after he had killed Nabal and telleth him of his sin he fals down and humbleth himself in so much that God himself takes notice of it and upon it pronounceth a transmission of his punishment That he would not bring the evil in his daies but in his sons God bids the Prophet see how he humbled himself that not in a show as if his heart were not touched and affected he did truly humble himself in his kind but now was there no reformation followed upon this No none at all great men not easily reformed Theodos 'T is very hard to bring great men to reforming where have we such an example since Theodosius the Emperor who being a man guilty of rash effusion of blood coming upon a Sabbath day to the place of publick worship and would have received the Sacrament Ambrose Ambrose seeing him a coming goes and meets him at the door and speaks thus to him How dare those bloody hands of yours lay hold of the body and blood of Christ who have been the sheders of so much innocent blood Which speech did so startle him that he went away and was humbled for his sin and afterwards came and made his publick confession and then was received in Whence we may see that Kings An Emperor may be kept back froÌ„ the Sacrament yea Emperors have been kept back from the Sacrament But did this humiliation of Ahab come to nothing If we look but into the 22. chap. we shall find him of a proud hauty spirit resolved upon his own will contrary to the will of God he would go up to Ramâ—th Gilead and when Jehoshaphat asked him if there were not a Prophet of the Lord more that they might enquire of him and he said there is one but I hate him and this was in the time of his humiliation And is it not thus with us Applica many times when judgments are upon us how penitent are we and then humbled presently but if the rod be off us we grow proud and stout again presently So in Judah what beginnings did that young King Joash Joash make in the 2 Chron. 24.6 what care was there taken in reparing the Temple gave commandement to the Priests and the Levites to gather mony for the building the House of the Lord and commanded it to be done spedily he was a very young Prince but very zealous in so much that he blamed the high Priest for his want of zeal and verse 10. 't is said the Princes and all the people rejoyced and brought in and cast into the chest now what did this produce surely some glorious effect mark in the 17. verse After the death of Jehojadah came the Princes of Judah and made obeisance to him and what then the King hearkened to them they then began to get him on their side by complying with him for the text saith that he hearkened to them and then wrath came upon them 't is very likely they said after this manner to him Consider who you are a Prince the head of a people and you do all that the old man Jehojada commanded he was a subject to you and you be commanded by him The Princes discourse to Joash and besides he is now dead and gone therefore shew your self a man like a Prince in your Kingdom stand upon your own legs be like unto the rest of the Princes about you Now such words as these might please the King and be hearkened to and then they presently forsook the House of the Lord God of their fathers and served groves and Idols they forsook their Religion while they kept the truth it preserved them and they followed the rule but turning from the rule what outrages do they commit verse 21 22. conspire against Zaccariah and stoned him the blood of a Prophets son is now nothing to them they can down with it and the King stood and saw him stoned Oh what a height of sin is this young zealous Prince come unto How many sad examples have we in these our daies which second this of Joash Young ones of our times how many young ones are there who in their youth give very good hopes but it proves to be but a morning cloud their timely beginnings end in apostacy Another example we have in Amaziah in the 2 Chron. 25.2 Amaziah Amaziah in the 6. verse had hired an hundred thousand of Israel to go to the war with him and for their hire he had given them an hundred talants of silver now after he had hired them and paid them all their monies there comes a Prophet of God tels him that he must not use a man of them why saith he what shall I do for my mony the hundred talents which I have paid the Army with the man of God answered the Lord is able to give thee much more than these he had no security for it but only Gâ—â—s word for it and that from the mouth of a man what now Amaziah obeyed presently and separated the armies of Israel But what became of this Vers 14. after he returned from the slaughter of the Edomites he brought the gods of the children of Seir and set them up to be his gods and bowed down to them and the 15. verse God sends him another Prophet and now see how the spirit of the man is changed In the former verses the other Prophet coms to him and crosses his design and turns his mind he hearkens presently unto him and obeys the command of God in that thing which was for his present and eminent losse but this Prophet speaks as mildly with as much love as possibly could be and he speaks as much reason to him as a man can desire Why hast thou relied and sought after the gods of the people which could not deliver their own people out of thy hand they could not rescue or save their people from thee and wilt thou serve them yet in the 16. vers mark what he saith Medle not with this matter Art thou made of the Kings Councel forbear why shouldest thou be smitten Dost thou know what a plot and design there is in this thing The Prophet forbears but what follows I know by this the Lord hath determined to destroy thee Because thou hast done this Wilfulness after enlightening a note of dâ—structioÌ„ and hast not hearkened to my counsel The truth is when we see men unruly stubborn and wilful rejecting counsel and very unreasonable in their way especially after some good workings and stirrings it is a fearful sign God hath a purpose to destroy them So that wicked King at one time could call the prophet his father yet how was he afterward inraged against him Some may be friends to the Saints at one time and bitter enemies to them at another And as the Scripture is full of such examples as these so also are Ecclesiastical histories 'T is storied of Domitian DomitiaÌ„ a most
the seventy yeers were at an end ibid Answered 2 In their captivity by the Romans ibid Answered 3 At the calling of the Jews ibid Quaere 2 How did they seek God in any of these times ibid Answered from several Scriptures ibid Obs 1 In the sorest afflictions which befals the people of God he intends their good in them Page 522 Obs 2. God hath little honor in this world Page 523 Use God takes it ill when he seldom hears from us but in our extremities ibid Obs 3 Times of affliction are times of seeking God ibid Obs 4. When God is pleased to work grace in the heart that heart is taken off from all creature helps ibid Obs 5. We are not to be discouraged in seeking God though afflictions drives us to it ibid Use Despair not in afflictions ibid Obs 6 We must seek God early else not sufficient Page 525 Opened in Three particulars ibid Quest What is it to seek God diligently Page 526 Answered in Five particulars ibid Use Admonition to England Page 527 AN EXPOSITION Of the PROPHESY of HOSEA CHAP. 4. VER 1. Hear the Word of the LORD ye Children of Israel for the LORD hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth c. IN this Chapter we have 1. A suit commenced 2. God declares 3. Judgment is pronounced 4. Exhortation to Judâ—h to beware she comes not into the same condition 5. Execution the giving up Ephraim to himself and unto Gods wrath For the fiâ—st Israel is cited Hear ye the Wâ—rd of the Lord ye children of Israel The knowledge of any truth hard and grievous to flesh and blood to be the Word of the Lord Obs is a special means to prepare the heart to receive it with reverence and all due respect It was a hard Message that Hosâ—â— had to bring to tell them of Gods Controversie he therrefore makes thiâ— preface 〈◊〉 Word of the Lord. Hard truths are hardly born but when the Authority of the Infinite God appears in them be they either making for us or against us our hearts must bow to them they lay bonds upon the conscience and bind over to eternal death if you reject them 2 Chron. 26.12 Zedekiah a King is charged that he did not humble himself before the Prophet Jeremiah Though the Prophet be never so poor and contemptible in himself yet if he brings the word of the Lord Zedekiah the king must humble himself before him Ye children of Israel In this appellation God puts them in mind of the covenant he had made with them and theâ— with him you are not Heathens you are the children of Israel in covenant with me a people neer to me yet I have a controversie with you Obs The neerness of a people to God exempteth them not from Gods contending with them for sin Neither should neerness to us exempt any from our contending with them Deut. 13.6 If thy brother the son of thy mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wise of thy bosom or thy friend which is as thy own soul intice thee secretly to worship a strange god Verse 8. thine eye shall not pity him neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceal him but thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death Controversies between those that are neare are very grievous Quid dicturus es ò Propheta qui tanta diligentia vocas ut audiatur verbuÌ„ Domini OecoloÌ„p in locum 3. The neerer the â—â—lation is between any the more grievous is the controversie if there be a controversie at all Hear the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel It is a sad thing for one Nation to have a controversie with another much more for a people to be at controversie with it self Yet more when when the controversie comes nearer into the family between husband and wife between father and child between dearest friends who were before to each other as their own souls controversies there are very sore and grievous Prov. 18.19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong Citie and their contentions are like the bars of a Castle Wind within the body is most troublesom and dangerous Hear ye O Prophet saies Oecoloppdius upon the place what is it thou hast to say that with so much earnestness thou callest to have the word of the Lord heard This is the solemn message of the Prophet to this people The Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land The word translated Controversie signifies a debate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his expostulatio judiciuÌ„ The Sepuag in t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judicium the same word traÌ„slated by them also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 29.16 Ministers must plead for God take heed they plead not against him a contention it comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contendere vel privatim vel coram judice to contend privately or to come before a Judge somtimes a cause pleaded in Law As Exod. 23.3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause That 's the same word with this here a Controversie The Lord hath a cause to plead with this people it is the controversie of the Lord the Prophet stands up for God in his Name to plead against them he pleads for the King the King of Heaven So should all faithful Ministers be sure they be on Gods side pleading his cause For all Ministers are Gods Sergeants at Law his Attourneys his Soliciters The Kings Lawyers are sworn they shall never plead against him or take fee on the other side And yet how many even in the exercise of their Ministry shew that they have taken fee on other side How do many plead against God against his Sabbaths against his Ordinances yea plead somtimes against the power of Godliness against those things wherein the chief dignitie glory of God consists somtimes perhaps pleading for them but pleading more against them at another time The Devil hath not more cordial Solicitors and pleaders for him than those who would be accounted the Prophets of the Lord. The Lord. As if the Prophet should say Know you have not to do with me nor with Amos who was contemporary with Hosea a Prophet to Israel though you think you can make your parts good with me and with the other Prophets know God will not now stand pleading with you so much by his Ministers he will take the cause into his own hand and will plead by his Judgments he will now take up the controversie himself The Lord tells the people Gen. 6.3 that his Spirit should no longer strive with them what 's that That is it should no longer strive in the way of Noâ—h's Ministry but he would come and strive himself after another manner by bringing the flood upon them 〈…〉 God 's pleading is the more dreadfull It is most dreadful for sinners for God to take the
but murders you hear of murders in this place and in that place and in the other place Thus we may soon have it amongst us if the Lord did not raise up means to keep in and subdue the rage of ungodly men if it get head and overcome the opposition that it hath blood will then touch blood one messenger shall not have done his relation of one horrid and cruel murder but another messenger will be at his heels to tell you of another more horrid and vile than that So it is in some countries there comes one and saith in such a place such a man and all his family were murdered there comes presently another and tels you in such a Town such a friend of yours was murdered Thus the messegers come at the heels one of another and tell the relation of blood touching blood So some carry it But I rather thus they defile themselves incestuously So that this is somewhat more than bare adultery not regarding the neerness of blood but blood toucheth blood they that were neerest in blood one to another they mingled themselves one with onother in filthy and abominable lusts So the Septuagint they translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they mingle so Jerome Sanguis sanguineÌ„ tetigit they mingle and touch blood with blood those that are neer of kin yet they come neer one another in filthy lusts Now this was a sin that God cast the Heathen out of Canaan out of that good land for and therefore well may God have a controversie with the people of the land now for God cast out the Heathen even for this very sin As you may find it Levit. 18.6 None of you shall approach to any that is neer of kin to him to uncover their nakedness And so in many verses afterward he shews what degrees of consanguinity we must not come neer and then ver 24. Defile not your selves in any of these things for saith he in all these the Nations are defiled that I cast out before you and the land iâ— defiled therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it and the land it self vomiteth out the inhabitants of it This the rather stil hath God a controversie with a people for this sin because there is so little punishing of it I would but know at thiâ— day what punishment there iâ— for Incest or for any uncleanness among us only the man must keep the child And what ever punishment hath been it was that which did as little good a nothing at all they were to come to the Court and that would enjoyn them a white sheet which they could take off with a very little money That was the most then and little it is that is now and in that regard we may fear that Gods controversie is so much the more against us and pray to God that speedily the land may deliver it self from this guilt by having severe Laws for the punishment of this horrible wickedness lest God come and punish it himself and then wo unto us Now it follows upon all this charge Thus God hath declared and then follows the Land mourneth Well may a land mourn when God hath such a controversie with it Verse 3. Therefore shall the Land mourn and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven yea the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away 4. Yet let no man strive nor reprove another for this people are as they that strive with the Priests 5. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day and the Prophet also shall fall with thee in the night and I will destroy thy mother 6. My peâ—ple are destroyed for lack of knowledg because thou hast rejeâ—tâ—d knâ—wledg I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me seeing thou hast forgot the Law of thy God I will also forget thy Children YOU have heard that God in this Chapter commenceth a suit against the ten Tribes He putteth in his Action and he declareth and then judgeth The Articles of his Declaration or Charge against them we had some of them the last day Hereupon Judgement is past upon this Declaration Therefore shall the land mourn The Land How can the Land be said to mourn As when the Land is fruitful it is said to laugh and sing Meadowes that are green and fruitful laugh And it is the Scripture phrase Psal 65.13 The valleyes are covered with corn they shout for joy they also sing So when a land is desolate and God bringeth famine then it is said to mourn Jer. 12.4 Jer. 12.4 How long shall the land mourn and the herbs of every field wither for the wickedness of them that dwell therein The beasts are consumed and the birds because they said Explained he shall not see our last end I warrant you as long as his eyes are in his head he shall never see that fulfilled that he speaks of therefore shall the land mourn and the herbs of every field wither And likewise when a place is left disolate of people that were the beauty of it before then it is said to mouâ—â— Isa 3.26 Her gates shall lament and mourn Lament 1.4 The waies to Zion mourn because nâ—ne come to her solemn feasts As now in time of Plague the streets of your City may be said to mourn because they are desolate they look in a desolate way when the grass grows between the stones her gates sâ—all lament and mâ—urn The end of thiâ— expression here is to upbraid the hardnâ—ss of the hearts of the ten Trâ—bes As if God should say Notwithstanding al their dâ—eadful sins that should break their hearts and make them howl and cry out yet they will not mourn therefore their Land shall mourn When God will upbraid men for stopping their ears and refusing to hear and thâ—â— they were not obedient he cals to the Heavens Isa 1.2 Hâ—â—r O Heâ—â—ens and give ear O Eâ—rth to upbraid the deafnes of men that will not hear And Jer. 2.12 Be astonished O ye Heavens Because men will not fear therefore for their upbraiding God calls to the Heavens to be astonished so because mens hearts are hard therefore God calls to the Land to mourn yea saies it shall mourn The ugly gastly face of your sin that is the meaning shal appear in the miserable desolation of your Country There is an ugly face of sin and it were well if you saw it as it is in your own hearts the guilt that you have brought upon your own spirits but seeing you wil not apprehend that ugly face of sin in your own hearts you shall see the sad face of it in all things of the land God will have sin appear vile and ugly unto us one way or other The Lord this day is making our Land to mourn because we have not mourned because we do not mourn Many Countries know what this expression meaneth their Country mourns their Land mourns
the brow of a hill that was upon the side of the Citie and would have thrown him down and broke his neck that was the reward he should have had And Paul that was one of the excellentest preachers that ever was It was one of Austins wishes that he could but see Paul in the pulpit yet when he came to preach What will this babler say and he is a pestilent fellow one that is of a furious spirit and an incendiary and where ever he goes he turns the world up-sâ—de down Such kind of entertainment had the Apostles And Luther I remember hath such an expression Quid est praedicare Evangelium What is it to preach unless it be this to derive all the fury of people upon ones self if one would preach conscienciously And Mat. 5.12 there Christ tels his Disciples what they were like to meet withal how they were like to be reviled and persecuted for so saith he persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Acts 7.53 Which of the Prophet hâ—ve not your fâ—thers peâ—secuted Thus those that are in office those that are sent to speak unto the people they must expect if they would be faithful in their administrations to be striven withal But though wicked men do strive yet as Samson said unto the men of Judah that came to binde him that they might deliver him into the hands of the Philistins Do not ye fall upon me your selves It were well if faithful Ministers were not striven withal many times by those that are godly It is not so much for a faithful Minister to have wicked and ungodly men to strive with him Though they bind them Oh brethren do not do not you bind them after that in conscience of their duty and in love to your souls they have hazarded all the hatred and malice that may be of the adversary even to stand in the fore-front as the But to their mallice yet in requital of all even many that are godly if they see them grow troublesom they are ready to strive with them because wicked men are exasperated by the Word of God preached therefore they could wish that even such Ministers had never come amongst them and this even such as make profession of godliness do Is here a requital of he hazard that faithful Ministers undergo I appeale unto you Are there any people in the Kingdom that stand as a But against the malice of the Adversary so much as godly and faithful Ministers do Do not think that it is out of that precipitancy that ra hness that we do not consider what danger we stand in in doing what we do yes we consider it beforehand But out of conscience of our duty and in faithfulness unto your soulâ— we hazard our lives we hazard all the rage and malice of the Enemy Now when we have done all this we expect a far better râ—quittal from many people than we find When Moses and Aaron came unto the people of Israel when they were in Egypt to deliver them for that was their message but because for the present their bondage was increased and the wrâ—th of Pharaoh more incensed therefore they were weary of Moses and Aaron and they fall to striving with them as if they were the cause of their misery Why 't was better with us before than three you came if you had never come amongst us it would have been better with us So it is now because those that are faithful out of conscience labor to declare to you the mind of God and to draw you to those duties that God calls for this indeed enrageth the adversary they are the more incensed when you follow what your Ministers teach and you are ready to think they hâ—ve brought us into this way they have kindled the fire they have told us it is the Cause of God they have exhorted us to come in with our Estates and now the King is exaspered against uâ— and our adversaries are enraged against us and we are like to be in some misery And so even all the strivings of the better sort are ready to devolve upon the Ministers and they strive with them as the only incendiaries and troublers of the places where they come Well howsoever Ministers may meet with hard dealing from some even from professors yet their way is with the Lord and their judgment is with the Almighty As there is a most admirable promise to help those that have been most forward to rebuke sin in a zealous way for God though men are enraged against them Isa 49.2 Isa 49.2 He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword in the shaddow of his hand hath he bid me This text is true of every faithful Minister Mark it He hath made made my mouth like a sharp sword why if I did speak smooth things I were not like to be in so much danger but if speak sharp things do not I hazard my selfe much Opened I shall incur the rage and anger of all kind of people but mark He hath made my mouth as a sharp sword But in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me Ministers whose mouths are as sharp swords they are in a great deal of danger yea but let such be comforted here comes a promise presently in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me So that those Ministers whose mouthes are sharpest in the Name of God and who speak but the Truth of God those are under Gods protection more than any other Ministers that have held their peace they are in more safety they are hid in Gods hand in the shadow of his hand more than any other So God comforted Jeremiah Chap. 10. vers 15. after he had cryed out wo is me I am a man of strife wel saith God Verily it shall be well with thy remnant I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction It may be many of you think it is a weaknes in Ministers to appear so much as they do and discover themselves for they endanger themselves and cannot they be quiet as others are there are many of more moderate spirits and deal wiselyer for themselves they keep in and say nothing and so they may scape of either side looking which side will prevail May not these scape No they are in more danger than the other for the other are under a promise these are not they are so studious for themselves and for their owne safety that God will take no care of them Our Savior Christ takes care to encourage his Disciples against the stâ—â—ings of people with them we have in Luk. 6. many blessings pronounced blessed are the poor blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness blessed are they that mourn c. But they that understand the Original shall find that the word ye is not in only blessed are the poor and blessed are they that mourn c. But when he cometh
to his Disciples vers 22. there is an Este put more than in the other Christ speaks more particularly to his Disciples when as people shall speak evil of them and cast out their name as filth then there is a blessed are ye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an este more than there was in all the other blessednesses That shews God hath a special care of his Ministers when men speak evil of them and strive with them But on the other side Luke 6.22 Opened Wo to you when all men speak well of you It is meant most of Ministers it is true indeed of all Christians but I take it that the scope of Christ in that place is concerning Ministers that were to go and preach and wo to you when all men speak well of you The word that is translated well it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that speak of you so as to commend you for a spruce curious neat Teacher I there are such and such fiery men but here 's a Preacher a quaint man an Eloquent man a dainty man a man that hath brave language with him and they will never persecute such as these The other are pronounced blessed when they are reviled and cast out as evil These are they that will strive with the Priest The next Note is this That though the Ministers of God must expect striving withal Obser yet to strive with those that come in Gods Name to reprove it is a great aggravation of sin and a hastning of judgment God expects when he sends his Ministers that you shovld obey them in the Lord and not strive with them 2 Chron. 26.12 God took it ill that King Zedekiah did not humble himself before Jeremiah the Prophet And in ver 16. of the same chap. it is said They mocked the Prophets and contemned them until the wrath of God arose against his people and there was no remedy No remedy when once they strove with those that God sent amongst them Those that are sent by God they are the special witnesses of God Revel 11. It is said of those two witnesses that if any do them hurt and contend with them fire shal go out of their mouths and devour their enemies Those that are sent by God and come in Gods Name they have the power of Jesus Christ with them Mat. 28. Matt. 28. All power is given to me c. Go and teach c. As if he should say Opened know as I have all power given to me it shall go along with you to do good to those that obey your Doctrine and to execute revenge upon all those that strive with you The Apostles were to shake off the dust of their feet in contempt of those that contemned their Doctrine Quest But you will say May we not in any case strive with the Minister Answ I confess in Popery they would so exalt their Priestly Office as that all people must be brought into a blind obedience unto them and the people must receive whatsoever Doctrine they preach The Priests lips only must preserve knowledg the people must not so much as examin it they must obey and not contradict whatsoever is said It is one of the Popes Canons concerning him nullus mortaliū praesumat redarguere quia cunelos ipse judicaturus à neminè est judicundus Lex Canonic that though he should carry down with him by heaps souls to Hell yet no mortal man must presume so much as to rebuke him or find fault with him for he being spiritual as they say for so they abuse that Scripture he judgeth all men and no man judgeth him and in a proportion all their Priests would fain have that power And this certainly hath been the policie of our Priests of late to bring the people into ignorance that so they might not be able to contend with them let then do what they will They cry out there was never such a time when every Taylor and every Shop keeper hath had so much knowledg that they can contradict their Minister as now and try the Doctrine of their Minister They vex at this that poor men have so much knowledg as to be able to trye their Doctrine they preach they would fain so preach as that you must be led like a company of sheep what way they would lead you and beleeve what ever they preach Certainly so many gross errors and doting conceits of Popery could never have prevailed except they had prevailed with people in their blind obedience Therefore there may be some striving with Ministers and that according to God though here their striving is forbidden As thus Christ requires that his sheep should know the difference between his voice and the voice of a stranger Yea we know that there is a charge that if any preach any other Doctrine he should be accursed even people should look upon those that come to them to preach any other Doctrine as accursed Therefore they are required to know And they are commanded to try every thing and not to beleeve every spirit yea not to bid them good speed that bring other Doctrins And they are to say to Archeppus Take heed to thy Ministry which thou hast received that thou fulfil it so far people have leave Yet still it must be done in waies of respect to them If they look upon them as true Officers whether they be or no yet if they look upon them as such the rule will take hold of them Receive not an accusation against an Elder without two or three witnesses You must not be so ready to strive with those that you look upon as officers And rebuke not an Elder but intreat him as a father It must not be in a male pert way but with respect and reverence And when you have done that contended by witnesses and spoken to them with reverence as owning the place wherein he standeth you have liberty then if he bring ill Doctrine or if his life be naught to strive with him and contest with him in the Name of the Lord and not to suffer your selves to be under such bondage as to beleeve what ever they would have you and they never to be called to any account at all There was wont robe crying out of people if they went from their parish Churches as they called them Oh it could not be suffered and yet they themselves would be away a whol yeer together as if the relation were not mutual and they bound as much to continue with their people as the people tyed to keep unto them If the Minister may have leave to go away certainly the people may have the same freedom whereas indeed neither of both ought to go away so long as the one is looked upon as an Officer and the other as under that Officer But I speak of that bondage that they would have brought you into whereby in time they would wholly have freed themselves that you should have
fall in the day Hodie that is soon presently your destruction shall not be long And the Prophet shall fall with you in the night There seems to be some difficulty in this How cometh this in you shall fall in the day and the Prophet shall fall also with you in the night First The Prophet shall fall with you The blind lead the blind and they both fall into the ditch You gave your selves up to false Prophets to be guided by them and here is all the good you shall have both you and they shall perish together the Prophet shall fall as well as ye This is observable here The falls of the Prophets are the falls of the night Obser For in the captivity of the ten Tribes they had no Prophets nor never had since Judah was carried into captivity yet they had Prophets among them as there was Ezekiel and Zechariah and Haggai they had Prophets to direct them though they had a great deal of misery But Israel shal be carried into captivity and shal have no Prophet to help them Here is a Note of great use from hence Obs It is a most sad judgment for a people to be in affliction and to have no Prophet at all amongst them no Prophet to tel how long to tel them any part of Gods mind Look to your selves that you regard the Prophets of God now otherwise when you shall be brought into misery under the power of your adversaries you shall have no Minister among you none to shew you Gods mind none to open his will It was so with Israel they never had any Prophet since the captivity to tell them the mind of God Thus the Prophets shall fall but why in the night Some therefore because they think hard of the different expression they reade it thus You shall fall in the day with the Prophet in the night your mother shal be destroied and so do but point it differently It may be fairly read so You shall fall in the day with the Prophet in the night your mother past be destroyed But I had rather reade it as we have it You shall fall in the day and the Prophet with you in the night Upon these two reasons the Prophet shall fall in the night false Prophets so they are meant they shall fall Observ First Because God would inflict a greater darkness upon them in his just judgment than upon the people Those that abuse most light they come into most gross darkness and therefore it is a usual expression in Scripture when Prophets are threatned to threaten that darkness shall be upon them Micah 3.6 To you saith he speaking of the Prophets it shall he dark night shall be upon you the Sun shall go down over the Prophets and the day shall be darkened over them over the Prophets in a special manner And Zech. 11.17 Zech. 11.17 His right eye shall be utterly darkened the chief understanding that he hath the pregnancy of parts that he hath he shall be besotted in Opened even in his very parts Do we not see it even at this day that the Prophets fall in the night There is more darkness upon wicked Ministers at this day amongst us than upon ordinary people Ordinary people they understand more what God would have them to do than ill Ministers Ill Ministers God doth besot them in their very parts and abilities and they do nothing but cry out still for that which wil bring themselves and us into slavery Were it not for them people would see competently well what to do and the great darkness that is upon people commeth from the Prophets they bring darkness upon the people therefore their darkness is more than the darkness of the people In divers Towns are there not many people that know the mind of God and see need of and desire a Reformation in Gods worship and yet notwithstanding wicked Ministers will see no need of any Reformation But there is a second reason and that is more evident yet The Prophet also shall fall with you in the night That is the distress that shall be upon the Prophets shall be greater than shall be upon other people it shall be night to them indeed not only shall there be more darkness upon their understandings but more darkness in regard of their afflictions they shall be in greater horror of conscience and distress than any other people for they shall see that they have brought you into all misery And the truth is at this day the great misery that is come upon England it is through false Prophets through wicked Ministers through that Doctrine that they have taught We had never been in such a condition as we are had not they flattered at Court and told at Court that all was at the Kings power and pleasure and there ought to be no resistance and that whatsoever he would have to refuse it is rebellion Had they not taught such things as these we never had had such times Now if this Kingdom be destroyed it may be God may bring horror upon their consciences how ever they would put it off unto others yet those that have any light remaining in them the Lord wil cause horror to be in their consciences and distress in their spirits as the cause of all that evil that shall be upon us They shall fall in the night a black dismal night shall be upon them when judgments cometh Therefore in tims of publick judgment Gods Ministers are to look upon Gods hand as especially against them and more horror and distress of conscience shall be upon them than upon others I will destroy their mother They boasted of their mother a◠the Papists do of their mother the Church that is their Church-state and Civil state shall be destroyed and so there shal be no hope of this people both children mother shal be be destroyed it seems to have some allusion to that in the Law where we are forbidden to take the dam with the young ones because of the preservation of succession but here saith God my wrath shall be so hot that I will not only take the young ones but the dam they shall be destroyed together with their mother The word that is here translated destroyed is a word that signifies shall be brought to be silent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for indeed this word signifies silence as noting thus much in times of Gods judgments wicked men shall have nothing to say for themselves but their mouths shall be stopped and they shall be forced to lay their hands upon their mouths and be silent It follows Verse 6. My people are destroyed for want of knowledg because thou hast rejected knowledg I will reject thee c. For want of knowledg As if he had said if they had the knowledg of God they might have prevented all this but they were ignorant and sottish people and this was the forerunner of their misery and destruction
brought into perplexity and doubtfulness of ones counsels and waies that they do not know which way in the world to go that is the propriety of the word I say by their doubtfulness of their way not knowing which way to go being perplexed in their counsels thereupon they come to stumble and fall This people that do not understand shall thus fall Indeed it is more proper and sutable to the words before they do not understand therefore they must needs be perplexed in their waies and not know which way to go and therefore must fall as a man that is in the dark and knows not which way to go he must needs fall so when men have left the true light and are in the dark they shall fall and when they are fallen they shall be perplexed in that misery into which they ate fallen From whence these two Notes Obs 1 First That it is a fearful judgment of God and a forerunner of a grievous fall for him to leave men to perplexed counsels When men are perplexed in their counsels one is for this way and another is for that way and then carry it back and then forward again Oh this i◠a forerunner of falling into grievous misery In Esa 19.14 the Lord threatneth Egypt that he wil send a perverse spirit in the midst of them they shal er in every work as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit they shall er in their counsels and this comes from a perverse spirit The Lord many times sends a perplexed spirit and a perverse spirit in judgment upon men and what then then they reel and stagger up and down in their counsels first they will go one way and then another and so bring a great deal of sorrow and trouble upon a people The Lord grant our enemies these perplexed counsels and deliver us from them Obs 2 Secondly It notes thus much That when they are fallen and are once down and have brought misery upon themselves and others by their ill waies and counsels then they shall be so insnared and most dreadfully perplexed that they shall not know which way to go or what to do Men that are Idolatrous and superstitious and men that God leaves to themselves they are in miserable perplexity when they are fallen they are as those poor blind men in 2 King 6. that Elisha led to Samaria in stead of Dothan what miserable perplexity were they in when they found themselves in Samaria among their enemies simile So when men are left unto themselves and God hath brought them into those perplexities when they shall see the fruit of their perplexed counsels how grievous will it be On the other side when a man goes according to the rule of Gods word and in the uprightness of his heart desires to be directed according unto that rule though such a one should meet with trouble and fall into affliction for his trial he need not be perplexed there shall be quietness and peace to his spirit in the midst of his afflictions why because he hath followed God he hath gone according to his rule It may be he knows not Gods end in bringing him into affliction he understands not the depth of Gods waies yet having endeavoured in the sincerity of his heart to walk according to Gods will you that have done so you understand much though you should fall into affliction yet you shall not fall into perplexity Verse 15. Though thou Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend and come not ye unto Gilgal neither go ye up to Beth-aven nor swear The Lord liveth The close of this Chapter is a warning to Judah to take heed that she doth not do as Israel did in regard of the vileness of their sin the fearfulness and suddenness of their judgment Though thou Israel Thou wretched wicked stubborn stout hearted Israel that no means wil reclaim though thou play the harlot yet let not Judah offend The word translated Offend that is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies desolare likewise because sin brings desolation The Hebrews have divers words to express sin and punishment both in one because they are so neer a kin Israel playeth the harlot and so is like to bring desolation unto her self but let not Judah likewise offend and bring the same desolation likewise upon her self The Prophet Hosea was especially sent to Israel to the ten Obs 1 Tribes but here we see he turns his speech unto Judah Ministers Ministers should especially look to those whom they are bound unto by Office but yet so as to labour to do good to others as occasion is And not only Ministers but others likewise We should all intend good especially to those that are under our charge but yet neglect no opportunity to do good unto any Secondly When we see our labor lost upon those we desire Obs 2 most good unto we should be desirous then to try what we can do unto others If this or the other get not good by our Ministry by our Admonition by our Exhortations by our Counsels yet it may be the Lord may bless our endeavors upon such and such let us try what we can do there Thirdly Let not Judah offend Let not Judah do as Israel did Exposit There was a great deal of danger that Judah should be insnared and polluted with Israels Idolatry and that in many regards which are the ground of this seasonable admonition of the Prophet Though Israel do thus and thus yet let not Judah do so as if he should say the truth is Judah is in great danger to be defiled by Israel and why so Reas 1 First They lived neer unto them and there is a great deal of danger in living neer unto Idloaters or wicked ones All sin especially Idolatry is as leaven that will spread and you may see the danger that there was in living so neer them in Ezek. 16.46 and indeed afterwards it proved to be dangerous one special reason of the iniquity of Jerusalem is there given Ezek. 16.46 Opened Thine elder sister Samaria she and her daughters dwell at thy left hand and thy younger sister that dwells at thy right hand is Sodom and her daughters That was an especial reason of the iniquity of Jerusalem their elder sister Samaria that is the ten Tribes were on the left hand and their younger sister Sodom were on the right hand and so they came to be sinful To be neer Idolaters and wicked ones is very dangerous then much more to be in the same Town Obser in the same family where superstitious and wicked persons are there we had need to take heed to our selves for there is much danger Again This was not only dangerous that Judah should be defiled by Israels Idolatry because of their neerness but secondly because they were brethren and so the danger was the greater to be drawn aside by them Obser If you have a kinsman if you have one
and twenty thousand sheep yet if after this at all thou shalt forsake me all that thou hast done shall be rejected Therefore those sacrifices that are not joyned with offering up of our selves as a sacrifice are such as God will make us ashamed of But if together with our sacrifices we offer up our selves as a sacrifice you shall never be ashamed of that sacrifice Therefore you that are poor people and weak parted and have but little grace yet if you have true grace though you cannot offer up such large prayers your heart is not so enlarged perhaps as others are and you look upon your sacrifices as poor and mean and as unworthy to be tendered up unto the great God but dost thou then offer up thy self unto God as a sacrifice It is true my parts are weak and my abilities are poor and mean but Oh Lord what I am and what I can do I tender it unto thee here Lord take soul body life estate liberty and all I do enjoy I tender it up all unto thee as a sacrifice I say then peace be unto thee those sacrifices thou lookest upon as being ashamed of them God will not make thee ashamed of them but he accepts of thy poor mean and weak services when together with them thou offerest up thy self as a sacrifice unto him whereas if thou didst not tender up thy self as a sacrifice though thy services were ten thousand times more glorious than they are they would be all cast back as dung in thy face Sixtly Be humbled after all your best sacrifices take no Answ 6 glory unto your selves but be vile in your own eyes after you have done the best duty that ever you have done in your life when you perform any duty that seems to have any excellency in it and perhaps others look upon it as having much excellency in it if your hearts be puffed up with it the glory of it is gone and it is that which you must be ashamed of though Answ 7 now you be honored for it and pride your selves in it Lastly Tender up all in Christ in the worthiness of his infinite sacrifice Christ is that sacrifice that is pleasing unto God and all sacrifices are pleasing unto God only thorough the merit and worthiness of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ who hath tendered up himself unto God the Father as a Sacrifice to heal all our sacrifices and to take away all the shame of our sacrifices 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices how by Jesus Christ Mark you are as lively stones and lively stones built up not only stones lying here one and there another but lively stones built up in a holy communion that is the meaning built up to offer sacrifices and that spiritual sacrifices But mark though our sacrifices be never so spiritual yet they cannot be acceptable to God but by Jesus Christ by Jesus Christ that great Sacrifice they come to be acceptable unto God that is the sacrifice the Saints shall glory in and bless God for to all eternity and never shall be ashamed of their sacrifices when they are tendered up unto God thorough the merit of that sacrifice And thus through Gods good hand of providence we are come to the end of this fourth Chapter CHAP. V. Vers 1. Hear ye this O Priests and hearken ye house of Israel and give ear Oh house of the King for judgment is towards you because ye have been a snare in Mispah and a net spread upon Tabor IN this Chapter we have the summoning of all sorts unto judgment The sum of the Chapter A heavy charge laid and condemnation pronounced against Israel and Judah too brought in as guilty and sentence past upon her also And at last the good effect that the judgments of God should produce is shewed That is the summe of the Chapter This Chapter is the beginning of another Sermon of Hosea Coherence It seems to be preached as some think in the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel that you reade of in 2 King 15. The time and especially toward the end of his reign which was the same time that Ahaz reigned in Judah when that horrible confusion was brought into Religion much defilement in the Worship of God he having placed the Altar that he brought the fashion of from Damascus in the house of God therfore the Lord enveigheth by his Prophet not only against Israel but against Judah here The summons to judgment you have in the first verse The accusation and condemnation of Israel by themselves Analysis to the end of the 5. verse The accusation of Judah at the end of the 5th and 6th verses Then Israel and Judah together to the 15th verse And at last the close of the Chapter shews the issue of all what all shall come to Sumōns In the summons observe these three several words Hear ye Hearken Give eare Hear ye Priests Hearken ye house of Israel Give ear O house of the King Obser When God cometh in waies of judgment he expects we should seriously mind what he is a doing We should not only Hear but Hearken and Give ear God will force audience then We are bound to hearken and to give ear to Gods commanding Word But if we refuse it he will have us to hear and give ear to his threatning Word and if that be refused he will force us to hear and give ear to his condemning Word for so it is here Hear ye Hearken Give ear for judgment is against you all There are Three sorts named here Priests People House of the King All sorts are cited to judgment for corruption was gone over all and judgment cometh against them all From thence the Note is That Obser Generality in sins is no means to escape judgments It is true Generality of offences with men may be a means to escape punishment One and all with men is a word of security When Souldiers offend if there be multitudes of them in the same offence and they cry One and al there is no medling then with any of them But it is not so with God God regards not multitudes and generality of all sorts when all sorts are involved in the offence Men think I do but as others do and I shall scape as well as others With men it is somwhat but it is nothing with God though all sorts offend yet there is never a whit the more security thereby unto any We have a notable Scripture for that Nah. 1.12 Though they be quiet and likewise many yet thus shall they be cut down when he shall pass thorow Though they be many yes thus shall they be cut down He begins here with the Priests Hear O ye Priests They were the principal cause of all the evil first of the evil of sin and then of the evil of punishment
The carnal minde is not subject to the law of God not indeed can be Sixtly They will not joyn with the work of God When he is in his way toward them when he himself is about to frame them when he hath them in his hand they will oppose Gods work they will not join with it to frame themselves to turn unto God Therefore in 2 Chron. 30.8 Hezekiah exhorteth the Priests and the people that they should not be stiffnecked but yeild themselves unto the Lord mark the yeilding of themselves unto the Lord is contrary to stiffneckedness But now this people are stiffnecked they will not yeild theâ—selves unto the Lord though the Lord by his gracious works toward them be a framing of them to turn them unto himself they oppose Gods work they riggle and keep a stir and stand out against it simile Just as when you have a child that you would fain frame to such a gesture and you take him and put him into such a way but now he is so far from doing of it that he riggles up and down and will not suffer you to frame him why faith God I have been a framing of them my self I have not only shewn them what they should do but my works have been so toward them that I have been framing them but they are stiffnecked they will not be framed they will not joyn with my work in framing of them they will break out in their wicked waieâ— even at that very time when I am framing of them to turn them unto my self Hos 7.1 opened According unto that expression you have in Hos 7.1 When I would have healed Israel then the wickâ—dness of Samaria was discovered that is when I was about to turn them unto me then even at that time they break out in their violence and wickedness Seventhly 7. Not adhere to things received Whatsoever means is used to turn them unto God they will stick to their â—ld customs to their former waies to what they have received from their forefathers to what they have been brought up in those they will keep to but to frame themselves to turn unto the Lord that they will not Lastly What advantage they can have against the waies of God 8. Not take advantage against the waies of God that they will take and improve to the uttermost Those people that are against framing of themselves to turn unto the Lord when God is about to turn theÌ„ they discover it in this thing if at that time there be any disadvantage that their corrupt hearts can possibly take against the waies of God they will take that and improve it to the uttermost they can just as a child that you would frame to such a way if it be an untoward child he will take any advantage to give you the slip and to run from you simile so it is with people that have no heart to turn unto the Lord if they have any advantage in the world they will take it to harden their hearts against Gods waies There is no preparation of their hearts what then shall I do with them saith God if their heartâ—â—ere in any preparation it were somewhat but they are nâ—â— We reade in 8 Chron. 20. 2 Chron. 20.33 parallel'd that the high places were not takâ—n away because the people had not prepared their hearts to turn unto the Lord. It is all one with this expression in the text the people were not in a frame in a teachable Applic. to England in a convertible disposition The Lord grant that this Scripture may not be true of us at this day that the reason why there remaineth so much evil in Gods worship is because the people have not prepared their hearts they do not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord they do not seem to be in any posture that way It was a charge upon Rehoboam in 2 Chron. 12.14 That he did evil Quest we ought to prepare our hearts see Anns cas comc lib. 2. c. 4. becâ—use he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord But you will say what power had he to turn unto the Lord he was a wicked man Yea but this wicked man though he had no saving grace yet he is charged for doing evil in that he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord. God therefore expects that people though they are not able to turn unto him thoroughly yet they should be in a posture that way And as a people in general so every soul in particular Some that are not yet turned to the Lord yet are in a way of turning they are in a readiness to receive what God shall reaveal This is a happy condition If God shall see a Nation though it be not fully reformed ready to receive what he shall reveal Oh this is a happy thing As the Scripture speaks Joh. 4.35 opened that the regions were white unto the harvest that is there was a preparation in the hearts of people to receive the Gospel if God shall see such a frame of heart in a people it is true this people are not fully reformed but their hearts are prepared they are ready to imbrace what the mind of God is when it shall be revealed unto them Oh that this might be said of thiâ— people they are willing to entertain what God shall speak they are listning to it God is about to bring us from a way of superstition both the Works and the Word of God tend that way but there are multitudes of people that will not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord their spirits are perverse they are full of prejudice froward and they hang off and then we know they cannot be convinced The Apostle Peter bids the Saints in Act. 2.40 save themselves from that untoward generation Oh let not this charge be upon us that we are an untoward generation that God iâ— framing of us for good but we will not frame our doings to turn unto the Lord As we see a workman when he hath a piece of timber that is knotty and will not work in his hand he casts it into the fire or as clay simile 1 that is not well tempered it will not work in the hand of the workman he many times casteth it away in an anger it will simile 2 not work in my hand what shall I do with it The Lord is hewing of us by his Prophets and seeking to frame this Nation to his will Oh let us work in Gods hand let us joyn with the work of God and yeild our selves to the work of God that the Lord may not cast us into the fire If we will not frame our doings to turn unto the Lord he may break us break that frame that we raise in our own imaginations perhaps we are framing to our selves a strange kind of Common-wealth State-designs to enjoy our ease and honors and prosperity and so we build Castles
in the air Oh but let us rather frame our hearts to turn unto the Lord. If we will not frame God may put us into the fire again A workman you know puts the Iron into the fire because it might be framed to such a work as he would have it simile but still the iron is hard and it will not frame to his hand then he puts it into the fire again and then falleth a knocking again So the Lord hath begun to put us into the fire that we may frame our doings to turn unto him and if the fire we have been in will not bring our hearts to a framable disposition the Lord may put us into the fire again and again And let not us complain of the heat of Gods fire but rather let us complain of the unframableness of our own hearts that we do not frame our doings so as to turn unto the Lord. But yet through Gods mercy we cannot say but that there are many in Parliament many in the Assembly Parliam Assembly City Country many in the City and many in the Country that are framing themselves to turn unto the Lord and so far we are gone Let us take notice of Gods goodness therefore As. First It is one argument of a people framing themselves Notes of Framing 1. abolish what is sinful that they have abolished what is sinful It was a great plea among us first let us know what we shall have and then we will cast out this that we have This was a pleâ— fomented by the Antichristian party but certainly it was the way of God and we have cause to bless God for it that put it into the heart of the Parliament and of the Kingdom to be willing to put down and to cast out and that by a solemn Oath by lifting up hands unto the most High God whatsoever was naught The Covenant And further In that the Parliament hath called an Assembly Assembly such as I beleeve never yet was in this Nation nor scarce in any other Nation men of more gravity 2. Take advice and judgment and holiness such as they could possibly pick out and whom they thought might best direct them in the waies of God such they have chosen to help them to know what is the right way of God and they do profess that whatsoever shall be revealed to be the way of God they will walk in it That is a good frame of heart And then That the Assembly hath begun with a solemn day of humiliation 3. Humiliation to humble themselves before God that so the Lord might guide them in chusing a right way to direct those that had called them together for their assistance There was never such a work in England before that was begun with such a day of humiliation Did your Convocation Convocation ever keep such a day unto God to beg of him directions in the work Peoples discontent Let not people run away with thoughts of discontent or lay any kind of slanders and clumnies upon them because of some failings in particulars for you must know when God looks upon Kingdoms and States God looks not at particular failings of a State but at the publick work he doth not so much look at particulars as at the publick work Now that there is so much done in a publick way that there is so much framableness though there be much failing in particulars yet we have cause to bless God It is true those that would fain have a perfect Reformation they woul fain have men throughly frame themselves presently and set up all presently without any more ado Short spirits and banish all presently I suppose thiâ— cometh from a good intention from love unto Christ and his Ordinances but we must know it is not so easie to reform a whol Nation that hath been so corrupted and defiled therefore though there be not so perfect a Reformation at present yet let us bless God for what is done that there is so much framing of the doings of the Nation to turn unto the Lord and not murmur and repine because all is not done that we desire And though perhaps they may never bring the work thoroughly to the pitch we desire Though no perfection yet a foundation for posterity yet I make no question but what the Parliament and Assembly hath done will be enough to lay a foundation for another generation if they bring it not to perfection themselves Oh that the Lord would yet further frame our hearts and doings to turn unto him Hath God at any time put into your heart a framable disposition to turn unto the Lord Applic. 2 to partic persons 1. Our selves Hath God begun to make you think of your waies Hath he begun to stir fear in your hearts concerning your eternal estate Hath he wrought in you some desires to know him to attend upon him in the use of means Make much of this framable disposition for it is very much pleasing unto God God complains where it is not therefore he likes it where it is and improve it O happy had it been with many had they improved that framable disposition that God hath wrought in them Cannot you remember when sometimes you came to the word what a melting frame of spirit had you and in such an affliction you were as iron put into the fire and you know then it is in a framable disposition to be brought into any fashion and hath it not been so with you simile But what is become of this disposition Is it not worse with you now than before Have you not lost it The time was when the word wrought upon you and you have had good desires and dispositions and you have thought Oh now I hope God will turn me unto himself Now I hope I shall never be at such a pass again as I have been and thou begannest to abandon such and such a corruption This was a good frame and now if you had gone alone and sought God and Oh that the Lord would perfect this work and put it on and so improved this framable disposition it had been well with you but you have fallen upon other business and gone into company and it may be upon the next temptation you have bin overcome your hearts have been hardned Irâ—n is hâ—â—dâ—r afteâ— quenching and iron you know when it hath been once in the fire and is grown cold is more unframable than before so it is with many after they have had some workings by the Word and after some melting by affliction they have been more unframable than they were before And let us make much of it likewise in others Is there any friend or child or kinsman or acquaintance of yours brought into this framable disposition doth the Lord begin to melt them to soften their hearts Is the Lord by such a Sermon or by such an affliction beginning to
him but in all love and meekness and gentleness to deal with such an one and expect that God in due time will reveal himself unto him But now when any one cometh and will make profession that they desire to know the truths of God and what his mind is but when it appeareth that there is a spirit of opposition pride a vain glorious a vain spirit Oh this is it I say which is grievous is tedious in the eyes of God and of his Saints It follows VER 5. And the Pride of Israel doth testifie to his face MArk another connexion here As there is a connexion of a spirit of whoredom and not knowing God so there is a connection of not knowing God and of the pride of Israel A double connexioÌ„ of the Text. Obser Ignorance and pride companions They know not the Lord and the pride of Israel doth testifie to his face From whence the Note is this That Ignorance and Pride useth to go together There is no men so conceited of their knowledg as many ignorant men are For the truth is where there is knowledge there a man sees that he knows but little and he is able to discover his own ignorance but an ignorant man is not able to discover his own ignorance and therefore usually he is proud You shall have many men and women too that will pretend such abundance of knowledg and their hearts are puffed up because they have got some expressions more than others have as if they were somebody had some manifestations of things to them more than others have yet come and examin things at the bottom the truth is they are ignorant of the very principles of Religion 1 Tim. 6.4 1 Tim. 6.4 applied He is proud knowing nothing saith the text and yet he speaks of those that are full of vain questions and janglings about matters of Religion that will come with such objections and curiosities of questions yet the holy Ghost saith he is proud and knows nothing And certainly the man that is there spoken of is a man as much conceited of his knowledg as you can conceive a man to be as appears plainly in the text But now wisdom and humility Use from the contrary they likewise go together too Prov. 11.2 With the lowly is wisdom If the heart be brought under God put in a gracious humble lowly frame with the lowly there is wisdom the Lord delighteth to reveal himself to the humble The pride of Israel doth testifie to his face The Seventy they reade the words otherwise than you have them in your books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The injury and the wrong that Israel hath done unto God shall be brought down shall be humbled for I suppose their meaning in that translation iâ— this that whereas Israel by his wicked waies hath wronged God hath been injurious unto God he shall be humbled for it he shall be brought down and made to know what it is for him to wrong God so as he hath done And indeed those that do corrupt Gods worship they are the greatest wrongers of God in the world Obser they do the greatest injury unto God that can be But we may safely keep unto that which is translated in your books The English reading as more suitable to the Original than that of the Seventy and then the Note is this That Idolaters are proud men and Idolatry is a proud sin Obs Idâ—laters proud men For that is the scope of the Prophet here chiefly to rebuke them for their false worship though he speaks of other sins yet that is the main O the pride of Israel doth testifie to his face Israel they will have their own way of worship and forsake God O proud hearts that they have Idolatry is a proud sin In all disobedience against God there is much pride pride is not only in cloathes and in fine things but in disobedience against God there is the pride of the heart And as in all sin there is pride so in a more peculiar manner in the sin of Idolatry As First Idolaters in their way 1. The despising the true worship of God they look upon the true worship of God as a mean thing as a thing below them beneath them Oh their way of worship is the pompous brave and gallant way but for the true worship of God that is poor low and mean All your superstitious and Idolatrous people look thus upon the simplicity of the waies and worship of God 2. They put more on the creature than God hath put Places Secondly And then there is pride in it in this That a wretched worm should dare to presume to put more upon a creature than God hath ever done to put more upon places than God and nature hath ever done God hath made them thus and thus but I will put them higher than God hath done I will put an excellency a spiritual excellency a divine excellency upon them for so Idolaters take upon themselves to do and this is horrible pride 3. They prescribe God in worship Thirdly It is pride because they presume to prescribe God which way he shall be worshiped The worship of God is the dearest thing he hath in the world and for any creature to take upon him to prescribe which way he shall be worshiped this is the most notorious pride in the world 4. Honor their own because theirs Lastly Herein appeareth the pride of Idolatry that it honors what is a mans own because it is his own rather than what is Gods Do not you see it apparantly in all superstitious Idolatrous people As in that one thing of daies God hath set one day apart for the honoring of himself and for the celebrating both of the birth Lords day death resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ and of the whol work of our redemption How is that day slighted neglected made nothing of But what a horrible wickedness is it accounted not to keep that which man setteth apart by himself Holy daies that day which is a mans own Men will set apart a day for the honor of Christ and Oh Christ will be quite forgotten if that day be forgotten and Christ is much dishonored if that day be not regarded I appeal unto you Who sets it apart whose is it Is it Gods or is it yours Gods Certainly if there were such a thing so acceptable unto God as men take it to be we should have some little hint somewhat in the book of God of such a thing We have the story of all the Acts of the Apostles what they did in several places and there is not the least mention of any such thing of their honoring Christ by setting a day apart for the celebration of his nativity We have the Epistles unto several Churches upon several occasions and we find no notice that they ever took of any such thing in any Church they established
bring the sword upon you I see you are a stupid and senceless people Know that the Lord is upon you in wrath the enemy is come now is the time come of your destruction Blow ye the Trumpet and resist it as well as you can set your selves in battel aray as well as you can for now wrath and misery is upon you That generally is the scope of the words Expos partic But yet there are Three things to be considered for the further opening of these words The Cornet and the Trumpet those you know were instruments of war the one was made of horn the other of brass But why in Ramah and in Gibeah that 's the first thing And then why Cry aloud at Beth-aven And thirdly what is the meaning of that after thee O Benjamin 1. Ramah and Gibeah 1. Ramah Gibeah I find many take these words not as proper names for Cities but to signifie the hils and high-places of the Country And the Seventy indeed translate the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon the hils and upon the high places for so Ramah doth signifie an high place and Gibeah doth signifie by way of excellency an Hil. Now then they would carry the meaning thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the Lord should say to the Prophet Go to the highest places that are in the Country the highest hills and there let the Cornet and the Trumpet be blown as an Allarm to awaken the whol Land And then the Note would be this Obs 1 When a people is in danger of Gods wrath it is fit for all the people of the Land to be awakened It is fit that it should be made known to them Not only that they should go to the Governors and those that are in high places of authority but go where they may make knowen the danger to all the people of the Land It is true in the first place it is fit the Governors should be awakened but if they be awakened and not the people it will prove to little purpose It is that which many men of vile spirits of late could not endure that Ministers should tell people of dangers or tell them of the fore-runners of Gods displeasure against a Nation to preach such things in publick Auditories this their spirits mightily rose against But it is the way of God in times of publick dangers to have the people made acquainted Obs 2 But further Ramah and Gibeah they were two eminent Cities and they did belong both to the Kingdom of Judah Indeed they were in the Tribe of Benjamin but Benjamin and Judah were joined in one Kingdom under the house of David and the other ten Tribes were rent away under Jeroboam Now these two Cities I say were in the Kingdom of Judah and eminent Cities and it is likely they were fortified Cities and two of the strongest Cities in the Kingdom Now God is here threatning of judgment against Judah as He did before when He said Judah also shall fall with them Therefore saith he Blow ye the Cornet in Ramah and the Trumpet in Gibeah in the eminentest places of Judah in the most fortified and let us see how they are able to resist the miserie that is coming upon them And further I find this to be the translation of the Chaldee paraphrase that they would import as if the meaning were because that Gibeah was the Citie of Saul and Ramah was the Citie of Samuel therefore that God did threaten judgment for their making of a King against his mind and for their disobedience to the words of Samuel So they paparaphrase the text But I think that to be somewhat too far fetched The other two I conceive are the mind of the holie Ghost here in the high places of the Countrie and especially in those eminent Cities that were the most fortified that though they were in the Tribe of Benjamin yet belonged to the Kindom of Judah 2. Cry out O Beth aven Beth-aven 2. Bethavē I find was another Citie different from that of Bethel where one of the Calves were But there are neer ten Interpreters to one that make it to be the same City Bethel wherein one of the Calves were set and this belonged unto the ten Tribes Now this Bethel which signifies the house of God is call'd Beth aven here which signifies the house of vanity because of the Idol that was there Therefore mark the emphasis when he speaks of Ramah Gibeah saies he blow the corner and the trumpet but when he speaks of Beth-aven saith he Cry aloud or as the latin signifies howl out O Beth-aven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that was the great place of superstition He nameth this Citie rather than Dan where the other of the two Calves was placed because it was so neer unto the Kingdom of Judah 3. After thee O Benjamin 3. O Benjamin That is Benjamin was upon the back of this Beth-aven it was next unto the Kingdom of Israel Now saith God by the Prophet the wrath of God shall come out against Israel Ephraim shall be left desolate and Beth-aven shall howl and cry out and you Benjamin that are so neer them take you heed to your selves after thee O Benjamin thy turn will be next You have reason to look to your selves when your neighbors house is on fire so saith God here Howl Beth-aven after thee O Benjamin Benjamin lived hard by Beth-aven and when Benjamin saw the wrath of God against the ten Tribes and in that City of Beth-aven that was so neer to it Benjamin should look to it self That 's the meaning of the holy Ghost in these words Now for the Notes of observation from them The first is this Obser 1 When danger is apprehended as present and real then it takes the heart most The Lord had threatned the sword many times by the Prophet and their hearts were secure stupid but now he comes and presents it as present and real unto them Blow ye the trumpet the danger is now at hand here it is saith the Prophet There is a great deal of difference between mens hearing of wars and rumors of wars and the very reallity of the evil it self when that cometh before their eyes This judgment of war Use to England of the sword it hath been threatned against this Nation long ago I dare appeal to you for a matter of twenty yeers since you that remember the way the common strain godly ministers preaching almost of all the godly Ministers in the Kindom was not their usual theam about such an argument as this to shew what were the forerunners of Gods judgments against a Nation Ministers duty to search what sins bring publick judgment Ever since I was a youth and took any notice of Sermons I know no argument that kept the sound in mine ears more than that Usually it was the theam almost of all the places in the Kingdom of
all your eminent Ministers to search into Gods word to see what were the sins that brought publick judgments upon a Nation and apply them unto England what were the forerunners of destruction upon a Nation and apply them unto England But this was ordinarily slighted Some indeed of our brethren that feared the Lord and feared his judgments and thought that they did foresee a storm upon that they withdrew themselves and they were scorned and contemned for their labors But now we see the thing that was feared and threatned is come it is upon many Countries do we not apprehend it after another manner than we did when we only heard of it In those Countries where the sword hath been raging do not they apprehend the evil of war in another manner than ever they did when they heard it threatned in Sermons O when it is come indeed and made real it works after another manner than it doth when it is spoken of Warre Those men that continually have their ears fil'd with the noise of the Drum and Trumpet with the neighing of Horses and roaring of the Cannon they will tell you that war is a dreadful thing indeed So it is in all other afflictions that are threatned how little are they regarded in their threats but when they come indeed Oh then how do the hearts of men sink within them Oh now God is coming against me now wrath is upon me saith the guilty soul how far it may go out I know not I heard often of such and such things now it is come it is come Oh the dreadful apprehensions that are in mens hearts of the wrath of God when it is come whereas before when it is threatned it is never feared Obs The lesse a threatning is heard the more the judgment is felt when upon us And this is a rule an everlasting rule That the lesse a judgment is feared when it is threatned the more dreadfull apprehensions there are of it in the heart when once it cometh to be executed That 's the first Note The second is this The Ministers of God they must make the things they are Obser 2 to preach to the people as real before their eyes as possibly they can Sermons must represent to the life what they presse They should study all waies and means they can to make what they preach to the people to be real to them not to be as notions to them So the Prophet here he had preached often times of the judgments of God of the Sword but this would not do it therefore now he strives to make what he had delivered to appear in the most real way that possibly he could to the eyes and hearts of the people he saw that to be the only way to do them good It is not therfore enough for a Minister barely to tel the people truths to tel them what danger they are in but by all means of expressions that may be to make this appear in the reallity of it unto them We know how Ezekiel was wont to do he threatned their carrying away and he went and made before them a kind of siege to make it real to them So Jeremiah and other Prophets Now though Ministers cannot do so as they did yet they are to study all manner of expressions that possibly they can to present things in the greatest reallitie that may be And indeed this is a great part of the skill of a good Minister not barely to tell truths unto people but to be able to make things appear real to them Wherein especially consists the Art of preaching The art of preaching I say lies especially in this to make things appear real to the souls of an Auditory As now when we come to tell you of the danger of sin and of the wrath of God that is due to it we tell you this and we quote Scripture for it this perhaps stirs not the heart but now if we can so present Gods wrath to you to make it real before your eyes to put you upon this to bethink your selves in what a case you would be if now all creatures were taking their leaves of you if now you were standing before the great God to receive the sentence of condemnation More good this way in a quarter of an hour than in many years otherwise if God were now at this instant coming upon you If I say we could put you to it and so preach as that you should apprehend these things as real before your eyes this would stick and more good might be done in one quarter of an hour this way than perhaps in divers yeers before The power of a Ministry consisteth much in this And I suppose some of you know by experience what that is that now I mean by the Ministers making things real to your hearts Have not you found sometimes some truths made so real to you out of the word When a Sermon works really to your consciences that you have thought that you have even stood before the Throne of God and you have thought that God was even pronouncing sentence against you Some have exprest it thus and have said such a time I went to hear the Word and me thought there I was summoned before the great God unto judgment I saw the Lord God Himself speaking to me I had represented before mine eyes the wickedness of my life my danger the wrath of God and even the very flashes of Hell fire upon my conscience I felt this upon me Now God was in the Word indeed when the reality of things were presented to my soul And certainly it is the labor and endeavor of godly Ministers in their studies not only to speak an hour or two out of a text and to wear out so much time but they are thinking what way shall I take so they pray that God would help them to take such a way to present such and such Truths in the greatest reality to the souls of their Audience that possibly they can This is apparent from hence that the Prophet doth not only tell them of their danger but speaks as if it were at hand and makes it thus real before them Another Observation is this That though the Ministers of God are at first to be the Ambassadors Obser 3 of peace and reconciliation Ministers after their Embassie of peace is slighted must denounce war to preach peace between God and people but yet if this their Ministry of Reconciliation do not take effect if it prevail not then they are to come in the Name of God to proclaim the war of God against a soul For they know that God must have honor one way or other either by peoples subjecting themselves unto Him or by Gods revenging Himself upon them Honor God must have howsoever you may think the Word of God will pass yet those that are faithful Ministers they know God must have His Honor one way or
goodness of God is not honored by us when the Lord for our good shall give us notice of our sins that so we may prevent judgment the desert of our sins and we notwithstanding shâ—l â—in it dishonors Gods goodness 2. The truth of God is not honored when we do not obey this is no other than a venturing whether the word be true or no whether Gods words are yea and nay Oh sinner dost thou know what thou dost thou temptest God saying Lord there are such and such threatnings against sin but I do not beleeve them Lord I 'le venture it I 'le put it to the tryall whether it be so or no. 3. As it aggravates the sin so the punishment the judgment cannot but be the greater thou canst expect but little pitty from the goodness of God which thou hast slighted when it warned thee of those judgments which are now upon thee His mercy to remove them cannot be expected God by His Ministers warned me in such a Sermon but I went on and would not reform and now there is matter for the worm of conscience to gnaw upon that thou maist say as Job What I feared is now come upon me and this is that which aggravates our misery Use Engl. At this time have not the Ministers of God for these twenty yeers especially in these latter seven yeers made this the subject of their preaching to warn us of judgments and now the judgments of God are come upon us God hath vindicated the word of His servants But these words though they may be thus understood yet I conceive they bear a further signification which is this I have declared among the Tribes what shall be without revolk without Expos 2 any change or alteration I have formerly repented and have been intreated but now I 'le repent no more They continue Gods unchangable purpose for the desolating of this people and being thus understood the Note from them will be this That there is a time when there shall be no help to be delivered from judgment though they should call cry mourn weep fast Obser and intreat yet the judgment should not be removed As 't is said of Esau He found no place for repentance Heb. 12.17 Heb. 12.17 There is a great mistake by many in the interpretation of that place from which text many gather that there may be many tears shed much sorrow found and yet no true repentance but the meaning of the words is this he found no place for his father Isaacs repentance though he cried and shed tears for the blessing yet his father repented not that he had bestowed it upon Jacob so that people may cry and humble their souls before God yet shall find in God no place of repentance nay if that the Saints of God should all joyn together and pray for such a people they should not prevail Ezek. 14.20 Though Noah Daniel and Job should pray for them they should not prevail Oh sinner take heed this be not thy condition thou hast godly parents and kindred it may be and they set themselves to seek God for thee but God will deny them their prayers shall not prevail for thee this may be the case of Nations and Kingdoms that there may be true repentance found and turning to God and yet no deliverance from outward affliction I deny not but that true repentance shall deliver a soul from eternal wrath from perishing in hell but this I affirm that there may be true repentance found and turning unto God and yet no deliverance from a temporal affliction And this I shall make good by two famous texts of Scripture The first is in Deut. 3.26 Moses had sinned and God saith he should not go into the land of Canaan which was a sore affliction to Moses upon this Moses he praid and 't is certain Moses had repented him of that sin yet see what he saith The Lord was wrath with me for your sake and would not hear me but let it suffice thee speak no more of this matter All his prayers and repentance could not deliver him from that outward affliction and bring him into Canaan The second text is in 2 Kings 23.25 in the former chapter we find the heart of the King melting when he heard the Law read and perceived the anger of the Lord against his people was provoked yet the Lord tels him that he should die in peace And in the 23. Chapter the King he sets upon reforming the people enters into a solemn Covenant with God causeth the people to joyn with him pulls down the groves destroies Idolatry and although it be said in the 25. verse that like unto him was there no King before him yet in the 26. verse God saith Notwithstanding all this he will remove Judah out of his sight So that sometimes God is so set upon his threats that they shall come to pass God will make them good whatever comes of it this I conceive to be the meaning of these words And so Mr. Calvin reades them God may be so resolved against a mans eternal estate that he will never shew such a man or such a people mercy more as we may see in those which were bid to the Gospel-supper therefore we had need to gather our selves together before the decree bring forth Zeph. 2.1 2. Oh let us in this Kingdom take heed yet through Gods mercy we are not left desolate but have many points of mercy even in this day of our rebuke but what God will do one cannot determine therefore it concerns us to prepare to meet our God lest the wrath of God meet us overcome and destroy us till there be no remedy though through mercy for the present we may say there is remedy yea rather let us tremble and be awakened because God sometimes comes against and is more quick with a people that are not so openly and notoriously vile as others are than he doth with the most profane So much for this ninth verse VER 10. The Princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound therefore I will powre out my wrath upon them like water BUT why is God so wrath with Israel ConexioÌ„ Have not the Princes of Judah provoked Him also Yea for God here speaks to them principally It seems the people were not so bad so sinful as they for in the next words he saith That Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the commandement First Princes must answer to God for all their doings Though they are above all men in power and so are not so lyable to give an account to man as others are yet to God they must those actions which are least obnoctious to men are much to God The Princes of Judah are like to them that remove the bounds Obser 1 Are like That is not so much in a similitude as reality as 't is usual in Scripture to put the word like for the thâ—ng
in their counsels Now God is a moth and rottenness to a people All this while God doth not appear in an outward hoâ—ile and terrible way but there is a secret curse of God upon their counsels and so he is a moth and rottenness to them Thirdly God is a moth and rottenness to a people in their estates 3. in estates in their tradings there shall be a decay of trading amongst them and they shall grow poorer and poorer no man knows how There shall be a secret curse upon their tradings and estates that no man can give a cause of Fourthly 4. in the instruments of their good God is a moth and rottenness in the cheif instruments that they make use of for their good taking away cheif ones secretly when no body takes notice of them one dropeth away after another as in rottenness of wood one little piece droppeth down after another some dust of it drops down and no body take notice of it so in a State and Kingdom cheif instruments shall be taken away and no body takes notice of it someâ—imes one anâ— then another and then another after him so they shall mâ—â—â—â—der away by degrees And those that are remaining shâ—ll be blasted in thâ—ir esteems amongst the people Those tâ—â—t God gives ability to do them good and might be very useful and serviceable unto them yet though they live aâ—oâ—gâ—â— them they sâ—all be so blasted by â—eports one way or other that they shâ—ll not be able to do them much good And when you see thiâ— prevailing in a Kingdom then God is a moth and rottenness to them is an argument of a gracious heart As it iâ— an argument that that flesh is ful of life that is sensible of the least touch simile so of a heart that that is full of grace when it iâ— sensible of the least fruit of Gods displeasure But when men and women are in such a disposition that except God strike them in some terrible manner they are not senâ—â—ble of his displeasure this is a sign that they have brawny and hard hearts of their own Obs 4 Fourthly Though carnal hearts do slight and contemn Gods displeasure in little things yet this displeasure and wrath â—f God in little things will eat them out at last It will bring them down it will destroy them if it be neglected You know in Exod. 8.25 that judgment of the flies brought down the spirit of Pharaoh more than all the other judgmentâ— before he said before that he would let the people go but he never bad them go till then God is able to bring down the stoutest the proudest spirit upon the face of the earth by little things He can eat out the heart of the strongest wood by this little worm and so by any little judgment of his he can bring down the stoutest and proudest spirit in the world Obs 5 Fifthly God is slow in punishing He punisheth by degrees at first yea his punishing is as a moth and as a little worm in the wood it is a long time before they do any hurt This is to shew that Gods wrath it is at first but slow Use And by this we are taught to do even aâ— God Himself doth to be slow to wrath in our waies of wrath and displeasure against our brethren to be slow as God is not presently to fly in the faces of our servants or of our children when they displease us God doth not deal so with us He flyes not presently upon us God is a long time before He bring any sensible evil upon us The Râ—mans used to have the Rod and the Axe carried before their Magistraâ—es to shew that they began by lower afflictionâ— at first they did not come to the extremity at first but went on gradually in their way of punishing Obs 6 Sixtly God hath secrâ—t judgments to bring upâ—n a people upon particular persons waies of judgment secretly that they little think of In 2 King 3.17 Thus saith the Lord you shall not see the wind neither shall you see rain yet the valleyes shall be filled with water There shall be a filling with water though you see neither wind nor rain you shall not know whence it cometh yet the vallies shall be filled with water So many times there is the judgment of God against a people against a family against a particular person and no body can tell from whence it comes Aâ— God hath many secret blessings for his people so He hath secret curseâ— against the ungodly Let us take heed of secret sins Use beware of secret sins for God hath secret wrath to avenge secret sins Many of you that find the hand of God out against you and you do not know how do you examin your own hearts whether there be not many secret sins in you against the Lord. It was so at this time when God came to be a moth against Ephraim in 2 King 17.9 speaking of that very time that this prophesie doth relate unto wherein God was a moth unto Ephraim the text saith there 2 King 17.9 applied that the children of Israel did secretly that whih was not right in the eyes of the Lord Therefore just was God in this to be a moth to have His displeasure to come secretly Take you heed of secret sins lest God consume you by secret iudgments Seventhly Our corruption within us breedeth our trouble and Obs 7 our undoing Whence cometh the moth but from the very cloth it self that it eateth out it is bred there and this worm it is bred in the wood that it doth consume A moth shall eat them it seems to be a proverbial speech amongst the Hebrews when they would expresâ— the perishing of any by their own counsels and their own waies as the Latins have proverbial speeches suitable Fabrum constringi compedibus quas ipse cuderat The workman he is fetterd with those fetters he makes himself And so that proverb that we have to nourish a Snake in a mans own bosom is as much as a moth shall eat them that is what evil cometh to us it is bred within us that wrath that doth consume us it is that which is bred out of the corruption that is in us So they say of the black bird that of the dung that comes from it the lime is made that your fowlers make use of to make their lime-twigs withal so from our own sins comes our own misery From the uncleanness of a Nation or a particular soul cometh the evil of it Therefore if we should reade the foregoing words they willingly followed the commandement according to the old Latin they followed post sordes after the filth of Jeroboam then the elegancy of the expression would be more It was those filthy waies of Jeroboam that caused these moths to be bred From our uncleanness cometh our consumption simile as from the uncleanness of the body many evils are bred so from the uncleanness
of the spirit Therefore we should be willing to take pains in the work of repentance yea though it be somewhat troublesom to the flesh yet better wear out our selves by washing better wear out cloathes a little by the washing of them than to let them rot in the dirt of them it is true washing of clothes wears them a little but if you let them alone in their dirt that will rot them worse so the work of repentance may put you to pain and wear you a little but if you let your hearts alone in the filth of sin that filth of sin will breed your misery Take heed of letting any sin alone in your hearts it will breed a worm for so this word rottenness signifies a worm it will breed a worm the worm of conscience that may prove the worm that never dieth Obs 8 Eightly Gods wrath though secret yet many times eateth out mens spirits and makes them unuseful Therefore it is compared to a moth and to rottenness to a worm in the wood As the moth eateth out the strength of the garment and makes it unuseful for any thing and as the worm eateth out the strength of the wood and makes that unuseful so the secret wrath of God many times eateth out mens spirits and makes them very unuseful in the places where they are set How many have had excellent parts when they were young and were very useful yet the uncleanness of their spirits hath bred such a worm that hath eat out the excellency of their parts and before they have died they have been as a moth-eaten garment and rotten wood indeed there hath been the same bulk as before yet if you come to make use of them there is as much difference from what they were wont to be as a moth-eaten garment from it self and as rotten wood that hath the heart of it eaten out by the worm differeth from it self so are the hearts of many men different from what they were wont In the ninth place Though a sad consideration for those Obs 9 who are preserved a while longer than others others go before them yet they shall follow not long after This Note is drawn from the diversity of the expression a moth to Ephraim and rottenness to Judah God indeed will deal more quick with Ephraim and consume them in His wrath but Judah shall follow not long after Use A sad consideration for any people to think though others go before us and are consumed before us yet it will not be long before we shall follow It is true Germany and other Countries have gone before us Germany we cannot prophesie as here the Prophet did but yet except God comes to prevent by an extraordinary hand we may follow not many yeers after and who knows how soon And particularly It may be such a friend of thine is gone the hand of God is upon him and hath consumed him and eaten out his very heart and he is perished as filth and dung from the face of the earth and thou art yet alive and is there not rottenness in thee Is there not the secret wrath of God eating out thy heart He is gone a little before but thou art like to follow within a little while after What great matter is it though thy companion be struck dead and gone to Hell and thou left alive when thou shalt follow not long after It is in this case as it is with travellers that travel together perhaps one rideth before another so comes to his Inn a quarter of an hour sooner than the rest of his company simile but before he is lighted off hiâ— horse or gone up into his chamber the other are come in also So perhaps Gods hand strikes one dead and sends him to Hell yet within a while the rest will follow after Therefore consider when God hand is upon any to strike them dead Oh I may follow not long after A moth to Ephraim and rottenness to Judah What a poor creâ—â—ure is man yea a Kingdom when as a Obs 10 moth and a little worm may consume them God in expressing VER 13. When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Jareb c. WHEN Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound The word translated Sickness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aegerfuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliecuere comprimere atque colligare is from a word that signifies Doluit Aegrotavit c. that signifies grief and sickness And the word translated Wound from a word that signifies Colligavit he hath bound up either because of the corruption of the body that is gathered together or because of the binding up of it with cloathes Now Judah saw his sickness and Ephraim saw his wound that is God at length made them to see what a crazy condition their State was in their Civil-State and Church-State too in what a very crazie condition it was and how wounded it was and how like to perish ready to die And especially of this first this sickness of Judah we have a notable story for it is referred to these times in Isa 7.1 and so on There you may find the sickness of Judah and how Judah saw it When Rezin King of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah came against Judah the heart of the King and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind as we use to say they did shake like an Aspen leaf they were so troubled Here Judah say his sickness the dangerous condition wherein he was And how Ephraim saw his wound that we shal see further presently when we shal see what help they sought to get against it Wrath was out against Ephraim and Judah some time and had almost consumed them before they would take notice of Obser 1 it Hence observe That by occasion of the pride and stoutness of mans heart he will not easily be brought to see and acknowledge the hand of God Isa 26.11 Isa 26.11 Lord when thine hand is lifted up they will not see They wil not own the hand of God against them they think it would be a shame to them they rather would bear the world in hand that all is well with them So it was for a long time with Ephraim and Judah but at length they saw their sickness and their wound Secondly God will force men to see and to be sensible of His hand Obser 2 out against them He will make them to see their sickness and their wound Mic. 6.13 Mic. 6.13 I wil make thee sick in smiting thee saith God I will smite thee opened and I will make thee sensible of My stroke so in that forenamed place Esa 26.11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see But they shall see and be ashamed saith God I will make them to know and to be sensible of My stroke the
will shew mercy God is a Lyon Lyon and strong and fierce in his wrath yet merciful to those that submit unto Him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ordinary word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tear or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 validus Gesner the Lyon The word here translated Lyon it is not that ordinary word that is for a Lyon but Shacal that signifies a fierce Lyon And so you have it in Joh 4.10 the roaring of the Lyon and the voice of the fierce Lyon Shacal So that God threatneth here to be a fierce Lyon This creature is very fierce and therefore Gesner in his Historie of living creatures saith That nature hath so ordered it that because the Lyon is so fierce of himself that alwaies he hath a kind of a quartan feaver or ague upon him to mittigate or refresh his fierceness And it were well with many if it were so with them Many that are fierce and of Lyon-like spirits for their lusts and for the satisfying of their own humors but are sheepish enough for the cause of God But mark God was before a moth and a little worm but now He is become a Lyon I will be a moth unto Ephraim and a little worm unto Judah for so you may translate it And now I will be a Lyon to Ephraim and a young Lyon to Judah Why a Lyon that is He will appear in the fierceness of his wrath against Ephraim The different expression of the text But what is the reason of the difference of these expressions here As he said before He would be a moth to Ephraim and rottenness to Judah so here he saith He will be a Lyon to Ephraim and a young Lyon unto Judah Here is a different expression and the reason is the same here that was there As there it was to shew that God though He intended the destruction of Ephraim and of Judah both yet Ephraim sooner and Judah later so here though God would be terrible in His wrath to Judah yet He would be more terrible in His wrath to the ten Tribes For we find that though Judah was carried into captivity yet that captivity lasted but for seventy years and Judah returned again but Israel he was torn in pieces so as he was never made up after They were both sinners but Judah retained somewhat of Gods true worship therefore God would spare them a little Though wicked men will spare the Saints so much the less because of their godliness and will take so much the more advantage of their frailties because they are professors yet God will pitie them The observations from hence are these First When Gods lesser afflictions work not Obser 1. there God will be most terrible You heard of the moth and little worm before they are lesser afflictions and it seems the moth and little worm did not work their hearts to repentance to bring them unto God therefore God doth turn to be a fierce Lyon and a Lyons whelp unto Ephraim and Judah Gods wrath is as Elijahs cloud that at first appeareth but as a handbreadth but within a while after the whol Heavens were overspread with it It is as the thunder that when you hear it first it is simile 1 but a little roaring noise a far off but stay a while and it will be a dreadful crack It is as the fire that at first burneth a little within upon a few boards but when it prevaileth it simile 2 bursteth out in a most terrible flame As in that known place Levit. 26.18 If you will not yet for all this saith the Lord hearken unto me then will I punish you seven times more for your sins and again seven times more and seven times more God will go on in His wrath from a little unto a great deal of wrath From being as a moth and as a little worm to be like a Lyon Such degrees there are in Gods wrath You had need look to it when the hand of God is stretched out but a little against you though it be but as a moth and as a worm yet if you look not to it there may be such a gradation of Gods wrath upon you For as great a difference as is between a moth and a fierce Lyon such a difference may be between wrath now and that which is to come Thus the Lord is many times unto mens spirits Many men have gripes and nips of conscience Admonit to those that are a little touched in spirit and God causeth secretly that worm of conscience to be gnawing upon them and there is some kind of trouble but notwithstanding they go on in their sins and at length God cometh upon them as a Lyon tearing their spirits Did you never see a sinner lying upon his death bed in the torment of his soul Gods wrath like the pawes of a Lyon preying upon the very caul of his heart A dying terrified conscience when he lies roaring out he is damned he is damned and now he sees yea feels the heat of the wrath of God against him Thus God comes as a Lyon to prey upon those that will not regard the gnawings of the worm When the worm was but little and small they slighted it and that caused God to bring the greater judgment So it is with families God cometh upon families sometimes in a little sickness in a child or in a servant and that is not regarded afterwards God cometh with plague of pestilence or some other dreadful judgment So in Kingdoms the Lord cometh first with little judgments and then with greater As in Ireland Ireland for many yeers together there the Lord was as a moth and rottenness but of late how like a Lyon hath he there appeared How hath He torn and rent that Kingdom in a most dreadful manner Yea the truth is the Lord had been to England England as a moth and rottenness And this very text I make no question but some of you have heard many yeers ago applied unto England when as those Ministers that preached upon this text did little think that ever there should be such a hand of God against many parts of England as now there is at this day In many parts of this Kingdom the Lord is at this day as a Lyon We all hear the roaring of the Lyon and who can but tremble Oh it is time for us all to fall down to the ground before the Lord. It is true God hath not yet come to this Citie as a Lyon to tear and rend it as other places in the Countrie London but yet we have heard the roaring of the Lyon abroad and God calleth us to fall down before Him that He may not be so to us that he may not come and tear us likewise Certainly the Lord will have glory of His creature God hath sworn by Himself and the word hath proceeded out of His mouth in
the Bench then they cry and take on Therefore the Church prayes Lord leave us not Thou art our hope in the day of evil Jer. 17.17 God is said to be the strength of his people in Psal 37. and Psal 39. Now if their strength be gone they must needs be weak Christ rebukes his Disciples for fearing when they were in the Ship and he was with them but when God leaves a people Oh what cause of fear is there then The Church implies so much Jer. 14.9 thou art in the midst of us leave us not we are in a sad condition already yet oh Lord do not thou leave us Now if we would not have God to leave us let us take heed we do not leave God How to keep God with us would you have God be for you in adversity then be you for God in prosperity nor forsake him when he is afflicted which is when his people and cause suffer Many will be for the Saints and own the Cause of God when all things goes well and their side prospers but in trouble when they are in disgrace or sorrow then they forsake them as if they knew no such people know that in thus doing thou leavest God and God may justly leave thee in thy affliction But now 't is Godâ— promise to his people That he will not leave them Psal 31.7 8. Psal 34. 17 18. God may bring thee into their power and jurisdiction that are evil but wait thou on the Lord and he shall deliver thee We use to say when we are in any trouble to our dear friend What will you also leave me will you not now own me and stay by me Aâ— Christ himself said to his Disciples Will you also leave me simile and go away but God will never leave his people in this manner The Shepherd may suffer his dog to hunt the sheep to bark at them to fetch them together but never suffers him to worry and kill them so God may suffer the wicked to hunt the Saints and perhaps to fasten upon them sometimes but then God will call them off again for his promise is not to leave them as he doth the wicked in their afflictions Heb. 13.5 five negatives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Heb. 13.5 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee in which words we have in the Greek five negatives to affirm the truth of this conclusion that God will never forsake his people I will not not leave you yea but the people of God might say but Lord we seem to the eye of the world to be forsaken no saith the Lord I will not not leave you there it two negatives to leaving and three to forsaking from whence we may see how strongly God hath engaged himself for his peoples security And return unto my place Expos Gods place Deus est habitaculuÌ„ mundi non mundus habitaculum eius These words are something difficult What is Gods place Is God contained in any place God is rather the place of the world than the world his place but here 't is meant Heaven I will return unto my place That is I 'le go to Heaven again not that God is there only containd but that is the place from which he reveals himself most there the holiness of God shines in most glory There is but little of God in this world to what there is in Heaven the glory of all the world is but as a dungeon to that place of Gods presence we are like children born in a dungeon who think there is no better place because they never saw better but Heaven is our Fathers place and Christ who is our elder brother is gone thither before us to provide mantions for us let us therefore have conversations in Heaven answerable to the holiness of that place this world is like unto the out-housing stables or kennels belonging to some pallace or stately building even as these are very inferior to the rooms in the house so is the pomp and state of this world unto Heaven God hath given the world unto worldly men for their portion but the Saints have a better inheritance reserved for them even in Heaven I will return to my place When was God from His place Expos when did He come from thence Thus when he did rend and tear them appearing against them as a Lyon and as a young Lyon then it was as if God should come down to rectifie and set in order things which were amiss and out of their place as we may see in the case of Sodom Gen. 18.21 I will go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of their sin the sin of Sodom fetcht God from his Throne So in Isa 26.21 Behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their cruelty and wickedness the earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no longer cover her slain God compares himself to a Prince upon his Throne who goes from his place of State into Countries to quiet mutinees and rebellions among his people The Note from hence is That sin desturbs He even â—nd Earth God cannot be quiet in Obs 1 Heaven for sinners Just it is with God to trouble sinners on Earth Obs 2 In times of publick judgment God doth in a manner leave his Majestie and Roialty in Heaven to set things in order here on earth And surely it will be to their cost when God thus comes do but view the terribleness of Gods coming down in Psal 18.9 10. Darkness and coals of fire were under his feet God seems to speak as a father to his children what must I come to you will you force me to come among you if I do it shall be to your cost Revertar ad habitaculum sanctitatismeae Chald. paraphrase I will return unto my place When I have afflicted them I will go to Heaven and there will I sit and my administrations shall be such towards them as if I regarded them not as a Prince that goes from the poor subject to his seat of dignity and mindes not the poor prisoner Obs 3 The administrations of God sometimes even to His own people may be such as if He regarded them not they may be so left in the hands of the wicked that they may think God hath forsaken them and given them over into their hands and Gods people may conclude so and think that God is gone and hath now hid Himself for ever as a poor child in misery in one Country and his father in another thinks thus I am in trouble and sorrow simile and I have a father but he is in another Country and I know not when he will come again so God may go to His place and the soul may seek Him but he is now gone He is in another place the Saints should be encouraged notwithstanding to look up to God and know though God be gone
yet there is a way to bring Him down again Psal 18.9 Psa 18 9. opened God was shut up in the Heavens and His people cryed to Him in their distress then the Lord bowed the Heavens and came down Let me make hast saith God I must go to the help of My people therefore that I may make speed let the Heavens bow before me So in Isa 64.1 2. the Church there cries out Oh that thou wouldst rend the Heavens and come down 't is true Lord thou art in Heaven and there is thy Majesty and glory Prayer but oh that thou wouldst come down and help us Prayer as it will rend the Heavens to get up to God so it will rend the Heavens for God to come down to man Lord if thou wilt go to thy place then what wil become of thy glory In the world thou hadst service and honor done unto thee by the creature thy Sainss offered sacrifice to thee though sometimes God seemeth to answer I care not for this I can and will have honor to my self in some other way Further we may observe When wicked men are in perplexity Obs 4 then God enjoys himself in his perfection Ezek. 18.4 When they are in wrath and sorrow and God hath not that service froÌ„ them in external worship which he hath had but I care not I will return unto my place and enjoy my self in my glory and in this is the misery of the damned in Hell Dâ—mned we are herein eternal torments and horror but what doth God lose by this He is in his glory and enjoys Himself in perfect rest But how long will it be before God return Expos will he alwaies absent Himself No. Till they acknowledge their sin From the Connexion of these words with the former we may observe That God sometimes turns his back upon sinners until they return Obs 1 unto him and acknowledge their sin And this is the best way for God to deal with some kind of men let them but feel a little of the smart of trouble and then they will consider as many men who are wilful they wil do so and so their wils shal be their law now the best way to tame these men is let them see what will come of it and the evil which will follow upon their wilfulness wil be the best convincement to them So saies God My Prophets and my Messengers can do no good upon them therfore let them alone According to that 1 King 8.47 If they will bethink themselves and repent And this is a most prudential way to deale with men who are wilful and stubborn Till they acknowledge their sin Note That when God comes Obs 2 to his people as in his judgment so in his waies of mercy he leaves his place and maâ—esty He humbles Himself to behold what is done upon the earth 't is a kind of self-denial in God to meddle with man at all As 't is a mighty condescention in a Prince to com from his throne to visit and comfort poor men in dungeons and prisons simile Surely such prisoners need honor such a Prince for he coms from his throne to visit them how much more then had we need to honour God for his love towards us Expos But to come more close to the words in the original they are Till they become guilty in their own hearts and acknowledge themselves to be so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signâ—fies to offend to be guilty to be desolate and to sacrifice for sin all these significations this word Asham will bear Vntill they become guilty Were they not guilty before Would God have them more guilty No but God would have them convinced of their sin to be guilty of it to accuse themselves for it and cleer God in all and to behave themselves as guilty persons with sorrow and shame and lastly to acknowledge themselves as guilty persons before God and men 'T is true assoon as ever the sin is committed the person is bound over being guilty but then in special he is said to be guilty when he acknowledges himself to be so Quest But here 's a Question Wâ—en was this disposition wrought in them hath it ever yet been or is it still to be fulfilled and accomplished Answ I answer That it was in part made good at their coming out of Captivity Hence Daniel chap. 9. vers 5. in the name of the whol Church speaks after this manner We have sinned and done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts c. What heaps of expressions hath he there to set out their turning Also Ezra 9.13 15. it was fulfilled and in Nehe. 9.16 all these 3. Prophets prophesied after Hosea though in our Bible placed before him This text is fulfilled again in Jer. 31.18 Ephraim was then guilty when he was found bemoning himself Again it was fulfilled when Christ was preached Acts 2.37 When they heard this they were pricked in their hearts Calling of the Jews And certain it is this Prophesie had an aim at Christ But this Scripture shal principally be fulfilled at the calling of the Jews then they shal become guilty Zach. 12. They shall look on him whom they have pierced c. Obs 2 That such is the pride of mens spirits by nature That so lâ—ng as they prosper in their sins they will even contest with God Himself Malac. 3.7 But ye said Wherein shall we return Is not this the speech of many proud spirits being taxed about any crime they presently answer Wherein have they done such and such things Remarkable is that of Saul 1 Sam. 15.13 when he told the Prophet he had performed the commandement of the Lord then Samuel labors to convince him of his sin saying What meaneth the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the oxen yet in the 20. verse he is at it again I have obeyed the commandement of the Lord. It was otherwise with David when the Prophet came to him I have sinned against the Lord 2 Sam. 12.13 't is a good sign of a soul truly humbled when it can joyn issue with the word Affliction sanctified brings men to see their sins and to acknowledg their guiltiness God in afflictions marks men out and then Conscience will prey upon a man as Simeon and Levi fell upon the men of Shechem for then they were sore and unable to resist in time of affliction then thou shalt find conscience hard enough for thee what pangs of conscience have men in their sickness saying as he in Prov. 5.12 How have I hated instruction and my heart despisâ—d reproâ—f Oh what a deal of guilt is opened and discovered in an affliction afflictions are to the soul as earthquakes to the ground which open the graves and discovers abundance of filth It is a sign of a very hard heart not to confess in affliction when Gods hand is upon us Pharaoh would do thus and 't
his Message to King Joash and was slain for it and saith the text Acts 7.52 Which of the Prophets have not your fathers murdered But now here is their encouragement against al the il usage the hardships which they meet withal in their work I look upon it saith God as I doing it I had a hand in it therfore certainly God will not let them go unrewarded 1 Sam. 22.23 David said to Abiathar Abide thou with me fear not for he that seeketh thy life seeketh my life but with me thou shalt be in safeguard David was the occasion of Abiathers fathers death Consololation to those Ministers the frieÌ„ds of those that are perished in the Cause of God and because of that what respect had David of him for this and shall not God much more So that have you a friend a brother or a father slain for the Cause of God or in it standing for Him shall not God take his part yea He will Ahimâ—lech was slain accidentally for the Cause of David yet he would deal wel with Abiathar but saith God thy friend was slain standing for Me and owning My Cause he shall lose nothing by it for I will deal well with thee and preserve thee alive for his sake I have slain them That is thus Their Ministry hath been Expos 3 so heavy that it hath even kild them I have followed them on so with work that I have even slain them so that this people cannot say they have not been warned or that they have had no Prophets among them or that their Prophets have been idle that they have had no work to do and certainly it is a good death for a Minister to die preaching Pareus makes much use of this Oportet Episcopum concionantem mori saith he How much more honorable to die in doing Gods work than by coÌ„mitting sinful acts of intemperance uncleanness c. they cannot spend their strength better than in Gods service O let that people who have such Ministers look to it that they bring forth fruit answerable in some proportion to the cost that is bestowed on them and if you take the sense thus then God seems to speak grievingly Oh what shall I do with this people what means hath been used what losses have I sustained by them I have spent many choice Servants among them the lives and strengths of such spirits have bin spent upon them of whom the world was not worthy Oh what shal I do unto such a people Surely such a people enjoying such a Ministry had need look to their profession May not this be said of many Congregations in London Congregations in London hath not God sent many choice spirits among you to do you good and have they effected the end for which they were sent among you If not wo to you God hath a special regard unto this when he shall spend the lives of his choicest and most precious servants and if he have not a considerable vallue and return in peoples fruitfulnes it wil mightily provoke and incense him against them God hath an high esteem of his Ministers lives and strengths they are vallued more than so to be spent and wasted upon unfruitful people who neither care for them nor their Ministry Expos 3 But to come more particularly and according to the genuine sense of the words This slaying refers it self to the people How the word slaies Now the Word slaies in these two respects In its deonouncing of judgement upon men for what the Word threatens it is said to do Jer. 18.7 8. At what instant I speak concerning a Nation or concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy and when God promises mercy good he is said to give life and we should look upon them as performing of it In the operation and working of it it hath a mighty efficasie in it for the working impenitent sinners to ruin it is as a twoedged sword which doth execution every way Isa 11.3 It makes men of quick understanding in the fear of God and God is said to consume Antichrist by the breath of his nostrils and by the Word of his mouth 2 Thes 2. the Word is of such a force that sometimes if brings death in a litteral sense to some who withstand and oppose it Ezek. 11.2 Pelatiah gives wicked counsel in the City and the Prophet is commanded to prophesie against him and in the 13. verse we reade that when the Prophet prophesied Pelatiah died so many times God makes the Word so powerful in the mouths of his servants that it strikes men dead presently Gualter Gualter hath this Note from hence that the power of the Word appears in this that it awakens convinces and terrifies the consciences of men so that they go home and make away themselves and become self-murderers and the truth is it is nothing else but the word working powerfully to the ruin and destruction of men Or the words may be taken hyperbolically as men that Expos 4 are oppressed and in misery Oh ye kill me I am not able to endure it you wil be the death of me the Prophets came so close to them that they cryed out Oh they will kill us we are not able to suffer them Luther Luther saith that these words Thou hast slain them by the words of my mouth that is meant the Law by the Law thou hast slain them and by the word Prophets he saith is meant that part of Doctrine which is necessary to be preached to prevent the abuse of the Doctrine of the Gospel which otherwise men would be ready to pervert and he further adds that those men which deny the use of the Law were not fit so much as to be suffered I mention this of Luther the rather because those who deny the use of the Law urge him so strongly for the upholding of them in their way It follows Thy judgments are as the light That is passively thy threatnings Expos 1 upon them or the execution of those threatnings upon them shall break out as the light though they have slain my Prophets and think thereby to free themselves from those judgments which they threatned against them no saith God for all this I will make known my threatnings which they have denounced against them when the Prophet Jeremiah had delivered the message of God to the Princes and the Priests they laid hold on him and said he should surely die Jer. 26.8 Now see what the Prophet saith in the 14 and 15. verses As for me behold I am in your hands do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you but know ye for certain that if ye put me to death ye shall bring innocent blood upon your heads for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you You think perhapâ— that when the Minister is gone his words are gone and there is an end of them no they shall lie upon you
but a vessel of wrath one cut down by the stroke of the Word by wrath this cutting down is like unto that which we find in Luke 14.24 For I say unto that none of those men which were bidden shall tast of my supper and yet these men had stirrings and motions in them Oh! the consideration of this should make sinners to tremble that it is possible for men yea for men professing godliness to be cut down by the Word of wrath and that while they are living and well When a man is cut down now God way be said to cut a man down for vengance when he in judgment determines and secretly resolves against him that no means nor mercies shall do him good now wo to that man against whom God is thus resolved and determined But that none may be discouraged and disheartned by this but awakened know that so long as God still strives with thee and is yet working upon thee by his Word and by his Spirit he hath not yet determined against thee when not thou art not past hope of cure therefore improve the seasons and do not abuse this that hath been said let it support you from dispair but not encourage you to presume Gods Ministers are Gods Tools and as tools by working are Obs 7 worn out so are Gods Ministers worn by working but when the work goes on though the tools are worn the laborer thinks not much so God when he sees people come in and accept of mercy he is content to bear the loss of the wearing of his tools and as men reckon not only for the work done but also for the wearing of the tools and the more precious the tool is the more he accounts of and reckons for the wearing of it so will God also not only reckon for the lives of his servants but also for their strength and the weakening of their bodies by sweating and labor Therefore people had need to look to it that their fruit may answer the cost God is at with them for know that God sets a high price upon His choice servants lives and he will have a valluable consideration for them either in you or upon you and wo be to you if God forceth the price of such blood as theirs is in your ruin Obs 8 Gods Ministers are Gods mouth to His people I have slain them by the words of my Mouth Jer. 15.19 If thou take forth the precious from the vile then shall you be as my mouth And look what is threatned by them is threatned by God and what promise they open and press upon a soul in distress is done by God Himself and it is to be looked upon as God speaking to thee in particular Obs 9 The Word of God is of great power and full of efficacy I have slain them by the words of my mauth The word is like a two-edged sword which smites every way and doth execution every time men hear the Word it is for life or for death Deut. 32.46 47. Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie unto you this day for it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life it is your life which lies upon it therefore look ye to it so in Revel 11.5 And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouthes and devoureth their enemies Though the witnesses be as Olive branches yet if any wrong them they must be killed by devouring fire Object But if the Word be of such efficacy of a slaying nature why should we hear it Answ We are bound to hear the Word as our duty and when we come we should present our lusts before the edge of the Word were sin presented before it it would only slay the sin and not the person The word flaies either the sin or the soul When the Word comes it will slay the one either your sins or your souls therefore if you would have your souls saved put your sins to death the upright man need not fear comming to the Word but such as are resolved to keep their sins the Word will slay both them and their sins too It follows And thy judgmenes shall break forth Text. as the light that goeth forth Hence observe That Gods judgments while men go on in a Obs 1 prosperous way of sinning lie in the dark they see them not they sin and judgment appears not and therefore they take liberty and embolden themselves in their sins When judgments do come they break out Judgments were Obs 2 working their ruine before they did not sleep Judgements when they come they break out upon sinners as mighty waters being stopt in their course of running when they work over the interruption they run the faster God hath His time to punish sins openly by His judgements as Obs 3 they sin secretly in the dark God will punish openly in the light to make them ashamed God will have His time to convince men by His judgments then Obs 4 their filthiness shall be punished Now Gods judgments may be said to break forth to convince men and as the light three waies How judgment convinces 1. When the same thing threatened in the Word comes to passe 2. When the judgment inflicted is sutable to the sin committed 3. When it is executed by a remarkable hanâ— upon the sinner then that judgement breaks forth upon a man as the light Gods judgments are gradual They break forth as the light Obs 5 not all at once there is the morning light and the mid-day as mercies to the Saints are gradual so judgments upon the wicked are but by degrees dropping at the first There is much to be learned by the breakings out of judgment as the Obs 6 light Isa 26.8 When thy Judgments are abroad the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness Mic. 6.9 The man of wisdom shall see thy Name Hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Pro. 28.5 Evil men understand not judgment but they that seek the Lord understand all things they shall learn much Examine your hearts by this what you have learned by these judgements that are broken out so cleer upon us that the greatest Atheist in the world may learn this That the Lord He is God as the people cried out in 1 King 18.39 Obs 7 When God sends a Ministry to a people it is to discover the way of God and of His Worship to that people The Lord makes their righteousness to appear and break forth as the light and He will have His way and Worship to appear as cleerly as the light His way shall not be in the dark to them Obs 8 When God brings a powerful Ministry to a people the more powerful and sharp that Ministry hath been if they do not turn the more terrible and sharp shall judgement be upon them Your consciences shall eccho upon this ground in your ears The Lord is righteous in all His waies justly am I
the curse of that people whose ears should be deaf that they should not hear whose eyes should be blind that they should not see and be converted and I should heal them When I would haue healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered and the wickedness of Samaria for they committed falshood and the thirf breaketh in and the troup of robbers spoileth without Furthermore In these words the Prophet showeth in what particulars their iniquity did appear they committed falshood they wrought a lye in regard of their falshood their false worship and then in regard of their oppression wronging one another but especially in falsifying their trust one to another and in their relations not performing the duties which their relations called for and bound them unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 officij diliti viâ—lati ex singulari audacia so the word in the original Shekar in the propriety of it signifies They commit falshood That is they commit such a sin as the breaking of that duty which the law of their relation cals for from them The Notes hence are Obs 1 It is the discription of a wicked man to commit falshood As the godly man is said to be for the truth and to do the truth so wicked men are against the truth and go contrary to the truth as the Devil is said not to abide in the truth even such are these who commit falshood and work a lye It is a forerunner of great mischief when men are false in their relations Obs 2 In Mic. 7.6 7. It was an ill time when all sorts of people were so unfaithful in their relations The thief breaks in to rob and spoil by violence Obs 3 From whence note There is much secret wickedness committed by those which have forsaken the true religion such as these are secret and cunning workers of mischief in Church and State Gal. 2.4 There are false brethren crept in secretly which afterwards sought to bring us into bondage 'T is a great evil in a Common-wealth to have secret oppressors but far worse to have publick spoiling We have had much of the first formerly and the Lord knows how much more of the second we may further tast of I verily beleeve there is none that ever thought the Enemy would have spoiled in such a manner as He hath done and that ever English men would have endured it and we are the first people that ever endured such oppressions that were not slaves before and what the counsels and thoughts of God are in this thing concerning us we cannot tell Violence and spoil before me continually is grief and wounds What then Be instructed O Jerusalem lest my soul depart from thee Jer. 6.7 8. The first part of this Scripture is ours at this day grief and wounds are continually before us but be thou instructed O England In what In this That dreadful breach which sin hath made between the King and Parliament be instructed in this Jer. 15.13 Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoilers without price and that for all thy sins even in all thy borders So Isa 44.22.24 But this is a people robbed and spoiled they are all of them snared in holes they are for a prey and none delivers them for a spoil and none saith Restore Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers Did not the Lord against whom we have sinned Who among you will give ear and hearken to this Men are wicked and tyrannical But who is he that hath given this our Land to the plunderers Is it not the Lord Therefore we should look beyond the troubles the hand that strikes to God who gave them their commission and delivered us up into their hands When God gives up a people to the robbers and spoilers in such a kind his wrath is said to come upon them as in the 25. verse Therefore he hath powred upon them the fury of his anger and the strength of battel VER 2. And they considered not in their hearts that I remembred all their wickednesse now their own doings have beset them about they are before my face THey considered not in their hearts In the original it is They say not to their hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This phrase in other Scriptures is used for saying in their hearts Jer. 5.24 Neither say they IN their hearts Let us fear God which giveth rain And in Eccles 1.16 Considering is communing with our own hearts I spoke or consulted with my heart From this phrase of speaking thus to our hearts we may observe 1 It is a good thing to be often speaking to our own hearts thus Oh my soul how is it with thee what case art thou in how stand things between God and thee what terms standest thou in for eternity canst thou look upon Gods face with comfort and not be afraid what guilt is there in thy conscience canst thou behold eternity and rejoyce in the thoughts of it Such meditations and questionings as these would be very profitable for the soul Many people can talk abroad in company of these things but where is the man that sets apart time to question with his soul about these Ps 4.4 Stand in awe and sin not commune with your own hearts upon your bed and be still There are in the soul many times boisterous distempers but then we should cause a silence and a calm in our hearts bid them be still there are great distemperâ— in that familie where the husband and the wife go two or three daies together and speak not one to another so there is no less distemper in that soul which can go two or three daies without questioning it self and examining its condition simile But what is it they should speak This That I remember their iniquities the old Latine carries it thus lest they should consider do not you think that God remembers the sins of your forefathers only that they were vile and wicked no but I also remember the sins that are present before me But according to the reading of the words in your books is most agreeable to the Original therefore Luther saith Luther that these words are a reproof of their security then which no evil being worse the Princes they feel not the judgment yet the principal actors in the wickedness the common people they suffer much and yet though they suffer yet attribute their sufferings to any thing rather than to their sins to be the causes of them the observations That God doth remember the wickedness of people though long since Obs 1 committed as we may see in Amalek God remembers this their wickedness many hundred yeers after 1 Sam. 15.2 I remember the prank which Amalek played to you when you came out of Egypt Amos 8.7 The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob surely I will never forget any of their works nay they are not only remembred but recorded the sin of Judah
married may at the revolution of the yeer bless God for the mercies they have enjoyed in that Ordinance entred into on that day but how many are there who have little cause to remember either that or their birth day nay may they not rather with Job curse the day of their birth Suppose you should hear a voice from heaven this day that you must die and not live that this must be the last day you should live tell me then could you bless God for the day of your birth would the thoughts of it be delightful to you 'T is reported of Philip the third King of Spain Philip the 3 of Spain who lived so strictly that he never committed any gross crime never committed any known sin willingly yet when he came to die cries out Oh that I had never reigned that I had lived a private life in the wilderness that I might not have the sin to answer for not doing the good or hindering the evil which I might have done It is a sad thing when men come to die that they cannot look back with comfort to their lives spent that they have not discharged their places had Jeroboam kept his birth day in this manner there had been no evil in it but his keeping of it was only to satisfie the flesh till he himself was sick with wine in such daies Bachus and Venus have the greatest portions Obs 1 Festeval daies are usually made distempering daies daies of provocation It follows With bottels of wine This wine is like that in Deut. 32.33 Their wine is the poyson of Dragons and the cruel venime of Asps this wine of Asps it makes the spirits warm and the body sick Job knew the danger of feasting therefore when his children were a feasting he was in sacrificing They made the king drunk with wine This was the way which they took to gain the King And is not this the course which is taken now in our daies to betray the young Gentry into base filthiness This was the plot of these Priests first to make the King drunk and then they could do any thing with him could get any edict from him to serve their base ends and intentions to suppress the precise people Drunkenness is an old Court sin See how the Prophet Isa Obs 2 28.1 fills his mouth with woes and threatnings against the drunkenness of Ephraim Wo to the Crown of pride to the drunkards of Ephraim The Court the Crown of Ephraim was at Samaria A miserable thing it is that those which have the most opportunity for God should spend their time in such beastly vanities and do to their bodies and souls as Richard the third Rich. 3d to his brother drown them in a Butt of Sack Drunkards courses brings diseases Be not amongst wine-bibbers Obs 3 amongst riotous eaters of flesh Drunkennes brings diseases for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty how many are there which carry about with them the marks of their lusts as Paul carried about him the marks of the Lord Jesus men will venture much for their lusts but if Christ call them to suffer any thing for him then they are tender and sickly but let their estates healths and credits stand in the way to hinder them in the pursuance of their desires in sin they will break through them all now a shame is it for a Christian not to do more for God than these men will do for their lusts Timothy is commanded to drink but a little wine and that for his refreshment to help nature but when men drink make sots of themselves by it what diseases doth this bring men into See Mr. Sa. Ward his wo to drunkenes as the falling sickness disfiguring their countenances making them to look more lik swine than men c. The Scripture tells us that the Saints bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost do you think that such a body as this is like to be a Temple no but rather like matter for the very sinck of hell where all filth shall be fuel for everlasting burning How canst thou answer the weakning of thy strength by this lust when God deserves all thy abilities It may be thou wilt say thou wert never dead drunk but wert thou never so distemperd as to weaken thy abilities and make thee unfit for service how sinful then is the practice of those that drink others healths till themselves are sick through excess Drunkenness is vile in any but most of all vile in Governors men of place and power Prov. 31.4 It is not for Kings to drink wine nor for Princes strong drink It is not for them and why because they are above us and how can any man endure to be under drunken beasts they are gods and how vile and abominable is it to have drunken gods The law of Carth. Therefore the Carthaginians made a Law that none of their Magistrates in the time of their Magistracie should drink any wine Obs 4 It is much more vile to make others drunk than to be drunk our selves Therefore in Esth 1.8 the drinking was according to the Law none did compel for the King had appointed to all the Officers of the house that they should do according to every mans pleasure none were compelled to drink more than they were willing you may think they express a great deal of love to you in drinking to you and pressing you to drink and when they have overcome you then will they laugh at you and make you a scorn especially if they can get you who are professors of Religion to be overtaken Therefore you had need above all men to take heed of this sin for if you fall Religion suffereth and the Name of God is evil spoken of by your means therefore Christ bids his Disciples themselves to take heed of surfeting and drunkenness Therefore you that are professors had the more need to take heed of this sin and mind this exhortation of Christ Obs 5 That drunkenness is vile at any time but especially when we pretend to praise God When God shall shew thee mercy and thou pretendest to praise him for it and then take liberty to be excessive in the creature this is most abominable we have had many daies of thanksgiving to praise God for his mercies if we have been excessive in the use of the creatures be humbled 't is an ill requital of God for his mercy It follows He stretched out his hand with the scorners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Septuagent translate this word Scorners by divers words as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First Pestilent people so in Psal 1.5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the Congregation of the righteous because every scorner is a plague to the family place and town where he lives Prov. 22.10 Cast out the scorner and contention will go out yea strife and reproach shall cease Hierom translates these words
of the air as it were Ephraim was priding her self in her ornaments and fine excellent out side we are very ready and prone to imitate the creatures in that which is evil but not in that which is good there are some good properties in the Dove which they would not follow as in their innocency and simplicity their unity and chastity meekness without gall cleanliness and purity it loves cleer water loves no carcass to feed on c. Prudentia obsque bonitate malitia est simplicitas obsque ratione stultitia est From whence we may note that godliness does not bear men out in waies of folly when men will not go from the rule but stick unto that to be guided in all cases of their lives this is godly simplicity it is matter of wonder to see how subtil men are to damn themselves and it is and should be the care of the Saints to be wise to save their souls it is a scandal which is raised upon the Gospel that it makes men fools Those are only wise men who are truly godly then men begin to be wise when they begin to be godly our simplicity may aggravate our misery but it can never bear us out in it nor excuse it true godliness will undermine all sinful simplicity therefore take heed of putting that upon the Spirit of God which is nothing but the simplicity of our own hearts Therefore be ye wise as Serpents but innocent as Doves VER 12. When they shall go I will spread my net upon them I will bring them down as the fouls of the heaven I will chastise them as their Congregation hath heard IN the former verses the Lord by the Prophet charges Israel for their silliness as the Doves but as silly as they were they thought to provide for themselves well enough by their going to Egypt but it being out of Gods way it proved but silliness for God was resolved to meet with them when they go I 'le spread my net over them my providence shall so begirt and straighten them that although they may seem to escape yet they shall be ensnared This place hath reference unto that story in 2 Kings 17.4 the Assyrian was Gâ—ds net to take them in the emphasis of the word lies here My net in the pronoun my Men by their cunning and policy may bring men into great trouble and straights but when God sets himself by his Attributes of wisdom power and justice to bring a people down to ruin they shall be taken they shall not escape The Notes are Obs 1 Those which go out of Gods way it is just with God they should be ensnared Job 18.7 The steps of his strength shall be straightened and his own counsel shall bring him down Job 22.10 Therefore snares are round about thee and sudden fear troubleth thee How many men from experience can speak the truth of this who going out of Gods waies have met with snares and it is Gods curse upon the wicked that their table shall become a snare to them and God threatens it in Isa 8.14 that he would be for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem And therefore when we are in straights it is good to think thus Where am I what am I a doing am I in my way or no have I not followed my own counsel and left Gods If we have mark what God saith I 'le bring you down as the fouls of Heaven you think to escape by flying no stay a while when you think you are the most secure then I will meet with you God may for a time let wicked men prosper in their waies insomuch Obs 2 that they may think all danger is past with them but when they are so high then is Gods time to pul them down when they are at the highest God can reach them yea even then it is Gods delight to pul them down a famous text we have for this purpose in 2 Sam. 22.28 But thine eyes are upon the haughty that thou mayest bring them down Thine eyes are upon them That is as a fowler sets his eyes upon a bird which he would take in his snare or net that sits on high the proud and haughty spirits fly on high and think themselves very secure and bless themselves in their way but Gods eyes are upon them waiting for a fit time to pull them down It was the answer of a Phylosopher being asked what Jupiter did in the highest heaven saith he he pulls down the haughty and exalts the humble Obadia the 3 4. verses The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock whose habitation is high that saith in his heart Who shall bring me down to the ground Though thou exalt thy self as the Eagle and though thou set thy nest among the stars thence will I bring thee down saith the Lord. This is also true in that proud King of Babylon in Isa 24.21 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones which art on high and the Kings of the earth upon the earth This cannot be understood of the Devil but of the King of Babylon whom God threatens to pull down It follows I will chastise them The word translated I will chastise signifies both to bind to chastise and instruct First I will bind them sinners shall be bound with the cords of their lusts Secondly I 'le chastise and instruct them noting that chastisements should be with instructions I will chastise them As they have heard Moses and the Prophets have instructed them but they disregarded them but I 'le make it good what they said of them Obs 3 Sinners had need to regard what they hear out of the Word of God in the Congregation for it will take hold on them some way or other Zecharia 1.6 But my Words and my Statutes which I commanded my servants the Prophets Did they not take hold of your fathers Use or overtake them Oh thou impenitent sinner take heed how thou goest on in thy wicked waies for know that all the power in God is engaged to make good his Word against thee Therefore when Christ sends forth his Disciples to preach the Gospel he engageth all his power to make good what they in his Name and according to his mind deliver Mat. 28.18 19 20. Matt. 28.18 19 20 opened All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations and lo I am with you alwaies to the end of the world Oh how should we from this consideration be stirred up to hear the word with trembling Obs 4 When judgments come upon impenitent sinners it is a humbling consideration unto them to consider that that word which they heard in the Congregation was true How do multitudes on their sick beds