jews shall returne and believe in Christ is most ordinary and famous both in the words and hearts of those that are faithfull saies Augustine In this their returne and seeking God they shall seek David their King For the opening this there are these five things to be inquired into 1. Who this David was 2. Why David is rather named then any other 3. Why he is mentioned in this place 4. Why joyned with seeking Jehovah 5. Why this Epithet is added to David here David their King For the first David clearly is meant JESUS CHRIST Nothing is more manifest then that Christ is meant by the name of David sayes Augustine The Scripture is cleare in this it is usuall in the Gospel to call Christ by the name of David Compare Esay 55. 3. with Acts 13. 34. Esay 55. I will give you the sure mercies of David what are those Act. 13. that place in Isaiah is quoted and there the word is Sancta Davidis the holy things of David the holy Ghost there going according to the Translation of the Septuagint as it is usuall in the New Testament And that Psalm 16. 9. 10. where David seemes to speake in his owne person Thou wilt not leave my soul in grave nor suffer thy holy One to see corruption this is interpreted of Christ Act. 13. 36. 37. Act. 15. 16. In the Assembly the Church of Jerusalem together with messengers of the Church of Antioch James makes a speech to the Assembly tels them of a prophesie that God would raise the
appeare bright in the very faces and conversations of the Saints that shal strike great feare Holy reverent is thy nâ—me you know it is said of God and so it shall be said of the Saints in that day their graces shall be much raised they shall sparkle with abundance of the graces of Gods Spirit in them their wisdome holiness shall make their faces shine holy and reverent shall be their names Psal 89. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints those Saints of his who walke close with him have a daunting power in their appearance I appeale to guilty consciences to apostates to professors who have secret haunts of wickedness sometime when you come but into the presence of one who is a truly gracious godly man or woman whom your conscience tels you walkes close with God doth not even the very sight of such a one terrifie you the very lustre of that holiness you see in such a one strikes upon your conscience then you thinke such an one walkes close with God indeed but I have basely forsaken the Lord and have had such a haunt of wickednesse I have brought dreadfull guilt upon my soul since I saw him last Ecclesiasticall stories tell us of Basil when the officers came to apprehend him he being then exercised in holy duties that there was such a majesty lustre came from his countenance that the officers fell down backward as they did who came to apprehend Christ they were not able to lay hold of him Surely when the Saints shall be raised in their holiness when every one of them shall have their hearts filled with holinesse it will cause abundance of fear even in all the hearts of those that converse with them But wicked ones shall feare too as well as the Saints Luke 21. 26. Mens hearts shall faile them for feare it shal be true in these dayes as it was in the destruction of Jerusalem The Saints shall feare the Lord and his goodness the words in the original are they shall feare ad Dominum to the Lord ad bonum to his good It is all one in effect that good that God shall manifest shall cause this feare to be in their hearts You will say what goodnesse what shall that goodness of God be that shall move the hearts of this people with so much feare I will tell you briefly I need not spend much time in it for I have spent a whole Sermon about it when I spake of the last words of the first Chapter of this Prophesiâ— great shall be the day of Jezreel I shal now adde to what I had then This shall be the goodness of God in that day that they shall feare First The goodnesse of God that ever he should regard such a wretched people as we are and pardon all our sins What Israel the ten Tribes who had most wretchedly forsaken God who had crucified Jesus Christ crucified David their King yet that blood they have shed is applyed to them for the pardon of their sin Oh the goodness of God! they shall feare this goodness in being mercifull to such a hard-hearted such a stubborne such a stiffe-necked people as they have been this goodnes of God will break their hearts Secondly then God shal make the difference between him that feareth God and him that feareth him not Then shall God take away all the reproach of his Saints What bitter reproach hath been upon the Saints since the beginning of the world especially since the times of the Gospelâ— Reproach first because they are meane people of the lower sort 2. Reproach because they suffer much and God lets his adversaries prevaile over them 3 Reproach because they waite upon God and God seems not to come the adversaries say where is your God No marvaile you pray and Fast what is become of all Here will be the goodness of God at that day to wipe off all this reproach They shall have so much mercy so much honour from God that it shall appeare before all the world that it was good to waite upon him so much as shall countervaile abundantly all their sufferings they shall blesse God that ever it was put into their hearts to suffer for him to waite upon him And because God foreseeth this what goodness he hath laid up for his people that they shall enjoy ere long and we know a thousand years with him are as one day that is the reason why he suffereth his people to be so under for the present he knows he hath that goodness for them hereafter yea in this world that all the world shal say that God hath dealt well with them that he was not a hard Master to them to make them waite so long and to let them suffer so much as they do I will give you for this one excellent Scripture perhaps you have not considered of the emphasis of the argument that is in it It is Heb 11. 16. They desired a better Countrey that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City The poor persecuted Saints wandred up down they were content to leave their own Country their estates here and sought another Country an heavenly but they had it not their enemies prevailed over them as if God had forsaken them but God is not ashamed to be called their God what is the argument For he hath prepared for them a City Marke the force of the argument for he hath prepared for them 〈◊〉 City This City is this text I am now speaking of sometimes it is described as a Tabernacle The Tabernacle of God shall come downe from Heaven sometime a City sometime a Countrey sometime a Kingdome sometime an Inheritance Here God hath prepared for them a City that is there is a glorious time for Gods people when they shall have the new Jerusalem come down from heaven unto them Now then saith God though my people be in a suffering condition I am not ashamed to be called their God I am not ashamed to own this people for I have glory enough for them as if God should be ashamed that he should ever professe such an interest in his people and this people professe such an interest in him if there were nothing to come for them if there were not a time to recompence all their suffering As if a Master should own a servant or a Prince a subject if this servant or subject suffer extreamely and hath no help but still when he expects help there comes none and when he thinketh surely now it will come still it fayls him yet if you know that at such a day you shall recompence all this you shall advance him and bring him to such honour that he will blesse God that ever he was in your service you will not be ashamed to owne this servant But if this servant shall suffer in your cause and you
have no time nor no ability to recompence him but he must suffer and suffer for ever it would be a shame to you to owne him So God is pleased to speake here because I have prepared for them such a City though they be in present persecution I am not ashamed to own them for my people and I doe not account it any dishonour to me for there is a time coming that will answer all objections whatsoever This is the goodness of God They shall feare his goodnesse Feare it how In these severall regards First They shall admire at his goodnesse and in their admirations even stand amazed at it the feare of amazement 2 Thes 1. 10. When Christ shall come he shall come to be admired of his Saints Luke 5. 26. The text saith they were all amazed and glorified God and were filled with feare saying We have seene strange things to day VVhen this goodnesse of God shall come all the Saints shall stand admiring it with amazement say one unto another we did heretofore heare of Prophesies and promises and we thought when they were opened to us our hearts did burn within us O they were blessed things but now here is goodness we never thought of this is higher and more glorious then ever we imagined Thus they shall feare the Lord his goodness You have such a place Jer. 23. 9. It shal be to me a name of joy apraise and an honour before all the Nations of the earth When people shal heare of all the good that I do unto them they shal fear tremble for all the goodnes for all the prosperity that I procure unto it Secondly Feare this goodness they shall upon this fall down and worship this God with feare Oh how shall their hearts adore this God because of this his goodnesse As we reade of Moses Exod. 34. 8. God had told him that he would make all his goodnesse passe before him now when God came and passed by before him and proclaimed his goodness The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne The Text saith When Moses heard this he made haste and bowed his head and worshipped before the Lord. There is nothing will cause a gracious heart to make more haste to worship God then the beholding the glory and lustre of Gods grace and goodnesse then the heart will not stand dallying and triffling any longer but will make haste to worship before the Lord. Many times God shews his greatness unto you and that convinceth your consciences a little and you think you must leave your sinfull wayes then temptation prevailes over you againe but when God comes and makes known his goodnes then the heart stands out against the Lord no more but it gives up it selfe to the Lord in an everlasting covenant Thirdly They shall feare his goodness they shall feare to offend this goodness of God It shal be a mighty ingagement upon their hearts to walke close with God because of his goodness This is a sweet disposition indeed Then it is a sweet disposition when the heart hath been likewise humbled before God and his justice and now feares God and his goodness Mark a note in this by the way Whereas many will say O the goodnes of God will breake our hearts if Ministers did preach onely his goodnes◠but when they preach the Law when we heare of terrour that hardneth our hearts Take heed of this there is more evil in this then you are aware A heart that is truly gracious will fall down before the Lord any way and it is not a good signe to be wrought upon only by the goodness of God it may come through much stubbornness of heart for one to be of such a disposition to be onely wrought upon by kindness Did you never know a stour servant or a stout child that so long as you are dispeased with him he would stand out against you still but perhaps if you yeeld to him a little he would yeeld to you Is this a good disposition is not this stoutness and pride in a child or in a servant or in a neighbour that will never yeeld to you till you yeeld to him This is just for all the world the disposition of many people so long as they heare of Gods greatness and terrours of the Law and Gods justice they are hardned what is that that is they stand it out stoutly against God notwithstanding his wrath is revealed from heaven But say they when Gods goodnes is preached then they yeeld that is as much as to say except God yeeld to them they will not yeeld to God But when I can yeeld hoth ways fear his goodnes his justice then it is as a signe of a gracious disposion indeed They shal feare his goodness so as they shall be no longer wanton upon the goodnes of God they shal not slight Gods goodness they shal not do evil because God is good but they shall fear his goodness We have a generation of men who doe extreamely abuse the goodness of God at this day even Gods goodness in the Gospell in those blessed things revealed to us in JESUS CHRIST As thus VVe finde this revealed in the Gospel that it is God that must worke the will and the deed the Covenant of grace is such as that God doth not only require but work all for us how is this goodness mis-interpreted and abused Therefore say they what need we do any thing Why doe Ministers urge people to duties Your principle is good the truth is good that it is God that works all in the Covenant of grace but this distinction is very absurd and vile and an abuse of Gods goodnesse and therefore you must not work together with the Lord as rational creatures Again The Gospel reveales to us the righteousness of God in Christ that we must not stand before God in our own righteousnesse but it must be in the righteousness of Christ this principle is good O but what abuse of this goodness is there 〈◊〉 false doctrines and absurd consequences drawn from it therefore to make conscience of duties what is it but legall they are but duty whore-mongers such kinde of bold and absurd expressions come from them Oh wanton wanton spirits who do not feare God and his goodness but abuse God his goodness Agaiu The Scripture tells us in the Gospel that all sins unto believers are pardoned in Christ all sins both great and smal there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ no not one moment of an houre after they are once justified this is Gods goodnesse and thou shouldest feare it here is the principle right but the deductions consequences are vile therefore to preach that we must be humbled for sin this is legall preaching neither will these men ever confesse their sins because of this goodness
thâ— Church and State as children towards the mother Obser Sin causeth shame False worship 〈◊〉 shamefull thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The more full of beauty Gods Ordinances are the more shamefull it is to decline to waves of false worship Obser Omnes libros tam veteris tam novi testamenti nec non traditionis ipsas pari pietatis affectâ— ac reverentio suscipit ac veneratur Idem honor debetur imagini exemplari Governers and parents must take heed of putting their servants 〈◊〉 children to too much 〈◊〉 Obser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser Aelianus variar historâ— Bodily and spirituall whoredom makes men very wilful in their uncleannesses Obser Ego in ea opinioâ—e sum Monarchias longe diutius duraâ—uras sâ— Monarchae hoc unum pronomen Ego omisissens Luther in Psal 127. Tolle voluntatem non erit infernus Bern. It s a fearefull iudgement for a man to hee given up to ones owne will Professed wickedness is shamefull wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adaras Iovis aut Veneris adorare ac sub Aâ—tichristo fidem occul tare Zuin. ep 3. It is not enough to have goodnesse at the heart but we must professe it Ans 1. Association with those of a different Religion is dangerous Obser Wee must keepe good thoughts of God Obser If we prize Christs love hee will prize ours Obser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser The enâ—es of false worshippers are very low and meane A true child of Abraham hath a high spirit Obs Men love that Religion that brings them most corne and wine c. Fac me pontificem et Christi anus â—ro Novi hominâ—m non ex vna canoni catu nebilem commonstrantem digito delicatiorem penem vin m quod prestan iâ—simum erat oppositum haec in quit sunt quae faciunt ut hoc vitae genus dejerere non libeat Triobojare Beneficium Magis soliciti de meroquam de vero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magis amantmâ—n di delitiâ—s quam Christi divitias Obser It is a shamefull thing to subiect Religion to corn wine and flaxe and wool â—ermâ—ns illa bestia non curaâ— aurum Quasi vero deus nolit darelanem ecclesiae suae aut satius sit asathana peâ—era Obsre Prosperâ—ty in evill wayes hardens Obs God reserveth propriety in all that he giveth unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vadam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persequa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ—udiose quaâ—rensâ— Summae conatuam bulatione pedibuâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser Isa 27. 4 ver 9. The difference of Gods aims in afflicting his Saints from his aims in afflicting the wicked Obs 1. There remains much of slaviâ—h disposition in the godly Obser God studies what may do his people good Obs A mercy to have stumbling blocks laied in the way of sin O inâ—aelices et miseros quando relinquit Deus homiones sibi ipsis nec resistiâ— eorum fureri et cupiditatibus sed vae illis ad quorum peccata conniveâ— Deus Luther Obser Much brutishness remains in the hâ—arts even of the godly Obser 2. Obser 3. Afflictions are â—ods hedges If our way be Gods wee must breake through all difficulties Obser Wicked men will suffer much for their lusts Obs God keeps many from thit sins in a way of violence whether they wil or no. Obser Obser God strikes wicked men with blindnesse It is a good blindnes not to find the paths of sinne Obs Obser Obs Obs Obser When wee cannot enjoy all ordinances vet our hearts must be working after them Obs Obs Cum ne mi ni ob trvdi po test itur da me Obs God accepts of us when we come to him in our affliction Obser Rom. 6. 21. Nothing got by departing from Christ Obs Object Answ Humiliation must go before reformation Obs Lect. 6. In vaine to be humbled except we reform Obs The reasonings of heart in a repenting Apostate Obser Obser Pro. 14. 14. Lect. 6. Apostates seeming mercy must observe three things Examination whether times before were better then they are now The weakness of the argument taken from the opinions and practises of learned godly men Creâ—o vera purfecta fide quod Deus creator gubernator susteu ator sit omnium creaturarum quod idem ipse operatus siâ— omnia operetur adhuc inaeternam operaturus sit Buxtorf synag Iudaic. c. 1. Benedictus sis Domine Deus noster rex mundi quod fructum vitis condidisti Synag Iud. c. 7. Benedictus esto Deus qui dulcia bene volentia crearis c. Buxtsynag Iud. cap. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What Baal was Obs God provideth for the bodies of his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si opus est corni paâ—e si opus est aqua si open est vinâ— si opus est nummo si opus est jumento a Deo petere debet nan a daemoniis idolis qui Deo sitiunt undi que debent sitire anima carne Nunquid animam tuam Deus fecit carnem damonia fecerunt qui fecit ambas res ipse pascet amlias Aug. in 〈…〉 longeth for thee 〈…〉 Obj. The greatest man in the world must beg his bread at Gods gate every day Obs The sweetnesse of a comfort is that it comes from God Obs Many and great are Gods unknown mercies Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat alter Obser We know no more then we lay to heart philosophi sumus factis noâ— verbis nec magna loquimur sed vivimus Cypr. de patientiâ— Mat. 11. 27. Hoc morbo didici quid sit peccatum quanta majestas Dei Gasper Olevianus Verbâ— sensus denotant affectus Obs Affected ignorance is no excuse Graviter O homo peccas si divitias dei longanimitatis contemnis gravissime si ignoras Ambroâ— Obser Obs Obser Prosperity makes men grow wanton Obser Obs An evill thing to fight against God with his own creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs Obs Lect 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser 1 Obs 2. Abuse of mercies causes God to take them away Obser 4 Gratiarum actio ipsa confessio donum est acceptum quanto magis ipsa dona Luther postquam locuplitati sumus bane â—idesam particulam addimus ego geci Obs 5. When God takes away a mercy then conscience troubles foâ— the abuse of that mercy Obser 6 Obs 7. wrath from God when wiked men least think of it Obs 8. how far wicked men have right to the creature Obs 9. Substantiâ— caro nostra incorporetur Sanctis nt in â—is ad gloriam resurgat non peccatoribus in illis enim resurgâ—t ad â—ehenam Obser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser Prosperity hides much filth Obser Lect. 6. Reâ—taining some good covers much evill Obser Obser Lewdnes of men must be discovered
upon them when it shall be seasonable for them but when they come upon the wicked it shal be when they are most unseasonable for them As a husband-man if he would cut his Tree so as onely to lop it that it may grow and flourish again he will be sure to do it in due time as in January or February but if he would cut it that so it may dye hee will lop it when it flourisheth most at Midsummer God indeed letteth wicked men grow up and flourish to the height of their prosperity and then he commeth and loppeth them because then hee knowes they must die and perish It were better to be lopped in January in winter time before you flourish then you may live for your good but if you stay till the summer you die for it You have an excellent Scripture Zeph. 2. 4. They shall drive out Ashdod at noon day In those Countries that were exceeding hot and scorching she pheards and others that had their businesse abroad used to keep their houses at noon day or get into some shady places and sleepe Now when God threatneth a judgement in wrath and denyeth mercie saith hee they shall drive out Ashdod at noone day in the worst time that possibly Ashdod can be driven out in the middest of scorching Because God intended to destroy them he drives them out at noone day Again thirdly When God commeth upon the wicked and denyeth mercie he regardeth not the proportion of any affliction or any evill whether it be enough or not enough for them what is that to him When hee cometh upon his own people he weigheth out his wrath Never did any skilfull Physitian or Apothecary more carefully weigh out to every dram what the potion should be that is to be given to a child then God doth weigh out every affliction that he sendeth upon his children The difference is just as if you should goe to the Apothecaries to take ratsbane to poyson or kill vermine you doe not weigh out how much you should take but give them it at adventure and let them take as much as they will and let them burst but if you take any thing for your child if it have any strong vertue in iâ— or without composition it may be poison you will take heed you will not take a dram a graine too much but will be sure to weigh it out exactly Thus though when God commeth to his children hee weigheth out their afflictions yet when he cometh with judgements upon the wicked he cares not how much how many or great they be whether sutable to their conditions or no whether they can beare them or no whether their backes breake or no he cometh with judgements upon them to destroy them Fourthly When afflictions commeth without mercie upon the wicked God stoppeth his ears at all their cryes If they cry when God cometh with judgements against them he calleth their cryings howling Hee tells them though they cry aloud yea cry with teares he will not heare them Fifthly God commandeth all creatures that they should deny help to them They may stand and be amazed but help them they cannot They all say how can we help seeing God helpes not Sixthly There is the curse of God mixed with every judgement to drive them further from God and to harden them more in their sinnes Lastly One judgement is but the making way for another yea all judgments in this world are but the fore-runners and makers-way for eternall judgements This is the portion of the cup of the wicked when God saith he will shew them no mercie The afflictions of the Saints may seeme to be more grievous outwardly but thus God never afflicteth them there is mercie alwayes for them VVherefore all yee Saints of God who are under any affliction at any time be patient and quiet be contented under it for though your afflictions before and grievous yet God delivereth you from such afflictions as these wherein he saith he will shew no mercie But further I will not have mercy upon her children Her children The judgement of God in punishing the sin of the fathers upon the children we spake somewhat of in the Chapter before wee will wholly let that passe now and onely consider children in another way then we did before in a politicall consideration for certainly that is the meaning of the Text I will not have mercy upon her children that is I will not have mercie upon the particular people that belong to Iezreel Private and particular people are called the daughters of Jerusalem the daughters of such a Country So that the whole community together with the officers Governours they are as the Mother and the private and particular people they are as the children So that when God saith he will have no mercy upon her children hee doth not onely threaten the State and the Church the Governours and the whole Community thus but he threatneth every particular person of them though you that are in the multitude perhaps thinke you may escape in the crowde No saith God I will looke to every one of you of the multitude of the private and particular persons of Israel and my wrath shalâ— not onely come out against those that are in higher places but it shall come out against you also I will slay her children It is true indeed the heads and governours of places are usually most invelved in the guilt of the sins of nations and their judgements are usually most dreadfull when God commeth with nationall judgements As Num. 35. 3. 4. The Text saith there that Israel joyned themselves to Baal Peor and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and the Lord said unto Moses take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the sunne The Lords anger was kindled against the people but he bade Moses especially look to the heads and take them and hang them up beâ—â—re the Lord that the fierce anger of the Lord might be turned away from Israel Certainly execution of wrath upon great ones upon such as have beene heads in evill is a Sacrifice exceeding well pleasing to God But though God ayâ—â—e at them especially in nationall judgements yet the multitude and private people must not thinke to escape and that upon these grounds First Because many times it is for their sins that God suffereth their Governours to doe so much evill as they doe As Israel had sinned and God was wrath with Israel therefore David did what he did in numbring the people When you see your Governours doe that which is naught lament for your own sins doe not spend your time onely in crying out against them but look to yourselves it is for your sinnes that God hath left them to do as they have done Secondly It may be the reason why Governours do not reforme is in the perversenesse of people that they are not in a preparation to receive that good which