4 When the Lord is pleased to work grace in the heart that heart is taken off from all creature helps they dare not go with Ephraim to King Jareb How are they then to be blamed who seek to the Devil for help in distress they dare not go to Councels or to Armies for releef but to God it is too much to rest upon men much more upon the Devil Do any of you go to Inchanters or Wisards to find God you may seek him but shall not find him Obs 5 We are not to be discouraged in our seeking of God though our afflictions drive us to it This people sought God but their afflictions did drive them to it yet God accepted them Use Sit not down despairing in your afflictions saying God will never be gracious our seeking Him is to no purpose It is true God may justly say to us as Jeptha said to the people Do you now come to me in your distress So God may say do you now come to me in your sorrows and miseries and cast me off in your prosperity Caution I confess it is very dangerous venturing the putting off our seeking of God till then but if then God be pleased to work upon your hearts be not discouraged but seek him still So Joel saith That in his affliction he sought the Lord But did the Lord answer him Yea his requests were granted Note That every seeking of God is not sufficient it must be early Obs 6 seeking of Him Early seeking acceptable Now men are said to seek God early When 1. It is in the morning of their years 1. In youth when young ones shal make this text true in the letter of it it is wonderful pleasing to God It may be God laid his hand upon thee in thy youth and then God revealed the knowledge of Himself to thee thy misery by sin thy remedy in his Son so that the Churches prayer was thine Psal 90.14 O satisfie us early with thy mercie How many sins are by this prevented Your father or master if godly would give a world if they had it that they had begun sooner to serve the Lord and to seek him early therefore bless God who hath put it into your hearts to seek him John was the young Disciple and he in his youth began to know Christ and of all the Disciples none had that respect shewed them as John had for it is said that he lay in Christs bosom and Christ loved him 2. As this is acceptable in the morning of our years 2 At first enlightning so in the morning of Gods revealing Himself as soon as ever God begins to discover Himself we should then seek Him early when the soul saith as Paul said Acts 26.19 I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision neither consulted I with flesh and blood Hath God set up a light in your consciences and hath it discovered to you your misery and have you hearkened unto the voice of your consciences What have you done since Is sin reformed Are you changed in the inner-man Is Christ formed in you and exalted upon his throne in your hearts Is your will subjected to the will of God and your whole man delivered up to the government of God This were happy if it were so But contrariwise is sin let in and liked of as well as ever after these stirrings and convictions of consciâ—nce Then are you far from the number of those who are early seekers of God 3 With fervency and diligence 3. When we seek Him with diligence and with fervency not in a formal way When Gods hand is out against us He then looks that we should seek him with intentiveness of spirit See how the Church seeks God with diligence Isa 26.9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night season yea with my spirit within me will I seek the early When was this In a grievous night of affliction when they were in great troubles then to seek God early with their spirits within them this is most emphatical So Acts 12.5 prayer was made by the Church for Peter without ceasing it was continued prayer prayer stretched out even so ought our prayers to be lifted up with fervency true prayer is active and working the fervent prayer of the righteous prevails much with God Jam. 5.16 Lively working prayers are prevailing prayers Quest But what is it to seek God diligently Answ 1 When we seek God with all other things under our feet when all other things are sought in order to this Contemn all for God The soul is carried after the seeking of God with a panting and longing desire as the Hart after the water brooks Answ 2 To seek God early is to seek him with our whole heart The heart is not divided in the work With our whol heart every part is imployed as Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.23 feared and set himself to seek the Lord he gave his whole self to the duty Answ 3 When the soul bears down all difficulties in seeking of God when nothing shall keep him off his wook Vanguishes all difficulties as Jacob wrestled with God and would not be put off without the blessing Gen. 32.24 So the woman of Canaan how earnestly did she seek to Christ for her daughter and would not be put off by difficulties Matt. 15.22 23 24 25. Answ 4 When no means is neglected to be used whereby that may be had which we seek for No means neglected The soul tries this means and the other duty and follows God in all his waies that it may find him as the poor woman which followed Christ from place to place to touch the hem of his garment Christ could not be hid from her Resolve to die in persuit of him 5. Resolutions for to die seeking of God is earnest seeking of God it 's our constant practice living and our resolutions dying as Jacob the nearer the dawning of the day approached the more earnest was he How contrary are the practises of too many who at the first seek God early and earnestly too yet after a while leave off and grow cold Oh that it were not thus with us at this day Use England the Lord hath brought us low at this time yea how sad is our condition at this time 'T is true there is a spirit of seeking abroad in the Land but now God calls for a quickning of this we should now put an edg upon our seeking of God Be fervent in spirit serving the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seeking in the original 't is boyling in spirit let us so seek him now that hereafter we may praise him Psal 22.26 Ps 22.26 they shall praise the Lord that seek him your hearts shall live for ever illustrated How sweet are those mercies which are won by prayer and worn with praises Therefore now stir up the gift that is within you you that never prayed before pray
and force have ye ruled my people They have turned judgment to wormwood Amos 5.7 Their Courts of Juducature that should have been for right judgment have been turned into bitter wormwood and have been full of cruelty What have many of them cared for the lives for the comforts of thousands for the extremitie of all misery they shall suffer so be it their own humors and their own lusts might be satisfied as if all other men were but as dogs except themselves The Lord doth at this day charge this upon some of them and will charge it more I remember once a speech of a reverend Divine in this Citie now with God whom you all honored when he was alive being put into that Court the high Commission when he came home one day from thence he tells this story of what he observed there I heard saith he crying out much of Grace and please your Grace and much crying out of peace if there were any noise then peace peace but I saw no MERCY thâ—re saith he nothing at all but Cruelty Jer. 50.17 you may see in what indignation God doth take it for men though the greatest upon earth to be cruel to his people This Nebuchad rezzaâ— King of Babylon hath broken his bones Who was this Nebuchad rezzar A mighty great Prince yet God looks upon him with indignation when he sees him breaking the bones of his people We have amongst us those who as Psal 27.12 breath our cruelty and indeed they act nothing less there is cruel hatred in their hearts and waies according to that Psalm 25.19 No marvel therefore though heretofore our brethren left the Kingdome because they found such cruelty here there was no mercy in the land they did but according to that which the Church calleth the members of it to Cant. 4.8 Come with me from Labanon from the Lyons dens from the mountains of the Leobards When they went from us they went from the Lyons dens and from the mountains of the Leopards No marvel now the Lord is so severe against our Land because there hath been so little mercy in the land That is the second Article against Israel That there was no Mercy The third is Nor no Knowledg of God in the land In the Hebrew it is And no knowledg but now Vau that is there for And it signifies sometimes quia as well as et And so it may indeed be well rendred here Because there is no knowledg of God in the land the reason why there is no mercy is because there is no knowledg of God The knowledg of God will make wicked men to be merciful men Cruel men know not God These two are put together and joyned most elegantly in Psal 74.20 The dark places of the earth are ful of the habitations of crueltie saies the text The knowledg of God will make men civil and humane at least but when there is no knowledg of God men grow cruel and savage And do we not find this to be true at this very day From what places are men that do now rise up to be plunderers to shed blood to be cruel in most desperate outrages from what places are these men beholden for their assistors and abettors this way Are they not beholden to places where they are in ignorance where they have no knowledg of God where there is no preaching In the Countries round about observe those Parishes those Towns where there hath been least or worst preaching where they have had least knowledg of God there you have most malignants that are bloody and cruel No mervail then that our adversaries are such enemies to the faithful preachers of the word of God no marvel then they are made the But of their malice for indeed if they bring the knowledg of God into the land they will bring humanitie civilitie they will bring mercy and love and there wil be few or none that will be fit for their turns Indeed it is their complaint of the Parliament that they set ignorant men in places but certainly this complaint is but a pretence for it were better for their turns that all the congregations in England had but ignorant men had no men to bring the knowledg of God amongst people but they know well enough what ever they say that those that are sent are such as do bring the knowledg of God among people and there is nothing does them more hurt than this knowledg of God No knowledg of God This is a heavy charge indeed Powr out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not Jer. 10.25 Though they be Heathens and yet know not God the wrath of God is to be poured forth upon them surely then Gods wrath must be upon Israel that know not God And Isa 2â— 11 They are a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy upon them he that formed them will shew them no favour 2 Thes 1.8 The Lord Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance upon those that know him not What no knowledg of God what glory then can God have from such a people God hath done great things in the world he hath manifested himself an infinite and a glorious God and his end in all that he hath manifested himself in is that Angels and men might behold this might adore admire worship fear and praise him but where there is no knowledg of God there all Gods glory passeth by and there is no notice taken of it to what purpose is the world made such an one can never sanctifie the Name of God in any duty of worship in the use of any creature where there is no knowledg of God there al good is kept out there the unclean spirit a spirit of darkness dwels when the Crow hath picked out the eyes of the Lamb then it makes a prey upon it As in dark vaults there are toads and filthy creatures so in dark soul there are crawling and filthy lusts As in blind Alehouses there is abundance of disorder so in a blind heart there is abundance of distemper and disorder No knowledg of God The Septuagint turn this word Knowledg * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a word that signifies acknowledgment there is no acknowledgment of God in the land People should walk so in all their waies as to hold forth the glory of that great God they do profess If they know God to be such as he is revealed in all his Attributes and works they should in their lives I say so walk as to hold forth this before the children of men I appeal to you in this Perhaps some of you can speak concerning God and tell us what God is and concerning his Attributes yet are your lives in your families in your conversations so as that one beholding them may see written the glorious Attributes of God upon them that you hold forth these glorious Attributes that in all your waies you carry with you the
that hath but the Calves and hath not the right Ordinances of God among them whatsoever they do yet let not Judah offend that have the true Ordinances of God and the true Priests and Ministers of God among them Observ Oh those that enjoy Gods Ordinances in his own way and the Ministers of God in a right way of calling they should take heed of doing as other people do And then Thirdly Judah was not compell'd by her Governours to Reas 3 do so as Israel for Israel you know by Jeroboam and other of the Princes was compeld to do what they did and they might pretend that it was for their own safety to save their lives and to save their estates but there was no such necessity for Judah to do it for God many times sent godly and gracious Princes to Judah and there was not such waies there to compel them they were not so necessitated to that way of false worship as Israel was if we may call it any necessity to that which is evil Obser When people have liberty and are not forced but God doth give them liberty that they need not except they will be Idolaters yet for them to close with waies of Idolatry and superstition when they need not this is more sinful It is true heretofore there might have been some excuse we were forced to it it was as much as our estates were worth we must have been cast into prison and persecuted and that made us do that we did The Lord be merciful to us for that we rather than we would suffer would joyn in those superstitious waies that were amongst us But now thorough Gods mercy we are delivered from that bondage we are not so compel'd yet that now for all this our hearts should yet cleave to those old superstitious waies this makes our sin so much the greater Reas 4 Fourthly Let not Judah sin for what then should become of Gods worship For God had no other people upon the face of the earth but Judah and Israel to worship him well Israel is gone from him and will Judah go too what will become of the worship of God A mighty argument to those that make profession of godliness to keep them from the waies of false worship and wickedness in any kind Obser If you depart from God too as others do what honor will God have in the world what will become of the service of God in the world Is not God worthy of all honor and of all service from all his creatures It is pitie there should be any creature in the world that should not honor and serve the blessed and infinite God But we see most do not and there are but a few a handful of people that regard to worship God aright and shall this few this handful forsake God where then shall God have any honor in the world Shall Judah go away too then the Lord will have no Church no worship no service in the world Fiftly God had much mercy in store for Judah more than Reas 5 for Israel therefore let not Judah offend For Christ was to come from that Tribe of Judah and the Lord promised that he would shew mercy unto Judah when he had said he would reject Israel as indeed he did Though Judah was carried into captivity as well as Israel yet God was with Judah in their captivity and promised them a return from it but he never promised Israel a return in the like manner as Judah Therefore since God had the more mercy in store for Judah let not Judah offend From hence these Notes are to be observed First We must not do as others do especially in point of Obs 1 Gods worship we must not make the example of men not of any sort of men not of our brethren not of those that profess Religion not of those that prosper in the world we must not make them an exemplar or rule in any thing especially in the matters of Gods worship Indeed the consideration how others sin against God should be so far from being an argument to draw us unto sin as it ought to be the greatest argument to draw us from sin Thus every sin against God it is a striking at God simile It 's true if there be a common enemy come into a City or Town every one desires to have a blow at him and when men make this an argument for their sin because others do it they deal with God as those in a Town would deal with a common enemy that is thus why such and such and such go on in such wicked waies they strike at God therefore let me strike at God too when thou pleadest that argument and saiest because such and such do sin therefore I may sin thou doest in effect as much as say such and such strike at God let me have a blow at him too Is there any force in this argument For ever take heed of pleading the example of others in waies of wickedness and remember this one expression that thou doest in effect as if thou shouldst say others about me they strike at God and I must have my blow at him too as well as they In any sin we must take heed of example but above all in matters of worship Hence Deut. 12.30 Take heed to thy self that thou be not snared by following of the Nations after that they be destroyed from before thee and that thou enquire not after their gods saying How did these Nations serve their gods even so will I dâ— likewise Take heed saith God thou dost not so much as enquire how these people serve their gods and say I will do so likewise God would not have us use that argument Take heed therefore of pleading thus other people do so and so and other Nations why may not we do as other Nations do It is a very ill argument to plead example in matters of worship I mean that worship that here Judah is forewarned of that is worship that is by institution and above all things the examples of men are not to be followed in points of institution In any thing in the world there may be more plea for example than in instituted worship and the reason is this Note Because that other things have somewhat of them written in the Law of nature in mans heart all matters of morallity are in some degree or other written in mans heart by nature every man hath somewhat of the moral Law written in his heart but institutions they are such things as depend meerly upon Gods revealed will and are not written in the heart of man Therfore though we might have a plea to follow the example of others in point of morality yet there can be no just plea to follow the example of others in point of Institutions there we must be sure to keep to the rule of Gods Word to look above all things in points of Institution to what is written and
they would willingly be rid of you and think it would be better with the land when you are gone and they say Let the Lord be glorified they have pretences that they desire nothing but the peace of the Church and the glory of God they say even your brethren that cast you out they say Let the Lord be glorified but God shall appear for your glory and for their shame the Lord will honor you in that way of his Worship that you take up which is according to his Word though you suffer for the present much ignominie and contempt for it and though they may ruff it out for a while and seem to carry al before them having that which is countenanced more publickly but the Lord will appear at length to their shame the Lord will make them ashamed of their sacrifices Causes of shame There are four things that principally cause shame First Disrespect from those we desire honor from that is shame When one comes to any to a superior and expects respect from him and finds that he is cast out this is a great shame So they shall be ashamed of their sacrifices they make account that I should honor their sacrifices that they should have honor from me by reason of their sacrifices but I will cast shame upon them they shall have nothing but arguments of disrespect from me In 1 King 2.16 when Bathsheba came to Solomon to ask a Petition of him deny me not saith she the old Latine hath it Ne confundas faciem meam do not confound my face do not make me ashamed the Hebrew is Ne avertere faciem meam do not cause my face to be turned that is do not make me ashamed by giving me such disrespect when I expect such honor from thee When God doth cast off the sacrifices of men and shews disrespect unto them that causeth shame it doth confound or should confound their faces Secondly When a man takes a great deal of pains and it comes all to nothing that causeth shame and so all superstitious waies will bring shame at last In Colos 2. it is said of all superstitious ceremonies that they perish in the use of them there comes no good of them Idolaters take a great deal of paint in their waies of false worship but all will come to nothing when they shall stand in most need all their waies of superstition and Idolatry will leave them shiftless and succourless and helpless and so cast shame upon them Thirdly Disappointment of hope brings shame Psal 119.116 Let me not be ashamed of my hope saith David If I hope for good and be disappointed this will bring shame Divers Scriptures we have to shew this So when those that are superstitious and Idolatrous shall raise up their hearts with great expectation of good from God in their waies of false worship and shall be disappointed of all their hope in this God will cast shame upon them Fourthly When God discovers that to be worthless and vile which a man hath gloried most in that causeth shame So Idolaters that glorie in their Idolatrous waies the Lord in time will discover them to be base and vile and worthless things for indeed they are all but poor apish and beggarlie things and they ate fitter to please children than God God will discover this If it be objected Object Oh but they seem not to be such poor and weak things they seem to be more glorious and pompous a great deal than the waies of the true worshipers of God The true worship of God in it self seems to be a poor and mean thing The answer is Answ That the institution putteth a glory upon the waies of worship now they not having an institution upon them they are looked upon as apish and foolish and beggarlie things And then a word of promise and an engagement of Gods presence in his Ordinances puts an honor upon them which the waies of superstition have not Use Admonitions to the defiled with superstitious worship to take shame to themselves It is good for those who have been guilty in this kind of superstitious waies of worship even to prevent God by casting shame upon themselves for if they do not God will cast shame upon them he will make them to be ashamed That is our best way to come in and to prevent God and to lie down in our shame to take shame unto our own souls to lie down therein God knows how we have defiled our selves even all of us in waies of superstitious worship and the truth is God is casting shame upon all those waies at this day and doth cast shame upon them Happie are those that before these times did take shame to their own souls for all their defilements in the waies of false worship Howsoever before God doth yet further force it upon us it will be our wisdom to take shame to ourselves Ezek. 43.11 that text is a famous text for this purpose first in the tenth verse Shew them the bouse that they may be ashamed shew them the true way of my worship that they may be ashamed The truth is if we did but understand the beauty the excellency the true beauty of holiness in the waies of Gods Ordinances in the purity and simplicitie of the Gospel that were enough to make us ashamed if there were nothing else we would even be very vile in our own eyes to think that while our hearts have been taken up about such vain and vile waies of false worship that such glorious Ordinances of God that beauty of holiness that is in his Ordinances hath been neglected by us shew them the way of my house that they may be ashamed But further in the 11. vers If they be ashamed of all that they have done shew them the form of the house and the fashion thereof and the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof and all the forms thereof and all the Ordinances thereof and all the forms thereof again and all the Laws thereof and write it in their sight that they may keep the whol form thereâ—f and all the Ordinances thereof and do them First shew them my house Ezek. 33.10 11. opened Let them have some kind of knowledg of my waies and Ordinances in the general perhaps that will make them ashamed And at this day we know though there be but a little light let out unto us to shew us a little more of the waies of Gods worship than we saw before we do begin to be ashamed of what we have done Note But now if indeed we be throughly ashamed before God of all our false waies of worship of all our sacrifices then mark what a promise here is then saith the text if they be ashamed of what they have done then shew them the forms of the house and the fashion of the house c. Note Thus here is one word heaped upon another to shew that this is the mercy
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
is that which God râ—quires Joshua bids Acan Give glory to God my son and confess Confâ—ssiâ—n giveâ— glory to God and when thou standest ouâ— in this thing thou opposest God in his glory Lâ—timer reports of a man in his time who was to be executed at Oxford for some villany being brought to the place of execution much means was used to him that he would confess the act but none could prevail being turnd off and after a space hanging he was cut down and when he was cut down they peâ—ceived he was not quite dead they carrying him to a fire and by means used came to himself and then he confessed all of himself to the full This example may shew us thus much not alwaies to conclude men are not guilty when they confess nothing there is that stoutness in the hearts of men that they will rather venture damnation than yeild to men Obs 3 God will have his glory from us If we do not acknowledg our guiltiness by lesser judgments he wil continue them and ad more to them till we confess and give glory to him This is the reason that we are so long under trouble because we wil not confess when we are cald for to do it Use sin in the conscience lies as filthy corrupted matter in a sore which throbs belks and akes till it be opened and let out so in the consciences of men there is much guilt and that lies throbing in the conscience no ease can be got God calls for confession but it will not be and no true peace can be enjoyed any other way Oh therefore sinner confess and give glory to God How many are there who have lain a long time under anguish of spirit till they have taken this course freely and fully to confess sin committed lying heavy and burdensom upon the conscience Neglect not this duty when you are cald to it it is an Ordinance appointed by God for the easing of troubled souls and when you cannot get peace any other way having used other means and yet God withholds the light of his countenance then are you cald to confess to others see what course David took and how he sped Psal 39.2 3 4. I was dumb I held my peace I roared and was vexed but I said I would confess my sin and shame my self for them and then thou forgavest the sin of thy servant Mark here there was some sin which lay upon Davids conscience and he could not get peace in again what course takes he I said he did but say I would confess and then thou forgavest my sin thou diddest then seal a pardon to me Oh take this course and thou shalt have the like success God comes to thee in a sicknesâ— and saith sinner Guilty or not guilty give God then the glory of an humble confession 'T is true to confess offences against men to men there may be danger in it making us liable to trouble but confession of offences against God never causes trouble Expos And seek my face that is my Favour my Son and my Ordinances for in the general Gods face is nothing else but Gods manifestation of himself in his Love in his Son in his Ordinances and 't is a most blessed thing thus to behold Gods face Revel 22.4 this is that which David so earnestly praid for Lord lift up the light if thy countenance upon me one sight of God is better than all the world To see God any way is sweet but to see him in Christ this is most excellent In the world we have nothing of God but his very footsteps but in Christ there is the chief manifestation of the wisdom mercy and love of God to poor lost man and in the Ordinances there God chiefly lets out himself in an especial manner These are the Three things which shew unto us the meaning of those words And seek my face The Notes from them are these 'T is not enough to acknowledg our sins but we must seek Gods Obs 1 face The heart in the work of humiliation must be active ConfessioÌ„ without reconciliation insufficient that soul which is truly humbled before God must be lively and active after God else our humiliation is worth nothing in the sight of God When the heart is sullen lumpish and sinking in its humiliation God looks not at it Ezek. 33.10 we reade of some who are said to pine away in their sin Many men when God begins to afflict them with their sins Dulness under affliction an ill sign and put them into some trouble of spirit they pine away in their iniquity it is a very ill sign when humiliation makes men dull sullen and unserviceable hindering them from dutie when men lie down under their trouble discontented and melancholly therefore here 's the tryall of our trouble of conscience whether it be right or no if from melancholly it duls the heart puts it out of all spirit and activity disabling it wholly from service but if true it enlivens the heart and puts activity into the spirits though naturally dull and lumpish it puts the soul in waies of activity for God when they have to do with God this is a very good sign that such trouble for sin is right and good simile The melting of Lead consumes the Lead but the melting of Silver doth but refine and purifie it so the trouble of a carnal heart melts and consumes it but a gracious spirit will abide the fire and comes out purified and bettered therefore repentance is set out by a word of activity Isa 55.1 2. Come buy wine and milk Mat. 11.20 Come unto me The frame of a true repenting heart is in an active coming posture fitted for any service Obs 2 God leaves in his people at his parting impressions to seek him When God leaves his people he leaves something behind him which causeth the heart to make after him The soul hath her eyes upon God looking after Him Therefore much are they to be reproved who are so full of their sad conclusions and desperate speeches from such as these the Lord is gone and he will never return again I am undone and lost for ever there is no hope to Hell I must go but a gracious heart in the darkest night of sorrow and trouble can see some glimps of light and comfort saying as that good man Ezra 9.2 Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing and as the Church in Isa 42.24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned What then yet O Israel fear not Use 2. consolation Let us lay up this for sad times to support our spirits withall we know not what sad and black daies we may see yet know that we cannot be in a sadder condition than Ephraim was in here to have God to be to us as a moth and as a Lyon to tear and devour us many make
follow us on with mercies and all the good that we can wish for one after another God makes wicked men to know more wrath and the drops of his anger here are but the begining of the deluge of miseries which are their portion they sink and sink and their sinking must be to all eternity Oh the difference which there is between Gods dealing with the Saints and with the wicked Though the Saints may be under a cloud for the present yet they shall know the Lord the Sun will appear again the Lord will follow on his work though we neglect ours and glorious shall the issue of things be in the conclusion were it not a glorious thing if a man had lived from the beginning to this day and might live to the end of the world to see what God did in former times what God doth now and what he will do to the end of the world for his poor Churches The Saints shall live to all eternity to see these glorious things God did glorious things in the first six thousand yeers and surely the next six thousand yeers shall be most glorious but in eternity God will do most of all Eternity then the Saints of God those which follow on to know the Lord shall be put into the real possession of all those glorious things which God hath been a doing from all eternitie I come to the next words His going forth is prepared as the morning Hierom Hierom. conceived these words to be meant of Christ he shall come as the morning being cald the Son of righteousness in loc the morning-star and he conceives that it may have reference to the title of the 22. Psal A Psalm of David to the chief Musicion upon Aijeleth Shahar that is the morning hind to wit Christ who was sent forth as the morning hind◠and hunted in his infancy and in his life as the hinde is pursued by the hounds Expos If we take the words as they lie before us they are an expression of Israels confidence in God after a night of trouble the word prepared signifies also decreed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is decreed upon as the morning and the evening and as the day follows the night by a decree Children when they see the Sun a going down will many times cry because they think the Sun will never rise again but if a man should do so you would think him very simple Even thus it is with us 't is no wonder to see wicked men in their straits crying out we are undone this darkness will never be over yet such is the baseness of our unbeleeving hearts who think when the clouds of sorrow begin to arise and blackness begins to cover the sun of our prosperity mercy will never break through that we are undone past remedy and there is no help for us light will no more appear But more particularly observe That the times of the afflictions of Gods people are night-times This is implyed here we may have a long time of sorrow and misery a dark tempest may overtake us yet know that a morning will come They are called night-times for three reasons Because of the uncomfortableness of those times Darkness is very terrible Drexelius tels us of a young man who being very fearful of darkness God striking him with a dangerous sicknesse in so much that he could not sleep tumbling up and down in his bed he uttered these words If this darkness be so terrible what is eternal darkness and this proved the means of his conversion Wel therefore may affliction-times be called night-times times of darknesse Obs 1 These are times that often take off men from service from publick and private service The night is the time in which the brute creatures which in the day time keep close then come forth for their prey Therefore the Apostles exhortation is seasonable Let us work while it is called to day before the night comes when no man can work Night times are times of danger Many of our brethren can speak this truth in these times When is the time that wicked men prey upon the Saints and the wild beasts go out to devour but in the dark So when do men meditate upon terror and create fears to themselves but in the night of their afflictions and sorrows The time of Gods delivering his people is the morning the Obs 2 morning after the sad and dark night As light is comfortable in the morning after a sad dark and stormy night so is deliverance after trouble The morning is very desirable as appears Psal 130.6 Ps 130.6 My soul waiteth for the Lord in the morning watch Gods mercies after afflictions are very sweet as the light approaching in the morning is to the laboring-man going to his work When God hath work for men to do he expects that they should go forth to it and shew themselves in it as the Sun when it riseth begins to shew it self in its brightness and glory Use so ought every Christian to shine in the work and service of God after deliverance In a sickness or when some straight is upon thee thou art hindred in Gods service and in thy work well then when God shows thee and bestows upon thee the morning of a deliverance go forth and manifest thy working for God be not ashamed of his Cause under the shine of such a mercy The Church hath no such afflictions upon it but there comes a Obs 3 morning after them the morning wil come either to Churches in special or persons in particular and we hope this time is a coming unto us therefore let dominion be given unto the Lord in the morning yea and let dominion be given to the righteous in the morning and this seems to be the meaning of that place Revel 2.28 Rev. 2.28 To him that overcomes will I give the morning-star there may be great contentions opened grievous miseries in this night of afflictions but be encouraged To him that overcomes wil I give this morning-star of comfort and deliverance It is God presence which makes morning to the Saints all natural Obs 4 helps cannot do it as all the stars cannot make one day light some light they may give but not day light but when the Sun arises there is day presently so God may make some comfort to a arise to soul by secondarie and inferior means but 't is Himself alone by the shining of his face and the smiles of his countenance which causes morning Obs 5 Gods mercies to his people are prepared and decreed mercies They are set and determined thy going forth is prepared as the morning the word I shewed you in the Original signifies decreed Jer. 33.20 Thus saith the Lord If you can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night then also may my Covenant with David be broken Here we have both the text and the note from it the Covenant of Gods
pleasant is it It is like the dew of Hermon and like the dew that descended upon the mountain of Zion as that refreshed the grasse so is this affection of mercy and love in the Saints He compares it not to a dew that dried up presently but to a dew which descended down and there the Lord commanded his blessing Psa 133. expound Church-fellowship even life for evermore There Where Even in the communion of his Saints This is spoken particularly of Church fellowship Oh then take heed that your mercy and bounty in releeving your brethren and persecuted Saints be not as the dew that passeth away the Lord hath not made his mercie no not his mercy in dewing the earth as a morning cloud that vanisheth away and comes to nothing Oh let not our mercy and love be only in shows and proffers withot any truth and reality our mercies should come like showers upon those who have been parched with the burning rage nnd malice of the adversary help those that suffer for a good cause Now the Lord expects more from us in this duty than at other times we must not only pity them and give them good words saying Alas my Brother and alas my Sister and no more I would I could help you the Lord pity you and help you you must not only do thus but in actions and reality you must releeve them with your money and provisions Is it not with too to many of us as it was with those in James 2.15 who say to a brother Depart in peace be ye warmed and filled but give them not wherewith to do it what good doth this passing cloud do them it is but an overture but perhaps you will say that you have not been as an overture a cloud passing away you have bedewed the Saints in their need you have given something but perhaps t is but a poor pittance and that out of your abundance know that this is not sufficient it must be a constant dew and proceed on in degrees of mercy we should rejoyce that God gives us an opportunity to shew our love and mercy and not think much at it doing that you do forcedly or repiningly therefore let not our mercy be as the dew that passeth away Thus much of the words in this signification of mercie Now if we take the words in a large sense as in Scripture they are often taken and in this place also for their goodness and piety and in this sense there is much of the mind of God in the words they are so full of marrow and sweetness as can be desired Now in that God should express godliness and piety by such a word as mercy Note from thence The necessity of this grace of love and brotherly kindness in regard Obs 1 godliness it self receives its name from them though by nature men are passionate and rugged grace will mollifie them of covetous men it will change them to liberal and make them free-hearted for grace is part of the Divine Nature Nothing is so communicative as God the highest good The more excellent the nature the more cōmunicative and according to the height of any creature is the communicativeness of it as the Sun being sublime and excellent is most communicative so a gracious man hath he parts they are not for himself but for the Church hath he an estate he distributes and communicates of it to the Saints and according as grace ariseth in the soul wil communicativeness arise a true Christian is not close handed If grace hath its denomination from hence Then surely this Obs 2 grace of mercy is most excellent because the whol frame of the new man is set out by it and by this it is expressed When we use to set out the whol of any thing by a part we do not express it by an inferior part but in some thing which is eminent in it as by prayer many times is expressed the whol worship of God as be that cals upon the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved Rom. 10. Expos 1 As the morning cloud and as the early dew In these words God charges this people for three things in which their notorious hypocrisie was expressed Clouds and dew passing what they imploy For their vacuity and emptiness their words were empty sounds they were clouds without water as Jude expresses it Jude 12. 't is the high commendation of Christians to be full of God of Christ and ful of grace and knowledg of which Ephraim had a shew but it was but a shew Expos 2 For their falfness and desembling they had a heart and a heart towards God they dealt treacherously with God they were all in shows but in the bottom nothing but vanity Expos 3 For their unconstancy and sickleness As rain in the clouds shews much but is by the wind presently blown over the clouds now are all black and lowring but in a short time are blown over and there is a perfect cleer sky even thus it was in their goodness though they made glorious shows in their reformation yet were they all empty false and unconstant Thus it was in the general in the reformation of the Land when things were reformed in the Kingdom it was but by halves and in their particular turnings it was but as the morning cloud many times there was great appearences of reformation but they were like the early dew which presently goeth away The ten Tribes and Judah did make such beginnings in reformation and setting up the worship of God that if God were truly worshiped by any people in the world it would be by these that they would set God up high in their thoughts high in their practices and this was very burdensom to the Spirit of God therefore he saith What shall I do unto thee Ob Ephraim What shall I do unto thee Oh Judah We find glorious shows of reformation to come to nothing as appears in these many examples 2 King 1 9. and the 10. chapters Jehu made great shows when Joram asked him Is it peace Jehu he answered him What peace so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many And in the 10. chapter what a slaughter doth he make upon the Priests of Baal Well what came of this reade but on in the chapter verses 29. and 31. it is said That Jehu departed not from the sins of Jeroboam who made Israel to sin What a cloud of hopes was there in Ahahs time 1 Kings 18.39 all the people cryed The Lord is God the Lord he is the God upon the miracle which was wrought by Elijahs prayer when the fire came down and consumed the sacrifice but this all vanished in the people and for Ahab himself the text saith he did abominably in following of Idols so that there was none like unto him who sould himself to work wickedness 1 Kings 21.26 27. When the Prophet comes to him
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
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
Surely therefore it is mens own there is nothing in Gods Word for it how highly soever it is honored But we have enough in Scripture for Gods own day the Lords day and it is appointed by God himself to be a day of thanksgiving for the birth resurrection and ascension of Christ and for the whol work of our redemption altogether But man he out of his pride will have another day and so set his post by Gods post he thinks it is not honor enough unto Christ to put the celebration of his birth death resurrection ascension all together in one day no he thinks it is more for the honor of Christ to have several daies one for his birth another for his resurrection another for his ascension whereas God hath put all into one and would have his Son to be honored by the observation of that one day The pride of Israel doth testifie to his face Testifie In the Original it is answereth to his face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When any thing iâ— returned suitable to its work that is said to answer that work that is thus when the ground brings forth Corn for the husbandman then it answereth unto the seed and labor of the husbandman Gen. 30.33 My righteousness shall answer for me saith Jacob to Laban I shall have that which is suitable to my righteousness So here the pride of Israel answereth to his face so you may reade it that is the fruit of Expos 1 their pride shall be in the punishment of it fully answerable unto the sinfulness of it so I find many turn it Mic. 1.2 Let the Lord be witness against you testifie against you it is the same word or answer you according unto your sins in the way of punishment that 's the meaning When the Lord bringeth judgments suitable unto and full up to mens sins those judgments do answer to mens sins yea and they witness against them they witness to the faces of those men the guilt of those sins Well but we will rather take it and so it is to be I think according to what you reade in your books The pride of Israel Expos 2 doth testifie to his face that is the pride that doth appear in Israel doth fully teâ—â—ifie that horrible wickedness stoutness obstinacy that is in Israel it testifies it to his face Israel is a stout and an obstinate sinner and his heart is very wicked vile and abominable against God How do you prove that His pride that manifesteth it self outwardly doth testifie this his inward wickedness It is true you cannot see the heart but pride doth use to discover it self pride in the heart seldome lies there long secret for that is a sin that must be above-board pride must vent it self it is the glory of that sin to vent it self Now that coming and venting it self what doth it but witness to the face of the sinner what vileness and wickedness is in his heart You could not see the vileness wickednes that was in his heart before but now here thiâ— sin Pride that is sent out and pride is a foolish sin it cannot keep in and that coming forth it is a loud witness against him of that filth vileness stoutness and obstinacie that there is in the heart of this sinner There is a secret pride and a witnessing pride Isa 3.9 The shew of their countenance doth wi ness against them Isa 3.9 opened and they declare their sin like Sodom they manifest it outwardly in their very countenance It is taken from harlots some harlots that are at first departed from their husbands they keep things very secretly and you shal perceive them very demure in their countenance but at length they come to be bold and impudent in their filthiness and you may perceive adultery in their very countenance and they witness apparantly in their words and countenances what the wickedness of their hearts is Pride discovers much sin within As that sin of adultery so almost all sins are witnessed where pride is discovered No sin disgraceth men more than pride and that is the curse of God upon this sin pride seeks for the greatest honor to a man and there is nothing that doth more dishonor him Why because pride doth testifie that there is a woful deal of evil in that mans heart As I will instance a little A man that differs in judgment from his brethren in divers things he differeth and he pretendeth this he cannot see the truth of God which he would fain see he cannot do as his brother for his conscience bindeth him otherwise How to discern differing from others out of pride or conscience But you will say every man pleads conscience how shall we know whether it be the stoutness of his heart or the tenderness of his conscience Thus If this man behaveth himself humbly and the rather humbly in all other things because he cannot see what his brother doth in such and such particulars and so is in danger to be an offence to his brother and therefore his soul is humbled This is a good witness that it is meer conscience and not stoutness that makes him differ But now if his behavior be high and proud when he differeth from his brother he doth not take it to be an affliction to him that he cannot see what his brother * or that his brother doth not see what he doth This passage must be understood 1 Of lesser differences 2. Not absolutely nor alwaies but in things wherein one is not cleer for if he be he cannot but think it is at least weakness in that particular though in others hee may judg him stronger than himself that he doth not see the same with him doth but censureth him and thinks that it is either through his weaknesâ— or through his wilfulness that he will not see and so carries himself high and proudly before his brother this witnesseth to his face that it is stubborness and singularity Thus his pride testifies to his face the inward wickedness of his heart And as in a Church this is a principle and maxim That though a man be guilty of many and great sins yet he is not to be cast out but upon obstinacy You will say how shall we know that for obstinacy is in a mans heart I know many observe such and such rules for it as if you do not reform when such and such learned men tell you what they would do c. But we have another rule if after an offence and admonition there be a proud behaviour of any one in a Congregation if he carries himself proudly this his proud behavior witnesseth to his face that it is not out of tenderness or scruple of conscience that he yeildeth nor to what his brethren would have him but through the stoutness of his heart His pride testifieth to his face O the pride of mens hearts witnesseth much against them I remember I have read in Beda